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If you're a fan of live tunes , cold beers, beer gardens, and playing h.o.r.s.e., then Phyllis' Musical Inn is the place to be. This is a good chill bar.
One of my favorite pastimes is outdoor drinking and they have a good beergarden. It's is very spacious. In fact, it's so spacious there's a basketball net. I know what you're thinking and the answer is "yes." I did play a game of h.o.r.s.e. and, yes, I did lose, to a girl. The underhand "granny" shot did me in. Good times and I am looking forward to a rematch on a warm summer night....
Sometimes I am way too judgmental and quick to write a place off as not worthy of my presence or money. In case you're not really with it, word on the street is that I'm pretty awesome, therefore I definitely should never settle for sub-par or give second chances.
Well, generally my infallible opinions and snap judgments work out well for me, but I admit I owe Phyllis' an apology. I visited about 3 years ago and saw a horrible horrible band and it left a nearly permanent bad taste in my otherwise good-tasting mouth. (Seriously, my mouth tastes awesome, you should try it. 5 stars)
Long story short, we ended up stopping by over the weekend at the request of one of our group and we had a great time. The door man and bartenders were nothing but friendly and the crowd was pretty diverse. The patio is nice and large and there is a freakin' basketball hoop there so that you can play drunk and get checked into the brick wall as I step on your face on the way to a sweet 360 reverse dunk.
Sorry again Phyllis' for a misjudging you, you're A-OK in my book and I'll be back again.
Phyllis' Musical Inn is musical. Its also an Inn (with no evidence that you can actually spend the night, but that's still cool).
There is almost an entire front wall comprised of glass bricks. Also, wall paper that has an alternating pattern of horn, spinny record, shiny musical notes, and other musical iconography.
Drinks-wise, there are a bunch of bottled beers (like, over 15 or so?), and only one tap brew -- Moosehead -- that costs around $4/pint.
The side/back yard was killer thriller. With a hoop on the wall (!!), I have visions of afternoon hangs with fellow basketball fans, playing H-O-R-S-E for drinks, in the very near future.
Music was cool on the night we were there too. It seemed there was a range from singer/songwriter to full band, mostly in the blues/rock vein. I definitely saw a jazz drum kit up on stage when we were leaving, and it made me want to stay even longer.
Phyllis' Musical Inn, you are so cool. Your bartender is a friendly, roly-poly type of dude that's quick with your beer, and even quicker to smile. I'm sad that I've lived so close to you for the last 5 months and not ventured into your friendliness (that sounds dirty), but oh so happy that I have at least 7 more months to explore your friendliness some more.
Phyllis' Musical Inn is the location of my college band's last show, a few years ago when my best friend and I put on cutesy sparkly dresses and got on stage and rocked out while our patient drummer put up with us for the last time. The place was full, not just of our friends, but fun locals too. The beer was cheap and plentiful, the sound was good, the stage was spacious.
Now that I live in Andersonville and she lives in Ravenswood, my best friend and I stick to the bars on the North Side of the city nowadays, more often then not; now my boyfriend and I come here for a cheap beer or two to unwind. We don't do it enough, which is a shame. And after all these years, it remains an inexpensive watering hole that has as yet escaped the fate of places like Danny's Tavern. Lots of seating. Gruff-in-a-nice-way bartenders. The owner is around all the time and is totally awesome. There's a patio out back with some benches, random, dirty-water-filled bird fountains, and a basketball, um court? I've never seen anyone use it but its presence can't be omitted. And there's often live music as well. Only problem is that last I was there, as I recall it (maybe two, three months ago), they were still not accepting credit cards. I personally think it's about time places started accepted them, though I understand the extra expenses they can incur. Come, guys, it's almost 2010! The future is HERE!
Great divey dive. Love it.
This little hole plays host to the city's most excruciatingly awkward stand-up comedy night in the city.
It is THRILLING.
