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Categories: Sports Bars, American (Traditional) [Edit]
Neighborhood: UptownWilson (Red)
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.
Chili's® Grill & Bar is as bold and flavorful as the food it serves. The energetic, fun atmosphere makes it the perfect spot for a... more »
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I had an absolutely awesome time here last night. I walked in alone at around 5:45, with my homework, and sat at the bar. I had about an hour and a half to kill before my friend showed up to do a reading from his book. The first floor is a general bar set up, some tables, dim lighting, reasonably loud music. I was enthusiastically greeted by the cute and flirty bartender, Adam. He was very friendly and made me feel more comfortable than I probably should have, being alone in a bar that early in the evening. The waitstaff in general was really great, it's a theater bar so their actors and know how to work with people. I sat and wrote a paper with just the right amount of chitchat and entertainment, while still getting work done. When I went upstairs I was again greeted very excitedly by the staff. The upstairs is split into two different rooms, the main room which has a small stage and is used for improv and other stuff, and the Green room, which is more intimate. The Green Room has a really warm atmosphere and a cozy upstairs lounge area. It was really nice, this would definitely be a good place to throw a party. I was a little disappointed that there are no taps upstairs, but Clinton my new friendly bartender came up with the perfect solution, a $6 24oz can of PBR in a hobo bag. He even made a special trip down stairs to get it for me. They have karaoke later in the evening and are always hosting some kind of something. Last night is was a canned food drive that got you open bar for I think an hour if you brought something.
This was a super fortunate find and I'm jazzed that I have friends that live nearby so that I can go back. It might not be you're thing if you like to go to a bar and be left alone and ignored, but I really enjoyed.
The wait staff is fun and awesome. I had the Martha Vineyard's salad and french fries not bad at all. Put it in my request for a strong drink and got it! Plus the Bulls won over the Cavaliers... take that LaBron and Shaq!! As Ice Cube would say, it was a good day.
And if you go during the month of your bday... you get free drinks for 2 or 3 hours! Now that's how I like to celebrate my birthday darn it!!
Parking is horrible and the neighborhood is a bit well.... lets just say interesting. But overall, I'll go back just to hang out and kick it, cuz the Spot is good for kicking it.
Ok, so I had never been here before and a friend took me saying it was fun. We were greeted by a friendly bouncer... WTF, they exist? We went upstairs, and as we walked in on a Friday night, there were some girls dancing on the bar, and it was barely 10pm. I definitely needed to catch up on my drinking. I was ordering doubles (so out of character for me), and caught up pretty quickly.
The only peeve I had about the night was the bartender was less than truthful about the price of my doubles... I had thought it sounded cheap, but we thought we hit the bar jackpot that night. 5 doubles later, I get my bill... it would have been nice to know that the drinks were $10 instead of the $6 I was quoted. Whatever, it wasn't the waitresses fault, and she ended up getting us shots to make up for it. The staff here is friendly, and we did have a good time, so I'm not going to let that ruin the experience too much. They did offer to get the manager but I wasn't in the mood to argue about what we were told... as my friend heard the same thing. Regardless, nice spot to hang out. Check it.
This could be a tentative review, cause I've been there one other time and it seemed cool, but I went by this place last night with a friend and left with a bad impression. it was almost completely empty, and the bar tender was initially a great host. We drank some, hung out, had fun but then at the end of the night some how paid 27 bucks for 3 shots of tequila, was not top shelf, was in some clay statue, and dude had to ask if it was drinkable and smell it before he served it.
Said nothing and left, but I won't go back, won't recommend it, and definitely won't bring anyone else there.
Theatre bar? Yeah probably. We even mentioned it in our group before I read the other reviews because the staff was singing behind the bar. I didn't catch on to it while there but my bf had said, "I bet they're theatre geeks." Makes sense now.
I appreciate that it's an option in Uptown (because we all know and complain about the lack of options in Uptown, but that is neither here nor there). The burger was good - I had it with roasted garlic, which, although tasty for me, was not so hot for the group I was with. And I don't know if it's just me, but it was incredibly overpriced. The bill came and I really couldn't believe it.
