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Delilah's
- Nearest Transit:
-
Diversey (Brown Line, Purple Line)
Wellington (Brown Line, Purple Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri, Sun 4 pm - 2 am
Sat 4 pm - 3 am
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- DJ, Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Mon, Fri, Wed
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
339 reviews for Delilah's
Review Highlights
"It is if you are into whiskey and punk rock."
(in 52 reviews)
"Great Bar, awesome clientele, GOOOOOOD whiskey."
(in 117 reviews)
"Love to head upstairs and chill near the pool table."
(in 28 reviews)
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339 reviews in English
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Review from Paul B.
Chicago, IL
1/22/2012
There is little that I can say about this place that hasn't been said about the best bars in Chicago. It is run with a precise eye on a positive customer experience.
The ambiance is awesome - trashy-chic but really relaxing. The selection of potent potables is perfect. The staff is stellar.
From Ron the doorman - to Ashley the bartender to Pedro and Mike...
You see; you go there one time and you know the staff and they really go out of their way to make you feel welcome. I can say nothing bad about this place.
Great selection - great service! (Delicious Rye!)
Now you know what Tom Jones was singing about when he sang, "My... My... My... Delilah! (Showing my age?) -
Review from Keith A.
Wilmette, IL
2/8/2012
Delilah's, not your average dive bar. I mean seriously, you step in and you would think that all they serve is malort, karkov vodka, and miller products. Well, not exactly. Granted I knew what to expect when I came here, so I wasn't really in for the shock of seeing about 9 real quality taps with one tap of miller lite. See, now this is my kind of tap list when it's as selective as it is. They may have only a few taps, but its real quality. From a quick look at the bottles, they have a great bottle list as well.
The prices were as I expected. $6 per beer. The bourbon and whiskey isn't on the cheap side, but this is what they really specialize in. I was keeping it to beer as I had a show to catch and boubon usually has a negative effect on me for stuff like that. The list was real deep and it does beg for me tackling it on a few occasions. -
Review from Jamie B.
Chicago, IL
1/15/2012
This place is ok. The bathroom was disgusting. I would probably just hold it and use the 7-Eleven down the street. The tab somehow was really high, I think we were screwed by the bartender. Somehow two rounds of drinks tallied up to nearly $100 for four people.... that's in line with the high end steakhouses. Oh well, we had a show to catch, otherwise I am sure we would have further analyzed the bill and asked for an itemized receipt.
Just ok, most likely won't go back. -
Review from Edith W.
Chicago, IL
2/9/2012
One of my favorite bars in the city. Delilah's never disappoints.
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Review from Michael P.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 11/23/2011
After that first time going, D's has become my go-to, Thursday night spot. I used to be all fancy beer, but heck, $3 beer/$3 shot special? I'm in.
Music kicks ass, too, and (...I have have sensitive ears ...) the quality of the sound system is great.
Go there.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/16/2010
Delilah's kicks all kinds of ass in the bar category.
Flowers and I went yesterday afternoon for the… Read more »
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Review from Mike D.
River Forest, IL
12/11/2011
biggest whiskey selection in the country? What is not to like. This place is awesome. The staff really knows their whiskey, and even gave me a free whiskey for us to try.
The only weird thing was what was playing on tv. Not even kidding all of the tv's were showing a movie about an asian serial rapist, and the scenes were very graphic. Found that odd but also slightly amusing at the same time (in the sense like what the eff is going on).
The music was great and the atmosphere was just very laid back. Great place -
Review from Samuel C.
Omaha, NE
1/1/2012
Went for part of my bachelor party and had one of the best experiences I've ever had in a bar. Mike educated us on what whiskey is really about and we shared some excellent samples. Looking forward to spending some quality time at Delilah's next time I am in Chicago
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Review from C K.
Tinley Park, IL
11/2/2011
The heart of Chicago Hipster culture lives in the sh*tty bathroom stall at Delilah's.
True story.
