Great hidden gem of a bar. Think dive bar mixed with classy music, great cocktails, and an excellent taco pop up kitchen with authentic food. The bartender is always great, and a daily happy hour is an awesome perk too. It gets quite crowded with locals that know this is the spot to get the most flavorful non-Americanized tacos, nachos, quesadillas and burritos. I love the margs, and the chicken nachos are a crowd favorite to share with stacked toppings. The chicken is very well seasoned and marinated that it tastes like a darker meat. The quesadillas are delicious and a big portion too and comes with a green salsa. The people that come here are mostly regulars and for good reason! It truly is a hidden gem on this popular street. read more

Came here with a friend to try out their burgers, we came on a Saturday and was able to find an open table pretty easily, there was barely anyone here during lunch time. We did have to order at the bar though since we didn't have a dedicated server. We got our food pretty quickly and we shared the cheeseburger and the loaded fries. The burger tasted good, it had great flavor coming from the grilled onions and the sauce but I could've went without the cheese skirt. The cheese skirt looked good but it unfortunately was burnt on the bottom. I honestly wasn't a fan of it and didn't end up eating it. The fries on the other hand were really good, it had the same onion jam and sauce that was on the burger. Overall, the burger was decent but was pretty disappointed about the cheese skirt. I would come back for the loaded fries though. read more

Desert Hawk - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Desert Hawk meets Shorty's addition! I came here on a Friday night around 5pm. It was not too busy and I was able to get a seat at the bar. I came here to get take out from Shorty's as they have a viral smash burger! So I had an IPA, and got two Shorty's Smashes, one wild mac, and a side of plain fries. Everything except the fries (you can make them wild) had a giardiniera cream cheese spread. It was good. The smash burger had a cheese skirt that had some of the burger squeezed into it. It was unique, full of flavor, and pretty tasty. Although it's a very different flavor profile than other smash burgers in the city. Mostly because of the skirt and the giardiniera. While I am typically not a fan of giardiniera it was tasty. Nothing was too salty either, which was impressive. My partner had the wild Mac, and said it was tasty as well. The staff here are nice, it's definitely got a whole scene going on with regulars which is nice to see! The place is dark inside like most dive bars but it is clean! I came back the next day to get a margarita with my partner. It was good, not strong but not weak either. read more

See all

Love this spot! Unassuming yet great drinks and even better pop ups! I came in and tried kanto taqueria and those were some of the best nachos! Recently I came back and they have shortys which are fantastic smashburgers like WOW they are good. Service is quick and nice. A great spot on division. read more

Desert hawk is a great dive bar with a great relaxing vibe to the place. They serve your favorite cocktails with happy hour special's everyday. A great little patio for you to enjoy on a nice day warm day in Chicago. You can also get great smash burgers inside. A pop up vendor by the name of shortys is serving up burgers and wings. You can find this place active on any given night as they have karaoke and pool tables inside as well. read more

Desert Hawk - Smashburger - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nice cozy bar to to enjoy some unique Filipino-Mexico cuisine (as of the time of this writing, though the resident kitchen is subject to change), with a strong California Desert decor and friendly service. For me this has more of a casual feel due to the seating arrangement (tables all on the walls, but easy to access bar and pool for the remainder of the space). The menu covers quite a bit of tequila and mezcal options within the cocktails and margaritas, and a good number of beers available as well. Pricing is fair and in-line with what you'd expect in this area of the city. read more

See all

Finally made it to Desert Hawk to try their collaboration for Jibarito Smash Burger. The bar is located in the heart of wicker park bar scene on Division Street. We came after hitting happy hour nearby. On this occasion the whole table got plantain smashed burgers. I got the Ogilla x 2 patties which came with Sweet aioli, House pickles caramelized onions, American cheese. We also got the house chips. My father-in-law got the loaded chips which were a special treat. We enjoyed our burgers. The plantain buns were soft but sturdy. The beef was hearty and flavored well. The bar scene is nice with plenty of booths and tables. Bathroom were decent. Hands down I would recommend checking out this establishment. read more