I am a performer in a number of sketch and improv comedy groups around the city. So, I can vouch for the Spot. It is a host friendly kind of place. They have a stage, a mic system, and video capabilities. Even though it is hard performing comedy in bars, this one is not as bad as it gets. The staff cares, and they really help you out. Often times they will let you create a drink special for the night. They host a lot of parties that bring people in too.
What does the Spot have going for it? Some decent food, and a decent selection of alcohol / beer. Great staff. It's a short walk from the Red Line.
What are the downfalls? It's a short walk from the Red Line. It's off the scariest stop, hands down. The Wilson stop. Smells like urine, a lot of homeless people, and I have nothing wrong with homeless people, but its the kind that are really trying to hit you up for money and they are not going to use it in ways that will improve their life. Enough hating. Other downfalls. Well. It's in Uptown. It is hard to get people to go to Uptown. Sorry. That being said, it is a shining star for the neighborhood. Also, drinks can be pricy here considering.
Last call: I wouldn't go here unless someone I knew was performing here.
I went to The Spot for Diva Brunch and I am changed. They redefined the meaning of Brunch. I never knew how much fun, exciting, and delicious a brunch could be! The owner and staff were amazing in every possible way. They were friendly, attentive, so down to earth and gave top of the line service I would expect from any restuarant or bar. The drinks are incredile the endless mimosa's were flowing and never had to ask for a refill they were on top of everything! The food is beyond any Brunch I have had in my life. The preformances were wonderfully fun, exciting, hilarious and loved participating in it.
I can't wait to got there on a regular night. This will definetely become my new hangout!!!
This place was very underwhelming. I've got to admit, when a friend asked me to meet her there, just on the area alone, I thought, oh fuck, I don't want to do this. Having been previously repulsed by Nick's on Wilson, I was fully prepared for another night of getting ripped off while dodging crackheads in a shithole.
To my complete and utter surprise, the place actually looked nice. The clientele seemed to be made up of people other than the neighborhood riffraff and there was decent music pulsing through the bar
I order a White Russian. It comes in a pint glass, loaded with ice and a straw, and with a $9 price tag. Whoa, fuck that. Fuck this. Fuck... something.
Yeah, that's really the end of the story. I came back one other time, to see a friend's band play on the second floor stage, and spent the whole night drinking $4 crappy beer from a can. At least on that night our server was exceptionally nice.
I SO wanted to like this place since it's about 2 blocks from my condo. We went for dinner on a Friday night, around 7pm. I get what other reviewers are saying about the identity crisis. While the service was good and the server very friendly, I didn't like the following:
* introducing ourselves to the server at her request
* ordering a "farmer's market salad" only to find out it consisted of nothing more than greens, cheese, bacon and egg - was the farmer's market out of tomatoes and cucumbers?
* having to fill out surveys at the end of the meal
* paying $50 for 2 drinks, 2 salads and an order of calamari
The Spot...fun for all ages. Swung by here last night for MNF. Football on all tv's, food specials, drink specials, everyone is nice. I've always had great experiences at The Spot. They have karaoke nights, wine nights, beer/food pairings, football. This bar I'm not sure how they do it transforms completely for whatever event happens to be going on. The food is awesome for being a bar and they have a huge selection of beer. If you are going, order the tatchos...tater-tot nachos...AMAZING!!
Dorky, friendly, dependable. I'm never blown away here, but, I also never feel out of place frumpin it up in sneakers and my hair in a scrunchie (which I admittedly do all too often). The seating out front is not ornate...you're on Broadway across from Aldi..but good for chilling with friends on a summer evening and pondering the flesh of those walking into the tattoo shop next door. Inside, there are multiple levels, including a space for karaoke and trivia nights.
In terms of food (I don't care much about booze), tonight I got the house salad (lettuce, cherry tomatoes, poppyseed dressing) with salmon added. The salad was small and some of the lettuce was mangy, but the salmon, grilled perfectly, redeemed it. I had wanted to try the mushroom appetizer which sounded so enticing on the menu (wild mushrooms wood grilled with fresh herbs, olive oil, and garlic. topped with vinaigrette and parmesan) but they were out of it which bummed me out. A salad here is definitely not enough for a meal. In general I think the Spot would benefit by adding a couple more vegetarian/healthy options, especially since its menu aspires to more than just pub grub. Alas, this is one of the healthy hedonist's everpresent gripes in Chicago.
