Updating my earlier review - living way out in the suburbs we don't get into the city to bars often. We like Cole's since they have live music from local bands in the back. (In fairness, my son plays there occasionally.) What I didn't know last time I reviewed Cole's was the breadth of their liquor selection. They have a menu of the liquors they stock. I'm a bourbon fan and was absolutely amazed at just how many options offered - including Pappy Van Winkle. Pappy's is a little rich for my tastes, but I did try a sherry casked Angel's Envy - wow. I'm not sure what I'll try next. The bartenders are fantastic. They know their stuff - the varieties they offer and they know how to make any drink you can think of. The area in the back where the band plays is small, but large enough to hold enough people to make it worthwhile for the musicians. And they attract a crowd. There is a small charge to go back to the stage area, but well worth it. As I said earlier, It is kind of a dive bar but don't let that surprise you - the quality if well worth it, and their prices tend to be good. read more

Cole's Bar - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We went on Saturday to get drinks before heading to slippery slope and we're were surprised at the price and strength of the drinks! The place was packed but we didn't have to wait too long to order. It's a little tight though so watch out for the people paying pool. read more

They have a cute photo booth to take pictures, a pool table, and a wide variety of drink selections. Their wall is covered with art from local artists that you can purchase, which I thought was very cool. Service was great! read more

Cole's Bar - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'll be honest: this is the sketchiest looking place I've been to in a great while, but as far as sound, this is a really good place to catch a jam session, which is what we came for, or just enjoying some drinks, appetizers, or just hanging out with friends. This place is totally graffiti central with an artistic twist. The service is friendly & accommodating. The house band hosted a jam session the night we were here & they sounded awesome. A great hodgepodge of musicians. read more

Food: N/A Drinks: Old Fashioned. It was ok and STRONG. I believe on special for $10 Service: All of the staff were cool! Some regulars were present and they were cool as well lol! Atmosphere: Pool tables, live band (I left before they started), dive bar type vibes Final Thoughts: Go grab a drink. read more

Good old dive bar that used to be better but is still okay for a drink or a few. It also has live music but it's not really a great place for being able to hear. Cole's Bar is kind of dirty and nasty but that's a part of the character. On that note there's also a few characters in this bar, mostly intoxicated. The bar also accepts credit cards so it's surprisingly not one of those that are cash only. A good thing about this bar is the location is convenient. It's close to the California Blue Line. The street is hard to find parking on, so coming by train you won't have to worry about it. Also no need to worry about driving drunk. This bar doesn't have food but you can bring in some. Lots of restaurants around it. The drinks and the music are the main things. It's $6 for well drinks. They also have a few specials. It's $6 to get an Old Style and Ten High. The bar has other forms of entertainment such as a pool table. Can be kind of dirty. It's still not that bad though. The drinks are pretty cheap, and while it's not cash only, there's a minimum for cards and there might be a cover for a show or whatever. read more

Cole's Bar - Inside - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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10/10 drag show on Thursday night drinks were good and the staff was phenomenal! Will be back soon!

Cheap drinks, live music, chill atmosphere. A great place to stop by during a Logan Square / Wicker Park bar crawl. This is what Dive bars should aspire to be like nationwide. read more

Cole's Bar - Drink Menu (01/04/19) - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Well hello. Nice to see you. Not that we have the formalities out of the way, I'll give you my two cents. Here's two cents. There ya go. Sorry, sorry, I'll get on with it already. So, I have reviewed Coles previously. It was kind of my home away from home pre-pandemic. Tis a comfy old shoe. Bartenders are always nice and the humans which it attracts are kind of awesome. Every one. It's a bit of a mish mash of 20-26 ish year olds. Some mishy, some mashy. Pool is available if you don't feel like conversing. Beer options are on point. Music is kinda consistently insanely superb. My Dad even likes it here. It might be like the last place in the northern hemisphere where you need to show your vax card. I do not hold this against them. It might just keep out the riff raff. Ok, well here's some photos . Denise U out. read more

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Chill, classic venue for small artists. I would like if they had a greater cider/cocktail selection, but it's reasonably priced. Lots of seating up front and it is nice that it is partitioned from the concert space. Friendly bouncer - which, sadly, is almost an oxymoron. There's enough parking late night a stone's toss from the venue. read more

Simply put, Coles used to be better but it's still worth a trip on the right night. The place is packed well beyond comfort on most weekend evenings and ordering a drink in the brimming bar area can seem like a tall order. There's a pool table in the front but it's only really worth the quarters if you hit the spot on a week night or early on the weekends, otherwise you'll be budding your cue into three to four people with each shot. In new Logan, it's still refreshing to come across a legitimate dive bar among the curated, super modern watering holes along the strip but the spot's nostalgia and throwback appeal can only carry it so far these days. read more

Good prices. Attentive service professionals. Fun vibe inside. Great spot to watch a performance or just take it easy. Also pool table!

