1/9/18 with Stephanie Souvenir and Denisse Ocasio
Before I moved away from Chicago, I had a tradition with friends called Three Bar Thursday. Every other Thursday, we would pick a neighborhood and go to three bars we'd never been to before. It forced us to explore the city and we found some real gems.
In November, I started it up again with a little modification. It's now Two Bar Tuesday and happens the second Tuesday of each month. Three bars is a bit aggressive for someone my age, and Chicago now has happy hour, so Two Bar Tuesday is no longer a late-night activity.
In January, I met up with Steph Souvenir and Deni Ocasio to Logan Square. We started at The Pink Squirrel, a small, new bar on Milwaukee. It was a delight. It has a retro diner vibe with a wide menu of craft cocktails (all $10) and one item on the food menu: turkey club. What I didn't know is that there's a mini bowling alley in the bar, two lanes with a candlepin-like thing going on. They're still working out what/how to charge, but on slow weeknights, you can bowl for free. All of the drinks we tasty and fun, and I would love to go back!
 |
| The Pink Squirrel |
1/9/18 with Stephanie Souvenir
Bar two from Tue Bar Tuesday in January (Described above) was Deadbolt, The Pink Squirrel's neighbor. I imagined it as a hipster joint but was actually more genuinely cool than I thought it would be though it's definitely more of a late-night joint that showcases DJs, so on a Tuesday at 7pm, when they open, we were the only ones there besides the bartenders... for 2 hours. Still a cool spot.
3 - Kubo
1/13/18
I took myself on a date to Sketchfest at Stage773. (Shows are hit or miss, but the tickets are so cheap, it's worth trying a few. I loved The Comedy Dance Collective and may try to see them again sometime.) After, I took myself for a drink. I was going to stop across the street at a favorite spot of one of my friend's, Cooper's... but it was gone! Tragic, yes. I decided to check out the new place that took it's spot, Kubo. I sat at the bar and had a glass of wine. The selection is way better than Cooper's. One of the staff (maybe one of the owner's) suggested I come back for dinner sometime, so I took a look at the menu. It's a Filipino place (also with American-style options), and I'm really curious to go back! 3/3 in new bars in the new year!
4 - Lagunitas
1/16/18
I used to volunteer regularly with 826 Chicago. Now, I just can't seem the time to make it work. It could be due to the location. It's not easy to travel south-west/north-east in Chicago, but it probably has more to do with me working 4 jobs. Either way, I got an invitation for a fundraiser at Lagunitas Chicago, and I could make it. I've never been to Lagunitas, and it's definitely a fully functioning, gigantic brewery, but the event was held in a bar area, so I'm counting it.
In general, Lagunitas Chicago is an amazing space. I describe it in detail in another post, so I won't here. It was a nice event: $10 suggested donations for tickets, $6 beers, and free food from a variety of Chicago vendors. I even had my first vegan Gyro. It was just okay. I hope to make a trip back to explore the rest of Lagunitas as it's a huge space with a lot going on.
5 - Local Option
1/25/18 with Nicole Garton and John Washo
After over a year of walking by Local Option, which is just down the street from where I work, I stopped there for happy hour with coworkers. There is a decent selection of decent beer, but I haven't been much into beer since leaving San Diego. I asked for whiskey and they had Maker's Mark and Jameson. Definitely a beer bar. But I made do just fine. It's tough to describe the ambiance but my best effort is a combination of beer elitist, demonic, and divey.
6 - The Kennison
2/13/18 with Nicole Garton and Stephanie Souvenir
A 2 Bar Tuesday stop! It had a decent happy hour: $5 bubbles and draughts. The food menu looked pricier than I was interested in at the moment, but I really liked the vibe. I would definitely go back and sit at the bar.
7 - Sedgewick Stop
2/13/18 with Nicole Garton
The second 2 Bar Tuesday stop after the above. Nicole and I both liked this spot. The only reason we didn't stay longer is that it was Fat Tuesday and they were having a... thing. I mean, I'd love to see a burlesque show at a rugby bar on a Tuesday night, but the $20 cover was a little more than we were looking to spend. I do hope to go back!
8 - The Heavy Feather
2/15/18 with Laura Masters and Beth Jager
What's a night with Laura Masters without trying one more place? Masters, Beth, and Alan came and played on the bar team for trivia as I hosted at Paulie Gee's, so of course we had to go get a drink after. We were heading down Milwaukee when Laura suggested The Slippery Slope. It wasn't quite the right timing for Slippery Slope, so we headed upstairs to The Heavy Feather.
