If you're into great music, cheap beers, neighborhood dogs, and even better bartenders....This is a bar for you. The jukebox has classic hits on here from old country tunes, steely dan, the beastie boys, the pixies, and much more. This was my first bar that I visited in the lakeview neighborhood after moving here and it was love at first beverage. Christian and Brad are some of the best bartenders around and are very welcoming to anyone that sits down at their bar. I frequently bring my out of town friends into this bar and they instantly fall in love with its dive feel too. It's a nice change of pace when they've visited all of the chain restaurants all week and just want to experience Chicago how the locals do. Being a dog owner, I love that they allow dogs in here, I've recently started bringing my pug in for the extra attention he sometimes craves. Did I mention $2 pbr? What else do you need? read more

Good place to pop in and checkout the neighborhood regulars . I like to go on a weekday day off , watch a game of jeopardy, which everyone joins in. Like it in the afternoon for a quick one and prices are low. read more

Ok, this place does not try to kid anybody about what it is or what is stands for. I came here on a Friday night and was greeted by a rabble of half-cut, older, pseudo vagabonds. Brilliant. I am pretty sure some of the patrons beg to pay for their PBRs but everybody is welcome, dogs and all. They do have an amazing jukebox. The music jumped around from Bob Dylan to Rolling Stones to Stevie Wonder and every song was great. A refreshing change to the top 40 crap that is played in every bar and club in the city. A couple of mixed drinks will set you back $9 for the pair and the place even has an electronic dart board if you get bored looking at the regulars. Live life on the edge - have a drink in the Dram Shop! read more

I miss the Dram Shop. When we lived closer to the city, we became a semi-regular in that when we ventured downtown from the NW Burbs, Dram Shop was our destination after dinner. The owner/bartender was fabulous! Then we moved to the far SW Burbs and haven't been for awhile. It's time! The best part about the Dram Shop is it's not pretentious and everyone is welcome. The patrons, which do seem to be a crop of regulars, are friendly and getting involved in a chat -if that's what you want - isn't difficult to do. There is NO attitude, no haughty staff, prices are more than reasonable and people are friendly. It's my kind of place! If you're looking for glitz, glamor and beautiful people, this ain't it. But, those places are a dime a dozen. Dram is a unique spot in a great location on Broadway. Keep your eyes out though, you could easily miss it. read more

I want to like this dive. The owner is really trying hard to spruce it up and make this a fun place to hang out. The challenge is honestly the clientele. Any bar that opens at 7am is well ... for drunks. The crew goes there because is REALLY CHEAP. But $2 PBR does rock my world and the plasma screens are new. As you get to the end of the week you will be annoyed by loud post sorority ho's stopping in to have 'one last drink' and pick up a snooty twenty something dude there for the left overs. The bartenders range from spot on divey fun to post-hipster bohemian dude. They do have a kick ass juke box :) read more

Dog-friendly and $2.50 PBR pints? I think I just found my new favorite hangout spot near home. Super friendly and down-to-earth crowd is also a great plus! read more

It was St. Patty's Day weekend. It was also my birthday. We were attempting to celebrate the latter. We trolled the neighborhood while the sun was still up, looking for an establishment that was not soaked in green and looked like it could handle the long drive in our hopes to imbibe 'til close. Door after door was opened, and quickly shut again at the overwhelming sight of people enjoying themselves. Argh, so much cheer! What's a bitter old hag to do? Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spied a gleaming Old Style sign. Surely, this must be the place. $3.50 pints of Guiness and a crockpot full of corned beef, cabbage and potatoes set up on a card table in the back. Room for four of us (next to each other!) at the bar. A dangerously placed dart board. This, I can handle. Eight hours later, and a quick stumble home, I am smitten with the Dram Shop. read more

This place is scary as hell and that's really the appeal to me. You can tell some of these regular have been coming since the dawn of time. That's cute. It's not a place I frequent, but when I have gone, usually the people are super friendly. read more

A spectacular dive bar with an amazing jukebox and a bar full of delightful people who are also, for the most part, very, very drunk. Thumbs up forever. read more

i almost don't want to review this bar because it is such a hidden gem. a non-crowded dive bar in lakeview - i didn't think one existed. and dram is the king of dive bars. i went here randomly the first time on a sunday morning to grab a quick drink while waiting to get a table at stellas. it was 11 am - there were five customers; a suburban looking man in his late forties wearing northface with five empty shot glasses in front of him, a old lady in a coors shirt with a dog, a smiling snaggletoothed man, and a young woman with a toddler. it was love at first drink. the bartender was hilarious and extremely nice - i had a guinness and it was dirt cheap and delicious. read more

