It only took 33 years, but I'm finally giving in to my rural girl roots and have gone cuckoo for country music. I've always had a vague affection for Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton, but this year something happened to my soul and nothing but the white person's blues will do. So last Wednesday when I learned the Western Elstons were playing at Simon's that night, I cancelled my other plans (sitting on the couch watching Roseanne DVDs) and headed over to Andersonville. It was my first time at Simon's and I was immediately smitten. I like my bars like I like my men: long, narrow, and full of hardwood. Simon's delivered on all counts. I only had one drink, a Murphy stout, and it was decently priced. If it hadn't been a school night I'd've gotten a shot of whisky and a beer chaser, because that's the sort of boozin the Western Elstons' music calls for. Their drummer was double booked that evening so for the first set they rotated drumming duties and threw a whole lot of Beatles covers at us, which I was delighted by. After their drummer arrived, they went into full on honky tonk mode, and my fate was sealed: I had a new favorite band and another favorite bar to hold dear to my heart. Simon's is a bit far for me to make it a regular drinking spot, but I'll definitely be there every chance I get when they have live country music. And a few times besides that to ogle that hardwood, of course. read more

It has been a couple of years since I have told Simon's how much I love them. Years? Goodness, how embarrassing. The Anchor of Andersonville indeed! read more

I have nothing bad to say about this place! Great bar in Andersonville. The bartenders and staff are very friendly as well as the other patrons :) I will definitely be returning! Just make sure you have cash, but if you forget, there's plenty of banks/ATM's in walking distance. read more

Old School, and Old decor. In other words, My kind of place. The decor is so old that you will swear you saw Al Capone on one of the bar stools. I advise a trip here just to look at some of the old pictures on the wall. It was mixed crowd of younger people and a group of older regulars who have probably been coming to Simon's for decades. The only reason that I'm not giving Simon's five stars is for the slow service. The one bartender on duty did the best that he could, but who ever does the scheduling totally dropped the ball. It was a Friday night and the place was packed. The next time that I'm up in Andersonville and need a PBR on draft, I will stop into Simons. It's like walking into a time machine that is set for the late 1940's. read more

I would say this bar plays third fiddle to all of the bars that cluster Foster and Clark. No, I am not a Hopleaf addict, but I do like the wider entertainment options of Konak, but Simon's will do when Hopleaf is too crowded and Konak is filled with douchebaggery. Waiting in line for the barman to get to you is not a short wait, particularly on a Friday evening, even if it's earlyish There is wood everywhere, and lots of it, I kind of enjoy the feel of a bar that keeps itself in good condition, there is a wide beer selection that is affordable, yet diverse enough to keep you from ordering Guinness as a nice beer. At the end of the day, Simon's is still a dive. The bathrooms reek of the aroma homelessness and initiate a shuddering reflex. Friday nights early at Simon's will still leave breathing room, Saturday night is packed to the brim so watch out! read more

BEST .. JUKEBOX .. IN .. ANDERSONVILLE! Ask for Vance, he'll do you right. Great place to watch the debate or sit in the alley and watch the owner go nuts with fireworks on the forth of july. Just don't order any "bomb" (i.e jager bomb, car bomb, etc). Its not that kind of place, bro. read more

I actually really love this place. Cheap beer, decent selection and the bouncers and bartenders have been nice and friendly every time we've been in. Sure, the tables are greasy and the place is kinda seedy but it is an awesome neighborhood bar and a great spot to sit and actually have a drink and talk to you friends. A pleasant change from the other places we've been that are blaring music so loud my vision is blurred from all the damage to my inner ear. Hope to come back soon and, over time, give it five stars. read more

