46 Best Dive Bars near Cicero

“Love this hidden gem in Cicero. Typical sports bar with great drink specials, live music on Friday nights, and DJ on Saturday nights. Great for watching all sporting events! Also has a gaming room with all of the best machines. As the sign on the building says its “the best kept secret in Cicero”!!“

“Was sent here to enjoy a drink while we waited for our table nextdoor from the owner Armando at La Scarola. Despite not being a smoker, there was nostalgia around enjoying a drink in the smokey Cheers inspired ambience. A bartender even put on Svengoolie which just wrapped it all together. I enjoyed a Limoncello and my date a whiskey neat. Enjoying a little taste of old school Chicago wasn't originally planned but definitely appreciated!“

“We were able to grab a few seats at the bar - we ordered fries and a few cocktails. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that they reopened. They have a really good pickle beer that is made at brewery close by. I look forward to returning and trying more of their food menu.“

“No food but have chips if you ask. One of the best bars in Chicago. Top ten on my list. Mostly artist and locals. And the occasional person looking for a bezt dive bar. Great place to meet friends and make friends. The bar staff has always been my favorite.“

“Visiting for work a couple days and had some down time to kill. 1st day, met Frank.. super friendly and made me feel welcomed. Played darts with some people from Belgium. Touch tunes and drinks are priced right. Met Jeff and regular and Mark the 2nd day I came. Great dive bar!!“

“This is one of my favorite bars on earth, and I’ve done my best to see visit as many as I can across four continents. I took a break of about five years in between visits once and the bartenders still remembered my name. Classy. As you know, it’s cash only. Some other rules are that you can’t fall asleep at the bar. But, being drunk on its own is fine. I think there is still no TV, thank goodness.“

“It consistently remains an excellent spot for enjoying drinks, whether with family or friends, prior to or following Sox games. As one of the last original bars in Bridgeport, it holds historical significance and promises many more years of success and enjoyment to come. A must-visit spot in Bridgeport's rich history.“

“Really cool spot. You wouldn't even think it's a functioning bar from the outside, but when you walk in, you're greeted with a really neat ambience. It reminds me of the salty platoon from SpongeBob but with an incredibly friendly staff. The music they have is great. Super cool bar- 10/10 recommend“

“great local spot...a family member's show thankfully led me here--when i've lived in the area for years. sadly didn't visit sooner but will now always keep in mind. they were out of a few drink ingredients but i still really enjoyed my visit - love the chalkboard menu and intimate setting for a show. can't wait to hang out in the beer garden on cooler evening.“

“I've been knows the number of times and I've always liked it. They've done a lot building out the rear space and that's nice to have expanded area because it was a little bit tight before. They have a stage in the main area which allows them to have entertainment.“

“Est. 1971Layout/atmosphere*Long bar with semicircle indent in the middle; wood panel walls; three TVs; internet jukebox; Blackhawks paraphernalia; cash onlyService*Friendly bartender (Meg)Food/drink*No food menu; chips, pretzels*Beers available for to-go purchase“

“Calling this place a "dive-bar" is a disservice. It's a family run neighborhood bar with the works. Good music (from an awesome preloaded jukebox), a fair selection of beer, wines, and spirits, friendly and quick service, and a very laid back and welcoming atmosphere. The mood definitely gets more upbeat and rowdy(in a good way) when there are things like bingo (Stingo) or live music performances going on, but even when those aren't happening, you can bet there's an interesting film being played on their TV. The owner Steve runs a tight ship, and it shows. I urge anyone passing by or new to the area to come grab a beer on a weekend or weekday night (except Tuesdays because I don't think they're open those days). You're guaranteed to run into the colorful characters that make up the Bridgeport community. I live in the Midway area, and the drive to get here is more than worth the trip. Stop by, grab a beer, order some Japanese food from next door (or tacos across the street) and start a conversation. You'll be hooked immediately and won't regret it ✨“

