Blue Line Club Car
Categories: American (New), Lounges [Edit]
Neighborhood: Wicker Park1548 N Damen Ave
(at Pierce Ave)
Chicago, IL 60622 (773) 395-3700
- Nearest Transit:
Damen (Blue)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner, Late Night
- Best Nights: Mon, Wed, Sat
- Happy Hour: Yes
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: No
- Coat Check: No
69 reviews
Neighborhood: Near North Side
"My Edits: I have just updated this review to give the Motel Bar 5 stars. Why? Because it's now my favorite place in Chicago regardless of…" read more »
129 Reviews for Blue Line Club Car
I would love to write a long, wonderful review of Blue Line Club Car but about six delicious martinis into my visit, I lost most of the details in a drunken haze. Oops!
I will say that I should return soon because what I do remember of the place, I like. I recall a wide range of martini options. Obviously, the drinks were two things: strong and tasty. My favorite combo.
So we went here last night as an alternative to our original plans. We had never been here before and we wanted food and drinks so we were happy that they were not to busy to accommodate us.
There were three of us and we sat in one of the big booths so we all had room. The server came up right away and gave us the menus an took our drink order. Drinks came promptly and we ordered our dinners.
I had the fillet MR and the other two had the order of Mini burgers and and the other had the Cowboy Ruben. My steak came out perfect and the minis were raved about. There was only one small concern about the Reuben was because it was not a traditional Reuben because instead of sauerkraut it had cole slaw instead.
Shannon the server clearly saw the Lush tattoos across our foreheads because she kept offering more drinks and was very prompt. She was also very personable and fun.
Only bad thing that I saw was that they needed to clean their booths a little more carefully.
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It didn't take long for us to settle into the cozy booths, but our party sat idly for a solid ten minutes as we watched the waitress crew chat up a pow wow at the end of the counter. Such nonchalance is pretty consistent with my previous visits to the Blue Line, so I took my order straight to the bar.
Being a slow night, the bartender promptly took my order and started on their novelty martinis with effortless grace. I turned to observe the pack of vertical-striped-shirt-clad bros that had swooped down towards my two lady companions the instant I left the booth. I regretted to think that I was missing of all the amazing pick-up lines they were spewing! But, perhaps trainwrecks are best observed when they're not directly coming at you.
Don't worry, ladies. I'm a "nice" guy.
(using fingers to illustrate the quotation marks)
I turned my attention back to the bartender as she was preparing my whiskey and soda. The bottle tipped like a buoy, settling back on the counter with nary a splash. We made eye contact as she filled the rest of the glass with soda. I raised my brows with a look that explicitly said, "You've gotta be kidding me! I get five times that much for half the price down the street!" Her eyes replied, "Ho hum whoop dee doo de doo." This better be some fiery whiskey. She set the glasses down in front of me and I took a sip. Surely enough, the drink blew me away like a Lilliput fart. Defeated, I went back to the booth to shoo away the herd of zebras, with one asking me if I could do the Moonwalk.
Midway through our drinks, the waitress stopped by and asked if we wanted to order food--meanwhile, dropping the menus in front of us like kids throw down Pogs. We declined and returned the menus, but one of the gals asked if we could have a round of water. That water never came. So we asked again. No dice. Thankfully, we stopped a busboy who happily obliged us. We tipped him and left in a jiffy.
It's a real shame, because for as long as it took to open up the joint and for its exquisitely beautiful interior, I expected a bit more from this bar. It's not just a case of the Slow Zone, either, as the frustratingly bad service, crappy food, and overpriced drinks have been pretty consistent over multiple visits.
But style over substance is the case with many of the new Wicker Park bars, isn't it? Yawn past this one and get off at the next stop.
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This place has great martinis, and on wed they are only $5! You can't beat that with a stick!
$5 martinis on Wed, choose from among around 40 or so. Or try them all. (I think we made a good start this week). I recommend the namesake one. But they all seemed to go down quite easily.
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I want to give this place a better review, but I've met too many crazy people here. It is located right across the street from Double Door, which is the only reason why I have been here in the past. The drinks are really expensive, I'm not sure what these "drink specials" are that people mention. There is one bartender that is nice, who actually talks to her customers. The other ones are kinda lame and quiet. I can talk your ear off if you let me, but these bartenders are not having any of it. They would rather stare at the wall then make small talk. Sometimes they go in the kitchen and disappear for 15 minutes at a time. Hmmm, must be really important stuff going on in there huh.