Let us clear up a common misconception: Simon's is not a dive bar. Neighborhood tavern, yes. Dive, no. Be that as it may, I see how one could confuse the two. But still... Stiff drinks, outstanding bartenders, occasional live music, a perpetually stellar jukebox, and a generally easy-going clientele are par for the course here. If that doesn't tickle your fancy, I don't think we can be friends anymore. Simon's is best enjoyed (in my humble opinion) when you want to get a little sideways on a weekday afternoon, but a weekend night is just fine, too, so long as you don't mind a bit of a crowd. I'm told that you can get Glogg here, and Malort too, if you're one of those folks who pretends to enjoy that rancid, stale, foot-bath water (I may be getting soft in my old age, but Malort is just awful) Let's cut to the quick, though...this is the best bar on Clark St, and perhaps *my* favorite bar in this town altogether, but consider the source. I am, however, not the only one who feels this way. So, come. Spend your gorgeous, filthy American dollars. You won't regret the experience. The things you do after consuming their product...well, that's on you. read more

Simon's broke my heart when they stopped carrying Hamm's on tap, but I still love the ol' place. It's a one-time old man drinkin' bar that reinvented itself as a place for everybody, including plenty of those old men (and women). If you're lucky, you'll get a seat by the (open) window in the summertime, or back in the "living room" area. The ambiance is definitely old school, and the juke box rocks. Beware of the bathrooms, though. (Although I hear the ladies' room has been cleaned up.) read more

Simon's only problem for me is the penumbral effect of Hopleaf. All bars that are within this range will always have difficulty. That said, I occasionally need a break from Hopleaf and Simons fits this bill perfectly! I find that it has the highest hipster quotient in the stretch. Not necessarily a bad thing and certainly you don't have to be a card carrying member of the hip club to drink here. Furthermore my definition of hipster will almost certainly be different from yours. What I like about this bar is the friendly staff and even better they only deal in cash which makes service fast. There is conveniently an ATM right outside the door so not entirely inconvenient. They also have a decent selection of beers to choose from. read more

Simon says, "Drink Glogg the night before Thanksgiving and you will find yourself suddenly happy in a cold and snowy Chicago." It's a tradition at this point. This divey sweet spot releases it's winter Glogg every year the night before we stuff ourselves silly with Thanksgiving dinner. Remember gathering at a local pub when returning home from college over Thanksgiving the night you arrived home? You realize you can no longer tolerate 8 hours straight with the fam so you head out to meet old pals? Simon's is the place in Chicago to runaway but only 20 years later. I must mention they have one of the best juke boxes in town. Tonight I got to hear Hong Kong Garden. Between the always- friendly crowd, the winter drinks and the tunes, I was all smiles. read more

Read yelp reviews... Went for the Glogg, I had me some Glogg. the glogg is good. Go get yourself some glogg from here. It's stronger than whatever the other spots are serving. -A guy from California read more

This is exactly what a neighborhood pub should be. Cozy and dim without going to the sketchy side. Awesome decor that gave the authentic feel. Bartenders that were fun and inviting. I of course had to have some of their Traditional Glogg. It was strong warming and delicious. So glad I stopped by this very unassuming place. read more

Simon's Tavern - Glogg! - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Yes, my Glogg cherry was popped here with some fellow yelpers. It was quite a glorious experience...not all what i would expect from a north-side bar. To put it in south-side terms...this bar reminded me of Jimbo's, but better. I know...I'll take a lot of flack for that, but it's true. Has a great homey feel, with a local flare that's just so addicting that you have to come back for more. Simon's, I'll be back for your Glogg, and your post-glogg season! read more

This place had little room to stand, rude servers at times, and a bathroom that looked like it hadn't been cleaned since 1956. You would think I hated this place, but for some odd reason I couldn't help but really enjoy myself here. I think it was mostly due to the crowd. Everyone was very friendly on this early Friday evening and I would certainly go back another Friday to throw back some more beers with this relaxed crowd. read more

This is my favourite fave dive bar in Chicago! It helps that it's in Andersonville, has the Swedish colours everywhere and is close by whenever I'm at the Swedish American Museum or buying my much needed Swedish food elsewhere in the neighbourhood. The drinks are really cheap ($5-6 for both beers and mixed drinks) and they serve a delicious glögg! Not only do they make it on location, but the owner, Scott, clearly takes pride in what he does and this year he had an additional white wine mulled wine that was just as good as the traditional one. I've had the pleasure of meeting both the owner and his fiancée and they are lovely people who really look after the bar well. If you get an opportunity, ask Scott about the history of the bar. There are more than a few hidden gems in there and you won't regret listening to it! I will continue bringing my friends here and even though it was the glögg that originally brought me in, it's not the only reason why I keep coming back! read more

