Walked into this place after 11pm on a Friday or Saturday a while back and it was deserted; one guy talking to the lone bartender. I guess we must have interrupted something because the bartender treated our presence as a nuisance and was unfriendly. Needless to say, empty dive bar, no music playing, and hostile looks from the bartender convinced my group that we were better off giving our money to another bar. Oh, and who are you kidding charging $3.25 for a bottle of PBR? What a joke. read more

I've never started out a night planning to go to this place. It just kinda happens. A great example was Saturday night, my girlfriend and I were just taking a walk down Division to enjoy the weather after the blazing heat and humidity had finally become manageable. Sure enough, all the bars were packed, with no seating available outdoors anywhere in sight. We walked by Phyllis' and heard some great live Chicago Blues music filtering out the door, so we decided to go in. We got some easy, quick service and sat on the patio for a while before going in to listen to the band. Plenty of room and open seats, but still very lively! Don't make this place your destination, but if you're walking by sometime, don't be afraid to pop in for a beer, some music....and some basketball on the back patio! read more

Came here on a Friday night to see a friend's band play. Not only was the sound bad, the atmosphere was weird and dingy, and had a faint musty smell to it. Yeah, yeah, I get it, it's a dive bar, but at the very least, I want to sit down on a chair and not question its stickiness. I ordered a cranberry and vodka, which was essentially 4 parts cheap ass vodka, 1 part cranberry. Ick. The only redeeming things about the place were that it wasn't very crowded, there was no cover, and they let the tamale guy in around 2am. Nice way to make up for no snacks. read more

As a bar: decent atmosphere, surprisingly expensive drinks, decent enough service. No complaints. The crowd is really great, though. It's more of a mixed neighborhood crowd that's been in the 'hood for a while, even on the weekends--none of this scenster BS you get at some of the other Division/East Village spots. For music: It's very loud and the sound sucks. I love music, but damn. read more

My friends occasionally DJ funk and soul at Phyllis', and that's the reason I've found myself here. Phyllis' is nice and "dive-y", with its dark, dank atmosphere, old musical wall murals and vintage refrigerators. There's enough room for dancing - if it isn't filled with misplaced hipsters, as it was when I last visited. I haven't visited on days with a band, so I've never paid a cover charge. I wonder if the environment changes depending on the music being played. I love funk/soul night with my friends! I'll give them a thumbs-up for having Newcastle. However, there are other places with wider selections that I prefer for drinking purposes. It isn't bad for what it is. It's also conveniently located close to the Division Blue line stop, so I can get home quickly without having to stand out in the awful winter weather. read more

An old time authentic bar from the 50s. Has a lot of the original interior from when it was a polka bar. Nice outdoor beer garden space. It's not fancy, has only a few beers on tap, but the bartender is friendly and this place is very very cool. read more

Cool place, unique atmosphere. Staff was cool. Informed us of the live music schedule which was cool. Pretty inexpensive for Chicago area which is awesome. They had a back patio as well that looked pretty cool. Kinda run down though. I'd go to watch a band play for sure. read more

Super fun place. The Jazz on Sunday nights is especially good. Old school school selection of bottled beers.

