Town Hall Pub

4.0 star rating
66 reviews Rating Details

Category: Dive Bars  [Edit]

3340 N Halsted St
(between Buckingham Pl & Roscoe St)
Chicago, IL 60657
Neighborhood: Lakeview
(773) 472-4405
Nearest Transit:

Belmont (Brown Line, Purple Line, Red Line)

Addison-Red (Red Line)

Hours:

Mon-Tue, Thu 6 pm - 2 am

Wed, Fri, Sun 2 pm - 2 am

Sat 2 pm - 3 am

Accepts Credit Cards:
No
Price Range:
$
Parking:
Street
Good for Groups:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
No
Music:
Juke Box
Best Nights:
Wed, Thu, Sat
Alcohol:
Full Bar
Smoking:
No
Coat Check:
No
Noise Level:
Very Loud
Has TV:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes

Review Highlights   

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"...waitresses are really nice and they have a sweet jukebox." (in 19 reviews)
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"Easily my favorite bar in Lakeview/Boystown." (in 11 reviews)
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"Beer -- Great Lakes Beers on tap." (in 4 reviews)
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66 reviews in English

  • Review from Amanda B.

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    • 0 friends
    • 5 reviews

    Saint Louis, MO

    5.0 star rating
    10/16/2011

    This place is great.  An awesome dive bar in the middle of boystown. We went in, got "strong islands" and a few minutes into our drinks the bartender gave us some free jello shots as a welcome gift. Shortly after he told us to pick some songs on the juxebox to play, he had put some coins in for us. Juxebox had a nice selection.  We had a great time!

  • Review from Mr S.

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    • 0 friends
    • 2 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    1.0 star rating
    2/8/2012

    Lame atmosphere. Girls looked like they were 13. This is no dive bar. Dives are cheaper and have some kind of an edge.

  • Review from Chris B.

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    • 21 friends
    • 12 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    4.0 star rating
    2/3/2012

    I have made out with a lot of girls in that photo booth, and for that, I thank you, Town Hall Pub.

  • Review from R B.

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    • 0 friends
    • 14 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    4.0 star rating
    11/27/2011

    This is one of my favorite bars in the neighborhood. Where to begin....

    Beer --  Great Lakes Beers on tap. $4 pints $12 pitchers. Hell ya. There are other beers, but I don't really care about them....

    Booze - Ginger infused Bourbon....I don't have to stop here, there are more infusions and great drinks...but I'm stopping at the ginger infused bourbon. Hell ya.

    Entertainment -
           1) So many comedy shows, open mics at this bar. Never a disappointment (unless you don't want to deal with a show).  I def recommend the FREE Sunday night show. Always a good time.
          2) a jukebox with some great stuff on it. It does need to be updated, but I always find $5 worth of songs, never a problem. And if the jukebox isn't on, depending on the bartender, there ist a good mix playing on an mp3 player.  
         3) Is there a game on and no show scheduled that night? Then watch it here.



    If you want a place in boystown to get away from the boystown scene this is your bar. If you don't care about the boystown scene at all and your just looking for a cool divey place with some good beer and cocktails, this is your bar...

    If they would bring back the pizza, they'd get a 5th star...

  • Review from Ben B.

    Chicago, IL

    2.0 star rating
    4/10/2011 2 photos 4 Check-ins Here

    This hipster magnet seems like the place Buffalo Bill from "Silence of the Lambs" would hang out just before lowering a bucket of lotion down a hole to that girl.

    You enter through a long corridor that passes all kinds of refrigerators.  Reason: unknown.  Once inside, you see something that reminds you of a run-down basement from the mid-1980s.  Cheap tables, cheap chairs, a dropped ceiling strewn with Christmas lights.

    When the jukebox is off, the place is eerily silent and off-putting.  When the jukebox is on, you can't hear the person sitting next to you.

    True, there aren't a ton of great drinking options in the neighborhood, but Town Hall Pub fails at the one thing a dive bar should be good at - it should feel comfortable.  Town Hall feels like the background to a crime scene photo.

  • Review from Job E.

