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Buck's Saloon
Categories: Nightlife Bars Gay Bars Nightlife Bars Sports Bars Gay Bars, Sports Bars [Edit]
3439 N Halsted St(between Cornelia Ave & Newport Ave)
Chicago, IL 60657
Neighborhood: Lakeview
(773) 525-1125
- Nearest Transit:
-
Addison-red (Red Line)
Belmont (Brown Line, Purple Line, Red Line)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
23 reviews for Buck's Saloon
Review Highlights
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"play some pool/darts, and just relax." In 5 reviews -
"Lots of beer, cute patio, diverse crowd that is pretty darn..." In 8 reviews -
"I love me some Boystown." In 7 reviews
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23 reviews in English
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Review from Joshua M.
3/18/2012
Buck's is the type of gay bar that could make me not hate going to gay bars.
This really isn't a "Work it girl, I'm here to be a diva" type of place. It's more of a "Come on by and have a couple of drinks and get chatted up" type of place.
The staff is super-friendly. The guy working the patio bar looked like he loved his job.
It's also hilarious that they have a men's room and a unisex restroom... No ladies room to be found.
I'll be back. -
Review from Christine S.
Chicago, IL
11/3/2011
I love me some Boystown... I love me some Sports Bars... I love me some Bucks!
SUUUUUUPER friendly staff... Really amazing customers (everyone was talking to the cute girl in the dress... Ohhhhh, that was me! I had a blast!)
It's a beauuuuuuuuutiful day in the Gayborhood!
p.s. they have a pretty huge outdoor party in the back -
Review from Gary B.
7/6/2011
As the sign near the front states "Fight at home, Dance across the street, DRINK here. I have no issue with meeting those requirements. While I rarely frequent this area, Bucks has been one of our stops.
Friendly staff that is quick to help you get your night started or help you carry yourself into oblivion. Fun outside area (where you can smoke) and they have frequent BBQs and parties during the summer.
If you are looking for chic club type atmosphere you will want to pass on by. This is not your standard "Stand and Pose" bar...this bar is for people who enjoy their drink and have seasoned talents. -
Review from Monica T.
6/20/2011
So, it was the night of Game 6 of the 2011 NBA Finals. My beloved Mavericks were about to demolish the Miami Heat once and for all and there I was, a displaced Texan living in Utah but visiting Chicago, looking for a spot to watch the victory. My boyfriend and I finished eating dinner nearby, and consulted Yelp to find the nearest sports bar. This was it.
We walked in and knew we were in the right place: pretty chill, kind of divey, plenty of TVs tuned to the game, and pool and darts just in case. The other folks in the bar were extremely welcoming (a little *too* welcoming in the case of one very drunk man from Kentucky, but I digress) and we felt right at home.
Honestly, I don't think I've ever had so much fun at a bar, and not only because my team destroyed the other team and I finally got to experience championship greatness.
Buck's, you were part of the greatest day of my life. I'll never forget you. Now, if there was only a bar in Utah with a crowd like this. -
Review from Lizzie N.
Chicago, IL
1/3/2012
The sign on the bathroom door says "one at a time please!" and that's very good advice for this bar. A great place to get rowdy as long as you can shake it to Queen.
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Review from Craig C.
Chicago, IL
4/21/2011
Seriously, people...if you love the place, give it FIVE stars. Sheesh!
I love Buck's. You won't find an ounce of prentension. The bartenders are always so sweet, the drinks are strong, and the crowd is always friendly.
See you boys soon! -
Review from Nick S.
Chicago, IL
6/15/2009
As a straight male, I have no problem with not only attending a gay bar but also writing a review of it publicly on Yelp.
A bunch of us met up here after a birthday dinner for a gay friend of mine. The patio had a nice, quaint feel to it as well as an auxiliary bar. Around 11pm or so they close it down due to apartments surround the patio on almost all sides of it.
The inside had a decent amount of bar space and the bartender remembered me because I was tipping pretty well. Doorguy was extremely nice and talkative.
