This bar is great. if you're a fan of live rock and roll, this is the place. The jukebox is all Live shows/albums from various artists. They have a great selection in the jukebox from The Grateful Dead to Built to Spill to Stevie Wonder. Drinks are priced decently, and they have great weekday specials. If you're in the mood for dancing, the back bar usually has a DJ on weekends as well. Great place for a mixed crowd. read more

I just moved to New York and am already missing Alive One...and looking for a similar place in NYC. Over the course of a year and a half, this stood up as consistently my favorite bar. The only thing its missing is some sort of patio. Other than that, its got something for everybody and manages to pull it off without seeming pretentious AND in a pretty small space. A gem of a bar that stands out in an area packed with mediocre college bars. read more

All I can say is... Tuesday $2 Pints!!! Great selection of craft beers to choose from.

I love this place! Going to AliveOne is always a good decision. They have a pretty solid beer selection and the staff is so nice! If you're looking for a random good time during the week, this is your place. On Tuesdays they have $2 craft beers... Sooo cheap! Also, don't miss the back room! The djs are amazing. Crazy chill vibes that just make you want to dance for hours. I would say this is the best bar in Lincoln Park, I've never had a bad experience here. read more

Hard to complain about this place (except for when its packed). The bartenders are very good and the drinks are as well. The music here however is the highlight. Every song was (obviously) live and perfect for the night in question... read more

This place is the package deal. AMAZING music, a dazzling selection of brews, a fun and laid-back atmosphere, good people, great location, really friendly service/bartenders... many more. I was actually upset with myself for not knowing about it sooner when a friend of mine invited us out to see The Heard, since they blew me away. I seriously can't wait to be back. read more

I love coming to aliveOne! It has the most sincere staff I ever met--they engage in conversation, have a lovely sense of humor, and always take care of me. There are unmatched drink specials ($2/$3 draft Tuesdays) and phenomenal music (Thursday: Low Spark (funk); Tuesday/Friday: DJ Dan (funk/oldies/pop/hip-hop); DJ Muhammad (hip-hop/pop); and the clientele is likable, too! read more

aliveOne - Alex's own: the Saltan (aka Mrs. Jones) - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Different crowd and atmosphere than your typical LP bar. I like that it's seperated into two areas, one for the live music and the other just to chill and talk. I've actually only been here once but the band was talented enough and the bartenders are friendly. I'll definately be going again! read more

Eclectic crowd which makes you feel like you have left cookie-cutter LP. Good specials during the week and Thursday is the night to go; house funk/rock/jam band Lubriphonic never fails. read more

Had a private party in the back for my husband and his brother's birthday. Marketing staff and staff on hand the night of the event were great. Good value for someone who wants to have a party and not have to spend a ton of money to get a group of people together. I really cannot say enough good things! I highly recommend it for your next event. read more

Satruday night-Cool chill spot in Chicago. Bar in front; dance area in rear. Dj spins really good music and plays everything R&B, alternative, dance, pop. It can get very crowded and true room is not that big so it might be best to get there early. read more

Great atmosphere and a great selection of beer on tap. The back room is also a very cool spot to kick back with friends. The live jukebox is second to none in all of Chicago! read more

I came here for a date last Monday. I was a bit skeptical at first, because really, who goes out on a Monday night? However, I kept an open mind and ventured here in the snow. I was surprised to observe a pretty decent crowd, not the kind you'd see on a Thursday or Friday night, but enough to make you feel like less of an alcoholic for being there at the beginning of the week. They have $2 Absolut Mandarin drinks on special on Mondays, which is awesome for someone like me who absolutely loves vodka. I think my favorite thing was the live music jukebox. I love going to concerts, and it was cool to recreate some of my favorite live music moments over drinks. It featured classic rock from artist like Tom Petty and Jimi Hendrix, but also played sets from past years of Lollapalooza and Coachella. It's a very intimate atmosphere, and wasn't too loud, so I was able to focus on the conversation I had with the cute boy who had asked me out. The bartender was also very nice. I can definitely see myself coming back here, especially on nights when they have local music playing. It could even become a weekly spot for me! And who knows, if me and this guy end up getting married, I may have my reception here to celebrate the spot where we first met! Kidding... read more

I was just getting ready to post my review about how Alive One is like a mullet, "party in the back", but then I noticed that Courtney has already used the same comparison. Regardless, Alive One is better than your average Lincoln Park bar, and it will treat you right whether you're in the mood for jamming to some rock music in front or grinding to hip hop in the back. read more

This place is awesome to go to on Tuesday nights! $2 crafty beers, best deal in town! The weekends they have two rooms open, one is the main bar area and the backroom has a dj setup. The crowd is fairly cool, I recommend bringing a friend or two though. Bartenders are quick, kind of dark inside but overall a nice spot to grab a drink. read more