I'm taking a leak in the way too small bathroom, when Johnny Haircut strolls in. He notices there's not enough room for him, but guess what??? He stays in the bathroom! Must have liked the intimacy. I guess my shirt must have reminded him of his own self-importance because he suddenly kills my stream by saying "Aw cool. You like Husker Du?". I will say the girls are mostly weird-cute...which is nice. But between the Hookers playing Hockey on the closed circuit TV, and the terrible,scratchy dad-punk banging on endlessly from the speakers, I'll stick with getting drunk at the Gap. -
Review from Mark M.
Chicago, IL
12/31/2011
This place was awesome. It's got a nice dark ambience with a somewhat grim style of decor that I think is a good thing. Upstairs is another bar, a smaller one, lots more space and a pool table. I went on Friday when there was $3 Asahi beers and $3 Maker's Mark. Good draft beer selection downstairs. It was kind of grungy, kind of punk, Great bar!
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Review from William L.
Chicago, IL
10/10/2011
I think I found my new favorite bar. Among the things that tug at the fibers of my being (in no particular order):
-craft beer
-cool bartenders
-eclectic (awesome) jukeboxes
-small music venues
-awful, low-budget sci-fi and horror movies
Fortunately for all of us, Delilah's has all of the above in spades. Combine all that with some very cool theme night specials (Punk Rock Mondays) and you get a very rad place. -
Review from Erica O.
Chicago, IL
1/28/2012
The bartenders are always friendly and laidback. They make strong drinks, and the whiskey selection and specials are great! It's dark, it plays retro, obscure art films, and sometimes there's some really good blues playing. It's a good dive.
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Review from Andrew H.
Chicago, IL
12/2/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I think you'd have to actively try to not enjoy yourself at this bar. Nothing really new to add. Tons of great bar, huge whiskey selection, stellar drink specials. Lots of cool artwork and other random stuff to stare at. Vintage horror movies and pornos on TV to distract you and spark up a conversation. Eclectic mix of people. Pool and a second bar/lounge area upstairs. Good stuff.
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Review from Lauren V.
10/9/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Why hello there new favorite bar! I'm not sure how I've lived in Lakeview for 4 years and didn't stop into Delilah's until this weekend. We went on the Chicago Beer Experience tour and Delilah's was our final, and definitely my favorite, stop.
Whiskey lovers look no further-Delilah's has the largest selection of whiskey in the city and trust me, I've done a lot of searching due to the fact that my bf's fav is extremely rare. Not only did Delilah's have the standard 15 year, they had the even more rare 17 year that was a lovely little surprise.
Beer geeks like me can find comfort in Delilah's as well, they have craft beers aplenty on tap. Southern Tier Pumking and Dogfish Head Punkin were my drinks of choice for the day-love my pumpkin beer on a fall cool fall evening!
They don't serve food but you're free to bring your own. After a beer tour that was essentially a super awesome bar crawl, we needed some sustenance so we ordered a couple pizzas from Gino's East and brought it back to the bar. Everyone there was super friendly, even though we were in a bit of an unruly state come the end of the tour. Love Delilah's, can't wait to return!
**On a side note...there was Asian porn on the TVs while we were there, super weird but hilarious and fitting at the same time! -
Review from Ben S.
8/10/2011 1 photo
Michael Jackson (booze MJ, not moonwalk MJ) called this one of the three most important bars in America. And I love me some bars in 'merica, so I made the trek to see about Delilah's. After all, that name conjures up something mighty different in my home territory of Philadelphia.
I made my way in and heard the steady blare of punk and saw the hazy shade of red - until I spied the wall behind the bar. And then my view went all tunnel-vision - I probably proceeded from there kind of bow-legged, like a scene from Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, too. Oh, the whiskey...it's like Dr. Seuss stocked the place with short ones, tall ones, light ones, dark ones, old ones, new ones, strong ones, brown ones, fair ones, and rare ones. I could have frolicked through the whiskey selections like a cartoon bear in a Cottonelle commercial.
