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Stocks & Blondes Bar & Grille
Categories: Restaurants American (Traditional) Nightlife Bars American (Traditional), Bars [Edit]
40 N Wells StChicago, IL 60606
Neighborhood: The Loop
(312) 372-3725
- Nearest Transit:
-
Washington/wells (Brown Line, Orange Line, Pink Line, Purple Line)
Washington-Blue (Blue Line)
Clark/lake (subway) (Blue Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Wed, Sun 11 am - 1 am
Thu-Sat 11 am - 2 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Thu
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
104 reviews for Stocks & Blondes Bar & Grille
Review Highlights
"Definitely a fun after work place."
(in 30 reviews)
"the sweet potato fries are to die for too."
(in 11 reviews)
"Great happy hour, great food, and great service."
(in 13 reviews)
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104 reviews in English
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Review from Catherina W.
Chicago, IL
10/3/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Great place! Fun.
Good people.
Fast service.
Nice place to kill time while waiting for my train... -
Review from Desirae K.
Chicago, IL
1/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
Little dark divey bar that stays open past 9 in the Loop.
Found myself at Stocks & Blondes "late night" after the bar I was at closed at 9pm.
Gotta say, I was pleasantly surprised. The place was quite busy but were we able to muscle into a 4-top table. Beer list was decent, service was very attentive and the crowd was fun for people watching. -
Review from Sarah M.
Chicago, IL
12/31/2011
Convenient meeting place for an after work drink but that's where the pleasantness stops. The service wasn't terrible, but wasn't good either.
The women's bathroom didn't have a very secure lock, the toilet was tilted forward on an angle and it looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a few days.
The beer was overpriced.
Due to all the tall buildings looming, natural light was obviously not expected, however, the lights inside could have been brighter to make up for that.
Just not my type of place I guess. I do not intend to return. -
Review from Erin B.
11/16/2011
I've heard tell of this after work spot, so when a co-worker mentioned she had a http://restaurant.com certificate, a few us decided to go there for lunch. Tragically, it was an epic mistake.
There was maybe 1 server on? Who couldn't seem to handle all the full tables. Everyone there was men (Sans us), and surprise, surprise, the female server only had eyes for them.
It took ages to place a drink order as well as a food order, and by the time our food finally arrived, it was luke-warm at best. We were just shy of flailing our arms around to get extra drinks.
In fairness, I don't completely blame the server. She clearly had her hands full, and probably didn't notice our quiet table- but after after over an hour of crappy service and food, our patience was waning.
Can't management staff two servers at lunch? People need jobs, Stocks & Blondes, and I'm sure if you had better service, people would be more inclined to go back and (gasp) maybe even tip better.
(Don't worry, we still tipped well...we just didn't want to.)
I realize it's a divey place and all, but there is divey and then there is crappy- unfortunately this place falls under the latter. Sorry Stock's & Blondes, I won't be back. -
Review from Evan K.
Washington, DC
2/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
Some friends and I were getting hungry on a Friday evening, and one of my friends said he wanted to come check this place out. This was pretty dark and loud bar. It's not a very big place, but we were able to find a table to sit at. The service was okay, but we decided not to stay very long. We quickly saw that this wasn't really the type of place we were looking for to eat, and we left to go find something else. We were there just long enough to have a beer and that was it. It was only like 7 or 8 in the evening, and they were already blasting music in there as if they were a campus bar or something. The atmosphere and setting just didn't really fit with the time of day, and being dark in there I kept thinking that the place was kind of dirty. I didn't want to eat here, and I was glad that we found somewhere else to go.
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Review from Wade R.
Beale AFB, CA
2/3/2012
Just visiting my sister in Chicago for the weekend, and this place happened to be right under her apartment building. This place is really awesome! The owner 'Mike' is a great guy and runs a very good bar. Lots of beers on tap and a great happy hour scene. Place gets packed around 4-6. Anyway, really enjoyed my time at S&B. Prices are pretty standard. $5 for most bottles of beer, $6 for a vodka shot.
Only bad thing I can say about the place is that there is a $10 minimum to use a card.