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    • 30 friends
    • 126 reviews

    Sunnyside-Tahoe City, CA

    5.0 star rating
    9/21/2010

    There is a dive bar in boystown
    with the decor quite run-down.
    For pockets not deep,
    the drinks are cheap
    which is enough to turn around any frown.

  • Review from Mike K.

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    • 1 friend
    • 8 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    5.0 star rating
    10/19/2010

    Come one, come all!

    My favorite open mic bar in Chicago, hands goddamn down.  However, I am quite biased.  I should clarify that while it is my favorite place, it is time and date specific to an extent.

    Most of the nights I've ever been here, it is a Monday after 10:00 P.M.  After all, that's when they host what may be the best open mic night in the whole city.  Ryan (the nicest, cuddliest guy in the entire world) hosts the open mic nights and man, is he glad to do so.  He is also an incredible harmonica and ukulele player.  Julia mans the bar and is always super attentive to anybody who looks like they need a drink, too.

    Also, how do so many good people play original music all at the same open mic?  I haven't been here for quite some time, but after being introduced to this place and playing for the first time almost 2 years ago, the people here have become good friends of mine, and I'm sure they will be of yours, too.

    Oh yeah, and the beers are cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeap!  

    Never have I ever: left this place sober/disappointed

  • Review from Meg S.

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    • 0 friends
    • 7 reviews

    Glenview, IL

    3.0 star rating
    8/1/2011

    The Wednesday night craig's list ads are hilarious!!!! $5 at the door, but totally worth it. Nice staff too :).

  • Review from Penny S.

    Lakewood, OH

    3.0 star rating
    10/12/2009

    Sometimes when you find yourself on Halsted and you want some adult beverages, your style-of-venue choices can be a little limited. Hello, Town Hall Pub. It's dark, it feels kind of like those German bars your older friends or parents went to, and it's really mellow (probably due in part to the hippie presence behind and in front of the bar).

    Decently-priced beers ($3 PBR pints, $4 fancier pints), $7 specialty house cocktails and wait...what...? Vegan jerky?

  • Review from Ronnie R.

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    • 203 friends
    • 22 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    3.0 star rating
    11/16/2007

    When I walked into this tavernesque looking dive the first time I went, all I could think was that this place would be great for bands to rehearse in. Its down on the mouth appearance however is botoxed back to life by its customers, who have no distinction other than trying to be as distinctly unique as possible.

    The bar was a sticky mess (and we helped im sure) and had there been more us there the bartender (Stu I think?) would have been seriously in the weeds. However the booze here as most have mentioned is v.cheap. There were $1 shots, which while craptastic, might well have been offered at other bars for the special of $4.

    My shot of choice was in my familiar see-through bottle with its black stamp, however was not the product that I know only too well i.e an inferior liquor was in it. I commented on this to my bartender friend, and was well afforded a drink or two on the house, which I thought well-apt and was a good make-up...kinda!

    All in all this spot in Lakeview is one of the few straight(ish) bars on a mostly gay-dominated street, and I have to say I have a lot to thank it for outside its mere existence :)

  • Review from David R.

    Chicago, IL

    4.0 star rating
    Updated - 11/29/2009

    Two more visits in the same week.  Last Sunday the joint was absolutely deserted around 6-7pm.   We had a good time chatting with the cute blonde bartender about travels and vegetarianism.  AND--she let me try the vegan jerky!  It was good enough to order a little container of my own (barbecue, natch).  We were fairly warned, though, that the place would fill up quickly as 9pm approached--the time for their Sunday evening amateur comedy show.  I would estimate that about 30-40 people showed up for that.  We didn't stay very long (they turned off the Bears game when the comedy started); but what we heard was pretty...amateur, as you might expect.

    Then last week, I stopped in with a different friend on the night before Thanksgiving, and the place was lively but not crowded.  There was a DJ playing pretty solid, innocuous music--not pretentious but not pop-crap either.  The crowd was a good mix and everybody seemed to be having a great time.  I kept at it with the Great Lakes pints, but on my second I branched out to try the Christmas Ale.  Poor effort, Great Lakes.  It tasted like they liquified two dozen gingerbread cakes, dumped that into the beer tun along with a case of Coca-Cola syrup, and stirred the whole thing with a twelve-foot Douglas fir.  BLECH.  

