The Spot
Category: Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: Uptown4437 N Broadway St
(between Montrose Ave & Wilson Ave)
Chicago, IL 60640 (773) 728-8933
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 4:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m.
Sat 11:00 a.m.-3:00 a.m.
Sun 11:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m. - Menu: MenuPages
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Late Night
- Alcohol: Full Bar
99 reviews
Neighborhood: Lakeview
"Andrea you weren't lying about the Pad Thai. I went with the beef pad thai and I scarfed it down within a couple breaths. The food had…" read more »
77 Reviews for The Spot
This place is nice but there was a private party on the top floor and no one could go upstairs. We were all kinda crammed into the downstairs area. Either way we managed to have a good time.
Service was really good but I personally thought the drinks were really weak. I seriously had about 8 and wasn't even buzzed. More tonic than vodka.
The place seems nice enough though, I'd give them another shot.
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I really enjoyed myself at The Spot!
The reason why I liked it so much is that it's a great place to go and hang out, but on the flip, it's a great place to go and get some good eats as well!
Prom night was the first time I was there, but have been back to eat and I can say, it was pretty, pretty, pretty good (sorry, Larry David was just channeled through me!).
The teriaki skewers were yummy, and drinks were well made! I'll be back again for sure!
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My favorite thing about The Spot (other than free drinks at their parties) is the staff. Their bartenders are hil-arious. My first time at The Spot a lovely bartender stood up on the bar, pulled me against the bar (me facing backwards), tilted my head backwards, and poured a shot of whiskey into my mouth - right from the bottle. A few times later I tried their 5-liter glass boot of beer (shared with my friends, of course.)
I highly recommend The Spot. Go with a group, though. It is -way- more fun that way.
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I love The Spot. Yummy food, yummy drinks, and lots of yummy strange people. The staff is friendly and I love to tip them for making me such a yummy drink, generously diluted with vodka. Yes....I am a glutton for vodka. If I weren't so vain, bathing in virgins' blood all day, I would be bathing in nothing but vodka. It is a great place to have a party. Sign up for their mailing list, you will get emails with nice deals and every now and then you will win a Karaoke party. It just sucks that the Karaoke nights are on Wednesdays.
Another yelper recognized me at The Spot and then a few weeks later he added me as a friend. I thought he was just saying he was on yelp to get in my pants...
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The Spot is definitely a great place to throw a party! The mister and I came here for the very first time to attend the Yelp Prom and we were not disappointed. This bar really knows how to put together a great spread of food to feed the hungry and keep the drinks a-flowing to quench the thirsty! I was driving that night so after a couple of vodka punches, I spent the rest of the night only drinking diet Cokes. The best part was - they gave me the cokes on the house, what a nice gesture!
The atmosphere is a blend of funky and classy. The first floor is classic bar and grill while the second and third floors are more intimate. I even spotted a "makeout room" upstairs complete with couches and a large-screen TV!
Yes, street parking is difficult but not impossible. Metered parking is available as well as a few free spots near the front entrance. The mister and I were incredibly lucky to snag one of the free spots! However, I think that next time I will take a cab because I want more of dem tasty, tasty drinks!
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I usually find it's the people behind a business that make it so great...and this is exactly the case when it comes to The Spot.
When the fabulously fun owner of The Spot, Brian, first gave me a tour a few months ago he shared that the concept behind The Spot is that "they are the spot for everyone." Sports bar fan? Head to The Spot. Looking for some good food? Yelp, The Spot can take care of that for you too! Looking for something a little swankier? Check out The Spot's Green Room. And so my partner in crime, Colleen C, and I decided that The Spot would be the ideal location for last night's Yelp Prom...finally a place that we thought all the different personalities of yelpers would enjoy.
Brian and the rest of his staff know how to have a good time...oh yes, they'll be right next to you dancing on the bar! But there's more to this place that just a good time- delicious food and an impressive drink menu as well! Oh yes, I believe I've found one of my favorite spots in Chicago...
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My initial feelings were not good as there was no coat check and they wouldn't let the people from the first floor up the stairs. However, we snuck up the back steps and I ended up having a very good time.