Maybe I need to hit the brunch the next time I come by. Seems to be the best time to come visit this place.
I would definitely recommend hitting up some other bars in this area if you plan on meeting up with friends.
Cute place with great old-timey decor and music. I've only gotten drinks and the odd order of fries, but everything has been very tasty. The waitresses are friendly and fast. This place can get busy after work because they have great drink specials. Best of all, it's super easy to get there; all you have to do is get off the blue line and you're there.
Excellent breakfast or should I say "brunch" place! What is better than a mimosa and french toast after a long night? The food is great the drinks are good and service excellent! Our tiny server was so perky and helpful! She helped me choose my new fav breakfast- banana nut french toast! My friend also love his option of the eggs benedict alongside a bloody mary! To make our sunday even better- our bill was so low that we decided to stay for a second round of morning cocktails! We will be coming back soon!
It reminded me of a hotel bar. The finishes were really nice and there were probably 17 TVs. I also saw two guys pick their noses more than once. If I was going to bald-faced pick my nose at a bar, I'd probably do it a in hotel bar because no one would think you lived anywhere near there. So I guess Blue Line is also a good place to do this.
But $3 sangrias + knowing the bartender = $20 tab for you and two friends...plus nachos. Which, by the way, were not delicious.
But then there's always the extra $20 you leave because you're like, "Fuck, that was really nice and I've only met you once and I only had Toasted Oats for dinner so I'm a little drunk . Here's all my money!"
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4 1/2 stars for $6 mojitos and lots of different choices! I had one with champagne in it. Super good! We started with the fried calamari app. It was your typical fried calamari in terms of taste but these were like the kings of squid or something. Seriously, some of the pieces were gargantuan! I would not want to meet that guy in the sea. My friend had a filet and whipped potatoes--you really couldn't beat that for $19! It was prepared very well and had a great texture. I had the steak salad with blue cheese crumbles, grilled asparagus and red peppers--the only thing that was missing from this salad were hearts of palm. That would have put this monster over the top! I had to take 3/4 of it home with me. I thought the prices on both the drink and dinner menus were very, very reasonable for what we received.
For being directly under some train tracks, this place is awesome! I've enjoyed everything I've eaten there except for the nachos. (In my head, there is some holy grail plate of nachos lurking out there somewhere... so, this maybe a lost cause...)
The drinks are often cheap (check monday happy hours) and strong, and the staff is all really friendly. I've never had poor service.
It can tend to become a bit hectic the later in the week you go, so if you're looking for a more quiet experience, I'd suggest Monday or Tuesday evenings. That said, I've never been on the weekend.
Great little spot!
I usually don't venture to this hood but I was pleasantly surprised. We had a friend in from out of town and we were coming back for a Sox game. (Yes, the White Sox...you know, Chicago's OTHER team!?) Anyway, we took the Red Line to the Blue because we knew about the martini special on Wednesdays. It's a nice little place. My bf knows the owner (who was very cool, came and sat with us for a wile) and I was surprised by how young he was. Between the beers at The Cell and the $5 martinis I was dancing on umm...a speaker or something by the end of the night. Anyway, great place with good service, a cool owner, and fantastic martinis!
Yay for $5 martinis on Wed. Big trouble =)
There appetizers are pretty good too. Had da fried calamari.
French Martini's are my fav and probably da one I order all da time unless they have pomegranate . It's difficult to find many ppl who now how to actually make them the right way but the bartender lady def. knew what she was doing. (shoulda got her name) Great to go after work for happy hour.
This is a great bar/restaurant. The decor is great, its got kind of a vintage yet classic train car look to it. The food has always been good, and its not too too crowded most of the time. Great spot in Wicker Park....I hope it stays here.
This place has a pretty cool setup. The atmosphere is pretty chill. They were showing Zoolander and Boogie Nights on the night we were there. It is a nice place to go and just play card games. The crowd is an interesting mix.
The worst part was someone puked in and around the urinal at some point during the night. While waiting to use the stall, the guy behind me asked if he could use the urinal and proceeded to do so despite seeing the vomit. To each their own I guess.
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I used go here almost weekly for $4 martini nights (recently upped to $5, I believe). The service was pretty spotty, most likely due to the high turnover in waitstaff. Almost every time we went in we had someone new, and to be honest, (I really hate to say it) it seemed they were hiring based on looks rather than on skill, and it made for a lot of very long waits for drinks and wrong food orders. I mean, yeah, they look pretty, but this is totally not what I ordered. There was one waitress who was great, but had been there ever since we first started going, so yes, I blame the high turnover.
