I was hoping for a fun evening with friends, but I was rudely turned away at the door because they do not accept vertical driver's licenses in accordance with "state law." Such a law does not exist. My California license is valid, and I am 24 years old, yet the manager treated me like a petulant teenager. It was a very uncomfortable interaction. My friends and I immediately left and had a wonderful time at the Welcome Back Lounge across the street. read more

Absolutely horrible customer service. Booked a lane for a birthday celebration. Payton called 2 hours before reservation to say reservation was cancelled. Things happen. I get it. Absolutely terrible customer service as they offered a refund in 3 business days and the option to rebook at full price. Avoid this place at all costs. No sympathy or anything done for the inconvenience. Shame on you Pink Squirrel. Do better. read more

As someone who lived in rural Appalachia for a few years, I was used to making squirrel milkshakes. These were absolutely wonderful, however the milk shake did not contain a squirrel. 10/10 will get more drinks. The Hummer is delicious, and NOT a car. read more

I would have loved to be able to talk about my experience however was not able to experience anything. On the website it claims to be open everyday at 5pm for their festive holiday activities. Once I arrived, the place was closed, no one in sight. So be aware when planning to come here. read more

Cool bar in Logan Square. Came in for the duck pins and some drinks. Bar was smaller than I thought and there's only two lanes so make sure to make a reservation. The drinks were really good and the bar staff was extremely nice. really cool atmosphere with some cool, cocktails and milkshakes. I enjoyed the music here a lot. I would definitely come back. read more

Came in with a bud for New Years eve. Sat at the bar. They have booths and 2 bowling lanes. The Pink Squirrel has a great selection of classic cocktails on the menu in addition to milkshakes. I ordered the Millionaire and was impressed with the ability of staff to pull off such a complex balanced drink. Before the clock hit midnight they offered the customers free New Years drinks!! Also appreciated they weren't taking advantage of folks by charging New Years eve party package rates. No cover!! Will certainly be returning throughout the year. Means a lot to me they carry dairy in the bar. At least one bar in the block doesn't carry it and offering dairy means the drink repertoire can be represented well with creamy, sweet drinks. read more

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Very fun bar in the Logan Square neighborhood in Chicago. We went for a friend's birthday and had the best time at the open bar! I really loved their alcoholic milkshakes and was so stoked that those were part of it as well. All employees were really awesome and really seemed like they were enjoying their time working! I loved the free mini bowling that they had. The only issue was that the balls kept getting stuck every few rounds, so we would have to get an employee to come help us out. Other than that, it was really a great time and a fun atmosphere. I cannot wait to come back soon! read more

We had dinner reservations at The Whale across the street and wanting to get into the holiday spirit early, we decided to stop in here for drinks and oh my goodness, it is super cute!!!! If you are feeling bah-humbug during the holidays, just stop by The Pink Squirrel for a much needed pick me up. If this place does not get you into the spirit, then my friend, nothing will. The decorations are amazing and I made mental notes for my own home for next season. The staff is super friendly and the drinks are good. They also have a Ferris wheel that is full of shots and it looks really cute, but we did not partake this time, however there will be a next time. read more

So $22 for a 90 minute ticket that promised 90 mins in the lab, interactive potion mixing for drinks and photo opportunities as well as tarot card readings. Here's what we actually got... and ok we bought tickets for Sunday lunchtime so take that into account, the bar is decorated like any well decorated bar at Halloween. We were greeted by a really nice bartender who sat us and gave us the "interactive " menu. Out of the 5 cocktails 4 were available (how can you run out of ingredients when you only offer 5 and the place is empty ?). The drinks arrive in lab beakers with green lighted plastic ice cube ($15 for 12 on Amazon), I ordered the one similar to gin and tonic, so similar in fact it was gin and tonic. The instructions said use tweezers to pick up the flower on the tray and place in drink...TADA!! Not exactly mixology! $22 for a g & t you are kidding me. My partner had a mezcal and his had a dropper that contained bitters, our friend had a dropper with green dye for his. That's it. The only good thing about this place is the nice staff. Surely they could be sued for false advertising. Save your money!!! read more

