Patio Hounds at Daily Bar & Grill

Photos:

Venue: Daily Bar & Grill
Dog-friendly rating: 2 bones (out of 4)
Scale: 1 = not accommodating to 4 = bends over backward for doggie diners

Lola and Laurie were beyond excited when they walked up to the Daily last Tuesday night. This patio seemed just like their style: relaxed, but still happening. The weather was great and not too hot for Lola’s little bully body. Laurie tried to put Lola’s puppy energy to work earlier that day with three long walks, but as soon as they walked in, Lola lived up to her "playful pup" status. As we settled in for our final night out as the Patio Hounds, the overall mood was fantastic. We’ve all grown very comfortable around each other, thanks to our lovable pups who’ve helped amp up the group dynamic each week.

Patio scene: Situated in a lot adjacent to the restaurant, the Daily Bar & Grill’s patio is an urban oasis. Slate tiles and a vibrant yellow stucco wall lend a Mediterranean feel, giant flower planters line the outer edge, and a large tree wrapped in twinkly lights acts as a centerpiece. Wrought iron tables and chairs surround this natural hub, giving diners and pooches plenty of room to kick back—and when Lola attempted her escape, she could run without knocking anyone over.

Food and drink: The menu was jam-packed with options, and there was even a vegetarian section. We all had trouble deciding. We started with cheesy tater tots and chips ($3.95) and homemade salsa ($5.95), both stellar apps. Jay devoured his steak salad ($10.95), Cereescia went out on a limb and chose the so-so chicken pot pie ($9.95), and Laurie and Vonetta had a good-enough buffalo chicken sandwich ($7.95) and buffalo chicken pizza ($9.95), respectively. Beers ran roughly $3.50 for domestics and $4.50 for imports; Vonetta was a big fan of the blue raspberry vodka-lemonade "snow cone" ($6). The price point was just right, and we had enough cash left for a cab home.

Crowd: The crowd at Daily was not what we expected. Though there were a few enthusiastic Lola fans, there were far more tables of disapproving patrons. Everyone appeared to be relaxed—many sported baseball caps and flip-flops—but it seemed the opposite was true. Numerous people shot us dirty looks (maybe because we had a photographer with us for part of the time?) and one woman even flipped us the bird. What’s up, Lincoln Square? Where’s the love? That’s OK: No one could stop us from enjoying ourselves, and Lola certainly did her part to keep our spirits up!

Bottom line: The staff gave us just enough attention and the patio is a pretty space. But based on our experience, just bring your dog—not your personal photographer.

For the dogs—Our Playful Pup sounds off on service
My turn? Finally! The gnarly "right on"-style waiter brought water for me right away. This was much appreciated—except the plastic cat-sized bowl needed to be refilled a few times. I’m quite the drinker! No worries: My mama helped take care of it with her water. Next time though, don’t forget about me!

There was plenty of room for me to chill out, but I didn’t catch any other pups at Daily. Where my dogs at? I really didn’t feel the love from the other customers. Some looked annoyed when I pulled a David Copperfield and escaped my collar; some seemed peeved that I had my own personal paparazzi. My waiter was nice enough, and he even threw out a "Woah, that’s my wiener, dog!" when I got excited and tried to jump up on him. Snort, snort … that made my night. —Lola, Laurie Baker’s English Bulldog

[ The Patio Hounds were selected by Metromix producers through an application and interview process. Metromix pays for all food and drinks. ] metromix@tribune.com