If I lived in Chicago, at least in the North Side, you'd probably find me here a lot. That's…read morebecause it felt less like a bar and more like a gathering place. Or I guess I should say a "gay-thering" spot. Spreading over two floors, it manages to be spacious and cozy at the same time. There are bars on both floors which makes hanging around super-convenient. As expected, there are pool tables as well as skeeball and darts. Watch out for the latter as they fly right in front of the stairwell. Jamie W. and I settled down on the main floor and had their special $5 Margaritas (photo: https://yelp.to/dK4BE5czs3). What made them special? Hey, they're $5. Needless to say, we had a couple each and were feeling no pain with the friendly staff and customers to be found here. DRINKS - 4.5 stars...did I mention the $5 margaritas? AMBIANCE - 5 stars...fun and chill SERVICE - 5 stars...doubly chill TOTAL - 5 stars...gay-ther together RELATED - Exploring Chicago? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/44c4CZO

Love playing bingo here on Wednesdays! Cheap drinks and good vibes. Nice neighborhood spotread more

Mao bar definitely lives up to its name!…read more Mao in Thai means drunk...but don't worry if you aren't looking to get smashed you can most definitely still have a fab time in the neighborhood! This is located inside Immm Rice & Beyond. It use to be BYOB but since they've received their liquor license they have pumped up their drink options. I love the fun cocktails with the unique housemade infusions. My fave is the "Cool Water" with a smoky and spicy kick that leaves a slight tingle to your lips! They also have a really tasty mocktail called Pinky in Love with lovely fruit notes- as well as a CBD cocktail and a variety of fun southeast Asian fruit drinks like Longan. On Friday and Saturday the bar stays open later with a limited kitchen menu. Great spot to meet up with friends and chat the night away. Service is attentive and friendly. Street parking is available.

The ambiance at Mao Bar was very cute and welcoming. Bartender Leow was pretty fantastic , the…read moredrinks were very delicious and balanced. The sticky rice, the rice tasted like jasmine and it was mushier than regular sticky rice would be, I would've preferred extra coconut sauce on the side to pour over my dessert but I could've asked. Either way just had drinks and dessert, it was a nice experience.

Love the vibes and energy here always. They also have super fun trivia on Wednesdays and it's…read morealways a blast!

Not sure how I missed this joint but so glad I found it. Larry's is a small cocktail bar in the…read moreLawrence House, which was built in 1830 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Because it is located in the lobby of the apartment building, it is not something you see from the street. The bar itself is very small, but there are multiple seating options outside of the actual bar. You are permitted to take your drink to the lobby or to the outside patio area. Both are nice and allow for a pleasant drinking experience, but folks that live in the building sit there as well, on laptops or reading. The vibe of the bar is super chill, with this crazy red hue that I love. I am not a big cocktail person per se, but if you are into them like The Queen is, then you are in for a treat. There are also non-alcoholic selections for wines, beers and cocktails for those that require that. In addition they also have bubbles, so that is a win for me. In addition to great cocktails and bubbles, they also do "Summer Movie Nights" on the patio. You can bring a blanket, grab a drink and enjoy. Larry's does not serve food, but you can order something to eat from The Uptown Deli (which has good sandwiches). There is street parking on Sheridan and it is about two blocks from the Lawrence Street El stop (once it opens again). Now that I am aware of its existence, I will be back to chill and have bubbles, and maybe catch a movie.

This bar is so adorable! The name alone drew me in lol. We got there right when they opened at 4pm…read more The bartender was really friendly and asked us about our plans for the day. We ordered a Saturn and a Hemingway Daiquiri. Both were sweet, refreshing, and delicious! Of course we had to order the jello shots that come with a little candy heart on top. I'm already planning my next visit here to attend the Lover's Lounge event.

