The light was revealed to me here. I came here looking for cheap drinks and a good environment and found that. Upon spending 30 minutes here though and pissing in their clean but soulful toilets I was visited by a spirit of unburdened joy. The light of a Protestant god is abundant here. Come here to be saved and be served by angels. 10/10. read more

Cool place. Know of the glasses matches and the furniture was straight out of my grandmas basement. Aka chill as fuck

After an orgy gone horribly wrong, I walked lost through Lincoln avenue and thought I'd never get my dignity back. I stumbled upon this bar and decided to go in to drown the last of my emotions. I met the staff here and suddenly was embraced with a warm welcome and great service, unlike my cold orgy. Anyway, I know it's TMI but this place is amazing and I recommend it. Who cares what comments my sister might've said at the event, this place was better. read more

It was a fun space. It was my first time going there. The crowd was mostly college kids which was fine. The reason I'm leaving 2 stars is because this was the first time EVER that a bartender has taken the change from the money I gave them as a tip without returning it first. I always tip people in the service industry well. But for someone to just take it is incredibly rude. read more

This place is sick except John is a huge a@@hole and it's often full of annoying Default students. Still one of my favorite bars in Chicago. read more

Guess how much a beer costs here...seriously, please guess... $1 No, I shit you not. Dan B and I ordered beers at 11:30 pm on a Thursday night and the bartender said $2. I thought he meant per beer so I handed him a $5 and he gave me back $3 in change, wtf! So what if this place is a smelly dive and there were only 3 other sketchy people in the entire bar? Well, since they sell beer for $1 I'm remarkably able to look past all their shortcomings...cheers. read more

Rose's Lounge - Cheers to $1 beer - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love this bar on Thursday's! They have a local musician named Jim who plays classic rock music. The place fills up and has a great vibe. This bar brings all ages together. DePaul students to local regulars. Highly recommend for a Thursday night out with your friends! read more

Rose's Lounge - Local Musician named Jim - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great dive bar with a pool table. No frills. Just a cool spot to grab a drink and chill.

I love this quirky little place so much. Best to hit during the week nights....go on a weekend and you will figure it out yourself...heh heh. Added touch is the refrigerator blocking one end of the bar so that no one enters it that way...hilarious. And in the spring there are beautiful and fragrant bouquets of lilacs all over the bar....I hesitate to call this a "dive" bar because it is just so sweet and wonderful.... read more

"Now this could only happen - to a guy like me. And only happen in a town like this!" How fitting. Late Sunday night, walked by the OLD STYLE sign and thought "why not." Knocked because the door was locked and assumed was closed. Thankfully John let us in. Whole place to ourselves. Stayed way longer than we should. Great music on the Jukebox (Sinatra included ), pool/billiards tips from the pros, Chicago nostalgia and memorabilia all over the walls, Hawks game on the TV, cash only style bar. Great stories and friendships made. I now have a new spot to watch Blackhawks games - considering they won last night (which is a first in a while). Thanks John and Bicycle Joe for night we won't forget. read more

Recently stopped in for a brief visit with Rose and the clan. Enjoyed a generous sized Dewar's on ice. Fed the jukebox some coins for a fill-up on Willie, Waylon, Merle and George. Attached a few photos, Cheers Rose.... read more

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Neal Pollack complains in his latest book about how all the great dive bars and historic landmarks are being closed to make Chicago shinier and much less interesting. It's true. Look at how Lounge Ax was closed even though it was the drunken preppy mooks spilling into the street from the Gin Mill that was making all the neighborhood disturbances. Indie rockers just want to get the hell out of Lincoln Park when they emerge from shows, blinking and bleary-eyed like animals stranded too far from their burrows. The few who stayed would head to either Rose's Lounge or Delilah's. Rose's appeal is that of a truly unpretentious dive, with interesting junky knick knacks, a surprisingly good jukebox (old country and rock), pool table, cheap drinks and the charming elderly proprieter. Come hang out and make sure this rusty nail remains in the landscape. read more

Rose's Lounge - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'm from out of town and this was the only place open on a Monday night. The barkeep and patrons were great and the prices reasonable. I'll be sure to come back! read more

