There is definitely enough square footage in the darkish, brick-lined, sort-of-sports bar establishment for most restaurants--but Flo & Santo's is a great value for what it is, and it's ensconced in very pleasant surroundings. Likewise as to the help: very pleasant. So the place gets very crowded.

In any case, I felt so guilty about our "lingering three-course dinner"--panzanella salad for me, Caesar salad for Molly; wings for Molly; veggie pizza for me; and a s'mores pizza for dessert--that half the wings, half the pizza and all the s'mores got packed into containers and put in a bag to take home. So another group could sit.

We were sitting close to the door, and while I paid the bill, I said to the hostess as she started filling in names on a growing list of waiting patrons, "you need more space." Which prompted her to explain that Flo & Santo's is building a mirror image of its dining room on the back end of the property. Luckily, the restaurant definitely recognizes the need for expansion.

And there may also be a future beer garden on a small slice of adjacent land to the north of the restaurant, too, she explained.

Not being able to visualize exactly how these building feats could be accomplished on the property, I took the food home to Roosevelt and State and sauntered back to the alley on South Wabash for a look-see. And sure enough, there was a new brick wall butting up to the back of the restaurant at the north side of the property line--which looks very promising. On the neighboring piece of land on the north side of the restaurant, there was a huge refrigerator truck that seemed to be humming and vibrating. On the fence in the front of that little piece of property (will it be a beer garden someday?) was a promotional sign about drinking beer and watching a game. Could that be a come-on for a future beer garden? Or just a come-on for some Bears' tailgating?

In any case, here's to the future of Flo & Santo's! May it be long and filled with customers, both inside and out.