The ambiance alone was nearly enough to rank this spot 5 stars, but we all know what we're really here for. With the recent explosion of restaurants who use "smash burger" to describe a thin floppy patty that's never been on the wrong end of a steel hammer, Best Intentions stays true to the name with a crispy and delicious patty that smokes the competition for its price point. Next time, I'll definitely be ordering 2- not because the burger and fries wasn't enough, but because I inhaled the burger without hesitation. Greasy, satisfying, and sauced to perfection, I've got no critique whatsoever. The fries were similarly rated, the kind of paper bag fries you grab by the fistful because 1 or 2 at a time simply doesn't do them justice. We got takeout, and service was fairly quick- gave us about 10 minutes to stroll about and see many of the decorations along the walls of the bar, which I recommend checking out as well. read more

Best Intentions - Cheeseburger - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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It was fine, I remember it being a little pricey. Maybe I'm reading it wrong, maybe it's legit, it just seems like they got every hip throwback thing possible. It seems like it is trying very hard to be a dive bar, down to the payphone on the wall. Everybody was nice, place was chill, not my jam. read more

My kind of place. An unassuming place on the outside but screams old school corner bar when you enter. Darkly lit, with lots of vintage bar mementos on the walls. I took a spot towards the back of the bar and was quickly greeted by a super friendly bar tender. I enjoyed a couple of good bargain Old Styles and soaked in the environment. My ultimate reason for stopping here was for their cheeseburgers which didn't disappoint. Priced fairly at $6, they are somewhere between the size of a regular burger and a slider. I got two and was well satiated. Great taste and truly a smash burger. Do stop by if you are in the neighborhood or are looking for an excellent burger. read more

Best Intentions - Menu - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Local bar favorite that has cozy dive bar vibes and tiki bar patio. Banju: Light and refreshing. Very strong! I got a local shot...cannot remember the name of it. I befriended a regular goer and the bartender. not sure the second drink but it was gin based and super nice to drink. I would definitely comeback for when the next time I'm in town. read more

Best Intentions - Banju - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I really enjoyed coming here whenever I had business in the area for the cocktails and atmosphere but when I stopped by this past Friday, the bartender had such a rotten attitude that it ruined the experience for me. I was in line at the walk up bar patiently waiting for my turn because it was packed as usual. It's finally my turn to place my order but the bartender went to the woman to my left first who had just walked up moments before when I had been waiting an estimated 20 mins. I said "excuse me, I was next." He ask her if she knew me and she responded no. He then said, "that was rude of you" and turned around before I could explain. I think it was pretty rude that he would service her first or maybe he could've been more observant because then he would've realized I had been standing there for some time. Again, there was a line. He made her drink first anyway and said it's on the house. We got our drinks after and they were weak. I order the manhattan every time so I tasted the difference. We were pretty displeased with the near virgin cocktail so I asked another bartender if I can pay for a shot to add to my drink. He was kind and gave me a nice pour and said no need to pay. I'm certain there's another spot in the city where all of the bartenders can keep their composure and not be jerks to the customers. read more

I didn't have food at this bar, but I can tell you that you'll be greeted as soon as you walk in. I was served by Ricky--while I'm sure all the staff are great, his specialty cocktails will make you second-guess ever making drinks at home. The cocktails are made with fresh ingredients, and the bar also features a patio and old-school games. Visit this bar and see why it's a fancy cocktail bar for a reason. read more

Best Intentions - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Such incredible burgers one of the best in the city, I love the bar so much it's such a fun spot anytime of the day. Only one bartender that's a jerk so still highly recommend. read more

Best Intentions - Photos on the wall - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good food, nice vibes, good drinks and surprisingly good food! The staff was also really lovely read more

Best Intentions - Matzo Ball Soup - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Hands-down, one of my favorite bars to go to if you're looking for some budget, friendly drinks and food. I got the Smashburger and fries the last time I went and they taste amazing! For $10 in total, this is a meal that I look forward to and doesn't break the bank. They are special sauce that they serve the burger and fries with might be the best sauce of all time, I would buy this sauce if you were able to purchase it in bulk! If you're ever in the area, you have to stop by, they also have a patio deck during the summertime if you go then. read more

Place was ok but this honestly isn't my cup of tea drink was ok, had decent balance & I loved the prices. It'll cost you double these prices to drink anywhere near downtown & those place don't have the accolade this place has. An article mentioned a mint drink but I didn't see it. You have to stand at the bar & stare down the bartenders similar to my younger club days which is annoying but the staff were fast & efficient to say the least. read more