Cole's has a lively vibe, there's good live music, and I WANT to love it. My biggest issue is after multiple visits I have consistently waited 10+ minutes for a drink no matter how crowded the place is. Feels like staff prioritizes friends over everyone else. read more

Excellent dive bar with usually interesting live entertainment. Unfortunately it's staffed by miserable people who wield their 7 hours of power in the worst way. All of the bartenders seem to be sad grumps who take pride in being shitty, which is probably a common reaction to losing at life. Luckily you'll also find affordable drink prices and you'll run into some old friends. I'd suggest just getting ALL of your rounds of drinks at one time so you don't have to deal with the creeps behind the bar more than once. read more

The bartender waited over 5 minutes to even acknowledge us at the bar. We made eye contact the moment we walked in. Her instant judgement of us was palpable. Sorry I'm not cool enough for your establishment. Believe it or not, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. read more

Eh. I as underwhelmed by this bar. Went to see good friends play and the back room was sort of an unfinished cardboard box. Now, I AM a devotee of the dirty rock club but this place didn't have the character of your Empty Bottle or Liar's Club. Standard drink prices, crowded with hipsters. I may return, if friends play here again, but I won't break any speed records coming back. read more

Went briefly on New Years eve. There is no debate about this one dive or not. It's a dive bar! Lack of pretense, didn't seem to be many gentrifiers. Had a Pabst! There was live music the night I was there and no cover. read more

Cole's Bar - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have not yet been to a show at Cole's but surely will some day as it's right in my 'hood. They have live music most nights, you can check their calendar online. I've had some beers at Cole's and always had a good time. Their prices aren't too bad and the draft selection is decent. When I went in this past week, they didn't have any brews I haven't tried before...but I'm a beer chick, so that's understandable. If you are using a card, there is a minimum of $10 and most beers are $5 a pint so may as well just bring cash! It's a dive but is comfortable, nice bartender, friendly clientele and all around great place to pop into for some drinks! read more

I saw one reviewer start off her review with: "I wish Cole's was there when I lived in Logan Square"! The girl looked like she had been in L-Square all of two minutes prior to Cole's opening too! I knew the Square would explode once I ended my six-year residency there. That's what I do, I break it in for y'all, and once you move in asking for granite countertops, Starbizzles, and cafes with Free Wi-Fi; I move on to greener (or le$$ greener pastures)! Story of my Chicago life... For starters, Cole's has an awesome beer menu, and I could drink my new favorite beer Leffe Blonde for only $4! The owner, Cole, is a dashing young hipster himself, and really nice! I couldn't believe a guy this young could own a bar and still be non-douchey! He was super pumped to tell us about the musical entertainment too. Cole's is laid back and divey, with art for sale on the walls. And yes, the back room has bands for no cover. The night we went there was a comedian, a girl with an accordion stomping and yelling, a one-man rock band backed by CD track that was quite awesome, and a 9-piece non-ska "ska band". I mean, if ska had been slowed down to 72 bpm and sounded more like the Arcade Fire, then yeah, THAT kind of ska! Let's break it down: -Good beer for cheap -Pool table -Nice owner -Hipsters -Live Music Since I've got a two wheeler and a six-four as well, I'll be back to Cole's- you better believe it Wicker Park, uh, I mean, Logan Square Hipsters! read more

Best bar in the neighborhood and it's not even close. Cheap drink options (personal favorite is the old style whisky shot combo for 5 bucks), awesome pool table with good competition for only 50 cents a game, communal seating on old church pews, and a bunch of free concerts on the weekends and comedy on Wednesday nights. It's not rare to see Cole himself behind the bar slinging up drinks for the happy customers on a Saturday night. During the week it's a little more low key definitely can find a spot at the bar or get a table, but during the weekends it gets crowded and might be standing room only. Either way come here for cheap beer and a friendly atmosphere. read more