I was with about 6-7 other straight guys and everyone had a fun time. A nice change of pace from thug laden meat markets some of my friends drag me out to on the weekends, or the usual tired spots in my neighborhood.
I can't say I'll be coming back anytime soon because well, for obvious reasons it's not my scene, but I had a fun time. -
Review from Sixto M.
Chicago, IL
1/12/2009
Oh Bucks. If ever there were a Daddy bar in Chicago, this is the place. My cousin knows one of the bar tenders, so whenever we hang out, we know that eventually we'll end up at Bucks. And that's ok by me. It has an incredibly different feeling to it than most of the other places in boystown. Because the crowd is older, much of the pomp and circumstance that occurs in other bars/clubs (i.e. Roscoes) is gone. What you have left is what makes Buck's so great: a bar you can drink and chew the fat with friends (and you can hear them!), play some pool/darts, and just relax!
When the patio is open in the summer, its great to go out there too. There's plenty of space (probably the biggest outdoor space I've seen in boystown), and on Sundays, they do a free cookout! And Buck's salon lives up to its name in decor: the bar walls are mounted with many a head of deer and other "game" (I love going during pride when they are decorated with rainbow beads!).
I don't make it here as often as I'd like, and usually whenever I tell people I'm heading there, I usually get the "why?" expression, but I just smile and know that as long as Buck's is around, there will be a place for me to go when I no longer need the craziness of Roscoe's, the snootiness of Minibar, or the cruisiness of sidetrack.Listed in: Nightlife in Lakeview
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Review from shaina v.
Chicago, IL
5/5/2008
I lived above here and enjoyed stopping by. Its a tiny dive bar and it features mostly older non partying gay men. There is a pool table and I've never had to stand in line for it. They have an outdoor seating area that doubles the size of the bar in the summer.
True to the name there are taxidermy bucks and perhaps elk above the bar.
The bartenders are friendly, its sort of like a really dark, small gay cheers where maybe no one knows your name, but they know your drink.Listed in: Night Life
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Review from Stephen R.
Chicago, IL
3/31/2009
Whatever. You get some creepy stares now and then. But it's chill, the back patio is awesome, and pool + darts. A nice break if you don't feel like being on the dance circuit, or the cruise circuit.
One of my guy friends introduced me to this place (and, admittedly, I had never even noticed it!) and had a great, chill time. Now and then I'll bring friends here if I want to be local in Lakeview East, in a "gay" scene, and just play some games.
I even have a straight (gay friendly) friend who is so anti-everything (one of those pro-bike/anti-car, vegan, anti-establishment -- which reads as Anti-"Boystown" -- types) and refuses to go with us anywhere on Halsted who really digs this place.
It's a niche, but an important niche. But cool atmosphere, nice bartenders, great back beer garden, and darts and pool. Totally worth a look. -
Review from Geoff H.
Chicago, IL
9/3/2009
I really like Buck's....in general, the staff are friendly, as are the patrons. Yeah, they're older than at Roscoe's, but you don't get attitude, cover charge, attitude or shitty $8 drinks. Or attitude. So there. Crowd can be cliquey, but they've known each other for 20 years and you haven't, so just deal.
The patio is THE best....large, plenty of seating, laughter and ambience and still has a functioning bar w/bartender (rare, if not the ONLY one in Boystown, I'll take it). Due to the other flash in the area, lots of folks don't even notice Buck's from the outside, though it's been around probably 20 years. Fine with me. Nice place. -
Review from Patrick P.
Chicago, IL
3/31/2010
This place is a dump -- but I LOVE It. Very grainy and worn-down to the nubbins.
But it is a great place to get a beer and play pool or darts. And to see some crazy lookin peeps.
In the summer, they have an outdoor area -- that is a great place to meet friends for a drink.
I'd pick this place any day over the train-wreck of a place called Halsted's next door.
Treat yourself to this dump at once. You'll thank me.... -
Review from natalie v.
