Gibsons in Rosemont is catering to the after work crowd and doling out free appetizers. It's all part of their complimentary appetizer buffet created by Chef Marco DiBenedetto which includes Filet Sliders, Pigs in a Blanket and BBQ Shrimp. It runs from 4:00 to 6:00 Monday - Friday, so show up and eat... It's FREE.

BlackBerry addicts rejoice, the W Chicago - City Center is offering free hand and arm massages. Apparently we are so TXT obsessed people are getting arm and hand cramps, nevertheless it's still a free massage. Head over to Bliss inside the W every Wednesday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., relax and tell them Metromix TV sent you.

Tourists will have yet another spot to grab Garrett's Popcorn this Thursday. The Chicagoland staple is celebrating 60 years with a new store @ 625 N. Michigan Avenue.

Here's what they have planned for the day:

• 10 a.m. - 12:00: FREE small bags of Garrett Popcorn’s Chicago Mix;
• If rain, Garrett branded ponchos for customers in line, while supplies last;
• “Scratch and Win” cards for FREE one gallon tins,and more...

We know it's touristy but it's free and delicious, you'll find us in line come Thursday.

Time to taste the "other white meat!" This week, Man-B-Que's Tom "Death Chef" Rubeo shows us how to grill up scrumptious, brined pork chops. Mmmm....

Read on for the recipe and tune in next week for more deliciousness from these meat-loving manly men...

Set your taste buds to juicy, cause today we're grilling up the best of both worlds... BBQ and booze, anyone? This week AJ "Meat Coffin" Patel shows us how to whip up some Beer Can Chicken. Are you salivating yet???

Read on for the recipe and tune in next week for another charcoal-y treat...

It's that time again, so bust out those grills for some more tips from the meat enthusiasts at Man-B-Que. This week, Andy "Nightmare of the North" checks in to show us the perfect way to grill venison... mmmm. Read on for more and tune in next week for some delicious bacon wrapped shrimp...

Chicago is under a heat advisory with temps upwards of 100 degrees. Apparently Lollapalooza didn't get the memo when they ordered the food for the media today. On the menu... Fried Chicken! Nothing says refreshing like 100 degree Harold's Chicken.

We're kidding, kind of. It's free and thats better than shelling out money for a $4 slice of Connies Pizza.

But if you really want to live like a king and rock out at the same time hit the jump for the ultimate rock food @ Lolla.

It's time for some more grilled goodness with Man-B-Que -- and this week, John "Death Toll" Scholl shows us the recipe for his delicious Spicy Cedar-Grilled Alaska Salmon. Read on for more and check back next week to learn the perfect way to grill venison...

This week on the show we checked out the fresh made potato chips they are serving up @ Jiminy Chips. Make sure you check out the story and stop into one of their five Chicagoland locations.

Welcome to the first installment of our weekly grilling tips/recipes with Man-B-Que! We first met these meat-loving men on Metromix last year, and this summer we thought we'd share with you some tasty tips from the grill aficionados.

First up, a Man-B-Que classic: The Linus Burger. You won’t need any condiments on this burger, trust us! Just keep on reading and check back next week for a delicious cedar plank salmon recipe...

Want a hamburger, french fry and a drink for nothing? Who doesn't right? This Thursday Patty Burger, 72 East Adams, is giving away the combo to Chicago's emergency workers because of the hard work they put in during the long holiday weekend. The deal is good for those who qualify from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Who says hard work doesn't pay?

So the Chicago Tribune and RedEye polled you guys and have come up with the best fries in Chicagoland. Click here for story.

Did yours make the list? Check out the video below of some of the MX team's favorite french fries.

This weekend is the official start to our favorite season: Festival Season! Usually when you think of summer fun, scenes of The Taste and sounds of Lollapalooza come to mind, but it all starts with Mayfest.

The 14th annual gala rolls into Lakeview Friday and runs through Sunday. Five dollars will get you past the gate, where you can enjoy beer, food, live music -- and be sure not to miss the pet parade (believe it!) on Sunday.

Part grocery, part Italian-style cafe, Z&H MarketCafe is taking grocery shopping a whole new level in Hyde Park.

Looking for a delivery deal this weekend for the NCAA tourney? Jersey's Pizza and Grill in Hoffman Estates is trying to save you some cash with their Final Four pizza deal. That's right four pizza's for just $40.

To prove how delicious they think their product is, they sent four of their cheese pizza's to the Metromix office this week, the diagnosis... pretty tasty. For more info check out their web-site or call 847.765.0085.