The beers here are a robust and noteworthy lot, too, and some of my associates chose that path at the fork in the road, but I went with the knowledge that they stock over 400 whiskies here, and I wasn't about to swig anything but. A friend and I knew what we were sitting on and went all in - we built up with some various strong selections, and then, when ready, each sampled what the bartender told us was the piece de resistance - a vintage find called Old Mock Whiskey that was 18 summers old when bottled...and that bottling was many moons ago (1930's? - find a pic of this artifact in the photo section). I sipped that for a long time, just in awe of its existence, history, and availability for sale. It was like security at Le Louvre suddenly offered "oui, monsieur, hop up and throw your arm around Winged Victory, and I will snap a couple photos for you, but ov coourze..." Unreal.
I liked the space, I enjoyed the vibe, and I had a great time the entire evening, but more than that, it's as if the Smithsonian of whiskey is hiding in plain view in Diversey. This is an experience and a half; bucket-list worthy for brown spirit lovers.Listed in: Top Outposts
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Review from Conor O.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 7/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Bottom Line Up Front: Best bar in the goddamn city.
I failed to mention the beer selection during my last review, I am a horrible Yelper... you can call me a Yelp-turd for forgetting. Apologies all around.
The rotating taps have Half-Acre Daisy Cutter (perhaps chicago's best beer), Goose Island Sophie, New Belgium La Folie (delicious sour ale), Hobgoblin, Arrogant Bastard, La Fin Du Monde, Guinness, et. al. Ride the bar out if you want to know what good beer tastes like.
For those pinching their pennies, you are not forgotten! Mondays are Punk Rock Mondays where they play punk videos on the tube and have $1 beers. The beers are cans selected by the bar every week. It's no Daisy Cutter, but in the words of Sam Jackson "IT'S BEER! IT'LL GET YOU DRUNK!!!"
As I mentioned previously, the whiskey selection is very impressive; the jukebox is an eclectic mix of rocabilly, punk, ska, and heavy metal; and the celebration for Elvis' birthday is NOT to be missed!
The clientele is punk, but not fake punk that gives a shit if you don't have tattoos, wear black or know who the Descendents are. You could be Macho Man Randy Savage dressed in the most garish outfit ever, and they would welcome you if you were there to have fun. (They'd probably let you know that you really stole the intercontinental championship from the Honkey Tonk Man, but it should be expected where they have a GIANT oil painting of the King in the corner of the Bar.)
All in all, this is a Chicago jewel. Get your ass down here and drink a boilermaker and listen to some Merle Haggard.Listed in: Best Dive Bars
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/19/2011
I first "found" Delilah's in 2002 when I was in college... I've been going there ever since.
The… Read more »
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Review from Kiki M.
6/24/2011
Esquire's Best Bar List: Best Dive Bar Winner.
It delivered.
While the journey to get there was long and seemingly neverending walking into Delilah's made it all worth it. Small, dark, smells a little strange, disgusting bathrooms, knowing if these walls could talk the stories it would have.
My mom and I trekked to Delilah's on a Sunday afternoon. It was very mellow. Aside from the two of us and the bartender there were maybe five other people and a baby. Yes, a baby. "Ray" was playing on the screen and punk blared from speakers. There was a great selections of beers on tap and I must say the walls had the neatest carved pattern.
While I was sipping my beer I noticed a group walk in and sit next to us. A man stood while the rest sat and seemed to be giving an oration. He got each person a sample of beer and I what I could overhear him describing the Valentine's Day massacre. I put two and two together and assumed it was a tour group. If a tour is willing to stop in a bar like Delilah's, that is a tour I need to take!
It was a journey to get to Delilah's but it was worth finding out of it truly was worthy of being named, not a great, a BEST dive bar, and yes, it is worthy.Listed in: Chicago For Hungry Hungry…
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Review from Meghan M.