Such a cute spot to grab a drink with some friends or even go on a date. On Saturday they give you one free slice of pizza which was actually really good. I'm soo happy I found this little gem! I will definitely be back to try more drinks and bowl! read more

Loved the music and drinks especially the boozy milkshakes! Bartenders were super friendly and the place was well decorated for Christmas! There's also mini bowling which was very fun. My favorite drink was the planters punch! read more

The Pink Squirrel - Bar area - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I went here for the first time this past Sunday. It's really a hidden gem. There's a mini bowling alley with 2 lanes, and you don't need bowling shoes to bowl. All the drinks on the menu look good, but I opted for a White Russian like boozy milkshake. I'd definitely come back again! read more

I really love the concept of this place. Yes, there are a lot small bars that are funky in Logan Squire, but this one packs a lot of fun into a tiny space. When I first walked into this bar I already knew they had bowling lanes, but I wondered where they would put them as the bar looks so small from the outside. I found that they were tucked away in the back and area small. It was neat how they worked them into the space. First, the drinks are great. While I was there I tried the Back in Pink, the piña colada and one of their boozy milkshakes. They definitely have presentation down. Each of the drinks came in either a fun glass or with interesting flourishes. My favorite drink was the Back in Pink. The piña colada was a tad watered down and the booze milkshake looked cool, but was just not my style. If you like boozy milkshakes, you'll love their boozy milkshakes. Second, the place itself is super fun. After a drink or two. I tried my had at the bowling. While the pins do not spin and fall like the pins are regular bowling alley and the lanes are short it was a ton of fun. I am awful at bowling, but the short lanes and light ball made me feel like a champ. There are some negatives. First, this is not "real" bowling. The lanes are short, the bowling balls are small and the physics are a bit off. This place is not for a serious bowler, but it's great for some semi-drunken fun. Second, the bar is small and there are only two bowling lanes. You have to reserve a spot to bowl, and on a crowded night you can't bowl as much as you want. Overall this is a fun bar with good drinks. It's a must visit. read more

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great drinks, cool vibe, great service!!! The waitress was very kind and the staff was friendly!

Loveeeeeeed this place! Go for the mini bowling, the boozy milkshakes, the classic cocktails, the retro decor. Am I missing anything?? I started here with one friend on the Sunday before Memorial Day and tried our hand at mini bowling - I'm amazing, as I suspected I would be. It's actually so incredibly fun. We reserved the lane online beforehand, got there and it was ready for us to go. One of the guys that worked there gave us a quick briefing and we were off. We could lean over the wall and order our drinks, so we didn't have to leave our lane and go to the bar, which was super nice. Every drink I had was fantastic, delicious, and fit the vibe of the place. Started off with a margarita that came in a glass all too obnoxious (not a bad thing) and then switched to whiskey sours. Get the whisky sours... After our hour of bowling we posted up at the bar for a few more drinks with a bigger group that joined us. This place never got too crowded but was never dull. Also, the music was pretty consistently awesome (there was one Katy Perry song that everyone pretended to hate but also knew all the words too). This is where the aforementioned boozy milkshake came into play. It was huge so we split it and, as delicious as it was, it was plenty. I think we just got The Pink Squirrel, but there is an entire mouthwatering menu to choose from. The bartenders were all awesome and helpful, whether it was for the bowling or the drinks. We weren't asked to leave the lanes until the next reservation got there, so we were still able to feel like we had a private little space even after our bowling session was done. I loved this place and am going to be hard at work finding something similar back home because I have officially been spoiled by the Chicago night life. read more

We were looking for something fun to do on the weekend that we could walk to. The Pink Squirrel was perfect! We reserved a lane to Duck Pin bowl for an hour and consumed a surprisingly large number of retro cocktails, like a Brandy Alexander and a Sidecar. Super friendly and fun. This time of year it's all decked out as the Tinseltown pop-up bar. We'll be back for sure. We want to build a gingerbread house! read more