    Anyway, bad seasonal beer notwithstanding, what you've got is a great, low-key bar for all occasions.  I'm starting to steer myself, and others, there with some regularity whenever I'm in the neighborhood looking to booze and/or kill time.

    Was this review …?

    1 Previous Review: Show all »

    • 4.0 star rating
      10/12/2009

      Wow, I really like this place!  It's an oasis of low-key enjoyment on this zany, throbbing stretch… Read more »

  • Review from Crystal R.

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    • 108 friends
    • 71 reviews

    Portland, OR

    5.0 star rating
    8/14/2008

    I love the Town Hall Pub.  Even though I never remember leaving the Town Hall Pub, I love it. Even though I almost got into a fight with a tranny outside, I still love it.

    It reminds me of the days of my youth, when I could go to the bar with $15, and then stumble out with some change leftover. Six dollar, three shot margaritas (which can be made with their own flavored tequila), aren't the best idea on a weeknight, but do actually get you pickled when your belly is already full of Chicago Diner goodness.

    They've got a photo booth, and though the jukebox is lacking, I've been in there more than once when it seemed the bartender was playing from her own music library, which was much better. Either way, a nice change from the same dance beat  that  emanates from every other establishment on Halsted.

  • Review from Julia W.

    Saint Louis, MO

    4.0 star rating
    1/30/2008

    I lived around the corner from Town Hall for three years and never ventured in until the smoking ban went into effect.  Of all the places we could've visited in Chicago, this was one of the very first on our list--and I think we were wise in choosing it.  

    Town Hall is one of the most friendly, laid-back bars I've ever been in--there's absolutely no pretension, it's cheap as hell, there's a mighty fine jukebox and the patrons seem to have good taste in music (I say this because we left before I had a chance to hear my jukebox selections, but I didn't mind because everyone else's choices were so good).  Hell, there's even a photo booth, but it was busted on the night we visited.  Laura B. and I sat in the damn thing for like, 20 minutes waiting for our little photos to come out and then were so excited to take more, we gave the thing more money before we got our first pics.  Luckily the bartender was happy to refund our dumb asses when nothing ever came out. ;)

    I'm bummed to have moved now that I could visit the smoke-free, comfy, basement-esque Town Hall Pub.  It could've been my Cheers...

  • Review from Jenna S.

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    • 662 friends
    • 886 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    4.0 star rating
    10/3/2008

    We went to the Town Hall Pub for the Vice Presidential Debate Bingo, which was super fun!  The bar itself is kind of small and looks like it may have once been a place with a kitchen counter and a bar in the back (I'm not sure - the layout is a bit weird).  The bar is kind of dark and pretty small - it feels even smaller when you realize there's tables crammed in near the wall behind the bar.  There's also a small stage in the back for open mic night and such.  

    The bar has a lot of great beer and they had $7 PBR pitchers.  Awesome.  You really can't beat a deal like that in Lakeview on the night of a Cubs game.  They had a full bar stocked with every kind of liquor imaginable AND they had three crazy vodkas: jalepeno vodka, mango vodka and another I can't remember.  They actually have big decanters of the vodka on the bar and it's actually still infusing with the food inside the decanter as I write.  I'd definitely go back because it also seems like the kind of place that isn't really crowded on the weekends, which is definitely nice for the area.

  • Review from gennifer g.

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    • 65 friends
    • 46 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    5.0 star rating
    9/14/2010 6 Check-ins Here

    Easily my favorite bar in Lakeview/Boystown! Divey pub atmosphere with friendly peoples! Open mics and comedy shows to boot!
    LOVE LOVE LOVE!

  • Review from Timothy M.

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    • 84 friends
    • 407 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    3.0 star rating
    11/29/2006

    Let me set one thing straight: this place is really two bars.  One is more populated with hippies and the other is more populated with hipsters.  The wood-walled, 1970s rec-room feel somehow fits with both motifs.

    Most nights, the Dead, the Allmann Brothers, and other psychedelic favorites blare from the jukebox.  The bumper stickers decrying war, extolling flower power, and featuring multi-colored bears cover the walls.  I'm not sure where they come from, but Chicago has hippies and they definitely tend to prefer Town Hall for their bubbly drinks.  (Apparently, it's not good enough that every bar in town now carries Fat Tire and has at least one Pink Floyd album on the jukebox.)