See all

I came to Desert Hawk for their Desert Hawk x Smash Jibarito collab, and loved it so much! The ambiance was a chill speakeasy type of vibe which I love! The drinks were also delicious and refreshing and the jibarito to die for! Perfect for date night or girls night out! read more

See all

Came here after a long session tufting a rug at Pop Craft, and we were both pretty hungry. Service took quite a while -- it seems you have to order at the bar, and a few groups who arrived after us got their foods first. The food was okay. We got the Ogilla 2 patty burger and the Estilo Animal Jibarito Burger, and Handcut Chips. The Jibarito Burger was good but not very filling if you're only getting one. On the plus side, they have set of trivia cards in the booths, which is a fun touch read more

See all

Another respectable smashburger that's worth a try, but not top tier. Beefy flavor and lacey edges are critical for an elite smashburger. Desert Hawk doesn't bring it with the flavor as much as the stronger contenders in the city. Drinks were ok. Service was solid. Not worth a special trip. 3.42 stars. read more

Who doesn't love and Agave bar?! Add in craft cocktails, tacos, pool and an outdoor street vibe. This bar is located in a great area for foot traffic and the drinks match the vibe. Lots of different tequilas and Mezcals to choose from. Unfortunately, I didn't take many pictures of the drinks. We were having a good time talking to the bartender and playing dice. But he made us the Island Time which was a fantastic coconut and tequila beverage. We ended the visit with shots of Fernet. I'll definitely be back. read more

Desert Hawk - Walking into the bar - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

This bar is great and super low key. Everyone was really friendly and it wasn't super crowded. They have a pool table which is also really fun. The restaurant currently in the space is SO good. Honestly some of the best burgers I've had in Chicago. Definitely recommend it animal style. read more

Desert Hawk - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very mid experience. We star at the bar and started off with some beer which states a bit stale/flat. We ordered the jibaritos, they were out of fries so we got the fried plantains. As a Dominican, I know a good plantain and this was not it. The plantains were a bit soggy and not crunchy at all. I was expecting more based on the reviews. read more

Desert Hawk - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Just found out about this place through friends and I heard it's been here almost a year? No sign out front except BAR. Which I love! That's a pretty badass neon sign. Good bar on Division in the neighborhood! Love the local vibes and all the exposed brick inside. Clean place. Nice Xmas tree! Good music and just so happened to be there on karaoke night (Wednesdays) that was super fun too! Now for the best part... Smash Jibarito is doing their smash burgers and food here and I had one with a side of plantains. We all loved them it was epic! Met the guy and he was really nice. I feel like I've had these smash burgers before on one of our motorcycle rides. I think they do pop-ups. However, this is their home spot now. Glad I can walk to his place! Good to know. Cheers & Happy Thanksgiving~ read more

See all

Good new spot! Cute vibes and they have trivia cards at the table which was fun. Saw their tacos on Instagram and had to try and let me say... my fav so far for street tacos in wicker park and possibly in the city. That crispy cheese is the move. The shrimp specifically was amazing 5/5. Steak was also good but needed the hot sauce (homemade and tasty!). They seem pricey but they are stacked with meat so I would prefer that over smaller tacos with less meat personally. We also got the burger. It was good but I would opt for just the tacos next time. Decent but nothing to write home about. I liked the fries though, nice and crispy. Service was friendly but you do have to order and check out at the bar. We were able to order quickly but by the time we left, there were several people waiting for drinks and we had to wait in line with bartender just to cash out. I would suggest the QR/phone checkout option if they don't add servers. But would still come again for tacos and to try drinks next time! read more

See all

Highly recommend this wicker park bar, which serves fantastic food. It's a nice space inside with plenty of booths and a good size bar. The bartender was friendly and made an excellent cocktail. For food I tried the aye amor jibarito, it was fantastic. This is a splurge and bit something I could order regularly, but the patties were so well seasoned, with a good cheese sauce and grilled onions, and maintains were fresh and crisp. It was really rich, but all came together so well. Come have a good drink and try some delish eats! read more