Four-dollar High Life bottles? What the heck?! We needed a respite from the hustle-bustle Midsommarfest action, so we stopped in here. The interior is deliciously divey, so I had high hopes for the atmosphere and price. However, the bartenders acted indifferent and/or huffy, as if we were bothering them, and the two bottles of High Life we ordered knocked us back $8. That is NOT cool--I could have stayed outside and payed the same steep price for a larger cuppa draft. I might come back and give this place another chance at night or another day, but I'm not hopeful. read more

I LOVE Simon's! It's a good family owned pub in Andersonville. It only takes cash, has a decent selection of drinks. They host concerts there from time to time, where it could get a bit crowded. Yet on a weekday night it's a good place to go for a drink, usually isn't too busy on the weekdays yet it's not dead either. They also have pizza for $5, it isn't the best (frozen pizza) but it helps your budget while being hungry at the bar. I usually try and snag the Ikea couches in the back for my friend's and I so that we have a comfy place to sit and chat. I actually got to meet the owner, and he took us downstairs to see the speakeasy that it was way back when. He also talked about stories Al Capone coming to drink there, it was a really cool experience! read more

This is my favorite place to meet up with a buddy, sit at the bar, and enjoy good booze, good tunes, and good bartenders. I'll only go during the week, because I don't like it so much when it gets crowded. Their glogg is super, and I love that they serve it with a ginger snap! read more

I like Simon's more and more every time I go in there. The latest highlight was the live music on Wednesday night. A great 3 piece band with a Singer/Guitarist, Bassist, and Drummer playing Jazz, Blues, Rockabilly, and Country -- they played a really great set. It can get crowded, but the crowd is usually laid back and the sort of people you don't mind crowding next to. Everyone knows of Simon's, but it lives up to its reputation. read more

Nice bar, good selection of beers. I keep hearing about the great jukebox, but I mostly remember bad eighties metal. I was preoccupied with my date. So why not a higher rating? Here's my story: I had a date there. I got a little tipsy on two beers (Yes, I'm a lightweight), and left my wallet at the bar. I called that night, they found it; it would be there when I went to pick it up. I biked up to Andersonville the next night (from Little Village, by way of downtown). They couldn't find it. The guy I spoke to wasn't there, and could not be called. So I had to bike home. No bus to put my bike on, no cash to get a snack on the way, starving, cold, fighting a headwind home, twenty miles and change round trip, returning empty-handed. I called the bar the next day. The guy was there, and he found it. I was exhausted from the night before, so I told him to drop it in the mail. It got to me fine (well, there were issues with the post office, but that's another story). All my cash was still there. But here's the thing: If you run a bar, you operate a business where people go to imbibe intoxicating substances on the premises. In their inebriated state, they will tend to leave behind important items. Keeping track of these items and returning them promptly is an important function of a bar. Sending patrons home empty-handed (and stomached) is not always a minor foul. So, my recommendation is, go, enjoy yourself, but don't get drunk enough to lose track of your stuff. And Simon's, get your lost-and-found act together: get *everyone* on the same page, make sure there's an authoritative place to put things people misplace, and everyone puts those things in that place. read more

The best glogg ever is offered. The place hasn't changed in 40 years. Old man Roy would be proud! read more

Simon's Tavern - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place should be shut down. I was attending the mid summer night street festival and I wanted to grab something to go and when I tried to get something to go with my service dog the owner turned me away!!! If I could give zero stars I would!!! The owner is not only rude, but turned away me and my service dog . I hope that anyone who has any compassion for animals especially service animals will do their best to avoid this place and NEVER give them any business!!! I hope the owner and his business Choke!!!!! read more

