I live around the corner from Cunneen's, so it's become a favorite place to meet up with friends. The drinks are very well priced, even if it's a cash-only spot, and they have a good selection of beer, and even a rotating special cocktail. This is an old-school kinda place that feels like it's never changed and never will--in the best way. If you know, you know. read more

THIS is a classic Chicago neighborhood bar. Chill regulars sipping beers. A little crock pot of Italian beef for sandwiches on a Sunday. Random dogs to pet. I'd call it a dive, maybe, but it's clean and has big windows in the front, and does not have that depressing air of a true dive. The bartender is awesome. He's whatever you want him to be - you're charming and friendly, you get that back. If you're a jerk - well, don't be a jerk. Someone mentioned they didn't like the "frufru" cocktails - well, I like those. There's now something for everyone here. I was afraid this place would go away after the original owner died, but it seems to be hangin' tough. Stay open, Cunneens! read more

Cunneen's - two bottles of beer on a bar - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

They will take your REAL ID, investigate it for minutes, and then deny you for no rhyme or reason. Even if you call the cops to come verify, they don't care and will yell at you to leave. Owners clearly have an ego or legal issues and trying to do damage control. Really upsetting after going regularly for years. read more

Perfect neighborhood bar to come relax and have a few drinks. They are cash only but you get a ton for your money. The bartenders are always friendly, and the vibe of the whole place feels very much like a sense of community. You can also bring in your own food or have it delivered to the bar which is awesome. If you're just truly look for that "I know a place around the corner" vibe, this is your place to go to! read more

Nice local joint, dog friendly, reasonable prices Would be nice to have a larger TV for patrons Angry orchard would be a nice addition and on tap too. Overall nice to find a local neighborhood bar with locals and very nice college kids. read more

Rejected my boyfriend that is TWENTY TWO! Who is from Michigan! Mind you, my boyfriend was the oldest one out of the group! This place is a joke, don't come here. The place wasn't even busy - claimed my boyfriend needed a second form of ID and wanted him to bring his passport. Absolute joke of an establishment, I am never going back. What a disappointment, it was my best friend/rooommate's birthday too. read more

absolutely terrible. bartender was incredibly rude, barking at us to order or get out within 2 minutes of us sitting down. we told him we were figuring out the cash situation and he continued to bark at us and scold us to get out. (1 person in the 4 person group had already gotten a drink). He also refused to tell us what they served and wouldn't let us use the atm. Bouncer was also incredibly rude. Left after five minutes because his hatred for the world is absolutely disgusting and ridiculous and there is no reason to take it out on paying customers. DO NOT SUPPORT THIS "BUSINESS". read more

Always a great bar for a couple drinks. Good neighborhood vibe and the bartenders will remember you.

Stupidest bouncers. I went here cause my friends live around the area. Told me I couldn't come in and asked if I have another form of ID. I'm turning 26 this year. Their bouncers have apparently never met anyone from California or know the difference between a fake or real. Spoke to me very disrespectfully and let me in when I knew my zip code. No shjt. read more

Cunneen's is a local cash only dive bar that is hidden in plain sight. The atmosphere is very relaxed and typically houses an older clientele, but my favorite part is that leashed dogs are welcomed! I love the booths by the windows where all the natural light comes in. The place would only be better if there was any outside seating, but still a great place to hang out. read more

I came in for a beer to help subside my sorrows. I ended up making a friend, his name was Mike I think, he was bartending. Not only was he attentive and informative, but willing to guide me to my perfect drink. The ambiance was perfect. The service was spectacular. I will be coming back and shouting off a rooftop how awesome this bar is. read more

