Bars that Serve Food

I'm probably heading to the Brew & View for Terror in the Aisles on Friday. Do they sell food besides pizza? It starts at 7 so I won't have time to eat before the show. No outside food is allowed.

As for the title of this thread, I thought it would be nice to have a list of bars that serve food other than microwaved hot dogs and snack food, for those who are bar-hopping.

I guess the question is: when does a bar become a restaurant and a restaurant become a bar?

There are plenty of great restaurants that also have a great bar area, but for a place I consider a bar first, that also serves great food, is Small Bar in Lincoln Square.

It isn't the cheapest place (or the most expensive) but they have a huge beer selection, a great wine list (based on my limited knowledge), and a good number of very creative and well-priced cocktails. To go along with the booze, they serve a nice menu of small plates, with some of my favorites being the house-marinated olives, flavored with citrus and capers, the truffle fries, and the lamb pizza.

If you're looking for some decent food near the Vic for after the movie, you could walk to DMK Burger Bar...you'd probably miss the dinner rush and not have to wait as long at that point in the evening. They have a nice beer list there.

The DMK burger bar is more of a restaurant than a bar, but it fits the list and is the best food that i've been able to find (although i'm in that wrigleyville area very rarely)

Others just in the area that serve serviceable to above average bar food would include, imo:

The Dark Horse (more bar than restaurant for sure)
3443 North Sheffield Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657-1613
(773) 248-4400

Johnny O'hagan's (more bar than restaurant as well)
3374 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60657-4565
(773) 248-3600
Shepard's pie is pretty good. The Guinness there is also some of the best to be had around Chicago.

Neither of those places will knock your socks off but they do serve food substantially better than the aforementioned microwaved hot dogs and snack food.

Khaopaat wrote:If you're looking for some decent food near the Vic for after the movie, you could walk to DMK Burger Bar...you'd probably miss the dinner rush and not have to wait as long at that point in the evening. They have a nice beer list there.

I'd love to go here, but it closes at 11:30 and I won't get out til at least 2am.

djenks wrote:Shepard's pie is pretty good. The Guinness there is also some of the best to be had around Chicago.

I know nothing about beer. What makes their Guinness better than others?

Pie Lady wrote:I'd love to go here, but it closes at 11:30 and I won't get out til at least 2am.

I'm not sure that many bars would still be serving food after 2 a.m.

Would an all-nite-diner work? (Diner Grill?) How about something ethnic? (San Soo Gap San is open late, as are some places on Devon, i think.)

Are you geographically restricted to the greater central lakeview area? There's a funky 24 hour place called the Pick-me-up cafe in the triangle bounded by Roscoe, Sheffield and Clark - it's serviceable, as i recall, and does serve beers (tho perhaps not that late). The Melrose at Broadway and Melrose would also be open.

In any event, as the nite winds on, the options tend to become more limited - you may need to be creative.

Best,
-jim

*I note that this response is slightly off-topic, as it answers the question "where can i eat by the vic after 2 am?" and not the original question "which bars have good food?" But do with it what you will.

Finding any open kitchen to put out something decent in Lakeview/Wrigleyville at 2am on a Friday is going to be a tall order. Sheffield's is just a few blocks straight north of the Vic and their kitchen is open 'til 1am, which is the best I can think of. Otherwise, the IHOP where Halsted meets Broadway is walkable...

For a 2am meal after a night of cheap pitchers & horror movies, I would second the Melrose Diner idea.

Clarke's is right there...you could do worse. I believe they have a bar attached.

Clarke's Diner
930 W Belmont Ave
Chicago, IL 60657

el refrito bandito wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:I'd love to go here, but it closes at 11:30 and I won't get out til at least 2am.

I'm not sure that many bars would still be serving food after 2 a.m.

Would an all-nite-diner work? (Diner Grill?) How about something ethnic? (San Soo Gap San is open late, as are some places on Devon, i think.)

Are you geographically restricted to the greater central lakeview area? There's a funky 24 hour place called the Pick-me-up cafe in the triangle bounded by Roscoe, Sheffield and Clark - it's serviceable, as i recall, and does serve beers (tho perhaps not that late). The Melrose at Broadway and Melrose would also be open.

In any event, as the nite winds on, the options tend to become more limited - you may need to be creative.

Best,
-jim

*I note that this response is slightly off-topic, as it answers the question "where can i eat by the vic after 2 am?" and not the original question "which bars have good food?" But do with it what you will.

1. Yes, an all-nite-diner would work dandy. Thanks for the tips, that also reminds me of Late Night Thai, which I think is near there somewhere.
2. We are not limited to this area, but walking distance would be nice. However, I'm lukewarm on Pick-Me-Up as they have terrible pie.
3. No worries about being off-topic; this thread serves two purposes. I was wondering if the Brew & View serves food; all I know is they serve pizza and I'll bet it's only the microwave kind. But since I asked about a bar that serves food, I wondered just generally about other bars that serve food, not necessarily for this night or area, 'cuz sometimes you're out with friends that just want booze but you get a hankering for chow too. But I'll definitely keep Diner Grill in mind; I love going to diners in the wee hours!

Pie Lady wrote:

djenks wrote:Shepard's pie is pretty good. The Guinness there is also some of the best to be had around Chicago.

I know nothing about beer. What makes their Guinness better than others?

Guinness needs a proper ratio of CO2 to Nitrogen in its lines when it's being dispensed from the keg. In order to pour a good Guinness it's actually kind of a hassle. The lines need to be thoroughly cleaned much more oftene than a standard beer line and most bar owners could give a shit about making sure that the pressure and ratios of the gas in the system are correct (since 99.9% of beers just require simply CO2). Storing vs serving temps vary and it needs to be a fresh product.

Guinness has actually started to implement trained daft techs in their large American markets to go around and ensure that it's being done correctly....because most of the time it's not. At O'Hagans, they're doing it right. Go in there and get one you'll notice a difference in quality even as a novice beer drinker.

djenks wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:

djenks wrote:Shepard's pie is pretty good. The Guinness there is also some of the best to be had around Chicago.

I know nothing about beer. What makes their Guinness better than others?

Guinness needs a proper ratio of CO2 to Nitrogen in its lines when it's being dispensed from the keg. In order to pour a good Guinness it's actually kind of a hassle. The lines need to be thoroughly cleaned much more oftene than a standard beer line and most bar owners could give a shit about making sure that the pressure and ratios of the gas in the system are correct (since 99.9% of beers just require simply CO2). Storing vs serving temps vary and it needs to be a fresh product.

Guinness has actually started to implement trained daft techs in their large American markets to go around and ensure that it's being done correctly....because most of the time it's not. At O'Hagans, they're doing it right. Go in there and get one you'll notice a difference in quality even as a novice beer drinker.

Nifty, I never knew that. I'll pull this nugget out for St. Patty's day and show off my newfound beer knowledge. However, I never met a beer I truly enjoyed, so I'll have to bring Mr. Pie here instead and just have a sip. Thanks for the tip!