Burgers are too salty and wait time was way too long. I wouldn't have minded waiting if the burgers were amazing but unfortunately they were way too Salty, couldn't even truly taste the meat. Never going back. read more

Patty Pleaser employees were great. Now for the Small Bar employees they were complete dickheads. If you're not a hipster don't go to this bar you will be treated differently. Bartenders didnt even acknowledge us. Also ignored us when we were trying to ask questions read more

I love neighborhood places like this, and this place is tucked away on North Albany, so, you either live nearby and know about, or you read about here perhaps... I was in the mood for a cheeseburger, and was not disappointed, half pounder, cooked perfectly, lettuce, tomato, pickle on the side, buck more for grilled onions (not worth the price, tasteless and just a few, in fact I thought they forgot, had to look hard to find them) came with a choice of waffle fries, sweet potato fries, tater tots..had waffle fries, just average, but ok. my wife had a veggie burger, she said it was average. Great beer selection, staff was great, small place, hence the name, noise level was high in there...music being played was ok, I'd call it modern rock. Two TVs on, both showing the same Star Wars movie...I suppose they have sports on if there were something to show... Price I thought, for three beers, two burgers and a tip, was 55 or so...kinda high, but, I guess that's what it costs these days to go out to eat. They have a lovely beer garden, will be back when the weather is better. read more

Small Bar - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

That burger is one of the in town a must try and for a quick pick me up you have try the banana daiquiri

The best service ive ever had at a bar table. Group of 6 is a squeeze at their tables but the service was above and beyond. Great selection of local brews too. read more

Everything was absolutely fantastic! Me and my girlfriend brought our two dogs on the patio, and the entire staff was very friendly!

Great neighborhood watering hole. solid food, excellent beer list. Highly recommended.

Im not sure how I havent written a review about SmallBar yet but I will try to do this place justice. This is our local neighborhood bar and you will definitely get that feel if you live local. They always remember us and the staff is extremely welcoming. The beer selection is great and they even have made me a complicated cocktail I requested. (Bullet, grapefruit, splash of water and slice of lemon) They serve food till 11pm and when we dont feel like we cooking we make our way to SmallBar. The patio is a warm and welcoming place to sit for an evening meal. Definitely start off with the cheese curds. They come with a honey mustard sauce that is finger lickin good. For dinner I always get the sliders and I am never disappointed. If you like spicy make sure to add their in house hot sauce on top. It is incredible! The wings are also a great choice and the meat just falls off the bone. My boyfriend always gets a blue cheese type burger and its his go to. This place can be packed on almost any night of the week but especially weekends. We have lived in this neighborhood for over a year now and SmallBar will always be our go to for a nice quick meal or a night cap after a long day. If you haven't tried them out yet, i promise you wont regret it. read more

Small Bar - Cheese curds - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This hole-in-the-wall is an absolute must for those late night cravings while also being able to enjoy a nice drink. We loved the extensive beer and drink menu but loved the food even more. We found the tater tots to be the perfect starter and their entrees also were great! We additionally loved the dimly lit atmosphere which featured rock music. Within our group, we had the pulled pork mac and cheese, tots, and a burger. All of us were so happy with our orders and we found ourselves finishing every last bite. The burger was perfectly cooked and the Mac and cheese was extra cheesy. We were fortunate enough to be staying within walking distance which made the evening even more enjoyable. The good food and spirits kept us warm on our chilly winter walk. We will be back for more tots! read more

Small Bar - Cheese Curds and Tater Tots - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food at small bar is surprisingly good. We ate the Mac and cheese with pulled pork and was spicy good. The cheeseburger was better than in many other places around Logan square. The bar has outdoor seating, which makes the experience more enjoyable. Of course the beers are just wonderful! read more

See all

Love this neighborhood spot. Great patio. Had pretty much everything on the menu but my favorites are the habanero wings. Always well cooked, juicy chicken and the sauce is great. Chicken sandwich and the burger are both very good. Always cooked well, and juicy. Also recommend the sweet potato fries. They come with a great dipping sauce. read more

Small Bar is the perfect neighborhood bar for great food, great beer, and good times. It'll be a little packed on game night, but all is well worth it! Plus, who can't enjoy the tots that are 1000x better than those we had in grammar school :) read more

