Planning a "Surprise" Drinking Party

I was planning on throwing Pie Dude a "surprise" birthday party in June, and due to lack of funds, decided I'd contact all his friends and tell them to meet us at a bar rather than renting a party room, holding a shindig at my place, etc.

My not-too-well-planned plan so far is: head to the bar at the Congress Plaza Motel. He used to go drinking there with his coworkers about a decade before, and it's not far from where most of his friends live, near public transportation, etc. But now I hear that Congress' maintenence crew is on a union strike and the place is a rabid shithole. Does anybody know what's going on with this place?

Just in case it is indeed a rabid shithole, where else can I bring a group of guys who are not into "trendy" clubs, deafening music, or sardining themselves into packed places? I'm looking for a clean, decent place to gather and shoot the shit that doesn't charge a room rental fee and whose drinks are not outrageously overpriced (for example, Amaretto on the rocks is $11 at Hilton Towers, and that's too pricey). Like I mentioned, his buddies live mostly in Logan Square, Rogers Park, Lincoln Square, etc., so someplace that is easily accessible to public transportation would be most appreciated.

Thanks!

Pie Lady wrote:But now I hear that Congress' maintenence crew is on a union strike and the place is a rabid shithole. Does anybody know what's going on with this place?

On June 12, 2008 the Congress Hotel strike will "celebrate" its fifth anniversary:

http://www.congresshotelstrike.info/

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/ ... 6&seenIt=1

I like the bar at the Congress, but I believe they just completed a refurbishing which took away a lot of the old "stuck in the 60s" vibe to the room. Still, if nothing else it's a good central place to meet up and then go elsewhere, I suppose. As far as the rest of the hotel is concerned, I've seen a few of the rooms, and while I wouldn't go so far as to calling the place a shithole, it's certainly seen better days.

If you're still interested in staying in the South Loop, I would suggest Kasey's in Printers Row. A large selection of beer and while it can get somewhat crowded, I think it'd still be a good choice.

http://www.kaseystavern.com/