While it pains me, after 30+ years I'm through with Cunneen's. I can handle the incremental changes since Steve's departure - new frufru cocktails, higher prices, the ever-larger crowds of college kids, the never-changing lame bathroom cartoons, and even the 2nd television (though that one was, admittedly, tough) - but the assault on the staff has become too much for me. Me and my group of friends, some of whom have been going to Cunneen's weekly since the 70s, are done. Tootles. Before Steve died there was talk of handing over the bar to the staff - like Clark-Devon Hardware recently did (cf: https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/7/3/23779398/clark-devon-hardware-esop-employee-ownership) - many of whom had been working there for decades. But for whatever reason, it never got done, and it's a crying shame. Within days of the new ownership taking over, Madeline, who had been there since the 70s, was gone. While I won't defend Madeline's cocktail making skills (not her strong suit) nor act like she couldn't be surly (she could), she was real and she was a friend and she'd been to hell and back with Steve and with Cunneen's. Next to Steve, historically speaking, she gave that bar its character. But within days, poof, she's gone. More recently, John, who had been there for 15+ years, was probably Steve's most trusted employee and close friend, and certainly was the one he relied on the most to run the place for the last 10 years or more, was canned. And while again, like Madeline, John could be surly, he was an excellent bartender (he actually made a great cocktail) and was loved and respected by almost everyone that went there including, remarkably, the droves of college kids. Again, John gave Cunneen's the character that made it what it was. Poof. Gone. You know, there are other bartenders there, some of whom I really like still. And I wish them well. But unfortunately, thanks to the new owner, Cunneen's is quickly losing the character that made it what it was for so long, and, in my opinion, what allowed it to survive for so long as well. So rather than watch it die by 1000 cuts, slowly turning into just another corner bar turned wanna-be corporate cash-cow, me an my friends are out. Enjoy your receipts, new owner. Thanks for making the neighborhood just a little less real. read more

I first visited Cunneen's during annual winter visits home in the early seventies, only becoming a regular upon returning to Chicago in 1978. "Regular" means at least once-weekly visits with a whole gang of friends, albeit supplemented by additional study evenings during graduate school years. Cunneen's charm was that you could actually converse with the people at your table, hearing them without having to strain. The music wasn't too loud, the one television was set way back in a corner, playing without sound. The bartenders tended to stay on, for years, for decades in some cases, many of them becoming friends. When founder Steve Cunneen died, his widow took over. This began a series of distressing changes. Prices increased. Pitcher discount Thursdays ended. A second television was added. The music became louder. The most senior bartender left in disgust. Steve's primary bartender and friend, John, was fired. Cunneen's became just another obnoxious sports bar. read more

Local vibe but not pretentious. No food but you're welcome to bring your own. Reasonably priced. Nice patrons (went in the afternoon on a Sunday ). read more

Cute little bar with a pool table. Cash only. Good bartender and a great ambience. I appreciate the inexpensive prices, and nice bartender.

Everything you could ask for from a local pub! It's like another world when you're in there, almost like you're not in the city. It's super chill with fun seating. read more

We celebrated my daughter's birthday at Cuneen's. It was a wonderful time, beginning with the planning stages with Belinda from Day 1. We loved our bartender, Mike and the entire atmosphere of the bar is perfection. Great, friendly regulars who made our group feel very welcome. Cannot recommend this bar enough! Check it out for yourself, you won't be disappointed. read more

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Great, old school neighborhood pub with a relaxed vibe, it's clean, comfortable & has fine service. Check it out while you're in Rogers Park! read more

Walking into Cunneen's is like stepping into a church. You're initially greeted with judging glances, then loudly welcomed by close friends, and, finally, you sit in a pew. A Great Bar isn't adorned with 50 beer taps or 75 68 inch televisions or home to $150 pours of ancient whiskey, described w/ articulate praise by a person who definitely knows the meaning of his words better than you. A Great Bar is, first and foremost, a place to gather with people that are or could be close to you. A Great Bar is a local escape, reflecting the personality & lives of the people who inhabit its surroundings. A Great Bar might have a cheap pool table, 11 (sometimes 9) dollar pitchers of Berghoff (light & dark), kinestheticly pleasing glassware, a Glowing Mayor Daley clock, or massive, aged succulents. Cunneen's has all of these things. Cunneen's is a Great Bar. read more