Lots of fun. SmallBar is exactly what is sounds like - a small bar. There are about 10 small hightop tables and a bar. The bar has an outstanding collection of craft beers and all sorts of liquors. We had a variety of drinks - beer, whiskey, and rye. (Not like American Pie...) They also have a pretty good menu for such a small place. There were only two of us. My son had the Tuna sandwich. It was four slices of perfectly medium-rare tuna steaks with wasabi mayo and greens on a bun. I had my traditional hamburger - 1/2 pound of beef and tater tots. The burger was ordered to be cooked medium, but it came out close to well done. No matter, it was very good. The service was very good. The server was very attentive and friendly. I did not think the minor error was worth mentioning. Everything else made it a great evening. read more

Live five buildings down from this place since 1983. Was a great little neighborhood bar and very good food. Unfortunately the service has seriously declined. Not recommended. read more

I ordered from Smallbar tonight and unfortunately I didn't receive any salad dressing with my salad. I called up the restaurant & a guy named Eric answered and was incredibly nice and understanding. Unfortunately, because of Covid, they don't have delivery people. However Eric was kind enough to deliver the salad dressing HIMSELF! That is amazing customer service! I am OBSESSED with their salad. I hate eating healthy but their salad makes it actually enjoyable. Thanks again Eric read more

I was a regular at the "old" Smallbar. I understand that times change, and I really wanted to like the place after the change in ownership and change in concept. I came the day after they reopened, and again a week after that, and again a few weeks after that, and again a few months after that. It's just ... Disappointing. This place has lost its soul. Before, there were friendly bartenders, good food, a FANTASTIC beer rotation, a casual corner bar vibe. I'm not saying was perfect. There were holes in the ceiling. The kitchen vent never seemed to work, and every time they cooked something, the place filled with smoke. But, it was welcoming and the food was good and beer was excellent. This new version, every time I've come, they misdirected our food to the wrong table. I've waited an hour for a (not very good) smashburger. There are no other food options (the old place had tons for vegetarians). The beer rotation is standard at best. The decor feels like it came from a dive bar sample sale. The place seems busy enough, so I guess whatever this is is working. It's just not working for me. read more

If I didn't see the Small Bar on Yelp today I would have never found it.. Being so close to my Condo it fits what I have been looking for... Great Vibe, great beer list & some great food... Plus the patio is top notch and dog friendly. We had the wings and sliders today & will be back to sample more of the menu..It's open till 2:00 which is perfect for a chef looking for food & drink around 11:00 pm.. Buen Provecho. .. read more

See all

If you decide to meet someone at SmallBar, probably a good idea to decipher if they mean SmallBar Division or this SmallBar. The one on Division is no longer open so you'd think common sense would prevail - but alas! Always verify! SmallBar is...surprise! Small! It's nothing big but on a Saturday night during peak drinking hours, I was able to get a couple of seats at the bar. It was full but not crowded which is a very welcome change from other spots in the city. The bartender was great, on top of things, friendly and helpful. SmallBar has a great list of draft beers including many I had never tried before like Mikkeller Mexas Ranger ($7) and Half Acre The Hammer, The Bullet, and the Vise ($5). The hops ranged from $4-$8 and were pretty on point for pints. You can find their full beer menu on beermenus.com and it's quite extensive. I had never known about SmallBar previously and now that I do know, and knowing it's within walking distance of my BFF's place...I foresee us coming back here often! read more

Sandwiched in the middle of a residential block, Small Bar has somehow stood the tests of time as a real, honest-to-God neighborhood corner bar. There are friendly bartenders that know all the locals, a basic menu of pub grub and a cute little outdoor patio for lounging in the summer. But unlike most little Chicago neighborhood joints, SmallBar stayed hip. So hip that I generally stay away on weekends due to the crowd! It ain't easy to be a craft beer mecca in a craft beer town - but the limited-release kegs that come through here never fail to put a smile on my face. It's not unusual to walk in here when the crowd is all brewers and bar industry. But beyond that, they make their own hot sauce, carry Bang Bang pie and make a "mac n' cheese of the week." Every neighborhood bar could stand to be a little more like SmallBar. read more

Small Bar - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've never wanted to review this place because I didn't want people from outside of the neighborhood to come take up seats here. If you are a fan of craft beer, then this place is your spot. They have a great selection of beer, and solid bar food menu. The bar is indeed small, with a bunch of bar stills lining the long bar, and high top tables for small groups. There is a small beer garden that is a great way to enjoy a nice day. You'll find a ton of fixed geared bikes parked outside, which is a part of living in Logan Square/Avondale these days. SmallBar isn't always a bar I frequent, but it's one I like to go to when I like to mix things up. read more