The bartenders are definitely friendly, going out of their way to introduce themselves and trying to remember everyone's name. I wonder if they are always that friendly or if it was because of the big Yelp Prom and they knew they'd be getting reviews. Only a second visit will tell for sure, but I think it would be worth the try. A tremendous selection of whiskey's will make any return visit that much more enticing for me. The three floors with different moods in each was very interesting and pretty cool as a concept.
I will say that getting a cab when we left was a gigantic pain in the butt as there isn't much in this neighborhood as far as nightlife. All that being said, we did have a great time and we'll check it out again!
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"The Spot" didn't really hit the spot (I'm sad to say). I'd heard about all the cool things that they host and it's down the street from our home. I was totally up for loving it. Things started out pretty good. They bring a plate of deep fried pita wedges and some humus for pre diner noshing. The pita was interesting; heck anything deep fried is bound to be good. The hummus was bland and really nondescript. Oddly there were two kinds on the plate. Other than what looked like tomato sauce dumped on top they tasted the same to me.
We decided on the mussel martini appetizer. Our waiter recommended it, and we've tried similar dishes all around town, so we wanted to compare. Cote Du Rhone had the most out of this world mussels in a white wine shallot sauce...so I was ready for another Uptown knockout. They come in a martini glass and there are a dozen of them. Presentation was cool. They tasted strongly of garlic and rosemary, both of which we like. Garlic is a must have in life. The sauce in the bottom of the glass was good for dipping the pita in. We polished it off in no time. They were cooked perfectly and still nice and tender. Happy that the appetizer was so good we anticipated great things with diner.
Eh. So eh. There aren't a whole lot of choices on the menu to start with. Pasta seemed to be calling to me, so I ordered the The Lightest Touch olive oil, garlic, plum tomatoes, & reggianno. When the dish came out I was like, um, where are the tomatoes? It was obviously a light olive oil pasta, but I was expecting at least some tomato action. At first I thought maybe I was wrong, so I decided not to ask about it. But I looked it up today and I was right. They forgot the tomato. But regardless, it was the blandest pasta ever. It had no taste or flavor. Even the garlic was so subtle that it could have been garlic powder (used sparsely). The grilled veggies (zucchini and squash) were sort of aldente, but they were even more bland then the pasta. It was really disappointing. It was an $11 dish with a $3 add on for the veggies and the portion was pretty average.
Hubby had the My Man Talarico's Tuscan Marinara as fresh & original as the man himself -tuscan tomato sauce w/goat cheese. He added chicken for another $4. Now his had the tomato action and I was thinking maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. But one fork of his pasta and it was clear that the spot didn't really hit the mark with Italian food. Bland city. It was like someone opened a generic can of tomato sauce from Aldi across the street and dumped it on the noodles.
Maybe we should have tried a burger - I'm not sure. But two drinks, one appetizer and 2 pasta dishes - after a $25 gift certificate still came to $37. I think $62 would have gone farther in a lot of other places with tastier results. But that's the beauty of restaurant.com. I can try places and not feel so bad if the experience is less than stellar.
However, the service was good. I mean really good. Our server was so attentive and nice. He made the meal memorable for sure. So even though the food wasn't going to win any culinary acclaim, we might venture back. Besides Wed. is half price wine night with karaoke. That in itself is worth another try.
I like Irish whiskey.
I also like bartenders who like Irish whiskey.
I ran up a tiny tab here, and it was just under The Spot's credit card minimum. This in itself is a good sign. Even better sign? When I asked for a shot suggestion to round it out, the girl behind the bar (I didn't catch her name, but I'm sure I'll be back to find out) remembered that I had been drinking whiskey, and recco'ed a very nice one that I'd never tried.
Cabs are not the easiest to catch outside. Not The Spot's fault, but the neighborhood just isn't flooded with them like Wrigleyville is.
Extra bonus: I signed up for their email list and I won a party!
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The Spot has a wide selection of my favorite alcohol, whisk(e)y. They carry 3 different variations of Glenfiddich alone, as well as a number of other uncommonly seen single malt scotches. The selection of Irish whiskey is just as stunning. The bartenders here are not only charismatic, they know their stuff and are quick to offer suggestions of what to put in your glass and keep it full.
Although my only experience here was at the Yelp Prom, I'll definitely be back to check it out again.
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The Spot is great! The food is fantastic and they have a great selection of beers and hard liquor. I can't remember the cute little bartenders name but she served up the best sluts (of the redheaded variety) I have ever had! However, all the bartenders I came in contact with were really nice and made great drinks. They also dealt well with numerous yelpers descending upon them.
