Nilda's place is truely unique and a gem of west town. Could not recommend enough. Nilda, who you'll find behind the bar, is the neighborhood grandmother and so sweet. I came it one afternoon and felt the friendly vibe immediately. She made me homemade Puerto Rican food and she and her family couldn't have been nicer. Make sure to say hi to friolito, her chihuahua who you can find roaming the place. Be sure to check out Nilda's place and support your neighborhood bar!!! One of a kind place that is best described as having a drink in your grandmas basement. Surprisingly comfortable and homey and feels great supporting a family run business! read more

Nilda's Place - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Could be yup the best bar in the world. Dog Friendly. Lovely patrons easy scooter access read more

Because I was just wandering by, I happened upon this bar. I wasn't even sure it was a bar at first. Nilda's Place looks a lot like someone's house, with a big couch in front and some regulars just lounging. Casual to the core. This is like a home away from home in the most literal sense. After inquiring if they were open, I was welcomed in. I met the friendly bartender, who I assumed had to be Nilda. There were a couple other women at the bar who seemed like they've been regulars for years. Cool place. The pictures here show a couple dogs but I didn't see any this time. My main reason for visiting was to use the bathroom. Then after that might as well start drinking again, so I had a shot of tequila. It's $5 for some good shit like Hornitos. They have a pretty limited amount of beer, and it's all bottles and cans, none on tap. Oh well, not sure I would trust any taps here anyway. There's a jukebox with a mix of Latin music and oldies. Forget about those hip places that call themselves dive bars. If you're looking for somewhere you can literally dive into, go here. This is like many others have said, like your aunt's or grandma's basement, with a pool table. read more

Nilda's Place - Tequila - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Most adorable bar ever! You won't find fancy craft beers here but you will find cheap beers like PBR, Modelos and Tecate. It's a super dive bar with a decent number of bar seats, some comfy couch type seats, a pool table and a mix of decorations from St. Patrick's Day to Christmas with a bit of tropical vacation. Clientele is mixed with old hispanic men & young white people attempting to talk broken Spanish to Nilda. If you can speak Spanish though, that'll be good to get you further here. Nilda seems like a sweet lady but her dogs are the stars of the show! Cosita and Frijolito are two adorable little things. Frijolito is a territorial little thing who hangs out on the ground. But Cosita is so friendly, hanging out on top of the bar, going up to all the customers and she kept licking my face. Who knows where that tongue has been!? I couldn't get enough of little Cosita!!! We fell in love with this spot and will definitely be back. Ca$h money only. read more

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Nilda is a sweetheart. Was treated like family the first time we visited her tavern. Had a great conversation with her about how she took over the bar. Stop in, you won't be disappointed. read more

Very friendly and welcoming owner that made a drink for me even though I didn't have cash. Great environment when you just want to relax and not deal with the hustle and bustle of the city. read more

Wonderful neighborhood dive bar, although I agree with the Yelper who said it's more like sitting in your grandma's basement. Nestled in the middle of West Town amid 100-year old brownstones and brand-new 3-flats, this bar is cozy, comfortable, and welcoming. The eponymous owner--a friendly and convivial woman who moved to the lower 48 from Puerto Rico in the 80s--started the bar in 1986. Now that's a successful run in the crazy Chicago bar world! I imagine she's seen the neighborhood change greatly during her 3+ decades. She lives upstairs with her two chihuahuas, who come down and join her at the bar when she opens for business. The boy (Frijolito) isn't so friendly -- he may nip at you if he's not interested in being petted, but the girl (Cosita) is soft and loveable. Sometimes the pooches are behind the bar, but at other times they'll have their run of the joint and will even sit atop the bar itself. Don't worry -- food isn't served and the beer is served out of cans and bottles. Cash only, and the prices are below average but not exactly dirt cheap ($3 or $4 for a domestic or Mexican beer). There are barstools, old-fashioned lawn chairs, a sofa, a pool table, and an oddly eclectic jukebox. The crowd both times I've been there has been friendly and happy to be in a comfy place that is far from the Chicago "scene" that I'm usually happy to avoid. I used to live right around the corner and was always curious, though a little intimidated. I regret not visiting earlier, as this would have been a very frequent spot. read more