Random, multiple personality, weird, charming.
A few more words : Tater crater.
Trust me.
I'm a bit biased because my Friday night softball league (Softball & Supper) is sponsored by the Spot but even if it wasn't, I think I would still check this place out once in a while.
The place is huge and has an awesome chill room on the 3rd floor. The drinks are a tad expensive ($8 for a cran/goose) but if you're a member of the softball group you get to take advantage of some pretty sweet drink specials.
PS - the employee's here rock.
See ya Friday Spot!
Dear The Spot,
I love you, especially on Friday nights after my softball game.
Our softball league (Softball & Supper) comes to the spot after ballin' (softball) and The Spot feeds all 150 of us (supper). Ball, food, drink specials all night, It's a pretty sweet set-up if you ask me. The Spot is a huge old party on Friday nights and a shit show (the good kind of shit show). Oh and they have the nicest and funniest staff and bartenders.
BTW, this place is HUGE (3 levels).
As many others have said, The Spot is a place with an identity problem. For me, though, that only adds to the reason I like the place. I've been a few times, and each time the atmosphere is a little different, full of different patrons, but it's always fun.
The service is always friendly and whenever I've had trouble deciding on a drink, they've never had a problem letting me try a few different things before making a decision. The servers are usually spunky, which I like, but it isn't the most sophisticated way to handle service. That said, I don't go to the Spot for a sophisticated experience -- just a bit of fun.
The prices are reasonable and they usually have something different going on every night of the week. From Manicure Mondays to Wine Tasting Tuesdays and Diva Brunch Sundays, there's something for everyone. I've also had the privilege of spotting a few celebrities on the second floor during the closing night play parties (won't mention names). The Spot is a huge supporter of the arts and in an arts-centered neighborhood like Uptown, you'll find tons of actors, comedians, musicians and creative-types walking in and out of the door.
I'd recommend the Spot for a fun and unpredictable evening out. If you're looking for consistency or a sophisticated date spot, look elsewhere. But if you're a little spontaneous, you won't be disappointed.
Yup. Still fabulous! My boyfriend treated me to a tasty night out at The Spot - it was his first time and I think we can both agree that we'll be making frequent stops to satisfy the craving for their delicious fare.
I take back what I said about the calamari. It was AMAZING. Crisp, not the least bit greasy - savory right down to the very last morsels. Can we discuss the pesto salmon? Let's not, actually. I would suggest you try it yourself, then you'll see words aren't necessary. And at last, we arrive at the red velvet cake. This was dessert done right! Though allow me to use this space to campaign for the return of the strawberry shortcake - I was crestfallen to learn it had been evicted from a coveted spot on the menu. Even that depressing news was not enough to dampen the meal.
I have to give a million thanks to the wonderful Colleen for being my Uptown Ambassador and… Read more »
BAIT AND SWITCH!
This stupid, gross, disgusting, smelly place is such a waste!
I went here for a trivia night. The Web site AND both of their menus clearly stated the special for Tuesdays was BUY ONE, GET ONE appetizers. So I got two apps and the other couple I was with got two apps.
When the bill comes, we're charged for both apps, no special price or anything. Ask the dude why and get the, "Oh, no, we don't do that anymore" bullshit.
WTF?
Too tired at that point to make a big deal (which is what they plan on, I'm sure). Normally I ask to verify a supposed special, but when it's on their site and both menus, I'd like to think it's a sure thing.
NEVER EVER GOING BACK!
Whoever suggested The Spot to have a birthday party, I have two words for you: THANK YOU.
I decided to have my birthday out at The Spot based on several user suggestions for a bar with darts, beer, and food. I arranged to have a party and set up three hours of drinking for me and about 30-40 friends. From the second I arrived, the doorman was friendly and they were helpful in letting me know where everything was, what the setup would be, and taking care of all of the details. The waitress was also personable making sure to introduce herself to me and all of my friends and all the while working hard. Bartenders were also cranking out drinks at a frenetic pace making sure no one waited too long for a cocktail.