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I absolutely loved this bar! It's a diner themed bar that has sweets-based alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Perfect place to bring a date or for a small group of friends to hang out. They also have duck pin bowling and the music was great. Service was quick and friendly. Drinks were amazing. I got the cereal killer milkshake and it's definitely meant to be shared with someone. I'll be back for sure! read more

The Pink Squirrel - Cereal Killer - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here for their Halloween Pop up Frankenstein's mad scientist cocktail lab. They blew it out of the water! It felt like I was in a microbiology lab with scary decorations. Definitely a Halloween must if you're in Chicago! read more

The Pink Squirrel - Frankensteins a mad scientist lab decorations. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great spot for themed drinks with friends!! We got the holiday Ferris wheel. It had a collection of mini specialty drinks. So fun!!

Horrible service , do not even try to go to this establishment once you pay do not expect a response from management or the owner.

I've walked by this place hundreds of times & finally decided to stop in. SO tiny and cute in here- If you're looking for a more chill place, this is the place for you. I love that they have two bowling lanes- I'm sure they get super busy on weekends, so I would make a reservation. When it's not busy you can request a lane (it does cost money though). The handball by the bathroom is totally free though, if you're looking for something a little more interactive. We got the boozy milkshakes (you HAVE to. at least once) and they were fantastic. I was expecting something super heavy, but honesty it was perfect. You do have your pick of unique bars in the area, so if you're looking to drink for cheap- this isn't your place. read more

LOVED THE MEAN SQUIRRELS POP UP. We had a great time bowling and drinking, would definitely go back :)

So glad I checked this place out! Snowy, cold, boring Weds night I wanted to go for drinks so we came here. Such a great choice. This place offers a bowling alley type of theme which was fun & cool. The bartender Joey or Jimmy (sorry I cant rmbr) HE WAS AWESOME SAUCE!!!!!! We were the only people present, but he was very accommodating and personable with us. It was a great 1st time here and I'm going to tell EVERYONE about this place! I may even host a few events here. Kudos to you guys! Drinks were really cool and strong too! read more

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I came here with a few friends last month and the experience was below my expectations. Ambiance: Based on the pictures, the place looked cute. It's literally cute. Like, tiny. The booths are cramped, even for four people. There's bar seating and the bowling alleys are small. I get it's a retro feel but the pictures are misleading. The music was okay; mostly pop songs from the 2000s. Service: It was okay. We had a waitress but sometimes she took a while and we would have to order at the bar) Drinks: While my friend enjoyed her chocolate milkshake, the mixed cocktails were underwhelming. They weren't strong at all and the vodka shots were the running alcohol kind. Overall not a fan of this place. Heard it's known for the boozy milkshakes but if go elsewhere for that read more

One of the cutest bars I've stepped into in a while. It is retro and hip with neon signs and disco balls EVERYWHERE. My girlfriends and I came in on a Saturday night and it was pretty packed by 10PM. The space is pretty small, and there was a birthday party that occupied the bowling area so unfortunately, we didn't get to try that out. However, the drinks and music were bomb. I got the Pink Squirrel which was an ice cream cocktail that tasted like a dreamsicle. As for the music, the playlist was straight out of my college "Party Tracks" with hits like "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)". If alcoholic milkshakes and 00's hits aren't your thing, you probably shouldn't come here. But if you're planning your next girls' night out, hit this up ASAP! read more

The Pink Squirrel - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had a BLAST during the Christmas 2022 festivities. Looking forward to returning this year 2023 as well.

Fun drink selection including nifty alcoholic takes on an old-fashioned milkshake. A couple cute duckpin bowling lanes makes for a fun night. Loved the bar staff! read more

My friend chose this bar for his birthday celebration. It's a cute place with lots of pink. What made me fall in love with this place is their amazing sound track. The environment has a retro vibe which is what I love. They don't really offer food here, the beer options are very limited (canned only). But so far, all the cocktails I've tried (gimlet, pink lady and between the sheets) are all pretty amazing. They have two mini bowling alleys, but don't really have a system, just first come first serve. If you are into milk shakes, they have a couple alcoholic milkshakes, very tasty. It's a cool little bar to hang out with friends. Had a great time here. read more