Great neighborhood bar, with DELICIOUS burgers. It's a small bar (duh), with a real friendly, neighborhood feel. It's tucked in, and doesn't call attention to itself, which i like. Inside, it's unpretentious, dim and cozy - just like a bar should be. Great fun and good food! read more

More or less a dive bar with your typical bar fare on the menu. Great space to grab a beer and a shot, not good spot for food. Burger was burnt on the outside and rare on the inside. Over all food quality is pretty subpar even for "bar food". read more

Smallbany is probably the bar that my friend always suggests to meet up at. There's good reason, the place is small but never really crowded. I've been there where both the patio and inside is crowded but not so claustrophobic that I felt like I was having a panic attack. The food is good bar fare, I've had the wings and the nachos and they're all good. The tater tots are a tasty addition. They also have great pop-ups where I had some of the best pork rinds I've ever had. But who wants to talk about food when their beer selection is excellent. I had Tart of Darkness on tap there as well as a bunch of terrific local beers. It's a great combination of neighborhood bar and craft beers. read more

Moved into the area a couple months ago. Been renovating my kitchen, so been here frequently for dinner. The food is great and consistent. I've had half the menu at this point, never had anything I didn't like. The Hellfire burger is a frequent. Everyone I've brought here loves it. The staff are great. Attentive when the place is busy, friendly and talkative when time allows. And great and diverse bar options. Rotating drafts as well as a diverse can/bottle menu. Definitely worth checking out. read more

This is a great neighborhood bar for North Logan Square/Avondale. It has a gorgeous old wood bar, good mixture of music on the jukebox, from Pixies to Lauryn Hill to Metallica, over 100 bottles of beer, and excellent food options. The steak sandwich, pizza, and calamari have all been standouts. I think I became a regular in 2002, when it recently opened and had a bit more of an old man bar feel. It was a hit for me right off the bat. Over time, the clientele has trended younger, but still has a neighborhood feel with friendly bartenders. A couple of years ago they added a back patio, which was a welcome addition, but a bit small. I confess I havent' been much in the past two years, because The Orbit Room opened and stole me away with its massive back patio, bourbon and rye selection, cheaper beer, and Three Piggies sandwich......sorry, I was daydreaming. I couldn't stay away forever though, and I stopped in a couple of Saturdays ago for lunch and was glad to be back -- the pulled pork sandwich was spot on, and Lagunitas IPAs were $4 a pint on special. I wouldn't go to Small Bar for cocktails, but if you are on a mission for good (if pricy for the hood) beer and bar food that is a cut above, its hard to find a better choice than Small Bar. read more

This corner hole-in-the-wall neighborhood bar has one of the best beer selections I've seen. A knowledgeable staff help guide you through the many brews on hand, including an impressive pick of local beer on tap. If I lived anywhere nearby, I would be a regular. read more

The best neighborhood bar. Ever. I don't even know where to start but let me try. Ahem, first, excellent rotating beer selection. I always find something new. I've found so many of my now-favorite beer here. The food is a hidden gem. Yes it's a bar but dang, try the poutine! The atmosphere is so chill and wonderful. In the summer the back patio is amazing. Nothing like sitting on the patio, sipping a delicious beer there with your dog on a warm summer night while the trees above sway in the breeze OMG, yes friendly doggies welcome. In the winter it's so cozy inside, great place to watch a game, come with friends. It is my go-to place when I want good beer, good food and an unpretentious comfortable atmosphere. Highly recommend. read more

great bar with a geeat staff. love the patio and beer selection. staff is always patient and knows the beer and menu well. really a special part of the neighborhood. can gwt a little loud and crowded inside and hard to get a table on busy nights so mainly try to get in a little early or opt for quieter nights. read more

Small Bar is one of my Logan Square favorite's. I used to live across the street when I first moved to Chicago in 2003 and went there many a nights after work, school, etc. The bartenders are very friendly and funny!!! If your not satisfied, well neither is Small Bar. The only gripe I have is with the recent change of the menu. Sorry guys, no more pizzas or the salmon. Now, well its, you just have to see for yourself.... read more

See all

Overall great atmosphere. Came here after a visit to Revolution brewing and it was recommended by one of the employees as their go to hang out spot after work. Why not go to a brewery employee favorite? When it comes to beer offerings this place is stellar. I believe there were about 15 or so taps and an even bigger bottle selection! This is definitely a neighborhood place if I ever saw one...the kind of place where they see you walk in and have your drink already poured by the time you get to the bar sort of thing. We did get food while we were there...sometimes things look so good that you forget to take pictures for yelp and just dig in. This was definitely the case for the cheese curds that we got. I would 100% get those cheese curds again! The place was a little bit hard to distinguish at night when we were there because it was in a neighborhood but other than that it was great! I would definitely come back for the beer, food, and especially the prices! read more