The neon sign outside proclaims "It's Glogg Time" and yes my friends, it is. Since glogg has been explained a million times already, I'll suffice to say: I liked it. Sweet and warm on a cold day. Maybe a little too warm. After 3 small glasses ($4 each) I was sweating! It didn't help that Simon's was pretty packed, and not just by our group, and has no ventillation system to speak of. The smoke bothered me at the time, but now that the ban is in effect it won't be as much of a problem. Once I got tired of the glogg, I switched to hard cider, served in a big ol' can. Simon's does have a full bar, but no food. You can order from the giant stack of take out menus and have food delivered. I don't think Simon's is the first place I'd chose to go on any evening, but when it's negative 20 out and I need to get warm and tipsy, I will come back for more glogg! read more

Five stars for the jukebox alone. The rest of Simon's is solid, too. Great atmosphere, laid-back, clean, and a nice mix of old-timers and younger folks. Great Halloween decorations. And cheap! A perfect complement to nearby Hopleaf. read more

Come on the wrong night and you'll get lost in a sea of bar crawl folks with LED plastic bead necklaces--this place seems to be a target for wayward drunkards. Come on the right night and you get to hear some fun live music! The staff here are incredible. I was trapped in the rain in Andersonville, to quote Scissor Sisters--Lookin like a drowned harassed rat-- the owner of Simon's reached out to me in my hour of need and offered to lend me an umbrella for a few hours until it let up. He said, "drunks leave em here all the time! I'm sharing the wealth!" The umbrella he lent me was a golf umbrella--massive. Thank you Simon's for keeping me dry! read more

Love everyone especially the owner Scot. Best Glugg and cheap draft. Very down to earth

A few of my friends and I meandered in here last night to have a few drinks in celebration of one of our group's finance receiving a visa for marriage. Hooray! This is exactly what I want in my dive bars. It was a small setting with a few little clusters of friends grouped together around a peeling wall mural. Odd little bathrooms (one with a door handle that had been removed, leaving a hole about 2 feet from the floor. I was intrigued). They had a nice beer selection, would cook you up a tiny pizza for fairly cheap if you wanted (I'm guessing they had to have some sort of little toaster oven or something behind the bar to cook those. I had no clue where these magical little pizzas were coming from). The best part, however, was the juke box. They had some fantastic selections over there and the whole bunch of us really enjoyed taking turns paying $2 for 5 songs. I'm sure we'll return soon for another brew and mini pizza, hopefully, with an Englishman in company. read more

Great little bar, nice atmosphere, a good alternative when the Hopleaf is too crowded. Get the Glog during the winter months!!! read more

Stopped in with a friend for one or two drinks. Originally we were going to go to Hopleaf down the street, but it was too crowded for us to get a seat, or even get to the bar to get a drink. Simon's Tavern was the alternative, because the sign outside was a dolphin with a viking helmet (or something along those lines). Decent draft beer selection, not super crowded, and fantastic bartenders. Old cash registers and scary Christmas decorations were both plusses. I'd love to stop by again and get more into their drink selection (mixed drinks the bartender made in front of us looked very good). Definitely a great place if you want to hear your own conversation (at least on a Thursday). read more

I love Simon's. I wish I lived closer to Simon's. Or maybe I don't, because I would probably spend too much time here. I have yet to stumble across a better jukebox, really anywhere. One time I was here around the holidays and the bartender gave me a bunch of these delicious gingerbread cookies to eat with my glogg. read more

A tavern where you walk in as a newbie and nobody turns their heads and gives you the lookdown.....oh yes. I don't know about the rest of you, but when it comes to sitting in a bar and getting my drink there's got to be some structure to it. Simon's, the tavern the size of a kitchen cabinet with the handful size of regulars fits that mold to an almost T. For the skinny bitty bar that it is, surprisingly there's a lot of seating. This including a couple of couches in the back. Talk about kicking back and relaxing for a few cold or warmed ones. The walls are a little worn down, but this is a bar cut them some slack. If you want chic and sexy dress the part and keep your mouth focused on your drink. The worn down wallpaper adds to the charm. Staffwise, can you get much better than having the bartenders know their patrons or actually be good about their jobs? Didn't think so, friendly staff and having a fun time. Is this a return spot, yup. Is it a regular fixture definitely. read more