“My experience at this bar was in the late 70s and early 80s. My husband, Michael and his partner Micky owned this place when my husband was in medical school. There was one of many brawls here that were just hilarious. One in February when the entire bar cleared into the street and “dibs” chairs were thrown everywhere. The police showed up and everyone was back in the bar like nothing happened. It had a liquor rack over the square bar. There was a neighborhood Elvis impersonator dancing on the bar. All at once the liquor rack crashed onto the bar. My husband proposed to me there. Always something with a cast of characters. I’m sure it’s very different now. Great memories ??“

“Going to corner bar is an experience for the select of Chicago. Big shout outs to Jamie, Bill, and Shawneice who keep the vibes going, the tequila flowing, and a dart board that can easily enthrall the whole bar. If dive bars with funny, caring, silly people aren’t your thing - steer clear!“

“Excellent old school Ukrainian Village bar. No sign on the front which is already a good sign (no pun intended). Great drink prices and great bartender, Clayton. Had a Bell's Two-Hearted, bought a t-shirt and continued my bar crawl. Great first stop.“

“What can I say about this place that hasn't been said already? One of the best venues in the city. Cheap drinks, affordable ticket prices, cool staff, great sound. All the makings of a perfect spot. Sure, it's not fancy or brand new. But its dive bar charm and long history stacks it up against any other venue around. If you're looking for a chill time with some good music, I highly suggest giving the Bottle a visit.“

“We came here for a concert over at Thalia hall from Columbus and stopped in for a drink after and met the sweetest bartender named Courtney. She was extremely welcoming and her smooth playlist of jazz fit the atmosphere perfectly. All in all 10/10, definitely will drop by again next time!“

“We met up with friends and family members on Thanksgiving weekend, and had a blast! The band was awesome and made the night- Patrick Bale and the Pale Ales- hope to see them play again soon! The atmosphere is so unique, with character and charm, also artsy and styled- fun for all ages. We didn’t eat but drinks (and shots!) were flowing. We’ll be back for sure.“

“On my recent visit to Chicago me and my wife found the Shamrock and visited the bar 3 times. Every time drinks and service was first class and friendly staff and locals. Special shout out to Fabian.The wife loved Hendricks and tonic.Will definitely be returning on our next trip to Chicago to our favourite bar in Chicago.“

“Stumbled in here by chance and had a great time on a somewhat busy night. Cheap drinks, cold beer, and Nilda is an absolute angel. Her pup Frijolito is a lil cutie too. I hope Nilda is able to keep this place in business for years to come as they don’t make ‘em like this anymore!“

“I think about this place often when I want to take a mental break. It is so cozy, eclectic, filled with history, random vintage sales upstairs, the almost Harry Potter like ambiance - it's the perfect mix of history, effortless cool, and mystery.“

“walked by randomly on a Wednesday and went to the bar where I heard some music. the band was excellent, a really unique style, but brilliant. but the best part was meeting Thomas, the bar manager. as soon as I walked in he greeted me warmly and upon hearing it's my first time in Chicago, a shot was poured and I got the lowdown on local beers. I had a good chat with Thomas and could see how he was well liked by everyone there. would love to go back“

“Last stop in Logan Square. Last bar before heading home. Favorite bar. Cash only is ok. Loved this bar. I stuck with beers, but my family had some cocktails. Bartender on Friday night was awesome! Bar had an old-school feel. It was later in the night and was more crowded. Lots of fun! There was a nice outdoor area. It looks like they may have live music, too. This was my favorite of the 4 or 5 bars we visited on this trip.“

“Just stopped in coz i needed the bathroom. A quick shot and a sip of water and out the door. It looked interesting and the bartender was friendly, especially since no one was in the place on a Sunday afternoon. I will return for some drinking next time I am in the area.“

“We had a layover in Chicago and were staying at the Hampton Inn, searching for a beer near by we came across this on Google and went, what a blast very friendly staff and bar tender Tish, my wife and I can't remember when such a great time in a bar, we will see you the next time we are in town.“

“Great Chicago Tavern. Old Style on tap. Malort behind the counter(ant your own risk, lol). Owner is awesome. Went here because growing up as a kid in Chicago I’ve been to taverns with the old man but never been to one as an adult. Would definitely go back here again.“