Through the course of the week we receive numerous emails from viewers asking all kinds of questions. We answer them all, but I thought it appropriate to post some of the questions on the blog, in case you might have been wondering some of the same things! Maybe you saw something on the program and you can't remember it's name, or maybe you just want to find a great place to eat this weekend. The Metromix Mailbag has your answers! Today's first question is about all you can eat candy!

A couple weeks ago on "Let's Eat" we checked out Topa Tavern & Grill in Elk Grove Village. We've gotten great feedback from the owners saying our viewers have turned out in droves to try the eclectic eats from Tony & Paul Diaz.

We're recommending checking out their monthly wine dinner. It goes down the last Thursday of every month @ 6:30. Tickets are $85 and the wine comes from different regions all over the world.

For a reservation call the restaurant 847.640.0440. And not to be cliché, but tell them Metromix on CLTV sent you.

If you caught last weekend's edition of "metromix," you saw my latest assault on my GI system. In the latest Fast Food Review, I took on the new waffle sandwich at Dunkin Donuts and the Burger Shots at Burger King. Special thanks to Garrard McClendon for his first cameo appearance on the Fast Food Review.

Wow, flashy video alert! Chicago entertainment/restaurant guru Billy Dec is set to open his latest creation, Sunda. According to the YouTube description, the restaurant will feature "contemporary and progressive interpretations of traditional dishes from Japan, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and the rest of the Southeast Asian Island region." The video breaks that all down, but still doesn't show us too much about what the place will look like. But if the video is meant to peak our interest - job well done.

Everyone seems to have their own recipe for chili. River North's Rockit Bar & Grill has one for each day of your work week, and they'll be showing them off at their first annual Chilifest.

Keep reading after the jump for the chili rundown.

On the 25th, $25 gets you a four course meal. Not bad. How about a four-course meal of Ian's Pizza unique slices and some hand selected craft beers from Sheffield's Beer School's honor role?

There'll be a beer expert on site to talk about the brews, and we thought we had an easy gig.

The nigh'ts one of a kind menu and reservation info after the jump!

Marcus enters the Twilight Zone and finds egg rolls at Arby's and bacon at Taco Bell.

We here at metromix like to take care of you guys. And if you're like us, every now and then you need to pick up a meal on the cheap. The world famous Berghoff is offering their corned beef sandwhich for a buck when you buy a drink Monday through Thursday between three and five in the afternoon.

Don't get too used to it though, the super cheap sandwhich will only be offered till the end of the month.

Little fun fact, the cousin of the corned beef sandwhich, the Ruben is shrouded in mystery. No one knows for sure when it was invented. Also, there is no corn used to corn the beef. Save that for Jeopardy.

Earlier in the month we asked you to send in your best and worst Valentines Day stories in our contest to win tickets to the French Pastry School's For the Love of Chocolate Benefit.

Well after an onslaught of submissions, some happy and some sad. So without further adieu here are your winners...

My worst Valentine's Day was a few years ago my ex decides to buy me a box of 'chocolates'. Instead of chocolates inside I found headless gummy bears.(We broke up the day after). Not cool. He apologized but i never got a late V-Day gift - Yesenia

My worst Valentine's Day was in 2006. I was working as a pastry cook at the Park Hyatt when I discovered two things, that my boyfriend was cheating on me and that I had a mass in my breast. Well I was diagnosed with breast cancer on 2/13/06 and broke up with my boyfriend...cancelling love on 2/14/06! I'm still single but I celebrate life on 2/13 and love on 2/14! - Angela

Congrats to our winners! If you want to still go to the benefit all you need to is head here.

That's right - Chipotle will be doling out FREE BURRITOS this Thursday, January 8th, at their brand new Logan Square location. You can get yours anytime between 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Once again, here are the details:

WHAT: Free Chipotle Burritos!
WHERE: Chipotle in Logan Square, 2717 N. Elston Ave.
WHEN: Thursday, January 8th.
WHY: Because they're free and delicious!

After the jump you'll find the official Chipotle press release featuring all kinds of nice phrases like "sustainable sources" and "food with integrity." All I can say is be prepared to wait. I went to the opening of the Gurnee location and waited in line for almost 30 minutes, maybe because people in Gurnee were new to this large, wrapped tortilla "burrito" concept. That's a joke. See you all in Logan Square this Thursday!

All it takes is one twinkling light and I'm busting out the red-and-white stockings! But for those a little more Bah Humbug -- you can borrow a few of my favorite ways to get in the spirit of the season...

1. Millenium Park
B-Y-O-S (Bring Your Own Skates) and take a free spin around the glistening rink -- or rent a pair for only $10 to twirl under the city skyline.

More festive fun after the jump...