You have not lived until you've sat in this empty room watching a sub-sub-amateur comedian address his barely-audible, barely-comprehensible jokes to you and you alone-- in the second person plural. Get a shot and a beer. Get several. The effect is sublime. It's like being in a sanity-deprivation chamber. When you exit, the breeze will be sweeter than any you've felt, the street more colorful and welcoming than you've ever seen it.
Tuesdays, I think.
Dive bar? Check!
Sweet outdoor patio? Check!
More bathroom graffiti than the middle school I teach at? Check!
Live band? Check!
Beer? Check!
Tamale guy sighting? Check!
Not overrun with annoying folk (see: 50/50)? Check!
Sold.
My friends occasionally DJ funk and soul at Phyllis', and that's the reason I've found myself here.
Phyllis' is nice and "dive-y", with its dark, dank atmosphere, old musical wall murals and vintage refrigerators. There's enough room for dancing - if it isn't filled with misplaced hipsters, as it was when I last visited. I haven't visited on days with a band, so I've never paid a cover charge. I wonder if the environment changes depending on the music being played. I love funk/soul night with my friends!
I'll give them a thumbs-up for having Newcastle. However, there are other places with wider selections that I prefer for drinking purposes.
It isn't bad for what it is. It's also conveniently located close to the Division Blue line stop, so I can get home quickly without having to stand out in the awful winter weather.
Not a bad place to check out. They don't have a big drink selection, but it's a great dive. Very friendly feel and there are a couple characters that stop in every now and then.
I've been here to see a couple different bands play. The sound isn't the greatest, but you shouldn't expect that from a place like Phyllis'. I don't think I even saw a sound guy so there you go.
Usually open seating so it's good for a group. It's a chill spot that mostly anyone can enjoy.
Totally sweet dive bar.
Afer a day of sun, fun, and booze in the park, my roommate and I were dispatched to Jewel to buy some grill-able dinner while the women folk went back to the apartment to do whatever it is that they did (Like I mentioned, I was drunk.) After dropping $60 on way too much food at Jewel my bud offered to buy me a beer on the way home. We stopped in at Phyillis, where he had been prior, but i had not. Luckily it was an amazing day for their beer garden, and we headed out to have a delicious Busch. To our surprise there was a sweet basketball hoop and we shot another round of H-O-R-S-E like we did earlier in the day while we finished our beers. I am really looking forward to going here in the summer and enjoying the garden more. Cheers
A dive bar fit for the divers.
A long bike ride, with people announcing the after party here. I made it to the bar, to find a $5 cover, which isn't so bad for a Friday night, with live music (Environmental Encroachment).
It's dark, but it's expected for a dive bar. The chairs are nice, well, most of them. I've been to a few dive bars that are worse, and some that are better. The bartenders were very polite, but one was charging me more for my beer than the other one. The beer garden/back patio area is nice, with plenty of seating. I had no idea it was there, until I saw ten people go out there, and figured that there wouldn't be a unisex bathroom, that was both that big, and in a place like this.
I would venture out of my way, to see another band here. It's crowded with a band as big as Evironmental Encroachment, but worth the crowd.
Eh, I might be expecting too much of my dive bars to want a decent beer selection, which is to say a handful of local microbrews or something at least somewhat interesting. Not here. And the atmosphere I'd god awful and music oftentimes worse.
I live real close by but never went in until recently. A good dive where I can sit and not be disturbed, should I feel the need to sit somewhere alone for a beer as the clientele and general ambiance provides excellent camouflage.
The acoustics aren't perfect and there isn't a dedicated sound engineer (at least at the performances I have attended) but then again, if you are at a bar like this you can not reasonably expect excellent sound. In fact, you can't really expect excellent anything here, which is all the more reason to like this place.
Unlike other reviewers, I don't mind sitting on a dive bar chair of questionable stickiness. It comes with the territory.
Plus, I figure my exposure to the various bacteria undoubtedly lurking in Phyllis' will ultimately help me avoid infection by those creepy superbugs I keep hearing about.
That's right -- keep slathering on your antibacterial Purell. I'll be in the world's filthiest watering holes, healthy as a fucking ox, drinking out of a dirty glass. If you don't like it, you can suck it.