I wanted to play darts, they lights were turned on and they hooked it up with pen and paper. I am not sure, but the dart line may have been off, but then again I was pretty inebriated! Will have to bring a tape measure and check if it is 7' 9.25" ha! The calamari here really is as good as everyone says and comes with two tomato based sauces and a half a lemon that's big enough to soak the whole plate. I had a cake, and they were kind enough to pop it in the fridge and pull it out with forks and plates when it was ripe and ready. Some friends brought silly string and they let my friends spray it at will.
Finally, I would have to say Brian made sure I had a great time and The Spot far exceeded my expectations soup to nuts, A-to-Z, brass tacks and all. He made sure to be available at all times, stopped in and checked if I needed anything and made sure I had it. I give him a lot of credit for running things smoothly, and even more respect for getting his hands dirty by getting behind the bar and start bartending. Last year, I had a birthday at another bar, but the service was not even half as good as The Spot. I don't think that I've ever gone to a bar and have had such a good birthday.
To summarize:
Food: Excellent
Location: Excellent (Uptown Lounge, Green Mill, Kinetic Playground, Nick's Uptown - all 5am bars nearby)
Service: Exceptionally Excellent
Value: Excellent
Fun Factor: Excellent
Dropped by The Spot last night after class to catch a St. Patty's Day drink. A few of my friends… Read more »
Clark went crazy recently when http://restaurants.com had an 80 percent off gift certificates promotion & bought about six or seven certificates -- so we decided to put one to use this week. Most of the certificates come with lots of restrictions (like "valid Sunday - Thursday" or "not good for purchase of alcohol") so our decision was easy. We chose The Spot (N. Broadway, across from the future Wilson Yards site in Uptown), partially because all we had to do was spend $35 to get $25 off & partially because while both of us had had drinks at its bars before, we had never eaten at the restaurant.
First, a word of caution. We had some time off & wanted to eat early, so we checked http://metromix.com & saw that The Spot opened for dinner at 4. Brilliant! Too bad it was a lie. When we got there around 4:30 the place was empty & the host told us they didn't open til 5. He seated us anyway & when we told the waitress about the Metromix error, she was incredibly gracious -- she even gave us some free drinks for our pains. Bread would have been nice too but I realized we were too early for even that when I saw the wait staff bringing it in as our appetizer was served.
Because we had to wait for the grills to get fired up, we had plenty of time to examine the restaurant & menu. The dining room itself is pretty eclectic & vibrant -- deep red walls, curtains draped in the same tone, & lots random touches. The menu has the same eclectic vibe - a little of everything, from bar food to sandwiches & pizzas to pastas & steak. & most items have goofy names & descriptions, which makes for interesting pre-meal reading.
The gift certificate made us feel rich so we started with an appetizer. Being easily led, we opted for the calamari, billed on the menu as "The Best Freakin Calamari You've Ever Had!" Hmmm...not so much. Not that it was bad, but the calamari was a bit bland & the coating broke off easily into the dipping sauce, which Clark declared to be plain marinara -- not the exotic spicy cocktail sauce described in the menu. But don't worry...it gets better.
For an entree, I went for the Triple X Pork, which turned out to be a good choice. It was a huge portion -- about six slices of seasoned pork (Clark identified the seasoning as Lowry's All Spice) over a bed of garlic "smashed" potatoes. The pork was very tender & flavorful, but the potatoes made the meal. When I say the pork was served over the potatoes, please understand that I'm talking about a foundation of starch about an inch high & as long as the dinner plate. I was in carb heaven, especially because these were real, creamy mashed potatoes -- skins & all. After I gave it my best, I had only finished half of the meat & potatoes, leaving more than enough for another satisfying meal. Bonus.
Clark sided with a plate of Chicken Parmesan - a large piece of fried chicken breast, topped with a layer of melty mozzarella, placed on a giant bed of angel hair pasta, blanketed with marinara sauce, then sprinkled with grated Parmesan. He was in awe as it was placed in front of him - being told, "Careful, the plate's a little hot" - & eager to jump into this giant mound of food. He described the chicken as being extremely tender & of excellent texture. It wasn't overwhelmingly over saturated with favor, but he detected a hint of rosemary & oregano, which set it off with some subtlety. The angel hair pasta was exactly that, meaning that it tasted like it came from the heavens, with a light topping of marinara sauce (wasn't drenched). His first reaction was: " I can't freakin believe they expect me to eat this all!" He had no complaints, but he also didn't say it was the best chicken parm he has ever had although he seemed to be content. After the appetizer, he was only able to get down half of the plate, leaving him a nice lunch for the next day. He would recommend this plate to anyone who is looking for a massive amount of good food.