Chicago, IL
9/29/2011
This is my favorite punk bar in the city! They always have great punk and rockabilly music playing and a huge selection of imported beers and whiskey. The staff is awesome as well :)
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Review from Sharon S.
5/2/2011
I called a couple weeks ago to schedule a birthday party at Delilah's and it took them forever to call me back. Actually, they never did. I was persistent and called them. I was looking for a dive bar in the area and heard such great things about Delilah's that I was adamant about having my party here. When I finally talked to the owner, Mike, we decided on 4/30 with the $20 package advertised on their website. (http://www.delilahschi...) There was a party on their second floor from 9-11pm so we planned to start the party downstairs at 10:30pm and moved the party upstairs at 11pm.
When we arrived on Saturday night we were told at the door that there was a private party upstairs but would open at 11pm. Weird, cause that's when our party was suppose to start upstairs. We spoke to Mike and advised that they don't have party packages and the $20 deal we spoke about didn't exist. Instead he said it would cost $20/person to have the private party upstairs, not including drinks. Too bad the website says it's $50 to reserve the upstairs room without drinks. The overall experience of planning the event was very disappointing.
We ended up staying and having a good time anyway but I'm just quite disappointed in my whole experience. Maybe I didn't sound or look like I belonged in the bar but who are they to judge? And for a fact, I prefer dive bars. Definitely didn't deserve the disrespect. It'll be awhile before I'll be back there. -
Review from Kelley C.
Chicago, IL
7/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
The bartender was awesome! This place is dark and suspicious of who may be walking in and no one here is going to talk to you just to be polite.
If you like bars... REAL BARS... you will like this place. -
Review from Bruce B.
10/21/2011
Solid dive bar with a friendly crowd and strong drinks. It gets a bit crowded, but can still make your way through. Decent selection of beer on tap and really good bourbon specials. Check this place out.
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Review from Adam M.
Chicago, IL
9/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place was a blast. I went on a tuesday night and it was chill, cheap, and had some great tunes. Nice crowd and just a nice divey/punky bar. A great place to spend the night. I'll definitely be checking it out some weekend to check out the crowd on a different night.
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Review from L D.
Chicago, IL
4/11/2011
Delilah's is one of the most stocked whisk(e)y bars in Chicago. Don't be intimidated by the black background. Whether its Erik, among others, the bar has something to please any palate. This is not the Clark St. Ale House; this is whiskey heaven!
Delilah's serves beer, has well informed bartenders, but caters to the whiskey crowd. If you want to make absolutely sure that you are taken care of, then make sure you are around when Erik or Mike are in. There may be others, but this is ground zero for whisky in Chicago, even if there are others with arguably more inviting surroundings. Again, if you don't want to pay for the freight, then enjoy the selection. -
Review from Daniel L.
Chicago, IL
6/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Whiskey everywhere I turn.
Great atmosphere (If you enjoy the divey feel).
Great selection of beer and whiskey.
And decent prices.
5 stars! -
Review from Mark S.
Chicago, IL
10/27/2011
Delilah's is the perfect dive bar for the scotch enthusiast. We went soon after opening and the place was not loud at all ...yet. Several hundred single-malt choices await the weary traveler. Simply take the Brown-line train to Diversey and walk west a couple blocks through a nice neighborhood and you are good to go. Bartender was excellent, too.
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Review from Onur U.
2/9/2011
I view Delilah's as two different bars. On weeknights and off-peak hours, it's a chill place with a jaw-droppingly good selection of whiskies. For a whisky lover, perusing the phone-book like menu of rare bourbons and scotches is a real treat. There are malts on there I simply haven't seen anywhere else, including the liquor store. The owner is well connected, passionate about whisky, and focused on offering the best whisky in the world for remarkably reasonable prices. I love chatting with the owner when he's tending bar, it's the best place to learn about the world of whisky.