If I'd just stopped in for a drink or two, we would be fine. My rating would be a three or a four,…read moreand 'have a nice day.' Alas, my catchphrase being "I eat and I know things" means ordering food is a given. That was a mistake, but not as bad as whoever made the decisions behind the Heartbreaker Burger. Let me start with the good. I started with the M&M shot, a simple yet tasty, and not face-melting combo of mescal and Montenegro. I drink spirits neat, so YMMV, but something I wouldn't mind ordering again. Next, I tried the Vieux Carre: a solidly executed classic with balanced flavors and spirit-forward without going overboard. While the bevvies are not mind-blowing, the prices are low - In the year of our Lord 2026, $12-13 for a cocktail in Chicago is almost unheard of outside of happy hour. The vibe is old-timey and retro. Loads of wood, exposed brick, and wallpaper that your great aunt probably had. There are a few game-heads on the walls, for I guess great uncle likes to hunt. There is also a piece of art on the walls that, feels almost like it can go in a museum, but not quite. Let's say this: gentlemen, I would advise against brining a date here, lest you be tempted to look a little too long. Alas, we've now arrived at the abomination that is the, perhaps aptly named, Heartbreaker burger. To start, it was wrapped in foil and tasted through and through as though it's been sitting under a heater for at least an hour. The lettuce within had time to wilt due to the heat, making it go from a positive addition, past neutral, and into negative. The patty missed the mark: In this case, Smasburger applies to the thinness, and not at all to a roasty, crispy, Maillard-y consistency. Between the thin piece of strongly favored meat, and bun a little too large and dense, all other ingredients lost their presence. Further, If felt the burger was so bready, I removed the top bun and turned it into a fork and knife affair. I'm all for burgers getting wider, rather than only so tall one can't open their jaw so far, but not like this. Hardly worth mentioning are the sides of Tater Tots and Queso. Both weren't heartbreaking, but at the same time, wholly unremarkable. Felt as though I could easily beat these with a quick stop at Aldi. I've no complaints about the service. Since I came right around opening, it was very quiet. Still, I was well-taken care of, and things came out relatively quickly. Final verdict: Sweethearts Bar makes inexpensive, solid classic cocktails in a mostly retro vibe. However, the alleged-smashburger left a bad taste in my mouth, literally and figuratively, spoiling the experience. Would return?: Probably not. There was nothing on the menu that I couldn't easily and cheaply recreate myself. Would recommend?: Also probably not. If you're looking to catch up with a group in a space without a TV, Sweethearts and its cheap drinks aren't a bad deal. For all other cases, I would not recommend.

My goal is to try 50 new Chicago restaurants in 2025!…read moreRestaurant: 59/50 Month tried: October Favorite dish: Fried Pickles We've heard so much about the legendary Carol's Pub and were happy to finally swing by for drinks and music. I can't really rate it as a full restaurant yet because we only had fried pickles, but the menu is small and simple and smelled delicious. The serving of pickles was HUGE! Fit for like six people, not just the two of us. And they were yummy. The artist playing when we went was great. I've heard the music lineup is always reliably good, as are the events. It's high on my 2026 goal list to come back for karaoke, bingo, and drag brunch.

Staple in the Andersonville area for the good old classic bar experience in Chicago. Great draft…read moreselection, good food options - though I will say their idea of tater tots is maybe a little unique (but still good!). Go if you want to catch the local game, go if you want somewhere low key and straightforward, go if you just want to experience local Chicago.

I love this bar so much STILL…read more Gay, straight, whatever - just behave. We always end up chatting with fellow Andersonvillans when we go here. Daily specials. If you love dogs (is there a person who does not?) go here on a Saturday! It's DOG PARTY! I try to pet as many pups as I can, but truthfully, they are catching up with their dog friends. The perfect description of this place was uttered by my good friend, the legendary John B (may he RIP). It's a casual neighborhood bar that just happens to cater to a mostly gay clientele. Go here, make new friends. Pet dogs. Quaff a few.