On to the beer selection,Clark chose to go with "Kwak", a Belgian ale usually served in a Kwak-branded reverse bell shaped glass (he opted for the standard pint glass). This is a heavy ale, that has 9 percent alcohol by volume, so know that after a few of these, you may be in the bag, or at least Clark would be. It was delicious & kind of resembled a Weiss, but not as thick & heavy. If you are going to drink this in abundance, I suggest stocking up on breads.
Now that we know of "The Spot" as an eatery, & not just a bar, we highly recommend getting in there for dinner. The wait staff was super nice, & the food selection is excellent.
Thanks to our friends at http://restaurants.com & our sympathetic waitress, we dropped about $25 for an app, two full meals, a beer & a Coke & we got enough food for another meal. Recession dining at its finest.
Had a chance to come here for a friend's b'day party this past weekend and I gotta say, this place is pretty cool.
I thought it was funny that as I looked up at one of the televisions, they had cartoon's playing (Just glad I didn't have to watch news coverage of my UConn Huskies choking in the Final 4). They had a b'day drink special for my buddy, which was $30 for 9PM - midnight. I got there at 10 so they only charged me $20. The guy at the door really didn't know what the wristband covered. He told me I could have whatever I wanted and once I got upstairs and had my mouth ready for Maker's Mark, they told me I could have only the house whiskey. I went ahead and got one of the beers that came with the special and later got the house whiskey. The drinks were okay ( a little watered down), but I managed.
My buddy told me the food was pretty good, so I guess that is something I will have to try at a later date. Again pretty cool place and if I am in the area or if someone says thats where they want to hang, I probably would not say no.
Guess what? EVERYBODY'S A WINNER HERE!!!!! YAY!
Uhm, I think not. . . .
This place has got one of the best scams in Uptown. You sign up for a chance to win a free birthday party for you and your friends. You win (remember there's no losers!) and than you're told that you and a group of your friends are entitled to come in for your free party. Once you're there you're told that you don't have to pay, but your friends will have to pay. So, you've got a bunch of grumbling friends. . . all of whom are grumbling because they've been misled by the promise of a free party. Sounds like bait and switch to me. . .
The food is mediocre at best, the staff is rude, and the time I was there I saw disappointed faces at all of the tables that had also been duped. To add insult to injury, the bartender threatened to sick the bouncer on me because I was taking my last sips of coffee in the bar room which she wanted me to dispose of immediately.
If you like Nazi bartenders, misleading schemes, and overpriced food this is your place!
Two words - DIVA BRUNCH!!! Could you ask for anything more on Mother's day? I'm not a mother but my friend Samantha is and I wanted to do something different, special and memorable - we got it!
The Spot on Sunday has "Diva Brunch" with Scooty & Jojo -so I took an 18 month old to her first drag show but it was Mother's day so it is justified. This event was so much fun!!! It was more of a variety show with the "Pin-Up's and She Boom". Great music and entertainment.
The mimosas and bellini's were on the house and the food was good - not great. I liked this more for the entertainment and decorations!!!
Thank you to the crew at The Spot!
Stated goal for a Tuesday night= Chill out with friends and have a few beers. The spot prevented us from achieving this goal with an overload of too many chatty staff members, crappy beer tasting, and loud comedy show.
We signed up for $10 Shiner Bock beer tasting and we received very little beer and a whole lotta lecture. A Shiner Bock representative gave a 25 minute reading from her notes, 6th grade book report style. After a long work day, I don't want to listen to your ridiculously long schpeel about how fancy your beer is. Just let me taste it and let it speak for itself. Eee gads!
After being bombarded with this presentation, we were unfortunately not set free. We had a waiter who bombarded us with explanations about upcoming events, over explanations about the menu and what we could and couldn't order from the menu, and then bugging us to turn in these survey cards.
