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Brian "where is the 'Your-Review-Sucks' button" B.'s Profile

Photo of Brian B.

Photo of Brian B.
Photo of Brian B.
Photo of Brian B.

"I refuse to be a Plus-1"

Elite 2009 Elite 2008 Elite 2007 Elite 2006

profile votes icon Review votes:
226 Useful, 203 Funny, and 157 Cool

Location

Chicago, IL

Yelping Since

March 2006

Find Me In

Logan Square

My Hometown

Oak Spring Ridge Forest Parkdale Heights, IL

My Blog Or Website

http://ArmsDistance.Wo...

When I'm Not Yelping...

I'm HELPING!  Yayyyy

Why You Should Read My Reviews

Because like everything else in the world, it's really just about me

My Second Favorite Website

http://www.urchicago.com/

The Last Great Book I Read

The Amazing Adventures of Cavalier & Clay

My First Concert

Beach Boys & Chicago @ Poplar Creek

My Favorite Movie

Rear Window

My Last Meal On Earth

I don't want to think about it

Most Recent Discovery

Lifetime Movies on DVD

Current Crush

I'll tell you later

Recent Reviews

89 Reviews

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3188 N Elston Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 597-5617

Stadium West - CLOSED 

Categories: Dive Bars, Korean, Vegan
Neighborhood: Avondale

4 star rating
 Update - 6/15/2009  
Why is this marked as closed?  The bars' name has changed,but it is certainly not closed.  

Oona P., who wrote:  "nope.  no longer korean owned.  last time i checked, it is a yuppy "dive" bar".  "this is the end" . . ."

1) Lighten up.
2) Sue, i.e. Sue of "Sue's Dragon Lady Lounge", is Sue the owner, and Sue is Korean, and she is awesome.

...oh, and order the dumplings here.

1 Previous Review: Hide »

  • 4 star rating
    12/14/2007

    Sue IS a total sweetie pie.

    I rolled in having sort of "planned" a party here -- she had no idea it was going on, but immediately went into action.  Christmas lights were up by 9 when people started rolling in.  Their P.A. was in the shop and she LET ME BRING MY STEREO IN!!!!  Unheard of!!!

    A truly gracious host even though she was completely blindsided by the event.  Party went well, drink were drunk -- Sue ordered pizza for the whole bar at 11.  I can't go on enough about how wonderful she treated a bar full of raucous relative strangers.

    People thought this was:

    • Useful (2)
    • Cool (2)
1935 N. Damen
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 904-8812

6 Degrees  

Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Bucktown

4 star rating
 6/10/2009 1 photo   First to Review
The new bar in the commercial blackhole of 1935 N. Damen is called:  6 Degrees.

It might take 6 other people you know to name every bar that USED to exist at 1935 N. Damen.  (It's been Chinaski's, Whiskey Road, and Darwin's before this new... er... evolution).

Each bar before it had some notable gimmick that failed...

+ Darwin's had deep-friend pumpkin slices with wasabi-mustard dipping sauce (It was on the Food Network y'all).  They also had a few Nintendos set up with a BUNCH of games.

+ Whiskey Road had Movie Night with unlimited bacon -- it's possible they have lost all their regulars to cardiac failure.

+ Chinaski's was the first Asian-Polish fusion restaurant* (*not true)

6 Degrees will feature classic pub fare plus "horseshoes": Texas-toast with meat, topped with french fries and cheese sauce. (Sounds like they might have the same problem Whiskey Road did).  

Meanwhile across the street Lemmings is still doing good business.. oh those fickle Yipsters.

People thought this was:

  • Useful (5)
  • Funny (5)
  • Cool (3)
2957 W. Diversey Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 698-7132

Chundy's - CLOSED 

Category: Restaurants
Neighborhoods: Avondale, Logan Square

5 star rating
 4/23/2009  
Sorry Chundy's!  You almost made it as Golden Rise, and you almost made it again, but not quite.  Man.  Diversey & Sacramento is STRUGGLIN'.

FYI -- Golden Rise Bakery still exists in the form of awesome Farmers Market Stand (Check the Square on Sundays in the Summer), but the bakery/restaurant is now officially closed.

Sac & Div now consists of:  Chundy's/Golden Rise (closed), a Supermercado (closed since 2006), a car-parts store (which I've never seen anyone enter), and Marathon Gas (which is CRAZY cheap).