The Pink Squirrel - The bar. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So right before heading to Chicago for a three-day whirlwind visit, hubby, kid and I stopped briefly in Milwaukee, where I was DESPERATE to grab a throwback cocktail at Bryant's. You see, this swanky, retro lounge kicked off many a night of carousing with my girls way back when. Sadly, in spite of my most beguiling efforts, hubby vetoed my pleas. Thus when I found out Bryant's had inspired this spot, I figured maybe it would be the next best thing: Admittedly, I dug all the sparkly pink, and the kitschy vibe of the place. But otherwise, no. Just.... No. It felt soulless. Charmless. The anti-thesis of Bryant's. Or my rose-colored recollections of it, at any rate. Boo. It probably didn't help that I felt like I was about eighty compared with my fellow patrons. But that wasn't the issue. My Pink Lady Cocktail, featuring gin, grenadine, applejack, lemon and a foamy egg white top looked and tasted forgettable. And I just wasn't feeling that certain intangible something that makes you fall in love with a place. It felt sterile. To me. You may feel otherwise, especially if you don't walk in already full of happy, nostalgic memories of Bryant's. (Who, me?) . Bottom line: Had I not come in here with Bryant's on the brain, maybe I would have liked this spot more. Maybe not. But for now, it was just A-OK to me. read more

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This spot is so dang cute! They have such a retro vibe and the drinks were delicious. I couldn't get enough of their margaritas. The bowling was fun as well. Definitely check this place out! read more

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Love this place but had a weird experience last night. My bf and I got dinner across the street and then walked over. The bar was pretty empty so when the bartenders didn't ask us what we wanted for awhile after sitting at the bar I could tell the vibes were off. It felt like the staff didn't want us there and one bartender even stuck out her butt and forced a huge fart from behind the bar for everyone to smell. Bizarre. I think there needs to be a big push from management to work on customer service. Loved the decor though. read more

Very cool place. Love the decor and vibe. Given that it was the holiday, we sat at the bar and spent the majority of the time chatting with the bartenders (since it and slow and they were great). Tried the "duck pins" bowling, which was a different experience but pretty cool for throwing a few balls! We tried 4 of the 6 alcoholic milkshakes, including the Pink Squirrel (my favorite) and the Brandy Alexander (bf's favorite). Heads up, there is no food options anymore (only was a turkey club), which we had asked the bartenders (who were great) and apparently it wasn't feasible to keep up. We were fine with it since we went to try out the drinks. read more

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So, for a while now, I've been hearing that the empire that is Furious Ramen was going to open up a boozy milkshake joint. I didn't realize that ideation was one and the same with Pink Squirrel. It all makes sense. I was expecting more of your typical diner dive atmosphere, but it is not that. It's better. It's definitely your hipster hang. I went on a Friday night. I didn't feel like it was overly crowded or congested. It was just full enough and we were even lucky enough to get a table/booth. There was also room at the bar as some people were just getting up to lave. Their menu is fun and different filled with a variety of drinks. I can't wait to go back and try more of the deliciousness. I still haven't tried any of the milkshakes/ice cream cocktails, so I can't comment on that. The drink I did try though, were delicious. Also, they have a couple menu items...including dessert other than the ice cream cocktails. Note: They have Bang Bang Pie. The drinks: French 75 - delicious; you can get it with gin or cognac. I decided to try it with cognac (since I do enjoy that occasionally and it was different), it was still good Pink Squirrel - definitely worth trying...it's the namesake of the place after all Rum Punch - definitely the definition of a tiki drink Alaska - it's all booze, we though it would be better... Also, they have bowling. Not the full out bowling, but baby bowling. Smaller balls...and pins on string. It looks fun. They had two lanes. I think reservations need to be made for them. I definitely want to come back to try that out. There's a bar with a healthy amount of seats. The service is great. The staff is friendly. The prices aren't too unreasonable...about $10-13. TLDR: definitely worth checking out. cool, hipster-y place...themed but not annoyingly so. read more