The food is really good as well. -
Review from Kyle H.
8/22/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This review is for after work and late late late night drinking only. Coming here after work is kind of a loud clusterfrack, bumping elbows with blueshirts and their honies with monies in their eyes. Trust me, Late Night is where Stocks & Blondes hits its stride!
I seriously was going to veto my friend's suggestion of S&B's, but I was so pleasantly surprised by their good beer list, great service, and interesting crowd; I might suggest it myself, in the future!
They've got a really good beer list of your Half Acres, your Bells, and a few beers I've never heard of. The waitresses will never let your glass go empty, but they aren't pushy either! The crowd gets super interesting late at night too. And maybe it's just the amount of alcohol everyone's had by then, but this place is fun and entertaining.
Men's Bathroom is a one-horse, throne-only operation. That must be addressed! Otherwise, Stocks & Blondes is A-OK!Listed in: Get Your Suds On
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Review from Michelle C.
Chicago, IL
9/25/2011
Blink and you'll miss it...the entire place, not just the front door. As dive bars go, this is the definition of dive; dark and small.
I went here with a large bunch of my colleagues (there were 6 of us total) for lunch on a Friday afternoon. The place was packed and there was a long wait for a table. We were walking out to find another spot to eat when a waitress came out after us saying a table was about to open up.
Great.
The menu is actually pretty substantial, including a veggie burger for me, the vegetarian. The burger was quite good and I loved the bun they used with it, almost sweet but oh-so soft. They had an option to order cottage cheese on the side which I did as a substitute to fries, which was nice.
Of course I would have loved to have thrown back a few beers during this lunch, but being that I had to go back to work, no such luck. So with that being said, I can't review the drink menu.
However, what I will say is that the service (our waitress) left much to be desired. Considering that it was a large group at lunchtime, I'd have thought we'd have received a little more attention. But alas, I was disappointed as I usually am with bar staff. She hardly came around to our table to refill drinks or see if we needed anything. A colleague of mine had to get the attention of another waitress just to flag down our waitress for our check.
If this place emptied out a bit and I was with friends, this would be a sure thing for a drink or two...or 10. But I don't think I'd make a special trip to visit this location again. -
Review from William L.
Chicago, IL
9/21/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I love dive bars in the Loop. You can have your $12 cocktail with your new age music, high-brow service, and appetizers with French words. But give me a place with good beer, odd music, a table that wobbles a little, and a bar kitchen and I'm as happy as a dog with two tails.
Their beer list includes Stone IPA. You can infer everything else about their beer list by that fact alone. The food is heavy, rich, and usually fried. Friendly staff and barkeeps and more than reasonable prices (especially in the Loop) keep me coming back. It's exactly what a dive should be, everyone is welcome, unless you're peering down your nose. -
Review from Kennen M.
Chicago, IL
11/2/2011
The place is just a dingy bar. There is nothing special about it except that it is a good place to go after work if you work in the area. I have had the food there and it is standard bar food. The last time we went we had a waitress who desperately didn't want to be a waitress and serve and it showed. Her cuntee attitude made for an unenjoyable evening. If a waitress can't be good, she can at least be pleasant. Ours was neither. No reason to head back to that joint when there are plenty of other places that serve beer with a side of smile.
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Review from Melanie S.
Chicago, IL
11/9/2010
I am on a seemingly never-ending mission to find a decent place to have lunch in the Loop.
My wish list:
affordable
decent food
waiter service
in and out in an hour
See, it's not really too much to ask, is it? I don't care about the atmosphere and they really don't have to have an extensive menu as long as I can find something, but I am thisclose to giving up on finding this apparent restaurant holy grail.
Stocks and Blondes is located right by my train stop and I was always a bit curious about it. Was it a Financial District Hooters? Who knew?
There was only one way to find out and today was the day my coworker and I ventured in here.
First impression: it smelled funny. There was a strong chemical smell that was obviously covering up something far more sinister.
Second impression: it's rather a depressing kind of place. Now don't get me wrong, I love a divey place, but this went way beyond a dive ambiance.