See all

A great neighborhood bar. I could see why my boyfriend and his roommates go there regularly, often bringing friends and neighbors. It's a small bar as it's name implies. Located on a residential corner, it doesn't look like much on the outside, but it is warm, cozy, and comfortable on the inside. Food - quality cheese, meat, and surprisingly vegetables are used in their food. Their menu offers typical bar bites, everything is made in house and fresh. We split a order of buffalo wings. It was a generous portion, freshly fried wings were tossed in their house made garlic buffalo sauce, they even made their own blue cheese dressing for the veggie sticks. Between my boyfriend and his two roommates, they have tried all the burgers on the menu. They swear by them and also the cheese curds. Drinks - large and varied selection of beers, you will definitely find something to your taste. Standard cocktails, nothing too fancy. Service/ambiance - plenty of bartenders to go around, no need to stand by the bar and wait for them to notice you. They were all very friendly, easy to have a conversation with if you wish and not overbearing at all. The bar is on the darker side and plays classic metal tunes at a reasonable volume, so it is easy to keep up a conversation. read more

Small bar is the best place to grab a beer and a giant, delicious salad(or poutine!) with your best friends and your dog if you have one. One of my favorite summertime hangs! read more

We had some major issues here with the staff. We had an incident which I will get into later in this review. This place tries to emit a sense of style and class but it really does not work at all. It is like taking an old warped piece of wood and applying a light coat of varnish to it. It is still an old warped piece of wood! This is a dive bar plain and simple but just spruced up a bit to try to justify their overinflated prices. Here were the charades when I went up to the bar to order my inaugural drink: The bartender comes up to me and cocks his head like a lost little puppy dog. I order a Labat Blue in a bottle. He goes and finds me my beer and brings it back. He proceeds to hold up five fingers which I translated to $5. He did not utter a sound through the entire transaction. The prices here seem rather high for a little corner bar that tries to look classy. I would have given the place two stars if it wasn't for the entire staff giving people attitudes and insulting people. I felt lucky that all I got was the silent treatment. Since one of the people that the staff decided to mess with was in our party we all were banned for life. I most likely would not have gone back even if I didn't get banned. read more

Dear Bartender on Sunday 7/12, I literally just left the bar you are bartending, and I left because you are a poor excuse for a bartender. I understand what it's like to be a bartender, I've worked with many, and I'm ok with not getting my food in a timely manner if you are busy. Thing was you were standing at the farthest end of the bar, right next to my food, talking with your girlfriend (or perhaps she is just a girl you want to sleep with) while my food sat in the window for over 6 minutes. When I asked you for my food, you gave me attitude. "I was just going to get it!" You exclaimed. Yeah. Right. If you're going to neglect people's food and be a shitty bartender, at least make sure that your patrons can't see you being such a douche. I will be avoiding Sundays with you, Mr. Bartender from now on. Here's to hoping your counterparts aren't as crappy as you. Love, Ms. F. read more

If you blink, you'll quite literally miss this tiny bar on Albany Ave. So don't! Because Small Bar is neighborhood bar perfection. Though it's small, it's not a dive. And though it's not a dive, it's not trendy. It just IS. A friend cognizant of my big love for craft beer brought me here. Well, the beer selection is tops! 15 or so on tap and at least another 100 in bottles. They even offer specials (e.g. $4 Harpoon Tuesdays and $1 off Brit Beer Wednesdays)-- don't see those too often anymore. If you're looking for a scene, well this bar is devoid of just that. Love it for what it is-- a bonafide bar, a great place to sit for a couple of hours. Talking to the bartenders here is always good fun... they're knowledgeable, helpful and just interesting people. I have yet to try their food, but all this mac 'n' cheese talk is making me hungry! read more

I hate to write this, because this use to be a staple when I lived in Avondale, but after the display tonight I have to. It was disrespectful and I cannot recommend this place to anyone I have an ounce of respect for. After spending 4 hours here a friend closed his tab out, after the other members have been paying cash and paying more than 20% tips each round. After he closed out, the bartender called this individual out to question his 12% tip and was insisting he leave more. When he didn't leave more, he vocally told him, in front of the rest of the patrons, to never come back and threw out his drink. We proceeded to leave after just paying for our drinks. I am disgraced I recommended this bar it is a far cry from the Small Bar of 2 years ago. It pains me to say it but I will not be back. The bar tender in the Chicago hat ruined it for us and it is a far cry from the level of service I came to expect from small bar. read more