What a cool little spot. Super seventies lounge vibe with great craft cocktails. I would love to sit at the bar there one night, have the bartenders do their magic, and chit chat the night away.
9 - Monty Gael's
3/13/18 with Leanne Surmin and Drea Soit
This was an accident. It was 2 Bar Tuesday and I was all psyched to try 2 new places, so Leanne and I walked there from work, and right as we were about to go in the door, I remembered I'd been to that bar before. I looked around and realized we were actually in my old neighborhood and when I'd picked the places I thought it was further west on Montrose. Oops.
So, we went across the street to Monty Gael's. There had been another bar in that spot when I'd lived in that area, but it'd gotten replaced with Monty Gael's. They had a delightful happy hour that gave us plenty of time to Yelp a second bar because, again, I used to live in that neighborhood, and at that time had been newly single and tried every bar in the North Center area.
10 - Kitsune Restaurant and Pub
3/13/18 with Leanne Surmin and Drea Stoit
Well, as described above, I kinda picked 2 bars for 2 Bar Tuesday that I'd already been to, so Kitsune was a bit of an improvisation and not quite a bar but more of a very tiny restaurant, even though the title does say "pub." The food looked great, but we just had fun cocktails. I would love to go back and eat sometime.
11 - Fox Bar
4/2/18 with Laura Masters and Alan Lee
I checked out Fox Bar for a 2 Bar Tuesday but decided to save it for a later date. But then, Michigan played in the MEN'S BASKETBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, which was completely unexpected. So I went to watch with Laura, Alan, and friends. While the game didn't give us much to celebrate, we still decided to have one more drink, as is standard of a night out with Laura. (At this point, it seems like I'm teasing, but I LOVE my random nights out with Laura where we explore new places!)
Laura said Fox Bar was right across the street and then wasn't sure if we could get in because she wasn't sure if it was a part of Soho Club. I had no idea what Soho Club was and what I was missing out on, but good news, you do not need to be a member of Soho Club to get into Fox Bar. It is this really tiny room on the second floor of the lobby area. Swinging doors. Great music. A pay phone. Awesome cocktails. Even on a Monday night, it had a nice vibe. I'd love to go back... but I imagine it gets packed at any reasonable time to go.
12 - Wooden Nickel
4/10/18 with Missy Liebs, Stephanie Souvenir, and Holly Munk
Another successful Two Bar Tuesday! Lots of gratitude to Nicole who found these places... and then couldn't come along after all.
The Wooden Nickel has a decent location and a happy hour (half-off drafts), but wasn't ideal for those of us who aren't big beer drinkers and weren't hungry. I'm not sure if I'll go back but I wouldn't be made if someone else suggested it.
13 - Kite String
4/10/18 with Missy Liebs and Holly Munk
We'll call this a baker's dozen... and likely many more to come as it's only April.
This is the Two Bar Tuesday champion so far. What a great find. Thanks, Nicole! It's a new place, very small, only 4-5 high-top tables plus the bar. Cute neon kite above the bar. And what. A. De-LIGHT!
For drinks, they have a full bar, plus "bubblers." You know, those things that used to be full of lemonade at the roller skating rink and are still at a lot of pool concession stands? When we were there, there were four different pre-mixed cocktails bubbling around in there. I know what you're thinking, "Pre-mixed? Gross." But you're oh so wrong. They were delightful. I started with the bourbon horchata, but I believe by the end we'd tried them all--passion fruit punch, hibiscus negroni, limonada maragrita--and invited The Melissa. They were all tasty and quite quite strong.
They also have great little Mexican-style snacks: chips and dip, taquitos, and and alfajores. I know again, you're like, "Okay." The chips include both homemade corn chips AND beet chips, which were SO good. The dips, all flavorful and I can't remember which was my favorite. For taquitos, think the rolly machine at 7 Eleven, but then flavors like pork & pineapple and seasonal vegetable. The alfajores were from Lucilla's Home Made Alfajores down the street.
Why do I know what everything tastes like, because in the middle of the menu on the wall it says "ENTIRE MENU $20." So we were like, um... yes please. And tried it all.
Also fun, it's apparently already a Tinder meetup spot, so if you're lucky like us, you might be quite tipsy on your bubbler drinks, look over to see a couple making out at the bar, in the middle of this very tiny bar, and ask your friends, "Wait? What day and time is it?" And they'll reply, "Tuesday, 8 o'clock." And you'll lose yourself in the wonder of this life.
________________________________________________
And it continues... but with briefer reviews
13 - Burwood Tap
4/27/18 with Nicole Garton
After the regular happy hour spot, we stopped at Burwood Tap. I liked it. I would like to go back place.
