![]() The braised collard greens ($12) are more of a must, silken and lightly bitter, bolstered by rich pork shoulder bits. Their plating atop what the menu lists as ‘bama bernaise-a pleasant multipurpose sauce-exacerbates the matter, and it might be better on the side. To start, the fried pickled green tomatoes ($12) are passably crisp, but not quite done to a crunch. Despite its booking abundance, Café Camellia also seems to crowd just to the perfect capacity: enough to feel lively, but not so much that you end up rushed. The capable bar is on the left and there’s garden seating in the back. The understated dining room ( previously divided on its reservation platform into “front” and “back” sections without enough difference to make the distinction more useful than it was confusing) is casually elegant like a breezy beach house. That type of attention sometimes sucks up tables like a couple of dogs eating spaghetti in an alleyway, but Gulf Coast-focused Café Camellia’s have remained curiously available. After opening in April, the southern charmer appeared on The New York Times’ list of the best restaurants in the U.S. And the best buzzy spots where you can actually get a table.Ĭafé Camellia in Williamsburg is one of those. The best happy hour that’s accurately detailed online somewhere. The best place you can successfully reach by phone. In addition to the typical categories like the best new restaurants and bars, I always think about the less obvious hospitality heroes. ![]() North Ave., tickets $10 in advance, $15 at the door 77 and Zach Freeman is a freelance writer.The end of the year is peak “best of” season in NYC. "A Dope Comedy Show" is back April 20 with Dave Helem (as host), Erica Clark, Rob Gleeson, Brian "Da Wildcat" Smith, Kristen Toomey and Khalil Wilson, and musical guest Phillip-Michael Scales. "In LA they're like, 'Oh, the stand-up is still going? Never mind, I'm out of here.'" He pauses for a moment, shakes his head and then declares, "Welcome to Chicago!" "I've literally never seen that in LA," he says. Just then a man walks up and asks, "Is the stand-up finished?" Jones nods, "Yeah, it's finished." The guy shakes his head disappointedly, turns around and walks off. Here you can joke about whatever and your audience will get it." "In LA … you sort of pander to the audiences more. Standing outside after the show, LA-based comic Quincy Jones gives Chicago audiences a thumbs-up. Helem sees Chicago as a place to develop your talent. Murph" at The Revival, "Helltrap Nightmare" at The Hideout, and the long-running Lincoln Lodge at Under the Gun) are consistently making the case that Chicago audiences are here, clued in and ready to line up for good comedy. Successful local shows like "A Dope Comedy Show" (along with others like "Comedians You Should Know" at Timothy O'Toole's, "Faded with T. Chicago even has its own late-night show - WGN's "Man of the People with Pat Tomasulo" - which features local comics regularly. Miller, Cameron Esposito, Lil Rel Howery, Kyle Kinane, Kumail Nanjiani (who recently won an Oscar for "The Big Sick") - didn't get true hype around their names until they moved to one of the coasts and hit it big there.īut with the popularity of stand-up comedy growing steadily for years now, audience awareness is growing too. And most Chicagoans know that we live in a comedy town, even if our biggest success stories of recent years - Chris Redd, T.J. The industry may not be here, but the comedians are. "There's a Chicago renaissance going on right now and I'm all about it." "I would love to film it in Chicago," he says. ![]() Along with fellow comic Felonious Munk, he's currently got a show called "Blipster Life" in development with Comedy Central. You have to leave because right now the industry is just not here … yet." "Without a doubt you have to be outside of Chicago if you really want to make some strides," he says, pointing to Buress moving back to Chicago as inspirational before noting, "Hannibal left. "I still maintain my base here," Helem says but acknowledges that he sees leaving Chicago as a crucial, but unfortunate, requirement to making it in the comedy world. "But when locals leave - Dave's gone - you can't see him all the time. "Locals don't have a draw because you can see them at every show," he says. "And everyone that does that and then comes back, they get a crowd." "Dave moves away for work," says Melanie. They've seen the show grow from around 40 people in the audience at the first one to consistently selling out, and they think Helem's appeal has only grown since he moved. ![]()
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