Desert Hawk - Smashburger Jibarito - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First came here in May 2024 and they had some of the best smash burgers in the city. The smashburger melted in your mouth with every bite. Came with fries and a sesame bun. Couldn't ask for anything else! The long lasting impression of the burger made you vow to visit again. 5/5 Came back October 2024 and they changed. No more fries with your order, and no more sesame bun. The $13 burger was pretty good (had the pickled jalapeño and grilled onion one) but it doesn't match up. Staff recommended the jibarito $17 burger. Maybe next time. We ordered the loaded chips as well. They were tasty. But different. Nice change? Still good, but the previous version can't be beat. Solid 3/5. read more

See all

Hands down the best smash burger in Chicago. Shoutout to smash jibarito for taking residency here. Tried two of the burgers here and both were delicious. The ogilla was your typical burger with pickles and caramelized onions but had a very tasty sweet aioli. The other burger was the aye el amor which was a spicier version. The pickled jalapeños added a nice kick with sautéed onions for extra flavor. Coated with a cheese sauce as well as an animal sauce which were great. Beef was well seasoned and the plantains were excellent. They elevated the burgers giving a differing texture and sweetness. While almost all smash burgers taste the same, the unique plantain buns make this so much better than the rest. read more

Desert Hawk - Ogilla - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Desert Hawk is basically The Bachelor but with burgers and pool tables. The girl-to-guy ratio? A jaw-dropping 1:10--statistically, you could meet your next boyfriend and his entire friend group. The staff? So friendly they'd probably help you swipe right IRL. The lights and music? A perfect blend of "cozy dive bar" and "this song slaps." If you want to grab a burger, a date, and maybe a questionable tattoo idea all in the same night, Desert Hawk is your spot. Honestly, Division Street could give this place its own zip code. read more

Awesome new bar on division! I'm glad something new moved into here because it's such a great space with a huge patio. They've curated such a cool ambiance in here. The theming is definitely unique to the neighborhood. I had the ranch water and spicy marg. Both were great! They have burgers and tacos on the menu. I got an asada quesadilla. It was the perfect cheese ratio. They had two homemade salsas that came with it. Both were tasty! Everything came out quickly. Can't wait to come back here with some friends. read more

See all

I've been coming to this space since it was Smallbar Division; just walking into this space made me think about all the great meals we had at Pub Royale before it finally went down. Desert Hawk was pretty quiet last Thursday night, but I had a great series of conversations with Neil (Neal?) and had a very fine double cheeseburger, smashburger style, and way too many fries. The drinks were a miss--that spicy margarita was anything but--and the hope is that the cocktails come around with time. The space was exceptionally dark, and while I know I'm getting older, I don't remember Smallbar or Pub Royale ever feeling this dark. I sat at the bar, where the lighting was a little higher; the vibe is the vibe, so this is just something I'll have to get used to. It was quiet when I left around 7:30 that night, so I'm hopeful that the crowds will come back eventually. read more

Desert Hawk is a newly opened bar taking over the former Pub Royale space in Wicker Park. I stopped by opening day and was pleasantly surprised to see a few non alcoholic cocktail options along with their full service bar that specializes in tequila and mezcal. Service was fast and friendly and my friends and I had plenty of space to chat. There is patio seating available and the food menu includes delicious smelling tacos that I will need to try next time! read more

See all

Good burger, unique with the plantain bun. But the single was way off on the meat to bun ratio. Will have to give this another try with a double. Do not order the single! read more

we came for sunday night trivia & had a good time. first thing i noticed was that the bar was literally pitch black so definitely need to have 20/20 vision to enter this establishment. make sure you bring a flashlight if you want to be able to answer the trivia questions. u have to order at the bar and they'll give you a number and bring your food out to you. we got the sunset smash burger. as a CA transplant w my socal sister visiting , burger was amazing and we devoured it. the sauce reminded us of in n out which was a very welcome surprise !!! fries were also rlly good & we also rly liked the ciders we got. nice lil bar situation w above average food - wld def come back, hopefully for more trivia ! read more

Desert Hawk - sunset smash burger - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I went here a few weeks ago and the best part of this place is the ambiance. This would make a great place for a date night. I also just think the name is cool. read more

Good vibe nothing too crazy, not overly crowded. Apparently just opened up like 6 months ago. They had Delirium Tremens on tap. Always a win! I did not try the food but my friend told me that their burgers are amazing, I want to come back and try them when I'm in the area. read more