Beware of The Spot's data mining. They have you fill out all your favorite sports teams, your birthday, you favorite drink...clearly so they can spam your inbox with an individualized email based on all the crap you like. Fine enough but dear lord give me some time to talk to my friends and finish my dinner.
After the beer book report, after the obnoxious waiter, BUT before we could speak a few sentences to each other we are bombarded with a loud comedy show. It would have perhaps been entertaining had we had a moment to relax.
Our experience reminded me of being stuck on a nightmare cruise ship where all staff members are way too super cheery, up in your face, and over do it to make sure you are having a good time. Clearly this place needs to stop trying so hard and just allow your guests have a good time.
+1 star for the great mushroom soup. I will get it to go next time.
The Spot is not the spot but rather a spot. I've been here a few times, mostly for parties which they seem to push heavily, and I find it to be ok. Beer selection ok, food ok, Atmosphere ok. I find the music on the 2nd floor to be too loud to easily carry on a conversation. Funny enough though, the one time I played the jukebox and actually wanted to hear the music, it was barely audible. I feel like they're trying really hard but missing something to make it a place I really want to go.
I'm not gonna say that my husband and I have not had a few good times at The Spot, but that really had more to do with the company we were with, not the place we were in. The food is overpriced for what it is, and so are the drinks. I always kind of feel like we're crashing someone's hipster condo party whenever we're there (though the door men are always very polite). They did a smart thing marketing themselves as a theater bar, because actors love to drink, and they are really big on "free parties", but its really nothing special. I say take your friends and your money and head to The Hidden Cove.
I attended a short play festival at one of The Spot's infamous free parties about a month or so back. My hopes had been set fairly high since the concept of The Spot was really awesome; a bar, a restaurant, and a space in which to do theatre, music, or comedy shows. I was honestly hoping that this might be an awesome theatre pub type setting.
The show itself is definitely not the reason for the star rating, and neither really is the friendliness of staff or the quality of food (even though the prices were far too high for what seemed to be microwaved food from Cisco). My rating is specifically the result of the management.
The night of this show, The Spot was not just double booked, but quadruple booked. There was the theatre show, a burlesque show, a private party, and a bachelorette party. This resulted in a massively overcrowded downstairs in which movement was completely impossible. Once tables began to clear up, the folks in my group began sitting, but were then told we weren't allowed to, and were only allowed to remain squished in the three foot area between the bar and the tables. The theatre company had also been promised that the bar area would be theirs, and when they complained to the management, they simply got brushed away.
The Spot is run by incompetents and is a flagrantly unsafe establishment out to take as much as they can from the theatre community.
Unlike the infamous Spot on the cashmere sweater, this place does exist.
My companion and I had spent some two hours here. The bartender was quite attentive to us, though, there were only three other people around. I had the Everything salad (sans eggs) and was in front of me within 3 minutes. Two thumbs up on that one.
We were only upstairs, so I can't say anything about downstairs. Even when a handful of people came in, we were well served and the sort.
This place seems like a solid brunch/munch option which will be kept in mind next time.
Pretty neat place in a very interesting neighborhood. I've been here plenty of times since the place opened, and I've always enjoyed myself. The Spot has a great selection of draft beers, wine, and martinis. I've never eaten here, but the food I've seen looks delicious. Martinis are tasty -- a little pricey, but good.
The downstairs is usually packed, unless you're here on a weekday. The upstairs is used for live music or karaoke. Friends' bands have played here before and were pleased with the setup. Joining their mailing list was one of the greater ideas in my lifetime, because they always send me deals and offers to do wine and/or liquor tastings (unfortunately, I always seem to open these e-mails too late :( ).
Parking in the area can be tricky, but there's always the Wilson Red Line stop (negative stars there). I love the heat lamp outside for people smoking or waiting to get in. Why don't more places have heat lamps, anyway?
Shout out to my awesome bartender friend Lauren!
Wow - I can't believe that we had a completely different experience than the last time. This time, we came on a Wednesday night - we paid $10 for open bar from 9pm - 10pm which is pretty worth it considering that a beer is $5. Karaoke was in full blast and we decided to take advantage of their $10 bottomless basket of wings.