My favorite decent dive bar in Chicago! I was VERY lucky to live across the street, as many of the regulars have to actually make an effort to get there! The owner Larry is absolutely AWESOME, all the time. The bartender Brad is insanely fun and wonderful, and loves his job. Bartender Ted is an awesome, genuinely nice guy...however, bartender Christian is questionable and rude most of the time. ---regardless, it's laid back, dogs welcome, has dart boards in back, has tables in addition to the bar so you RARELY are stuck standing while drinking, directly next door to a 5am burrito place, opens at 7am for the resident drunks, on the best part of the Broadway strip so catching a cab home is a snap at any hour, and has a really great juke box which is very well rounded with bands like Johnny Cash, The Buzzcocks, Rolling Stones, Fred Astaire, Pixies, Jimi Hendrix, The Ramones, Janis Joplin, The Clash, Black Flag, and The Beatles. Even the old-timer regulars can't complain. $2 PBRs is also very, very nice when you just want a good-old cheap beer to drink while watching one of the 6 or so flat screen TVs when the good Chicago sports are on. Oh, and of course, the San Diego Chargers, the owner's favorite! This bar is just perfect. Love, Pinky. read more

This is authentically what you would refer to as a "Dive Bar". Nothing hipster or pretentious about this watering hole. The prices are fantastic, the regulars are a potpourri of characters, which adds to the bar's charm. Their jukebox has a great selection of obscure gems as well. Bartender Brad is Dram's' icing on the cake! read more

I live right up the street from this local favorite dive bar and finally went in for a drink. This place is an essential dive bar: small, mostly bar seating, loyal locals, and nothing but the essential decor. Pleasantly surprising was the service- excellent! The bartender was attentive but not overly so and nothing can beat the prices! 2.50$ draft PBR! For a Friday happy hour before dinner it wasn't packed and my group enjoyed a couple drinks right in the window watching people pass on Broadway. I think this place upholds the "no sign gem" principle nicely. Stop by a relaxed atmosphere and cheap drinks! read more

My boyfriend and I were visiting Chicago and stopped into the Dram Shop for a few beers one night. We had the best time! The bartender and regulars were really nice and fun and definitely kept us entertained. The jukebox is fantastic! If you are looking for a great dive bar, I would suggest this one! read more

Small neighborhood bar with not much going for it besides cheap beer and a friendly bartender, and sometimes that's all I need. It's easy to walk past with minimal signage, save for the ubiquitous Old Style sign. Being modest has it's advantages for the patrons though; I've found enough seating for myself and my friends every time I've gone. read more

Total dive bar, local bar fly hangout and unpretentious watering hole. The kind of people here are Cheers-like aficionado's. Everyone knows one another and the bartenders and owners are drinking right along w/the customers. People were so friendly and basically everyone who played something on the jukebox (which we were sitting right next to) asked us what song we wanted to hear. It's cool when everyone is so laid back and welcoming. On a side note, I overheard the bartender talking about the day Cameron Diaz ran in to use the bathroom really quickly and he was asking for opinions on how to commemorate the momentous occasion. It turns out, he might just place a picture of her right above the toilet so that people know it's the very same one she used ... haha. I say if it's good enough for Ms. Diaz ... it's okay in my book. :-) read more

Did not like the bartender the other night. Maybe I had a little too much and I wasn't a very good judge of character but he was kind of an ass to my friend. read more

This place is hilarious. I love when "regulars" stop by with their dogs to say hi to the bartenders. The drinks are cheap and we had a little too much fun w/ the jukebox. It's an ok place if you just want something low-key. read more

the dram shop in 20 words or less (ampersands don't count): petite, narrow, dim, friendly, inexpensive, straightforward, & centrally located. great place to start or end a night out on the town. read more

Dram Shop is my favorite dive bar in Chicago. They have THE COLDEST beer. THE BEST juke box, which changes weekly. and THE COOLEST regulars. I always feel so at home there. It's a great place to stop in for one or spend the whole night. read more

Some kind of signature beer on tap with it's own mug. I forget which one and that means a a good night out. Get the nachos at the place immediately next door. I didn't and was jealous. Don't leave your umbrella. read more

Great dive. Prime location in Lakeview. Stiff pours and good jukebox. A little Detroit in Chicago.

Pretty great dive bar, I was happy to find Lagunita's IPA on tap and was even happier to find that $1 in the jukebox gave me 4 plays. The bartender was very nice and attentive to us even though we weren't sitting at the bar. read more

This used to be one of my favorite neighborhood dive bars. Strong drinks and there is always an open seat at the bar. We used to go only when James (one of the bartenders) was working and have tried stopping in recently and he hasn't been in. He always had a smile on his face and new his patrons by name. I would only go to this place if he is working- the other bartender is kind of pretentious and it ruins the whole atmosphere of what makes a great dive a great dive. read more

This is quickly becoming my home away from home. What's not to love? The jukebox is cheap and stocked with great tunes. At all times well drinks are only $3.50 and PBR cans are $2.00. The bartenders take great care of you. For a dive bar, the women's bathroom is amazingly bright and clean. The crowd is quirky, drunken and friendly. Since they don't have a kitchen they don't mind if you bring in your own grub. It's getting difficult to pry myself away. read more

Great local dive bar in the best possible sense. Good jukebox. Great bartenders. Put your drinking hat on!

