Decent corner watering hole. The drinks we tried were good, the food was alright - not spectacular. If it's a busy weekend expect a long wait for the bartender.
Trekforbeer B.
Quintessential Logan hipster bar. Cool design and better music. However, extremely average cocktails. I had a mezcal swizzle that had so much amaro and poorly stirred that was undrinkable. I wouldn't come back.
Francisco O.
Came in last night (Wednesday) and there was a cool jazz trio there. Unique looking cocktail menu so our group started with one. I had the old fashioned, made with Old Grand-Dad no cherry which I do prefer but it was good. One of us got a mezcal cocktail. The other got a cocktail that had vodka, gin, grapefruit and sesame oil which was different but good! Our bartender must of heard us talking about the taste and comped the drink but we actually did like it! Drinks start at $12 which is pretty standard but I'd have been more tempted to order a second one if it wasn't so small. Decided to get a Hamm's from their "cheap beer" section for $3. The food on the menu has Filipino dishes like pan sit. We didn't try it but we definitely plan on coming back to try it since we haven't found much Filipino food. Cool layout, with the crowd and staff being typical for Logan Square. Definitely recommend stopping in.
Fabio B.
I've been looking forward to coming in for some time. Drinks were ehhhh but priced like a fancy cocktail bar. The bartenders came off as very entitled and stuck up, and annoyed to be mixing drinks. You'd be better off checking out Billy Sunday just next door. :(
Anamaria H.
So I wanted to love Young American but it is just not a place for me. Located right on the square, it would be so convenient if I loved it. But it was overpriced, I didn't like any of the cocktails i tried, and the service was horrible. It was a cold January evening when my friends and I went so it wasn't too crowded and we were able to find a table immediately. However, our table was never bussed from the previous occupants. I ended up having to move all the old plates and drinks to the counter. While the employees watched. Not cool. The drinks were all interesting but at $12-$15, they were small and just cloyingly sweet. Even the drinks that didn't seem like they would be sweet. Overall, I was disappointed and I don't plan on coming back.
Kelsea D.
The food is EVERYTHING. I don't really go out in Logan, but will go out of my way for this place. The sampler has everything you could ever want. There's fries. There's chicken tenders. There's egg rolls. Theres popcorn shrimp. There's other stuff I'm forgetting! Also if you like condiments like I do, they give you 5 different sauces. The noodles are amazing as well. Haven't had a bad thing to eat. The drinks are great too, but the food shines. Staff is friendly. Bathroom has funny graffiti. There's nothing I can complain about.
Karissa Martinez
Super nice staff and fun aesthetic!
Kaitlyn Carter
I was so excited to try this place but am so disappointed. Expensive bar food and ‘trendy’ cocktails. Got our order wrong like three times and nobody had manners. Will not be going back.
Brian G.
We came in on a Monday night with no real agenda, however this place slapped us in the face with how great it was. Just a sampling of what got this place to 5 stars in my book: (1) The food was all fantastic. We cleared our plates in no time because we couldn't put our forks down once we started. I admit I was a little hesitant when I glanced at the menu and it was different than what was posted online, but it didn't matter because everything came out well seasoned, cooked to perfection, and plated neatly. You'd be surprised how many places in this city can only accomplish 1 or 2 of those things. The only thing not completely necessary and that felt a little "too hipster for its own good" were the sour patch kids served along side the olives. However, we can't wait to go back and try some of the other apps and main dishes. (2) Service was friendly and very attentive. The main thing about the service that got this review to 5 stars and really set the tone just right was the fact that a young woman who was the line cook for the night actually came out and delivered the dishes to us personally. I saw her do it two other times for other people sitting at the bar as well. Maybe it was because it's a Monday night, things are slower and she had the time. I certainly can't imagine chefs doing that on a busy night when they have 20 more orders they need to focus on, but damn that was a nice touch. We saw glimpses of her at the grill making our food, and then so often at other place you then see your food placed under a heat lamp at the expo window to just sit there until a server or food runner is available. Our food came fresh from the kitchen from the person who literally just cooked it. (3) The drink menu is solid as well. Great natural wine selection, aspall cider which is arguably the best cider out there, and a delicious CBD cocktail I forget the name of right now. Looking forward to going back and trying more. (4) The atmosphere is laid back and modern. With so many places in the nearby area where staff and customers act like they're too cool for school, it's refreshing to come into a place that still knows how to act like it's a restaurant that wants customers to relax and enjoy the food/drinks.
Eva S.