However, service was horrible. Our waitress that started off serving us - she left in the middle of her shift and didn't even bother telling us. In fact, we didn't realize it until we saw her standing outside of The Spot hailing a cab! Our next server took forever to get our drinks that we ended up just going to the bar ourselves. In fact, he even forgot to place our food order - he said that it just slipped his mind and he had even rung us up with that food order on the bill! Luckily, a manager came by to remedy the situation and got the food to go for us. Still, spotty service - feels like it was a hit or miss for this place. If anything, we'll be back for dinner but probably not for after hours.
I cannot believe that it took me so long to come here!! A group of us stopped by Sunday night,… Read more »
The food was decent and Dana is the greatest. It kinda reminds me of a big family gathering where older cousins and uncles are up to all kinds of shenanigans.
It's kinda loud on football nights but it didn't really bother me. Can't wait to go back for karaoke!
THE SPOT NEEDS TO DECIDE WHAT KIND OF SPOT IT IS.
I have been several times to The Spot for birthday parties--the all-you-can drink kind, even threw my own there this year. Have had a great time with each visit, but couldn't help but notice the people seated in the "dining area" eying me and my friends with great disdain. I always wondered what that was about...until today.
Having a taste for steak, I set out on yelp to find a place I had not yet tried. Remembering vaguely that The Spot has a real menu, I looked them up...food sounded good, reasonably priced, etc. so we went. We were greeted at the door with a (smoking) usher who wanted our IDs, but no one was at the door when we entered. We were yelled at from across the bar to "sit wherever you want, guys!" This is where two worlds unfortunately collide:
Wine glasses and cloth napkins atop a tablecloth and paper-top table, full silver set were but 2 feet from the bar, featuring "Deadliest Catch" on a projector screen and a full host of wasted, screaming patrons and LOUD music. The food was good (hand-cut steaks...excellent) although it would have been nice to be told the carrot cake was $12!
My advice, Dear Spot: use both levels of your spot to its full advantage. Keep the downstairs area during mealtimes for that and that only--play up your steaks, desserts, and wine list ($100 bottle reserve? really? I just saw a guy take a Jaeger-bomb...) and usher your rowdier patrons upstairs until the dinner rush is through.
I'll be back...but not for a steak dinner. Jaeger-bomb, maybe.
Once they got rid of the vegetarian menu (over a year ago) I stopped coming here. Smell you later, The Spot, smell you later forever.
The Spot is situated on a still-developing block of Broadway, just north of Montrose. Look for the… Read more »
I know there are some people who really like this place, but I just don't get it.
*Maybe I'm just not a fan of Karaoke. At all.
*Maybe I just don't like paying $6 + tip for a vodka and diet coke that is 75% ice.
*Maybe the upstairs is better
*Maybe I'll be back. If so I am drinking beer.
I have not been to the Spot for a while. However, one of the times I went was completely fantastic.
My partner and I went to the Spot for Valentine's Day dinner. They were absolutely fantastic. 4 course meal, wine pairings, piano music, and roses for the pair of us. The food was absolutely divine, the owner came out to us and asked about it (since there was little traffic in the restaurant), and the drinks were delicious and comped.
A friend of mine also hosted a play up here on the upstairs level.
The Spot is a great beacon of hope for Uptown, especially the dismal Broadway/Uptown area. I hope it does well. I've had nothing but positive experiences there, the food is divine, and while a bit overpiced and out-of-it's-geographic league, I expect a true pioneer.
Visit this place.
I had been here once before for the Yelp Prom, but didn't feel that I got a good flavor of the place. My friend Angela held her going-away party here a few weeks ago, and she honestly couldn't have picked a better place.
There was karaoke.
There was $3 Shiner Bock (yay!).
There was the UNBELIEVABLY nice staff - the bartenders all took the time to introduce themselves to you when you ordered.
It was a really really good drunken time, and no one minded when our little hostess got TRASHED and decided to dance on the bar.
Oh, the Spot. How I wanted to love you. You accommodate large groups quickly and efficiently, you staff wonderful, upbeat servers, and you even offer half-price food on Sundays.
So what's not to love?