It was late Sunday night. The snow was coming down pretty heavy. My lady friend and I dropped in here after having a flu shot at the Walgreens nearby. Why? I don't know. I had to kill an hour waiting for my sister to come back from the airport. We found parking right outside. The bartender was friendly, the drinks were cheap, service was prompt. Five dollar Jack and Coke while watching funny bloopers on ESPN! read more

Great dive bar. 2$ PBR. Kind and good bartenders. The music tends to be a little bit loud, but wouldn't deter me from going. I'll be back! read more

I stumbled into Dram Shop during the summer Olympics in 2012. I just know I saw old style and PBR. Now every time I venture to Chicago we come back. Great dive bar with people open to talking random ridiculousness and great bartenders. read more

This place was super chill. The drinks are cheap and heavy handed. The sat. Night crowd was relaxed. A great place to grab a drink.

One of my favorite bars in Chicago. Cheap beer and an interesting (and mostly friendly) crowd. An excellent dive bar. I hope it never changes. read more

complete dive. way fun. clientele is insane. bartenders are awesome. gets crazy at night time and we like to go during the day (AS THEY OPEN AT 7am - AMAZING) ALSO i can afford this place. it has become our go-to bar! read more

Not really a dive bar (Believe me, I know dive bars in Brooklyn!) But the closest we'll probably get in lakeview. Nice place for a beer or two; not as loud or impersonal as Friar Tuck. Plenty of wide screen TV's for when there's a game on. read more

My fiance and I have lived in the neighborhood for about 8 months and have stopped into Dram Shop a few times. We've always had a great experience and the prices are unbeatable in Chicago. Beyond the sheer fact that Dram Bar is an affordable, approachable, clean dive bar, it is owned by great people as well. I recently lost a wallet walking home from a restaurant a few businesses down from Dram Bar and figured that I would never see it again, but thanks to Molly and Larry (the husband and wife that own the bar) I have it back in my possession. It was turned into them the night that I lost it and - even over the holidays - they jumped through hoops to get a hold of me (not an easy task for strangers in Chicago) and finally did, returning my wallet completely intact the following week. In a world where most people would have taken the wallet for themselves or waited for me to call them about it, they proactively went the extra mile and re-instilled my faith in humanity. Truly fantastic people with huge hearts and a great bar :) read more

Check your pretentions at the door, put a dollar on the jukebox to play a song you won't find anywhere else, saddle up to the bar and order a $2 PBR. This is a dive bar, folks, The dive bar, and its exactly as it should be. read more

Pretty chill bar on broadway. Basically a low key dive. They have a pretty good selection of brew, good jukebox and TVs to watch stuff. It is just a bar and makes no pretense to be anything else, not a meat market, no food, just bar. I enjoy. read more

If you are looking for Lakeview/Lincoln Park douchebaggery do not come here. It is my happy place. A dive in every good sense. Cool regulars. Christian is a great bartender who actually seems to like his job unlike some of the other bartenders in the surrounding bars. Jukebox selection is outstanding. And the burrito joint next store kicks ass! And now I can start at Mariano's, eat dinner and have a drink then stumble over! Hallelujah read more

Took two friends here who'd lived in the neighborhood for years and were not aware of Dram Shop's existence. I am a little surprised that they survived the neighborhood invasion of Mariano's. It's almost like Taco Burrito House and Dram Shop are like the cockroaches that survived the blast. I mean that in the best possible was as I love both places. Dram has shyte beer and good beer, shyte liquor and good liquor. Great bartenders, healthy pours, good jukebox. Only detraction was the drunk idiot who insisted on being best buds while simultaneously being obnoxious as all get out. He bought us shots to apologize for being a jackass, then insisted we buy him shots to think him for buying us shots. (Keep in mind this was going on at 11:30 a.m., and don't judge me for being there are 11:30 a.m.) The bartender pointed out that they open at 7 a.m. and this customer had arrived shortly thereafter. When he came down to visit for the 4th time and insisted on being buds and backslapping and ignoring our requests that he cease and f' off, my buddy had to escort him from the premises. Things were much better after that. The other times I have been in, Dram has been a perfectly delightful, friendly, low-key neighborhood joint, and I'm glad it stuck around. read more

I recently moved to Chicago and being new to the city I was looking for a good bar close to where I live, I had stopped in a few other places with a buddy of mine and they where decent until I found the gem of lakeview know as The Dram Shop. I love dive bars, but I wouldn't even call it a dive,its more what a bar should be. No frills no gimmicks no shot girls no crazy prices no cover charge. James who is one of the best bartenders there upon learning I had just moved here fill me with knowledge of the do's and don't of Chicago and even bought me a beer!. The crowd is always mixed and chill, older regulars next to sports fans and the occasional weekend warriors from the burbs. long story short if you want to go out and drink have a good time and relax the dram shop is by far the best! read more

This bar is a neighborhood gem that has quickly become one of my favorite haunts in Lakeview...if not all of Chicago. The bartenders are amazing and super friendly and the patrons are friendly, too. On more than one occasion I've had somebody buy me a drink if for now other reason than to be nice. It's pet friendly, they have wifi, great drink specials. It's really just a one of a kind place and if I ever left Chicago I'd miss it dearly. read more