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The 2nd stop on our Armitage bar crawl was Best Intentions. I had seen this place on the Gram for their $6 burger. You could easily pass this place if you did know as there isn't any signage. It just looks like your typical old school Chicago dive bar. When you walk in that's exactly the vibes you get too. The front is packed, you have video slots luminescent beer and liquor signs. If you keep walking to the back there is a patio area with plenty of large tables and benches. There are some communal tables a well. Some of the tables have coverings which was nice because it there was a light sprinkle the night we came. We ended up ordering burger, a cup of shrimp and fries. The burger was superb and had no reason being that great of deal. The drinks were also ridiculously good. The Horchata marg was out of this world. There was also this mezcal drink that was smoky and *chefs kiss*. Even though this place was packed, I can't recommend it highly enough. Easily one of my favorite Logan Square establishments. read more

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I tried, but I can't get to a 4 star rating. I did enjoy the burger though next time I'll sans the joppiesaus. I don't think the curry flavor works with the burger. Pass on the overcooked CUPPA SHRIMP. Service has never been the friendliest for me and the drinks are average considering the standout cocktails in the neighborhood. 3.45 stars. read more

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Best Intentions A very quirky laid back dive bar with great cocktails! The bar was very busy when we were there on a Friday night.  They're the only bar in the world that services Angostura which tastes like a bitter saffron spirit. They do a great job with making the classic cocktails. I wish it wasn't so busy where we could have chatted with the bartenders at the bar, but overall it was a great space to drop in after a dinner out. read more

Best Intentions - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was excited to try this place as it's received high acclaim and it is alright but didn't wow me. Been twice. The Reuben was disappointing. Sizable, yes. Missing some sauce to give it moisture and flavor. Was a little bland. Would go back for the matza ball soup, BUT this is a little TOO salty. Salt seems to generally be a theme here - we also had the port wine cheese, which we couldn't finish, but maybe that's expected for two people. I did enjoy the champagne cocktail I got, but my partner tried their old fashioned and wasn't impressed. Bill came to ~$53 for dinner and a drink or two. We sat outside both times. Communal tables aren't for everyone. Still, a good, low key vibe, but not necessarily better than other places that are closer to home for us. read more

Best Intentions - Reuben Sandwich - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

From the outside it looks like a dive bar. It actually serves pretty classic cocktails and more. Best Intentions is a hidden gem that looks like it's closed. Good thing is that it isn't. The cocktails are the main thing, along with beers and a few snacks. An old dive bar is what it used to be. It was cleaned up a bit inside. There's the list of the cocktails above the bar, which lists all the prices. It's about $12 for the cheapest cocktails. Some are strong. I got a Martinez cocktail. This is Carpano Antica with a Luxardo cherry and Rutte Genever. Could come to this bar again. It's one of the cheapest looking bars from the outside, but the inside is pretty good. There's all kinds of classic and contemporary cocktails, so get whatever. read more

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Wow, what an incredible dive bar! This is a dive bar with world class cocktails and even better food. The Reuben is probably the best I've had anywhere! It was outstanding. The burger is also very good. Would highly recommend checking this bar out. It's worthy of the hype it receives. 10/10. read more

Best Intentions - Inside - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place was so yummy!!! Prue took great care of us, the burger is worth all $6, if you're in the area definitely pull up, the outside patio is soooo yasss and slay genuinely. Love you guys read more

What a little hidden gem!!! This bar has everything, back patio, reasonably priced drinks, great service , aesthetic inside, ample seating!!! Loved the vibes and the drinks were DELICIOUS! Also the food!??!! The burger was one of the best we have ever had for $6!!!! Will be back to try more read more

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Doesn't even come up as a restaurant on Yelp but it has one of the best fish sandwiches I've ever had (Fridays only). The fish is very juicy with the perfect amount of breading. The burger is not bad either and they have some other unique food items. Beer is at 2012 prices, 16 oz coors banquet off the tap for $3 come on. Throw in the classic Chicago corner bar feel with some unique individuals and you've got yourself a fun time. read more

Best Intentions - Pickled egg?! - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love this bar. You can have different experiences based on where you sit. It can be a normal bar if you sit at one of the window seats, or you could sit at the bar and converse with the bartender if you like or just watch some TV. My favorite is to sit at the cozy back patio or just go to the patio bar. They missed my sandwich and got us a round of drinks which was very kind of them. The food is pretty good. I do particularly like the Rueben sandwich there. read more

