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Alice's Lounge
- Nearest Transit:
-
Belmont-blue (Blue Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 5 pm - 4 am
Sat 5 pm - 5 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Karaoke
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
51 reviews for Alice's Lounge
Review Highlights
-
"The perfect spot for a drink and a song." In 17 reviews -
"...shaped man with neon sunglasses and an inflatable saxophone." In 3 reviews -
"You have to ring the doorbell to get buzzed in." In 4 reviews
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51 reviews in English
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Review from K O.
Los Angeles, CA
4/9/2012
This is my favorite bar. Anywhere. I can't think of a time I didn't have a great night here. The bartenders are great. The drinks are cheap. The crowd is diverse. Everyone gets into the karaoke. No bullshit.
-
Review from Jena K.
3/20/2012
I love this bar, always have a good time, drinks are cheap, etc.
One complaint, that perhaps the owners need to look into: When you use a debit or credit card there, it gets charged to "Chuck and Ed's Tavern" -- I almost disputed the charge because I've never been to a "Chuck and Ed's Tavern," and when I googled that name, it's a bar in New Jersey. What's going on with the different names? -
Review from Blythe Z.
Chicago, IL
12/8/2011
This place was fun. I am not a huge fan of karaoke but my friends are so I enjoy watching everyone.
We went for a friends birthday this past weekend, and it was my first time there. The Dj was very entertaining, and the crowd was totally mixed - but in a good way. Ppl. from all walks of life were in there drinking and singing.
Ring the doorbell to get in, and belt out your tune. We drove b/c I would imagine that getting a cab would be rather difficult. ( side note: my coke was as much as my husbands beer) eek!
All in all a good time. -
Review from Juliana R.
Chicago, IL
10/19/2011 5 Check-ins Here
LOVE ALICE'S!
I was definitely skeptical when my friends wanted to come here. But once I saw the guy heading the karaoke pretending to play instruments while someone was singing, I was sold!
Cheap drinks and an amazing good time! -
Review from Jasmine M.
Chicago, IL
9/4/2011
so.much.fun. I am still nursing my hangover from last night. First time there, and I loved it. I wanted to find a low pressue karaoke joint in my neighborhood, and this place definitely delivered. I'm totally a karaoke whore and am very particular about how different places run it. Far too often karaoke DJ's have been self-righteous assholes, singing every other song and demanding tips to even be considered. I know it can be a stressful job, but damn.
This DJ was very personable (although I forget his name) and in a good mood. I don't understand though why you have to tip now to get a song in. Was karaoke always this way? What happened to first come first serve, wait your turn? I don't mind tipping the DJ, but BEFORE I've even been able to request a song? Odd.
The crowd was a good blend of regulars, older couples, college hipsters, and everyone in between. It was busy, but not packed and the bartenders were very attentive and quick. She even apologized for keeping me waiting, which doesn't happen often.
The decor has a dive bar feel, but CLEAN and kept up. The never ending snack mix is really tasty and a flavorful change from the usual pretzels and stale popcorn at bars.
Also, I won a free drink! And of course you can't beat $3 PBR's. I can see Alice's as a place that becomes "my place". I've always wanted a place, so I'll check out the karaoke next week after rehearsal! -
Review from tracy f.
Chicago, IL
6/19/2011
I like that I need to ring a doorbell in order to enter. I also like that because the place is so small, by 11:00 on a Thursday people were squished next to the glass door and entertained themselves as new comers helplessly attempted to break the door down before they realized there was a buzzer.
I also liked how mixed the crowd was. People were pretty, and some even a little hip, but no one was judgey. Just drunk.
The karaoke guy was also likable: funny, but a little withholding. My very talented friend only got to sing one of about 5 songs he requested. I sang the only two I asked for, and he tipped even better than I did. -
Review from Angelica E.
Chicago, IL
12/28/2011
Yes!!! I finally found a place to get my karaoke on! Went for my first time last night and at first I was thinking "Ummmmmm I dont know about this place"......but this place was hella fun! Cheap drinks and everybody in here were laid back and chill....Sold! See ya soon Alice!
