T's Tap (98th & Ewing)

Places I've been meaning to visit: Stop 2

Now that GTR #185 has been figured out its time for T's Tap to get its own thread. Located at 98th and Ewing along route 41 on the Lake Michigan Circle Tour sits one of the few bars remaining in Chicago that sits stuck in time. T's is a spot that has been on my radar for a few years now. There isnt but one mention of T's on LTH except a little clue into it here by ReneG. I've passed it countless times over the years and was always intrigued by the "homemade sandwiches" text on the sign. Since T is also one of my many nicknames, I always said I'd stop into my place one day. That along with the fact its an old school corner bar, in what I believe to be the only neighborhood in the city to see very little change these past couple decades, made it time to visit.


Right behind Calumet Park

So I finally made it over here this past weekend and I really enjoyed my visit. When you scope out T's from the outside, it doesnt tell you much, just a bar in the bottom floor of another old brick building located at the corner of 98th & Ewing. But upon entry you step into a little bit of a time warp. My friend with me commented on how much he felt like he was in St. Louis as we sat down at the bar to get some drinks. It was a Saturday afternoon and the bar had a bunch of regulars sitting at it from ages 25-65 and there was also a bachelorette party with quite a few girls getting rowdy around 4p to Kid Rock's "all summer long". To give it some more of that old school tavern feel they also serve free popcorn in an old popcorn making machine and they have all your lotto needs covered from scratch cards to the big game, you can play it all inside here while you have a drink or five.


a little peak into the tap

I very much enjoyed my visit to T's. Even though we weren't recognized by anyone in there the bachlorette party and bartenders were really friendly and couldn't believe I came there from Lincoln Park. At some point in time, T's was ranked one of the Top 15 bars in Chicago by the Chicago Tribune. After one visit I am ready to agree with this call.


Front of the menu

Aside from cheap drink you will also find a menu filled with food of the greasy variety. They have a deep fryer and a grill in the front and the menu consists of the typical things you would throw in a fryer along with fresh grilled burgers, pork chop sammy's, Italian beef etc...

We decided to try both a burger and a Patty melt (1st thing listed on the menu) along with an order of chicken wings. Not bad at all. The patty melt, although we got it with American cheese, was awesome. I got a patty melt for the 1st time in a while at Top Notch a few months back and forgot how much I like them. The patty melt at T's was damn good and when you consider the monster 1/2 pound melt is only $4.25, its a bargain. The burger was also good and both sandwiches were made by the potent yet excellent batch of grilled onions served on them. We also got an order of wings which were decent. They came fried nicely and they give you a huge bottle of sauce to douse them on your own with. If you go and are tempted by the pizza, dont be, its just tombstone.


This could be one of Chi's better patty melts


could of been a little less done, so next time Ill ask for it medium rare


cheeseburger with their top notch grilled onions


fried chicken wings

I loved my first visit to T's and plan on heading back there this summer as I scoot back and forth between Chicago and Indiana/Michigan. Thanks for another great lead ReneG.

T's Tap
9801 South Ewing Avenue
Chicago, IL 60617-5564
(773) 221-3111

nice report Dabeef, great lookin patty melt

however reports like this are going to expose the s.side & great spots like this to n.siders with their high falutin expectations, etc.

jimswside wrote:however reports like this are going to expose the s.side & great spots like this to n.siders with their high falutin expectations, etc.

Hooray!

Da Beef wrote: I got a patty melt for the 1st time in a while at Top Notch a few months back and forgot how much I like them. The patty melt at T's was damn good and when you consider the monster 1/2 pound melt is only $4.25, its a bargain.

Looks like a nice patty melt. For about a buck more, you can get a half-pounder patty melt at Edzo's that is fantastic, as I said in the Edzo's thread. I guess it's almost as far north (Evanston) as T's Tap is south....

The GP wrote:

jimswside wrote:however reports like this are going to expose the s.side & great spots like this to n.siders with their high falutin expectations, etc.

Hooray!

Perhaps us northsiders/north shore folks shall charter a limousine to drive us down to the southside to check this place out.

Da Beef wrote:At some point in time, T's was ranked one of the Top 15 bars in Chicago by the Chicago Tribune. After one visit I am ready to agree with this call.

That's the Golden Schooner awarded to T's in 1983 by the Tribune's Bill Granger. Other taverns honored were Laschet's, Marge's, Schaller's and Jimmy's.

T's is a real slice of the Southeast Side, surprisingly friendly and down to earth.





My last burger at T's was unfortunately rather dry and uninteresting. I think the patty melt is the way to go. T's is a good bar but I really miss Import Tap, just down Ewing at 105th.