The publication announced its coveted list, naming the 50 top restaurants in the country, with one Chicago eatery and one suburban spot making the cut for Illinois.

“For the 2026 list of our 50 favorite restaurants in the United States, the scouting team was bigger than ever. As the 16 of us traveled the country, we ate in all kinds of places, from small-town Wisconsin to downtown Manhattan,” the report states. “Our picks aren’t ranked, and if a restaurant was on a previous year’s list, you won’t see it here.”

Making the top 50 report were Creepies in Chicago and Kouklas Greek Eatery in Niles, both of which are newer spots in the region.

Creepies was cited for its French bistro-inspired menu that not only tackles “textbook perfection,” but also veers away from the rulebook.

Meanwhile, Kouklas was noted for its family-style restaurant and menu, which reviewers said “makes a compelling case that we should be eating better Greek food — and more of it.”

Several other Midwest spots also made the cut, including Michigan’s Tacos Wuey and Roses, Minnesota’s Khue’s Kitchen and Wisconsin’s Hama Hama Oyster Saloon and La Sirena.

It’s not the first time Creepies has made restaurant industry headlines.

The restaurant, which opened in August of 2025 and quickly garnered attention from the Michelin guide, was also recently named on Bon Appetit’s list of ‘Best New Restaurants’ for 2026.

Time Out editors from across the globe ranked the top 40 coolest neighborhoods in the world, from an artsy enclave in Tokyo and a waterfront sanctuary in Brisbane, to Stockholm’s meatpacking district and an under-the-radar town in Montreal.

West Town is home to some of the city’s best restaurant and bar debuts in recent years (Pizz’amici, Bar Bambi and Guillotine Bakery, to name a few) and new cultural destinations like Elise Seigenthaler Gallery and Bridgeport Records’ newest shop, Onion City Records. West Town has, of course, been cool for many years, thanks to its many iconic restaurants, museums, bookstores, green spaces and shops.

So what makes West Town so cool? According to Time Out, the coolest neighborhoods are the ones that represent the best parts of their city through exceptional culture, community, liveability, nightlife, food and drink, and street life, all while maintaining their own distinct local character. And now more than ever, West Town has all of those in spades.

The only U.S. neighborhood to rank higher than West Town is Chinatown in Los Angeles at No. 4, while New York’s Financial District came in at No. 28. The No. 1 coolest neighborhood is Jongno 3-ga in Seoul, followed by L’Ocean District in Rabat, Morocco, and Neos Kosmos in Athens. You can see the full ranking here.

According to a new AAA travel survey, 24-percent of Illinoisans begin planning holiday trips during September and October, while only 8-percent wait until November or December.

For many travelers, cost is driving those decisions. The survey found that budget concerns and waiting for lower prices are the leading reasons travelers delay booking trips. Yet that strategy often backfires. Nearly half of residents said they delayed booking a trip and later paid more than they would have if they booked earlier. Sixteen percent paid significantly more, while 32-percent paid somewhat more.

“Many travelers are hoping to find a better deal by waiting,” said Molly Hart, spokeswoman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Unfortunately, our survey shows that strategy doesn’t always pay off. Travelers don’t need to book the first itinerary they find, but this is a good time to start researching options, comparing prices and making decisions before choices become more limited.”

The survey also found that staying within budget and finding the best price are travelers’ biggest sources of planning stress. Overspending is the most common travel-planning regret, followed by waiting too long to book.

AAA Tips:

Establish a budget before booking
Compare multiple travel dates
Consider traveling before or after peak holiday weeks
Set price alerts and monitor fare changes
Book once the itinerary aligns with your budget and priorities

*The AAA Consumer Pulse Survey was conducted online among 400 Illinois residents from August 5–13, 2026. Survey results asked for all respondents have a maximum margin of error of ± 4.9 percentage points. Responses are weighted by age and gender to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the adult population (18+) in Illinois.

If you thought that the Chicago Cubs‘ superstar centerfielder might slow down at some point, you thought wrong.

Take Monday night’s 7-3 Cubs win over the Braves, for example.

PCA went 4-for-5 with four RBI, a run, a double, a home run and a steal.

The homer was a two-run shot in the sixth inning, and Crow-Armstrong raised his season batting average to .281 and OPS to .945.

In the process, he set an all-time MLB record.

PCA Sets MLB Record

Crow-Armstrong now stands alone in one particular statistical combination with the most-ever in a single season.

The criteria: four-plus hits, multiple extra-base hits, and a home run.