You read that right. Crushpad, a west coast winery, is offering a new wine - the price of which fluctuates with the stock market! Here's their hilarious trailer:

Just like you, the folks over at Crushpad have watched as their 401K's have been getting hammered over the past few months. So they decided to offer a Bailout Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon for just $39....but it could be even cheaper than that. Keep reading for more details.....

Marcus - who amazingly is not weighing a metric ton at this point - gets a jump on holiday eating with his latest fast food review.

We don't normally embed video from other TV outlets on this blog, but if I didn't do it here, you'd never believe me. Due to the economic downturn, a restaurant in Japan has hired monkeys to fill in for the wait staff! And that's not a punchline, we're talking ACTUAL monkeys! And get this - the health department says it's sanitary, as long as the monkeys wear clothes! What fun is that?

What do you tip a monkey? 10%? Maybe a banana or two? If only the monkeys were on the menu, then we'd really be in business!

Cooking a turkey this Thanksgiving? In need of a little help? Well look no further! I cornered Mary Klingman, the Butterball Turkey Talk Line Lady, in hopes of providing me with some insight to cooking the perfect bird. Hilarity and knowledge ensued:

Remember, don't hesitate to give the Butterball folks a call this Thanksgiving at 1-800-Butterball!

Dive! Dive! Marcus takes on fast food subs in his latest fast food.

Because it's all going down at Noon today...which is in, like, 45 minutes! To celebrate their one year anniversary, the Jersey Boys will give away nearly 4,000 pieces of Home Run Inn pizza at various downtown between 12-1 p.m. today. The locations are as follows:

Bank of America Theatre (18 W.Monroe St.)

Couch Place – James M. Nederlander Way (State St. between Lake and Randolph), Pioneer Court (401 N Michigan Ave)

Illinois Center Plaza (111 E. Wacker)

Cast members will be handing out the slices....be sure to tell them that "metromix TV" sent you there.

Chicago's got baseball fever with both the Cubs and Sox in the playoffs at the same time for the first time in 100 years. So while we wait to see which team will prevail, we're looking back at this past summer's Crosstown Classic, when Metromix tackled the bigger question: Who has the better food?
Hot Dog, pizza, BBQ - it's an all-star line up in a gut-busting battle of the century.

Marcus and his artieris are at it again. This time, he's taking on Arby's Buff-A-Que, a spicy little number from BK, and a volcanic taco from Da Bell.

If you watched this week's episode of "Let's Eat," you saw me visit Al Capone's Hideaway in St. Charles and make a fool of myself with a bottle of Tommy Gun Vodka. I have actually visited Al's a few times in the past, just a short jog down the road from NIU in DeKalb. The place is packed full of history, has great eats, and some of the finest service around. More, including hours, pricing, and address, after the jump.

On this weekend's episode of Let's Eat, I introduced you to a new social club that began right here in Chicago - "Man B Que." It's basically a group of guys (no women, sorry) who get together once a month to share grilling tips and recipes. They meet all year round but summer is definitely their peak season. If you want to see how you can join Man B Que, or start your own chapter, visit their website www.manbque.com.

The best thing about ManBQue? There are no secrets! Every recipe is open to share and just below I have a few for you. The unbelievably good Original Linus Burger and the Famous Steak Curtains.

The fine folks over at ChicagoTribune.com have given us a doozy of a new feature. They've created an online searchable database where you can look up the results of any restaurant health inspection done in the city of Chicago! Simply click here, then type in the name and address of your favorite (or maybe not-so-favorite) spot to see how they've fared!

UPDATE: A comment came in from reader EF who notes that the City of Chicago has had a feature like this one their website for some time. You can access it here:

http://webapps.cityofchicago.org/health/inspection.jsp

Thanks for the tip EF!

Bon Appetit!

Love hot dogs? We do too..so join us tonight as we honor National Hot Dog Month on this Let's Eat episode of Metromix. First up, Marcus stops by America's Dog to fill your brain with hot dog facts and grab a bite to eat. Then he brings Hawaii to us as he stops in Big Kahuna for some Hawaiian fast food...and spam? Trust me you gotta see this. Next we catch up with Jackie who is showin you how she likes her Crepes. But Jackie doesn't let the food stop just yet...she also satisfies your sweet tooth as she hits the hottest sweet spots around Chicago. From cookies, to cake, to all the chocolate you need... Jackie is gonna make your mouth water in this episode of Let's Eat. But that's just the beginning. Tune in tonight at 7, 8, and 9 to see what else we are cookin up.

As heard on tonight's "metromix minute," I talked about metromix.com's "A Taste of New on the Scene." For just $10 you can sample dishes from some of the hottest new restaurants around town. It's going down Monday night 6-8:30 p.m. at Sam's Wine and Spirits in the South Loop. Get all of the information you need from our trusty mothership, here.