I'm about to do something that I'd normally consider a no-no on yelp- I'm giving a few bars the same review. Friday night began innocently with drinks at a local neighborhood bar. Around 11pm our waitress told us that our table was to be turned over to the DJ and that we could move to another table or pay our tab. We chose to go across the street to Phyllis' Musical Inn and check out some of the "hole in the wall" bars in my neighborhood. I've walked and driven by these establishments a lot but haven't been in all of them. And let me tell you- I was missing out. Now I have been to Phyllis' Musical Inn and Gold Star in the past, but the other stops of the night were new to me. And YES, I'll return to them all. In fact, a spring time 'hole-in-the-wall' pub crawl is already in the planning phases. Phyllis' Musical Inn: As I said I'd been here before. When my friend and I arrived Friday night it was a full house. But we still managed to get two seats at the bar. I LOVE that they had a live blues band playing. I loved even MORE that while we sat there they pumped out 'Sweet Home Chicago.' Not going to lie, it really made me smile from ear to ear. This was the sort of bar the Blues Brothers would love! We each had a (cheap!) PBR. A kindly patron bought me a shot, the bartender was awesome- explained that many in the crowd had just come from the wake of a young man that had been a regular at Phyllis'. The place may be a bit of a hole-in-the-wall but it also has a welcoming atmosphere. I like this place lots and shall be back- especially if the live band returns! Gold Star Bar: This is another one I'd been to once before. Last time I was here it was the middle of the day in the summer and it was empty except for the bartender and a random man at the bar having a cold one. It was a bit boring on my first visit. This time however the place was packed. We lucked out (again!) and found two seats at the bar. One of the bartenders was hot which helped. We enjoyed some more cheap beer... then things started to get fuzzy. I just remember smiling a lot... I will absolutely return. It's a GREAT Friday night crowd- totally different experience from my previous visit. Zakopane: Being a nice Polish gal, I had to try this bar. I loved it. Immediately people in here recognized my face as being that of a nice Polish girl. Immediately people were buying this nice Polish gal shots. And I found a $5 bill on the floor- and $5 bills are my favorite bills, so that was a happy moment! The bartenders were two awesome gals as well. There was nothing about this bar not to love. CAN'T RECALL THE NAME OF THE 4TH BAR: Cheapest beers of the NIGHT!!! Unreal how cheap the beer was! I think it was $1.50 each! AWESOME! I feel so bad that I can't remember the name. Again, things were fuzzy- plus it was late! Rite Liquors: The evening ended here- when they turned the lights on and ushered everyone the heck out. We had a blast here! This was my first slashie ever. Yes- it's a liquor store- situated inside a bar. I've never seen a bar with more bottles in my life. The wall of bottles of booze was endless. But it was also a liquor store. We loved it. Who even knew these establishments existed? I plan to return. It was so much fun! It was the most diverse crowd of the night which added to the experience! Some people had all their teeth, some people had no teeth. Some people were young business professionals such as myself, some people haven't had a job in two decades. It was fabulous! I MUST return! Friends- keep your eyes peeled for a 'hole-in-the-wall' pub crawl invite once the weather warms up. And in the meantime, you'll likely find me frequenting my new favorite watering holes. God I love my neighborhood! read more

Casual and Relaxing... This place is good for: shootin' the shit, reminiscing about old times, people watching, there are usually plenty of characters to be seen, saddling up to the bar to watch the game, forgetting your troubles, hiding from the rest of society, a night of worry free, heavy drinking, general merriment and laughs. Contrary to popular belief, there are plenty of non-hipster types in here, some regular Joes and Janes watching the tube, having a brew, some local color and a ragtag collection of young, flannel-clad folk. The upsides are: Zero pretentiousness in here, friendly bartenders, laidback atmosphere (you could absolutely wear sweatpants in this bar and feel fine about it), cheap drinks, live entertainment, a great patio with a basketball hoop and they sell Christmas trees with a complimentary shot of Jack Daniels. The downsides are: The music is hit or miss, sometimes the place can feel a bit lonely, if it's not crowded, the folks at the bar are reminiscent of vultures, waiting for their next meal. Beyond that, go there if: You're looking for a solid dive bar without any danger lurking beneath the surface. read more

This bar would be great if it were not for the ownership. They don't really have bands that warrant cover charges, but they expect you to pay anyway. Then, after you have paid the cover, they charge way too much for drinks. Not only are the drinks over priced, but the people serving them are often rude. A friend and I took his mom and aunts here for a show. The sound was crappy, but what else is new. That was not the bad part. The bad part was when the help began insulting my friends family. That is a little over the line. Dive bars like this should be grateful for the patronage. Do yourself a favor and skip Phyllis' in favor of the Mutiny. read more

Hadn't been in years (not since I was a groupie for The Stewarts) but ended up at Phyllis' as a fan of The Chiditarod. Tasty beer, good vibe, and a comfy barstool, what more do you want? read more

Phyllis' Musical Inn - Chiditarod 3/7/09 - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Sometimes I am way too judgmental and quick to write a place off as not worthy of my presence or money. In case you're not really with it, word on the street is that I'm pretty awesome, therefore I definitely should never settle for sub-par or give second chances. Well, generally my infallible opinions and snap judgments work out well for me, but I admit I owe Phyllis' an apology. I visited about 3 years ago and saw a horrible horrible band and it left a nearly permanent bad taste in my otherwise good-tasting mouth. (Seriously, my mouth tastes awesome, you should try it. 5 stars) Long story short, we ended up stopping by over the weekend at the request of one of our group and we had a great time. The door man and bartenders were nothing but friendly and the crowd was pretty diverse. The patio is nice and large and there is a freakin' basketball hoop there so that you can play drunk and get checked into the brick wall as I step on your face on the way to a sweet 360 reverse dunk. Sorry again Phyllis' for a misjudging you, you're A-OK in my book and I'll be back again. read more

