MrAbeFroman

Ok, so I can tell there are a few of us that enjoy a good drink and a good meal. We have already discussed our favorite restaurants, how about the bars?

My favorites:

O'Callaghans (Hubbard & Dearborne)- Hands down my favorite, friendly service, great music, good drinks.

Mac's - (Division and Wood) the new neighborhood bar - great service, great drinks, food is getting better every time I go.

The Matchbox - (Chicago and Ogden?) great bar if you don't mind being cozy

Myself, I like most true bars, I'm not much for clubs, but if you can belly up to the bar and enjoy a drink chances are I'll like it.

Any places I need to try?

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The question isn't "what are we going to do," the question is "what aren't we going to do?" - Ferris Bueller

anonplz

Gay: Big Chicks; Sidetracks; Bulldog Road (may be gone now)

Non-Gay: Le Coq D'Or (at the Drake); Ten Cat; the bar at Ralph Lauren

Defunct: the old Monk's Pub; Augenblick

Can't remember name: that Wine/Cigar Bar in Lincoln Park by the river.

Rigmutt

Great handle, Abe.

PremEx2000

Any bar that is not too loud (i.e., bars that don't blast your typical, not-anything-special music).

Those quieter bars would include:

The Local Option

The Map Room

Wrightwood Tap


After seeing "The Time of Your Life" at Steppenwolf the other day (about a relatively quiet bar in 1939 San Francisco), I was thinking that it would be a good idea to open up a bar in Chicago called "Quiet Bar." The juke box would have jazz, classical, and new music that was quiet and would feature drapes, etc. to dampen the noise. It could be marketed as a really laid back place to go. I wonder if such a place would fly or flop terribly.

anonplz

The Map Room! that brings back memories - I used to work in a restaurant, in the kitchen, and worked 'til 11:30 or 12:00 a.m. each shift, and afterwards, I'd walk back to my apartment on Western, close to the White Castle, opposite that big laundromat - what a slum that was then - I had a homeless vagrant sleeping on my back porch, prostitutes turning tricks in the alley, pill vials littered the hallway - well, you get the picture - I was dirt poor, so I couldn't afford anything else at the time - but living there, I found the Map Room, and also, that's how I found that Wine Bar on the river... Wonder what the area is like these days...

MrAbeFroman

For some reason I don't make it up to the Map Room much anymore. I'll have to make it a point to change that. I used to go up for Beer School and once in a while on Tuesday night for International Night.

To answer your question, the area is certainly different. There are new condos almost right across the street in the 300k range.

Abe

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The question isn't "what are we going to do," the question is "what aren't we going to do?" - Ferris Bueller

Sweet Willie

Green Mill, located on far north Broadway (north of Lawrence). Has been around forever with it's smokey dark interior and great jazz.

Duke of Perth, located on Clark, just north of Diversy. Great Scottish pub, with very good food and one of the largest selections of single malts in all of Chicagoland.

Weeds, on Weed St. just south of North Ave. Funky, quirky off beat bar.

PremEx2000

I agree with Sweet Willie's Duke of Perth suggestion. It's a solid bar. I'm not much of a fan of the Green Mill. In all fairness, I've only been there twice but it's just so tiny and so crowded. I know that that's part of the charm but it gets a little claustrophibic in there.

As for the Map Room area, Anonplz, it's a lot more gentrified than it was a few years ago. As Mr.AbeFroman points out, there are all sorts of condos going up in that area and it's up and coming (and not cheap).

I also like the Webster Wine Bar (although it can't really be called a bar).

Oh, and there's some place on West Randolph almost right across from 160blue that has a wine bar on the second floor (with great views of the skyline). It's really pretty nice.

I went to Sugar last weekend. It's the hip new "dessert bar." We had to wait in line at the velvet rope to get in (fortunately it wasn't Studio 54 style where you got picked to go in -- just a standard line). But once inside, it was really really crowded. It reminded me of dorm parties at my alma mater. You could barely move. It was a scene, no doubt, but I'm kind of past that "I can barely move but I'm willing to pay $14 for a Cosmo" stage.

gregseattle

ha! Weeds! What a funny place ... always liked it even before Willie mentioned it. (though I admit I seem to be aligned with your thoughts, SW.)

Let's see...

my old Chicago bar memories would take me to --- ... long pause...

Ok I've got to think more on this and do a second post. I just had to reply about weeds. Has it changed since all the No. Ave. retail sprawl that has gone in there???

Sweet Willie

No, God forbid. That would be a sad day in my book.

candycandycane

Favorite Weed's story:
Friend from Minneapolis was in town-- took him to Weed's. Goes up to the bartender (the big, overall-clad, pony-tailed guy whose wooden likeness graces the corner of the bar) and asks for a Johnny Walker Red on the rocks. Bartender, after just looking at him for a few seconds, says, and I quote: "Nobody drinks that s**t here." So, my friend drank Bud for the rest of the night. Gotta love that place!

--edited for typos--

[This message has been edited by candycandycane (edited 10-25-2002).]