-
Review from Erik M.
6/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Alice's is where we wound up for the after party at a friend's wedding, and what few details managed to stick in my liquor-inhibited brain are favorable.
It's your basic dive, suitable for hipsters and townies alike with a variety of beers and stiff pours at very reasonable prices. I'm not sure if every drink we ordered made it on my tab, but final bill seemed very ridiculously low considering how many rounds of shots and other libations should have been on there.
And then there's the karaoke - with the "stage" area little more than a section of the floor bounded by the DJ and a high table, it encourages audience participation. It doesn't matter what you sing, as long as everyone can sing along. It's definitely the wrong scene (at 3am anyway) to be impressing anyone.
Strong, cheap drinks and unpretentious karaoke - perfect ingredients for a late night good time. -
Review from Krissy C.
Ann Arbor, MI
7/9/2011
There is nothing not to love about this place.
I went in costume with a few girlfriends for some halfway to Halloween karaoke. I was dressed as Freddie Mercury complete with fake chest hair and 'stache.
I love the buzzer to get in.. The dive bar smell.. Cheap drinks.. Wonderful bartenders... And no one seemed fazed by our outfits or my horrible singing. When you're in there, everyone is your friend. Awesome. -
Review from Caitlin G.
Chicago, IL
4/25/2011
Upon entering Alice's at 2 AM on a Saturday night, I wondered if I had slipped into an alternate universe where I entered the man-cave basement apartment of some uncle who slipped me beer when I was a teen. It was awesome.
The vinyl tile flooring, the lasers, the tiny performance floor on which the KJ spins your favorite karaoke jams and the entire clientele of Alice's crowds around you as you sing--all so amazing.
The crowd had a heavy hipster presence, which isn't too surprising at 2 AM on a Saturday night, but there was an eclectic presence of random cultures, subcultures, ethnicities and otherwise all present that night.
What's most fabulous about a place like Alice's is that everybody supports everybody else's singing--whether someone is belting out The Boss or caterwauling their way through Patsy Cline.
Stellar people, cheap drinks, karaoke and lasers? WHY NOT? -
Review from Manny Q.
Chicago, IL
10/23/2010
This place USED to be great, keyword USED. Till the whole thing started going up inflames. Alice's got seduced by some gold digger and now their "co-owners". Shes changing the name to some whack shit. The dude is a tool and is out for money, he treated my friend and I like we were scumbags, mind u hes leeching off the success of this bar. I spoke my mind to him and he didn't like what I had to say. We parted ways and that's that. Im sorry im not some douche bag hipster that's willing to drop money.
were in a recession MOTHA FUCKA and Im making my money count. -
Review from Thomas S.
Chicago, IL
10/5/2011
So I don't know if you guys are aware of this but I used to be on this site until I got kicked off after I made a second account to continue reviews that exceeded the character length provided on here. I'm not sure how I feel about coming back. I mean, yeah, sure, I GUESS Yelp! can do whatever they want, and it's up to me to decide whether I want to stick with the site, but it's tough when they're the biggest name in town, you can't exactly be like "Screw Yelp!, I'm going to start my own review web site and put it out of business!" Although it would be funny if another review site came around, and they named themselves something like Hey! or Holler!.
I think what I'll do from hereon in is just write reviews as if there's an unlimited character amount, and if I run out at the end, you'll only get SOME of the review and not ALL of it.
Anyway, holy God do I love/did I get drunk at this bar. I went a few weeks ago with some people I met on the Internet for karaoke. Let it be known that I am a karaoke nut. Back in Brooklyn I used to live right by Second Chance, which hosted karaoke every Tuesday, and I was there nearly every week, singing Sinead O'Connor or getting people in the audience to clap their hands to the beat of whatever song was playing.
Alice's might provide the best karaoke night I have ever been to. The DJ is friendly, accomodating, and has a dry sense of humor, the people who go up have awesome song choices and tend to put on a show (I think at one point one of the girls I was with did Hey Big Spender and danced around and all up on dudes in the crowd), and no one's an annoying theatre major taking the shit seriously in any way shape or form. I ended up staying out till 3 or something and not waking up the next day until 2, and I remember hitting on a married lady, and almost going home with a girl I do not remember saying anything to at all, so I'm sort of glad that didn't happen. Go here. -
Review from Lily G.