If my CEO (Jeremy S) will look past all their shortcomings for cheap booze then I think I can, too. Rose's feels like you're legit in your grandma's basement. A little dusty, random office chair for seating, old school decor and a couch that's been broken in for generations. Also, it doesn't get a lot of airflow because Rose will get cold. But like I said, who cares? The beer is dirt cheap. Not quite a $1 a pop like it apparently was in 2006 but pretty close if you account for inflation. And yes, that is Rose sitting behind the bar. Cash only but they have an ATM in case you're like me and never carry cash. read more

Finding a good dive in Lincoln Park is like finding a $100 bill in a homeless man's couch. Rose's Lounge is truly a diamond in a crater of cubic zirconia mined by really, really white people who look really, really orange. Rose herself bartends and she's like 146 years old, so she's slower than a heroin addict trying to drop a deuce. But who cares, Old Style in a mug costs only one measly buck, and Rose'll give you a bowl of free pretzels if you ask nicely. Oh, and the bathroom smells like pork 'n beans, which is sort of awesome. read more

Okay, here's the thing about Rose's: It's Rose's place. Rose works there. No one else. And Rose is an unbelievable sweetheart who is getting on in years. So it may take you ten minutes to get your whiskey sour. And it may turn out to be a rum sour. And your Jack and Coke may turn out to be Jack and Diet Coke. But here's the thing: Just nod your head and drink it and pay the lady. Because if you're the type who would complain about the service at Rose's, you are a bad person and should avoid inflicting yourself on people. If you're not that type of person, just drink your random concoction and ask her about her life and her past and her stories, about how she ended up in Chicago, about life in Macedonia before and during the war. And listen. And then leave her a big effing tip. And ask her if she needs any help with anything. And if you're not up for any of this, you should go away and never come back. Go hide under a desk for the rest of your life because no one should have to suffer you. read more

If it weren't for Rose's I never would have stood outside the duplex of a 73 year-old former school teacher at 1 in the morning to talk about flowers for 20 minutes. While the ridiculously underpriced jukebox, grandma's basement décor and old man in the corner doing coin tricks all make Rose's a fine experience, they are only parts of the whole that makes it so great. There's a sense of community there which is refreshing and largely unrecognized. People complain about Rose mixing pitchers. While I admit this is a pretty disgusting and cheap practice, it hails to - to perpetrate a cliché - a time when things were simpler. It's refreshing being in a place that throws social norms and political correctness out the door. Rose is no doubt an ornery little old lady, but she's an ornery old lady who will give you a free drink if you carry a bag of ice to the basement. She'll also tell you (not ask, but tell) to walk the 73 year-old former school teacher sitting next to you home and it's in this experience that you'll find yourself at a crossroad. If you're in a mood to get drunk and pick up chicks, you may want to check out the scads of bars in the area where you can do just that. But if you're the type of person to revel and cherish serendipitous encounters with strangers sharing the common bond of humanity, Rose's is just the place for you. It boggles the mind that a place like this can be found in Lincoln Park, but it reminds you that this place was there long before Lincoln Park became what it is today. This is a good place to go if... you want to see what it was like to drink in a basement in 1974 and talk to someone three times your age. read more

Basically, you are going to get drunk in your Grandma's rec room. Also, it's 1982. If you like your dives divey and your beer pretension-free, this is the place for you. Rose herself--or her son-- will be there to pour crazy cheap beer into frosted glasses. The pool table is available and there's plenty of room to sit in the chairs and couches your parents tossed out in the 70's. I know you've been dying to hear a shitload of Journey and Billy-Joel B-sides, and you will be accommodated. Our first trip there, Rose & family were bbqing chicken in the back (her secret? "Put it in beer first!") and we were strongly encouraged to partake. Awesome. Some frat jerkbutts waltzed in at 9pm, and Rose's son explained the bar was closed. It wasn't. Heh. Man oh man. This place is booze-soaked, nicotine-yellow, and everything that's great about Chicago. read more

