45,000 Chicago Marathon runners can’t be wrong: no brunch for you! If you do manage to bypass the masses, go get gluttonous at these brunch spots:

Well, whaddya know? It’s a restaurant in Lincoln Park that is not on the war path and also manages to be healthy enough to make you feel slightly less guilty that you decided to stuff your face instead of running 26 miles! Karyn’s Raw is offering a raw vegan brunch buffet on Sunday, Oct. 12 for $29.99 from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Karyn’s Raw is located at 1901 N. Halsted St. in Lincoln Park. For more information, call 312.255.1590.

For the unconventional brunch goer on the North Side, Viceroy of India features a buffet daily from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for $11.95. Expect more savories than sweets, and probably no French Toast. Or, if you have no one to eat with and/or had a falling out with your best friend and need a quick replacement, wait a week and join the Chicago Brunch Club Meetup group (not affiliated with Chicago Brunch Blog) when they dine at Viceroy on Oct. 18. Viceroy of India is located at 2520 W. Devon Ave. in the Little India neighborhood. For information, call 773.743.4100.

Screw the race and toss back a drink or three at the Blue Line Club Car’s weekly Hangover Brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.. Bloody Marys can’t get cheaper at $3, which means your hangover won’t get any worse. Blue Line Club Car is located at 1548 N. Damen Ave. in Wicker Park. For more information, call 773.395.3700.

Unless you live in the neighborhood or have some reason to be there, I know Avondale isn’t really the top of the brunch dining destinations. However, Orbit Room’s Sunday brunch entrees like coconut-dipped French Toast and crab cake benedicts, combined with $5 Mimosas and Bloody Marys and $2 Point Lite Bottles might be worth the trip. The retro-themed bar and grill features brunch on Sundays from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Orbit Room is located at 2959 N. California Ave. in Avondale. For more information, call 773.588.8540.

— Carly Fisher

What:   Dirty Bird Bubble Bath Soul Brunch
When:  starting Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008 from 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Where: Juicy Wine Co.
             694 N Milwaukee Ave. in River West. 
             312.492.6620.

Once upon a time, Juicy Wine Co. unveiled a $5 brunch, and then one day, it just disappeared. Unfortunately, no one else seemed to catch on, and thus was still being advertised for months after its demise. While we may have seen the end of the bargain brunch, Juicy is back Sunday morn with a new flava under the guise of the Dirty Bird Bubble Bath Soul Brunch, beginning Sunday, October 19th from 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (and hopefully every Sunday following).

Despite the fact Chicago still hasn’t gotten its own Roscoe’s, Chicagoans still love their chicken ‘n’ waffles, which is why Juicy has chosen to feature Chicago’s own Harold’s Fried Chicken paired with Orange Crush Waffles as the Soul specialty. And naturally, because Juicy Wine Co. is a bar, hung-over patrons are not only welcomed, but encouraged to drink off their hang-overs with half-off all Champagne and sparking wine — glass or bottle (I suspect delicious mimosas).

And because you can’t be funky if you haven’t got a soul, Juicy is pulling out DJ Puff-E to spin classic American soul music. 

 — Carly Fisher

Jesus Christ, there’s a lot of gospel going on this weekend!

The House of Blues just announced the October line-up for its weekly Gospel Brunch, kicking off with Bishop Troy Garner & Victory International, hosted by Elaine Robison on Sunday, Oct. 5, seating at 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Tickets don’t run cheap — $45.50-$50.50 for adults and $22.00 for kids (if they look like they’re under six, work with it and they get in free) — but admission price includes a concert, complimentary mimosas, and an all-you-can-eat Southern-style brunch buffet.

The House of Blues is located at 329 N. Dearborn in River North. For more information, call 312.923.2000.

For a gospel cruise with a view, check out the Gospel Lunch Cruise, which sails from Navy Pier on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 12:00-2:00 p.m. The cruise, lunch buffet, and performance by the lovely Tecora Rogers and the Chicago Spirituals costs $38.90 per person, with reservations required. Inspiration is free — take it or leave it.

Blu 47 continues to offer their divine Sunday Gospel Brunch from 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. with buffet and varied live gospel line-up. The price isn’t bad at only $19.95 for adults and $12.95 for kids 12 and under for all the food and gospel you can handle.

Blu 47 is located at 4655 S. King Dr., Second Floor in Grand Boulevard. For more information, call 773.536.6000.

— Carly Fisher

An uplifting experience with just enough food to keep you held to the ground, the House of Blues continues on with their well-known Gospel Brunch, featuring live performances paired with a brunch buffet. Tickets that take you higher level definitely do not run cheap — $45.50-$50.50 for adults and $22.00 for kids (if they look like they’re under six, work with it and they get in free) — but the admission grants you access to a concert, complimentary mimosas, and an all-you-can-eat Southern-style buffet, so it’s not that bad.

Here is the current schedule of performances for October 2008:

10/05/08 Bishop Troy Garner & Victory International, hosted by Elaine Robison
10/12/08 William Smith Jr. & Renewed Voices for Christ, hosted by Cedric Nunley
10/18/08 Timothy Brown & True Praise, hosted by Elaine Robison
10/26/08 Cedric Nunley & The Brethren, hosted by Cedric Nunley

Tickets can be purchased directly at the Chicago House of Blues box office (which will save you $2.50), or by calling 312.923.2000.