    On certain nights of the month, most notably "Get Outta the Hood" night, other elements are present.  And by "present", I mean they come in droves and spill out all over the street.  Formerly called "Get the Fuck Outta Wicker Park", it is fairly obvious that hipsters will flock here from that trendy little enclave to the west.  In this case, you will be greeted with a giant dance party, usually hosted by Flosstradamus --- the moped riding, mish-mashing duo.  Prepare to be squished like a sardine amongst sweaty tattooed, black-haired hipsters and suburban hip-hoppers.

    In either case, if you're here, order a Long Island for $5.  Then sit down because you'll be wasted.  Bonus stars for cheap, really strong drinks (as low as $1).

  • Review from Jendy B.

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    • 11 friends
    • 81 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    5.0 star rating
    8/1/2006

    I've been stepping into THP on a somewhat regular basis for the last 3 years.  In this time, an ATM and a photo booth have been added to the dank bar.  I give this pub 5 stars because you can always get a drink that's cheap & fast.  The bartenders are great, too.  Sam makes the most incredible bloody marys.  This is a great place for meeting up with friends for a quick drink before going out.  I think it's an even better place for hanging out with friends for the night.  Oh yes, they also have PhotoHunt.
    Update:  After trying THP's 3-shot margaritas on Cinco de Mayo, I'm now hooked.  They're awesome!  And you don't wake up the next morning feeling like crap.  Each margarita is made fresh when ordered without the use of any nasty, pre-made sour mix.

  • Review from Kate M.

    Chicago, IL

    5.0 star rating
    2/11/2010

    As dive bars go this one is exactly what you'd expect.  It doesn't look all that pretty.  Kinda looks like your parents or grandparents basement.  The drinks are cheap, I think they have food of some kind.  The bar stools are actually pretty comfy.  

    They have a show on Wednesday nights called "I Saw You".  A trio of comedians (or actors?) reads ads from the I Saw You, Matches, and X-Matches in the Reader.  It was reallllly funny.  Only $5 for the show and worth every penny.  

    There aren't a lot of dive bars in the area, but Town Hall is probably the best.

  • Review from Luciana B.

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    • 19 friends
    • 71 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    5.0 star rating
    12/19/2007

    I've been here a handful of times and I must say I like it a lot. I always feel at home. Everyone (people who work there, people who don't) is always really friendly. The bartender is a complete sweetheart. It took her awhile to get to my friend and I one of the times we went...and she said the drinks were on her! It was great.

    And probably the only bar I know of that serves hummus. Oh Lakeview dive bars! How can you not love them?

    One of the only things I was disappointed with was the fact that they don't accept cards here. I pulled mine out to pay and the bartender pointed me in the direction of the ATM by the front door. Its a little annoying...but only a little. So just beware - bring cash.

  • Review from Mandi G.

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    • 180 friends
    • 113 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    5.0 star rating
    5/9/2010

    Off the gay radar.
    Dirty Water first Fridays.
    "Pour it again, Sam."

  • Review from Wayne C.

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    • 58 friends
    • 226 reviews

    IL

    4.0 star rating
    2/27/2007

    When I was little and didn't have a full grip on the realities of the world and imagined a "bar scene," it was, in fact, Town Hall Pub.

    Dark wood decor, feels like my uncle's basement, not too clean, drunks being denied drinks, cozy atmosphere, etc.  

    I went on a weekday night to see a friend play and it was overall a pleasant experience.  Besides the obnoxious girl a few seats down from me who wouldn't STFU, I enjoyed it.  And the blonde bartender with all the tattoos makes an EXCELLENT bloody mary...and I don't like bloody marys.

    Next time I'm in Boystown clubbing it with my boys who like boys, I might sneak across the street to hang out with some boys who like girls.

    Fun.  Will be back.

  • Review from Ross B.

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    • 42 friends
    • 44 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    5.0 star rating
    4/30/2007

    There are no gays here.  THANK GOD!