The "Hot Pockets of Love" (ricotta-cheese and jalapeno stuffed fried ravioli) weren't so hot. Lukewarm, actually, as if they either sat out for awhile or simply weren't cooked to the right temperature. The sauce was okay, but it too was almost cold. We also shared an order of the "Mozzarella a la Caravella", which I found lackluster. For half-price, still a great deal, but I probably would've been happier with the pizza or a salad (both of those looked fantastic!).
Extra points for the accommodating doll-faced bartender, who didn't mind running downstairs to fetch me a couple of extra-cold beers. Which, I would have been drinking draught but the selection is a bit weak.
I'll definitely be back for some pizza!
I have been hearing about The Spot since it opened and every time I would drive past the cute sign would beg my company. In recent weeks it has become obvious...I am going to be imbibing repeatedly at The Spot. Upon walking up there's usually a group of people hanging out in the front tables eating and drinking and showing general merriment (always makes you feel good about a place). When you enter the bar is typically filled with a few friends having a drink and some of the fantastic appetizers (highly recommend the buffalo mozz wrapped in prosciutto..heaven). The bar tenders are always extremely friendly and helpful. They often will offer a taste or make suggestions if you aren't able to pick your own poison. The dining area includes a more formal table setting which fits well with the menu. In addition there is an alcove off the bar where you can sit at high tables. Now...on to the menu, seriously one of the most well thought out mid-priced bar menus I have seen (and I've been to a lot of bars). The options are varied and all the flavors are complimentary and can be paired easily with the beverages offered. They have great steak, so if you are into meat, go for it. If not, they offer great pasta options for the vegetarian crowd. The pesto is homemade and so flavorful. In addition, the desserts are to die for! They change...but if you have the chance to get the red velvet cake - do it. (Yelper's Tip - all food is 1/2 price on Mondays after 6 pm if you need to watch your wallet.) If you are looking for more bar fare type options...there is a more casual menu for the upstairs area. What I like most about this bar is all of the staff is very willing to work with you. If the manager is there he will do whatever it takes to meet your needs....just ask him. This type of commitment and care is outstanding in my opinion. Great customer service really puts a place at the top of my list. Overall, The Spot is definitely one of my favorites...I highly recommend checking it out.
The Spot aspires to be so many things: bar, nightclub, music venue, fine dining restaurant. The same can be said about its interior: brick walls, round tables and square, low mood lighting, loud music, swaths of fabric, kitschy artwork, and a projector screen for football. Or its menus: the laminated with a smattering of basic bar food with names that were supposed to be cute or explanatory (but often seemed crass), and the paper, with its blend of what passes for American cuisine (pasta, steaks and a few fish and chicken entrees for good measure).
I felt very uncomfortable eating dinner here, mostly because of my inability to figure out if I was in a bar or a restaurant. It didn't help that the servers were spastically friendly--I've never had so many uninvited recommendations in all my dining experience!
I could forgive all this if the food had been outstanding. While the mussels were decent (although served in a martini glass, which is precarious at best, disastrous at worse), the steak smelled raw and had no taste, the potatoes were chunky, undercooked and poorly seasoned and the onions--red onions--were cut thickly and so sweet that they overpowered the steak and potatoes. Thankfully, we finished with the chocolate mousse--really only chocolate pudding with oreos and whipped cream--and, for me, another glass of wine.
The drink menu is actually the one shining star here. An okay wine selection at decent prices--a lot of $6 a glass wines--and a very nice selection of beers. Hobgoblin anyone?
I know that changes to the menu and a possible theme (or at least cohesive vision) are in the works. And I didn't get a chance to try the calamari, which I hear is a stellar dish. So I'll probably be back. But as of right now, its not a high priority.
OK, i've converted - i originally hated this place due to the crappy neighborhood - but its definately growing on me. the staff is so friendly and the food is pretty good. They also have tons of events to go to on different nights of the week. It's definately worth checking them out.
Probably one of the best neighborhood bars I've seen in Chicago...friendly as advertised (thanx Yelp) with a nice staff who actual come across as real human beings vs. someone kissing your ass to upsell you drinks. Uptown isn't anywhere near my hood, but I'd be willing to make the trek up north again for this place.
Rumors are true: calamari = gooood
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