Yeah Its hipster infested so Im gonna cut to the chase and place the Hipster infestation level: 7 Ok with that being said I stopped in here to meet up some bros for some Cervezas!!! Nice selection of beers and the place was not a dive but actually a nice little place. Tater tots were good :) shake & bake seal of approval! read more

Always give a place a second chance - sometimes you just have to give a place a second chance if you find the first trip was underwhelming. In all fairness, I usually write about the places that I like the most and would be happy to go to again, so my first trip confused me since so many other friends liked Small Bar. Consider its Logan Square and Wicker Park cousins had never let me down, I decided to land in Lincoln Park to catch World Cup group play to watch France get beaten by South Africa. Of course the result and number of people in the bar were far below my expectations, but we decided to all go to watch the World Cup finals in Small Bar Fullerton. While the end result was Spanish victory, I had a great time at the crowded bar with Raul B, Maria F, Michael G, Reuben H, and Aurore L. There were so many people in the bar that late stragglers could not even get past the doors to catch a drink. The fan experience was also a good time with knowledgeable fans expressing the appropriate oohs, ahhs, and cheers. The service at the bar was a bit on the slow side, but very acceptable due to the enormity of the match. We had our own booth, our own TV with remote control and free wireless internet and a seat with a view of the patio. The burger that I ordered hit the spot and I was surprised I cleared my plate along with all of the beers that I downed and the bill was unsurprising. If you ever decide that you'll never go back to a place, always think twice particularly if your friends like it. You never know, you might be surprised. read more

Despite her inked and pierced exterior, that was one patient bar waitress, let me tell you. It's not every day that someone walks into Small Bar's Avondale (though they like to claim Logan Square and I'm not going to argue with them) location and asks, "so what on this menu isn't very greasy?" I mean, there are not a lot of people under 40, I would think, who ask that question. And this younger, hipp(st)er, location of Small Bar probably sees six people over 40 in any given year. I mean, how many 40 years olds can fit into tight enough jeans to fit in there? Cougars aside, I mean. As it turns out, I got some mehcaroni and cheese this time around. But I won't hold my current stomach condition against this bar. When I have a full set of health bars (because I am a video game character in my spare time), I've dined here and for bar food, it's hard to beat (though you do pay for the quality, with most entrees around $9). That is, unless you're talking about Small Bar's Ukrainian Village location which might as well be a restaurant. Yeah, it's pretty hard to mention Small Bar's northern outpost without mentioning the other location (or that they're building a third location in western Lincoln Park on Fullerton). But the two are vastly different in a lot of ways. Most importantly, instead of being a soccer bar, Avondale is a local, tiny, neighborhood joint. So much so that it's built right into the neighborhood. If you don't know where to look, Small Bar is probably the most obscured bar in the city. Logic dictates there shouldn't even be a bar on this entirely residential stretch of Albany Street between Diversey and Wrightwood. Logic dictates, in fact, that Albany Street shouldn't exist where it does at this point on Chicago's grid. Thankfully, however, Small Bar ignores all of this logic. Though maybe that's why it's (refreshingly) never packed. Seriously, I have been there on multiple Saturday nights where there are about 15 people in the bar, including the staff. Though that's fine by me. More chance to bully the jukebox (which spans from old school hip hop to classic rock to Brit pop) for $2 for five plays. And, of course, to sample the vast beer selection (thankfully this is similar to the Ukie Village location). Though there is one thing that I need to mention in closing that solidifies this bar's four star rating - funnel cake! Yes, the carnival and street fair desert in a bar! I didn't partake last time I was there but that alone is reason enough for me to want to go back again and again. read more

I love the Small Bar. I wish it was my own neighborhood bar because I'd definitely be in here enough to make sure the bartender knew my staple drink. It's really the atmosphere here that makes this place so unique - and that can't really be put into words. They have a nice selection of craft beers, fantastic bar food and, for a bar that specializes in beer, a really good selection of liquor and a bartender that isn't stiff on the pour. Great little outdoor patio, too. Oh, and a dart board for your entertainment pleasure. I don't recommend walking BY the Small Bar later on in the evening because it's my experience that drunk people tend to stand out there and try to have long conversations with you as you pass and don't stop even when you continue walking. In fact they walk with you. But anyway. read more