Stopped in to this place that had the Arsenal game on and was just praying it wasn't a Cubs day-- no offense to anybody! This bar was awesome-- bartender was a guy called Scott who said he'd newly started but actually knew his stuff and converted my "just the one" plan into "I've got to be done at four lagers". Ask him for the Irish jokes-- he beat me at them, had me impressed-- and that's saying something, my Irish joke repertoire is, frankly, formidable. If your an Arsenal or EPL fan or not, do yourself a favor and check this place out. read more

Hit up this bar soon after we went to another. It's in an area on Ashland where there's lots of dive bars with cheap drinks and interesting characters. Ten Cat Tavern is pretty divey while being pretty nice at the same time. Kind of has a quiet coolness to it. Lots of cheap drinks and some more expensive stuff as well. As for the drinks it's mostly basic. It's about $6 for a cocktail. The cheapest ones include some pretty cheap whiskey. Also they have cheap cans of PBR. Seems like most people here are drinking beer, and these mostly are in bottles and cans like how a dive bar should. Also has a couple pool tables that somehow fit. The bar is pretty small but the coziness makes it charming though. Pretty clean. The place is dim so it's hard to know for sure. Got to mention for those who couldn't tell by the name that it's also pet friendly. It's usually dogs in here ironically. There's also a jukebox with a good collection of songs, and a few TVs for watching games or things. read more

Ten Cat Tavern - Whiskey - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

When did this place turn into Coyote Ugly? It used to be cool with serious but mindful pool players and good music. It was a great spot that reflected the neighborhood vibes. I shouldn't be unkind: one of the bar tenders was attentive. The other just stared straight in my friend's face and said "huh?" when she ordered her drink, then vaped in front of us, and took a photo shoot. I've never seen an entire clientele try to be located so far from the bar in my life. Can't possibly be helping the bottom line when no one wants to congregate in the very place you're supposed to be making money. read more

I don't review often. I don't like being negative. I am making this review for anyone who is contemplating coming here. Here's some context, I've been visiting this bar on and off for 5 years, and in the last five years they have made a lot of great improvements, but after this last experience I can not recommend anyone to go here. The bar tenders are not present, and that's literally the bottom line. I order a drink from one and she goes out for a cigarette. I stand at the bar for 10 minutes and the door guy has to let the other know I'm waiting for a drink. And for context, it's not busy. This use to be a great hole in the wall dive bar with pool tables and solid regulars, now it's just another bar you can't get service at. read more

Talk about a true no frills dive bar. Honestly, didn't even think this place was opened based on just walking up to it, and saw a few people inside who turned out to be the owner and a friend (?), but the door was locked. They saw me and unlocked it. Not sure if it had just opened or what, but it was interesting. They checked our vax cards, and I'm glad to know they were strict about it, taking things seriously here. Beers and tasty and typical prices for the neighborhood. I have to say, we sat in the back and they turned the fire place on for us as well as the TV. It was SUCH a vibe on a cold winter Sunday afternoon. They have games to play so we choose scrabble, but yeah, I'd totally come back here. Pool tables, little patio, and just interesting decor. Patronize these businesses y'all! read more

Ten Cat Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Loved this bar! Going back to Chicago this weekend, and I really hope I can visit again. We were the only patrons for about 30 minutes, and it started to get busy. The bartender was awesome! I had a couple of Old Styles and my wife and daughter had a couple of cocktails. We walked from Wrigleyville to this neighborhood. It was about a 20-minute walk. I loved everything about this bar. Great local art. Nice, big indoor bar area. Incredible outdoor space. Bartender gave us all the information we needed to get around and best directions to Lake Michigan. Definitely a bar I will want to visit again. read more

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This place used to be so cool and eclectic, were you didn't have televisions buzzing, or people yelling. They had a great back patio to enjoy a drink, a cool wood paneled back room with a fireplace. Some pool tables. They even had a cool little jukebox section where you could sit and face each other away from other people. Then some finance bros bought it, put 1 million TVs in it, jacked up the prices, and didn't respect any of the neighborhood people, put neon all over the place, and even put a pool table in the beer garden. That cool little sit down area next to the jukebox? GONE. They pulled all that out and put in a fucking punching bag machine, so these aggros can get drunk and punch shit. Why do bros ruin everything? read more

pool there in the past was great. new owner, however, sucks. I went for some pool and felt is worn out and tattered. pool tables have not been maintained. also, they charge $16 a drink for Larceny. a $26 bottle. that's a ripoff didn't seem to mention that when I order it. It's not like your prices are posted anywhere. Also nickel and dime me with $5 bitter and sodas. seems like a cheep skate to me. I don't think I want to go back to a bar where I feel robbed when I get the bill. read more

