Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Small Bar

    4.2 (383 reviews)
    ModerateBars, Burgers
    Closed 4:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    Small Bar Photos

    Business Info

    SMALL BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Classy
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Small Bar

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Cheese curds
    Kaitlyn W.

    Yes the bar is small but they have an above average-sized patio in the back with TV's set up so def visit while the weather's still nice. Accidentally sat right in front of the TV w my beer like the gaslighter I am. Food is courtesy of Patty pleaser. Great beers on tap. What we got: 1. The Pleaser (double) - Griddled onions, American cheese, pleaser sauce, pickles on a potato bun. Charred to the gods. You have the option of getting a single or a double 2. Cheese Curds - served with jalapeño ranch

    Cocktail menu
    Juliana R.

    Great neighborhood bar! I would love to come back for the food as the burgers looked, and smelled, delicious! Drinks came out fast, bartenders were helpful, and everything tasted great. The back patio was a great space to drink even when it was cold outside. Cute decoration for the holidays and a nice cozy feel all around.

    The vibe on an early Tues eve

    Charming neighborhood bar with a solid vibe. We walked in for the first time and felt right at home. Workers were very welcoming. Cannot go wrong with the smash burger selection. Made with pride by the staff. Excellent selection of beverages. Nice little outdoor patio for the warmer months too. A feel good place in a dying breed format.

    Rozalynn B.

    Really good!!!! This smash burger was BOMB!!!! We have been trying to get here for like 3-4,months and finally dropped by. We were seated in a booth and ordered at the bar. The food came in 10mins and it was PIPING HOT. Baby they know what theyre doing in here! Perfect smash. Decent service. The drinks were $12 each and they were tiny, but taste good. I shall return!

    Frozen Banana Daiquiri
    Christopher V.

    I'm a bit conflicted about my star rating for Small Bar. The service is really friendly and they have exceptional smashburgers. The fries and cheese curds are great too. Food prices are reasonable. My issue is with the pours on the drinks. The $12 drinks are deceiving. At first glance one might think is a great deal though the glasses and pours are at least 1/3 smaller than average. It's like an intentional optical illusion, lol. Maybe there's a triple entendra at play between the literal small bar, cups/pours, and seating options. The Old Fashioned might be less than than 3 oz. After a burger, fries, curds, and a couple drinks don't be surprised if you're set back $80!! All in all still worthy of 4 stars.

    The Pleaser Fries ($10)
    Kaitlyn C.

    This spot is great for both food and drinks. It's in a very nice area as part of the neighborhood. The food is delicious as that's why we came here after grabbing some drinks after work. The food did not disappoint. The burger was delicious with the cheese and sauce. The pleaser fries had a lot going on but I was very impressed with how crispy the fries remained even with all the toppings. After awhile, the sauce and meat became a lot but those first few bites were delicious. I think next time, I would get the fries and sauce on the side but I loved how crispy the fries were. I highly recommend coming here whether if it's for food or drinks. You can't go wrong either way.

    Smash Smallbar Cheeseburger
    Natasha A.

    Delicious burger, fun drinks, cool vibe. The burger is a smash, I got one with onions smashed into it. It has a great crisp and some delicious flavor. Overall one of the top 5 best Smash Burgers in Chicago. We got French fries and cheese curds, the fries were shoe string and crispy in the right way. The curds were less cheesy than I wanted but good crispy shell. They also had frozen banana daiquiris which were so tasty, a great beer, and liquor menu. The staff are fun, welcoming, chill. Definitely not kid friendly but it does have a bunch of Xmas decor which is cute.

    Matthew H.

    I can't speak for the bar itself as someone else went inside but they mentioned great drink deals and a laid back vibe. What I can speak on is how damn delicious those patty pleaser burgers are. These guys were slinging out burgers like no tomorrow and after about 45 mins of them grinding mine came out and it was absolutely rocking. Hot, fresh, and well seasoned. Well worth a visit for the burger and a beer and maybe a shot while you wait.

    Ari L.

    Burger was burnt today and it didn't taste as good as last time. Think I'd rather go to Leavitt Street. Their smash burger beats Small Bars. Still like this spot and they have great cheese curds, but the burger left me dissatisfied today.

    Classic Smashburger
    Brian D.