Best Intentions - Reuben Sandwich - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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OBESSED! I had such an awesome time here and loved the ambiance both inside and outside! What a fun bar and perfect place to go on a warm Chicago evening. I loved the drinks I ordered and the burger and fries were PERFECTION. I highly recommend this place!! read more

Must stop for at least one drink! Great retro bar in a cute neighborhood. They have fancy cocktails and coors banquet on tap! read more

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Best intentions is the cutest bar and their burger is top notch. The inside can get pretty tight on weekends but once patio season rolls around they offer outdoor seating too! read more

solid cocktails, cool bar, was nicely decorated for christmas. order at the bar and sit wherever there's space. the menu wasn't huge but the cocktails were well done read more

Came here on vacation. Great bar. The ambiance is fantastic, clearly some ancient neighborhood bar experiencing new life without being gutted into some soulless "modern experience." Great cocktails. read more

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Dive bar aesthetic + craft cocktails + solid food with a great Smashburger and some amazing fries = a spot I'll come back to a lot. Really enjoyed everything about me visit. read more

Initially looking to have decent cocktails here, especially with the large drink menu. Cocktails ended up being very average here, would rather pay a few extra bucks for more quality mixed drinks. I will recommend taking a shot if angostura bitters, not tasty but definitely unique. The food here was surprisingly good, bar food was nice to munch on while chatting with friends. Not pictured but the fries and burger hit the spot. Overall, retro/rustic look to the bar with late night food and mid drinks. read more

Best Intentions - Pickled Egg - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's a great neighborhood bar, can get too crowded with how many people hear about it!

Might just be my new favorite bar. Whoever our waitress was you were great!! The food is exceptional and you can't beat the prices. I really liked the curry mustard and the fact they carry Heinz ketchup. read more

Best Intentions - Can't beat this bar food - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is great to just chill and have a drink. It's not fancy by any means, but it's nice to have a good time with friends and family. The food is not fancy, but is good. Service is pretty good. I highly recommend, it's one of my favorite spots. read more

Lively even on a Sunday night. Service was great. Cocktails were creative, though some are a bit too experiential. Friends tried the Angostura bitters shot and would avoid. read more

One of my all time favorite bars. I stop by weekly and it's where everyone knows your name...CHEERS!! Food, drinks and staff are always amazing!! I've been gate keeping for waaaaaay too long!! read more

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Great bar and what makes it even better is it's actually covid-safe! Restaurants have done very little to protect their customers from covid because society has collectively decided to ignore it. That's led to unsafe dining indoors. But many of us still care about our health and have only eaten takeout or outside...until now. I will go out of my way to support places that are protecting people. They have installed far UV lights and have 50 air changes per hour. Take note restaurants and bars. THIS is how you do it. Stop neglecting clean indoor air and the public health. Apart from that, the cocktails and food are great. I found my new spot. read more

Everything about it was excellent...ambiance, Ricky the bartender, the hamburgers..really great bar.

the best burger i've had in a while! especially for 6 bucks. the service was amazing, the bartender was so nice and approachable. drinks were phenomenal. it's a dive bar/beachy vibe outside. loved it read more

There's not much more you can ask for from a dive. Solid menu of quick bites and a very affordable drink list. The outdoor back bar in the summer is also a treat. read more

So good! After a horrible day, this place hit the spot! Their old fashioned was so smooth! Definitely coming back!

Bartenders are lovely and it's a verrrry cute place but the Huge Reuben was really, quite Regular Size so I'm not sure if it's worth $20 especially without 1000 island sauce :/ still had a good time tho read more

Anyone who hasn't rated Besties 5/5 stars simply does not get it and their rating is a reflection of their coolness out of 5, not this establishment's. This is the *ultimate* Chicago neighborhood spot, but not a dive. Best Intentions' cocktail program is superb, service is excellent and food is impeccable. Can you even get a burger from McDonald's for $6 anymore? I really don't know, but even if you could get 2 for $6 they aren't anywhere near as fantastic as Bestie's burgers. and when you buy 12 you get one free! (Baker's dozen for $72!!) The ambiance is cozy all year round, and the patio is always kickin in the warmer months. Groovy tunes, good people, gastronomical bliss and nothing but great times await you, and anyone you want to impress with an amazing evening, at Best Intentions in Logan Square. Check it out and tell your friends (but only the cool ones, so there's still room for the rest of us)! read more

Awesome food, drinks and service! Hand crafted cocktails will be worth going back. It was my first time there and it won't be my last.