I think my favorite thing about this place is the history behind it. My friend and I talked with one of the bartenders and found out this place a) has been in the same family for years and years and b) used to be a polka joint! There's even a mural on the wall left over from those days. Additionally, for my fellow nerds, the bar itself looks to be the original. Getting back to brass tacks, the drinks are pretty cheap and there's live music. What's not to love? Although I must say, the first band I ever saw here was kind of out of control - it was a middle-aged guy, his friend, and his daughter, and they covered everything from Sheryl Crow to Lady Gaga. I'm not saying it wasn't amusing, because it SO was. But it wasn't, like, good. Dig? Anyhow, this place is fun. I'd recommend it for a chill night. read more

I live real close by but never went in until recently. A good dive where I can sit and not be disturbed, should I feel the need to sit somewhere alone for a beer as the clientele and general ambiance provides excellent camouflage. The acoustics aren't perfect and there isn't a dedicated sound engineer (at least at the performances I have attended) but then again, if you are at a bar like this you can not reasonably expect excellent sound. In fact, you can't really expect excellent anything here, which is all the more reason to like this place. read more

Great dive bar that has an outside patio with a B-ball hoop. Yup you heard right, a hoop. I sat and drank while other boozers threw up bricks. Seem like you're asking for trouble by allowing drunks to fling a ball around tables with glass bottles but hey thats the risk you take when hoop drinking. read more

Phyllis' Musical Inn - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Love this place! The fact that they have a basketball court in the backyard is just awesome! Decent priced beers, and live music all week! read more

Good dive bar with music.

I would say that this place is for hipsters, but it's so old school that I forgive the boys in eyeliner that are sitting at the next table. Phyllis' has been a place of drunken respite for as long as I have lived in Chicago. It's no-nonsense, relatively cheap and has that special dive bar patina that is becoming rare in the East Village/Wicker Park area. During the summer, step out to the outdoor seating area. It's not pretty, but it's always nice to sit outside and have the crap traffic of Division blocked from your sight. read more

Not a bad place to check out. They don't have a big drink selection, but it's a great dive. Very friendly feel and there are a couple characters that stop in every now and then. I've been here to see a couple different bands play. The sound isn't the greatest, but you shouldn't expect that from a place like Phyllis'. I don't think I even saw a sound guy so there you go. Usually open seating so it's good for a group. It's a chill spot that mostly anyone can enjoy. read more

Love this place and Clem! Looking forward to 2018 playing here and living here! Shannon is a jewel of a bartender and the whole staff from Rubin to John to Robin to Kris rock! read more

I've been haunting this place for roughly two years now and have had a fun time every time. It's a dive bar, but what can I say? I'm a dive bar kinda girl! My favorite time to visit is on their pumpkin carving day (It's really not for amateurs, the pumpkins are crazy amazing, but I got to participate one year :D). After a fun, and drunkin filled "carving" day, they set the pumpkins out on the patio, which is also great, for the public to view. It's really a fun time! read more

This place is the coolest little dive bar ever been to in my life. The owner is a really cool guy and he loves to share a drink with anyone that comes in! The music is always on point and the vibes are always wonderful. If you want to have a good night, listen to some good music, and enjoy some drinks Phyllis' is the place to be! read more

Older dive bar with a lot of funky art/murals around. Worth coming to for free live music and their beer garden with a basketball hoop. Cash only and pretty cheap. Typically can tell if the music is worth it just by walking by as they have the door open - jazz jam sessions on Mondays. read more

I have truthfully never been treated more poorly in my life then I did one evening by this establishment's owner. I'm not sure if he was intoxicated or simply just a jerk. Mind you, I was only here for maybe 10 minutes, and on my first drink, when I had the most insanely, bizarre encounter with this individual. I have never met someone so rude in my life. I will never step foot in this place again. Now I know why this was the one bar on the block that was not crowded. Do yourself a favor, save your dignity, and walk down the street to a different place. read more

Stay away from this bar!!! I was treated horribly by the owner. He screamed at me for putting my hand out for the bartenders attention saying I wouldn't be getting my drinks if I waved cash in the air. (I had no cash in my hand and I wasn't waving.) When I told him I wasn't ordering alcohol and that I would like an ice water because I'm pregnant he yelled "bullshit!" in my face 4 times. I really am 19 weeks pregnant. I was at the bar to watch my friends band play. He also spoke to his employees like they were trash. I will never be back to this bar and discourage anyone from giving it your business. read more