Anyway, Phyllis' is exactly what a dive bar should be: musty, dark and narrow, with a weird little hole in the back where a band can just barely set up.
We arrived for a drink after a night at a Logan Auditorium show and ended up closing the place down around 3:00 a.m. I wasn't aware Phyllis' was a late-night bar, but the serving certainly didn't stop at 2:00. Not that I'm one to complain. (And thankfully my kidneys don't have vocal chords, or else they'd be screaming at me most of the time.)
And while our lovely (OK, rough and a little tired -- this IS a dive bar) bartender was a bit of a short pourer, her pours improved with each drink she had -- that is, until she left the bar to dance, dance, dance. Again, not that I'm complaining.
Actually, the whole thing felt like that bummed-out period of my life when I would be at the bar during after hours, hanging out with bartenders while they counted the till, drank the booze and turned up the stereo. Sort of like Cheers, except Cokie Roberts was never on Cheers. You know what I mean.
Except that no one had bothered to close the bar, and all these people were strangers. But at the end of the night, getting lost on the way back to the Wicker Park Inn, they sure felt like family. Drunk, crazy, slutty family.
Ahh, PMI, what more do I need to say! Great place, good people, always a good time there, too good a time at times.
Hadn't been in years (not since I was a groupie for The Stewarts) but ended up at Phyllis' as a fan of The Chiditarod. Tasty beer, good vibe, and a comfy barstool, what more do you want?
I came here with some friends to see an indie band called the "Gay Babies." I didn't know what to expect, since I'd never been here before, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself. This is definitely my kind of place, as opposed to some of the flashy, Viagra-triangle bars downtown...
Being in Wicker Park/Bucktown, expect to see alot of nerdy hipster types. Their beer/liquor selection is decent (my guy friends were sucking down the $3 PBRs and Old Styles). The band was good and the atmosphere was fun but low-key.
There's no cover charge, and they have a nice outdoor area for smokers. The only thing that sucked was the bathroom situation, but I'd expect as much at any other dive bar...
+ 1 star because Yelp makes me.
+ 1 more star for the old hippie man who came up to us talking about how he was playing basketball on the side of Phyllis' and smoking pot and then told us to "make our own paradise", then gave us a spin, topped with a double thumbs up whammy and said, "Right on" and walked away.
(insert looks of 'wtfs?' and laughter)
- 1 star for the $6 way too strong vodka drink the bartender made. I don't mind strong drinks but I still need to be able to drink it.
+ 1 star for all of the writings on the bathroom wall which kept me in the bathroom beyond the actual time necessary.
+ 1 star for being small and shitty
+ 1 star for having The Breakfast Club playing on the TVs.
- 1 star for the cramped seating layout.
+ 1 star for no cover on a Friday night.
- 1 star for no one being there on a Friday night.
Always (usually) a nice, mixed crowd.
I love sitting outside and playing a pick-up game of Horse.
Drinks used to be cheaper, and stiffer.
Many a time I have stumbled up to Phyllis' only to discover there is a band playing, and they are expecting me to pay cover. And as much as I would love to support the independent music scene, the sounds sucks and you can't hear yourself think. So I go elsewhere.
That being said, it's still one of my favorite places.
I can't say I really dig this place, although I respect what an institution it is.
The drink selection is by-and-large way too expensive ($5 for a Beck's? What is this, Moe's Cantina?). Even the low-end beer isn't cheap. I can go down the street and get drinks much cheaper at any other bar.
Plus, if they have live music it's always way too loud. I did see an incredible puppet show here though that blew my mind it was so awesome.
The basketball hoops outside (only before 11pm) add a star automatically. Best idea ever. But aside from that, this is just an overpriced hipster hangout.
As a bar: decent atmosphere, surprisingly expensive drinks, decent enough service. No complaints. The crowd is really great, though. It's more of a mixed neighborhood crowd that's been in the 'hood for a while, even on the weekends--none of this scenster BS you get at some of the other Division/East Village spots.