PCA has seven such games this season.

No player in the modern era has ever had that many before, via OptaStats:

The hope begins with four hits — a four-hit game is an awesome MLB accomplishment.

It gets more impressive with the extra-base hits, and having multiple in the same game makes a hitter quite dangerours.

And then there’s the home run ball, never easy, but exactly what it takes to land on this criteria list.

There’s no question at this point that Crow-Armstrong has what it takes to break records and be a superstar.

There will just be plenty wondering whether he can achieve one final milestone.

It doesn’t happen much, but a season with 40 home runs and 40 steals would still be a massively impressive accomplishment for a young player like Crow-Armstrong.

So far, he appears to be on pace.

On Monday, Crow-Armstrong’s home run marked his 42nd of the season. So on the 40-40 quest, PCA is already done with half.

He also has 37 stolen bases after swiping second on Monday night.

It’d be a surprise to not see Crow-Armstrong get those final three steals to complete the feat.

There have been very few 40-40 seasons in MLB history. Even as a lot of numbers and moments have gained great notoriety, there’s just not been a lot of guys capable from an all-around standpoint to reach these heights.

Crow-Armstrong, though, is quite capable — and that’s not to mention his overwhelmingly special centerfield defense.

Any Cubs fan looking for a jersey to wear for the next decade should find a Crow-Armstrong one that fits. He isn’t going anywhere.

It’s fun to speculate just how high up the ladder he can go on the potential 40-40 scale, but don’t lose the fun of this.

Crow-Armstrong is trying to make very rare MLB history, and it’s worth appreciating every single moment along the way — especially because even at each step, PCA often seems to be making some more history.

The menu updates feature unique takes on local and stadium foods. Newly featured offerings include Chicago hot dog flavored popcorn, a Bear-ia burrito, barbecue items and a prime rib sandwich braised in Dr Pepper.

The medal was revealed Monday, with this year’s design featuring a look at the Chicago skyline behind the LaSalle Street Bridge.

“This iconic view is one you’ll see for yourself on race day as you make your fourth of six Chicago River crossings,” the marathon captioned its reveal. “While running down Wells Street, look to your left to see the view you’ll proudly display for years to come.”

The medal features designs on both the front and back, with the names of the 29 neighborhoods runners travel through along the course engraved on the back.

The music fest is entering its 21st year in Chicago. It runs 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday at the park at 1401 S. Sacramento Drive.

Headliners Twenty One Pilots, Iggy Pop, Rise Against, the Pixies, the Sex Pistols and more will kick things off Friday. They’ll be followed by Tool, Morrissey, Social Distortion, Nas and Bad Religion Saturday. Pierce The Veil, Alanis Morissette, Elvis Costello and Patti Smith will close out the festival Sunday.

Other major draws include Alkaline Trio, The All-American Rejects, Sex Pistols, Santigold, Gwar, Bad Religion, Pup, Thrice and Patti Smith and Her Band. At 95 years old, “Star Trek” actor William Shatner will also be making his heavy metal debut the fest. Backed by acclaimed rock musicians, Shatner will be reimagining music from his catalog while previewing material from his forthcoming album.

Find the full lineup and schedule here. You can build your own Riot Fest schedule here.

There are aftershows scheduled at venues citywide, including Metro in Wrigleyville, Concord Music Hall in Wicker Park, Cobra Lounge in West Loop, Reggies in Near South Side and more. Learn more about aftershows here.

Riot Fest offers single, two-day and three-day passes available here.

One-day tickets start at $130 for general admission. VIP and Deluxe tickets are also available for $200-$790.

Two-day passes start at $240. VIP and Deluxe options are $360-$1,420.

Three-day passes are $360 for general admission. VIP and Deluxe tickets are $470-$1,780.

General admission passes allow for entry once per day to the festival. All tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. Groups of 10 or more people can learn more about group rate pricing by emailing info@riotfest.org.

Riot Fest is also open to all ages, and children 5 or younger can get in free with a ticket-holding adult. The fest will take place rain or shine. Check for the forecast here.

Chicago building permit records indicate that one of the auditoriums at AMC River East 21, located at 322 E. Illinois St. in Streeterville, is being converted to include IMAX capability.

The only two IMAX theaters currently in the city are at AMC Roosevelt Collection in South Loop, and Regal City North on the Bucktown-Logan Square border.

The exact timeline is unclear, and it was not immediately known if it will have 70-millimeter capability.

NBC Chicago reached out to the AMC for more information but did not immediately hear back.