Young American just became my new favorite place for booze and bites in Logan Square. I came here with my boyfriend on a Friday night and we were blown away. Not knowing what to expect, we strolled in around 7pm and found seats at the bar. Their cocktails were amazing and their food menu is Filipino-inspired and I could not stop fawning over how good everything was. It wasn't just that they had strong, delicious cocktails, but the flavors of the drinks and the food fit together. Their menu is simple and cohesive. Nothing short of perfection. Their logo's color palette was retro 60s with peach/pinks, turquoise, and yellows. The bar had the laid back, nonchalantness found in Logan Square, West Town, and Ukrainian Village. Between the both of us we ordered 3 cocktails and the Royal Sampler for snacking. Drinks, in the order consumed: #4: house sherry blend, bonded bourbon, allspice dram, salted demerara, lime (shaken) #5: grey goose melon, gin, sesame, apologugue persimmon, rancio sec, lime, chili (swizzled) #1: campari, tequila, guava, cane, lime (shaken) Now this Royal Sampler... Mahal Kita. This is the only Filipino phrase I know and means I love you. The platter was a mix of all the best fried things with an even better array of dipping sauces. We were served fries, chicken tenders, egg rolls, shrimp, and a whole bunch of house-made dipping sauces. There were four types of sauce: sambal, banana pepper ketchup, house-made ranch (which I think it had fresh dill), and spicy pepper water. Our favorites were the ranch and the spicy pepper water. I'm sure the latter has an actual name but I don't remember. Now their sauce... was boss. (Is that what the young americans say nowadays? Dead.) The Young Americans SENT IT with their food, even though it was "just casual bar food" and we had dinner plans afterwards. I asked if they sold their sauces and the server said: "Do you want me to get some for you?" Absolutely. I got a tiny tub of each sauce before we left and I used it with all my meals down to the last drop for the next few days. It was that good. I'm swooning right now thinking about it, I must stop typing and lay down.
Very cool atmosphere, delicious food and cocktails.
A. D. Jameson
Young American is hands down one of the finer restaurants in Chicago. Everything on their menu is fantastic, from the more familiar items to some truly innovative fare. This place is a gem!
j ash
Cool, hip, and right around the corner. My fiance lives here.
Patrick Moseley
Fun bar with a great location. The staff is very nice and the cocktails are good.
Decent corner watering hole. The drinks we tried were good, the food was alright - not spectacular. If it's a busy weekend expect a long wait for the bartender.
Quintessential Logan hipster bar. Cool design and better music. However, extremely average cocktails. I had a mezcal swizzle that had so much amaro and poorly stirred that was undrinkable. I wouldn't come back.
Came in last night (Wednesday) and there was a cool jazz trio there. Unique looking cocktail menu so our group started with one. I had the old fashioned, made with Old Grand-Dad no cherry which I do prefer but it was good. One of us got a mezcal cocktail. The other got a cocktail that had vodka, gin, grapefruit and sesame oil which was different but good! Our bartender must of heard us talking about the taste and comped the drink but we actually did like it! Drinks start at $12 which is pretty standard but I'd have been more tempted to order a second one if it wasn't so small. Decided to get a Hamm's from their "cheap beer" section for $3. The food on the menu has Filipino dishes like pan sit. We didn't try it but we definitely plan on coming back to try it since we haven't found much Filipino food. Cool layout, with the crowd and staff being typical for Logan Square. Definitely recommend stopping in.
I've been looking forward to coming in for some time. Drinks were ehhhh but priced like a fancy cocktail bar. The bartenders came off as very entitled and stuck up, and annoyed to be mixing drinks. You'd be better off checking out Billy Sunday just next door. :(
So I wanted to love Young American but it is just not a place for me. Located right on the square, it would be so convenient if I loved it. But it was overpriced, I didn't like any of the cocktails i tried, and the service was horrible. It was a cold January evening when my friends and I went so it wasn't too crowded and we were able to find a table immediately. However, our table was never bussed from the previous occupants. I ended up having to move all the old plates and drinks to the counter. While the employees watched. Not cool. The drinks were all interesting but at $12-$15, they were small and just cloyingly sweet. Even the drinks that didn't seem like they would be sweet. Overall, I was disappointed and I don't plan on coming back.
