I'm not usually a dive bar person, but this place completely won me over. On the surface, it looks like your classic neighborhood dive (no frills, low lighting, cheap drinks) but then they surprise you with cocktails that are genuinely well made. It's the best of both worlds. What really keeps me coming back, though, is how safe I feel here. As a woman who often goes out alone, that's not something I can say about most bars. The staff truly looks out for their patrons and it shows. They create an environment where you can relax, enjoy your drink, and not worry about anything else. If you want an authentic dive bar experience that's also welcoming and unexpectedly great for cocktails, this is the spot. read more

Too funny! Bartender asks - family thrifting ? Me - yes - then Beer me! Cool bartender knew what I needed. I like the bar vibe and the $5 miller lite / looks like a lot of drink specials and a happy hour. Great outdoor seats to enjoy a drink and people watching while daughter and friend go thrifting. read more

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Cool place, nice pool table, night started off nice. Service was friendly and attentive at first. Order drinks and food quick, and my wrap itself was pretty good. But that's where it takes a turn. Wife's vodka and soda was in a tiny cup, and they charged 12 bucks for it. My can of beer was 9 bucks. Then we sat for 30 minutes with no service, even if we wanted another round they would have had no idea. Bad outweighs the good. Not going back read more

This is a great bar, very dark inside with red string lights. We came here on a Saturday at 5:30. There were people at the bar and at tables, but it wasn't crowded and when we left around 6:30 it also wasn't crowded. The bartender was attentive, and not annoying. Overall a great place to grab a drink while in Wicker. They also had a dog in the bar, v fun. read more

This was a pretty good bar. There wasn't anything too interesting about it, but that's probably a good thing. The DJ the night we were there was good, but wasn't playing too many songs you could really sing or dance to--more like music you just bob your head along to while hanging out. I like that there were plenty of tables and chairs for people to lay their jackets down on. Someone did get locked in the bathroom the night I was there, but hopefully they're ok. read more

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SWIG, well.... Don't mind if I do! Stopped in for a swig! Hahaha Cute dive bar, nice staff, bar food that's pretty good! And a pool table! read more

Fantastic, I take 10 more of the bloody wild with coconut cream!!! The workers work extremely hard , in and out quick! Obsessed with this place ! read more

Great bartender! He wore short shorts with great legs! Made all the ladies in our group feel comfortable. For bar food, was especially tAsty, Comfortable , relaxed and good service. read more

Had a lot of fun here, mostly due to the bartender, Mickey. He was affable and friendly and fun which made my visit super enjoyable. I will definitely be stopping in again as long as he's working! read more

The service here is HORRIBLE. As a young woman in a big city, the treatment here from the bartender was appalling. When using the restroom my friends and I went in together for safety purposes and as we were closing the door, the bartender slammed against it, knocking me, and inserted himself into the bathroom with us to share that it was a single use bathroom. It was extremely disrespectful and as a male, he should know better than inserting himself into a FEMALE restroom regardless of the situation. When speaking with him and asking him not to do that again, we were greeted with immense attitude and condescension. Would NEVER recommend this place to any woman as you may get walked in on and treated like a criminal by the bartender in short shorts. read more

Food Mushroom and zucchini fried This was good. The Mushrooms were big and lightly breaded which I like better. The zucchini was thin and heavily breaded but still edible. Mozzarella sticks These we good. Everything came out very fast. It was fresh and crunchy with a side of marinara. Drinks We got Tito's and soda. Just a heads up they do not lemon or limes in the drinks due to COVID they are trying to limit the amount of hands touching food items for drinks. Our drinks seemed to have more soda than the Tito's in my opinion. Set up I did appreciate how everyone was spaced out. We sat at the bar. They had hand sanitizer at the bar every 6 feet. The bartender wiped our area up right when we decided to sit. read more

Swig - Mozzarella sticks - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great food, nice drink selection and solid music. But above all else, it was such a welcoming environment. Friendly clientele and most of all, our bartender, Erick, went out of his way to chat with us and ensure that we were satisfied. We highly recommend this fine establishment! read more