The food was pretty decent as I remember, and they have several vegetarian options; I don't remember ever feeling like there was nothing on the menu I could eat. Their ravioli was my favorite.
I haven't been in a while, but I will almost always drink a martini and/or play a board game if you put it in front of me. Promise.
Edit: So I went last night. Not much has changed. Our waitress was extremely nice and apologetic, but the bartender was obviously unprepared for the many martinis she would be expected to pour on martini night.
About 10 minutes after we ordered our drinks, the waitress took our food order. We just wanted to split the artichoke dip. The food came out before our drinks did. And the artichoke dip was really just not very good. Holy cream of mushroom soup, Batman.
(And also in response to someone else's glee that the bartender knew how to make a salty dog -- nobody has any business bartending if they DON'T know what a salty dog is.)
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This place is only okay. I like the atmosphere, and I love the martini night... but the food is only so-so and the service is hit or miss. It is a great place to go with a couple of girlfriends to get my vodka drinkin' on, and after one and a half martini's I tend to forget about the spotty service anyway so whatever... I will be back.
I have been here several times, each on a date, and have really enjoyed it. I went with three very different dudes, but each time the Blue Line stepped up to the plate. Let me tell you the ways:
1. The food! I love the food! Very contemporary, upscale "gastropub" type fare.
2. The drinks! Great martinis and a stocked bar.
3. The crowd! Typical for the area, young, casual but still put together, fun.
4. The music! Not too loud.
5. Not too crowded! Each time I've been here, there has been plenty of room to move around.
See - go here.
Great vibe, great service. Went with a friend and everything was pretty much spot on. Liked that the crowd was pretty eclectic and laid back. The only complaint is the hors d'oeurves are pretty pricey for what you get. Looking forward to going back!
I've been here a few times, one of which was new years eve. The staff was awesome and was good about recommendations. The food was great both times, drinks too. I especially liked the mango mojito.
One drink, many syllables: Moe-Hee-Toes! The best in town! They have about 9 to chose from. Get the Raspberry Mojito. You'll think you've died and gone to heaven. Those little ladies will make you very very hungover if you drink too many, but they are worth it! The food here is fantastic. My friend and I ordered the nachos and we had at least 2 other tables order it after they saw ours. Big portions, so definitely share.
The music here is great. Then again, when you read any of my other reviews you know how I feel about music and the ambiance that it brings to an establishment.
I only gave it 4 instead of 5 because of a couple of things. The first being, it's really loud. Yes, the music is good, but you have really yell to have a conversation with the person across from you. The other downsize is your tables are very close to each other. I can tell you that the couple to the left of us were on their very awkward 2nd date, and the guys on the other side were deciding whether they should go to Touche' or Sidetracks and who was picking up the bill. Not much privacy.
Great place to start out your night in Bucktown/Wicker Park. Walking distance to a lot of great bars.
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Ahhhh... the Grape Drop Martini was so potent and delicious I can't precisely (or even vaguely) remember what followed... but if the hangover and the pictures on my cell phone are any indication, yessir, it was a GOOD night!
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I came here on a Saturday night with eight people and did NOT expect to get a table. But we did -- a big, cozy booth. Drinks came quickly and were well-poured. The bartender even knew what a Salty Dog was. I sampled from several of my friend's dishes -- the food was delicious. I don't remember being shocked by the prices, I think my Salty Dog (from the well) was $4.50.
Only drawback: loud. They turned on Nickelback full blast at about 10pm to clear out stragglers so they could fill another group of tables with fresh drinkers and eaters.
I swear my vodka sodas are watered down. And why did my waitress screetch at us the entire night?! It wasn't that loud!
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Pricey, loud, pricey (did I say that?). I grudgingly admit that the food is actually good. The service is actually decent too. And the mixed drinks seem interesting. But I have to stick to my strict stars=cheapness rating system and cheap is good. Without my principles I am nothing. I actually usually have a decent time here though. Weird thing is it feels like a diner, it never feels like a bar I can plant my backside in and stay all night, its always feels like a place to meet up, catch something to eat and then go to another bar to finish out the night. That vibe might just be me. 3.5 rounded down for price.
there are few things that look more inviting on a cold winter night than when walking up to blue line...It's one of the best "winter bars" chicago has to offer imo.
I think it has a lot to do w the fact it's tucked away and shoehorned into a space that doesn't quite seem possible, thus making it look all warm, quiet, cozy and inviting (esp b/c the blue line itself is in constant, noisy motion overhead). When you walk in, the outside world sort of closes off and you're treated to a cool club car atmosphere by virture of its sleek subway-replica design; love the design of the space.