The food is EVERYTHING. I don't really go out in Logan, but will go out of my way for this place. The sampler has everything you could ever want. There's fries. There's chicken tenders. There's egg rolls. Theres popcorn shrimp. There's other stuff I'm forgetting! Also if you like condiments like I do, they give you 5 different sauces. The noodles are amazing as well. Haven't had a bad thing to eat. The drinks are great too, but the food shines. Staff is friendly. Bathroom has funny graffiti. There's nothing I can complain about.
Super nice staff and fun aesthetic!
I was so excited to try this place but am so disappointed. Expensive bar food and ‘trendy’ cocktails. Got our order wrong like three times and nobody had manners. Will not be going back.
We came in on a Monday night with no real agenda, however this place slapped us in the face with how great it was. Just a sampling of what got this place to 5 stars in my book: (1) The food was all fantastic. We cleared our plates in no time because we couldn't put our forks down once we started. I admit I was a little hesitant when I glanced at the menu and it was different than what was posted online, but it didn't matter because everything came out well seasoned, cooked to perfection, and plated neatly. You'd be surprised how many places in this city can only accomplish 1 or 2 of those things. The only thing not completely necessary and that felt a little "too hipster for its own good" were the sour patch kids served along side the olives. However, we can't wait to go back and try some of the other apps and main dishes. (2) Service was friendly and very attentive. The main thing about the service that got this review to 5 stars and really set the tone just right was the fact that a young woman who was the line cook for the night actually came out and delivered the dishes to us personally. I saw her do it two other times for other people sitting at the bar as well. Maybe it was because it's a Monday night, things are slower and she had the time. I certainly can't imagine chefs doing that on a busy night when they have 20 more orders they need to focus on, but damn that was a nice touch. We saw glimpses of her at the grill making our food, and then so often at other place you then see your food placed under a heat lamp at the expo window to just sit there until a server or food runner is available. Our food came fresh from the kitchen from the person who literally just cooked it. (3) The drink menu is solid as well. Great natural wine selection, aspall cider which is arguably the best cider out there, and a delicious CBD cocktail I forget the name of right now. Looking forward to going back and trying more. (4) The atmosphere is laid back and modern. With so many places in the nearby area where staff and customers act like they're too cool for school, it's refreshing to come into a place that still knows how to act like it's a restaurant that wants customers to relax and enjoy the food/drinks.
Young American just became my new favorite place for booze and bites in Logan Square. I came here with my boyfriend on a Friday night and we were blown away. Not knowing what to expect, we strolled in around 7pm and found seats at the bar. Their cocktails were amazing and their food menu is Filipino-inspired and I could not stop fawning over how good everything was. It wasn't just that they had strong, delicious cocktails, but the flavors of the drinks and the food fit together. Their menu is simple and cohesive. Nothing short of perfection. Their logo's color palette was retro 60s with peach/pinks, turquoise, and yellows. The bar had the laid back, nonchalantness found in Logan Square, West Town, and Ukrainian Village. Between the both of us we ordered 3 cocktails and the Royal Sampler for snacking. Drinks, in the order consumed: #4: house sherry blend, bonded bourbon, allspice dram, salted demerara, lime (shaken) #5: grey goose melon, gin, sesame, apologugue persimmon, rancio sec, lime, chili (swizzled) #1: campari, tequila, guava, cane, lime (shaken) Now this Royal Sampler... Mahal Kita. This is the only Filipino phrase I know and means I love you. The platter was a mix of all the best fried things with an even better array of dipping sauces. We were served fries, chicken tenders, egg rolls, shrimp, and a whole bunch of house-made dipping sauces. There were four types of sauce: sambal, banana pepper ketchup, house-made ranch (which I think it had fresh dill), and spicy pepper water. Our favorites were the ranch and the spicy pepper water. I'm sure the latter has an actual name but I don't remember. Now their sauce... was boss. (Is that what the young americans say nowadays? Dead.) The Young Americans SENT IT with their food, even though it was "just casual bar food" and we had dinner plans afterwards. I asked if they sold their sauces and the server said: "Do you want me to get some for you?" Absolutely. I got a tiny tub of each sauce before we left and I used it with all my meals down to the last drop for the next few days. It was that good. I'm swooning right now thinking about it, I must stop typing and lay down.
Restaurantji Recommends
Very cool atmosphere, delicious food and cocktails.
Young American is hands down one of the finer restaurants in Chicago. Everything on their menu is fantastic, from the more familiar items to some truly innovative fare. This place is a gem!
Cool, hip, and right around the corner. My fiance lives here.
Fun bar with a great location. The staff is very nice and the cocktails are good.
Cool location. Excellent drinks. Dig the vibe.