People thought this was:

  • Useful (2)
  • Funny (2)
  • Cool (1)
75 S. La Grange Road
La Grange, IL 60525
(708) 579-3500

Francesca's Bellezza  

Category: Italian

4 star rating
 4/19/2009  
Is this the 100th Francesca in the Chicago Area?  Seriously.

Doesn't matter though -- the food is good.  They've re-vamped the fomer Via Bella space, opened it up, got rid of the drop ceilings to expose a nice arched vault ceiling space.

The food was good... I had lamb.  It was rich, very tender.   My other dining partners had  a sausage dish and a pesto & scallop... wonderful.  Service was efficient.  The only bummer was, for a chain restaurant in the suburbs I was surprised that the cost was higher than I expected.  Entrees ranged from 16 to 25 dollars unless you're going veggie, which should be a sin in a good Italian place.
2323 N. Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, IL 60647

Revolution Brewing Co.  

Category: Breweries
Neighborhood: Logan Square

4 star rating
 2/21/2009 3 photos   First to Review
A VERY very promising Bar/Restaurant is hoping to open the Summer of '09.  

If anyone has the chops to open a local bar/restaurant (Logan Bar: FAIL - http://www.yelp.com/bi...), it's local brewer/mastermind Josh Deth.  Coincidentally, Revolution will be just around the corner from Northsider v2.0.  

Deth, the owner of the beloved bike-friendly Handlebar, also punched the clock at local icon Goose Island Brewery and worked at the LAST Logan Square brewery -- the now-defunct Golden Prairie Brewery on Elston.

The beer roster is listed as:
Revolution Red - a well-balanced amber al,
Revolution Green - the hoppy member of the family
Revolution White - a Belgian-style wit
Revolution Black - deep and rich porter
Revolution Gold - dry, crisp Pilsner

The place will also distribute their beers to other local establishment.  Their website promises a new green roof, "three floors of possibility" and, ya know.... lots of beer.  Check out there blog for updates (http://revbrew.com/blog)

People thought this was:

  • Useful (1)
  • Funny (1)
  • Cool (1)
2657 N Kedzie Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 489-7478

Winds Cafe - CLOSED 

Categories: American (Traditional), Caribbean
Neighborhood: Logan Square

2 star rating
 2/11/2009  
Winds Cafe is temporarily closed for renovations.

Other Yelpers have pointed out that this place is family owned and operated and they'll have their loyal regulars despite anything we might comment on. Good for them for being around this long, I hope they're successful forever. That said...

Aside from structural changes, these renovations also need to apply to the waitstaff and menu as well. Service here is disappointing, the food is just okay (overpriced for what you're getting), and the beer is expensive (relatively speaking).

It IS cool that they have live music here often, but for me to consider this a go-to place, some of the above negatives will have to change.

After being here a few times, at different days at different times I've decided that what you're getting here is not worth what you're paying. Either quality goes up or the prices go down, otherwise count me out.

People thought this was:

  • Useful (1)
  • Cool (1)
2230 N California Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 252-1110

Logan Bar and Grill  

Categories: Bars, Burgers
Neighborhood: Logan Square

1 star rating
 1/23/2009  
This place really, really sucks.  Beacuse it's close to me, I've been here multiple times.  I keep wanting to give it a chance, but it just is no good.

1) It's the mirror-image of the Northsider layout.  EXACTLY. Not that it matters, but WHY would you do that?  Take a mediocre Bucktown bar and plop the same one down in Logan Square?  It's an easy insult to call this place a "cookie cutter" bar, but for God sakes it LITERALLY is.

2) Like the Northsider, it has a suspiciously yuppish clientelle.  I feel the patrons are the condo owners in the area that are uncomfortable at Ronny's.  (Not that I blame them... Ronny's customers want them to feel uncomfortable).

3) It's understandable if bar fare is slightly overpriced (because of convenience) or slightly sub-par (because it's a bar, not a retaurant) but it should never EVER be both to the extremes that this place is.

4) The music is TERRIBLE.  In a twist of irony, Northsider's playlist is suprisingly deece, but not Logan.  It's like someone was taking "what's alternative" cues from Entertainment Weekly.  Not one but TWO other YELP reviewers mentioned they were playing Alien Ant Farm's "Beat It".  Sad.  Not suprised, but sad.