14 - Renaldi's After Dark
4/27/18 with Nicole Garton and Stephanie Punda
Meh.
15 - Theater on the Lake
6/5/18 with Laura Masters, Missy Liebs, and Holly Zann
Gorgeous view. Mediocre food, drinks, and service.
16 - Drawl
6/5/18 with Laura Masters and Missy Liebs
One of my new favorite sports in town. Whiskey bar with great bartenders and decent food.
17 - Waydown
6/19/18 with Nicole Garton, John Washo, and Stephanie Punda
I dig this rooftop bar in Fulton Market. Cool space, great drinks, fine views.
18 - Vice Brewery
6/23/18 with Laura Masters, Alan Lee, Eileen, Nicole Garton, and Jerry Munk
19 - The Green Lady
6/28/18 hosting trivia for Dan Burns
Cool spot for people who like beer and great spot for trivia on Thursdays
20 - Replay (Andersonville)
7/8/18 with Ryan Groth
When a friend is only around for one day, and it's a Sunday, Chicagoans gotta show off their neighborhood with a Sunday Funday! We hit a few spots, but I'd never been to Replay in Andersonville. Huge open windows on a nice day plus free game play!
21 - The Monkey's Paw
8/7/18 with Drea Stoit and Stephanie Souvenir
Cool little spot. I hope to go back.
22 - The Boxcar
9/3/18
My new fav local spot. So great.
23 - Fort Willow
10/23/18 with Stephanie Souvenir, Danielle Arens, and Delaney Cherveney
2BT! Really cool space in a really strange part of town. Great happy hour if you can get there in time: you buy your first cocktail and the house buys the second. Super interesting cocktails.
24 - J9 Wine Bar
10/23/18 with Stephanie Souvenir and Laney Cherveney
We were planning on another spot for our second stop of the night and then ended up here. Great little spot. There was a free wine tasting of awesome Lebanese wines. We had a great cheese plate and a glass each and rounded out a nice little night!
25 - Navigator Taproom
10/27/18 with Chris Zann, Holly Zann, Ashley Russell, JP Palmares, Drea Stoit, Dan Burns, Jerry Munk
What a great time with so many of my favorite people celebrating someone's 40th!
26 - Innjoy
10/27/18
Best night ever? Maybe!
27 - Sparrow
11/20/18 - with Laura Masters, Missy Liebs, Megan Morrison, Beth Jager, and Stephanie Souvenir
Another 2BT! This time as a pre-party for my birthday. Sparrow was a great spot. Cuban bar with a great vibe and awesome happy hour specials.
28 - The Albert
11/20/18 with all of the above
Stop 2 for the night: the hotel bar in the new hotel EMC2. I dug the vibe. The server was also really great with us, even calling over the bartender to make sure he was putting int he right drinks for us. My only complaint is that I wish there were books everywhere, but it's just that one wall.
29 - Bellwether Meeting House and Eatery
11/20/18 with all of the above
Stop 3 (it was my birthday): super weird spot. Kind of a clubby vibe but then also not? Weird people. Weird music. Decent food and drinks.
3 - Kubo
1/13/18
I took myself on a date to Sketchfest at Stage773. (Shows are hit or miss, but the tickets are so cheap, it's worth trying a few. I loved The Comedy Dance Collective and may try to see them again sometime.) After, I took myself for a drink. I was going to stop across the street at a favorite spot of one of my friend's, Cooper's... but it was gone! Tragic, yes. I decided to check out the new place that took it's spot, Kubo. I sat at the bar and had a glass of wine. The selection is way better than Cooper's. One of the staff (maybe one of the owner's) suggested I come back for dinner sometime, so I took a look at the menu. It's a Filipino place (also with American-style options), and I'm really curious to go back! 3/3 in new bars in the new year!
4 - Lagunitas
1/16/18
I used to volunteer regularly with 826 Chicago. Now, I just can't seem the time to make it work. It could be due to the location. It's not easy to travel south-west/north-east in Chicago, but it probably has more to do with me working 4 jobs. Either way, I got an invitation for a fundraiser at Lagunitas Chicago, and I could make it. I've never been to Lagunitas, and it's definitely a fully functioning, gigantic brewery, but the event was held in a bar area, so I'm counting it.
In general, Lagunitas Chicago is an amazing space. I describe it in detail in another post, so I won't here. It was a nice event: $10 suggested donations for tickets, $6 beers, and free food from a variety of Chicago vendors. I even had my first vegan Gyro. It was just okay. I hope to make a trip back to explore the rest of Lagunitas as it's a huge space with a lot going on.