“Cody's is a great time. Staff is very friendly and attentive. Although it can get very crowded on the weekends, if you can claim a spot by a dart board or the pool table, you won't want to leave. It's also worth mentioning that the back patio is a very chill vibe on summer nights. The only thing keeping me from giving Cody's 5 stars is that if you go earlier in the day, you will find adults who bring their children who will often times run around unattended. Cody's is also pet friendly which is awesome. However after having a few drinks, it becomes worrisome that you can easily step on some of the small dogs that are hard to spot. Overall, Cody's is great.“

“This is the best alley in the city. The owner is beyond kind and truly supportive from beginners to pros.The bar is great, it's byof, bring your own food. Lots of options near here, or get a candy bar and chips. They have a jukebox you can select songs on, and lockers for your balls.Pencil scoring old school awesome bowling here!“

“This place is a great local watering hole. I wouldn't come here looking for a classy cocktail bar - it's ideal for cheap drinks and conversation. The space isn't very large, but the space wasn't crowded. I had a great time - six bucks for a beer and a “

“Came here for the musical night.The ambience was nice. I like the blue fairy lights hanging down. A lot of Detroit Lions decor.Tables on both side and the 3 performers walked in the middle. The singers were better than I expected! They mainly stay in the inside of the restaurant but they also walked to the bar area where there were some more tables. One of them engaged with every table while she sang. The male singer could be a lot better if he didn’t leave the mic so close to his mouth.There were trivia games in between performances. So you were not listening to musical songs the whole time.The ticket ($65) includes one drink and one food item. The choices were pizza and chicken tenders. Food was okay. It’s a little pricey. Glad the singers were good though.Metered street parking outside.“

“The service is quite possibly the best I’ve ever experienced. The bartender, Sean always has a smile on his face and is so quick to get our orders. He is truly a bartender king. The owner, Joe, is so artistic and chill, I love how inviting and involved he is with his bar!“

“I've never had the lunch but this is by far my favorite bar in the area. Staff = GREAT! The crowd of people that come here are also just great. Cash only, but that's good because I can take my behind home when I'm low on cash.“

“Always a great time free pool on Thursdays Pizza is awesome too all the bartenders are very friendly. Charlie is awesome also if you catch him on the right day he might play a game of pool with you .This is a local pub they don't specialize in any specialty drinks they'll make you one but this is not downtown. This is just your nice neighborhood pub to enjoy some music on the jukebox and have a nice cocktail and beer they also have darts located in the back bring your own darts steel tip. They don't supply darts or sell them but they do have dart boards.“

“This is a small town community pub in a big city. Think "Cheers" atmosphere. I was in from out of town looking for a place to watch the Superbowl, they don't have huge TVs, but the had a pot luck for their patrons and the atmosphere was so friendly and welcoming. I was delighted with the experience.“

“This is the best place ever they have great food great people the own comes up greats you it's like that move Cheers. ..where everyone knows your name after 7:00 a DJ comes on Saturday for the younger crowd. .lol that's when I go plenty of parking“

“Dang ol great place man. Went with dang ol Gribble, Hank and Bill for Bobby's dang ol birthday man. Dang ol pizza was great man. Bartender was that dang ol funny and listened when Gribble went on about conspiracies man. When I need an Alamo, I'm coming to Side street man and play dang ol Willie Nelson on Touchtunes man. ♥️“

“Food ok. Lots of beer options. We got the bait and switch on Sunday. We can in and asked where we could see the Giants game. They said anywhere. AFTER we ordered drinks and food they can over and said they don’t have Sunday ticket. That’s terrible. Will never come back“

“This bar has a lot of potential! TheOwners should devote more effort towards sales & marketing promoting it's sutle neighborhoodcorner tavern atmosphere, as well as targeting larger groups to hold there parties, corp.functions, and team celebrations.A shout out to the most "interesting man in the world" lolMarty the Manager.....Also the absolute "coolest" Bartender..... Ms. Liz!!! and last but certainly not least the "Veteran".... Ms. Pat!✌️out! ALWAYS TIP THE SERVERS“