Chicago, IL
5/15/2011
Alice's, or as my phone and now I like to call it "Slices," is the tops. It does not get better than drinking $3 Buds until 4 am on Friday night (5 am on Saturday!) listening to strangers and new friends and actual friends sing everytihng from Sinatra to Pantera while flipping through giant binders saying, "Remember that song from middle school?," "I dare you to sing that," and "It's pretty awesome that I have only been here 20 minutes, it's packed, and Fred is letting me sing 'Be My Baby' because this is nepotism in practice and I don't mind being a player in that game."
Oh, and Alice, the owner, is as sweet as can be. I refer to her as my bar mom and mean it. -
Review from Tim B.
Chicago, IL
10/30/2010
I've lived across the street from this bar for three years. From the first time I went, I've been treated like nothing other than a valued customer and neighbor.
I go there as often as I can afford to, and sometimes when my bank account is in the negative and I just don't give a damn.
The owners, Alice and Mike are always around and as soon as you've been there once or twice, I swear to god they'll know you.
This is a karaoke bar, so if you're a boring, sheltered person.....ease on down the road!
I've made more friends at this bar than any bar I've ever been to or worked at in my life. I now know most of my neighbors, and even the somewhat scary ones I now know aren't all that scary!
I'm heading over in twenty minutes. -
Review from Amanda G.
Chicago, IL
8/26/2010
I have a great time every time I come here. Maybe it's because it's usually my last stop for the night and I'm already a little tipsy. But I suspect it's also that 80% or more of the people here are really into the karaoke, the bartenders are fast, the usual karaoke dj has props and sings backup for you, the song list is pretty extensive, and there is just a really fun atmosphere. It's always a diverse mix and there's usually some really drunk shit-talkers and really, what else could you ask for in a 4 a.m. karaoke bar? Not much.
The only issue I routinely run into is the $20 CC minimum. Some nights, it keeps me from drinking more than one beer. On others, I wind up buying myself and all my friends shots so I can meet the minimum. That's really just my own bad decision, though, isn't it. -
Review from Justin V.
Seattle, WA
8/5/2008
Oh, Alice. My sweet, sweet Alice. If the Mexican Powers Boothe weren't already sensually tapping your well-kept ass on the daily I would be all over that coca-cola shake, girl. On the real.
... but how to describe your bar? Can the feeble trappings of the English language possibly encompass the august and hallowed interior of this tiny pocket of God's own Heaven?
Probably not, but it is our duty to do so or die in the attempt.
The first time I stepped foot in Alice's Lounge, nestled snug in the corner property at Belmont and Central Park I thought I was no longer in the city limits. Having spent the first 275 trips to Chicago going no further northwest than possibly the Logan Theatre, I was under the impression everything west of Pulaski dissolved into a lake of fire and a writhing mass of souls denied The Almighty's grace and gaze, left forever to burn in their shame. I figured Central Park was like, basically the gate to this abysmal anti-where.
Imagine, then, my surprise when my 3am jaunt to perdition's brink turned out to be the most fun imaginable.
Eurotrash karaoke? Check.
Dollar pool with twitchy-eyed regulars? Check.
Cheap drinks chock full of booze? Check.
Hot Polish bartendresses I believe are all related? Check, check, check.
Small buffet for no reason? Um, check.
Did we have to ring a doorbell to gain entrance to this earthly garden of delights? CHECK!
Now, all of these things with the exception of three generations of Polish heat slinging drinks can be found at various other substandard venues in and around the greater Chicagoland area, certainly closer than Avondale, right?
Sure, but much like eating a burrito at Chipotle vs. having a hand-ground, homecooked taco de harina being gently pushed into your waiting mouth by a slender, nubile Mexican maiden on the banks of the Rio Lerma, the difference is in the details.
