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    The Boss Bar

    2.5 (376 reviews)
    ModerateBars, American
    Open 3:00 pm - 4:00 am (Next day)
    Updated over 3 months ago

    The Boss Bar Photos

    Business Info

    THE BOSS BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Juke Box
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - The Boss Bar

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    Inside
    Miranda L.

    I've been to Boss Bar multiple times throughout the years and it never fails in being a casually good time. [[HIGHLIGHT]]They have a huge center bar with tables around the perimeter.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]They have tv's to watch sports, pool tables, and good music.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I've never seen it overly crowded where it was difficult to order a drink. A mix drink was about $10 which is on par for Chicago. Bartenders move drinks quick and make them well balanced.

    1 STAR UNBELIEVABLE EXPERIENCE LET ME BE VERY CLEAR: I have NEVER left anything less than a 5 star review before. Please check my previous Yelp reviews to see. This is the first time a place genuinely earned a 1 star. I entered The Boss Bar and said, "Hey, I'm just waiting for my Uber. It's arriving in about three minutes." IT WAS 10 DEGREES WITH A WIND CHILL OF -11. It was a Monday night and the bar was essentially empty. The security guard, who told me his name was Romero, immediately said they do not allow entry unless you are purchasing something. I explained again that I was just trying to stay warm briefly. He responded, "Why don't you go to the Starbucks next door?" That made no sense. Why leave a bar I was already inside of to wait somewhere else for a ride that was about to arrive? He kept repeating that it was "policy." I even said I was not blaming him personally, but that kicking someone out into freezing weather is a bad and irrational policy. For clarity, there were no raised voices or confrontation. Romero was calmly speaking with another security guard, and I was speaking calmly as well. Despite that, I was told to leave. Once outside on a public sidewalk, I began recording. The security guard came out threatening to call the police and said I was not allowed to film. This was not about buying a drink. It was about being treated like a problem for trying to stay warm for three minutes. NO HOSPITALITY. NO EMPATHY. NO LOGIC. I will not be back, and management should seriously reconsider how they want their staff representing this place.

    Paulina A.

    I rarely go to bars and I rarely hangout in River North. But I'm happy to announce that I had my first pickleback shots here! And they were SO DAMN GOOD. We also ordered the mozzarella sticks and they were also incredible. The girls behind the bar were on it and were very excited to give me my first pickleback shot, which quickly turned into 3 shots. The plan was to go to Three Dots and a Dash before dinner at Roka Akor but they had a long line and was just not the vibe we were looking. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Boss bar did the job and I didn't even care to read the reviews before or after coming here, that's the best.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]And they allow doggos.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Nikhita T.

    My friends and I usually hit up Boss Bar late at night since it's open until 4 AM. It's a cocktail bar with a pool table and good draft beers. The place is in a central spot on Clark Street, which is super convenient. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It does get pretty busy, so sometimes it's tough to order a drink, but it's a great spot to meet up with friends for a game of pool.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The bar is huge, but the floors can get sticky late at night.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] If you're looking to keep the party going, I definitely recommend it!

    Where do I even start... with a shot of Malort! The crew the team the staff was unbelievable. Victoria did a suburb job slinging brews. She even cut me off and helped me get an uber. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I stumbled out of there with a smile on face and with a plethora of new friends.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The best spot in the area with the best looking staff and crew.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Be here and find out !!

    Mayuri A.

    Boss bar is our go to bar when we want to drink late in the night. The bartenders sometime take ages to take your order when it's crowded, but otherwise they are fast. I love the green tea shots that this bar offers. The ambience definitely needs an improvement. It's a bit dated in my opinion and has clearly been overlooked for a while. The floors can get really sticky too. They do offer a nice pool table that's serves as a good add on to the fun. This place is open even when most other bars are closed so it's definitely a good place to swing by when you want to keep the party going.

    The boss platter

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    Review Insights

    28 days ago

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    1 month ago

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]Magan is the best and it was a great bar to watch the World Cup.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Drinks were good too.

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    6 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    Busy but good. The drinks are expensive but super strong! [[HIGHLIGHT]]We sat by the bar and had a fantastic time.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

    The DJ and ambiance was great but the bartenders are scamming clients charging $10 for Modelo draft.

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Nice sports bar to enjoy the game and friends. We would definitely return. The drinks were great, I had my mules!

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Really like this bar, the bartenders are awesome and the service is fast. Good prices for river north.

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    5 years ago

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    Page 1 of 10

    The Boss Bar Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Boss Bar

    Is there a lost and found? How do I get in contact?

    Is the Tuesday Burger and Beer for $10 worth it? Thanks!

    Absolutely

    Is there a cover charge and how much?

    No cover

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    Review Highlights - The Boss Bar

    It's divey, it doesn't have much going on besides a jukebox and some drunks, but I always have a great time.