Third impression: the waitresses look like they just rolled out of bed. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, just something I noticed.
On to the food. The menu items all have quippy names like "Capital Gains Burger" and "S & P Shrimp Basket." Clever indeed. Phooey.
Too bad the food is sucktastic. I ordered the most innocuous, hard-to-screw-up item on the menu, the "Financial Tenders", which are your garden-variety chicken fingers. I added sweet potato fries to it.
The food comes. I took one look and I knew they were chicken fingers that had probably come from the freezer section of Sam's Club. I can live with that if they were tasty, but sadly, they were not. And I felt like a doctor dissecting the chicken fingers trying to separate the cartilage from the edible parts. I had hoped the sweet potato fries would be my saving grace, but they were LIMP. Is limp ever a good thing (ladies, you know what I'm talking about)?
The prices aren't crazy expensive, but still a dollar or two more they then should be charging for such insipid fare.
Evidently, my search continues....Listed in: Keeping you in the Loop,
These places are truly the creme…">You're Dead to Me -
Review from Melanie V.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 12/7/2010
Confession: I still love this place.
I haven't worked in the Loop in 4 years. Sometimes I miss it. Sometimes I could care less. What I DO miss, though, are the happy hours at Stocks and Blondes. Call me crazy when there are so many other 'upscale' bars in the Loop, but I don't care. Stocks and Blondes has that nostalgia factor and I love it for that.
Since my employer granted us 1/2 day off the day before Thanksgiving (holler!), I rounded up a bunch of my friends and practically forced them to meet me at Stocks and Blondes. It was packed (yes, at 3pm) with mostly men. Traders? Probably. Ooohh, how I miss it!
PBR tall-boy - $5. You just can't beat that price in the Loop. Tons of tv's, updated juke box and random arcade games. The servers are nice, but busy - so don't feel bad flaggin' them down!
If you haven't ever been here, just come to take a look at the menu. It's all trader-centric with bull and bear references. Adoration. *sigh*Listed in: Happy Hour?! Yes, Please!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/20/2006
My co-workers and I just went here for a birthday lunch. The owner and staff are just TOO sweet!… Read more »
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Review from Tracey Z.
Arcadia, CA
4/6/2011
I came here for St. Patty's day because I was visiting Chicago and my friend though it might not be too crowded.
It wasn't that bad, given that it was 7 PM on St Patrick's day. It's a little hidden, but I liked the fact that it was tucked away and hard to find. The beer was pretty cheap, the vibe was good. Didn't try the food so I can't speak to that. Definitely pretty dive-y. 3 stars because although it was decent, it wasn't stellar either. -
Review from Kirsten N.
Chicago, IL
1/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love this dive! Great happy hour, great food, and great service.
I've hopped over from Union Station to catch a Bears game on a Sunday and its a great place to see a game as well. Just make sure to leave at the end of a home game as the Solider Field crowd piles in before heading back to the burbs! -
Review from Laila C.
5/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Pretty much a total dive but gets paaaaacked on fridays after work from 5-7. There's only one ladys bathroom so if you decide to use the guys room to avoid the lines make sure you lock the door good and tight. The toilet is right by the door and its all too easy for a random dude to walk n on you. Also its weird that there are 3 urinals in there but only one toilet.....huh? Mens rooms are strange
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Review from Kelli B.
Chicago, IL
10/17/2010 1 Check-in Here
Dive bar in the Loop: ****
Putting up with our obnoxious running club on numerous occasions: ****
Never offering us a free pitcher even though we buy SEVERAL: **
Not the best attitude from the servers: **
Food: ***
Not a bad place, especially if you're looking for something non-pretentious dive bar in the Loop. I've never had an exceptional experience here, just your average "A-okay" experience. -
Review from Helena B.
9/4/2009
In honor of back-to-school time, this review will come to you Report Card Style:
Location: A
Near enough to my office and within stumbling distance of the Brown/Purple Lines.
Service: B+
Attentive during the middle part of our stay, but our server was slow to take our order for our first round and MIA come check-time.