This is a quintessential no frills dive bar in the best way. The drinks are strong, simple, and cheap. Seating is abundant. There are lots of fun things on the wall to stare at as you try to think of what to say to that cute random stranger. On weekend nights, there is often live music. It is always mediocre. In the summer, the back patio is the best part. Make sure to notice the hipster chic ivy wall. read more

Open letter to the asshat owner of Phyllis's Musical Inn last night: Hello. I'm writing in regards to my rude and unacceptable treatment as a musician and a human being at your club last night. For the record, I was a last-minute add-on, I haven't palyed your club in a while and I was a little under-practiced. I have felt and performed better on many, many other days, and I'll admit I wasn't on my game. That being said, and I say this on behalf of ALL performers ANYWHERE, however or wherever you decided that it was ok to heckle anyone while onstage and berate them about tuning too much or not having an amp (which you didn't bother to say until I was onstage, yelling it in front of everyone), your actions are CLEARLY UNACCEPTABLE.I. have.never. Been so completely humiliated. There were better ways to address any issues I was having, but you chose instead to publicly castigate me like a child. My girlfriend Vicky and I are still shaking our heads that ANYONE would behave this way. I feel bad for her and for Richard Flabby Hoffman, who I was representing. Maybe I didn't need to leave the stage, but nobody should have to take that kind of abuse. I really did try to make the most of it, but when you just kept going and made it clear that you didn't want me there, I took the hint. Your place is a dive with a crappy sound system. It's not all that; if you want it to be, change your attitude, get off whatever you're on, and actually invest in your musicians and your sound. You don't get a pass just because your place is a hipster hole-in-the-wall with "atmosphere" and overpriced PBR's. I will make it a point to make it known to all my musician friends EXACTLY how much of a douchebag you are and to boycott your club indefinitely. Until something seriously changes, don't expect to see either I or my friends in there ever again. Chilly regards, Mark(e) Lester read more

I've actually been to this place a couple times and really only the second time for convenience sake. It's a dark dank smelly old dive bar and they only accept cash here. The one redeeming quality is that the drinks are cheap and they have a fairly nice patio. Only problem is the last time I was here the back patio looked like a frat house had descended upon it with a vengeance. That is, there were empty beer cans all over the place and the two guys working the front bar, at the speed of molasses, didn't seem in too much of a hurry to clean the place up. Granted they had maybe half a dozen patrons sitting at the bar which I'm sure can get pretty taxing /sarcasm.... Anyways, if you are in the neighborhood and already smashed this is probably a good place to stop in at. Otherwise, check out any of the other bars close by that doesn't smell like mold. read more

Phyllis' Musical Inn is the location of my college band's last show, a few years ago when my best friend and I put on cutesy sparkly dresses and got on stage and rocked out while our patient drummer put up with us for the last time. The place was full, not just of our friends, but fun locals too. The beer was cheap and plentiful, the sound was good, the stage was spacious. Now that I live in Andersonville and she lives in Ravenswood, my best friend and I stick to the bars on the North Side of the city nowadays, more often then not; now my boyfriend and I come here for a cheap beer or two to unwind. We don't do it enough, which is a shame. And after all these years, it remains an inexpensive watering hole that has as yet escaped the fate of places like Danny's Tavern. Lots of seating. Gruff-in-a-nice-way bartenders. The owner is around all the time and is totally awesome. There's a patio out back with some benches, random, dirty-water-filled bird fountains, and a basketball, um court? I've never seen anyone use it but its presence can't be omitted. And there's often live music as well. Only problem is that last I was there, as I recall it (maybe two, three months ago), they were still not accepting credit cards. I personally think it's about time places started accepted them, though I understand the extra expenses they can incur. Come, guys, it's almost 2010! The future is HERE! Great divey dive. Love it. read more

What you expect from a dive. Worst bar tender to customer management. One of the bar tenders looked me in the eye, said "I got you" and then went on to serve every other side of the bar. I understand you're busy, and I'm in the line but when you pass by each time you serve the other group of people, it means your word holds no weight. read more

Ah one of the remaining Division Ave dives. A nice sort of dive, unexceptional except for the gargantual beer garden area. Ahhh so nice. Beer prices are not insane but not "Goldies" good either. Occasionally there is a decent band here, I caught a marching band (?) wearing bunny ears (reminiscent of Mucca Pazza but smaller). Good vibe, good show, it was for a post Critical Mass event. I don't have a bike, but it was fun nonetheless. Try to avoid the bathrooms unless your need is truly dire though. read more