Went there Saturday. A Miller Lite bottle and a pint of Guinness was $15. My buddy asked what each cost and the bartender was trying to remember what he charged and said the pint was $8 and the bottle was $5. Either the bartender is a thief or the place is insanely overpriced. We went across the street to Keegan O'Riley,s. $4 bottles. We ended up staying there all night. read more

Love this spot! Great vibes, excellent staff, lots of fun. Highly recommend to anyone in the area or visitors!

Casual vibe even on pool league night with many drink options, a fun and friendly crowd, and nice bartender. Even with the competitive tables, was able to play a few times with some tips from the frequent players. Lovely place! There was a dog inside so it might be a dog friendly establishment as well :) read more

I get it, 30 year olds think this place is hipster cool. BUT - when the bar tender tells you to switch your order to draft beer as she may not have time to make you an old fashioned when it gets busier is the epitome of not cool. Sorry bade, how did you get your job? WTAF, it's an old man drink, is that too complicated for you?? read more

Fun bar fun vibes, staff super friendly. Love the punch machine hard to find these anywhere. COYG!

Used to be a good bar, but new owners ruined the atmosphere with stupid decor and silly games like a punching machine. No respect for the atmosphere that people loved or the somewhat serious pool players who were regulars. read more

Great little neighborhood bar, found on the way to Metro. Beer garden in the back as well.

I was in on a weekday and this place is simply the real deal. Ten Cat is simply a terrific vibe and a great local Lakeview hangout. The service is top-notch, especially the blonde bartender with ocean eyes, I think her name is Anna or Hannah. The patio out back is also super chill. 10 / 10 would recommend. read more

Been here four times over the last few weeks and kept giving it another shot after being disappointed by the bar staff. The managers are chill, customers great, security is cool, and it has every chance to be a good bar but every time there is one girl that bartends that is very rude and unnecessarily hates everyone. Dirty blonde hair girl with curls is genuinely just miserable and I want her to be happy. More than willing to chat with management and share my experience! read more

Overall: A hidden gem off the not-so-walk-friendly Ashland Ave. Don't let this place pass you by! The good: Came in on a Friday night to $3 PBR tallboys, good music, and the just-right amount of people. The atmosphere is dive-y but not too much so, and it's spacey to pick a spot in. There's also an outdoor patio if the weather is right, but the inside definitely has it's own charm. Also it's a stop for the tamale guy! If you know who that is, you know this place is legit. The not-so-good: For how big it is, there's not a ton of seating inside. The outside is totally misleading if you aren't careful. Atmosphere: 9/10 Service: 9/10 Food/Drinks: 9/10 read more

Spent the night with good friends here to watch them play billards. What makes this place unique is that billards play is free, well not quite. You have to spend some change here for drinks to be eligible to play billards. The area inside stretches far back and in the back, you are able to site outside. The only negative I have is the price of some drinks that ordered that seems questionable, such as a ordered a import and was cheaper than a domestic. Other than that, I would come here to spend some quality time with friends. read more

As a cat lady and a dive bar lover this place fulfilled all my adult degeneracies. I can't imagine patronizing any other bar when this one is so damn purrfect. read more

Ten Cat Tavern - Ten Cat - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Nice, low key spot right off of Irving Park Rd & Ashland. I am a fan of a place with $5 pint of Oberon and Steigl Radler. Space is a nice size as it has pool tables and a separate room with fireplace as you make your way to the beer garden in the back which is cool. They allow smoking back there so may not be the most pleasant experience if smokers are back there and you dont like it as its not a very big beer garden. Solid spot...glad I was able to check it out read more