Alice's Lounge is run by Alice, and Alice is both lightning fast and smoking hot.
Alice's Lounge is full of the single best mix of Polish discotheque extras, Mexican gangbangers, slightly obese whores and neighborhood drunks you will ever find, and they are all ready to karaoke at a moment's notice.
Alice's Lounge has free chicken wings and little fried thingamajigs and veggies with dip because shooting pool in between belting out forgotten Jon Secada tunes builds up a powerful hunger in a man (or woman).
Alice's Lounge features Alice's Boyfriend, the most unbearably suave Mexican Powers Boothe impersonator ever to grow a moustache. Mexican Powers Boothe will also wipe the whole goddamned pool table with you in under three minutes because the balls are AFRAID of Mexican Powers Boothe and want to hide.
Alice's Lounge has manged to find the most overinvolved, semi-frightening karaoke overlord to run the weekend festivities, his penchant for harmonizing and backup vocals unmatched in this or any other era, and also beguilingly enhanced by his neverending supply of props (includng but not limited to: an inflatable saxophone, irradiated, glowing sunglasses and a fake keyboard). You have to witness it to get the "full effect."
Alice's Lounge does not give a good god damn how drunk you are. Any 'antics' up to (and maybe even including) pulling a knife are dealt with admirably by both the (hot) staff and the bevy of die-hard regulars/inadvertent bouncers. In other words, acting a damned fool is no real detriment to your drinking and may in fact greatly improve your fun factor, provided you don't shank anyone.
Go ahead. Ring the bell. Extend your index finger and push that bad boy all the way in. All you have to lose is your equilibrium, inhibitions, hymen, mind and heart.Listed in: Whiskey Fountains, SO MANY STARS. OMFG.
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Review from Wayne C.
IL
8/5/2008
I've found Heaven.
It lies quietly on the corner of Central Park and Belmont. It goes by the earthly name of Alice's Lounge.
Heaven features a free buffet full of Mexican goodies, a popular pool table, and karaoke run by an oddly shaped man with neon sunglasses and an inflatable saxophone. Do all of these things mix, you ask? Yes. Divinely.
Oh! And Mexican Powers Boothe! I don't know who Powers Boothe is but my BF watches HBO series and apparently Powers Boothe makes appearances in these. Mexican Powers Boothe makes appearances at Alice's...because he's dating Alice. Lucky lady.
The people are friendly and drunk and chatty and like to dance. And they weren't bad at karaoke either. I don't remember the drinks being expensive. I also received free post-2AM relationship advice, as well as a lesson on how to work it waiting outside of the bathroom. To top it off, it only took three minutes to get home.
I don't know what's stopping me from going here everyday. -
Review from Michael G.
Rockville, MD
10/8/2008 1 photo
Every few years my work, like many others, throws a Christmas party that involves karaoke. Every co-worker who was in musical theater or who ever wanted to be the next Madonna (not to give away the age of most of my co-workers) runs to the microphone to belt out the songs that could have made them stars, if only they wrote them - or had actual talent to sing them.
This bar's karaoke night is like a bad work Christmas party - right down to the fact that if you check a little box on the sign-up slip, for $2 they'll give you a tape of you singing. Here's an idea, I'll give every wanna be Loretta Lynn $2 to just let me enjoy my $5 Guinness without you trying to reach for your star (and please, for the love of all things holy, keep your feet on the ground)!
It's just karaoke people! There are no talent scouts in the audience! Goof off, have fun with it, mess up the lyrics. I don't need you to make me cry. I'm in a dive bar in Avondale so I'm probably already half way there, now aren't I?
And yes, the DJ has props (he also air guitars or air drums to every song). But that just adds to the metaphor, now doesn't it? Someone needs to not quit their day job of MCing weddings (speaking of which that's the only saving grace about this bar, there's a potluck buffet).
Maybe it was just the clientele on this particular night I went and on other nights the selections are not all sad country songs (after all, it was the night the Cubs got eliminated) and classic rock anthems. But somehow I doubt that.
