Hipsters. If they were mice, this would be their cheese wheel. Their hole in the wall. It has all of the elements to strongly support a hipster infestation. Let's go over the basics: Dive bar - check. Cheap beer (with an option besides Bud and Miller) - check. Family owned - check. Interesting name - check. Not obvious? - check. Lawn chair seating? - check. Retro appliances and vintage bar design? - check. They come in droves, with organic clothes, odd sweaters, and granola between their teeth. They raise a Pabst to each other while debating which songwriter you've never heard of is better. Just look at the photos someone took of this place - clearly a hipster collage. Artsy picture of a Pabst. Toilet shot. I'd recognize their work anywhere. Enter at your own risk. read more

When I enter a bar like Gold Star, that's when I realize that I really do live in the wrong neighborhood. No, not because I'm a hipster (in fact, could be deemed the opposite, at least by appearance), but because I crave a chill, neighborhood dive bar like this one. No fancy rooftop decks or outdoor patios or scantily clad cocktail waitresses--just a no frills, dark space with a pool table (yes, one), a random assortment of seating (as in, some plastic, some wood, all mismatched), and an old school juke box. And cheapish drinks. And friendly bartenders. And hipsters--did I mention that the hipsters were friendly despite me not being of their kind? Rad. So well-done Gold Star. Though I don't live within stumbling distance, I wish I did. You're cool in my book. read more

It's a little comical that I'm reviewing Gold Star, as I've been a patron for the past 12 years or so. I used to frequent Gold Star a few nights a week, but now that I live quite a bit farther away, I don' t have the opportunity to swing by as often. Side note, I actually met my husband at Gold Star in 2002 (and we married 7 years later...) I digress. Ian and Susan are really, really good people and it's been a pleasure "doing business with them" for the past decade. I love that as the neighborhood has changed so drastically during that time, Gold Star remains a reliable standby! read more

Absolutely one of the best bars in the world. Bartenders are friendly. Atmosphere is #1.

Not every bar in Wicker Park has been updated for the lincoln park/river north crowd that is moving to WP. GOLD STAR is one of those that haven't, and god bless them for not. This place is OG. Its a dive, in every sense of the word. A dump. A place you can drink a PBR and not feel like you are trying to be cool. Want to use the bathroom? Its gross, like most bars used to be. But the people are cool, the music is as well, and they don't have sports running all night long. And if you haven't gotten your hair did, or are a bit stinky, don't worry about it. No one will judge you. Keep it real GSB. Don't ever change. read more

A haiku: Listen to Buzzcocks drink and completely avoid natural sunlight read more

I usually don't rare cash only places so high, but I make an exception for Gold Star. I'll admit, I may be biased. Recently I went on a first date here that went super great. But I feel the ambiance and laid back vibe of this bar totally sealed the deal. Cheap drinks, and the hipster quotient isn't too high. Especially for the area. read more

I like the outdoor patio furniture that they keep indoors. I like the cheap American beer. I like the juke box. I like the unsanitary free bar popcorn. Apparently, I am a complete redneck. (unfortunately on the weekends, it is difficult to find an available lawn chair or plastic table to sit at.) read more

One of my favorites. Excellent jukebox, fair drink prices, good people-watching (and I hate people-watching). Those who do not enjoy smelling the breath of many strangers may wish to visit on a weeknight, or early enough to watch the ball game and carry on a conversation without frenching your drinking partner's ear. No, you cannot eat off the floors in the bathroom, but you can get a handjob in there, which is nice as well. read more

Popped in for a drink. The bar staff where none existent. Waited almost 10 mins to get severed. And when I was finally approached,the bar tender was reluctant to make a martini. ( it seemed that he was put out). He seemed confused that people drink other beverages than beer. I had no cash on me and tried to give him a credit card and said cash only. Not only did he not mention that they had a cash machine in the establishment. He said "$13 " then vanished and never came back to collect the money I owed him after I had left to go and get cash from a cash machine outside.The place wasn't that busy and I wasn't going to chase him down to pay. He just didn't care! read more

I've only been coming here for a few years but it has become something of a standby. I really like the staff. Drink prices are fair. I haven't made an effort to go on the weekends lately - I prefer the low-key weeknights when its not as crowded. I personally don't find it "dirty" or the bathrooms disgusting (as one female reviewer commented) but maybe that's because I prefer dives? read more