For more information, visit the House of Blues website.

— Carly Fisher

Admittedly, while physically, mentally, and emotionally incapable of participating in or watching sports, I also recognize that I am in the minority and that despite my own aversion, some might find a sports-themed brunch appealing. It seems to be a common trend among a number of bars, so why not? As long as there’s food, I’m in. Also, after brunch there’s the benefit to stick around continue ordering from a fully-stocked bar. That said, here is a list of some restaurants currently offering brunch and ‘ball deals in Chicago. Unsurprisingly, most of them are in Lincoln Park and Lakeview. Read the rest of this entry »

What: Lakeshore Ski and Sports Club Jazz Brunch
When: Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008, 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Where: Bistro 110, 110 E. Pearson, Chicago, IL 60611
RSVP: By Oct. 1 to Donna Forsberg by calling 773.348.1469 or e-mail

There’s nothing like that feeling like you’ve just crashed a private party. Though, in this case, you wouldn’t necessarily be crashing as opposed to paying to smooze with legitimate members who actually enjoy skiing and sports (or pretend to and just pay dues to hang out at the Chalet). Either way, you’re only getting screwed out of $5 more than members to listen to sweet jazz alto sax player Grady Johnson and eating a three-course brunch at Bistro 110. The southern style menu promises to have entrees something along the lines of gumbo, french toast croissants, and Eggs Louisiana (crab meat with hollandaise). But if you want to take part in this, you have to RSVP quickly as the cut off date is Oct. 1.

— Carly Fisher

Sorry for the late notice, but this comes via the Greater Chicago Food Depository for tomorrow, September 28, 2008:

Join the Taste of the NFL, the Chicago Bears and NBC Sunday Night Football as they team up to help fight hunger during a special brunch held at Wildfire on Sept. 28. Enjoy fantastic food prepared by Chef Joe Decker, meet Chicago Bears alumni and bid on one-of-a-kind silent auction items, including autographed memorabilia, Lettuce Entertain You restaurant gift certificates and Taste of the NFL Cookbooks, which contain 150 recipes from more than 60 NFL chefs and players.

Brunch tickets are $70 per person and include food and beverage, with all proceeds being donated to the Greater Chicago Food Depository to support hunger-relief efforts.

Wildfire is located at 159 W. Erie St. in River North. To purchase tickets, call Wildfire at 312.787.9000 or visit WildfireRestaurant.com.

— Carly Fisher

Man, October is going to be a total buzz-kill with the end of local farmer’s markets and the demise of the Starbucks breakfast sandwich — probably the only thing worth going to Starbucks for. That said, you have one whole month (and a half-week) left! So, take advantage of the Logan Square Farmer’s Market by picking up a panini and a lemonade from our favorite Vella Cafe, and grab a few pastries from Golden Rise Bakery. The market runs every Sunday until Oct. 26 at the southeast corner of Logan Blvd. and Milwaukee Ave,  next to the historic Illinois Centennial Monument in Logan Square. 

Sunday, Sept. 28 marks the first Breakfast with Lincoln Park Zoo’s apes program, which could very well be as fun as a barrel of monkeys.

If you didn’t get your fill of DJ’s the night before or are simply looking to nurse your hangover with another drink or three, (par) Lounge is hosting their weekly Sunday Funday Brunch from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. with full breakfast and lunch menu and pretty damn cheap drinks. $3 sangria and mimosas, $4 mojitos, and $5 bloody marys, with all the thumping music from local DJ’s you can handle. (par) Lounge is located at 1415 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Wicker Park. For more information, call 773.252.6410.

Known more for their bar than their brunch, Sushisamba Rio offers an eclectic $15 prix-fixe Japanese-Brazilian family-style brunch ranging from the traditional pancakes, eggs benedict, and bacon, to the Brazilian black beans and rice, collard greens, farofa, and orange batidas, and Japanese entrees like tamagoyaki omelet, grilled white fish, enoki mushroom tempura, oshinko pickle, and miso soup. Brunch runs on Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sushisamba Rio is located at 504 N. Wells St. in River North. For more information, call 312.595.2300.

In case you were getting bored with their menu or simply didn’t notice, New Orleans’ style Big Jones just updated their brunch menu for sweet Southern brunch outings any day of the week. Big Jones is located at 5347 N. Clark St. in Andersonville. For more information, call 773.275.5725.

— Carly Fisher

With all the buzz circulating new-ish Bucktown restaurant, Duchamp, word concerning the Sunday brunch menu is fairly hushed. Not sure why, considering the restaurateurs clearly put effort into developing a separate menu. No word on if the menu is seasonal as of yet, but for the time being, it appears an eclectic blend of — well, everything. Don’t expect any French toast, as entrees are fairly unconventional and definitely more savory than sweet, averaging $10-15. It runs on Sunday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and — oh, hell! Being that I’m feeling particulary charitable today, here is the current brunch menu.

— Carly Fisher

For the sole reason it doesn’t take reservations after Thursday, here’s a special heads up on a wonderful all-you-can-eat brunch: on Saturdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Lakeview’s Joey’s Brickhouse offers a $15 all-you-can-eat-and-drink special. Pretty, pretty, pretty good.

Joey is two-dimensional, apparently.

Pick up the coupon here.

— Carly Fisher