Cool, retro atmosphere and I love the bowling. Had never been duckpin bowling - it was a ton of fun. Short lanes, maybe 10+ ft long, and the pins are short/stout. Everyone enjoyed it and games went really quickly. The lanes did not break down, but the pins are actually on strings because there's so much less pin action so the strings do sometimes get tangled, but the machine will untangle them within a minute or so. The drinks were good as well. I wasn't blown away by any drink in particular but they were all tasty. I had one that was scotch-based and was great at the start of the taste but left a dryness afterward. Everyone liked their drinks too. Only downside is there are just two lanes and you have to reserve in advance and they're pretty tight on timing you on/off those lanes since there's always people wanting to play. read more

This place has a nice vibe to it. I love the mini bowling lanes. I came here on black Wednesday and it was hoppin'. My old fashioned was decent and it was a nice cap to my night. My friends and I enjoyed playing bowling even though we did eventually get kicked out of our lane. I would definitely come back and try the boozy milkshakes in the summer. read more

Such a cool bar to add to a night out in Logan Square. Chris worked really hard to ensure we had a great night for our friend's bachelorette party, and that kind of kindness is really greatly appreciated. Fun drinks, cool vibes, and the bowling had everyone up and having a good time. read more

Retro on retro on retro. If you're familiar with Bryant's Cocktail Lounge in Milwaukee, this is the Chicago version. Pink Squirrel has an added bonus of duckpin bowling! Serving Midwestern cocktails with a nod to the past (old fashioned, side car, whiskey sour, gimlet, Harvey Wallbanger); expertly crafted with top-notch ingredients. Fun ice cream drinks like a Brandy Alexander or the namesake Pink Squirrel are also available. I kept it simple with a Tom Collins, which was well balanced and garnished appropriately. It tasted exactly as I make at home, which is often, as it's my go-to beverage after a long day. My husband was tempted by the Millionaire, which was made with bourbon, curaçao, egg white, lemon, grenadine, and absinthe. He could taste every component, but no single flavor dominated. He liked it so much that he had a second. For my second, I switched it up and ordered a tequila sunrise. I can't remember the last time I had one, and this seemed like a place that would make a good one. It definitely delivered. They even use homemade grenadine. I can't fail to mention the awesome nostalgic tunes they play here, which pair perfectly with the cocktails. Think Beach Boys, Buddy Holly, The Monkees. I love the vibe here, whether sitting at the bar or the cozy booth seating. The staff is super nice too. Fantastic place to grab an adult beverage, listen to some throwback tunes, and even bowl a game or two. read more

Absolutely loved this place! A retro, throwback bar with classic cocktails and boozy milkshakes? Duckpin bowling? A playlist straight from your wedding reception? So damn awesome. Pink Squirrel isn't very big, and has limited seating, but my friends and I luckily snagged a booth for 4 Saturday night. Craving dessert I started with the root beer float. With butterscotch whipped cream. Delicious. Second round I ordered a Long Island. After seeing it on the menu I couldn't resist. Perfectly balanced - not at all like your favorite college dive bar. Staff was really friendly and even comped my friend's drink when she spilled it all over herself. 10/10 would go again! read more

The customer service is horrible here or at least my experience we got cancelled due to a broken lane- ok the lady was brash and rude and needs some customer service skills-why did we get cancelled and not the other reservation- Telling all my friends to stay away from The Rude Squirrel read more

Interesting place We thought it was a bowling alley but found out it was a small bar with two old retro bowling alley lanes We decided to stay The bowling alley was okay You had to hand write your score We did book and pay for our lane before we got there for 1 hour The place opened at 5pm on a Sunday we weren't allowed in when we got there 4 min prior to 5pm There was only 1 person working when we got there and 1 other person came later on The pins sometimes get tangled but the person working at the bar can fix that for you( don't fix it yourself ) Drinks are around $11 to $12 for a cocktail They are good and service was great They also have milkshakes which are really good for $6 and desserts for $8 I don't believe they sell food (other than dessert) The parking is street parking (paid) The bar is narrow There are booths all the way to the back I probably wouldn't bring a large party there but apparently they do book large parties for the lanes (I'm not sure how everyone fits) I probably wouldn't return but it was a cool retro experience. read more

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