Cunneen's has been the weekly gathering spot of my friend circle since its opening in 1972. It's appeal has been that there one could actually hold a conversation with those sharing a table. There has been no loud music, no television noise--indeed, the television is set back, silent, ignorable. Consequently, Cunneen's has attracted a better clientele than the dime-a-dozen sports bars in the area, many of them academics or theatre people. Superior, too, have been many of Cunneen's staff, bartenders there tending to stay on for decades, establishing real relationships with their customers and with the community. With Steve's death there has been much anxiety about Cunneen's future, the fear that it will lose its humane distinctiveness in the pursuit of profit maximization. Our hope, and I speak for scores of long-time regulars, is that Steve Cunneen's business model is maintained. read more

-Dog friendly -Cash only -Pool table Awesome bartender, Tommy! Give this place a shot :) read more

Cunneen's - Dog friendly bar! - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great, chill, historic, neighborhood bar. I've had good conversations with people on both sides of the bar. Unfortunately, I discovered this place just before lockdown, so I've only gone a few times, but I can't wait to go back! read more

This place is an acquired taste, but, once acquired, really grows on you. I'll give you an example: Over a year ago, before I was more of a regular, I came in, sat down at the bar for over 10 minutes, and the bartender never looked up from what he was writing. I suppose I could have said something, but, it was easier to head over to another favorite a couple of blocks away. But, because of the great atmosphere, I gave it another chance, and have actually become somewhat friendly with that same bartender. So, if you like fairly quiet bars built for conversation with friends (and drinking), you're not going to find much better atmosphere in the neighborhood. read more

Cunneen's - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great neighborhood bar. This is the quintessential neighborhood tap. Great beer selection, good liquor, pool table and music. Love the old school Mayor Daley clock. I wish I lived closer. Not many places like this anymore. Good job Cunneen's. read more

Perfect neighborhood/dive bar. Cash only but its cheap and dog friendly. Pitchers of Berghoff (light or dark) are $12, mixed drinks are $3.50. There's Far Side comics in the men's room and a pool table to boot. From the solid wood bar itself, to small booths looking out to Devon ave, the old wood chairs and re-purposed church pews make you feel welcome and easy to pop in for a beer or settle in for the night. Easily one of my favorite bars in the city. read more

When I die and go to heaven, it is gonna look just like Cuneens. It is the PERFECT neighborhood bar: generous pours, dim lighting, and cranky regulars. Cuneens is nothing fancy, but we wouldn't want it that way! I cannot recommend this spot enough if you like comfy Irish dive bars. read more

Super cute, local pub! I love a Schlitz and they offer 2.50 bottle. Pool table is great and the ambiance is low-key classy. read more

Cunneen's - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a definite neighborhood bar. Strangers welcomed with cheap prices and a welcome atmosphere. Regulars are incorprated early with warm affection. Bartenders vary by shift, no food is served though outside food is welcomed. Cash only and music requests/IPods are accepted. Open @noon. Introdce yourself and relax in your seat. Empty drinks on the rail for refills. read more

Hard to find better prices and a cozier atmosphere than this place. Great ambience, okay pool table (too close to the wall though), and cute little booths that are prime for people watching on Devon. I love coming here with friends or colleagues to split a pitcher of beer and play cards. Staff is friendly and attentive. read more

Go for the clock above the bar and I'll say no more about that. Other than being a neighborhood haunt rife with locals & students, it has little character but a decent pool table. Oh, and no matter how many times you walk in, you are a total stranger to the bar staff. No sweat. It's cheap enough not to be bothersome. read more

Oh god help me, I've moved into an apartment that is a block away from an AWESOME dive bar. Cunneen's is a local treasure. Dimly lit, rarely so packed that you can't get a seat at the bar, free WiFi, a pool table, a great jukebox and bartenders who always remember your name and drink of choice. Not to mention, drinks are on the cheap side of reasonably priced. Plus they carry Rolling Rock. Score! I lurve Cunneen's and suspect it will soon become much like my own livingroom. =) read more