For music: It's very loud and the sound sucks. I love music, but damn.
Came here on a Friday night to see a friend's band play. Not only was the sound bad, the atmosphere was weird and dingy, and had a faint musty smell to it. Yeah, yeah, I get it, it's a dive bar, but at the very least, I want to sit down on a chair and not question its stickiness.
I ordered a cranberry and vodka, which was essentially 4 parts cheap ass vodka, 1 part cranberry. Ick.
The only redeeming things about the place were that it wasn't very crowded, there was no cover, and they let the tamale guy in around 2am. Nice way to make up for no snacks.
AHH the dive. You get it or you don't. The place is roomy. The patio is huge. The vibe is soo good in the summer. Drinks are cheap and strong. This is not an old school dive though. Once upon a nightmare I'm sure it was lousy with sweaty blind drunk working stiffs now the crowd consists of grimey hipsters and a solid crew of friendly regulars. They have a variety of live entertainment. It's aneighborhood corner bar that's on a corner (go figure). They have two tv screens with sports, watched the olympics and baseball this summer. can catch football and basketball when it's cold.
I've been haunting this place for roughly two years now and have had a fun time every time.
It's a dive bar, but what can I say? I'm a dive bar kinda girl!
My favorite time to visit is on their pumpkin carving day (It's really not for amateurs, the pumpkins are crazy amazing, but I got to participate one year :D). After a fun, and drunkin filled "carving" day, they set the pumpkins out on the patio, which is also great, for the public to view. It's really a fun time!
Ah one of the remaining Division Ave dives. A nice sort of dive, unexceptional except for the gargantual beer garden area. Ahhh so nice. Beer prices are not insane but not "Goldies" good either. Occasionally there is a decent band here, I caught a marching band (?) wearing bunny ears (reminiscent of Mucca Pazza but smaller). Good vibe, good show, it was for a post Critical Mass event. I don't have a bike, but it was fun nonetheless. Try to avoid the bathrooms unless your need is truly dire though.
I would say that this place is for hipsters, but it's so old school that I forgive the boys in eyeliner that are sitting at the next table.
Phyllis' has been a place of drunken respite for as long as I have lived in Chicago. It's no-nonsense, relatively cheap and has that special dive bar patina that is becoming rare in the East Village/Wicker Park area.
During the summer, step out to the outdoor seating area. It's not pretty, but it's always nice to sit outside and have the crap traffic of Division blocked from your sight.
Yes, this is a dive bar. Yes, they will give you cheap whiskey in a dirty glass. They have a surly bartender who called me 'text machine.' Hey, I was trying to see where my friends were at, and reluctantly invite them over. To an empty bar. That's right, empty, except for the lone DJ who seemed way into it with no audience. Eventually an old man would join us towards the end of the bar, but man... Dive bars are creepy when they're big and empty, they should be small and sweaty and loud. But the bartender was a nice guy and warmed up to us and pretty much chatted us up the rest of the night. And it turned out to be a fun place to close down with only three people. Anyway, next time I'm in Chicago, I'll have to pop in on a weekend and see what it's about. And maybe even try and see if there is a Phyllis (I was drunk at this point, so I forgot to ask) So, I really give Phyllis' 3.5 stars. A quarter star for giving it the benefit of the doubt and another quarter star for being a decent place to close down before getting up at 4 a.m. for a flight home.
This bar would be great if it were not for the ownership. They don't really have bands that warrant cover charges, but they expect you to pay anyway. Then, after you have paid the cover, they charge way too much for drinks. Not only are the drinks over priced, but the people serving them are often rude. A friend and I took his mom and aunts here for a show. The sound was crappy, but what else is new. That was not the bad part. The bad part was when the help began insulting my friends family. That is a little over the line. Dive bars like this should be grateful for the patronage.
Do yourself a favor and skip Phyllis' in favor of the Mutiny.
Yeah, totally doable. Nothing I really yearn for, but nothing I am opposed to. I will say I have never seen a GGGGGRRRREAT band here, and a friend of mine was bombarded with fly basketballs one summer evening while we were sitting out back. I have nothing against Phyllis' and will find myself there again sometime, I just don't know when.