Gold Star Bar - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

When you enter this place in the winter, it always appears like you're entering a steam room in a Holiday Inn that's playing loud David Bowie. This old gangster bar (allegedly) has a pretty long and oddly-shaped bar, a pool table, and a sweet juke box. They serve cheap bottled brew from a fridge; I usually get a hankering for a Lite when I'm here. Probably all the TVs playing White Sox games. Gets a little too smoky for my tastes lately and the plastic patio furniture is never fun to sit in for any amount of time. It's also pretty crowded in here usually, but in the off-hours it's OK. The huge bartender is polite despite his gruff bear-wrestler demeanor. Bonus for fans of the Green and Gold: this is a Packer bar on game day! read more

Gold Star will always be a Five Star in my world. I moved out of the neighborhood about two years ago and was recently back. After having one beer at a newer, "hipper," establishment "Something & Crap" (or whatever it is called... anyway, skip it), I needed the comfort of Gold Star, an old friend. What I walked into was exactly that. Same everything because the only thing that changes in Gold Star is the local artists' work on the wall that they are sponsoring. Dead Guy will always be five bucks and Susan will always be working and damn ready to chat about a good movie. The juke box will challenge your ability to create a palatable mix. The lawn furniture is, well, lawn furniture. The paint in the bathroom will make you think you are tripping. And the pool table is still lurked upon by pool hall junkies and bike messengers. Surprisingly, the bartender remembered me, and that showed once again, while they are a business and want to sell a product, they genuinely appreciate your business ans presence, better than I can say for most of *shiver* "new Wicker." Simply, Gold Star should never change because it is what remains for those of us who loved Big Wig and 1056. Honesty in existence. read more

Don't you love Dive Bars - are you not tired of all the damn hoity-toity-froofy-poofy cocktails - do you not want to kick back meet people and eat tamales from a random man and his igloo cooler! great place to meet super great energy - and seriously these kind of places for me: it's all about the bathrooms - hate going to a dive bar and the urinals are undivided and drunk men just slinging their sausages next to each other like a trough in the wild west - no I get to pee in the privacy of a bathroom to which is bright and clean and all my own ALL my own - Yes the cocktails - they have recently "upped" their bottles so there is actually a choice of bourbon and - seriously I can't drink this cheap at home - it is cheaper for me to drink at gold star and hang then it is to buy a bottle of woodford and go home - sigh if she would only build a fire place ... last night there were some super model gay boys hanging out, there were some hipstery couples and some indie folks playing pool super chill crowd whom I feel is watching out for each other and everyone talks to everyone very cool place and oh the bartender and her tales of cats - if you like cats can keep you entertained - if you are like me and have a blood pressure issue avoid AVOID the popcorn way too salty way too salty - probably pairs well with beer. read more

I'm just rating Gold Star Bar as a bar. I do not condone eating food here. Not even sure if they serve it. But the inside is pretty cool. It has 20 foot high ceilings and a pool table. It never gets that crowded and is usually good for spotting a hipster or two in its natural habitat. read more

This is a great late night spot. It not where you got to dance. Ian was the bartender and he was AWESOME. He was friendly and always there. I mean every time I turned around he was there smiling and ready for my order. There is a juke box and a pool table. It is a good place to meet up with friends, hang out, tell stories, and do shots. Bike Parking out front. I like this place and will continue to go back. read more

This is a really great dive bar. You walk in the door and you can see why its a dive bar for sure! Pool table, juke box and dimly lit. One of my favorite places to go in my neighborhood read more

It's not five stars because it's a "five star bar", but because it's a five star dive bar. The beer is cheap, the cocktails are great value, it's rarely too crowded, the staff is friendly and service is quick, no charge for the pool table, and the outdoor deck is great in the summer. You can't get more Chicago than this! read more

$5 SAYS THIS PLACE TRANSFORMS INTO A BRUNCH PLACE IN 2 YEARS Oh Gold Star...I feel for thee. Yes you rock today, with your mish mash of furniture, artfully graffiti'd bathroom, smattering of scraggly hipsters and hipstresses, and your uncanny ability to reliably attract the Tamale Guy when I'm at my hungriest... But what will become of you when the UVDBDS (that's the Ukrainian Village Deadly Brunch Disaster Squad to the lay person) sets its sights on your choice location and turns its evil gentrifying death ray on you? How will you resist? Is all hope lost? Until then I'll be drinking a beer and nom-ing on tamales, awaiting my imminent demise. read more

I've been here on a couple of different occasions; one time it was uber crowded with only a few chairs in the corner and another time when it was only a few people there during the week. This place is very good when there's no one there because the service is awesome and you get real drinks that are real size and cheap!. $4 dollars for Vodka+whatever is music to my ears. And the lady bar tender was really nice. Its divey but its done right. I don't care how "hip" it is but its just a good bar. read more