This is my neighborhood. My husband and I have been frequenting this pub for over 20 years. Last night, one of the other patrons struck up a conversation with us and, as conversations do, it meandered through a number of topics. We were discussing the Viet Nam war when the bartender approached us and told us we had to change the subject. Understand, we were not particularly loud nor were we using foul language or speaking disrespectfully. I still cannot get my head around this. Historically, pubs are Public Houses, where ideas are born and discourse about any number of subjects can be aired. This was just chilling. We tried to ask the bartender what was so offensive about what we were discussing, but he couldn't tell us. Just kept saying we had to change the subject and then said we had to leave. Suffice to say we will not be going back. Plenty of other bars in Lakeview where the Thought Police aren't on duty. read more

Update: I finally went back after moving out of the area for a while. I like this place. Friendly bartenders, AOK scotch list, and good prices. If I lived closer, I'd probably make this my go-to dive-ish bar. I like the decor/vibe of the place. read more

During my 4 day stay in Chicago, I visited several different drinking establishments in the Uptown, Lakeview, and Wrigleyville neighborhoods. Out of all, Ten Cat Tavern (TCT) gets my nod as the best. At the entrance, you'll see several pieces of art in display cases (classy, huh?). Once you enter the bar you do get the dive bar vibe, but not overly so. The bartender was on his game, and there was a fine selection of wine and spirits, all at a reasonable price. There is a venerable classic Brunswick pool table in the barroom. Beyond this, there is a nice sitting room that's reminiscent of the Midwestern living rooms of my youth. Perhaps the best part of TCT, for me at least, was the rear outdoor patio. I can't imagine going out there in the brutal Chicago winters that I moved to Florida to avoid, but on a perfect July summer evening, it was fantastic! Plentiful comfortable seating, an overhanging tree canopy, Italian party lights, and an ivy covered (just like Wrigley Field) wall lend to a very cozy atmosphere. My friend and I (the Boomers) were having a great time socializing with the Millenials...TCT lends itself to that kind of camaraderie. Another great thing about TCT was the "Tamale Guy", who my friend (a documentary filmmaker) said has a relationship to TCT like the mutual benefit a clownfish has to a sea anemone. Right around 10, this gentleman came back to the patio carting a cheap styrofoam cooler Inside, were perhaps the best tasting tamales I've had (apologies to my Cuban brethren in Miami). They are sold in plastic Ziploc bags, 6 for $6. The bag seals in the warm juices and they just made the perfect bar food to go with my Tito's n' Soda!! I highly recommend TCT, I'm sure I'll be back there on my next visit! read more

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This was the first bar that I visited after moving to chicago just over three years ago. They have two FREE pool tables, a beer garden, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and cats hidden throughout a mosaic that encompasses the lower half of portions of the interior and exterior. One of the bartenders, named Jimmy, gives a hug so comforting and genuine that for a brief moment it feels like you're being wrapped up in a blanket of the most exquisite garlic mashed potatoes that ever was. This wonderfully winsome watering hole is ike a feline version of Where's Waldo with billiardS AND booze. Legend has it that if you locate every 'Waldo' cat that the ghost of an Egyptian Pharaoh's cat, Neferkiti comes to you in a dream and grants you 9 fucking wishes. I've yet to locate all of the carnivorous calicos just yet but having Ten Cat as a home away from home is a certainly a wish come true all it's own. This place is a guaranteed catalyst to the amelioration of any evening that is lacking in excellence. In short, 10 Cat fucking slaps. read more

I ended up here last night on a long walk when I recognized that stretch of street as where Consuelo's vintage clothing store of loving memory used to be; I bought clothes there in my 20s and managed to look way too Stevie Nicks for the quasi-corporate environment I worked in (just as well, that). This turns out to have BEEN the Consuelo's space, and it has the same cozy vibe it had way back then, plus ancient pool tables, interesting art, and just enough light to read by. And two couples brought their small dogs in with them so I got to pet them and watch the rapprochement between a pug and a dachshund. If I lived anywhere near there I'd be a regular. read more

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Super low key loungey bar. Sadly, I saw zero cats while boozing at Ten Cat Tavern, but we did see one dog. The dog was just chilling with its owner in the front of the bar. Me likey. It was a tad too cold to sit outside in the back patio, so my man and I staked out a few seats beside the roaring fire in the back of the bar. Yes, they have a fireplace AND a nice back patio. In the middle of the bar are two pool tables and a jukebox. The seating and decor is funky and mismatched. It's very homey and comfortable. This would be a great place so spend a relaxing night drinking some beers out back. With or without (ten) cats. read more