Decor: C
Wood paneling and low ceilings. Wait, did I step through a wormhole? Am I in my grandmom's basement circa 1974?
Ambiance: C
Super packed at 6 - you'd think this was the only bar in town. The crowd, however, only seems to stay for one round. Come 7:30, it's a ghost-town.
Climate Control: F
Holy Mother of Unwelcome Perspiration it is HOT in here. Like drinking in a greenhouse. Not that I've done that, because WHY would you drink in a greenhouse? Melty, melty...
Overall: C
With so many other places to have a post-work drink, I'll pass on this sweaty locale in the future.Listed in: Happy Hours in the Loop
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Review from Ben K.
9/4/2009
For some reason, the name "Stocks and Blondes" conjured up in my head the image of a relatively swanky establishment, with a bunch of wall street style young professionals buying expensive drinks for their super hot blonde girlfriends/escorts. Not that this is exactly my bag, but I was at least looking forward to the scenery.
Sadly this bar is more like a hole in the wall with blue collar workers sipping on cheap beers and walls and tables that are falling apart. I suppose my expectations were misguided but this place is extremely unimpressive. -
Review from Amanda Z.
7/29/2009
OK, first, I, as a blonde am offended by the name of this bar. I mean, I'll even give it a Michelle Tanner, "How rude!"
Alright, maybe not entirely offended, but I just don't fully get why it's named after a hair color. All that aside, it's a bar. Decent specials like $3 Goose Island 312 and $4 Leinie's Summer Shandy...works for me.
It gets crowded, so get there early if you want to claim a table. Not a bad spot right at Washington and Wells if you're looking to tie one on before you head home from the loop. -
Review from Art C.
Chicago, IL
3/6/2010
I live right across the street, so you'd think I'd come here more than three times in five years. The people that frequent this place can only be described as eclectic. As the name suggests, you have the older financial services types drinking in their business suits usually in large tables. But the faux dive look of the place also brings in the younger hipsters in their flannel and drinking PBRs. Both groups have their fair share of chain smokers, so the outside is clearly marked by a large cloud of smoke when you walk past later in the night.
I'll give the food a C, because I've generally been a bit disappointed and it takes forever to come out. Bonus points for having tater tots though. -
Review from Christiana S.
Buffalo Grove, IL
7/24/2007
James B. introduced me to this place, and I love it. It's dirty and dark and cheap and the waitresses are sweet. Hands down my favorite place to get drunk (and wash all that booze down with a bacon cheeseburger) during lunch time.
The only downside is, as other reviews have mentioned, it's ridiculously smoky in here. Which makes it fairly obvious to everyone in my office that I just spent my lunch hour in a bar. (Well, that, and my slurred speech.) Oh well. -
Review from Lindley E.
Chicago, IL
5/9/2007
Our waitress was blonde and perky...but dang, we were a bad table, Two tetotalers and a single pitcher. She cleared my water and didn't bring me another glass...and since she seemed to be the only server in the place, it was near impossible to flag her down.
The real reason I went to Stocks & Blondes was to join the Sweet Potato Fries eaters for their second stop on the sweet potato fries train. It was, unfortunately, an underwhelming experience. The fries were hot but limp. The sweet potatoes themselves weren't sweet or that tasty. It took a lot of ketchup and salt to make them fun to eat. Oh well -- at least they were fresh. Just wish they had even the slightest hint of crispness.
The onion rings, by contrast, were genius. Crisp and tasty...just the way an onion ring should be.
Likely I won't' be back unless I happen to be in the loop...which is almost never. -
Review from Megan G.
Chicago, IL
8/1/2007
Things I love about Stocks and Blondes:
-Jukebox with good music
-Neighborhood dive in the middle of downtown, you won't find too many trixies here!
-Friendly, fun and engaging staff, especially Elysia
-Cute bartender
-Really strong good mixed drinks
-Good pub food
-Good prices
Things I don't love
- There tends to be some what of a sketchy boardoftrade crowd here most of the time
-The owner. He comes off as nice, but he has crazy eyes for sure!