Nilda's Place is the wacky dive bar you never knew you needed in your life. Don't let the semi-official sign outside fool you; the place really feels like your crazy aunt's basement (in a good way.) There's even a friendly little dog or two and an old couch for true authenticity. Nilda herself is super sweet and welcoming. She was encouraging when I tried to order in Spanish. The prices are cheap, and the selection is reasonable. This is definitely a place for a shot and a beer though, not a fancy cocktail. No food here either! Apparently the place has been around for years, and I can see why. When we wondered in, it was fairly early and fairly empty on a Friday night, but I bet there's great people watching later in the evening. read more

Popped into Nildas place while bar hopping in Ukrainian village. Nilda is very nice, it's just not my kind of spot. I agree it's lot like being in your aunts basement. Their is a very limited beer selection, the only domestic is Budweiser. read more

Nilda is such a nice host, you will absolutely enjoy your time here! Great hospitality and cold beer! Though the true star of the show is Frijolito!!! read more

What a great little slice of Chicago. Nestled in a completely gentrified neighborhood, you'll find Nilda's. It's not the kind of place you seek out, but rather a place you stumble upon. Usually after a few too many. After a nearby dinner at Yuzu Sushi and Robata, our group of four ended up here for an after-dinner drink. Other than another couple, we were the only ones here besides Nilda and her two Chihuahuas : Frijolito and a pregnant Cosita. The place is tiny (about ten seats at the bar) but has a pool table and a sofa. The ambiance (I use the word loosely) consists of a television playing a news station in Spanish, a painting of a monkey on a toilet eating a banana, an empty beer cooler, a jukebox with a very random assortment of tunes, and a randy Chihuahua whose johnson is at least a third of its body weight chasing around the other Chihuahua it impregnated (who clearly wanted nothing to do with it). So in other words, it's awesome. The beer selection isn't much besides Modelo, Tecate and Miller Lite in cans, and the liquor bottles don't look like they've been touched in a while, but this is all part of the charm that is Nilda's. Don't come here expecting craft beer or an artisanal cocktail; come here to hang out, chat with Nilda (who is always here), play pool, or watch the dogs hump each other. It's places like Nilda's (which has seemingly been here since time began) that make me appreciate Chicago. You just know Nilda is waiting for someone to offer her a million dollars to buy her building and put ugly condos in its place. Don't do it, Nilda! Please stay here forever. But do consider spaying/neutering your pups. Kthanxbai. read more

This corner establishment is a great getaway from the Division St. scene. If you haven't spent some one on one time with your friends and want to drinkheavily and catch up come to Nelda's. The bar tender's can't really speak English and there are no more than 10 seats in the place, but it is great for my two favorite things drinking and more drinking. read more

I wouldn't even call this a dive bar. It's more like your grandma's basement that serves booze. Seriously...you don't go for the great jukebox, sketch-ball spectating, or even extremely cheap drink prices that you'll find at the average hole in the wall. You go cause a sweet old lady named Nilda and her two little dogs are always there behind the bar...and it's just...well...it's awesome. The place has been owned and operated single-handedly by Nilda for 30 years having no help other than a lazy barback (Cocita) and overly aggressive bouncer (Frijolito). If you're in the area, pop in. Your definition of a local bar will forever be changed. read more