Cole's Bar - a pool table in a dark room - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cole's is a chill, grungy place. They have live music most nights and it's generally a very chill vibe. You may hear some rock music and generally, people are dressed pretty laid back. No judgement zone hah. I went on a Sunday and it was pretty quiet. Staff were cool and the crowd was nice too. I'd definitely check it out for the music if you just want to go hear some tunes solo or with a group of friends. Def a bit hipster. PBR and a shot of whiskey--for $5? Sure, why not lol. read more

Tips: Live rock bands come play here in the back room. $2 for a can of PBR -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This place is extremely laid back and a casual atmosphere. There was a really long line at Slippery Slope so my friends and I decided to peek in side Cole's to see what it's all about. We went to go check out the back area and to our surprise a band was setting up to play. Because of this the place can get very loud so consider this when dropping by. read more

Cole's has a special place in my heart. I probably come here more than any other bar in the city. This is my girlfriend and I's go to bar, well I should say it is hers and I am always just tagging along. They recently revamped the back area but I didn't get a chance to check it out. I am digging the church benches they now have. Good drink selection and good prices. You will always have a good time if you come here. The bar staff are some of the nicest people I have ever met. Go to Cole's, get drunk and tip your bartender! read more

I've been coming to Cole's for over a year. It's always a place I'd tell my friends about, it's a true destination to goto in Logan. Tonight was a pretty low key night at Coles. I thought I'd be packed since it was Valentines, but it was pretty open. I brought a friend who had never been and we were having a great time all night. I love the prices, beer selection, and playing pool with strangers. Meeting people is a huge plus of coles. It was a great night, until last call. After this was announced, things went according to plan. The place thinned out, tabs were closed. Me and my friend were putting on our coats, but the bouncer who was working on the night of 2/14/20, literally shouted at us, in a low key and empty environment to leave. We were waiting on our uber but also making our way to the door. The bouncer forced us outside and proceeded to GRAB the drink out of my friends hand. He said "wait can I just have one more drink". She said "nope." And proceeded to PULL it out of his hands, crushing the can in the process. She then forced us outside even though I asked if we could wait for our uber inside, which was 2 minutes away. She closed and locked the door behind us. The bouncer then proceeded to make the "crying" gesture through the glass. This is all happening on the coldest night of winter that Chicago has experienced this year. 0 degrees out. Unfortunately I won't be coming back to Coles because of how I was treated and mocked by their staff. I really did like this bar and recommended it to a lot of my friends, but after tonight, I will find myself telling people to stay away from Coles. This is where I draw the line. Lesson learned., loud and clear. read more

I was having a good time playing pool but then last call happened. I grabbed one more drink and closed out. Then about 10 minutes later they were kicking everyone out and I had about 2 gulps. My friend ordered an Uber and I asked if I could finish my drink real quick before the Uber can and the bouncer said no, and I said please, then the bouncer grabbed the can from my hand and crushed it in front of my face. My friend asked if we could stay inside to wait for the Uber that was arriving in a minute because it was so cold out, and she said no and kick us out and after she locked the door made the crying gesture towards us from the other side of the door. Made you feel real welcome there. read more

Old Fashioneds. Strangely, this place rawks it pretty well for the O.F. Coles' is a bar that's definitely staple Logan Square, keep it real here while you bask in the cool musical vibe, cheap drank, and cool as shit bartenders. Leave your dressy/douchey jeans at home. Bring your liver and your music ego. read more

This place is a bustling neighborhood waterhole, complete with a grungy, divey, and hipster vibe. Wednesday night is comedy night in the back room, which gets a little crowded. Some of the lines are hit or miss, but I can always count on having a fun time. Sketches are around one minute, so things move quickly. Topics center around sex or politics. We left after thirty minutes, but not because we weren't laughing. Will return! read more

I frequent this bar weekly. The staff and the service is always on point. There's a lot of bars in the area but for the last few years Cole's has been my favorite. They always play really great music and the patrons are nice people as well. I realize I've never made a review about Cole's so here it is. 5 stars for my fav bar in Chicago read more

Very rude bartender. Extremely uncomfortably hot inside the bar. Comedy show is okay but the space is quite small and crowded that makes it hard to move and drinks get spilt. read more

If you're looking for some live music, cheap beer and the whole crowd this is your spot. Seriously inexpensive yet somehow the people were still nice and attentive. They have two cocktails on tap pretty much always a negroni spritz and an old fashioned. There are wood booths with drawings and sayings. It gets packed on the weekend ls especially. Definitely a neighborhood place. read more