    PS I love this place and you will leave smelling like Charles Bukowski's laundry basket.

  • Review from Jill M.

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    • 64 friends
    • 28 reviews

    San Diego, CA

    5.0 star rating
    5/1/2011

    Dive bar, cheap drinks, best bartender ever.  Had a wonderful time when I visited.  Do it.

  • Review from Jess S.

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    • 129 friends
    • 566 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    4.0 star rating
    11/29/2006

    I think I would like this place when its not full of hipster douchebags trying to be ghetto fabulous.

    Its actually the hipsters that brought me here in the first place -  "Get Outta the Hood" was super-awesome-fun-wasted time before it exploded this summer (or was it the spring?). That's when I stopped bothering.

    I gave it four stars because I know if I lived nearby I would be here a lot. I'm not going to judge it based solely on the hipster disco nights.

  • Review from Sarah C.

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    • 10 friends
    • 50 reviews

    New York, NY

    5.0 star rating
    12/14/2007

    One of my friends introduced me to this place and it has become one of my favorite hang out bars.  My friend was friends with one of the bartenders, Julia, who is so awesome too.  I feel like I'm hanging out at someone's house more than at a bar, which makes me happy.  First of all, the interior is amazing.  It is old fashion and friendly.  Yes, it is also a little dirty and dark, but so are most dive bars.  And they have a photo booth in the back.  A place is always fun with a photo booth.

    There are also a lot of bans and other acts that come through here too on the weekends.  I personally like it more when you can just hang out and talk, but sometimes there are some sweet bands, so that is nice.  And to top things off, everything is so cheap.

  • Review from Laura B.

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    • 5 friends
    • 6 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    4.0 star rating
    5/3/2011

    This place is pretty great, especially considering its location. Not that it doesn't belong there (okay, it sort of doesn't...), but everything around it is either much snazzier, more expensive, or totally segregated (totally bro-ed out vs not as welcome to the straight ladies...even if we live down the street!). I love my neighborhood and the local joints that come with it, but sometimes I want a cheap pint of beer to sip next to some faux wood paneling.

    Pints are $4, good jukebox, friendly regulars, and open mic nights. Oh, and did I mention pints are $4?

    What have you got to lose? Head on over and give it a try.

  • Review from Steve G.

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    • 80 friends
    • 53 reviews

    Evanston, IL

    3.0 star rating
    2/10/2008

    An attraction to a dive bar is a healthy one.  It's comforting to see the old timers sitting up at the bar, thick with drink, thick with sorrow.  It is good to expose yourself to the underbelly of society, to commune with that underbelly, to suffer with that underbelly.

    That's what drew me to Town Hall initially... that and its convenient location, nearby The Playground Theater, where I perform occasionally.  But the underbelly of the Town Hall Pub is growing extinct, and it's now often filled up with happy people.

    There's nothing wrong with a happy bar.  Town Hall has an incredible juke box, great drink specials, a friendly staff, and is rarely overcrowded.

    Going to Town Hall is like hanging on the set of a movie about a dive bar.

  • Review from Stasia H.

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    • 13 friends
    • 22 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    5.0 star rating
    1/1/2008

    There is a stand-up comedy show here the fourth friday of the month so I went to see my cousin perform. The bar has a very friendly atmosphere and although they were out of a peach cider I wanted to try, the raspberry was good.

    So on to the comedy. Its hosted by a guy named Seth Thomas who was pretty funny. Of course you will have to sit through some not so good comics to get the good ones.

    There was a comedien called Hannibal who had me laughing the enitire time. He was so good I asked a friend about him and they told me he had won Chicago's funniest comic. I was laughing even when he wasn't saying anything he was that good.

    Then there was Cameron Esposito, who is my cousin so you might think I am biased, but if she wasnt funny I wouldnt be going to see her.  Hannibal was a tough act to follow but she held her own and proceeded to make me crack up throughout her whole routine. Check her out, she's great.

    It was one hilarious night.

  • Review from Drew S.

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    • 38 friends
    • 201 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    4.0 star rating
    9/12/2008

    How does this dive bar continue to exist in the middle of Boystown?  Why does it vaguely resemble the interior of a Wendy's or Pizza Hut from the 1980's?