This is my all-time, ultimate favorite dive bar in Andersonville; if not in Chicago. I don't even mind that it's cash only. First off, they have this winter specialty drink they serve called Glogg. It's one drink I have to have during the winter and it's really good. Think, spiced/mulled wine but really good and homemade. They serve it with a ginger cookie.(Also, there's a small patio in the back that is great during the summer for smokers). Secondly, the prices are great. Andersonville overall is more decently priced in the drink world and this place definitely fits in with that vibe. Beers are between 4-10$ depending on how craft-y you're getting and mixed drinks are similarly priced. Lastly, the beer selection is awesome as well, lots of good options on tap and bottles. If you're a cider drinker, they have plenty of those as well. Don't have much in the way of craft cocktails or a wine list, just the basics for those, but the beer list and price makes up for that. I've read some reviews that complain about the staff and service. I've never had an issue when it comes to that. But, it's a dive bar - if you want a flourish and a fake smile accompanying whatever15$ craft cocktail you ordered this isn't the place for you. read more

Definitely enjoyed wandering in here last night with friends. It's definitely divey but quite cosy on a cold night. They've got an awesome selection of music in the jukebox which means you're bound to hear some good tunes during your time there! They've got a pretty good selection of beers although I went for the gin myself. Prices are very reasonable! They also have frozen pizzas they can make, which were selling fast last night! You know, average frozen pizza but it's great drunk food. I have a feeling I will be back next time I'm in Andersonville late at night... read more

Cash only! Great juke box! I really like the atmosphere of this dive bar. Bar tender was really nice, struck up a conversation with a guy next to me and had a few beers, felt completely away from the coldness of January here. No windows, dark, and kind of small, but all in the best way. read more

I've heard they have glogg on Christmas! I've been there many times in all seasons but not yet for Christmas. Will be good to check! :) The other night we stopped by Simon's for drinks and as usual were welcomed with it's warm atmosphere, super nice staff and good mixed drinks. Super nice place. I normally don't hang out in Andersonville that much, unfortunately. But for this place I would make a trip there at any day. read more

I've lived in Andersonville for 5 years now. I've been at this bar many times, and I would love nothing more than for this to be my local bar. Unfortunately, almost every single time I have walked through these doors I've had a bad experience. There's one particular bartender - bald guy, has been there forever, anybody reading knows who I'm talking about, I'm sure - who has been nothing short of a total asshole to me every single time I've come into this bar. Please understand that I'm writing this review as someone who has been in the service industry for 14 years - a bartender for seven of those. I know what it is to be a bartender. I understand it's a hard job - I understand this more than most people. All the more reason why I treat anyone in a service position better than the vast majority of people who walk into a bar. All this said, I would never treat anyone who came into my bar the way that I have been treated at this one. It has taken me five years to write this because I hate to write anything bad about any bar. But here it is. read more

You know a bar is good when you always leave having had too much to drink. Service is great and the crowd is laid back and unassuming. The place actually has a lot of history (it was a speakeasy during prohibition) and if you can find the owner, he'll probably offer you a tour. Other perks include a decent jukebox and a good beer variety. The only downfall is that it definitely isn't the place to meet up with more than a few people unless you feel like standing around the bar. Great local place, especially if you hate the hopleaf. read more

Glögg! My friends and I trekked up to Andersonville for some Hopleaf and Simon's action. It was my first time at Simon's, and I'm so glad I made the effort to check it out. I wish Simon's was closer to my hood (Wicker Park), because I really enjoyed the laid back crowd, the kitschy decorations, and of course, the glögg. The next time I make it back, I want to sit in the living room seating area in the back and pretend I'm hanging out in my house! read more

Simon's is my probably my favorite spot in Andersonville. It's a great place to settle into a bar stool and get into a conversation about nothing with an old friend. read more