Round One: Me: What kind of vodka do you have? Rose: Vodka. Me: Ok. I'll have a vodka and soda. [Drink making, longer than usual.] Me: This is vodka and coke. Rose stares. Me: Ok, this is fine. Thanks. Rose: I'll get you a second one. [Rose making drinks.] Rose: This one is all vodka. Round 2 Me: I'll have a Zywiec. Other bartender: A shot? Me: No, a Zywiec. Other bartender, confused: Ok. [Drink retrieval.] Other bartender: Here. Me, looking at bottle of Tyskie in my hand: Thanks. read more

Yeah... it kind of belongs in an off-the-beaten path location in small town America instead of being in the middle of Lincoln Park... but god damn if it doesn't feel as comfortable and welcoming as any other bar you've ever been to inside. I don't think I've ever been to Rose's and not had my run of both the juke box and the pool table, and for that I love it. read more

Don't go to Rose's because it's a "dive". Don't go for the cheap beer. Yes, the mugs of Old Style are a dollar, but they aren't cold and a third of your glass will be foam. You might want to stick to the cans of PBR for 3 bucks each. You should go to Rose's because pretty soon there won't be any bars like this anymore. Corner tavern, shot and a beer type joints are slowly fading away. The kind of places where the phone rings and the bartender says "nope, haven't seen him" and hangs up, and then turns to the guy hunched over at the end of the bar and says "your wife is looking for you". A dying breed. Rose's is musty and dark. The furniture is as wobbly as some of the patrons. The posters on the walls are curled up and yellowed from decades of cigarette smoke. The felt on the pool table has seen more spills than a roller rink during all skate. And that's what makes Rose's great. There's a song on the juke here that sums it up perfectly: Quincy Jones' "The Streetbeater" (aka the theme from Sanford and Son). Kinda junky, old and cranky, yet oddly loveable. read more

Lincoln Avenue has started to become the urban equivalent of the suburban developments of the 50's and 60's - by that, I mean that everything has become cookie cutter, old buildings that were part of the landscape and historic charm are gone, replaced by mammoth stone beasts. That's precisely why Rose's is so refreshing. It's a throwback to an era that has long since gone the way of the dinosaur. Swank this place is not. My ears were greeted by the sound of Bob Dylan's voice, just loud enough to play over the sounds of the Twilight Zone playing on Rose's testament to modern technology, the HUGE TV in the corner. My friend found Rose's depressing. I actually thought it was amazing to step into a time warp. This is the kind of place I could have seen my dad and his brothers in, throwing back a few circa 1977. I personally got the vibe that this place hadn't changed since then, and I loved the fact that it felt like this is what the Lincoln Ave. of that time was like - less than trendy, a little bit seedy, and home to your average, working class Joe. Rose was an absolute sweetheart, and the not-quite stale pretzels nicely complimented our cool $1 miller lites. Cans of Coke (mixers I assume) and bottle of booze that looked old enough to have been opened when 1983 rang in lined the bar. Needless to say, I'll be sticking with the beer on my future visits! It's like drinking in a little piece of history, a museum if you will, and I for one am all about it! read more

If you get dragged to the Rockhouse and *must* escape for a period of time, Rose's is for you. Or if you happen to be in this neck of the woods and have already checked out Delilah's, then this place is for you. Actually this place is for just about anybody. Just leave your attitude at the door. Feel free to singalong to the juke (everyone else is) or sit and read (that guy on a Saturday night was). Make it your own. Enjoy the musk, the smell of decades of cig smoking still lingers and your chair might break from under you and there is a crazy looking shrine behind the bar but who cares... Peace and unity at Rose's. read more