3.75 stars. First and foremost, Nilda's is probably the cleanest dive bar I have ever seen. I understand that sounds like a complete oxymoron, but Nilda does an amazing job capturing the feel of a dive bar while still keeping the premises amazing. You'll just have to check it out for yourself. I should also mention that Nilda herself is awesome; I wish I spoke Spanish so that I could have conversed with her in a more fruitful manner. The beer selection is minimal. We ended up drinking Negra Modelo Especial, but it was quite cheap ($3.50). The jukebox is legendary. It basically has an eclectic mix of American tunes, but it is wholly dominated by Latin music. We ended up buying 25 songs and playing an almost entirely random mix of selections. As mentioned in previous reviews, the bathrooms are tiny. And by tiny, I mean that I felt like a Tetris piece trying to maneuver my way into it. The pool table is about the size of the bathroom. There are a couple of games that clearly do not work and will not accept your money in the back. There is a mural of a guy's naked ass. There is a picture of a monkey taking a shit while eating a banana. Did I mention that despite all of this, the place is incredibly well kept? Under what circumstances do I recommend this bar? Basically, if you want to hang out with just your friends in a bar, this place is great (we were initially the only people in the bar). I will add that the value of this place probably increases dramatically if you are fluent in Spanish. Regardless, check it out. It's a place that doesn't get nearly enough attention in the Ukrainian Village... read more

-Cash bar, non-functional ATM - Pioneer your very own post-scarcity economy right here. -Malort - Try it now, but notify next of kin first. -Nilda - she's a total sweetheart. -Jukebox - Unheimlich -Bathrooms - Like stepping into the monolith in _2001_. Only the exact opposite. -Bathrooms - Successfully maneuvering them while drunk = traditional or experimental dance? You decide. -Bathrooms - The mirror on the door in the women's bathroom faces the toilet. For quality assurance purposes. -Patrons - Sometimes attractive young blonde women drinking at the bar will also tend it. -Patrons - An "interesting" number (in succession) of luxury automobiles idling outside. -Art - The painting above the pool table = Klimt + black velvet - the Oedipal triangle. read more

I'm giving 4 stars b/c I would feel really bad giving any lower rating. Nilda is a sweetheart, but sweetness can get you only so far. I came in on a Thursday night, just out of curiosity- we were the only patrons at the bar. We chatted it up with sweet, sweet Nilda. She showed me her bird (not that bird you dirty pervert). She also showed me her garden. It was 8 bucks for a modelo and a corona. I was expecting it to be 4 bucks. I really have no idea how this place stays open. I felt like I just walked in to a strangers home who happened to have a bar, it was totally strange. My real rating for this bar would be a 2. read more

Why has no one reviewed Nilda's in over a year?! There's a real problem when I can walk in to this bar on a Friday evening and be the ONLY PERSON THERE! But I got to gab with Nilda and watch '12 Corazones' (somewhat cheesy dating show), and she even offered me sardines and rice (didn't have any as I was going in search of the perfect guac). She let me try the Malort, but I'm not into booze that tastes like dirt (attention, Jager drinkers!) and continued with my Jack & 7-ups. The smoking ban's really put a damper in her business, she said. Show Nilda some love and visit this great bar! read more

After we went to wings at Cleo's tonight, Molly and I decided to go to the mysteriously marked Nilda's Place that we'd apparently both eyed on walks through the neighborhood before. We ended up having three drinks here and hanging out with Nilda who is one of the sweetest ladies on earth. She has owned the bar for 20 years and moved here from Puerto Rico. She has three kids and two grandkids. During the winter she shuts the bar down to go back to Puerto Rico. Her drink of choice is Miller Light. She is an amazing person and we love her. Nilda said that on the weekends it can get packed, but on tonight, Monday night, there were two other people there than us and they were playing pool on the pool table. There's a jukebox with a really random selection. Mixed drinks (jack + sprite, tequila sunrise) = $4. Also, they have Malort here. Why is this place not on Yelp and barely on the internet? Why...because no one wants to let out the secret. This is my new Happy Village. We totallly fell for this place hardcore and have found a new local bar of choice. UPDATE: Time Out is now listing Nilda's in the best neighborhood diver bars. I'm afraid we've created a monster. read more

Anyone who gives Nilda's less than five stars is an animal. Sure, it's a little quirky. Some might even call it weird. Yes, I was bitten by one of Nilda's dogs. Which broke the skin. But Nilda was right there with rubbing alcohol for me. OK, that was weird. Has this happened a couple times before or something? Also, the baby gates in the bar were interesting. And no, I didn't want to just drink Coors Light all night. But COME ON, this place is amazing. It's what we all WANT dive bars to be. read more