Wings were amazing...best we have had in a long time. They came with pickled celery which were so good! The cocktails were delicious - especially the Old Fashioned and Left Hand Path. To top it off, the bartenders were very attentive and friendly! We'll be back! read more

Dear Yelpers, Please, for the love of all things holy, stop describing every single place on the northwest side as "full of hipsters." Seriously, it's passed the point of annoying and is now occupying Shutthefuckupville. Because of your over-use of this word, it has come to simply embody any young adult that doesn't dress preppy. If you prefer a place filled with girls in carpenter jeans, then go to your local construction site and stop wasting precious minutes when you could be drinking your PBR or fancy craft beer (you fucking hipster), judging the people around you. Most of the reviews about Cole's are "full of hipsters but everyone is really nice." Well if everyone is really nice, THEN WHO GIVES A FLYING FUCK what sub-group you decided to put AN ENTIRE BAR FULL OF PEOPLE IN TO. Jeeblets. Less Judgy, more drinky, thats my policy. I digress, Cole's is great. Affordable beer, cheap pool, free live music, locally owned. See? See how I just gave my opinion about a bar without over-generalizing an entire neighborhood? Thank you for your time. read more

I finally made it to Cole's last night after hearing about it for so long. It seemed like the kind of place that's been there forever so I was surprised to learn it hasn't been open all that long. At first I reasoned that it was not the most optimal time to open a bar in this economy, but, if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Bare-bones atmosphere, no cover, and CHEAP drinks. If you build it, they will come. I ended up camping out here for the better part of 4 hours waiting for a friend to do his stand-up routine on open-mic night. He was number 30. Sigh. It was going to be a long night. I met an adorable young couple who had literally arrived in Chicago that day. They were traversing the country trying to figure out where they wanted to live. On their short list was Little Rock, AR, Chattanooga, TN, Philadelphia, and Chicago. Naturally I was lobbying hard for Chicago. Ended up talking to them for quite awhile and bought a lot of their drinks because they were so sweet and probably should save their money for their future. After sitting there for a while, I was starving, and then the heavens parted and Tamale Guy showed up to save the day. Added bonus: clean bathrooms. Someone wrote on the bathroom wall "Make a poopie." This elicited giggles from me. My friend finally did his thing (and knocked it out of the park, btw) and it was rather late when we left. I was a bit apprehensive to see the final bar tab for over 4 hours, for several people. End result: $42.00. Yes, $42.00. It would have been twice that amount anywhere else. Can't wait to come back and check out a band or two. read more

Came to this incredible hellhole after having dinner at Revolution across the street, and it was astonishing for a whole lot of bad reasons. From the 22-year-old kids who seem to have made a conscious choice to dress like a punker gang from an '80s coming of age comedy, to the incredible stench that combines spilled beer, urine, body odor and probably a dead civilization of rats decaying in the walls, to the morbidly obese door guy wearing sweatpants and a shirt with more holes than fabric who looked like someone had given human form to the statement, "I give up," this place is a nightmare. Avoid this place unless you have a whole lot to prove to the world and hanging out in a smelly hovel seems like the best way to prove it. Congratulations to the staff at Cole's, it takes a lot of work to make passing out in your own vomit in an alley sound like a more hygienic way to spend your evening. read more