I love Gold Star. One of my favorite places to have a drink with friends. Nice beer selection. Very cool staff. Crowd varies quite a bit, there is usually a selection of hipsters, local older folk, and some collegiate types, but I always find it to be a cool place to hang. And they have a Green Bay Packers flag, which gets them 5 stars for that alone. read more

I have a nagging urge to go to this bar and Rainbo Club and start a fight with all the hipsters. "Hey I fused my bike to another bike and I'm wearing women's jeans! I suckle at a minutiae-obsessed wolf's teat!" Good luck with your BA in Irony, jerko. They have Carlsberg though. read more

One night Gold Star's green plastic chairs and dusty skin won me over. Sweet memories of Chicago. read more

This is a classic bar on Division that harks back to the Nelson Algren days. Since they once had rooms for rent (as seen on the amazing Neon Sign out front) I imagine this might have been the sort of place where women were working on the second floor and men were drinking on the first back when Algren was writing The Man With the Golden Arm or Never Come Morning. Ok, so this place is about as cool as you can get when it comes to Bohemian life in Chicago. Are there hipsters here? Yep. There are also tons of people from the area and yuppies bar hopping. A good mix. They also have free pool in the back (you have to play the person who is winning), free popcorn, and a great Juke Box with a good mix of tunes. The bartenders are nice folks who have been slinging beers and mixers for a while. This is a good place for cheap mixed drinks and cheap beer in cans with some good options on tap. I always make the mistake of thinking this is a late bar, but have often wound up with friends here after 1 am eating popcorn and drinking. Thank goodness for taxis and the CTA! If you are a smoker the folks out front are usually friendly and chatty. read more

Make no mistake it is a dive bar. No frills and the dilapidated look of this place can be hit or miss. I stumbled in with a group from Moonshine so the company was well appreciated as the bar was just a backdrop to the end of the evening. Allan M. mentioned last call being shouted out around 1:15ish. Couple that with the fact they were looking to usher people about another 15 minutes before close is not a great sign of a good neighborhood joint. read more

It's a dump that has lawn furniture. You know what you're getting here. Tends to be cheap, thus hipsters galore. Cool juke, 'eh' service. The weird thing for me is that my dad used to come here many moons ago. All in all, it's a dive. You can do worse. read more

Dear Gold Star, I love you and I miss you. xo Lala read more

Great place for a beer and a shot. Cool dark atmosphere and the bartenders are pretty cool. Kind of a dirty hole in the wall but it does the trick! I'll be back for sure if I'm in the hood! read more

Great dive spot...and I love dive bars. This place is relaxed and very low key. There's a great juke box, cheap beer, good vodka tonics, and free popcorn. In the summer you'll see tons of bikes parked out front. They have a pool table, but good luck getting to play... If you like simple, chill bars, come here. read more

Free popcorn PBR in bottles for $2 An amazing jukebox This place is great. I will warn any non-smokers out there--the place is a freaking ash tray. If smoking bothers you, I might make gold star just a quick stop on your night train! Good bar for people watching. I can assure you that no matter how drunk you get here...there is going to be somebody worse off than you. Place gets pretty wild/crowded/noisy/smokey and FUN. Bring a group, stand around, do a little smack talkin', and get bombed. That's what kind of bar this place is. The crowd tends to be pretty young too. I mean...under 24 i'd say. Well. I do not like GLOGG so... I guess I'm a douchbag. read more

There is no other place in the city that I would rather have a drink. Period. Top five reasons to go here: 1. Susan and Ian. 2. They have the whiskey that my Grandad drank, Kessler's "Smooth As Silk". They pair a shot of it was a can of Hamm's for only $5. Score! 3. Free popcorn, by the bowlful! 4. Good jukebox selection, (it's not one of those lame digital jukeboxes either, folks!) 5. They support local artists by hanging shows every couple months. read more

A bit disappointing, to be honest. The place was so musty, I could only bare a single drink. Not to mention there were also no taps (from what I saw) which is a big no for me. The place looks run down from the outside and rather mediocre from the inside. Drink prices aren't expensive but they're not that cheap either. They're pretty equivalent to any other bar without craft beers. In my book, I tend to pass up on bars that have no taps. If I wanted to drink bottles of beer, then I would rather just drink at home. It's where I belong, anyway. read more