Arghhhhhhh ... uhhhhhhhh ... achhhhh ... ok, ok ... I'll do it! My desire to maybe direct a person or two to the bar most deserving of their money in the city of Chicago has just overcome my fear that further publicity will ruin a good thing. Would you like to sip a fine microbrew, banter with an attractive member of the opposite sex, and listen to a few tracks from that hip new band? Go somewhere else. Actually - do you wish for your drink order to be more specific than "beer ... whichever's colder"? Go somewhere else. Like anything worthwhile, Rose's shines because of its people. Sure, the atmosphere is amazing - mismatched couches and dining room sets abound, fascinating knickknacks are everywhere, and the super cheap jukebox is almost always playing the song you'd expect to hear in a bar like this. And yes, the price is right for a mug of brew and a game of pool. However, the true charm resides in the personalities of the owners and the regulars. I have met some truly excellent people here, and they, not the bust of Elvis and the Christmas lights, are why this place is special and feels like home. If you want to have a true Chicago experience, skip Navy Pier - come in at an off-time when Rose has time to sit and talk, have her pour you a draft and a paper plate of pretzels, and introduce yourself. This woman has lived a fascinating live, and she might tell you about it, if you are polite, friendly, and shut up long enough to listen. Cash only (ATM up the street), no kitchen, and bathrooms just barely clean enough to use. Occasional barbecue or communal pizza. This is the real deal, folks. Frequent it, and respect it. read more

~ Rose, The Premier, The Commissar and I ~ Part I - Rose, Her Lounge and I On Yelp, one can usually trust the aggregate rating of an establishment if the rating is four stars or more or three stars or less. Unfortunately, I've found one of the exceptions. Let's be clear. Rose herself, who graciously served us post-post-game following TOLA, is a trooper for continuing to work behind the bar and serve customers. She's five stars. As for Rose's Lounge, there's just no way it's a four-star establishment. There's no way it's even a three-star establishment. I don't care how cheap the beer is, Premier Gogirlsky. I know a good dive bar, and Rose's isn't a good dive bar. Rose's is more like Wile E. Coyote going over the cliff than Greg Louganis. It's dingy, unkempt and has bar stools with duct tape replacing the vinyl. And then there's that dude. Yes, that dude, who sits at the far end of the bar from the entryway. Calgon, take me away. Rose's is a one and out. But God bless Rose herself. I'll throw her an extra star and rate Rose's Lounge as two stars solely because of her. Part II - The Premier Let's get back to The Premier. Premier Gogirlsky felt some years ago that it didn't matter if a place was smelly or had multiple shortcomings since drafts at that time were one dollar and consequentially rated Rose's four stars. And Rhinelanders served for a buck post-game on opening day in Casey Moran's bathroom that smells like death would be four stars as well, right? No, let's rate on one dubious criterion rather than on the actual spectrum of criteria. Hmm, this reminds me of our Commissar. Part III - The Premier and The Commissar The Premier: Comrade, how are you doing? I see you did a bang-up job on your latest assignment. I sent you over a case of wod-ka for that one. I trust you saw to it that our star challenged comrades had a safe trip to Siberia? The Commissar: My momma always told me, if you don't have anything nice... The Premier: Comrade, please settle down... The Commissar: If it's free, it's five stars! And you're an ingrate if you say otherwise because I said so! The Premier: [Smacking the Commissar] Comrade, settle down! Here, drink this wod-ka. The Commissar: [Drinks shot of vodka] I'm sorry, Comrade. Par-tee lines. They get into my tiny little head and play on repeat. By the way, free shot of wod-ka - five stars! Is there anything I can do for you today, Comrade? The Premier: Nyet. Nothing, Comrade. I just wanted to give you kudos for your latest work. Your Par-tee membership has been extended indefinitely. I hereby, with this medal, afford you Hero status. Splendid job, Comrade. The Commissar: Thank you, Comrade. Would there be anything else then, Comrade? The Premier: Yes, I'm referring you for a real haircut and basic English classes so you can keep up the subterfuge. Par-tee provides for free. Dismissed, Comrade. The Commissar: Free! Thank you, Comrade! Five stars for Par-tee! _______ Hey, if you're broke, have a bad sense of smell and taste, don't care how you look, hate bros, enjoy a seedy basement atmosphere and don't mind creepy old timers trying to pick you up, then by all means, go! read more

Best service in the city of Chicago. Iggy is the absolute boy at tender. Cannot go wrong with this gem. The chilled Old Style Glass is phenomenal. Rose's is a go-to read more