I doubt it because I was one of the youngest people in the bar at 33. I found out later that all younger karaoke singers (with more diverse musical tastes) were down the street at Cindy's Our Place.
The group I was with (karaoke mad folk all) left right after a "rousing" rendition of so song I didn't know by some regulars with the lyrics "who the f*c* is Alice?" inserted over an instrumental. Really, after two hours there I could care less who Alice is. But apparently she's got magical powers to brainwash the bar's patrons. -
Review from Anna J.
Chicago, IL
4/19/2011
Came here on a Friday night for the karaoke, and definitely I'll be back.
It's basically everything you could want from a divey karaoke place - drinks, good mix of people, good song selection, and it's open till 4. (bonus - the lasers/lighting and prop box.)
We made new friends, had a little too much tequila, danced and sang and closed the place out... a great night.
The fact that it's less than a mile from us makes me sure we will be back soon. -
Review from Nathan W.
Luray, VA
10/3/2009
After an Ill advised night of boozing and poor decision making, the hive mind of our group decided to make Alice's our late-night stop. I had no expectations from beforehand but ended up enjoying myself pretty well. Drinks are nice and cheap, their karaoke selection is vast and the crowd was upbeat and enjoyable. The one downfall is the need to buzz to get in, it's just annoying. I understand the neighborhood is not the greatest, but that's gone a bit too far.
In the end I shouldn't have spent the whole night yelling at loud bars before coming here because it totally ended up ruining my pitch when It was my turn to sing Alanis Morisette's "Hand In My Pocket". I'll just have to go back and give it another go. -
Review from Casandra G.
Charlotte, NC
7/4/2009
I adore Alice's lounge
I don't live very close to this bar, yet it is the only place where I go to karaoke. I went once for a friends birthday last year and had such a good time that I went again for my own birthday this year. The karaoke DJ made fun of me and my friends for that but it was done in good fun.
The drinks are neighborhood cheap - no ten dollar shots here! I'd say average is between 3-7 bucks for non beer. A comprehensive catalogue of karaoke hits greets you on karaoke nights which occur Saturdays and two other days, I can't remember which. The DJ sings backup skillfully and keeps the crowd entertained with a variety of props. The bar staff is friendly and attentive. There's a pool table in the back and a few TVs around the bar. And the crowd always loves you.
The perfect spot for a drink and a song. -
Review from Megan K.
Chicago, IL
1/16/2010
What a place this is! After visiting what used to be my favorite karaoke place last night to find it rather disappointing my group decided to make the loooooong trek out to Alice's. It was only my second time there - the first time the line to sing was too long and I didn't get to sing. Do not be fooled by the 4am closing time! This place isn't like The Continental where the party doesn't really start until the rest of the bars close - people come here early and stay for the long haul.
Alice's was packed with one of the most interesting mixes of people I've ever seen at a little, neighborhood karaoke bar. I would not describe it as a dive, it's more like a dive-plus: it's clean, there is a pool table, cheap-ish drinks served in glass instead of plastic, flat screen TVs everywhere (playing the karaoke vids on all of them which is GREAT).
The obvious regulars picked awesome songs and worked the crowd like professionals, but the crowd got into it no matter the song or singer (and they sang along, too). The song list is really extensive. There is a stage and the host will sing back-up and do goofy pantomime with a blow-up saxophone and little stringless guitar. The sound quality is great (I hate it when I can't hear myself). Oh, and I've never seen a full-fledged dance party break out at a karaoke bar until last night (on the little-tiny "dance floor" in front of the stage).
I will absolutely be back. I'd like to try a weeknight where I might have a better chance of singing more than one song (but the fact that I only sang once last night was a-okay since the party was so great). The whole experience was really a blast. -
Review from Brian D.
Brooklyn, NY
6/20/2009
How did I not know about this place? I live about 6 blocks from it. There was karaoke waiting for me so close by and I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW!!