Nice fireplace near the back where the kitchen does their thing which is solid semi-upscale bar food. Things I can reco would be the pizza w goat cheese, blackened tuna, mini-burgers (out of this world!!), cheese-stuffed pot stickers and lobster chimichanga.
They have a dizzying menu of martinis to choose from if that's your thing and the service is always efficient and friendly. Although it can get a little cramped, it seems to never be overly crowded as a lot of people come and go fairly quickly.
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I'm rating this place strictly on their martinis. I'm not a martini guy, but their specialty martinis are not to be missed. BTW their food isn't too bad either. It's mostly fancified bar food, but pretty good. Definately a great place to go out with a group of friends.
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Overall, both the food and drink at Blue Line are good, and on their own, they would receive probably three stars, perhaps even four. However, due to the fact that the service here absolutely blows, I give it two stars.
I've been to Blue Line on busy nights and I've been on slow nights; the service is almost always painfully slow. You will wait 10 minutes for your waitress to show up, another 10 minutes for your drink, and another 10 minutes for her to come back and take your food order. You better just ask for the bill when she brings your food, because it will take another 15 minutes for that to arrive.
I've been here probably 10 - 15 times in the past two years. I've had good service once (at 9:30am on a Saturday morning) and decent service once (at 8:30pm on a Wednesday).
It's fine if you don't mind waiting, but if you're planning on a quick drink, go somewhere else.
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I like this place as somewhere to meet up with friends. I think the only times I've been there have been with a bunch of friends. The food is good and they have a nice selection of martinis. It can get pretty loud in there on the weekends, but it is a fun place!
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I went here on Wednesday night and was seated promptly, which was surprising because it was their half-price martini night and the place was packed. Our server was very nice and efficient and we received our martinis quickly. I was impressed because, as a former bartender, I know how long specialty drinks take to make. Our food was very good too. All and all, I was very happy with my experience here. Except the music was pretty bad and very loud.
Steps from the Damen stop, I find this place a nice reprieve from some of the nearby "clubs" that some friends insist on going to. More then once on the weekends I have slipped away from elbow to elbow establishments close by and ended up here where it can be pretty happenin' but not so bad that you can get a seat most of the time.
I feel right at home here when I'm wearing formal business clothes after those required days at work or just a black t-shirt and jeans.
The prices are not too bad and the interior has a nice plush, u shaped bar/kitchen area.
I can't believe I'd never been to Blue Line before prior to last Saturday. I walk past there all the time and I guess I've always assumed the place would be really small and/or dumpy and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.
We ended up here for brunch after walking north on Damen from Chicago. If you don't want a cutesy bakery or coffee shop breakfast, Blue Line is a good option. The prices were reasonable and the portions were pretty big. Everything tasted good too but we both got eggs and so there's not much to be critical about there (IMHO.)
Alas the bar did not pass my barstool test because there were no backs but there were plenty of tables and boothes and televisions and I would definitely go back.
Also: the waitress/bartender was terrific. She was the only one working (besides a busboy and cook) and you could tell she had everything covered and was very professional/
Shoot....debating whether to give this place a 2 or a 3 but it's not in the same league as my usual 3 star reviews so...2 it is.
Came here for dinner on Friday night. Ambiance is great. Location is great...right off the Damen stop on the Blue Line. Service was friendly. Drinks were okay. Food was pretty craptacular I have to say. I ordered the Spicy Black Bean Burger and ordered the Chicken Tortilla soup to go along with the sandwich. Hmm the burger was almost mushy...which was concerning. I mean if you've had black bean burgers you know they should be firm and well not dry but certainly not mushy. Bleh...it almost made me gag. I took a couple of spoonfuls of the "Chicken Tortilla" soup and I was thinking "Eww. this has got to be the worse Chicken Tortilla soup I've ever had. Run my spoon through the soup to see exactly what was in there....hey...is this Clam Chowder? Oh, frick. Not a big deal really and the server was very apologetic but seriously...what if I had been allergic? Sheesh.
My husbands burger wasn't all that much better. I ordered his medium since he was running late and it was almost like shoe leather. Fries were actually pretty tasty.
I would come back and in fact we did that very same night for drinks and to chill and to listen to their very cool jukebox selection but as far as the food? Avoid. Avoid. Avoid!