This place is close to me so I think I shall be coming back quite often. It is a nice mix of dance club and dive bar and I think my friends and I could all find something there we like. There is nothing worse than trying to figure out where to go because one of us doesn't like that kind of bar. I think The Spot may be the cure for that.
Also this place is a lot bigger than I could have ever imagined. Three floors! Who knew?! I was amazed! Each floor has a different feel and I think each one is compliments the other well without trying too hard. I want to be where ever the music is so that's usually where I end up but each floor was playing a different kind of music so it made it fun to travel from floor to floor.
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Ironically enough, the one thing I DON'T have a problem with here is the service. I remember everyone being perfectly nice.
Most times we were upstairs, so I ate off that menu. Everything, and I mean everything, is soaked in butter. And not in a good way. Their 'tater crater, or whatever it's called is bland and will give you a stomach ache. When we did get something downstairs it was blah. Nothing special.
Why, you ask, did I go here so many times if I only gave them two stars? The boy used to perform here regularly, so there's an extra star for supporting local comedy.
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BEYOND UNACCEPTABLE.
Service was non-existent, lights designed to make patrons feel as if they are being interviewed by the Gestapo, customers rowdy and aggressively bizarre, layout like a prison visiting room.
No, never, nein, none, nyet, naw, nope, non, nay.
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Good set up, great food and fun-fantastic staff.
$6 for Guinness is kinda high though for the neighborhood. I'll have to check it out sometime when there's not a Yelp event with 75 additional people though.
Decent alcohol selection, good food, excellent service and moderate pricing. And a Buck Hunter Pro machine, which is now online! How the hell did I miss this before!
The thing that brings me back time and time again, is the service. The people are welcoming, they greet you, its like "service with a smile". People that pay attention to you and actually care about you having a good night. Is that true of every single last employee there, maybe not. Depends on the night, but I've been back many many times and keep going back.
Good times.
Another plus for me is music control. Jukeboxes on two floors and on most nights the crowd controls the music. Except when they have something special going on like.. the Flaming dames - burlesque show or another live event. P.S. The Flaming Dames show is pretty funny and they update their content.
Nowadays I find myself stopping in for a quick drink and end up closing The SPot!
To pilfer directly not only from Amy, but from her ROTD no less - my new favorite bar in Chicago!
It is with increasing infrequency that I walk into a bar and get a great vibe. Usually, I am indifferent, or get a negative feeling. The Spot broke my bad streak. As soon as I walked in, everyone in the place made me feel welcome. The people at the door, the bartenders and the servers all went above and beyond to strike up conversation, remember our names, keep us amused, and deliver excellent service. I only went in for a few drinks before heading elsewhere, but I left wishing I could have stayed longer. A great place that I will be back to probably more often than I should.
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I've only been upstairs and we received very good service...but this bar is just out of place and I don't like the area and there's nothing else around besides a Jewel Osco
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My new favorite bar in Chicago!
I came to The Spot a few weeks ago to watch the Packer/Seahawks playoff game. I initially went to The Spot just because it was a Packer bar. I didn't really care about anything else, but this bar (quoting my 15 year old niece) "totally rox my sox."
Everyone is super friendly. They asked my name when I walked in the bar and the whole time I was there everyone who worked for the bar called me by name. I had some friends show up and one of the employees brought them upstairs and yelled "Amy...you have some visitors!!" My friends thought I knew everyone. Nope...just friendly folks. The owners were very nice too. One of the owners drives up to Wisconsin each week to get authentic bratwurst. Yum!
Ok, now some of you know how much I luvs fried cheese. Well, I counted 5 (or maybe 6) different types of fried cheese on the menu. Oh...my...hell. Add a few buckets of beer for $15 a piece and I was content that I had found my new home.
Now...if you ever want to eat something bad for you...something that is so wrong but yet so right...something that you will dream about for days to come...try the Monster Dog. It's a hot dog, filled with cheese, deep fried, wrapped in bacon, deep fried again and served on a stick. My heart thumps just thinking about all of the artery clogging goodness. Or maybe I'm just having a heart attack.
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A quick overview: Negligent and lousy servers; lousy atmosphere.