Popped in here on a Monday night and there was a small crowd here, but I just have to say, I love…read morethe modern feel of this place. Feels very clean! Their SPECIALS are to die for. I swear there is nowhere else in the Chicago area (at least that I've found) where you'll find daily specials that affordable. On a Monday night they had several specials, but we opted for the 'Big Ass Long Islands' which were huge and only $5 each. Considering inflation in 2022 as well as post pandemic pricing, this place and its daily specials reminds me of dive bar pricing from like 2015. You can literally munch of some free popcorn that cooks itself in the corner and change the music on the juke box as well. They also have a decent sized patio for those warmer days/nights! I'd love to come back here on a weekend and feel the vibe. I also must note that whoever the bartender was that took care of us as soon as we walked in, was very friendly and hospitable! I'll be back!

Such a friendly place! Bartenders moved from Huttenbar in Lincoln Square after it closed, and it…read morewas so great to see them again! Beer was cold, vibes were great. The Bishop, a bulldog, greeted us and then laid right in the middle of the floor. We've been before and we'll be back!

Have never met a bartender so mean…read more The Temu Ed Harris made sure we knew we weren't welcome. Go for the stale Schlitz on draft, stay to be glared and sneered at. Oh, and don't be paranoid and think it's just you. He hates all of us.

In honor of Women's History Month I would like to update my review of Nobody's Darling to state…read morethat the lovely owners of this fine establishment are still doing their thing. Nobody's Darling is not just to have a chat and cocktail, they offer quite a few events for folks to attend. Below are a few examples of the swinging times you can have there. In 2026 I am so happy that they are still in business and thriving. The vibe is still cool, the menu for the cocktails is still exciting and the crowd is eclectic. Wine Down Wednesday Unwind midweek with Happy Hour 5-7pm $7 glasses of wine $20 bottles Thursday: Pitch Your Peeps Help your friend find love (or vibes). Pitch them to the room - all relationship styles welcome. Feel Good Fridayz w/ DJ All The Way Kay Start the weekend right! Happy Hour 5-7pm DJ Kay live 8-11pm Sunday Karaoke All Day Happy Hour starting at 2pm Karaoke 5pm-8pm Sip.Sing. Repeat. Empanadas by De Luna Empanada 7pm-10pm DJ Gloria on the decks Cocktails flowing all night Friday, March 20 DJ Set 8-11PM

Great drinks and no douchy "bro" energy to be found anywhere. I love this bar. The staff is so…read morefriendly and the vibe of the entire experience was very appealing. It's thought of as a gay bar and clearly that's a lot of the clientele, but all are welcome. Cocktails are delicious and run about $15 each. Pretty standard pricing. They have a good selection of n/a drinks and a menu for lower alcohol cocktails as well. Great neighborhood bar

Didn't get to try the food but had a cocktail and it was delicious. Can I remember the name of it…read morenope lol but I would have it again. Service is great very attentive even if you sit in the second floor. I love the close up magic performances during cocktail hour. I would say if you are on the first floor especially in the front row you get more magicians performing. So that is definitely one thing I would change when I go next time. I will buy tickets for the first floor preferably in the front. I enjoy the performance it was great and entertaining it definitely flew by but afterwards you can go back to the main bar and see the show. Overall it it's very entertaining and a magical spot worth exploring

Came by for a 4PM showing on a Sunday evening…read more Two of us ordered: french drop $15 maplewood son of juice $8 truffle fries $9 shrimp cocktail $24 ~$75 a tix Food was surprisingly decent, shrimp was quite good. You only need to arrive by 4. If you arrive earlier, you just sit at the bar -not supposed to film magic inside, tableside for an hour prior, was less impressed there since a few of them messed up / did the same trick as the group next to us John Carney was our headliner and he did a good job keeping the audience engaged, overall fun experience!

Food is always great. Service is usually good. Ambiance is unique - very sultry with low light but…read moredoes have loud music and a lot of ambient noise. Good for a romantic date night.

Had lunch today at Little Bad Wolf in Andersonville and ordered the Bad Burger -- and it was…read morephenomenal! Two juicy patties, American cheese, house-made pickles and red onion mayo. Nothing overly complicated -- just a really well-executed burger. Little Bad Wolf has the accolades to back it up. Time Out ranks its larger Wolf Burger #1 in Chicago, while The Infatuation actually prefers the Bad Burger, saying the simpler version allows the meat to shine. After eating it, I understand the hype.