“Good old divey ass bar. If you're around Montrose and Sheridan this is one of the big hangouts. Driftwood is casual and fun. Prices are pretty okay and there's usually some specials going on. The only strange thing is the hours can be weird. A lot of reasons to come here. If coming to watch a game, this is a good place. There's lots of TVs. Also if you like to play games. Lots are here playing darts or pool. Gets crowded. May be a wait before you can play. As for the drinks, not bad. It's about $6 for a cocktail. These are basic, but hey it's good prices. Besides people, it's also good to bring dogs. If dogs need water they give out bowls free. The strangest thing about this place is that it's closed Sundays.“

“This is one of the best venues for emerging, up-and-coming bands on Chicago's north side. Typically one flat fee of 15 bucks, and that gets you in all night to see at least four to five bands. If you don't like the music of the band you're listening to wait a little while and a new one is up there. Bands rotate every hour on the hour. It's a cool and friendly atmosphere“

“Cool place that's a dive but it's also clean. It's also pretty cheap for some stiff ass drinks. Keenan O'Reilly's sounds like an Irish pub, but it can seem like any kind of pub. Has no food but they let customers bring some in. There's lots of TVs for watching games or stuff. Best thing about this place is that it's cheap. It's about $6 for some basic cocktails, even with the good stuff like Jameson. Find some harder to find things in bottles and cans. They also have a reach in cooler full of good stuff. Among the not as usual things is the PBR made with cold brew. There's also a back room with ping pong and pool tables. Play around with some balls. There's also a juke box that has classics and others. For sure it's not Irish. It's just a regular dive bar pretty much. That's okay because the drinks are good and cheap though.“

“My fiancé and I recently hosted our engagement party at Grace and Leavitt and loved every bit of it! It was a perfect venue for our private event of ~50 people. We received many compliments from our guests on the space and cocktail menu. The bartender Jenna was also super helpful and friendly. Would highly recommend G&L!“

“This bar has been the bar of choice for a while now, being there often enough where they know what i drink when i walk in, and know my name. you cannot beat the price, and everyone there is friendly. if you're looking for a fancy mixed drink this isn't your place, but there's always cold beers and the shots keep flowing.“

“A nod to history, Nissei Lounge is a "dive bar" with history and character. Located a few blocks away from Wrigley's Field, the Lounge was where post-WW II Japanese-Americans met for camaraderie and friendship because no other places would allow them to meet. It was a pilgrimage of sort to visit where nisseis (second generation Japanese-Americans) met. A "local" brought us to the lounge and if it was not him, I would not have visited. The décor is what is expected of a "dive bar" not frilly, pool tables, darts, a "gritty feel" with character. Affordable beer and drinks - and yes, I even tried the Marlot (Chicago handshake - Old Style beer + Marlot) Being so close to Wrigley's I'm sure the place is happening during the baseball season. When back in Chicago, I'll visit again.“

“Believe it or not, my love wears a claddagh ring that I purchased for her when we enjoyed an amazing trip to Ireland earlier this year. So we knew we had to visit the Claddagh Ring Pub one of these days. This neighborhood pub on Foster Avenue received some interesting "pub" earlier this season when they promised to pay for all patrons' tabs if the Bears lost to the Broncos, and sure enough the Bears blew a big lead and Claddagh Ring Pub wound up on the news because of the promo. We finally made it here one random Sunday afternoon as we stumbled in after another Bears loss. The bar was pretty packed, but the owner was super friendly to us. He noted that there was a back room with some elbow room, along with some free tavern style pizza that was not gobbled up yet by the fans. Later when I went up to the bar to order drinks, he made sure that I had the chance to place a drink order with minimal waiting. What a swell guy! Loved my pint of Guinness! Perhaps we looked like newbies, but he really seemed to care about us with his customer service. Check out their website for sports specials and happy hour deals. After our enjoyable visit, my love and I look forward to a return visit to Claddagh Ring Pub.“

“This is a wonderful local dive bar! I live around the corner and started coming here a few weeks ago. The regulars and bartenders are very friendly. There is live music on Friday and Saturday evenings. The place does get pretty full, but the people watching is always on point. One thing to note is that they don't serve food, which is a bummer when the 1am drunk food cravings hit. Pretty clean bathrooms for a dive bar too so that's a huge plus!“