5 - Local Option
1/25/18 with Nicole Garton and John Washo
After over a year of walking by Local Option, which is just down the street from where I work, I stopped there for happy hour with coworkers. There is a decent selection of decent beer, but I haven't been much into beer since leaving San Diego. I asked for whiskey and they had Maker's Mark and Jameson. Definitely a beer bar. But I made do just fine. It's tough to describe the ambiance but my best effort is a combination of beer elitist, demonic, and divey.
 |
| Sedgewick Stop hurricane |
2/13/18 with Nicole Garton and Stephanie Souvenir
A 2 Bar Tuesday stop! It had a decent happy hour: $5 bubbles and draughts. The food menu looked pricier than I was interested in at the moment, but I really liked the vibe. I would definitely go back and sit at the bar.
7 - Sedgewick Stop
2/13/18 with Nicole Garton
The second 2 Bar Tuesday stop after the above. Nicole and I both liked this spot. The only reason we didn't stay longer is that it was Fat Tuesday and they were having a... thing. I mean, I'd love to see a burlesque show at a rugby bar on a Tuesday night, but the $20 cover was a little more than we were looking to spend. I do hope to go back!
8 - The Heavy Feather
2/15/18 with Laura Masters and Beth Jager
What's a night with Laura Masters without trying one more place? Masters, Beth, and Alan came and played on the bar team for trivia as I hosted at Paulie Gee's, so of course we had to go get a drink after. We were heading down Milwaukee when Laura suggested The Slippery Slope. It wasn't quite the right timing for Slippery Slope, so we headed upstairs to The Heavy Feather.
What a cool little spot. Super seventies lounge vibe with great craft cocktails. I would love to sit at the bar there one night, have the bartenders do their magic, and chit chat the night away.
9 - Monty Gael's
3/13/18 with Leanne Surmin and Drea Soit
This was an accident. It was 2 Bar Tuesday and I was all psyched to try 2 new places, so Leanne and I walked there from work, and right as we were about to go in the door, I remembered I'd been to that bar before. I looked around and realized we were actually in my old neighborhood and when I'd picked the places I thought it was further west on Montrose. Oops.
So, we went across the street to Monty Gael's. There had been another bar in that spot when I'd lived in that area, but it'd gotten replaced with Monty Gael's. They had a delightful happy hour that gave us plenty of time to Yelp a second bar because, again, I used to live in that neighborhood, and at that time had been newly single and tried every bar in the North Center area.
10 - Kitsune Restaurant and Pub
3/13/18 with Leanne Surmin and Drea Stoit
 |
| Not Fox Bar but the lobby of Soho Club |
11 - Fox Bar
4/2/18 with Laura Masters and Alan Lee
I checked out Fox Bar for a 2 Bar Tuesday but decided to save it for a later date. But then, Michigan played in the MEN'S BASKETBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, which was completely unexpected. So I went to watch with Laura, Alan, and friends. While the game didn't give us much to celebrate, we still decided to have one more drink, as is standard of a night out with Laura. (At this point, it seems like I'm teasing, but I LOVE my random nights out with Laura where we explore new places!)
Laura said Fox Bar was right across the street and then wasn't sure if we could get in because she wasn't sure if it was a part of Soho Club. I had no idea what Soho Club was and what I was missing out on, but good news, you do not need to be a member of Soho Club to get into Fox Bar. It is this really tiny room on the second floor of the lobby area. Swinging doors. Great music. A pay phone. Awesome cocktails. Even on a Monday night, it had a nice vibe. I'd love to go back... but I imagine it gets packed at any reasonable time to go.
12 - Wooden Nickel
4/10/18 with Missy Liebs, Stephanie Souvenir, and Holly Munk
Another successful Two Bar Tuesday! Lots of gratitude to Nicole who found these places... and then couldn't come along after all.
The Wooden Nickel has a decent location and a happy hour (half-off drafts), but wasn't ideal for those of us who aren't big beer drinkers and weren't hungry. I'm not sure if I'll go back but I wouldn't be made if someone else suggested it.
 |
| Melissa, me, and Holly about to fully dive into our new favorite bar. |
13 - Kite String4/10/18 with Missy Liebs and Holly Munk
We'll call this a baker's dozen... and likely many more to come as it's only April.
This is the Two Bar Tuesday champion so far. What a great find. Thanks, Nicole! It's a new place, very small, only 4-5 high-top tables plus the bar. Cute neon kite above the bar. And what. A. De-LIGHT!
