Take a trip to the Southwest at The Western

A big grizzly bear greets visitors on the sign as they enter The Western Bar and Kitchen establishment and hungry patrons will find satisfying grub that feels like a warm bear hug.

Located at 4301 North Western Avenue in Chicago, this hot spot was formerly the site of The Celtic Crown. The large main room could be described as a man cave with dark brown woodwork and sports often playing on the televisions. There is a retro aspect to the overall environment, containing kitschy antics and relics from the past. Guests can proceed further into the bear's den with a spacious backroom and a pool table. The recreational room has a bonus bar that will eventually be staffed for busy occasions.

The owners of The Western pull from southwestern inspiration and the Sonoran Desert region.

The food menu starts with snacks at the top, such as chips, fries and pretzels, then dives into seafood appetizers like Oyster Chile Rellenos and saucy mussels. For main dishes, the barbecue prawns with a garlic sauce hit all the right notes and the bacon jam burger hit the spot with a hearty dry-aged beef topped with Gruyere cheese.

To wash it down, the bar featured cocktails with Tres Agaves Blanco tequila and High West Bourbon.

The Western Bar & Kitchen has only been open for two months, but it's off to a superb start. Current promotions include happy hours from 4-6 p.m. Monday through Friday every week and trivia nights have started on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.

Comedy troupe CIC Theater is partnering with the owners and programming is slated for the fall to stir up even more business. Visit thewesternchicago.com for further information.