Ten Cat Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place was great back in the day (1993) and it's great today. It's great to see a real neighborhood bar that is still thriving and always improving. Friendly, clean, cozy, neighborly and ohhhmmyygodd, slap me - the cutest bartender in town. read more

If I got rid of my kids again soon, I'd be back here in a heartbeat. We were in because our friend was moving off to California and we were having a going away party for him. I guess they won't let you rent the place out or anything but they have a room in the back that you can lay out food and whatnot. It worked out well! Plus they have a cute little beer garden. I LOVE the "vintage charm" this place has. The bartender was super friendly. Absolutely loved her. She explained that the name is Ten Cat because the mural on the wall has ten cats in it. So, of course, we had to sit and find the cats. As of recently, they have begun taking credit cards. It used to be a cash only establishment. read more

I'm a huge fan of neighborhood bars that have a little of a dive bar atmosphere, so I fell in love with Ten Cat Tavern. I stumbled across Ten Cat this past weekend during a friend's 30th birthday. From the moment you walk up to Ten Cat you're greeted by wonderful artwork in the front windows. The artwork is kind of funky but it goes with the vibe of the bar. The inside is surprisingly very spacious, they even managed to fit two pool tables inside. The inside of the bar is spacious enough even with the pool tables but I can imagine the bar getting easily packed. Just be forewarned that you will have to navigate around the pool players if you decide to sit in the back room. The drinks are ridiculously cheap, my two shots were under $10! We successfully ensured that the birthday boy left intoxicated. My friend reserved the back room, which could easily fit a group of 20. They allow you to bring catered food into the bar for events so it's a great place to go if plan on hosting a chill event. The backroom led into the outdoor patio and the men's restroom so be forewarned that you may have a lot of traffic from other bar patrons. We had a lot of people walking through our event but it was great because it kept the event entertaining and lively. Luckily the birthday celebration fell on a beautiful night so we got the opportunity to check out the patio. It was extremely spacious. It would be the perfect place for a chill week night or Friday/Saturday night. The bar seems to be dog friendly because there was a random dog in the bar around 10 pm. The dog was adorable but not sure if it's the best place to have a dog on a busy Saturday night when people are drinking and trying to enjoy themselves. One of the major cons about the bar is that they have a single stall bathroom for women. read more

Great place. Plenty of other reviews with great details on the pub, so adding my info on current Pinball. They have Crypt, which has 6 games for $2. SouthPark Pinball $0.50 for 1 play. Opens at 3:00pm Saturday, no hours posted on the door - please fix that ;) Very good coffee shop feel, love the skylight in the center. Free pool starting 3pm daily. read more

Ten Cat Tavern - Patio - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've never really experienced teleporting through dimensions until I came to TCT for a happy hour. I walk in and fine a nice selection of drinks, good specials, and a couple pool tables. The rest of the party was in the back, so I walk there... And find myself in the frontroom of a house. Eh? Fireplace, tables, couches, and a coat rack welcomed me to the back room. Hell, there was even a front door leading out to the beer garden. It was quite confusing to me. Don't get me wrong. Confusing isn't a _bad_ thing. It was actually quite homey feeling. If TCT wasn't almost an hour away from me I could see myself being a regular. If you're in the northern parts of the city and looking for a place to share a beer with some friends, TCT is definitely a solid bet. read more

Friendly bartenders and a mature crowd. A neighborhood bar to truly relax and hang out. The pool table is always busy but you can usually find a seat after a few minutes even on Fridays and Saturday nights. read more

Ten Cat Tavern - Ten Cat sign - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great place to play pool. Reasonably priced drinks and customer very friendly service.

There is so much to love about this bar: 1. A patio! A huge, lovely patio with lots of seating options and some weird light sculptures. 2. Animals! The bar is home to at least one cat and when I was here last there was a tiny, fluffy dog walking around. 3. Space! This bar is HUGE, far larger than it looks from the outside, and has four different spaces - the front bar area, the middle pool table room, and large back room, and the aforementioned patio. Even at prime time of a Friday night, seats abounded. My friend and I sauntered in here one lovely Sunday afternoon and were literally the only people on the patio. 4. Couches! I love couches in bars, and Ten Cat has both indoor AND outdoor couches! 5. Quiet! I hate bars where I either have to lean across the table and scream "What???" repeatedly to my companion to hear or else give up and nod agreeably as though I can understand him or her for the whole evening. What's the point of going out with friends if you can't hear a word they're saying? I've never had an issue with the noise level at Ten Cat and if one room starts getting too rowdy, you can always move to a less crowded area. 6. Absurdity! There's a weird Alice in Wonderland aesthetic going on here. From the creepy wrought iron furniture used indoors, to the hidden ladies restroom, to the odd mosaics all over the place....I can't think of another bar that looks like Ten Cat. Though slightly off my normal beaten path, Ten Cat is fast climbing to "favorite bar" status. I'm starting to drag everyone I know here because I love the atmosphere so much. My only tiny word of warning is to skip the Bloody Mary - Ten Cat's is one of the worst I've ever had. Other than that, Ten Cat is aces! read more