Then there's Friday and Saturday night. The bar turns into a super loud and crowded punk bar. I get the appeal since they have great specials and a handful of good beers on tap. I don't hate visiting at peak times, but it's definitely not the same. The bartenders are super busy and it can be difficult to order a special whisky that takes them a while to find on the shelf.
This is a special place, just know that depending on when you go, you'll get a very different experience. -
Review from Matt T.
Downers Grove, IL
6/29/2011
Delilah's is one of the greatest dive bars on the planet. No need to mention the scotch and whiskey since everyone has over and over. But that part is killer.
I'm not even a punk rocker and this is one of my two favorite bars in the city (Green Mill is the other). I almost want to 1 star it to keep it to myself. Delilah's almost never gets over crowded. The atmosphere is always chill. People are always friendly. The ladies keep it fun and sexy with their individual styles of punk/gothy/alt threads. The music is always loud and proud and upbeat.
I've never had a bad time here. The atmosphere is relaxing and chill and conversations are always fun. The music can be loud a lot of the time, but for whatever reason it doesn't seem to be a big deal here.
The only time I've ever seen issues is when some trixie douchebag gets lost and wanders in then can't figure out no one wants him there.
There is an upstairs, but I don't know what is up there. I wandered up there drunk once and came back down and don't remember. I'm not sure why people would go upstairs when all the cool is on the first floor. But if you are a lost trixie, then yeah, upstairs is f*cking awesome. There are tons of cubbies chicks up there who make out with each other I hear. -
Review from Elizabeth H.
Ukrainian Village, Chicago, IL
4/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Maybe it was too much hype. So many people have told me to check this place out so when I found myself in the neighborhood I had to stop in and try it. Sadly, I was really disappointed.
The bartenders knew NOTHING about the beers. I asked for a list and the bartender just pointed to the tappers (which I couldn't see from my seat). I started to ask about what some of the taps I could see where and she didn't know! She didn't know what kind of beers they were or who brewed them. She asked the other bartender and she didn't know either. I ordered an ipa and she told me it was really high alcohol and then I looked it up on my phone (the only reliable source I could find) and it said the beer was 5%.
Sadly, I had to call back a few days later because they also charged my card twice. Ugh. Very annoying.
I am giving it the 3 stars because the beer list is good and you will really enjoy it if you can recognize the tappers from memory. Also I liked the looks of the place. It is really comfortable and well worn. The bouncer was nice too. -
Review from dan c.
Chicago, IL
4/9/2011
I love this place more than my mom...
and I love my mom.
I've been going here for years, sometimes as a start to the night, sometimes at the tail end of it, and sometimes just here. I never have a bad time, and the people are all really warm.
Could be that i'm all ink'd up and know what i'm talking about with punk music and whiskey, could be that everyone is just good people.
Either way, I hope you never change Delilah's, you're the only woman who will never leave me... -
Review from Craig N.
Chicago, IL
9/6/2011 13 Check-ins Here
Other than the great selection of beer and hard liquor, the staff themselves are a great reason to come back to this place over and over again. If you like rock and roll, punk rock or just enjoy doing shots this is your place. This bar reminds me of two summers ago!
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Review from Soshanna M.
Chicago, IL
11/22/2011
Favorite. Bar. In. Chicago.
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Review from Cat D.
Chicago, IL
3/20/2011
Oh, Delilah's... You are the reason I found I have a problem with absinthe. Thanks to your extensive menu, I've tried it in many forms, from many parts of the world, and my face has fell flat on many floors.
I love this place. -
Review from Manuela Z.
San Francisco, CA
11/2/2010
I've been looking for my Lucky13 replacement and I think I've found it. Delilah's has all the things I look for in a bar...dark, chill clientele, dark, strong drinks and a great jukebox.
I'm going to make this place my home away from home. -
Review from beth a.
Updated - 7/25/2011
and just when i thought this place couldnt get any better i find out that theyre cool with u carryin in grub to eat at the bar...and they have coffee flavored shots *thanks* :P
also...finally laid eyes on a menu...perfection2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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3/6/2011
o delilahs...ur bartenders are nice enough to give me reccommendations when i stumble in drunk...and… Read more »
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Review from Jonathan H.