The detailed overview: This place, located a couple of doors down from a methadone clinic, is one of those woebegotten and benighted places that tries to be a restaurant but has no idea how a restaurant is run. Instead of focusing on what should be obvious in a restaurant--feeding people--The Spot concentrates on other unnecessary things and trying to be everything to everyone and fails miserably at the basics. If you want to be known as a party place with fun events and activities, don't also try to double as a regular restaurant unless you have everything DOWN PAT.
We went in and were greeted by a doorman who served no discernable purpose other than to ask us why we where there and then attempt to engage us in a discursive and baffling conversation about nothing. We then went inside and were vaguely greeted from 25 feet away by a man who was apparently our waiter. He showed us to a table, dropped off a wine list, and vanished. For minutes. It was at least 5 or 6 minutes if not 10, and that is an eternity in a restaurant when you do not yet have a menu or a drink. Reputations of restaurants are made or broken in the first 5 minutes a person is at a table. For our first 5 minutes, we sat under blinding spotlights in a poorly arranged room and listened to the blaring conversations of everyone around us (this place is LOUD, even with only 10 people in it). No menus, no water, nothing. A socially marginal man who was talking to himself and writing on the (albeit paper) tablecloth with a pen turned to us and gawked shamelessly for the duration.
The waiter FINALLY came back with no apology or explanation. He introduced himself; then, instead of asking us what we would like to drink, he lurched into a rehearsed spiel: "And you are?" Dude, let me tell you something. I didn't come here to make friends with you or have a bonding experience. Get a clue that after being abandoned for 5 to 10 minutes with nothing to drink and no menu, a person doesn't want to have chit-chat. He then went into an annoying spiel about the half-price entrees that were being offered that night. "I don't know if you came in here because the food is half price, or if that's a surprise, or if it's something else, blah blah blah," he rambled. At this point I was exceptionally sick of this guy and increasingly terse in my responses. He dropped off menus, still failed to take drink orders, and vanished. For another 5 to 10 minutes.
Spot, until you learn how to welcome customers appropriately, how to provide normal table service, and how to give people menus and take drink orders before 20 minutes elapse, you will remain the worst restaurant in Chicago that I've ever set foot in. I didn't get to try anything on your menu, which looked very average, because your clueless staff pissed me off so badly that I walked out after waiting for about 20 minutes for my waiter to offer me something to drink.
Sitting abandoned while the sole server goes into a cutesy, 5-minute spiel to another table about their dessert offerings makes for shitty service. Sitting thirsty and without menus while the sole server tries to buddy up to me by learning my name makes for shitty service. (I may seem unnecessarily cranky for being annoyed by my waiter asking my name; however, in the context of my visit it bordered on egregiously inattentive to the negligence to which my party had been subjected). Sitting under glaring spotlights for minutes on end while barely being acknowledged by multiple staffers who don't seem to know how to handle customers makes for shitty service. It is exceedingly rare to get service as lousy as I got at the Spot. Other people obviously love being dragged by their waiters into lengthy attempts at bonding--just look at the number of positive reviews for this place. Me? When I go to a restaurant, I want to be seated, given a menu, and have my drink order taken. Perhaps I'm just not comfortable with the whole Improv crowd--seemingly this place's bread and butter. The Spot's attempts at making a name for itself through exceptional customer service absolutely backfire--getting to know me and remembering my name does not make up for sitting at a table for nearly 20 minutes with no menu or drink. Whatever the case may be, you can keep the precious little attempts to be clever and cute; or, you can save them for someone else because I will never set foot in this place again.
Update: The owner wrote to me to apologize; I got the impression that some of my concerns may be addressed in-house. I appreciate that gesture.
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5 stars. Yes. 5.
Wanna know why? Because this place made me feel like a little school girl again. Perhaps it was the good tunes that Zak O. kept piling in the jukebox. Maybe it was Carol K. singing along to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". Possibly because Katie H. and Andy F. were grinding on my booty like white on rice. Or just maybe it was because I was surrounded all the hot men of Yelp Chicago--Rob L & Joe. Who knows...who cares. All I know is that I had a fantastic time!
The drinks are great. *Gulp* Ahh...refreshing! The bartenders Jessica & Joe were pretty sweet. They even let Andy, Katie & I dance on the bar! (It was a sight to see...next time there will be a cover charge)
If you are looking for a fun, cool, happenin' place with great tunes...well after all this is The Spot!