Been coming to this bar for years. My absolute favourite. I've met all my best friends here and we always come back for the bartenders, music, and ambiance. Not sure what some of the reviews are going off about. I tried to enter sept 4th but was told they were at full capacity with their private party. I respect that, so I just went to another bar. I also had friends in there but capacity is a legal matter (esp with covid) not a discriminatory matter lol. read more

Wow what a big difference, new owners, brand new remodeled bar, pool and game room, soon to have slots and the plans for outdoor bar and patio sound great. Service was great, tap beer was cold and fresh. Food was good also, I had brisket sandwich and plan to try more. Signature cocktails looked good too. Summer fun place ! read more

Yesterday around 12am at The Swig I had one of the most blatantly racist experiences of my life as a man in this earth. Yesterday I was denied entry to this bar due to a "private event". Not a big deal until the same bouncer allowed 5 of my (non-black) friends in without so much as a word (we walked in two groups maybe 15 feet apart). People get denied from bars, bars have the right. That's not why I'm writing this review. I quietly left my friends inside and the bouncer at the door without saying so much as a word because I didn't want to be thought of as "causing a scene". The rub: As I'm waiting outside for my Uber, still dazed at what just happened and trying to rationalize it any other way, a young black couple comes to the door and is IMMEDIATELY turned away due to a "private event". At this point my jaw was on the floor. Why? Because I was standing 5 feet from my best friends, on different sides of the same door, with a man between us blatantly rejecting anyone of color. We all immediately left. No one may ever read this review, or care, and I'm normally not the one to ever leave a business review, especially a negative one, but what enrages me is The Swigs blatant racism toward people they have never met and couldn't me more "wrong" about. I was going to move past this and not let it deject me but then, for some reason I googled "racism at The Swig Chicago". Give it a shot. The first 3 links are articles revealing apparently this place has had to fire bouncers in the past for "uncondoned" discriminatory behavior. Do not be fooled: The Swig hasn't changed its ways and I'm willing to bet that repeated episodes of racism aren't the fault of "rogue bouncers" but instead a calculated business decision. Sad. Being black in America is already quite hard. Places like The Swig make it much harder. read more

Came in with a friend after dinner. The ambiance was moody and quiet, which was kind of what we were looking for since we had met up to catch up. Not much more to report. They make a solid gin and tonic. read more

Swig - a tall glass of red liquid with ice cubes - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fun dive bar where drinks are cheap and company is good. Nice bartender too. Easy place to go with lots of friends or for bar hopping.

Finished off my tattoo appointment and decided to go to the good ol Swig to have one or several depending on what day I tell the story. No frills bar really. Come in, order from their wide selection of beers or cocktails. They have a very full bar compared to other neighborhood bars. They have bar seating and tables strewn about. They have a pool table. Pretty standard bar stuff. Lots of beers to choose from. Beers Galore! Sometimes they have a DJ, sometimes not-I am pretty sure they also have a jukebox. Prices aren't bad either. Street parking available as well as CTA accessible. Ohh Wicker Park, you're always full of awesome places! read more

Good dive bar vibes! Ordered standard drinks (they make a mean mule) and bar food. Portion sizes are beyond generous and priced at an extremely reasonable price! read more

Drinks were relatively good price. Good bar to go with close friends for a more intimate night out.

Swig is Swig. I don't think it's changed much in forever! The fact they still have an oversized drum set painting on the wall is great and fine by me. Standard dive bar, you will have a decent time. Read my review of the revel room for more details, it's a similar vibe in this area! Good night. PS. The old fashioned I had at Swig hit the spot. I just need people who are smoking outside or sitting by the open area smoking to stop. It kind of smells like smoke in the bar. Go stand in the street and smoke your cigarettes! Only smoking cigars is cool. Haha Sorry. Maybe you should turn this place into a cigar bar? Now that would be cool. Cheers, Swig~ read more

Swig is such a cute, eclectic and fun neighborhood bar in wicker park. Aside from the amazing management, I love how accommodating the staff is. On Thursday's they have various Dj's who keep the vibe alive. It's a great meet up spot to gather with friends and unwind after a long work day. As a young a black woman, it's important for me to feel safe and accepted in bars. Seeing so many diverse faces in the establishment being treated fairly and with the same respect was refreshing and representative of it being a great place for all walks of life to feel comfortable. read more