Stocks and Blondes is my favorite spot for drinks after work with a friend or 4. It's not going to impress your fancy friends, but it will definitely fill your dive bar needs without the stuffy downtown feel. -
Review from Suzanne E.
Chicago, IL
5/18/2010
The things I have loved about this place since I was introduced to it in November 1998, in chronological order, and I expect some of them have disappeared, since I don't get there often enough to keep tabs:
The ancient Victorian carved wood bar itself, nicely framed by the hole-in-the-wall space and more broadly by the El roaring by above and the cool old building it's in. (The things these walls must have seen over the century or so . . .)
My friend who first brought me there, and then six months later told me it had been razed and turned into a parking lot, because he was too abstracted to realize he was on the wrong block--thus putting me through almost all of the Kubler-Ross stages of grief about its demise, till one day I was walking down the street and found the damn thing all over again. (I read his beads after that, and bought him a glass of wine there to prove it wasn't dead after all.)
The older bartender with the Irish fallen angel look who laughed and told me and my friend, "I don't need your chump change," and more or less bought me my drink.
The spring night that another friend turned 30 and they gave us complimentary Red-Headed Sluts, which was fun for me as a chaste redhead.
And my first-time discovery, when I stepped in last Saturday afternoon to check up on the place, of the Stones' sublime song "Plundered My Soul," which was playing on the admittedly loud sound system. I'd rather listen to Keith Richards harmonizing than converse anyway. -
Review from Ato Z.
Chicago, IL
5/10/2007
came here for the sweet potato fries but they were disappointing. The potatoes were not at their prime (not sweet) and they were very greasy. I was so not impressed and wouldn't order them again.
However, the onion rings were awesome!
Small smoky place, probably wouldn't come here again. -
Review from Jonathan C.
1/15/2010
Stop two on the actuary bar crawl. Why we chose this place for a Sat bar crawl... well thats because the guy organizing it is British and doesn't know better.
I'm sure this place fulfills its duty as the after work dive bar for people who use the Washington/Wells stop.
I was just annoyed that the beer of the month (on the sign on the door) was not the beer of the month that they were serving inside and the one on the door was $3.50 but inside it was a $4.50 beer. -
Review from Elizabeth B.
Chicago, IL
10/1/2009
It's 5 p.m. Chuck your tie and jacket at the door and have a drink at the S&B. The food is greasy bar fare but at an honest price. Booze is cheap and there are televisions aplenty. Plus, no one will heckle you if you play Billy Joel on the Jukebox. Stocks & Blondes is a gem in the loop.
Remember to check out the architecture of the building BEFORE you go inside (The Washington Block was the tallest building in Chicago in 1874) You might not be able to look up without puking once you leave. -
Review from Jass V.
Chicago, IL
1/10/2008
Always good for an after work get together.
I've never actually ordered food but have sampled off many plates. Their wings were spicy enough to satiate my drunken self and the fried zucchini was also yummy in my drunky tummy. Seeing as I like my fries like I like my men- skinny and well done - I wasn't a fan of the thick mushiness I stole off a friends plate. But that's okay, I understand that such fries exist in the world. I'll live.
Drinks were a bit on the weak side except for one night when they had a Rum Punch type thing on special.
Crowded as all hell and service has always been awful whenever we've gone. But it's a fun place to unwind after a hard week's work and there's something about the atmosphere that makes me relax.
EDIT
Went there for a work going away get together 2 weeks ago. Both myself and coworker got food poisoning from something only we ate. Thinking it was the ranch dressing. Either way, violent stomach pains and ensuing cramps all that night and well into the next evening. By all means drink there, but please be wary of the food. -
Review from Quantas G.
Chicago, IL
10/4/2008
Attention all potential patrons:
This place is a neighborhood sports bar in the Loop. It has:
- Kitschy decor
- Beer aplenty
- Wood panel walls
- Joe Sixpack as well as Stockbroker Extraordinaire
- Average to below average bar food
If you enjoy these things then you will enjoy Stocks and Blondes. -
Review from Jen S.
