Chicago doesn’t lack for great bars, from world-renowned jazz venues like the Green Mill (4802 N. Broadway, 773-878-5552) to ancient neighborhood watering holes like Hyde Park’s Woodlawn Tap (1172 E. 55th St., 773-643-5516), which has catered to U. of C. students since 1948. Some places, however, hang beneath the radar, an Old Style or Schlitz sign their only calling card. These, too, are neighborhood treasures, serving up booze and bonhomie to a clientele that, from day to day, might only vary by a face or two. Here are ten of Chicago’s finest.
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a1, 2. Listen to the regulars and you’ll learn that once upon a time there were bars all over the north side catering to the southerners who flocked to Uptown and North Center after World War II to work in manufacturing. As the jobs dried up most of the bars closed down. Conventional wisdom has it that only two remain: Carol’s Pub (4659 N. Clark, 773-334-2402), which has gained a campy popularity thanks to gentrification, and June’s Inn (4333 N. Western, 773-463-3122), which has not. June’s is dark and unlovely, but the booze is cheap, the people are friendly, and the jukebox is one of the best in town, with Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard sharing the bill with R.E.M. and U2.
a5. Crammed between the Loop and the burgeoning tourist mecca of River North is Rossi’s (412 N. State, 312-644-5775), an old-fashioned tavern in a sea of Hard Rocks and Rock Bottoms. There you’ll rub elbows with bike messengers, city workers, the occasional suit, and perhaps a Reader employee or two. Ask for a martini and you might get a dirty look, but otherwise the decent beer list and surprisingly modern jukebox make for a good downtown drink.
a10. Finally, there’s the Charleston (2076 N. Hoyne, 773-489-4757). This classic neighborhood tavern is an oasis amid the gazillion-dollar rehabs and new construction of Bucktown. The antique bar back, oaken beer coolers, live music, and general old-timey feel go well with a beer list that includes Newcastle, Harp, and Guinness. Warning: the owner banned smoking last fall in anticipation of the impending citywide ban, so you’ll have to hit the pavement to have a drag.
