I am not sure of the state by state laws here in the U.S., but in Illinois (Chicago) there are many restaurants you can go to that charge a corkage fee if you bring your own wine. It can run from a few dollars up to $50.

There are also many restaurants here that are B.Y.O.B. which is a great alternative and generally leads to cheaper dining since you supply your own alchohol. It's definitely fun and you don't have to worry over selecting from a wine list that you may not know much about!



DL