Chicago, IL
9/9/2010
Divey and dark and dismal and not my thang at all. If yr a dive bar fan, like my friend was who dragged a group of us here, then you may love it. But me, I need at least a smidgen of natural light, and preferably a menu with at least one non-fried item available. And the bathrooms scared me.
I think it's a little silly to slam on dive bars on Yelp in general, because, really, what did you expect? But Bar & Grille this ain't... and it has "blondes" in the name, all pseudo-clever, so it shall receive my minimal ire: grrrr. -
Review from Rachelle G.
Chicago, IL
1/10/2008
Once the smoking ban went into effect, it definitely added a star to Stocks and Blondes. Pre-smoking ban, you couldn't have lunch in here w/out walking out smelling like an ash tray.
Food is fairly decent, although skip out on the sweet potato fries, they are beyond greasy and you end yearning for the regular. Cheeseburgers are decent but always make sure to order a doneness below what you actually want. Fish and chips are delicious and the portion size is fairly large.
Service is a hit or miss. You have days where it's absolutely fantastic and others where you have to constantly try to track them down.
Definitely going to be a regular for work lunches when I need to unwind in the middle of the day. -
Review from Mary M.
Kansas City, MO
4/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Great bar! Friendly staff, friendly patrons, decent cocktails and food. It reminds me of many neighborhood taverns in KC with one exception.... I've never seen a line of "suits" singing Kanyes "gold digger" like I did here. StockTraders are cool. Nor have I met anyone who does neural networking for artificial intelligence used at nuclear reactors. Life is funny in Chicago, and it's best at Stocks and Blondes.
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Review from An P.
Chicago, IL
7/21/2008
Located right next to the Washington and Wells El stop, Stocks & Blondes can easily be recognized by the neon beer sign and people all moving around inside. In a way it is hard to spot on the same note as there is only a tiny printed sign that says Stocks & Blondes. In fact, I didn't ever remember the name of the bar until about my third or fourth time going.
That being said, it is a good place to try to catch the end of a Cubs day game if the Cubs happen to get rain delayed or if the game is stretching on an inordinate amount of time. The bar is a bit dim and the furniture is a bit aged, but there is usually some special going on for food or drink and always a beer of the month.
The clientele is a mishmash of the financial district shirt and ties and guys in blue jeans all mixed together. I often find it hard to get a table here, and usually have to wait until someone leaves. The place is very crowded after work and it's a popular hangout. I for one am a big fan of the chicken tenders - super crispy and it comes with honey mustard or bbq sauce. Damn, my mouth waters thinking about them! -
Review from Dusty K.
Chicago, IL
1/10/2009
I had a terrible experience at Stocks & Blondes and will not be going back as a result. If I could give 0 stars I would...
We reserved two tables after work with some coworkers. The waitress asked us at least 3 times if those people were coming and was fed up that they weren't there already...they showed up 15 minutes after we arrived. This seemed to incredibly bother her. And later, after a few beers we paid our check. While we were finishing up our beers (mind you after we paid) the waitress proceeded to come up to us and ask if we could hurry up and leave since they need the tables for the next customers. I've never been so offended by a waitress in all my life. I will never go back.Listed in: Loop Lunch Legends &…
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Review from Betsy W.
Chicago, IL
5/27/2009
Consider this your new go-to place in the Loop for burgers, fries, buffalo chicken, bar food, etc.
Its super cheap, low key, unpretentious, and delicious.
The crowed is eclectic: suits, bikers, bule collar, and me.
And its always packed, so go early and go often! -
Review from Vineet S.
5/19/2010
I frequent this quite a number of times since it's just one block away from my workplace.
It's a nice bar with moderately priced drinks. The decor is not that appealing.Waitress are friendly.It has a couple of screens so it's a good place to watch a game of cubs.Food is not that great but still Ok.
Most of the times people clad in their suits and ties come with the office mates.
The strange thing is the location of Men's washroom which is exactly opposite to Ladies's Washroom.
Once the door of men's washroom is opened the person standing out literally has the full view of the person relieving himself in washroom.One will have to visit the place to understand awkward location the Men's washroom. -
Review from gfiddy f.