Well, the time has come to make up for lost time at Alice's. It's a total neighborhood dive/locals only bar where you get buzzed in, into a world of magic and wonder. Well, maybe not magic and wonder, but there are cheap beers, a pool table, and did I mention KARAOKE? Not only karaoke, but karaoke where-in you can request a recording of your performance and the DJ sings backups and plays air guitar along with you. Pretty awesome. The people in the bar were friendly and would clap along and get into everyone's performance no matter how good or bad. It was a fun time. I went with a couple of friends who tried to sing a Dio tune.
There was one guy who looked and sounded like Cee-Lo of Gnarls Barkley (remember back in 2006?). It was pretty intimidating. I think it may actually have been him moonlighting at Alice's. I mean, seriously, has anyone heard from that guy lately? -
Review from Doro r.
Chicago, IL
9/16/2007
Saturday night Karaoke.
The guy who runs it has props.
You must see this to believe it.
The most exotic beer here is Modelo Dark. Make sure that you have already drank a few before arriving.
Friendly staff and regulars. I have, so far, been 3 times. Every time has been a wonderfully fun adventure with lots of new people as well as some welcoming familiar faces.Listed in: My Neighborhood, Bars
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Review from Tranette W.
Chicago, IL
1/9/2010
Just got home from an impromptu trip to Alice's with a friend. I exchanged #'s with one of the regulars with a tentative date for "tomorrow" night. That's how awesome this place is. The regulars are great, the song book is great and I swear there was little to no Coke in my Maker's and Coke. All in all, one HIGHLY enjoyable experience!
Don't let some of the reviews bring you down. It takes a certain level of pretentiousness to complain about a DIVE BAR not having an extensive beer selection. Duh, it's a dive for a reason and that's what makes it a place that attracts cool, laid-back regulars who will rock out to ANYTHING! I walked in and I got pulled into a hug. It's a real lovefest at Alice's! Don't be put off by the waaaay Hipster-y vibe. Everybody's good people at Alice's! -
Review from Marc R.
9/27/2009
My girlfriend and I have been going here for over a year and I have watched this place get busier and busier since last winter. This is great news for Alice, and I have to say it is nice to see the neighborhood bring in more people on the weekends. We often grab a beer at 5 or 7 pm and it is a great place to chat with the nice bartenders or shoot some pool. It is a busy place after 1 am on the weekends.
This place started out as a traditional Polish bar (there are tons in this area and I suggest you check them all out if you have moved here recently to avoid the high rents along the Blue Line) that sold take out beer (they even took down the giant sign this summer) and has morphed into a place people visit from all over the city.
Bikes: On weekends people bike in so finding a tree or a post to lock your bike can be difficult (I suggest you bring a cable and lock them all together).
My girlfriend seems to think that hipsters have taken it over, but even though new neighbors (hipster or not) are welcome I think this place is friendly, safe, and unpretentious. I love that they put out mixed crackers and snacks for people to eat most nights if you order a beer.
We went down and even brought mom and Alice wanted us to keep mom out till 3 am so bring your mom too - she might just sing a song or two.
They have added more lighting and cameras to keep it safe and comfortable and since they are open til after 3 they have the buzzer-system all these bars have.
Polish beer in bottles, PBR, Schlitz (reformulated is actually pretty good), and Miller High Life in bottles are the standard beers here. -
Review from China Moon C.
Bronx, NY
4/26/2009
Came here on a Tuesday while (re) visiting Chicago.
My friend and I left a salsa club and came here as its his Bros. hangout. Done deal.
Get buzzed IN to keep the riff raff OUT? Yup. Great singing man w/ one leg; strong 3-Legged monkeys? That too... Good ay! candy and NOT so good eye candy? Pssshh, duh! Dancing regulars who are having a great time playing pool, requesting songs and getting wasted; oh! ...and personable bar staff who actually engaged in conversation and kept my glass non empty. DING DING DING! You win the $64 question!
Winner gets a cupie doll...
Thank you Alice. May = NY time (I'll be back East as usual) but I'll be back in your town for the P.R. parade in June and I will come and watch and drink and be Merry!
Had an enjoyable time.
Spankii Yum-Yum has spoken... -
Review from Jennifer S.