What an awesome neighborhood spot. $6 dollar Jamo!!! $5 Fireball!!! The Buffalo wrap is probably the best wrap I've ever had paired with some tots! They have a pool table and some fun bartenders! The staff went out of their way to make us feel at home! We'll be back! read more

Swig - So many options!!! - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Literally it was my first experience at this bar, and honestly the service was more than wonderful, food was amazing and wasn't even expensive, don't get me started on the drinks freshly made and the best I've had in a while. read more

Swig - Swig Tacos - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been here a couple times and while it isn't the worst, it stinks like racism in there. There are plenty of other bars on Milwaukee and I will be sure to let everyone, including my industry friends, to avoid this place like the plague. read more

I would give this place zero stars if I could. I went into this bar Monday evening with a friend of mine and the bartender was racist as f***he never really checked on me and my friend to make sure everything was okay and we were literally sitting at the bar. And get this he charged me $8 for a $6 cocktail. When I asked him about he said the vodka soda was $8 but I didn't order that. Also the cocktails were suppose to be $6. Just why the hell am I being charged $8! I came in asking him about the happy hour and he seemed lowkey hostile about it and walked away. Didn't thank us or anything. Just flat out rude, I will not be returning back here EVER again! There are plenty of other places on Milwaukee that will acknowledge you and are friendly. This place isn't one of them tho. STAY FAR AWAY from here. read more

Vibes were confusing as fuck, I'm very unsure who the demographic is, but the lady who made my drinks was very nice and I appreciate her very much thank you nice bartender lady read more

After 6 years of coming to Swig, it's time for a review. Love this bar! I typically get a Bloody Mary when I pop in, and depending on the bar tender, it's always different but tasty. I personally really like the pickles they sometimes add as a garnish! The food is also pretty expected bar food. Good tacos, motz sticks, chicken tenders - you know fried, heavy, and necessary if you're going to spend the day drinking. I typically come during the day or early evening, but I'm sure it's got quite the party scene at night. I like Swig because it's unpretentious and always fun. read more

Due to the fact that I am now a German beer snob, I am now a big fan of this place. The have a beer right out of Munich on draft called Hacker-Pschorr which is great. I had a brief conversation with one of the nice ladies that work there (Nikki) and she told me she and her dad (who I think owns Swig) love German beer and thats why they have it there. I came over after work on Friday afternoon because I had to make a run to Urban Outfitters. I called a good buddy over to join me on their patio (the weather sucked). I enjoyed the zucchini and mushroom basket along with 2 Hacker-Pschorr. I came back the next day and had the breakfast burrito which was great as well. The ladies that work here are really nice and make sure you are taken care of. Good place to come and enjoy some nice beer! read more

Swig is a bar. They have bar seats, boothy seats, and high-table seats. They have a pool table. They have a standard menu. They have mediocre specials (Tuesday $3 domestic bottles and $4 Absolut cocktails). They have a crappy draft beer selection (Guinness, Hacker-Pschorr, Rogue something, and Stella Artois). They have grr-inducing prices for said beer ($6). They have flat-screen TVs showing sports. They have poppy, non-contemporary music. Just a bar, nothing more, nothing less. There is no reason for this bar to exist on the same block as Pint (which has no business to exist either but that's another review). For heaven's sake, do something to distinguish yourself. read more

My first time here over the weekend and what a horrible experience. The bartender screams RACIST. I walked into this place with my girlfriend and father in law to play some pool and have some drinks and he was so mean and ignorant, basically blamed us for his pool table not taking quarters. I will definitely not recommend this place and its my first and last time going here. The place is also very dark and depressing. read more

Went to a Halloween party last night at Swig. The two DJ's traded off between 80's dance music and deep album cuts (think Puerto Rican disco and also deep cuts like New Order's "Age of Consent") and straight up Rock hits. The place was packed but the staff was on top of everything. There was never a long wait for a drink, staff cleared tables of empties efficiently, and Swig really kicked it up a notch and pulled off a great Halloween night. The black sparkly tables really DO stick to your wet glass like a Moray Eel hitching a ride across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary. Ssshhht! Love those tables. Swig may not have much personality as a bar, but Great Service is a good quality for starters! read more