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Damn, those are some friendly people! The host, bartender, food runner, and manager were all extremely friendly and attentive. They all stopped by multiple times to check on us (and I noticed this happening at all the other tables too) and make sure we were happy. And we were.
Our group met upstairs for the results of the weight loss challenge. A football game was playing so it was kind of loud, but they turned it down when we asked. The bar upstairs is kind of small, as is the selection of draft beers, but the Hobgoblin was tasty. The food came out kind of staggered, which I think might have been because some of us ordered from the upstairs menu (heavy on the fried foods and burgers) and some from the downstairs (more upscale offerings like grilled salmon and filets hand cut to your specified weight).
We came because on Sunday nights all food, upstairs or down, is half off! And luckily, it's excellent. My husband and I started with the mozzarella rolled in proscuitto on top of balsamic dressed field greens. Yummy, and I didn't feel too bad eating it. We shared a burger topped with swiss. It was hand-packed, juicy and tender. We also shared the cheese curds. I love fresh cheese curds, but I didn't realize they were going to be fried. They were definately good, but I felt a little bad eating a basket of fried cheese while celebrating everyone's weight loss.
They have additional specials every other day of the week too:
Monday is manicures and martinis
Tuesday they have 2 for 1 apps, wine tasting at 7pm and pub trivia at 8pm
Wednesday it's 1/2 off wine bottles and Friday is $5 margarita day
I will definately be back to the Spot to try some of their other specials, and of course on Sunday for 1/2 off all of the tasty food!
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Interesting. Very interesting.
Stopped by here last night to meet up with some fellow Yelpers for Katie H's b-day party. Having never ventured this far north on Broadway before- I wasn't sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised by this unassuming bar.
Friendly is the name of the game here. From the bouncers to the bartenders to the patrons- this place doesn't take itself too seriously- of course it didn't hurt that they were celebrating mardi gras on this particular night, Hurricanes anyone?
We stayed on the main floor bar area which served as our dancing, drinking and laughing area. The night picked up when the bartender decided to have a "coyote ugly" contest where any and all were invited to climb up on the bar and strut their stuff! (I wonder if their insurance company knows about this? Ha!)
Drinks were reasonably priced and the bartenders were quick to take care of you.
While The Spot may not become my regular spot- it certainly "hit the spot" last night for a group of fun loving Yelpers!
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I really wanted to like The Spot. The reviews I read were great, the concept sounded cool, and Uptown can always use a decent bar/restaurant. After wanting to go here for months, my friend took me here for an "after-the-fact" birthday dinner. We went on a Friday night about 7pm and were seated immediately. There were only about 4 other groups in the restaurant area.
I had heard about how friendly the service was and I was a little disappointed that we didn't get the whole, "Welcome! This is what we are all about!" deal for our first time there. No one asked us to sign up for any mailing list either. Our server did eventually warm up a bit but it wasn't what I was expecting. The bartenders did seem very friendly though and I overheard them introducing themselves and telling the people about the place. Oh well. Maybe our server was having an off night.
Anyway, I ordered an apple martini and it was good. Nothing amazing, but good. I ordered French Onion soup and a burger and my friend got the mushroom pasta dish. Everything was decent. Not bad, not great. Just good. I did like the free humus appetizer they give you. We had the chocolate mousse for dessert. That was yummy.
The one thing I didn't like was the overall feel of the place. I think it has to do with the lighting which is in-your-face bright. They could really use with some lighting redesign down there. It was very uncomfortable to have a spotlight shining in your face all throughout dinner. They need to dim those puppies! I just felt it cheapened the whole feel of the place. Otherwise it was fine.
We never did make it to any of the other areas besides the main restaurant and I do want to go back and give it another chance. Maybe it was just an off night. I dunno, it just wasn't as great as I had it built up in my mind and I left a little disappointed. I'd probably give it 2.5 if I could.
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Good stuff, good people, good drinks, good food. All actually better than good, but I'm a bit hung over right now and I don't have the energy to write a review. This is a good place, and I highly approve of just about everything about it.
The one caveat might be to avoid this place when it is extremely windy and cold, since it's across the street from an vacant lot.