When I moved to Chicago, I had to be introduced to the bar scene. In some ways, Cunneen's is not part of any "scene." It's a neighborhood bar, tucked away on the corner of Devon and Newguard that promises a music selection on VINYL and regulated by the bartender. The prices are totally reasonable for us student-types and it's so rarely crowded that I like hanging out in there. The "regulars" there are neighborhood folk, some of whom have been going there for years--I just heard a story of a woman meeting her husband there--25 years ago! (They were there together). It's just the kind of scene I like--laid back, space to move and relax, no pretension. I give it five stars really based on my last visit--100% better since the smoking ban. It's like a different place for the better. But as Meghan B. said, the bartender really makes the difference. I concur that the blonde woman can wreck the experience (although last time...she was actually chipper...could it be the smoking change?); every other one I've seen (I think there's 5 total) has been nothing but great. John's my favorite. If you need a place to go and you just want to chill out...go to Cunneen's. But not everybody all at once...I'd like to be able to get a comfy seat! read more

If this place was in Lakeview or Lincoln Park there would be tons of reviews calling it a dive bar (note the only person to review this place as a dive also calls Rogers Park "The RP"). If it was in Wicker Park/Bucktown it would be filled with hipsters drinking PBRs after a long day of sleeping in until noon on their friend's couch. Luckily this bar is none of those things. It's just a good Chicago corner bar. The kind of place where it makes more sense to order a beer and a shot rather than a martini. The kind of place where you can look to your left and see someone 10 years younger, look to your right and see someone 25 years older than you. The kind of place built for drinkin'. Extra points for the old school recliners and kick ass vinyl selection. I hope this place never changes...and it doesn't look like it will. read more

A great find - my friend Jim lives nearby and we stopped here to check it out for a birthday beer and ended up staying for 5 hours. Bartenders Janet and John were great. Awesome ambiance - good lighting, great music. They have a pool table and offer weekly drink specials. Dog friendly too (except Thursday nights). A must go-to place among Chicago's classic bars. read more

Looking to get away from your home office? A place with free wifi, great neighbors gathering, and perhaps a beer instead of a cup of coffee? Want to BYOF? Well Cunneen's can take care of you, AND they have paper plates and plastic forks that come with that beer. read more

The Reader has the biggest hard-on for this place. I think it's a lot of hullabaloo just for a garish Daley clock and some wood paneling that looks like your uncle's basement (Sidekicks does it better.) They had decent pitcher prices and I got a Newcastle pitcher for about $12, but was hungry for a bigger selection. Maybe the bartender was having a shitty night--it was a Tuesday. But, she spent the whole night on the other end of the bar and did an actual eye roll and hair flip whenever we tried to order anything. We tipped decently regardless, but what? She was a couple decades older than us but it oddly transported us back to high school. Maybe this bar is revered by people who don't want to be judged for wearing laundry day clothes. I say, just own your old navy painters pants and go somewhere else! read more

I'm new to Chicago and have only been to Cunneen's once, but I'm in love already. The atmosphere is laid back and homey, and I loved the diverse clientele. The general vibe seemed friendly, but low key, divey, but not dirty. The bar was crowded when I was there, but it never got too loud to hold a conversation with friends. The seats in the window up front also look like a great place to drink and read alone. This place is a bit far north from my neighborhood, but I anticipate making the trip regularly to relax in comfort and enjoy cheap drinks with friends or on my own. TIP: This place is cash only and BYOF. (The taqueria on the corner of Devon and Clark is delicious and cheap.) read more

Real dive bar: cash only; I ordered a cocktail, and the bartender responded with "you don't want me making that...," as patrons looked at me and stealthily shook their heads to advise me not to. PBR and whiskey it is! read more

Dive. Dive. Dive. Of the best variety. Up in the RP (Rogers Park), Cuneen's is somewhat of a legend. A Chicago staple, an unsurpassable gem. Sort of. I mean, it's got barca loungers in the front display windows, and it appears that the decor is sealed concretely in 1960's bar garb. Pool tables, a set group of regulars. It's an experience. In a rapidly gentrifying hood, this place might make it...a good stop for a brew after Viet Bistro, Speakeasy Supper Club, etc. And if you get sauced enough...you can go to Deluxe Diner for a greasy plate of beer swaddling breakfast foods. Appreciate it for its dive-quality, and a refusal to ahdere to the yuppie norm. It remains true to itself, and that is half the charm. read more

Great dive! Cheap drinks, good crowd, and tons of places deliver here. This is my go to bar when my wallet isn't as fat as I'd like it to be. read more