    I was here last night for the Green Flash lit-magazine release/Black Umbrella Brigade show and loved it.  Cheap beer was cheap, better beer still pretty cheap.  Golden Tee and a photo booth from the future for those who need additional stimulation.

  • Review from Chris R.

    •  
    • 12 friends
    • 1 review

    Chicago, IL

    5.0 star rating
    2/20/2011

    Best bar in lakeview, dive atmosphere with a diverse crowd and cheap drinks

  • Review from Megan W.

    •  
    • 6 friends
    • 48 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    5.0 star rating
    1/2/2009

    So me and a bunch of buddies were trying to decide what the hell to do for New Years. We didn't want to go to some venue that was going to make us pay a cover--or pay 60 bucks a head for some shitty bar thing. SO last minute we found this place listed on citysearch or something like that. It read: free jello shots, no cover. DONE.

    Let me tell you, we had so much fun! Indeed they had free jello shots, and they weren't stingy with them either! I got loaded and danced my ass off. The icing on the cupcake: they had a dj spinning some amazing funk/soul all night. It was so groovin' even my straight laced republican 65 year old dad would have had a hard time keeping still to that beat!

    Considering that this was probably the best NYE I've ever had, I'll certainly be back on a reg. night for some more debauchery!

  • Review from Callie K.

    Oakland, CA

    5.0 star rating
    6/15/2008

    As mentioned in my Chicago Diner review, this is thee dive to hit up following a tasty veggie meal across the way at Chi Diner. No, it's not cause some of my best friends bartend here, although yes, that helps, but for first timers, it's the ambiance, the people, the JUKEBOX, the PHOTO BOOTH, and the cheap drinks and eats(veggie dogs, veggie jerky, homemade salsa, etc.) to boot.

    One of the only (if the only) straight bars on Halsted in the middle of boys town (though gays are loved & welcome here!)- Town Hall features good and super cheap live shows weekly as well as some of the best local dj nights. It's usually not crowded and has clean and pleasant smelling bathrooms as an added bonus. Not too hip or pretentious for its own good, this is just a comfy, no frills good ol' drinking time with cute and sweet ladies who have no problems pouring you a stiff drink for your dollar.
    Did I happen to mention my friends work here? Go now!

  • Review from heather l.

    Chicago, IL

    5.0 star rating
    1/4/2009

    Love love love love love this place.

    I was a little disappointed when a friend and I walked in only to find the place completely empty. I'm actually glad it was though after the awesome experience I had.

    The bartender was so great. He was the first bartender I ever actually wanted to stick around to join in the conversation. We stayed much longer than expected because of the cheap drinks and this gem of a bartender.

    I just wish I could remember his name.....young, heavy set guy with dark hair. Been working there since he was 21.

    I'LL BE BACK

  • Review from Zac B.

    •  
    • 77 friends
    • 142 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    5.0 star rating
    7/17/2007 1 photo

    There's really nothing better than a dive bar that works.  The problem with a lot of dives is that they don't actually give a shit.  At least at Town Hall, you know they're trying.  The beer list for one is a good indication of greatness.  They have almost all the Rogue beers, and a good selection of drafts.  Of course, never forget, Thursday is $2 Sapporo drafts!

    The juke box is loaded with excellent bar fodder, although there are some questionable albums in there on which a few good songs come with a lot of bad, and so I wonder what happens if someone ever picks the really terrible ones.  I've always wondered this about bars with juke boxes.  Once at another bar I heard someone's song get cut off by the bartender it was so terrible.

    Anyway, Town Hall also has live music occasionally, which makes it feel completely real, considering the stage is basically taking up a quarter of the bar and you pretty much sit and listen to the musicians right in front of you.  The bands aren't always that great, but it's cool to have a place right in the middle of Boystown with free live music.

    You can also take out beer and liquor at this bar, in the front hallway area, so that's always a good thing to keep in mind when you're in a bind for a place to get a six pack on Halsted at 1am.

    All in all, this is a quality, cheap, bring-your-friends-and-just-chill kind of place.  No frills, but no bullshit either.

  • Review from Matt H.

