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Be sure to bring cash, pick out some crowd-pleasers on the jukebox and cozy up for a few at the bar. The accents are thick (the bar is also known as Da Levee), the beer flows, the Sox versus Cubs arguments are constant and the bar owners are some of the nicest you’ll find in the city.
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But since 1979 the spot has been packed with Chicago sports memorabilia, plenty of bar games (even a free throw hoop!) and a pack of regulars that you could mistake for SNL Superfans. Dating back to 1928, the spot has evolved over the years from a popular nightclub to a burger joint. That’s when I venture a little west on Fullerton Avenue to The Levee. But there are some nights where instead of sampling new spring libation menus or tulip glasses of beer, my South-Suburban instincts take over and I crave a High Life and a game of pool. Living in Logan Square there’s no shortage of new places to grab a fine cocktail or craft brew. There’s also a pool table, juke box and cheap drinks to enjoy. It’s not all intimidating for the first timer though. A few things you might spot on any given afternoon or evening at this tiny West Town tavern: delightfully tacky and mildly offensive wall decor, a seemingly communal vegetable and cold cut tray and conversations held in a fluid mix of various European languages. Neighborhood bar or your uncle’s man cave? It’s a thin line that The Chipp Inn dances but I love it for what it is. There happens to be a beautiful tin ceiling too, indicating that people have probably been drinking under this roof for a long time.
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Elston Ave.Ī nondescript storefront that claims it's a "restaurant" (I've never seen anyone eating here) hides this low-key bar full of neighborhood folks where you can lounge on couches under IKEA lamplight with a crap beer or shoot some pool. Lizz Kannenbergįrank & Mary’s is located at 2905 N. Pull up a stool at the Formica wood-grain bar and nurse that Zombie Dust like you’ve got nowhere else to be. The first time I walked into Frank & Mary’s, the grandmotherly woman behind the bar gave my friend and me a long, head-to-toe assessment before helpfully offering, “So you’re here for the Zombie Dust?” She’s clearly used to sussing out the hipsters and craft beer heads who venture up Elston for the hard-to-find Three Floyds APA on draft, but it can’t be difficult when the rest of the clientele is composed of single, middle-aged men nursing High Lifes while half-watching the Cubs on the tiny corner-mounted TVs. It’s a delightful way to spend an afternoon downtown. Belly up to the bar, grab a frosty one and strike up a conversation with the friendly regulars about how the weather is. The walls are wood panel, the lighting is bad and the music is wonderful. They’ve got all types of dusty, nefarious looking liquors on their shelves but stick with the cheap standbys. The bartenders are blond, tan and friendly and treat their regulars like family. Depending on when you arrive, it’s a mix of retirees, co-workers unwinding after a day of work and day traders grabbing a round. Nestled in under the brown line tracks, it’s one of the lovely dark spots in the Loop to escape tourists, office workers and judgement.
If you love cheap whiskey, classic rock, country music and geriatrics, the Sky Ride Tap is one of the better places downtown to spend your afternoon. Step out of this dimension and enter a room suspended in time and go check out Richard’s. even when the noontime sun shines brightly outside. In fact, one of my personal requirements for a bar to qualify as an old man bar is that it’s the sort of joint that still feels like it’s 3 a.m. The room is dark and cozy, even when the bar opens its doors at 7 a.m. The smell of cigarettes is baked into the walls of Richard’s, a sure sign that it’s a prime location for gathering folks from an “older generation.” The vibe is super laid back and low-key, a welcome respite from the raucous rumble coming from Emmit’s Irish Pub and all the 20-somethings within looking to get laid.