Great bar with a great beer selection. The music selection in both the front and the back bar are great. The front bar is mainly rock and the back bar is mainly undergroundish hip-hop. I really enjoy the atmosphere in both bars, the front bar is usually quieter and more relaxed. The music is at a level where you can groove to the music and still have a conversation with the person next to you. The decor is unique and fun to look at too. There's always a rockumentary on the TV that adds to the atmosphere. Some of the beers I happen to enjoy are the Gumballs, Bells, and Magic Hat. Check out aliveOne if you want a bar that's lively but not a hot grindfest like many of the bars in the area. Update: I have updated my review to 5 stars, the more I go here the more I like the bar. The drinks are reasonably priced and the staff is friendly and quick to serve. Sometimes the bar can get a little crowded on the weekends but even then its still a manageable space. This has become my default bar of choice when figuring out where to go because it always seems to breed a good time and a happy atmosphere. read more

Love this place! I used to go every Thursday to see the Heard. Good beer selection and great vibes all around. Always attracts a great, fun-loving crowd! read more

Fun bar and atmosphere. They also have a small dance floor in the back. Have to admit - I was pretty drunk here. Seemed fun though!

I used to go to Alive One every Saturday with my ol' roomie Rachel...we couldn't get enough of this place. The back room is my fave and you will most likely be dancing with the best of em' by nights end-it's just contagious! Whether it's a DJ or Live Band this place gets down and at no cost to you. They never charge a cover which is almost hard to believe given the location, talent, and competition of bars surrounding. Alive One stands out as one of the best "go to" spots when you're in a bind. I've honestly never had a bad time there. Also, if you're thinking about having a private party, you can do so in the back. Drink packages are pretty reasonable given the number of people in attendance. read more

Favorite bar in Lincoln Park. Great jukebox. Can't go wrong with any of the albums on there. Great beer list. Never a bro-y crowd. Good for night if you've got half a crowd that wants to dance and half that wants to watch Purple Rain with the sound off while a Dylan live album plays. read more

Cool place. Always have pretty good beer deals, even on a Saturday. The dance floor is usually pretty wild towards the end of the night. I've never had a bad time here. read more

Favorite Bar! Chill music in the front of the bar, good hip hop in the back. Great for hanging at or dancing in the back. read more

Great place! If you appreciate good live music, heady brew, well-made drinks and all around good vibes, this is your place. If you're a head, this is MOST-DEFINITELY your place. Pictures of Jerry, Trey, Panic and other goodies decorate the walls and the jukebox feels like your old tape collection. My first time here was a random Sat. night. I arrived at 12:30 in the morning to a crowded bar (but not too crowded where you can't move), took one look at the jukebox and was sold. Live Phish, live Dead, live Zappa, live Dylan, live Bowie- I think you get the point. Great selection of live tunes available for play. They had a live Hendrix show on TV but the sound was turned off due to the jukebox. I then made it to the back room to find a DJ spinning classic beats like Warren G, Wyclef, and a ton of other old-skool shit that everyone was dancing and singing too. Again, great crowd and great vibes. In terms of beer, they had a pretty solid selection. Most of the heady stuff was bottled, but they definitely had a decent selection of around 7 or 8 heady brews on tap, as well as some of the usual shwag. In terms of booze, the mixed drinks were well-made. Can't comment on any of the cocktails as I don't wear a skirt or call myself Susan. This place also has live music several nights a week. You can check out their website for more info: http://www.aliveone.com/ PROS: - Awesome live music in the jukebox - Heady beer selection - Good vibes/ chill peoples - Well-made drinks CONS: - None BOTTOM LINE: If you're looking for a solid bar that isn't as nasty as your typical dive bar, has good music, good beer, and good vibes (no douchebags, bitches, etc.), then this is the place. read more

Four stars for having an awesome jukebox. Pretty cool place.

what a surprise this place was! aliveOne is a dive bar that is right across the street from my friend's apartment in lincoln park (it's on the corner right next to the huge home depot in lincoln park) the front part of the bar is very typical dive bar-like.. there's a pool table that you don't have to wait long for.. a good amount of people standing around having beers, talking, and enjoying themselves, not too crowded.. there are drink specials every night so getting drinks here is super super cheap (my friends from chicago said this is where they've found the cheapest beers so far, and these were the cheapest beers i had on my trip in the city) we went on a thursday night - they had $3 microbrews, and $3 absolut mixes (AWESOME) THEN all of a sudden, a few of my friends disappear and we discover that there is a whole 'nother bar/room through a small nondescript hallway in the back of the bar where there is a gypsy/funk/blues band jammin out (with cool blue/purple lights) this was suchhh a surprise b/c the front bar was playing classic rock/normal bar music - the sound proofing must have been excellent b/c stepping into the back was like stepping into a completely different bar - and the back bar was actually pretty crowded with a cult following of the band just feelin' and movin' to the music so all in all, i loved aliveOne - no cover, free live music, excellent/unique live music that i haven't experienced anywhere else, friendly bartenders that are willing to give you samples of their microbrews, cheap drinks, fun crowd i soooo wish they had bars like these in atlanta!! they are so perfect for a much better than average chill night out when you're not feelin the top 40s going out hard type bars read more