5) Service here is AWFUL.  I've sat down a few times and watched the waitstaff walk back-and-fourth infront of me for 15 minutes.  The first time I got impatient quickly and grabbed a busboy to ask if someone could take our orders.  The second time it happened again and I was curious how long it would take for someone to come over and give us menus.  We waited upwards of 20 minutes, watched the end of the Florida game on TV and then decided to eat and drink elsewhere.

People thought this was:

  • Useful (7)
  • Funny (3)
  • Cool (3)
2532 N California St
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 276-8424

Sai Mai Thai Food - CLOSED 

Category: Thai
Neighborhood: Logan Square

5 star rating
 Update - 1/7/2009  
Wait... how can this restaurant's rating DROP when it's not even open anymore?

People thought this was:

  • Funny (1)

2 Previous Reviews: Hide »

  • 3 star rating
    10/21/2008

    Sadly Sai Mai has left its Cali & Logan location, this saddens me because I ordered their spicy crispy noodles at least once a week.

    Last time I was in the restaurant there was a book to write your address in -- probably so they can send you mailings when they re-open in their new location, BUT SAI MAI NEVER CALLS BACK!  

    What am I Sai!?  Just another conquest to you?!  Just another name in your little black book?!!! We HAD something.

    Come back to me.

    People thought this was:

    • Useful (1)
    • Funny (2)
  • 3 star rating
    2/7/2007

    Not the BEST thai place ever, but solid, and cheap.

    Pad See Ew is fabulous, Crab Rangoon tastes fine but is made oddly -- flat waifer-like wontons.

    People thought this was:

    • Useful (1)
2717 N Elston Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 661-0250

Chipotle Mexican Grill  

Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Bucktown

4 star rating
 1/6/2009   First to Review
FREE BURRITOS ON OPENING DAY!!! THURSDAY 1/8/09...

Forget Starbucks:   Logan Squar-ers, do you complain that your neighborhood is becoming gentrified?  Well quit it, because I KNOW you still get excited when you hear Target, Starbucks, Dunlay's, X-Sport Fitness, Panera, and now (drumroll!) Chipotle are moving in nearby.

Don't pretend you don't like it.  And don't pretend you care that it's owned by McDonalds.

I now leave you with a line by comedian Todd Barry:

"Everytime you mention Chipotle is delicious, someone goes, 'Can you believe they were started by McDonald's?'.   Uh, McDONALDS is delicious, so yes, I can believe that. It's not like Ben and Jerry's opened up a lingerie shop. It's the world's greatest restaurant chain taking a stab at another kind of food and hitting it out of the fucking park.'"

People thought this was:

  • Useful (5)
  • Funny (5)
  • Cool (4)
2011 W Roscoe St
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 248-0999

Orange On Roscoe  

Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American (New)
Neighborhood: Roscoe Village

2 star rating
 1/4/2009  
Perhaps the most over-rated brunch I've ever been to.  Reading up about it I thought it would be more of a contemporary brunch... it felt more like Shoney's.  

The space itself is very unremarkable, carpeted floor,  it has terrible art on the walls, including a few Anne Geddes photos... all decor is forgiven if the food is good, but it was meh.  

The orange coffee is good idea, but it all settled at the bottom so the first two glasses was coffee, and the third glass was super orang-ish.  

The menu looked interesting but I had two issues.  First, they make you feel bad about ordering JUST pancakes, or JUST eggs by calling them "boring" on the menu.  Yes, if you want to order something cheap and simple, you will have to call them boring.  Secondly, they don't allow you to choose your own ingredients for omlets, and they get all hoity-toity about it by telling you to go to Golden Nugget if you're not happy about it.  Actually, it's good advice... I will go the the 'Nug next time probably.

The omlets they offered looked good, but were just so-so.  The eggs could have been better, my dining partner said the veggies tasted canned, and they were very conservative with the cheese.  I thought they were serving "home fries" (herb-y cubed taters) but it was this brick of potatoes that were luke warm with minimal spice.

This is not a bad bruch spot, just very unwhelming.  I'll give it another shot, because I've heard such good things.  Still need to try the Frushi.

People thought this was:

  • Useful (1)
  • Cool (2)

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84 Compliments

  • You're Funny

    haha- that menu could definitely give you cardiac problems. ;)

  • Just a Note

    Wow! Another name for this place? Wonder if it is the same owners?

  • Just a Note

    i was going to be all first person to review this place but then you done… More »

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