    •  
    • 10 friends
    • 50 reviews

    Glenwood, IL

    4.0 star rating
    11/8/2009

    My only experience in the Town Hall Pub was very positive. Its a really nice looking joint, with a really friendly atmosphere. I enjoy a bar that has a varied clientele. Rather than being a place for all the young hipsters to hang out, or a place for all the old retirees, it has a bit of everybody. Its not an overly large place, but its on the nice side of dive.

    The beer selection is good, and it tickles me that they have my absolute favorite beer, Sapporo, on tap. The prices are quite good for intercity bars, too, with pints of Pabst Blue Ribbon for three dollars if you like drinking rubbing alcohol, or good stuff like Sapporo for four bucks. I was pleased that when I was there, they were out of PBR so Sapporo was only $3 a pint.

    They have open mic on Monday nights, and occasional live bands otherwise. In my interactions with the staff, I was pleased with how pleasant they were, having called since to inquire about getting my band a gig there. In my in-person experience, despite the place being pretty packed, the bartender was lovely and very speedy and on top of things. I look forward to getting back here, but its a bit of a commute for me on the south side. I would recommend that if you are in the Clark & Belmont area, though, that this is the bar to head to.

  • Review from Allie B.

    •  
    • 19 friends
    • 172 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    4.0 star rating
    7/29/2009

    I didn't get the typical bar experience here, because I was there on a Tuesday for a special comedy night they were having. It might have been able to get 5 stars, had I not experienced a super crappy vodka tonic.

    But the place redeemed itself with 2 awesomely tasty and strong Long Islands, a great bartender, comfy seating, and surprisingly good food options. They even had some vegetarian and vegan options, which you wouldn't normally be able to get at a bar.

    Now the comedians were mostly kinda sucky, but I don't let that reflect poorly on Town Hall!

  • Review from Evan D.

    •  
    • 29 friends
    • 20 reviews

    Minneapolis, MN

    4.0 star rating
    12/13/2007

    This is one of my favorite bars in Lakeview. Good jukebox, good beer list (including almost all of Rogue's brews), cheap and strong drinks, and a couple of TVs that are tuned not to sports but to VH1 reality shows, classic Simpsons, or Seinfeld. All of this makes for some great bar conversation and geeking out (I have seen people reciting lines in sync with the TV when The Simpsons is on). The Town Hall Pub is also my standard pregame spot before a night of dancing at Berlin.

    However, two caveats. Given its mid-20s crowd that's equal parts Wicker Park, Uptown/Ravenswood/Andersonville, and Lakeview, the Chicago Hipster Spit Web is in full effect. You're bound to see someone you've made out with. Also, the bar tends to attract its share of terrible bands, and I mean terrible. I'm sure some good ones play here, but I haven't seen 'em.

  • Review from Matt H.

    •  
    • 38 friends
    • 3 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    5.0 star rating
    1/26/2011

    Here's what I love. A cool bar that isn't too crowded but isn't deserted. A great jukebox. An eclectic crowd with a little bit of everyone. Cheap beer. Cool bartenders who take care of  you. If that sounds kickass to you, then you should mosey, (HEY that's not a mosey! That's more of a skedaddle! I said mosey!)  down to the THP. Sam, Chris and the Gang will take care of you. This I promise.

  • Review from Dell C.

    •  
    • 0 friends
    • 18 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    4.0 star rating
    2/11/2011 1 Check-in Here

    Basic frills neighborhood bar. Music & comics some nights; sometimes great talent waiting to make it, sometimes not so much. Always friendly. Great place for the neighborhood.

  • Review from Jason S.

    •  
    • 2 friends
    • 8 reviews

    Chicago, IL

    5.0 star rating
    3/13/2009

    Oh Town Hall Pub. I have been going to this place since the day I turned 21. Anyway I have to say some of my fondest memories in Chicago have been from this bar.

    As people have said, its small but there are plenty of chairs and tables to enjoy a pitcher with your friends.

    Town Hall Pub has a great jukebox as mentioned by other yelpers. It also hosts great great great shows. Dan Deacon, Japanther and Best Fwends just to name a few. Also local DJs flosstradamus used to have a monthly night there.

    Great bartenders too!
    Its a great place. 5 Stars!

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