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The Spot is THE place to be! My friends and I have been coming here for over a year now. Between wine tastings, manicures & martinis, improv, karaoke, birthday parties, GREAT NYE & Halloween parties, burlesque (yes boys, I said burlesque), cabaret, pub crawls, pub trivia, brunches and fantasy football (of which we won paid for trips to the pro bowl in HAWAII courtesy of The Spot) -- you really don't need to go anywhere else because there is something for everyone. The food is AWESOME -- I've never once had a bad meal! The staff is the best! They always make you feel welcome like you are part of their family. The owners Brian and Steve make you feel just as important as if you were there with their mothers! We can't wait for what is to come: Chili cook off, new menu items, dodge ball, softball and kickball teams, hangin' on the patio, etc... Oh, and did I mention the amount of charity work and fund-raising they do for the community!? Don't even get me started on that because the list is just way too long (e.g., local theater co's, Special Olympics Chicago, Kid Power, etc). Lets just say they are one of the most charitable bars I know of in the City. If you want a place to go where you can relax, enjoy the drinks, savor the food, hear great music, meet new friends, and have an all-around great time -- you don't need to look any further. "Cheers" ain't got nothin on The Spot!
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CJ! Nicely done. Fun people and that makes it a great place to get a drink. Lots of activity at this bar with Improv, Karaoke, trivia and of course watching games.
I'll be back.
The Spot is great! They have great birthday packages, and the bartenders/waiters are super nice. Kim was especially great on my birthday, which was possibly the coldest day so far of 2008. She brought me cake, kept me with a drink in my hand, and pulled me up on top of the bar to do a shot with her. She was attentive and super nice.
I can't say too much for the food though...I went there for dinner once and the food was ok, but not spectacular. Service, was still excellent though.
Went here tonight for the first time, and it was great! Everyone who works here is unbelievably friendly, introducing themselves by name and checking back frequently to make sure we were having a good time.
We were on the second floor which had a ton of TVs and was perfect for watching some football. I think it's a Packers bar, so maybe not the best on a football Sunday for you Bears fans:)
The food was greasy and delicious. I tried the fried cheese curds (and will be dreaming about them tonight), and the non-vegetarian burger extravaganza (seriously ridiculous). Both were exactly what I wanted. The man-friend had some crazy build-your-own potato skins that he loved. And the best part? All food is 1/2 off on Sundays after 6pm! Sweet. Looks like they had a lot of other deals during the week.
Thanks to everyone at The Spot for showing us such a nice time - will definitely be back, probably to try out a real bar night next time:)
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I have visited The Spot on 3 separate occasions, and each time my experience was a little bit worse.
The first time I went for trivia night, I was blown away. I was greeted personally by numerous staff members, they asked for (and remembered) my name, and just generally made sure that everyone had a great time. It was like going to a friends' house for dinner and drinks rather than a busy bar/restaurant.
The second time I went in, I was attending a friends' birthday party. It wasn't a bad time, but it wasn't anything special either. Just a typical night at the bar with overpriced drinks.
The third time I was there I attended a wine tasting. At the same time, The Spot was hosting weekly trivia as well as a concert upstairs. When I showed up I was greeted by a curt doorman who seemed annoyed that I couldn't remember the name of the server who had told me about the tasting. Once inside the bartender seemed disinterested and had to be flagged down. After the tasting was over, my group ordered additional food and drink but our plates and glasses were cleared away numerous times before they were empty -- I had to keep a strong hold on my drink for fear of losing it!
I will probably go back to The Spot since they have great promotions and events, but I'll go with the understanding that the service is hit or miss.
"How can I make your day better?" That was how the guys at The Spot answered the phone when I called. Amazing! I actually was caught back because that was so suprising to hear. I have been to this "spot" now a couple of times and really am liking it a LOT. And here are the reasons.
Food - ( * * * *) I had a burger there. It was fantastic. Sometimes when you order a burger in a fancy joint, they tend to OVER dress it. I don't care if you have burger with truffles and goat-cheese....just cook me some cow and slap some good cheese on it. And that is the way they approach it here.
Layout - (* * * *) This place has three levels with 4 different areas. The bottom level is the dining area that has a nice sit down feel. Linens and candle light. The second level has a room that is more of a dance room you might find in Wrigleyville somewhere. I believe this is where the burlesque performances happen. Another smaller area with a bar on the second level is cosy and not usually crowded. The top level is a neat area that is nothing but cushy couches and chairs. Reminiscent of a Champaign Room somewhere.