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I like to end with good news, and being that I didn't have a completely terrible experience and currently have lips soaked with the blood of Christ as an account of drinking here, I will start with the (minimal) cons:
Cons: menu is very pricey considering ambiance isn't incredibly memorable. Located directly under the El and without very good sound-proofing. Comfortable, but tries too hard to give a vibe that is classier than it is.
Pros: food was very good. They have board games! Some of which are complete! On the downside, some of the games really suck in concept or have missing pieces, but the scrabble board is doing just fine. Drink specials were almost better than some of my favorite dives. Wait staff was friendly and attentive. Highly convenient as it's just below the Blue Line Damen stop (hence the apt name).
In general, I had a good experience. It probably wouldn't top my list of places to go hang out on a prime weekend night, but it was fun to stop in for cheaper drinks and board games on a Monday.
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The food is so tasty and fresh I could eat here every night. Actually, I practically do. So far I haven't had anything I wouldn't order again. The chopped salad which was recommended by one of the very attentive staff is excellent. A bit spicier than others but part of the reason I like it so much. I highly recommend the sliders as well. My parents have a breakfast/lunch restaurant called Cornerstone Cafe near Logan Square and they have one of the best burgers in the city. However, I just told my Dad the other day he needs to get the recipe for these sliders. They melt in your mouth.
I've always liked stopping into Blue Line for a quick bite and a few drinks prior to whatever the late night evening entails. I highly recommend absolutely anything on their appetizer menu...everything seriously rocks. The 'tinis are great too, although I'm not much into them unless they're on special. The mojitos are yummy as can be, yet a bit too much mint keeps getting sucked up through my straw. One thing I do not like is to chew my drink...eww.
As far as the service - this past Saturday, I stopped in and met a few friends before a show at Double Door and the service sucked serious open-gaping ass. It was horrible horrible horrible. There were only three (3) of us and the place wasn't that packed, albeit busy but far from packed to the gills, and two of us were drinking bottled beer....nothing too fancy pants. jeesh.
All 'n all, I really do like this place and the location is unbeatable. So, 4 stars for the drinks and appetizers, 4 stars for the location, and only 1 star for the service and, that's only because it simply exists....barely. In that, average 3 stars is whatcha get, Blue Line.
Until next time...
Me and a couple of guys ended up here and I have to say we had a good time. We had $2.00 miller lites. We had a good time watching the snoow fall from inside the warm, miller lite stocked, Blue line.
Cozy little bar/restaurant with a warm and fuzzy feel. Great for a night with that someone special or a small group of friends. I wouldn't recommend it for groups larger than 4 because it's already hard to hear whoever you are with over the loud music. It's a little cramped for space at some of the tables in the back, but the layout is really comfortable and surprisingly intimate. The tables are first come first serve but we had a server help us find a table right off the bat. The food is on the heavy side; Definite comfort food. The artichoke pot stickers are a must try!
I can't wait to come back for the $6 martini night with some girlfriends and check out the board game selection!
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I liked Blue Line alot. I met some friends there who were watching the game at the bar. Soon as I walked in the bartender gives me one of the most welcoming smiles I've ever recieved by a bartender. It was like she was 'happy' as hell to see me. She yelled out a 'hello' and immediately moved a napkin toward me, while asking me how my evening has been thus far. Maaad cool points! I ordered, me and the fellas sat by the bar, the place wasnt packed at all that night, there were a lot of couples on 'dates' it seemed. The place is clean, has a bar that wraps around in the shape of a boomerang. Fairly priced bottles, even the patrons seemed very happy to be here. We didn't eat any food here, because we were meeting to head out to somewhere else. But I'll definitely be back sooner than later to get a more indepth experience.
It's amazing how far simple courtesy can go, and how it can make one feel when they walk into an establishment. And it can fatten you tip jar fast! Bartenders take heed.
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I really wanted to go to the Blue Line last night so that I could come on Yelp and write a fabulous review of the place. I've had some good times here and it used to be one of my favorite bars, but last night was such a miss.
+ lots of comfy booths, delicious sweet potato fries, yummy bucktown salad
- annoying skinny bitch waitress who kept calling me "sweetie", gross artichoke dip that was 95% cream cheese, and obnoxious group of drunk men whooping it up and playing bad music on the juke box
I think the reason I have such fond memories of this place is because they generally have good food and the atmosphere is usually pretty relaxed, but last night the place was more trashy than chill.
BUT maybe it was just a really off night or off time. I still have hope that the great bar that I used to frequent is in there somewhere. So, while last night was a 2, past experiences bump it up to a 3 star place in my book.
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