Naturally, I enjoyed this place more than I did Moonshine, but I could've started this review without saying that! Anyway, Jeff's review sums up the atmosphere of this bar well(relaxed hipster dive). The beer selection and specials were decent($4 Oberon, $2.50 PBR 6 days a week, and $2 PBR on Sundays), the bartender was nice, and noticed the pool table in the back was free. (but can definitely imagine there must a wait for that on some nights!) I almost only gave this place 3, since the last call was on the very early side of things(1:20am!), and personally(though only my opinion) don't think any bar should do a last call more than 20-30 minutes before closing. Won't get into the fact that they begun kicking everyone out around 1:40am. But anyway, the fact the bartender turned a TV to a station selling erotic sex toys all gave us yelpers interesting conversation, so I'll round this to 4 stars. Would definitely not mind coming back here, if I'm in this area in the future. Cash only, too. read more

Cheap drinks. Awesome service. Chill atmosphere. Very little pretentiousness. Pretty decent crowd. This punk rock girl enjoys... Go to Gold Star if you're not trying to get laid and just trying to have a good time with your friends. You won't get hounded by creepy dudes or annoyed by overly drunk individuals. Good times! Me gusta muchooooo. So go, okay? Thanks! read more

First of all, I don't think I could disagree with anyone that gives Gold Star five stars, or one star. It's awesome and a dump, all in one. The good: Super friendly folk, both at and behind the bar. You can generally find a seat somewhere, and you can get any kind of beer you want as long as it's a pretty mainstream domestic. Prices are right, and it's a relaxing place to hang out. You can also depend on the air conditioning maybe working. The bad: Quite divey, and definitley not at all upscale, in any sense of the word. That's totally fine with me, but important for some people to know. The art on the walls is always...interesting...and sometimes rather crude. Again, that's OK, but not something I'm going to give high marks for. The bathroom is a bit of an adventure. As I mentioned in my air conditioning comment above, it can get warm in here. Also, in the off chance you can't get a seat, not a great place to stand around. Fun place to chill out for a bit on Division. read more

This place used to be great, we were recently here and the NEW owners were here as well. The male owner was drinking consistently, stormed out in a fit, and then came back to berate the bartender. As a customer seeing this it was entirely unprofessional. He was screaming at her in front of the entire bar. Congrats! You failed management 101. Puts a bad taste in your mouth, don't treat employees like that. Never coming back. Alcoholism is a bad look, guy. Figure your crap out and don't treat employees like shit in front of the bar. read more

I've only come once but I had a really good time. It wasn't super packed when we arrived, which is always a plus in my book. We got a table immediately and we even got to play pool (usually there's a really long wait at most places). Cheap, cheap drinks. I see that someone else said that you can go in with $20 and be set for the night - absolutely true. You don't need to spend more than $10-$15 here, depending on how much you drink. Good atmosphere, nice people. read more

Gold Star is the keeper of many memories. I've been going to this bar since I was old enough to drink - legally. It has been the scene of many birthdays, it's the place where my boo first put the moves on me, and just many generally fun boozy nights with my pals. I once lived around the corner from here, and my roommate and I came by so often that Susan, one of the owners, started calling us by name and giving us the occasional free drink. I was there just recently when I was home for the holidays and she snapped a picture of me and my old roommate, remembering us as old regulars. It may not serve the highest quality beers (anyone want a PBR or High Life?) and yes it's cash-only. But Gold Star is the kind of neighborhood dive that is hard to find, especially in the heavily gentrified Wicker Park area where the old dives have been replaced by shiny, trendy yuppie bars. I don't mind those bars, but sometimes I just want to go where somebody knows my name...and serves a cheap stiff drink. Ok, ok, sorry for the cheesy Cheers reference. But seriously, Gold Star never disappoints if you're there to enjoy some cheap drinks, eclectic tunes from the jukebox and the company of your homies. read more

$4 Guinness. Thank you! I also like the environment, the staff, and the crowd. The jukebox is a plus, too. read more

Gold Star is a neat neighborhood dive bar in Wicker Park. It's a good, laid back place for chilling out with friends and beer. It's nothing fancy on the inside, rather retro looking: bathroom graffiti, chairs resembling lawn chairs, small TV in the corner with questionable picture quality. My friends loved the jukebox. It seems like a favorite stop for the famous Tamale guy too. Yum. The crowd appears to be mostly hipsters. Our group felt a little out of place showing up with trendy "going out" clothes rather than hipster attire. But there was no hate hehe. It's certainly a nice alternative to all the yuppie places (such as Boundary) that have moved into the area. Places like this make up the charm of Wicker Park. Gold Star has a cheap beer selection. You can get yourself a PBR or Old Style for very little, and you can get imports and craft beers for less than you'd pay at fancier places. read more