OK, so I'm no Tom Cruise, but I now have my own cocktail. If you caught this weekend's "metromix," you saw the World's Fastest Bartender "Bobby G" Gleason, who now works for DeKuyper Liquors, whip up a signature cocktail for the program. It sure is fruity (not sure what he's trying to say with that). Anyways, here's the recipe.....

Marcus Leshock here. If you caught the Brian Noonan Show on WGN Radio this morning, you may have heard my appearance. We talked about all of the festivals and events going on this weekend and beyond. So much to do in a Chicago summer, so little time. Keep reading to get all of the information about the things we talked about!

We checked out Kuma's Corner on tonight's show. The place is absolutely jammed packed on a nightly basis. We spent most of the night trying to stay out of the way there. They pump almost 150 burgers an hour out of their tiny 6X16 kitchen. The burgers are all different, absolutely delicious. They have the Slayer Burger (an outrageous dish of fries topped with a 1/2 pound of ground beef, Chili, Cherry Peppers, Andouille, Onions, Jack Cheese, and of course, Anger). There's also the Judas Priest (Bacon, Bleu Cheese Dressing with Apples, Walnuts, and dried cranberries). But I can only speak for the burger I had....

Marcus hits up some fast food spot to check out their latest menu items.

......In Cyberspace! Tomorrow Stephanie will be conducting a LIVE video web chat on chicagotribune.com, hosted by Joe Gray. It goes down Thursday, June 12th at 1 p.m.

She'll be live in the Chicago Tribune studio taking questions from YOU for about 30 minutes. She'll talk about her experience on the reality show… and maybe about WINNING Top Chef on tonight's finale!

You can enter your quesitons for Stephanie here. Enjoy!

On this weeks Let's Eat we showed you a new spot in Wicker Park thats serving up food on a stick "Skewerz" & Bahar checked out the Indian eats at a new spot in the warehouse district "Veerasway."

We put our heads together and found a spot that does both of those, it's called Klay Oven and it has called River North home for a decade and a half.

Check it out and enjoy.

Marcus Leshock here. Because the World Series-bound Chicago Cubs are playing on CLTV tomorrow night, "metromix" will air its weekly Let's Eat food show tonight! We'll give you an inside look at Chicago's Green City Market, a great place to get fresh produce every week. Also, we'll sample the "Island Fusion" meats on a stick at Skewerz in Wicker Park. And don't forget about Tribune Food Critic Phil Vettel! He'll give his review of Chef Amaury's in Aurora.

To get you really HUNGRY for tonight's show, check out this new invention that was featured on the Onion News Network. See you tonight!

New Wearable Feedbags Let Americans Eat More, Move Less

Pogo checked out Fat Willey's and their Carolina style BBQ on this weeks Let's Eat. There are plenty of other spots in the city to grab some Q. Smoque in Irving Park is just one of the spots to get your hands dirty.

On this weeks Let's Eat we filled you in on raw foods and the vege-centric eats at Green Zebra. So to spread a little love here are some more healthy spots to check out.

More goodness after the jump.

Marcus Leshock here. If you missed my review of the latest in Fast Food, you're in luck. Below you'll find the extended version, complete with a review of Taco Bell's new Chicken Bacon Club Chalupa! Got a Fast Food favorite you'd like me to tackle? Leave a comment!

Think being a food critic is all glam and glory? Hardly. Somebody's gotta sample the overcooked steak and burnt bruschetta so we don't have to!

Chicago Magazine's Restaurant Reviewer Jeff Ruby made this video detailing his anonymous exploits:

Jackie checked out the sweet creations @ Berry Chill in River North on this weeks Let's Eat. So we thought it would be a cool to spread the love with another spot we recently featured ont he show called Just Indulge.

Its new to the custard game in the city. I hope you enjoy it as much as Bahar did.

Let's face it, you're busy..right? And you TRY to eat healthy...but is there a way to do it quickly, easily, and not have it cost an arm and a leg? There is. We enlisted the help of a personal chef, and you can see the results on the right side of the page in the video section. It's called "Healthy Eating Tips At Home", and for the recipes of what you saw (and more), just click.

In this weeks leftovers we take you to Rogers Park & Newleaf Natural Grocery. So if you're looking to buy that healthy food after watching Pogo's healthy cooking piece, stop on over.

On the Web: newleafnatural.net

After an exhaustive process of discussing and sampling the best steakhouses in Chicagoland, we rounded down our list to 4 great places. We asked you all to chime in on the blog, you did, and we have a Viewer's Choice. After the jump, you'll find the list of my favorite three places, and your pick. So get at it and remember to always eat responsibly!.......