When you walk in to Rose's you don't know what holiday you should be celebrating or if your taxi just dropped you off at Grandma's house, cause this place was warm and inviting and had a plethora of decor for every calendar month. Mini American Flags? Check. Christmas lights? Check. New Years hats and clankers? You bet your ass! I was lucky enough to meet Rose. She's like 143 years old but has a heart of gold and enough in her to fill beer after beer for raging alcoholic DePaul kids, regulars, and passers by! I ate like 4 bags of pretzels, enjoyed probably some of the greatest music at a Lincoln Park bar to date, and got to hang with Chi-town's finest....ROSE! I'm not a huge fan of Old Style, but if it keeps this place in business, I'll gladly hand over my liver and bank account and slam some of those dolla beers! read more

This unsuspecting little hole-in-the-wall bar might be my home away from home. A warm and classic wooden interior made me feel nostalgic upon entering, and the clientele was relaxed and friendly. Rose's mirrors my favorite bar in Columbus, right down to the stellar selection of music on the Jukebox. Rumor has it, Rose likes Elvis. I had my first Old Style at Rose's, and it's a cheap and tasty beer! My mixed drinks were on the weak side until my male friends began ordering them for me, which was a bit strange. Maybe Rose wants to protect my femininity - but I like my whiskey and cokes to pack a punch. Rose's will become a tradition on my trips to Chicago, this bar embodies the Midwest spirit that I love so much! read more

I'm in tears after reading the other reviews of Rose's, but I have to agree - they are spot on! I actually ended up at Rose's on NYE '05 (don't ask how, it's a long story). As mentioned in the previous reviews, Rose's does indeed remind you of your grandmother's basement - if Grandma had a bladder control problem and you were fearful of sitting on her furniture. We had heard it was a dive bar, but this really gave the term "dive" a whole new meaning. So the deal was $35 all you can drink - I now see we were had as beers are regularly $1. And the term "all you can drink" should have been followed up with "if you're lucky enough to get served". See, the bar was packed - probably 50-75 people. And Rose is old. And moves as such. I would say on average we probably got about 1.5 beers/hour. There were 4 pitchers available and Rose filled each one with about a quarter beer and 3/4 foam. Oh, get a mixed drink you say? Well that's a grand idea if you consider Popovs to be top shelf. And as far as "mixers" go, Rose had 3 2-liters of Faygo on the counter. Yum. I actually phoned ahead to friends who hadn't arrived yet and had them bring a gallon of Absolut. We just did shots of that. If you were on your toes, you could successfully reach over the bar and fill your own glass out of the tap while she was at the other end of the bar. But if you got caught be prepared for the wrath of Rose. It wasn't pretty. At one point she unplugged the juke box to punish us all for our disorderly conduct. One guy had to go to his apt. down the street to get his ipod speakers just so we could have music! Then there was the matter of Rose's son. He was wasted when we walked in the door at 10 p.m. and started calling my male friends gay. By 11 he was fully combative with every male to walk through the door and by 11:30 punches were being thrown. Rose ended up having to pull her 40-something son out of the bar by his collar and he wasn't seen again that evening. Obviously this was a very memorable experience and although I haven't yet, I fully intend to return to Rose's. Just not on New Years Eve. read more

I love shitty litte bars. I love batshit crazy people who camp out at shitty little bars. I love drinking rail vodka with batshit crazy people at shitty little bars. I guess what I'm trying to say is ... I LOVE ROSES. My night here was filled with shots of McCormick's, singing Frank Sinatra at the top of my lungs, playing air guitar and SCREAMING to Ted Nugent with the bartender, and eating delicious chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes that someone brought in for their birthday. The stunning thing is that this place is in Licoln Park. You know, the place with all the douchey bars. You know, like down the street from Grand Central (shuddering with horror). I'm kind of glad this place is so small that most will miss it. It's a secret piece of heaven. read more

Rose's is like the basement of your friend from high school with the cool dad who lets you boys have a few Miller Lites as long as mom doesn't come down. In other words, heaven on earth. read more