My pal, and partner in drunken crime, and I, plus a few others ended up here when they ran out of beer at our Polaroid art show. Wow, we are sad sad little drunks, but does this surprise anyone? (See reviews for Bobbie's and Edgewater for more proof of our failure at living without beer) They have some cheap beer specials, a nice back patio area, and live music that isn't too oppressive unlike some other places I've been. We only made it through one drink before we were whisked away to some other bizarre locale, but I'd probably come back if I were in the area.
Love it. Went there this evening, nice and quiet. I'm not a smoker but there outdoor patio is quite nice. This evening a jazz sextet played nice easy monday music. Nothing spectacular- Beer selection, bottles only but pretty fair, nothing too exotic. Nice dive, terrible sound system but that just goes with the atmosphere. Chuck Norris in "Man Left Behind" was on the widescreen tube so it was a nice distraction-
Live jazz Mondays..... the way it oughta be. No pretentiousness. Cheap drinks. Raw instrumental improvisation. A diamond in the rough.
1
5
v. fun and odd dive bar with live music. great place to go with friends to get sloppy, act crazy, and not break your budget.
I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for this place. Very interesting things have happened there to me and my friends. So interesting, in fact, I had to take a breather. Clem, the owner, has always been very friendly and I love how he's set on keeping the place just as it is. it has a ton of character. If you can't handle a little dirty, get outta the inn. there's also a pretty cool beer garden, and Clem used to let my dog go back there, which was cool. Even though I can't hear myself think when the live music comes on, I love that Phyllis's is so into promoting Chicago bands. Spoken word, on the other hand, I can do without. If you're into authentic dives with authentic patrons, check it out.
this is a TRUE chicago bar. but come in early on an off night. see and meet the REAL people who once dominated this neighborhood before the yuppie and hipster flocks swarmed in. i am proud to say i am a part of this place!
what is wrong with you people??? this place is so great! sure the "acoustics" aren't good, but it's a small space!!
went to a great show on Friday night with Frankie O'Malley (of the Safes) It's Over (from Kansas City) and The Party Downers.
had a wonderful time. great mix of people and lots of space when the beer garden is open. it's "a little" cramped in the winter...but we ARE in Chicago.
One of my old bands used to play here in order to trade shows with out of town bands. They don't ever charge cover, so they let us bring tip jars around for the bands. Nice owners/bartenders. Cheap Old Style and a shitty sound system that always manages to do the trick. The patio, complete with ghetto basketball court, is awsome in the summer. The regulars are friendly, despite their reputation. Nelson Algren used to drink there and it was the first music venue in Wicker Park. That gives it historic status in my book!
Total dive bar which is fine because I like dive bars. Good crowd. However, the sound at this place blows. It's bad to listen to and even worse to play--I had so much electric current going through my body from their microphone I could have powered a small country. Minus that big downer it's cool.
Cheap beer, good crowd, great patio area. It is indeed a dive bar, don't expect to be blown away by cleanliness & perfect service. If what you are looking for is meat heads & plastic girls I would suggest heading towards Wrigleyville, not Phyllis'.
I've been hit in the head with a basketball here; I've played ping pong on the back patio while listening to the Violent Femmes perform 30 feet away, and I've watched a Frenchman heckle an open mic host until he gave up the mic...the Frenchman, a poet, gave a hearty death stare to the crowd (all six of us) and bellowed "Allow Silence"; that was it. That was the entire poem. He returned to his seat and gesticulated madly for the rest of the night. That same night, a man flung open the door and hurriedly asked everyone in the bar if they would be interested in purchasing two leather jackets. Nelson Algren used to go here even though his mom whose name wasn't Phyllis didn't own the bar. Needless to say (but said anyway), I love this bar!
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Category: Dive Bars
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Category: Music Venues
Neighborhood: Ukrainian Village
Category: Dive Bars
Neighborhood: Ukrainian Village
Category: Pubs
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits
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