We featured Phil Vettel's review of Sixteen inside the Trump Tower, to share some love, here's the story we did on JBar & David Burke's inside the James Hotel. It's this weeks Leftovers.

If you're wondering how the sweet & savory chefs @ Aigre Doux do their thing, we have answer.

The delicious details after the jump.

We featured Chicago Tribune food critic Phil Vettel's review of Fuego in Arlington Heights on this weeks Let's Eat.
We know the northwest suburb can be a hike for some of you, so here's a couple other spots to check out for some killer tacos. It's this weeks leftovers.

Calling all steak lovers! Metromix is on the search for Chicago's best chop house. We're gathering all your input now, so if you want YOUR favorite to be featured this April, comment below. Tell us which restaurant you love the best and why.

On this weeks Let's Eat we featured the crepes @ Icosium Kafe in Andersonville.
While you're in the neighborhood check out some of these other spots we hit up in one of our neighborhood tour segments.
It's this weeks Leftovers.

Pogo kept warm for a week after sampling some of the best spots in the city for a good cup of hot cocoa. Do yourself a favor and keep warm with his story.

Two Chicago establishments made Esquire Magazines list of best sandwiches in America. (No burgers allowed). Al's Italian Beef was mentioned along with the Jibarito @ Borinquen in Logan Square. Pogo went there a while ago, check out the story...

Esquire also dropped a list of the countries best bars as well. Video under the cut:

Pogo found 3 of the city's not-so-average hot chocolates....click for the details on each.

On tonight's Green Piece segment, I featured The Handlebar in Wicker Park. Besides supporting pro-bicycling causes from all over Chicagoland, they also offer a wide-range of vegan cuisine. Read more and get contact info after the jump.....

We featured Tribune critic Phil Vettel's story on places to grab good fish & chips on this weeks Let's Eat. If you couldn't get enough here's a spot we checked out back in March of 2006.

Check out the Duke of Perth's web-site for more info.

If you caught the show tonight you saw me countdown my three favorite spots for pancakes in Chicagoland! I've posted all of the info about each of my picks and the viewer's choice, and some extra info that couldn't fit into the show. Also, we've compiled more places to get fantastic pancakes. Video is after the jump, so keep reading...

If you saw "metromix" tonight, you saw me try and scarf down the most ridiculously over-the-top hot wings EVER! They're that hot. After the jump you'll find more of my thoughts on the wings, and more info about Jake Melnick's itself! So continue reading....

TONIGHT Tune in for the launch of Metromix TV's weekly Let's Eat! episode. The entire show covers food, dining and drinking, so tune in or miss out..
Inside: Rustik

Harajuku @ SushiSamba Rio

The Hottest Food in Chicago

Phil Vettel Reviews: Fahrenheit

In The Mix: Dessert Pairings with Grand Marnier

mmmm good, enjoy!

TONIGHT Tune in for the launch of Metromix TV's weekly Let's Eat! episode. The entire show covers food, dining and drinking, so tune in or miss out..
Inside: Rustik

Harajuku @ SushiSamba Rio

The Hottest Food in Chicago

Phil Vettel Reviews: Fahrenheit

In The Mix: Dessert Pairings with Grand Marnier

mmmm good, enjoy!

I know I do! Marcus Leshock here, I'm looking for the best pancakes in Chicagoland! So if you have a favorite, post a comment and let me know where to go. I really don't want to end up eating Hotcakes with Sausage, so please help me out! Post your suggestion after the jump....

Marcus here. Maybe you're like the thousands of other folks who still have no idea what they're doing on New Year's Eve? You could spend hundreds of dollars on some party you probably won't remember. Or you could spend all of that money on a nice dinner! Before you "snap into shape in '08" (patent pending), why not gather your friends at one of Chicago's signature restaurants and shovel ridiculous amounts of food down your traps? A few options for ya after the jump....

Bust out the Beano.
Its cold outside so we figured a good way to warm up would be to eat excessive amounts of chii. Here are Chicago's top four places to grab a bowl.

The top 2 places to grab a bowl after the jump...

We searched the city to see who had the best ribs and had our wet-naps ready.

This is why I'm Hot....Dog.
We looked all over for the best hot dog's here are the final four.

Pogo came in cluckin' because he ate so many wings doing this story.

Your pick for best wings after the jump...

If you have a sweet tooth this story is taylor made for you.
We put our fillings on the line, battled through the sugar high and found Chicago's most decadent desserts.

Where's the beef?
There are a ton of spots to grab a sandwich around town but who has the best.
We put the debate to an end.