Chicago, IL
9/3/2010
Oh Delilah's...
I've been going into your dark belly for over 10 years. You've grown with me.
When I needed Makers and Coke specials...you were there.
When I needed a seat, and the only room was perching on top of kegs...you were there.
When I needed a badass jukebox that could play my beloved hair band music as well as music others actually wanted to hear...you were there.
When I needed an upper room for a private party...you were there.
May you be there for everyone else as you have been for me. -
Review from Vic M.
Chicago, IL
4/14/2011
If I had known Mariya K. loved Delilah's so much, I would have started coming here ages ago...
Crazy whiskey bar, with just about everything under the sun when it comes to American whiskey, bourbon, scotch, Irish whiskey, etc.
Vibe is definitely punk rock, but I mean, I was there the other night in a suit and tie and there wasn't a single cock-eyed glance. Also, if you like cult classic movies like Godzilla v. Mothra, Evil Dead, and Clockwork Orange - they screen them on the TVs most nights.
Delilah's does lots of tastings and events so check them out online and pick a night to drop in. You'll be glad you did. -
Review from Amy H.
8/25/2010
I have come to terms with the fact that I am not cool. It's all good. I know where the "not cool" people hang out and where the cool people do. The cool people hang out at Delilah's.
It's a decent bar. Between the drawings on the walls and the clientele, there is a lot to look at. The people were nice and they have Strongbow on tap and I loves that.
Delilah's made me realize that I missed out on Morrissey in the late 80's. Damn, he's pretty. -
Review from Brian S.
Chicago, IL
7/12/2011 3 Check-ins Here
For a punk rock dive bar, you can't go wrong with Delilahs. Cheap American Beer on Mondays with Kickin Punk rock tunes. (Depending on your DJ's Playlist) It's not the most glamorous of places for everyone but its certainly a good spot for big circles of friends. Pride and Joy is a little pricey but I would take the expense of a good beer over the cheap stuff anyday. bottoms up!
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Review from Tiffany k.
Chicago, IL
11/20/2010
I have been wanting to come to Delilah's for a while, and I finally had the chance to after work on a Friday. Although I didn't drink much, my friend bought me a whiskey shot to start the night off. Overall, drinks here are average priced but I'd say the selection is good. The crowd was great, and I really liked the atmosphere here. It was a young crowd, but definitely not annoying or just college students. They even had some crazy movies and videos playing on their television screens all night, and that was a nice touch to the entire ambiance of the bar. The music they played at the store was loud, which was a tad difficult to deal with, but not entirely awful because I think that's just how this place works. Although a lot of people were standing around, it wasn't hard to find a place to sit.
Just FYI - there's an upstairs area with a bar and some pool tables. My friend discovered this and we were all pretty impressed that there was more space upstairs. It seemed to be more happenin' downstairs where we were, though. -
Review from Matt S.
Chicago, IL
9/6/2011
There's a lot to drink here. Behind the main bar is an impressive display of alcohol. Bottles are lined one after another all along the wall. Prices are reasonable, bartenders are attentive, and mixed drinks are actually good. Despite the loud punk music playing, it's a really good place to drink. Not exactly the best place to talk or have meaningful conversations. You'll have a really good time if you're in a group and want to have some fun in a small alternative bar. It's kind of dark inside but isn't distracting in any way. Bathrooms are singles, small but clean enough for use. There is an upstairs area with a mini bar, pool table, darts, an arcade and more seating. TVs are usually playing something out of the ordinary too. Getting here by public transportation is easy.
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Review from Olivia E.
Chicago, IL
9/5/2011
My new favorite place in town. Love everything about it. Great vide, cheap drink specials, awesome music, and a pool table. My only complaint is that it's not walking (crawling) distance from my house