aliveOne - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Another corner bar, another night on the town. This place is pretty laid-back and hippy-friendly, but they have good specials and they serve Oberon -- a favorite of mine from my college days in Kalamazoo, MI. Nothing particularly special, but some people rave about the jukebox, which isn't really my style of music, to be honest. read more

not bad for the area. i've been when it's crowded and when it's not.. music too loud when it is crowded (ha, and i don't think that's me being picky, either). it's smaller, and i think that's why i do like it because even at its most-crowded, it's not really compared to other places in the area. standard prices for drinks. read more

Fun dive bar, and great way to kill time waiting for dinner at Sapori Trattoria. Tons of beers on tap (half of which I hadn't heard of before), great rock music, and love the music kitsch. read more

Always a good decision. Friendly bartenders, classic rock tunes, moderately priced drinks.

Seriously cool bar and music venue. Awesome building. Drinks are reasonable and specials are good. Music is always 5star and free. Overall good crowd that goes there. Staff is always cool and nice. read more

Formerly granola, now trendy, this bar has a $2.50 pint beer night on Tuesdays, with Bell's Oberon and Two Hearted Ale on tap!!

yeah, i'm somewhat a newbie, and a 5 star review thus doesn't pack a whole lot of punch, but this is easily one of my top five bars in chicago. and it has been for well over 5 years. the music can't be understated...everything in the jukebox is live, and there are old concert posters, musical art, and black & white photography of legends like mick jagger covering the walls. the walls are lined with wooden cabinets featuring an extensive collection of historic live performances. the pool table is a friendly watering spot where strangers vie for table rights and any level of player is welcome. tuesdays are the best (last night included): nothing on draft (maybe 15 or 20 in all) costs more than $2.50 (guiness, harp, sierra, fat tire - all less than $3?? yes.) and the crowd is the perfect size. not too crowded, but relatively busy. bartenders are super friendly and attentive, although i have seen them a bit overwhelmed with their crowds at times. i've also been there on late weekend nights, and had a blast dancing and splitting time between back room and front room...two very different scenes. i consider this an ideal weekday bar. i also consider this an oasis in the halsted/depaul area that just can't be matched. read more

I used to work not to far back good music, cheap drinks...nothing special to it. Bartenders are kind of stand off ish. other than that goodtimes read more

This is one of my favorite bars in the Lincoln Park area. There are two big rooms in this bar - the room when you walk in typically plays hippie type music - while the room in the back mostly plays hip-hop. I really enjoy the low key atmosphere of the bar and the friendly crowd. The prices are pretty reasonable for this area. read more

This place was ok. I would rather go there earlier in the night to hang out. By 11 the place was packed and so loud we couldn't even talk to each other. And the line to play pool was HUGE. And keep in mind that the back room is closed on Sundays, so it gets double crowded without enough room to sit. read more

$2 Tuesdays are really pretty awesome. They have a great selection of beer on tap and the staff is really friendly. We went here for a small group gathering. The front room was getting a little loud so we were able to move to the back and get some seats on the couches which made for a much more chill experience. Overall this bar was pretty nice because it had a variety of beer and a selection in ambience to offer. read more

Not a bad setting. I had a few drinks here and the crowd seems fun but it gets ridiculously packed and loud. There also seems to be this thing where people pile there jackets on a bench so if you were to do that you would have to dig through about 50 jackets to find yours which seemed weird to me. The music is good but the bar is insanely loud. read more

I've spent many a nights at this place. I love it, maybe because I've always gone here or maybe because it's really that great?? Great music(all live, get it?), an attractive staff, sometimes it gets too crowded. Young crowd, less preppy than its neighbors. It's usually fun in the backroom when DJs spin on Saturday nights. read more

This bar was a lot of fun. It has a little something for everyone. The only knock is they aren't the best price in the neighborhood. But the atmosphere makes up for that. Definitely a place I would go to again. read more

I have only been here once, but it was a good time. They have a bunch of music stuff on the walls and it is a very chill place. They have a huge selection of beverages and also a DJ and back room that is a little more club like but still very chill as well. read more