My friend and I stumbled upon this place and decided to check it out. It's super casual and laid-back. Once you're inside you'd never think this place has an outdoor patio, but it does. It's pretty cool. There was entertainment out there which everyone else seemed to enjoy, except me. The patio setting was more of a hipster setting on this particular night. The bar wasn't though. I'm giving this place 3 stars because it's cash only. It's 2016. Please stop. My friend ordered a screw driver for me and the bartender filled my cup with 3/4 of vodka which was great, but I'm guessing it was cheap vodka because I couldn't even taste it. It was an okay place. read more

Live jazz Mondays..... the way it oughta be. No pretentiousness. Cheap drinks. Raw instrumental improvisation. A diamond in the rough.

Unlike other reviewers, I don't mind sitting on a dive bar chair of questionable stickiness. It comes with the territory. Plus, I figure my exposure to the various bacteria undoubtedly lurking in Phyllis' will ultimately help me avoid infection by those creepy superbugs I keep hearing about. That's right -- keep slathering on your antibacterial Purell. I'll be in the world's filthiest watering holes, healthy as a fucking ox, drinking out of a dirty glass. If you don't like it, you can suck it. Anyway, Phyllis' is exactly what a dive bar should be: musty, dark and narrow, with a weird little hole in the back where a band can just barely set up. We arrived for a drink after a night at a Logan Auditorium show and ended up closing the place down around 3:00 a.m. I wasn't aware Phyllis' was a late-night bar, but the serving certainly didn't stop at 2:00. Not that I'm one to complain. (And thankfully my kidneys don't have vocal chords, or else they'd be screaming at me most of the time.) And while our lovely (OK, rough and a little tired -- this IS a dive bar) bartender was a bit of a short pourer, her pours improved with each drink she had -- that is, until she left the bar to dance, dance, dance. Again, not that I'm complaining. Actually, the whole thing felt like that bummed-out period of my life when I would be at the bar during after hours, hanging out with bartenders while they counted the till, drank the booze and turned up the stereo. Sort of like Cheers, except Cokie Roberts was never on Cheers. You know what I mean. Except that no one had bothered to close the bar, and all these people were strangers. But at the end of the night, getting lost on the way back to the Wicker Park Inn, they sure felt like family. Drunk, crazy, slutty family. read more

Love that they have good DJs here, but I don't think that this is a place that I would come in every so often to just hang out and chill. I do love that there is a nice beer garden with a basketball hoop, but something about the interior of the actual bar kind of turns me off from this place. Maybe it's because this place actually looks like the inside of an elementary school auditorium? If that's the goal aesthetic they are trying to achieve, I guess they've got that down. I like how they only have one beer on tap (and it's Canadian). Their drinks are reasonably priced - my friend got a gin & tonic for $6 - and their bartender lady seems sweet. The crowd was interesting. A mix of older people and younger people, hip and not-so-hip. I didn't really see an influx of "hipsters" that everyone keeps muttering about, so maybe they just come out on weird days... There's not much about this place that absolutely "wowed" me, so I guess it's not really terrible but it's not my favorite place on earth, either. read more

Not saying I don't like the place, just saying its a gross, one star dive bar. Bad DJ, broken 80s arcade games, gross bar, and cash only. Just about everything in here is nasty, and it's still $4 for a high life, ha! There was a cover band that played later that was ok, lots o Stevie Ray Vaughn covers. read more

Phyllis' Musical Inn - Cover band on little stage - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

what is wrong with you people??? this place is so great! sure the "acoustics" aren't good, but it's a small space!! went to a great show on Friday night with Frankie O'Malley (of the Safes) It's Over (from Kansas City) and The Party Downers. had a wonderful time. great mix of people and lots of space when the beer garden is open. it's "a little" cramped in the winter...but we ARE in Chicago. read more

One of my old bands used to play here in order to trade shows with out of town bands. They don't ever charge cover, so they let us bring tip jars around for the bands. Nice owners/bartenders. Cheap Old Style and a shitty sound system that always manages to do the trick. The patio, complete with ghetto basketball court, is awsome in the summer. The regulars are friendly, despite their reputation. Nelson Algren used to drink there and it was the first music venue in Wicker Park. That gives it historic status in my book! read more

Only in Wicker Park can a dive bar be this cool looking. I was really impressed with this bars character and am surprised I never hear more about it in papers. It is a non-descriptive building that has a real seventies look. They often have bands playing in here and place looks old but with charm. There are many bar rivals in the area and this place must be doing something right to survive all the competitors and onslaught over the years. read more