Nilda runs the place, so she's always there. She's such a sweetheart, and is very accommodating. You can order food in and eat it there, or sometimes Nilda will share with you her home cooking. Beers are like $3, the juke box is 1/2 Latin music, have old school beats. Always a safe hit! read more

Great local dive bar. Nilda is awesome. She is originally from Puerto Rico and has been here for 32yrs. If your lucky you might get to sample some of her homemade soup. She has two bar backs.. by the way they are dogs. ;) Frijolito is a grumpy little man but his girl Cosita is a sweetheart. You will find her sitting on the bar keeping an eye on things. She is open Thursday - Sunday from 4 pm until ? . Cheers! read more

Very very local feeling. Don't expect much ambiance. The real reason to go here is a stop on the East Village local neighborhood pub crawl (visit all 4 in one night). There used to be a parakeet hopping around the bar - not sure if she's still there. read more

I'm not sure if I went there last night, or if I just dreamt that I did. Nilda was fucking wasted and we were the only people speaking English. Nilda dissed tacos and Mexican food as a whole and told us to go to a Puerto Rican restaurant. read more

molly + leigh + booze = the BEST BAR between our homes!!!! let's get dan out for malort!! huzzah!! hmmm, wow. so i was buzzed when i wrote that review...but for realz...this place is really fun and cool. they pretty much close whenever nilda feels like it! pool table and jukebox, cash only, but with an ATM inside and you can get beers to go. all around good find! read more

if only nilda's had a patio... but i really like this place for the following reasons: 1 - it's within walking distance of my front door and you can't put a price on that kind of convenience 2 - the 'pool' table is the tiniest and yet i had a good time playing on it 3 - the owner is sweet as pie and her bird is real cute 4 - there is absolutely *no* attitude here (real story: i was here on a blind date one night and she bought us shots of tequila to relax us. that's customer service!) read more

Stopped here on a hunch while waiting for a friend to get out of work. Boomtastic! If you're searching for the "Cheers" type dive bar this is the place. Nilda herself is behind the bar and couldn't be more gracious and happy to speak with you. Dogs are awesome. Ask about the "hola". Too much to mention. Overall great neighborhood bar with friendly attitude and canned beer out the ass. read more

Not a bad place, but definitely not a destination spot. Be prepared to drink out of plastic cups if you order anything besides a beer. They have an interesting juke box, but the pool table is slanted so be careful.... read more

Nilda's Place. A local dive that is awesome. It feels like you're hanging out with a friend. We chilled with her dogs and she gave us a free shot of Jameson "for sleep." We will definitely be going back. read more

We did a dive bar pub crawl for my wife's pseudo 30th B-Day party and this was the first of nine stops. Let's just say that this place set the bar very high! Nilda is the nicest lady ever. Pregnant Chihuahuas roam the bar and there's a bird cage with live birds. Had a few PBRs and Nilda gave us some free shots. She took a Tequila shot down and had a little shimmy that she showed off. read more

Calling this bar a "dive bar" is almost disrespectful. It's like you're entering Nilda's living room and she's the most gracious hostess. She'll probably introduce you to her adorable dogs (cosita and frijolito) and will probably treat you as if you're long lost friends in town to visit. She's been the sole owner and manager for 30 years, and has great stories about the neighborhood (in my opinion, the woman is a total badass). It's truly the greatest bar experience you could possible have in Chicago. Nothing but rave reviews and warm feelings for Nilda's Place. read more

This is my favorite bar in the city. It is very relaxed. Nilda also has two beautiful dogs, which are a major selling point. Its amazing. Try it!! read more

This bar will change your life. Become a regular and immediately your prospects will improve: levels of motivation and creativity will sky rocket, goals will become clear, your sex life will reach new heights and all of your hopes and dreams will move that much closer to reality. Nilda's place is an oasis of hope in an otherwise dusty, barren world. read more

Great beers, great dogs...what more could you ask for?...no hablo espanol? No problemo!