I've been going to Ten Cat for 30 years and it remains a classic. Antidote to the Wrigley Field-area sports bars for sure. Lots of niche spaces to hang out and talk with friends. The Tamale Guy brings in delicious food. Definitely an old school, hipster vibe. A true Chicago gem. read more

I like the Ten Cat Tavern so much because it has an uncanny chameleon quality of feeling like five different bars. Walk through the front door and you'll find a classic bar set-up with soft art deco lights. Continue on and you'll come across a handful of pool tables on which you can always find a game. Keep walking and there's a little alcove with a pinball machine, Ms Pac-Man machine and a jukebox that plays 45s. Step into the next room and you'll find yourself in a spot that looks like a living room out of a Jean Shepherd novel that was incongruously furnished with 1970s furniture. Further back still and you'll find an outside patio that is arraigned in such a manner that you feel like you're hanging out in someone's backyard. What all these areas have in common and what I think makes the Ten Cat so fantastic is that all five sections cater to conversation. While the place is never truly packed, I've seen it pretty full but found everyone in the place was able to converse amongst themselves, yet still were in a place where they could strike up a few friendly words with strangers. Always an interesting and eclectic mix of good people, the Ten Cat may not necessarily be a place that you'll walk away from with a good story, but it's a fine place to tell some of your best. This is a good place to go if... you think a drink goes best with conversation. read more

Meow! Ten Cat Tavern is one sassy kitty!! I had walked past a million times but never went inside until this past weekend. Such a great bar!! I was only able to stay for one drink, but the things that I really liked about Ten Cat was the Fat Tire on tap, the semi-private back room for parties, and the cutsie beer garden in the back. Luckily, we scored a 60 degree day in November and we were able to sit out on the beer garden until almost midnight. Ten Cat, I'm a fan! Puuuurrrrrrr! read more

On a quiet weekday night, head to the back room with someone cute. Then when strangers crash the party, head out the back door to the patio. Doesn't matter if it's chilly out. The drinks are strong enough that you won't really care. Proceed to first base. Friendly bartenders, low-key regulars, a jukebox with the blues and video games with guns. I like this place. And after last night's trip, I think it's inched up onto my shortlist of go-to dives. In fact, I kinda want to go back now. Drinks, anyone? read more

I often tell people that the Ten Cat is my best-kept secret of Chicago. I tell them that if they discover this gem, they can't tell too many others about it, lest it become ruined by being overrun by frat boys. Someone else said it perfectly- this bar is a mixture of hipster, townie, pool-shark bohemian lovliness. They have 2 beautiful pool tables, an 8 foot and a 9 foot. Always newly felted and level- LOTS of good player here, so you'll get a good game! I played in a league team sponsored by this bar for 3 years! The old-school (everything in this bar is old school) jukebox ONLY has old jazz in it, which is great. Pinball is my guilty pleasure, and there are always 2 machines in the back along with a golden tee for you addicts. The back room has some tables and a fireplace- nice for chilling with friends in the winter, and of course, the back patio in the summertime. My favorite things about the Ten Cat though, are the intricate mosaic tile all over (hint: look for the 3 cats in the wall to the left of the bar, and the chicago city skyline in the arch above, right next to the jukebox), the captains chairs at the bar- with ARMS!, and the general vibe of everyone in there. My only cons are: They don't take any debit/credit cards. EVERY business should take cards these days. Especially bars. my second is the service- even though I've been going there for years, service is definitely not very good. I usually have to stand there for a while to get Chris and Gina's attention. Its frustrating. All in all, definitely one of my absolute favorite hangouts in Chicago. Check it out! But please, only if you're cool. read more