Chicago, IL
5/24/2010
I'd rather give a 3 1/2 star review. I haven't been here in a long time. I moved out of Boystown a few years ago. But Kami was bartending, so I stopped in. Lots of beer, cute patio, diverse crowd that is pretty darn friendly. Give your little neighborhood gay bar a try. Love it!
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Review from Katie B.
Chicago, IL
9/25/2007
Bucks is my favorite bar in town. . . always a friendly face and good tunes. Even though I got ripped off in the spaghetti cook-off last year, the Sunday fundraiser food fests are still a blast... perfect after watching the Bears games at the North End.
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Review from Natalie B.
Chicago, IL
3/5/2011
Very chill and relaxed, doesn't try and pretend to be anything. Got there about midnight and it was rather crowded, but the service was fast. People were very friendly and open to playing pool or darts with us. We probably would have stayed there longer, but our group got larger and the place only has a bar to sit at, so we couldn't all talk to each other.
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Review from John M.
Chicago, IL
1/10/2007
I do not enjoy Buck's very much. I have had enough experience in Boystown bars to know where the friendly bartenders are (which makes a huge impression on me of the place), and it is not found here. Furthermore, the crowd tends to be seedy (all gay bars are to a certain degree but this one in particular) and if you look around it doesn't seem like people are having a good time. The physical asthetic of the place is fine, but to me it is as empty and hollow as an airhead.
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Review from Andriv Zinoviy T.
Chicago, IL
10/18/2010
Decent and fun place to stop by for a drink and do couple of shots :) always fun
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Review from Andy G.
San Francisco, CA
5/22/2007
This place is interesting. It has a pretty nice patio, which is good in summer and has dart machines, which is pretty much the only reason I go. The people, drinks, space, etc...is overly average. I agree that there are some creepy people here, but nothing really worth calling out about this place. I don't think I've ever stayed for more than two drinks. Oh, and the juke box stocks only the most typical "gay" music...Madonna, Cher and other intolerable (to me) disco-type music.
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Review from David A.
Amarillo, TX
2/3/2007
I enjoyed Buck's- seems to have a regular crowd that is a bit older but it's a nice neighborhood bar.
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Review from Mill V.
Chicago, IL
2/9/2008
I sincerely love this place. I haven't been for a long time, but the bartenders are more then that, they were therapists, jokers, and heroes to me. Rex and Glenn are frickin great. Get a schapps shot, they are always $2!
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Review from Maura S.
Juneau, AK
2/21/2010
Stopped in here for an hour before bar close Friday night. Nice, relaxed atmosphere with a pool table at the back of the bar. Many of the patrons were quite friendly, and we enjoyed ourselves at Buck's!
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Review from Jack L.
Chicago, IL
10/2/2008 2 Check-ins Here
I have very mixed emotions about this place. The patio was the scene of a very bad break up for me a number of years ago. But all in all I'd say this is one of my favorite Boystown hangouts. For the most part the crowd is great. Perhaps one of the friendliest places on Halsted. The staff is very friendly and the jukebox (internet) bases isn't bad. The drinks are reasonable for Halsted standards. The interior is not your typical Boystown bar. It looks more like the place your Granddad from Minnesota would hang out in. Deer and Moose heads adorn the walls, all decked out in the latest festival gear. There are floor to ceiling window in the front which is a great place to sit and "people" watch. It's a premo spot for watching the many parades. The patio is a great place to hand out in the summer, plenty of seating a friendly crowd, they still allow smoking. Sundays' there is usually a complementary BBQ. All in all a great place to meet new and old friends.
Listed in: The Places I Go Out
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Review from Stacey B.
Denver, CO
7/29/2009
i happened upon bucks while trying to kill time before meeting friends at the chcago diner and i am so glad i did. at first glance i didn't think i would like the place, it was early afternoon and very dead. but i hit the back patio and the bartender there was super friendly and introduced me to everyone sitting around. it seemed like mostly older and very chill gay men. i will definitely go back here the next time i'm in town. it seems like a good place to either just chill during the day, hit up before going out to clubs, or end the night. p.s. rex is probably the best bartender ever.