I had a lot of fun at Rose's, and if it wasn't for how much fun I had, this would be a three star review because of this one fact: I spent over 100 dollars at Rose's. ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS and the bartender NEVER bought me ONE drink. Never. Not one pitcher. Nothing. The reason I am giving it four stars is because that one hundred dollars got ALL of my friends drunk (I was the big spender for a friends birthday). The atmosphere is also amazing. I wish we could bring drinks on the back patio, but oh well. Try and find the "World's Fastest Man".. he's an old guy who sits near the end of the bar near the TV and the bathroom. He will steal all your quarters, for sure. read more

My brother told me this was the worst bar he had ever been to, so naturally I had to go. Upon entering, a man looking like Dr. Who asked for ID so, "she could see I'm looking at something." I'm assuming he's referring to the bartender who looks like she could care less. We got a coffee table with couches and wicker chairs right by the door on a night with great weather. SCORE! FOOD: Don't know. DRINK: $12 Pitcher of Old Style. A bit steep, but for some reason I got 2 of them and we had a great time. I really didn;t see what else they had... wow that's weird. ATMOSPHERE: Now you know how most dive bars are like a VFW or your grandparent's basement? This one was more like the basement. There was even a doily with little figurines on it upon shelves behind the bar. We chatted with Dr. Who while partying it up. It didn't smell like crap like my brothe said, so thats a plus. In all, my brother was wrong when he passed judgement on this one. It's a good cool down after Delilah's... or a good warm up to Delilah's read more

'Affection for Rose's' is one of the qualities I use to judge whether or not you can be my friend. Seriously, if you do not love this hole-in-the-wall bar run by a sweet old lady, then there is a very good chance of me punching you in your stupid face. P.S. The other two categories which I use to judge potential friends are 'body odor' and 'Mario Kart skillz' read more

I was at Delilah's with some friends one night and had a little too much to drink. I woke the next morning with dreams of some weird house party with someone's grandma. Nope, just stopped at Rose's on the way home. What a cool place. read more

What a great dive! It's very chill. Very comfy. The house of seating is a mixture of household furniture and bar stools. It was quieter than most Lincoln Park Bars, and I could actually hear my friends talk without anyone raising voices. Also, I like the fact that my bartender put a lime in my jack + dietcoke with me having to ask for it. read more

I almost don't want to write this review because Roses is the best kept secret in Chicago. As soon as you walk in you immediately notice the couches which line the perimeter of the interior. This place is a throwback to yester-year, complete with Elvis posters, Christmas lights, and flags from around the world. The jukebox is... awesome (mostly classic rock and oldies, but goodies). The drinks are stiff and the crowd is an interesting mix of neighborhood locals and Depaul kids looking for a cheap night out. What I like about Roses is that its a great anti Saturday night spot - divebar in every sense of the word. Make sure to say hi to Roses when your there, she can't be missed, and make sure to tip (that goes for all you cheap ass college kids). read more

Rose's is the definition of dive bar. We walked in and I felt like I was walking into someone's house party in their grandmother's basement (I just read other reviews and it seems like this is the typical feeling). Even this grandmother's knick knacks are on display. We ended up having a great time and the bar really filled up by the end of the night. Great music on the juke box, beer is on the cheaper side and served in frozen mugs. Yes, the chairs have duct tape on them, but isn't that the point of being a dive bar? Cash only. 68/365 read more

Rose's is in my top 5 things I miss most about Chicago. It's everything you could ask for in a dive bar....cheap, unique, family owned, cozy, good music, pool table, a little smelly (more smelly depending on who's there) and all around awesome. I spent many a night here drinking my heart out and jamming to the excellent array of music on the jukebox. I'm coming back to chi-town for the holidays and this beats out most of my family members houses as a place I have to go during my visit. I was a little nervous that it had changed and wouldn't be like I remember but based on recent reviews, I don't think I'll be let down. HELL YEAH! ROSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Like its name, the bar is like a red rose. It may be beautiful now, but it's charm and thorns will hurt you if you get too close. Many arguments will come and go, like love or wine bottles. It's craft beer and everyman's tobacco fragrant enters my memory. The closer you get, the more familiar the scent-- memories of experiences come and gone. Don't look at Rose's with light glance. Don't speak of it easily. A meadow and bloom from a single seed. Also, they're open pretty late, so that's a plus. read more