Lincoln, what? Anderson-what? Rogers what? The Square represents! Yes, the little patch of intersections that I call home has really finally made it on Yelp. Not only were the top two Hot on Yelp places recently in Logan Square, but in this week's Weekly Yelp, all three specials were for my 'hood. Of course there is a downside to being the hottest neighborhood in Chicago. There's a certain vibrancy, a certain soul, a certain, well, being a neighborhood that gets lost when the masses of the entire city descend. Thankfully there's still a pulse of "old" Logan Square situated right across from "new" Logan Square of Revolution Brewing - Cole's. Cole's is Cole. He owns the bar, he bartends, he even does sound. It's his baby and like many bartender/owners, it reflects his personality and his love for the neighborhood. The irony is that Cole's opened about the same time as the glut of next big things in Logan Square. It opened in what used to be a seedy pool hall as a dive bar. Seems like that's not really a step up, but it's still important for one reason. For those who actually live in Logan Square, it's almost a community center. Though an awesome community center with incredibly cheap beer. It's like a VFW Hall for the veterans of the great gentrification wars of 2005 (it was a real event, I promise, they even did a story on it in The Reader). Work by local artists line the walls (and Cole's hosts art opening parties as well), local bands (of various quality, some are pretty bad) play their large back room - which never has a cover, and as of last week a group of locals put on a movie night the first Sunday of the month. He remembers the name of almost all of his customers, regulars or not (though until recently for some reason he kept forgetting mine). Cole will even let you host a game night. Getting delivery from a local, small-time, restaurant, not a problem. Cole's even got the menus behind the bar (I prefer Chicken Run even though ordering from across the street seems, nay, is lazy). And the box from the Swayzhe event that Destry B. hosted at the end of last year - it's still above the jukebox. Cole is just that cool. There is occasionally a hipster overpopulation. There is occasionally a line for big event (waiting outside in the cold as a regular on New Year's Eve was so not cool - or, well maybe cold - which is why I'm just finally back up to happy enough to write this five star review now). But one thing that's also never lacking is heart, soul, or warmth (of the emotional kind). read more

I've had the intention to write a scathing review for a few weeks now and I can't quite put my finger on what has been delaying it. Maybe I have been subconsciously attempting to block my interaction with this bar out of my psyche, that's how UNACCEPTABLE my experience was. My coworkers and I were out on a Friday night bar crawl and Cole's was our next stop. About 5 of us, myself included, headed over first and I handed my ID to the door guy (bigger build, slightly shaggy/wavy/brown hair, sporting a suit, self-proclaimed "head of security"). He gave my ID the quadruple-over before handing it back to me and simply stating, "No. That's not you." Initially, I thought he was joking, as I am 25 years old and have never had this happen before, so I started to laugh nervously. Then I noticed he wasn't laughing along with me. I asked if I could provide additional forms of ID, offering to show him my credit cards in order to prove the legitimacy of my ID. He refused. He then looked at me and said, "Unless you got a nose job and your chin reshaped, that's not you". Need I describe how disrespected I felt in that moment? Needless to say, my coworkers and I left, headed over to Two Ways, and Cole's lost out on the business of 15 people that evening (the totality of the group). I plan on continuing to spread the word of the indecency provided me at this establishment and never again heading there for a night out. Guess that's your bad, door guy. read more

Yet another reason to be irritated that I no longer live in Logan Square: Cole's. What a fantastic joint. It has the feel of an old man bar without the old men - truly a neighborhood watering hole. We got there a little too early and Cole was cool enough to offer to let us in while he continued to open the bar. $3 High Life, $5 Oberon, Omegang BPA and other stuff like that. He has some unique bottles as well as your standard $2 PBR cans. I dig it. I'll return. Thanks for being there, Cole. read more

You could say Cole's is great because you can get beer under $4 here. You could say Cole's is great because of its lack of frills, cleanliness and damns given. However, it's overrun by a crowd of 23 year-olds who just moved to Chicago and have to be (don't want to use the H-word) original/poor/90s/vintage/tatted/skinny/high/unique/kitschy/ironic all while decrying the sheeple of other bars. At Cole's, you're surrounded by kids grasping to be a part of a scene that already past. Williamsburg in Chicago. Takes too long to get a drink here. Don't expect to sit down here, either. I laugh at you if you actually intend on going here and you're over the age of 22. I guffaw at you if you arrive here by bicycle. read more

I've been to Cole's a number of times over the years and I think it's... maybe the best bar in Chicago? Great comedy night, great beer selection, great vibes, and I'm also a big fan of the garage-sale-funky aesthetic. Feels instantly like your favorite hangout, welcoming and unpretentious but with plenty of character and sincere charm - kinda like Cole himself, who's there just about every time I go. Highly recommend. read more

Stopped by Cole's this afternoon for a work-related errand. I had been wanting to check this place out since hearing about it through both Thrillist and DailyCandy. Live music? Divey? Sounds like my kind of place. Well first of all, Cole had a ton of microbrews in the bottle (along which the requisite $2 bottle of PBR). As for his draft selection: Metropolitan Brewing Dynamo, Two Brothers Domaine Dupage. New Holland Mad Hatter and North Coast Old 38 Stout. Not shabby (at all!) for a new place. And of course, I can't wait to check out the live music (big duh there). Lastly (and perhaps most importantly), he left his white collar job to follow his dream and that alone is worth five stars. Good luck Cole! read more