    Mentioned in 11 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Au Cheval

    Au Cheval

    4.4
    (9.5k reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    Absolutely insane experience. Make sure you get a reservation because this place gets booked up…read morequickly and rightfully so. My wife and I ordered the bone marrow to start and shared a single cheeseburger with the bacon and egg add on. The bone marrow with the marmalade on the side was amazing. I loved the thick toast they gave on the side. It was the perfect balance for such a rich dish. The burger is probably one of the best burgers I've had in my life. The bun was nice and fluffy, the burger was juicy, the bacon was thick and flavorful, and the egg was cooked to perfection. For a couple of bites, we threw a little bone marrow and the marmalade on the burger and it took it to a whole new level. The restaurant was small and comfortable. A tad loud with the music, but I didn't mind too much. I would gladly trade that for the delicious meal we had. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a great burger. Just make sure you get a reservation early.

    Au Cheval is definitely worth trying if you're a burger fan. I ordered the single burger (which is…read moreactually two beef patties) and added the fried egg. The quality of the beef was excellent, and you can tell they use great ingredients. The burger was juicy, cooked well, and very rich. That said, this might be a hot take, but I felt like it was missing something. For all the hype, I was expecting more flavor. Personally, I think it could have used a little more sauce to tie everything together. While the beef shines, the overall bite felt a bit one-dimensional to me. It's still a very good burger and I'm glad I tried it, but based on the expectations, it landed in the "good, not life-changing" category. I'd absolutely recommend giving it a try and deciding for yourself, but for me it was just okay compared to the hype.

    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)

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    Wings (very sticky so they come with hot towels)
    HIDE+SEEK

    HIDE+SEEK

    4.0
    (385 reviews)
    1.0 mi

    Hide+Seek was pretty good! Came here for dinner on a work trip and had the Parisian Gnocchi ($27)…read morewhich has lobster in it. The portion size isn't huge but there's a LOT of fat in this so it will make you feel full! I had had a drink beforehand too so I wasn't "starving," and I left pretty comfortably full. I was seated upstairs at the bar (there's an up and a downstairs bar) and the bartender was very nice, they served me pretty quick. I didn't hang about long but there were several couples clearly on dates, and I would say it's a nice spot for that -- not the fanciest, but certainly more upscale than casual. Bathrooms were immaculate too! Of note, I didn't have a car but saw metered parking directly out front and along the whole street there in shopping area. It was VERY packed but there was a lot of turnover so I imagine if you drove you wouldn't have to circle too long before finding a spot.

    Great night! John sat us at a great table on the main level. We were 7 people, but sat in curved…read morebooth which was perfect because the conversation was great. Gigi was an our server and she was attentive and informative. For food we ordered a variety, cucumber salad, the burrata, fried artichoke, French onion bread, octopus, hamachi, rib eye, filet and ravioli. Everything was amazing!!!! It is a small menu, but so many amazing options, you can't go wrong. We then went to the night club. Gina was our server and she was amazing also. Everyone had a blast Venue is beautiful, food is great, staff and vibe made the whole night!

    Photos
    Immaculate bathrooms!
    Immaculate bathrooms!
    HIDE+SEEK
    The Dutchess

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    The Dutchess
    Girl & The Goat