Chicago, IL
9/14/2009
I met some cool locals this past Fri night & also popped in Sat night toward the end. I was told Ron wasn't the normal KJ, as the normal KJ typically has props for every song/singer. I'm interested in meeting Alice's regular KJ. Ron was very nice & handled the rotation well as it was busy all night both Fri & Sat from what I observed. The sound system is set up very well. Ron had just the right amount of vocal effects. I have seen a lot larger song selections however. It's not the worst selection I've seen, but needs a lot of updating.
The crowd is mixed & everyone at this bar seems to get into whatever kind of music you choose to perform. You do not see this much in the suburban karaoke bars at all. It appears that everyone here knows how to appreciate karaoke & has a good time. I have never seen people dance and/or jam to nearly every song. This really had an impact on me as I've been a suburban karaoke bar gal for many years.
I read that this bar has karaoke Tues, Thurs, Fri, & Sat nights & was told by a local that you're lucky if you get to sing twice on a busy Fri or Sat night. This was indeed the case as my bf & I each sang once solo, & once together (duet) & we arrived before midnight on Fri. Karaoke begins at 11pm, & runs until 3:30am Fri & 4:30am Sat.
The bar itself is pretty tiny b/c it gets really packed. There is 1 pool table, 1 bathroom for men, & 1 bathroom for women in the back. There are chairs along the bar & about 5-6 small tables with 3-4 chairs each. The main bartender (whom I believe is the owner) is very nice & attentive. I will say the service is pretty good. She made us feel welcome, as did the locals.
I personally feel the drink prices are a bit high, b/c I've never paid $10 for a pitcher of Miller Light. It sucks they don't have a lot on tap, but no big deal. I remember they have Bud, Miller Light, Blue Moon, & Summer Ale on tap & I think that's it. Mixed drinks are $6-$8, & beers are $5. I had a New Castle (which is small) first, but then noticed there was a German beer for $5 that was poured into a 22oz glass, so I started getting that as it was a better deal to me. There are no specials on Fri & Sat nights. However, I'll say the bartenders seem to hook you up with the alcohol........ :0)
Overall, this is a neat little place to hang out with real fans of karaoke. Shit, I thought my bf & I were hardcore karaokers. lol
THESE GUYS ARE FUN! -
Review from Megan C.
Chicago, IL
12/2/2010
Alice's is the bar I frequent the most. I don't have any bad things to say about it. Every time I go I have a great time. Monday is free pool night, although there is no karaoke that night- that just gives more space around the pool table though! The bartenders are great, and so is Alice. Karaoke is always fun as well. Fred, the karaoke guy, is a riot! I'd recommend it if you are looking for a little karaoke bar to hit up!
By the way... You have to ring the doorbell to get buzzed in! -
Review from Nik A.
Chicago, IL
5/15/2011
What's to say that hasn't been said? This place is gold. Alice and the staff are lovely lovely peoples. I feel at home, sober or smash-ed, singing or silent, and don't mind the buzzer; it's like ringing the bell to get into a friend's place from when I was a littlin'. Fred (the maitre de karaoke) is a comic genius and the Oscar Wilde of hotel sex jokes. This place accommodates for two things exceptionally well: Karaoke and beer. Seek other things elsewhere.
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Review from Jason B.
Chicago, IL
9/5/2011
If there's a better place for karaoke in Chicago, I haven't found it yet.
A perfect karaoke night requires a really volatile mix of components. You want a big crowd so that you've got an audience to impress and interact with but if the crowd gets too big, not enough people are paying attention (or only pay attention when their friends perform) and/or it takes forever to work through the queue and it's 4 am and you haven't even performed yet. You want a DJ with personality but not a prima donna. You want a dive atmosphere but not too gross or shady or borderline unsafe.
Alice's gets it all right, or at least it has on the nights my friends and I have been there. The DJ provides bizarre but usually helpful and/or hilarious props. The space is small enough that it feels intimate and doesn't ever get too crowded.
I like that it's in a neighborhood that basically splits the difference between where I live (Edgewater) and where a lot of my friends live (Logan Square). -
Review from Matt B.