Staff - ( * * * * *) As I mentioned, these guys are really taking the pride in their place. They aren't pretentious or snooty. You can tell the clientel they want but they are welcoming to all. Their "parties" that people win are a good way to get a crowd there.
This is a good addition to the Uptown area. Hopefully there is a lot more to come.
The Spot is the nicest restaurant within walking distance of where I live. I haven't had a bad meal and on Sundays all food is 1/2 off. Plus the waitstaff have personalities and are really nice.
I won one of those free parties and ....it sucked. You get an hour of free drinks for you and your friends which comes out to about 1 watered down drink in a crowded bar upstairs. Won another party there and passed on it. I'll stick to the downstairs with the good food.
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Great food, excellent service and good beer selection, what more do you need. There french onion soup is the best I've ever had and the calamari are bad ass, plus steaks cut to order lets me decide how fat i want to get. And if that wasn't enough its basically two bars in one with the first floor being a restaurant and the second a nice sports bar.
Ok, I moved to Uptown just a couple months ago and was hoping to find a comfortable and friendly local bar. The Spot is this and more. Pretty interesting inside actually...Not overly fancy and the space is broken down into three areas. The best part (as anything in life) is the people. The staff here is fantastic and friendly.
Some friends(a couple) and I stopped in a couple weeks ago on a Saturday night and we ended up having a great time. Just hanging out with Bret(Bartender), throwing a few back, talking to others in the bar too.
Great time. I think I found a fun local place! Now, I just have to try the food (which I hear is very good too).
I went to this place for the first time on New Year's Eve and had an amazing time! The people who work at this place are amazingly friendly. They had great food and it was super cheap! For $60 you got a prime rib buffet, open bar, tons of champagne, and party favors. My fiance' and I and my friends and I had the best time! Highly recommended and can't wait to go back.
I've lived in Chicago since 2003, and never really felt like I had a place I could go and feel...I dunno...wanted. Not just for my money, as a customer, but where the staff makes you feel like a regular, even if it's your first time there. The Spot is now that place for me.
I'm there every Tuesday night for pub trivia (my team won their first trivia championship!), and I also occasionally go for Wednesday karaoke. I was also there for Halloween, and my wife and I had an wonderful time.
Food is excellent. Good, hearty American fare. One of the few restaurants I've ever been to that offers tater tots. TATER TOTS! So great.
The staff is warm, friendly, and attentive, especially Jamie, Marc, Natalie, Matty, Preston, Jeff, Cheryl, and Brian.
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What a fun place! I went here for the first time on Saturday for a free party a friend of mine won. The place is huge so we couldn't find her for a while, but there's fun on every floor. Another friend of mine danced on the bar and won us free shots!
The loft on the second floor is a grand time, but not built for anyone over 6'. The tenders and servers were very nice. The food was great. I got "The Killer" burger and made it "extra deadly" by adding cheese and bacon.
The ATM fee is outrageous ($4.00?? What is this, a strip club??) BUT you can save your ATM receipt for a free beer, so really, you're saving money. Or are you? Yes. Yes you are.
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I came here for a fellow yelper's birthday. Didn't know what to expect, it isn't in the "hot spots" of Chicago. Really, it isn't. The place is kinda hard to miss with their huge bright sign but that doesn't give any indication of what is inside. The staff is friendly, really friendly, almost overkill friendly. They are also excited and full of energy.This place has a lot going, a bunch of floors and each one is quite a bit different. It can appeal to a lot of different tastes. I mainly stayed on the first floor, a woodsy bar, plenty of tables and the juke box. I guess they also have a karaoke part too, which many participated in, but I had left because the lack of sleep from the night before was definitely catching up with me. I will be back and explore it more thoroughly and hopefully try their food. I have to give these people props though. They are trying to make sure people have a great time and they work hard, damn hard to get that done. Seems like this is a place worth checking out.
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Fantastic!!
I've been here a few times and it's an amazing experience.
Jeff, our server, not only took care of our orders but had the BEST PERSONALITY and genuine care for us.
The food is amazing as well. I recommend the French Onion Soup, and ALL of the deserts are amazing. My date had the stuffed pork chop and I was privileged to have been fork fed a few morsels.
Over all, I love THE SPOT!!!