For drinks, they have a full bar, plus "bubblers." You know, those things that used to be full of lemonade at the roller skating rink and are still at a lot of pool concession stands? When we were there, there were four different pre-mixed cocktails bubbling around in there. I know what you're thinking, "Pre-mixed? Gross." But you're oh so wrong. They were delightful. I started with the bourbon horchata, but I believe by the end we'd tried them all--passion fruit punch, hibiscus negroni, limonada maragrita--and invited The Melissa. They were all tasty and quite quite strong.
They also have great little Mexican-style snacks: chips and dip, taquitos, and and alfajores. I know again, you're like, "Okay." The chips include both homemade corn chips AND beet chips, which were SO good. The dips, all flavorful and I can't remember which was my favorite. For taquitos, think the rolly machine at 7 Eleven, but then flavors like pork & pineapple and seasonal vegetable. The alfajores were from Lucilla's Home Made Alfajores down the street.
Why do I know what everything tastes like, because in the middle of the menu on the wall it says "ENTIRE MENU $20." So we were like, um... yes please. And tried it all.
Also fun, it's apparently already a Tinder meetup spot, so if you're lucky like us, you might be quite tipsy on your bubbler drinks, look over to see a couple making out at the bar, in the middle of this very tiny bar, and ask your friends, "Wait? What day and time is it?" And they'll reply, "Tuesday, 8 o'clock." And you'll lose yourself in the wonder of this life.
 |
| THE ENTIRE MENU IS $20 |
And it continues... but with briefer reviews
13 - Burwood Tap
4/27/18 with Nicole Garton
After the regular happy hour spot, we stopped at Burwood Tap. I liked it. I would like to go back place.
14 - Renaldi's After Dark
4/27/18 with Nicole Garton and Stephanie Punda
Meh.
15 - Theater on the Lake
6/5/18 with Laura Masters, Missy Liebs, and Holly Zann
Gorgeous view. Mediocre food, drinks, and service.
16 - Drawl
6/5/18 with Laura Masters and Missy Liebs
One of my new favorite sports in town. Whiskey bar with great bartenders and decent food.
17 - Waydown
6/19/18 with Nicole Garton, John Washo, and Stephanie Punda
I dig this rooftop bar in Fulton Market. Cool space, great drinks, fine views.
18 - Vice Brewery
6/23/18 with Laura Masters, Alan Lee, Eileen, Nicole Garton, and Jerry Munk
19 - The Green Lady
6/28/18 hosting trivia for Dan Burns
Cool spot for people who like beer and great spot for trivia on Thursdays
20 - Replay (Andersonville)
7/8/18 with Ryan Groth
When a friend is only around for one day, and it's a Sunday, Chicagoans gotta show off their neighborhood with a Sunday Funday! We hit a few spots, but I'd never been to Replay in Andersonville. Huge open windows on a nice day plus free game play!
21 - The Monkey's Paw
8/7/18 with Drea Stoit and Stephanie Souvenir
Cool little spot. I hope to go back.
22 - The Boxcar
9/3/18
My new fav local spot. So great.
23 - Fort Willow
10/23/18 with Stephanie Souvenir, Danielle Arens, and Delaney Cherveney
2BT! Really cool space in a really strange part of town. Great happy hour if you can get there in time: you buy your first cocktail and the house buys the second. Super interesting cocktails.
24 - J9 Wine Bar
10/23/18 with Stephanie Souvenir and Laney Cherveney
We were planning on another spot for our second stop of the night and then ended up here. Great little spot. There was a free wine tasting of awesome Lebanese wines. We had a great cheese plate and a glass each and rounded out a nice little night!
25 - Navigator Taproom
10/27/18 with Chris Zann, Holly Zann, Ashley Russell, JP Palmares, Drea Stoit, Dan Burns, Jerry Munk
What a great time with so many of my favorite people celebrating someone's 40th!
26 - Innjoy
10/27/18
Best night ever? Maybe!
27 - Sparrow
11/20/18 - with Laura Masters, Missy Liebs, Megan Morrison, Beth Jager, and Stephanie Souvenir
Another 2BT! This time as a pre-party for my birthday. Sparrow was a great spot. Cuban bar with a great vibe and awesome happy hour specials.
28 - The Albert
11/20/18 with all of the above
Stop 2 for the night: the hotel bar in the new hotel EMC2. I dug the vibe. The server was also really great with us, even calling over the bartender to make sure he was putting int he right drinks for us. My only complaint is that I wish there were books everywhere, but it's just that one wall.
29 - Bellwether Meeting House and Eatery
11/20/18 with all of the above
Stop 3 (it was my birthday): super weird spot. Kind of a clubby vibe but then also not? Weird people. Weird music. Decent food and drinks.
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