Chicago, IL
8/20/2009
Don't let the door buzzer fool you, this place is open and rocking. As mentioned, Alice's is known for it's Karaoke but what isn't commonly known is the alderman stops by usually on Saturday nights for a couple songs.
Definitely check this place out, you wont be disappointed. -
Review from Shelden E.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 4/4/2010
So I went back for the fourth time this weekend and it just got even better! I'll start by saying that my friend found the song the Three Little Pigs by Green Jelly and did an excellent job rockin' it. Another friend did a great job of James brown's Sex Machine.
But too add, I finally sang Enjoy the Silence - Depeche Mode. Some people definitely got into it, and after I was done a very attractive woman came over and asked me to sing a Smiths song with her. Unfortunately they didn't have it so another Depeche Mode was chosen. And while still looking over the songs with the ladies, a bottle of champagne was popped and a glass handed to me. Discussions of the Smiths and Depeche Mode continued along with photos taken.
In the end, the next Depeche Mode song never happened but it was still awesome experience at the bar. Lesson here is pick the Depeche Mode songs.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/15/2010
Ok. Awesome place for karaoke. Lively, decent crowd, and good selection of beers that are not that… Read more »
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Review from Lissa B.
Chicago, IL
5/28/2011
Shameless karaoke at a dive bar? Love it!
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Review from Louisa L.
Chicago, IL
7/3/2010
The first time I went to this place (6 years ago)...it was quite a dive. I love dives so I was all about it. However, I just went back there the other day for a fun filled evening of karaoke...and I was not a fan of the hipster kids who seemed to be hanging about trying their best to look 'really hot'. I'm not who they were there to impress but it was kinda obnoxious. I did enjoy the 'regulars' though.
Aside form not being a fan of the majority of the crowd there, I thought the drinks were a bit pricey. For a bar that's covered in wood paneling and requires you to ring a bell to even get through the door, I was not terribly impressed with this joint. -
Review from Rob R.
2/27/2008
I second the mandate on the Saturday night karaoke. It's the best. The guy seems to have props for almost every second song. It also runs until 4 AM.
The appeal of this stage is almost universal- young Puerto Rican girls singing their first as a trio, a senior wheezing out perhaps her last breath on a song, a white hipster couple dirty dancing, a well-dressed middle-aged Hispanic who can do Sinatra. There's a buzzer on the door, but I can't think of any demographic groups they're leaving out.
There are two other karaoke nights (Tuesday and Friday).
Beers are relatively cheap, and there's a good selection of affordable Polish and Mexican beers.Listed in: Avondale: The New Neighbor's…
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Review from Nicolas H.
Chicago, IL
4/16/2011
The buzzer threw me off at first, especially when the place was empty. After the awkwardness subsided and the karaoke finally started it became apparent that most of these people weren't messing around. Nor was it their first time. If you can get past the stank and like karaoke (complete with fog coming out of the ceiling), you should enjoy this spot...
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Review from roxy r.
Chicago, IL
2/28/2012
this is the best karaoke bar i have ever been to and my fave in chicago! i love the environment and the bar. it's one of those places where they put a food spread out on a table when its a special occasion like halloween or new years. and i get a little teary when the staff sing duets in polish. the bar staff is the nicest around (alice is soooooo nice) and fred, the karaoke guy is fantastic!!! i have had many many good times here!
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Review from Wesley T.
Chicago, IL
5/4/2011
this is a pretty sweet dive bar with karaoke - the karaoke dude is awesome - he has all these props, like little guitars and guitar necks and inflatable saxophone (http://www.youtube.com...) and he sings backups and plays around while you're doing your song - he definitely adds to the experience - he also records the performances and you can get an mp3 of your song which is pretty cool
as for the bar: they have beer -
Review from Kimberly K.
Chicago, IL
1/17/2011
GREAT place for karaoke! It has the perfect atmosphere and a crowd that really gets into it! The drinks are a little pricey for the location. Karaoke doesn't start until 11:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Get there a little early to get a good seat! They give you free pretzels and snacky food too!