Chicago, IL
7/17/2008
My neighborhood bar. They sure don't make them like this anymore. Totally chill, real, drink-after-work bar, replete with insignia of many police departments in the area, and from across the nation. They finally got rid of this pill of a server they had for a while - sorry lady, but when I'm here every week, it's just BS for you to make me run across the street and get my ID - and everyone who works there is really nice. There is a great spirit of camaraderie among the locals, and everyone likes to meet someone new.
In addition, the bar food is solid - though the boo doesn't care for it - with delicious options from a pretty good cheeseburger to chicken salad, fried chicken, a Wisconsin fish fry for the Catholics, I think there are ribs as well - don't hesitate to try what is a pretty substantial menu.
The owner - who I haven't met - spends a lot of time around there. He is a good looking older gentleman with glasses. Rather tall. I'm glad he enjoys hanging out at his bar.
Beer selection is pretty swell. There are monthly specials touring various craft-y beers, and the Great Lakes line of beers - yum. You will find many good options ranging from sweeter whites and weisses to amber lagers and ales to the darker, heavier beers. Back on the monthly specials, to provide a nice illustration, a recent selection was the Leinenkugel 'summer shandy,' I think, though it may have been the 'nude beach' and it was possibly the Point brewery. A few months earlier, Beamish stout.
This place is ideal to relax and have a few beers. Despite the loss of our precious right to smoke indoors, this place is the traditionally authentic Americana bar. -
Review from Erin J.
8/28/2007
Ah, Stocks and Blondes. Even the name prompts a snicker, eluding to the overall no-frills, divey charm of this place. Located right next to the stairs down from the Washington/Wells stop on Wells between Madison and Washington, this place is my de-facto dive bar of choice. Used to come here with the work gang at an old job - boss actually had a nameplate on the wall, if that's any indication of how many times we went there (he really liked that place).
I love that the waitresses will do shots with you. I love that the drinks are relatively cheap, and that the punch drink is always on special. I love that the martinis are so strong your eyes feel it before your lips touch it. And I love that it's a place entirely devoid of any and all pretension - I can just as easily go in there lookin fancy as I can in jeans and a t-shirt, and get the same service and have generally the same experience.
The crowd here runs the gamut; CBOT guys, traders, IT peeps, other guys in suits and suspenders who crowd around the golf machines, office types, women in heels with expensive bags, construction workers, people who have MBAs and PhDs and people who could give a damn about any of that. I even got hit on by a couple of guys who didn't speak English! It was great!
All that said, I am sooo sad I "can't" go there anymore. Didn't exactly leave that job on good terms, and it was his bar first, so I gracefully respect the space and skulk over to Koozy's or Monk's instead.
But nothing is more happily dive bar-ier to me than Stocks and Blondes. -
Review from Andre W.
11/19/2008
When I first heard the name of this place I automatically had thoughts of hot blondes serving me drinks, but as I entered I noticed there weren't any hot blondes serving anything!
The place isn't all that bad. You have to deal with elbow to elbow seating and the usual obnoxious next table neighbor shouting his conversation all over your table because they think the people surrounding them can't hear them. If you get there anytime after 4PM you can damn near forget about a seat.
They usually have specials with the food and the food is really great here.
Drinks are good and fairly priced, but the service is hit or miss. I have sat at the bar and always recieved excellent service, but when I get a table, sometimes service is a little shabby.
I recommend this place for those that work near the financial district and are looking for that happy hour fix, but good luck finding an available tableListed in: Lunch in the Loop, Best After Work Bars
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Review from Steve R.
Chicago, IL
1/2/2009
Though the name brings visions of some "Hogs and Honeys" type hellhole, this place just seemed to be a regular ole tavern full of dudes who want to tie one on after work. Decent enough beer selection, and has the expected young professional type crowd with ties undone mixed with what looked like union city workers. Darts, TVs with the game on, no idea what was on the juke as I wasn't there very long.
Nothing about it was particularly offensive or great. I'd come back if it was convenient and I had The Thirst.