    Girl & The Goat

    4.4
    (10.7k reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$$

    Recently, my husband and I celebrated the anniversary of the day we met. We don't always mark the…read moreoccasion, but this year it was a milestone worth celebrating. We chose to dine at Girl & the Goat in Chicago, a restaurant we had never visited before. The acclaimed restaurant by renowned chef Stephanie Izard truly lived up to its stellar reputation! One of the first things we appreciated was the convenience of the restaurant's valet parking, located right by the front patio. At $22 for up to four hours and $26 for four to eight hours, the rates were quite reasonable for the area. As soon as the three of us stepped inside Girl & the Goat (we had made a reservation for 6:30 pm on a Friday), we were warmly greeted by one of the two friendly hostesses, and were promptly led to a comfortable four-top table with a banquette and two chairs along the wall. We felt fortunate to have one of the better tables in the dining room, as some of the others were positioned very close together. The nearby two-top tables, in particular, were quite small and placed only a short distance from ours. The restaurant's rustic-industrial décor was dark but trendy and stylish, the lively and vibrant vibe was warm and welcoming. However, I have to mention that it was really loud in the dining room, as guests seemed to be enjoying themselves and talked loudly.  It was hard to hear our server and the staff who delivered and explained the dishes to us.  Our server, Yazmin, was extremely friendly and attentive.  It was very sweet of her to wish us a happy anniversary both in the beginning  and at the end of the meal.  She also checked in on us several times during the evening.  Now, on to the food and drinks. I started with a glass of the NA Sparkling Rosé ($17), which was light, crisp, and quite refreshing. My husband ordered a glass of Le Colture Prosecco ($18), while our daughter chose the Sun Kid ($18). She enjoyed her drink, although she felt the portion was a bit small, as the glass was filled with a lot of ice that took up much of the space. Since the restaurant offers small to medium plates which are shareable, Yazmin advised us to get 5 to 6 dishes for 3 people to share.  We decided to get 5 savory dishes and 3 desserts to share: Savory dishes: - Chickpea Fritters ($20), goat yogurt, green chutney, sev spice crunch, pickled rhubarb. - Pan Roasted Halibut ($37), miso-Marcona almond butter, spring onion blueberry nuoc cham. - Roasted Pig Face ($28), sunny side egg, tamarind, cilantro, red wine-maple, potato stix. - Goat Empanadas ($24), smoked tomato-corn salsa, roasted poblano crema queso fresco. - Confit Goat Belly ($38), strawberry goat braise, smoked yogurt drizzle, pickled strawberries. Desserts: - Vacation, Please! ($16), toasted coconut crunch, lemon passion fruit sorbet, rum-soaked pineapple cake. - Berry Yummy Par-tea ($16), earl grey soaked sponge cake, yuzu curd, spiced blackberries. - Chocolate Basil Brownie Bash ($16), olive oil semifreddo, chocolate fennel crunch, basil granita. The meal was just phenomenal!  All the savory dishes were cooked perfectly with bold flavors; the meats were tender and full of flavors.  There were dishes that we normally would not have ordered if we saw them on menus of other restaurants.  Here, we tried them and were delighted that we did!  Our consensus is that Roasted Pig Face is our most favorite! It is everything we love in a comfort dish -- crispy on the outside, meltingly tender inside, and packed with rich, balanced flavor.  We will definitely order this again!  The Confit Goat Belly is a close second, with buttery, fall-apart meat and just the right balance of richness, acidity, and crunch. For dessert, "Vacation, Please!" is the one that we will always come back for. The toasted coconut crunch adds texture, the lemon passion fruit sorbet brings a refreshing tang, and the rum-soaked pineapple cake ties it all together with just the right amount of sweetness.  The other two desserts that we ordered were also very good.  The staff even brought out a scoop of Chocolate Ice Cream on the house, with two lit candles to celebrate our anniversary - a thoughtful touch that made the evening even more memorable.  This dessert spread was the perfect ending to an incredible meal. I'd like to mention that the restaurant added a 4% surcharge to the bill, which the customer may request to have the surcharge remove if you choose.  We let them keep it. We spent about two hours at the restaurant. The savory dishes came out very quickly, the pace probably was even a tad too fast, but the desserts made up for it by taking a longer time.  We did not mind as we were still full, and had time to enjoy the ambiance more.  I would say it is a restaurant great for group gathering and celebratory functions, but not so much for intimate romantic date night.  All in all, it was a wonderful dinner, we look forward to returning again.

    I was there the other week (I've been here at least five times before), and a busser--not our…read morewaiter--started clearing both of our plates before we were finished eating. We each only had a couple of bites left, but it definitely gave off an "okay, you're done now" vibe. Then he went to take the green beans (arguably the cult classic on the menu), and we still had more than half of them left. I had to stop him and say, "Yeah, we're not done with those. We paid for them. Can you put them in a to-go box instead?" For context, it was about 20 minutes before closing, but we ordered with plenty of time and were already eating with a "get in, eat, and get out" mindset. I've just never had someone at a restaurant start clearing plates while we were still actively eating--without asking, "Are you finished?" "Can I clear this?" or "Would you like a to-go box?" It was just... "You're done, these are leaving now." We were there for less than 45 minutes, left about 15 minutes before closing, and spent over $200 (not including the tip). With so many options in Chicago, I don't see myself coming back here.

    Photos
    Girl & The Goat
    Girl & The Goat
    Girl & The Goat

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    The Oakville Grill & Cellar

    The Oakville Grill & Cellar

    4.1
    (263 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$$

    I have never written a Yelp review before today, but I had to leave my first one because of how…read morepleasant my experience was here. I came here over the weekend with my family to celebrate my graduation, and the server named Cat was AMAZING! She made me feel so special at my graduation brunch through her hospitality, witty remarks, easy-going humor, and attentiveness to her clients. If I were her manager, I would give Cat a raise because of how much she elevated the experience and excels at what she does. Additionally, the food was fantastic! The pull-apart bread was so delicious and something I would 100% come back for, as well as the short rib hash, which was flavorful and tender. The ambiance was perfect for a sunny day with a mild temperature, making it the perfect brunch spot. Once again, I cannot emphasize enough how much Cat made our time at Oakville so special. Thank you, Cat, for being so wonderful at your job and going above and beyond to make my special day even more special. 10/10 would definitely come back!!!

    Came for another team lunch. We had a chance to dine outside but in the shade. Food came not too…read morelong after ordering. My tuna sandwhich was perfection - seasoned and not dry. It looked like my coworkers enjoyed their burgers. Drinks were refilled in a timely manner. Definitively a consistent place for our team to come back to.

    Photos
    The entrance. She's GORGEOUS.
    The entrance. She's GORGEOUS.
    Dry Aged Steakburger
    Dry Aged Steakburger
    Bar from above

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    Bar from above

    The Boss Bar - bars - Updated July 2026

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