Great little Chicago dive bar. Love the location. Feels like it's got a lot of history. All our MC…read moreinitiations were done there.

A loyal Subscriber mentioned to me that she had spent time in Chicago but never had a chance to…read morevisit. So I visited it in her stead (another benefit of subscribing to AfterActionReport.info). Quite simply the best maintained dive bar I have ever had the pleasure of drinking in and an AAR Must Drink. Most dive bars have a fair amount of seed and are in need of some repair, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Not this place, as the spotless tile floor was completely intact, all the swivel barstools (each branded "Richard's Bar" across the back) still swiveled, and the tin ceiling stunning. It's coming up on a hundred years, but the entire joint has been as lovingly cared for as it is cleaned daily. The place has a slight smell of cigarettes. When I mentioned to Joe the bartender, that "I didn't think you could still legally smoke in a bar in this country." He replied "You can't, but people do," as he placed an ashtray next to my beer. All that, and Norm Wendt's brother-in-law bought me a bottle of Old Style because it was his birthday, which was drunk while listening to Steve Lawrence on the jukebox. Norm Wendt's sister then recommended a place for fondue so . . . Located in Old Town, Geja's Cafe is a very romantic warren of a restaurant that offers the best fondue in Chicago. A father/son team ("the Marios") served me the International (tenderloin, shrimp, chicken), a solid Flackhattan and some live flamenco guitar.

Friendly and lively dive bar (4/5 Green Stars) Waiting for…read moretake-out from nearby Lou Malnati's, we wandered into Rossi's for a quick drink. It's a reasonably-priced busy dive bar in the heart of Chicago. I asked the bartender if she had a beer + shot deal and she said "no, but you can order a beer and shot." And so we did! Noise level is fairly high, thanks to a lively crowd plus a jukebox. They don't normally serve food but I think are fine with customers bringing in your own food, and you can also place an order from a nearby restaurant (I don't recall which one). And yes, it's cash only so bring some money if you don't want to pay ATM fees! 4 out of 5 Green Stars for social and environmental impact. I like bars that allow customers to bring (or order) their own food - it allows for all diets! The one thing I'd like to see is more beer on tap - even just one good rotating local beer (e.g., Goose Island). Draft beer has smaller environmental footprints compared to bottled or canned.

Recently stopped by Rossi's Liquors and this place is the definition of a dive bar, in the most…read moreauthentic way possible. After a quick ID check at the door, the bouncer let us know it's cash only (thankfully we came prepared). From the moment we walked in, dim lighting, loud music, and shoulder-to-shoulder crowds gave the vibe of a full-on frat party, but not in a bad way. It's chaotic, energetic, and unapologetically no-frills. There's even a self-serve cooler with drink prices clearly listed underneath. I grabbed a Sapporo Premium, brought it to the counter, and our friendly bartender broke our change and offered a chilled glass to pour it into. Simple and efficient. That said, it was loud, so loud that even whispering-distance conversations were a struggle. The space is small, seating is limited, and since we couldn't snag a spot, we ended up leaving shortly after finishing our drinks. This feels like a better weekday hang than a packed weekend night. Still, if you're looking for a classic, gritty, no-frills dive experience, Rossi's delivers exactly that.

This place is awesome. Incredible beer and drink selection with some hard to beat deals. It has a…read morepunk-metal atmosphere that's super unique, bartenders are all very friendly and attentive, and the pool table upstairs is always a great time. Sometimes they play some pretty weird movies on the TV and I'm here for it. Also Bills games here go hard. I'm not even a Bills fan and I was having a great time.

Came here on a saturday with a large group of friends and had to leave after 30 minutes because the…read morespace was so small and packed you couldn't really move. Id recommend coming with one or two other people if you'd like to stay a while. My only complaint was standing at the bar for over 10 minutes waiting to get a drink and kept being overlooked or ignored. The drinks were okay, I got a high noon so can't really go wrong with that but I heard their mojitos are good.

We came here for a celebration, visiting from out of state and realized how busy this place can…read moreget. It is a very diverse crowd, ranging from ages 21-60s. It was so interesting to people watch and also participate in karaoke. It felt like a judgement-free zone, which gave me the courage to go up and sing. I like that the place is crowded, but not crazy. We secured our spots by coming in early. The bartenders were nice and the drinks were reasonably priced. It is not a fancy bar, it is a "mom & pop's" hence the name Mom's Place. We didn't get a chance to check out the live music on the other side, but it seems people were having fun in every room.

Quiet enough to talk but rowdy enough to have fun! The music and atmosphere hit that sweet spot…read morewhere it feels energetic without being overwhelming. Just make sure you know what you signed up for with the karaoke room :) It definitely gets crowded on weekends and usually charges a cover. Regardless, no other bar quite does it like Mom's Place! - AD

Came back, incredible Unconscious david Lynch theme. This place has good beer options, lots of…read morebourbon options including Woodford, and bullet. Definitely a place to come early to on a Friday or Saturday if you are looking to grab a seat somewhere. Each time I have come there have been multiple birthday parties, cute.

If you get it, you get it. Stepping in here heels like time traveling. From the restroom, to the…read morebooths, to the tinny speakers playing the music. Drinks are good and cheap, bartenders were nice, and the vibes were high. Great dive bar, can't wait to head back.

My friends and I stumbled on this place by accident and we will definitely be back soon. At fist…read morewe were hesitant because how busy it was but when you get in the grove it's like the the whole place was in sync. It's was a little frustrating that we didn't have seats and I think the manager noticed that so when a table opened up he immediately had us sat which was awesome. I think his name was Joel I'm not sure it's was a bit loud with everyone singing. My only regret is that when didn't get there earlier to sign up for a song but I guarantee we won't make that mistake again. 5 stars if you like Karaoke and a good crowd participation then Brando's is the spot to be.

Such a fun vibe and a great crowd! I went in on a Sunday evening and it was decently packed. The…read morebar itself is dimly lit and moody. There's plenty of booth seating, as well as tall chairs at the bar. Once it was karaoke hour, I put myself on the list and started singing. Everybody is fun about it, whether the performer is conventionally a great singer or not, and I absolutely love it! There was even a group of 4+ girls who sang together on stage, and the energy was so infectious, it got the whole bar yelling the lyrics along with them. Would highly recommend!

Unassuming from the outside, classic Chicago on the inside. Clean bathrooms, good menu..if you feel…read morelike doing Chicago Handshakes with friends you havent seen in 10000 years, this is your spot! Zero creeps floating around and great service! The long Island was amazing and would have had another if it wasnt for other beverages being purchased by friends. Definitely will be back next time we're all home!

What a cute bar! We stopped in around 730 on a weekday. We found there was still happy hour with $8…read morecocktails for a bit longer and it was also $2 hamms cans! The bartender was so friendly and quick. He gave great suggestions and made delicious drinks! Can't really ask for more. Was a very cozy feel in there.

Cool vibe. Great menu selection…read more Classic Chicago pub restaurant. Came here on a Saturday evening and was seated within 5 minutes. Great service too.

I didn't want to go far from my hotel, so I hung out here and had a few beers…read more I didn't have anything to eat in my two times here. The beer selection was "fine"? Midwest bars tend to make some surprising choices about what they find interesting, and even in Chicago that's no exception; everything on the beer list seemed picked not to offend. It's a noisy spot, but the service was prompt and the beers cold.