Turns out Englewood has a great funky-casual vibe.

When friends moved to Englewood, we were so pleasantly surprised to hear them rave about the town's little bistros, its homemade pizza and pasta café, and the live music emanating from several local casual, beachy restaurants.

Spanish guitars at Mango on Dearborn Street make for a nice summer night out.

Englewood is not gator bites and bottles of Schlitz. Rather, it is front-porch dining with pitchers of fruity sangria and Spanish guitar duos playing while you dine on smoked salmon crepes and grilled chicken with brie and apples--all of which I enjoyed at Mango Bistro.

Smoked salmon and sour cream crepes with roasted red bliss potatoes.

And Englewood's Dearborn Street is clean and laid back. You get the pleasant feeling that any café you wander into will welcome you in for a good bite and some soulful music, perfect for filling a summer night just after sunset.

AND SPEAKING OF SUMMER...

By the way, Brasserie Belge just added more delicious mussel combinations like curry and apple to the menu along with huge umbrellas and, coming soon, Miami misters to keep you cool when dining al fresco.

So, where do you hang out for music and meals during the summer?