I came here early with friends on a Saturday night and had horrible service. The bartenders were incredibly slow and unable to work both the bar and the booths. It was fairly empty but I would wait almost 10 minutes for either bartender to come over and take my order. Plus, one bartender kept disappearing. To make matters worse, the female bartender tried to shortchange us. My friend ordered a $6 drink, paid for it with a $20, and the bartender gave her $8 in change. My friend had to chase her down to get her correct change. Also the cash discount didn't exist so don't even ask about it. They'll forget about it. 2 stars because the space was nice and the menu was promising. The bartenders just need to work on tending the bar. read more

Bartender kept singing Beatles while i ordered my drink. Will not be recommending to my friends but it was a nice bar to be in

Stopped in at Swig the other night to grab a drink with friends. It wasn't even on our radar screen but our original destination decided not to open up this night so we were on to Plan B. We sidled up to the long bar and spent some time sipping our drinks and talking to the bartender about the business she and her brother own. Seems like this was always a dream of theirs and for the past 3 years- that dream has come true. I only wish it had been a little nicer out as I would have loved to have sat outside at their sidewalk patio or at least in the front of the bar where the windows open to the street. The music was good (and not too loud although we were there early around 5) and there is pool for those pool sharks amongst us. And the best news is that parking is easy on this stretch of Milwaukee- just bring lots of quarters! While we didn't eat- the menu carried most of the standard bar fare (appetizers and sandwiches) and will go on my mental list of places to return to when in the area. Stop by- pull up a stool and grab a drink or two. Swig is the kind of bar where you'll feel right at home the moment you do. read more

Let's just start by saying - I love this bar. It is my go to in wicker Park and and I can always come in by myself and don't feel judged. It's never crowded but never empty. I can easily watch sports (which they do play on speaker) and enjoy myself with the rest of the people in the bar. And normally all the patrons are super nice and will have no problem starting a friendly conversation. As for the bartenders in the joint. A M A Z I N G. Great service as always even if you are a regular like me! They have great hospitality and are always trying to go over the top for their customers! Food wise- yum! They do have food specials over the weekdays and Pick up as well! I would definitely try the chicken quesadilla and the buffalo wrap! The turkey burger is also spectacular and all the food is gracefully prepared by chef Armando! Seriously- don't walk by without coming in. It's at least worth their house shot. Firelort read more

Swig - Great alcohol and beer selection! Great prices and a place that's not crowded for sports watching. - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of my favorite bars in the neighborhood. Whether it's during the daytime while it's chill or at night when things get more exciting it's always a fun time. Great bartenders and the food is surprisingly good. read more

Checked Swig out for their Thursday House sessions on the suggestion of a friend. Pleasantly surprised, especially for the dive bar aesthetic. House music was on point between their resident DJs and guests. There are three sections: Dance floor, lounge and pool table area. Met a lot of great people from all walks of life. I'd say 24-30s. There's definitely a social circle of artist, performers and people being people. There was enough energy to go past the 2AM closure. Cute bartenders made a great refreshing Kentucky Mule. The Trick bike Travis was outside chilling with some folks which added to the charm. read more

My friends Will, Adam, and I went out to a few bars to play pool and have a good time last night. Adam and I are white. Will is black. This quickly became a problem.  The second bar we tried to walk into last night was Swig on Milwaukee Ave. but they wouldn't let us in. Why? Because Will was "wearing a white t-shit, and we don't allow people in wearing just a white t-shirt," according to the bouncer at the door. Adam immediately pointed out all the white men directly behind this bouncer who were wearing white t-shirts. We asked what was different about Will's white t-shirt. We asked why those guys weren't denied entry. The bouncer said, "They got here before I started." But they are white, and Will is black. The bouncer didn't say that; he didn't have to. This is just one way a bar like Swig keeps black men out of bars all over Chicago. They create or enforce arbitrary dress codes that are designed to discriminate against black men without saying a thing about skin color. They don't have to. read more

Decently priced drinks - $7-$8 - I ordered Jameson rocks and gin tonics. Gets crowded around 11-1130. Pool table inside. There is seating with tables and at the bar. Pretty sizable space. Cool and chill bar. read more