    This place is aptly named Small Bar. But what's inside is anything but small on taste, service, or ambiance. From the Hamm's sign as you enter, to the orange glow of the bar, to the dartboard stuck in the back corner, it's a step back in time to a place that your parents hung out at. It was packed when we arrived on a Tuesday night so we found a spot to stand along the wall while we waited for a booth or a bar spot to open. They eventually did about an hour later. Went with the classic smash burger and cheese curds with the jalapeno ranch dipping sauce. Everything was A+ and we were so impressed we got the Pleaser burger to-go to split as a late night snack. This place is fantastic, I don't even have any recommendations to make it better. Keep it up Small Bar!

    Smallbar Cheeseburger
    Aleah H.

    We've been making our way through the classic "best Chicago burger" lists, and Small Bar is the first to blow me away!! So crispy and flavorful! And the sauces they offer are also 10/10 Cocktails are fun bar cocktails, and the fries and cheese curds also exceeded expectations! We weren't able to get a patio table on a weeknight at 8:30pm, but grabbed an indoor table after ordering while waiting for food. Service was also amazing - Bartenders and wait staff were super kind and gave recs!! Perfect dive bar!

    This is a

    See all

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Bob P.
    2
    133
    12

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Bill M.
    2280
    1976
    4463

    1 year ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 8
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 1
    Love this 4
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Matthew H.
    2
    139
    304

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Glean L.
    0
    209
    15

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mike B.
    0
    31
    47

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tia W.
    66
    68
    55

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Scott L.
    6
    93
    365

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 10

    Ask the Community - Small Bar

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Bars 33,043 times last month within 10 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Au Cheval

    Au Cheval

    4.4
    (9.5k reviews)
    4.6 mi
    $$

    Arrived just as they opened at 10AM on a Friday and were the first customers in the door, but by…read morethe time we left at 11:30 there was a good sized line. Vibes inside are excellent and drinks are (very) boozy with a variety of booths, tables, and bar seating available. Burger with Egg and Bacon (4.25/5): Look, this is a great burger. Bacon is melt in your mouth and the egg adds a bit of creamy richness on top of the fatty, salty beef and cheese combo. The bread bun is pillowy, but I wouldn't wait in a line for hours for this. Bone Marrow (10/5): Now I would wait in line for hours for this bone marrow dish that absolutely changed my life. This comes with 4 HUGE pieces of bone marrow that you spread over fluffy, perfectly toasted Texas toast and pair with a beef cheek marmalade that exactly rides the line between sweet and savory. If you come here without ordering this, you're missing out big time. Green Salad (4/5): Nice, fresh and I needed some fiber. Nothing mind blowing, but a good change of pace. Crispy Fries (4/5): Very lightly crispy fries (reminiscent of light well for the west coasters), but the sauces are where this shines. Garlic aioli and mornay sauce (think white gravy) were rich, thick, and excellent! Key Lime Pie (4.25/5): Whipped cream on this INCREDIBLE, wish you could just order a bowl of that. I think they serve it slightly warmer than fridge temp (cool not cold) and it just melts on the tongue with really strong vanilla flavor. Pie itself is also good; nice strong tartness with the buttery and salty crust. Mille-Feuille (4.5/5): Chocolate sauce has a nice depth of flavor with the shattering crisp of the pastry. Pastry cream was a lot thicker than I expected, but super rich and delicious. Definitely a dessert to share.

    The greeter was not very welcoming, and the experience got off to a rough start. I didn't realize…read morethey now take reservations. We put our name in and were told the wait would be about an hour. When I checked back after an hour, the greeter couldn't tell me how much longer it would be, only that they were trying to squeeze us in between reservations. Had we known that from the beginning, we would have chosen to eat somewhere else. When we were finally seated, we were placed outside at a table that was noticeably slanted. Even our waitress apologized for the uneven table. To make matters worse, the table was in direct sunlight, making it an uncomfortable dining experience.

    Photos
    The cooks were very attentive!
    The cooks were very attentive!
    Crispy Fries & Potato Hash
    Crispy Fries & Potato Hash
    Wings (very sticky so they come with hot towels)

    See all

    Wings (very sticky so they come with hot towels)

    Small Bar - bars - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...