Desert Hawk - Walking in at 9PM - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Really cool bar that recently opened on the ever bustling division street. They have a great drink menu and a strong non alcoholic menu with some great tasting drinks. Their emphasis is on agave based cocktails, so definitely a nice west coast feel in Chicago. We got to try the ranch water and was really surprised on how great the mock tail tasted. Also learned that zero proof tequila existed. The food menu offerings is short and simple. Their smash burgers are really good, and also really filling. Amazing quality and quantity for the price. The owners Pete and Ray are inviting and great people. Highly recommend as a pit stop when on division street. read more

Desert Hawk - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Having lived in wicker park for a few years and walked by this a bunch of times, we finally went in and so happy we did. Small menu but outstanding burgers! We got two burgers, chips and plantains - all fantastic and great price. Great service. Place is super small and cozy but we had a spot at the bar. Not much seating so be prepared if you have to wait. read more

Great drinks, amazing food & service! Love the vibe inside and appreciate the staff's attentiveness

Great drinks and food is amazing! We ordered beers and burgers. The music was great and the bartender was happy to change the tv for us too!

Folks are nice enough, bar is what a bar looks like - nothing more, vibe is fine- outside is nicer in eve on division st., but order at bar only is a little more annoying than a usual pub, since tighter quarters inside, smaller bar counter to wedge into. Not to mention the 'smashburger' is more like a burger, and comes with a hefty price tag & nothing else. Probably not going back, but not offended or anything. Just another bar.. read more

LOVE this place!!!!! I went here with my husband and we had such a great date night. First of all you order everything at the bar which I love, the bartenders are super nice! we sat in a dark intimate booth and had the most delicious drinks, I had a spicy margarita then a Negroni, yes please! and he had some mezcal tequila drink (mezcal isn't really my thing) but he thought it was SOOO good, and he's a tough critic! then he got some coconut based drink, cant remember the name (sorry) but I wanted to steal it from him :) We were both really happy. OH! There was a little box on our table and being the curious person I am, I opened it haha, there were trivia cards in it! Such a fun idea, it was just a really good experience, I would highly recommend coming here for drinks. Great date place, SUCH good drinks. read more

Desert Hawk - a shot of a drink and a candle - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Fantastic food. One of the best smash burgers I've had in the city. Tacos were also amazing, especially the shrimp tacos. Shrimp were fresh, large and juicy. Great beer selection too. Will be returning. read more

Popped in here over the weekend and had a great experience. Location and drinks were great, and the staff was super friendly. They had a nice selection of tequila and bourbon. Good chill vibe, will definitely be back. read more

Amazing tacos! Good drinks, no TVs with sports! Perfection! Craving their stuff again this week. Gonna recruited friends to come with tonight! read more

Cool desert-themed bar with am extensive tequila and mezcal selection. Cocktails are inventive and delicious. Do not snooze on the non-alcoholic offerings. Those cocktails are exceptional. I only wish more bars had an NA program like Desert Hawk. And, don't miss the smashburgers. I'm craving one now. The food is excellent, and the drinks are even better. Cool vibe. Great outdoor space as well. read more

Awesome! I am glad to see this place open in the old Royale space! It has a great patio with a tree (I know they did not plant it but hey it's nice to have some natural shade). Looks like an upgrade from the old spot, it's definitely moody in a good way inside. Perfect for my girl and I for a drink. Drinks were great, had the Ranch Water and a Coconut drink, both awesome. Bartender explained the special carbonation in the Ranch Water and it makes a huge difference. Food from Sublime Taco was awesome, tried the Sunset burger and it was messy but super good. Looking forward to a return visit. read more

Stumbled upon this cute bar on Taco Tuesday! First time here and my girlfriends and I were so happy to find out there was happy hour all night! Delish margs and tacos- we ended up skipping our dinner reservation and staying there! Loved the decor, will definitely be bringing the hubs back! read more

Originally went in for a drink . I recently tried the asada tacos and I must say they were some of the best steak tacos I've ever had. The taco had a perfect cheese crust, and the meat quality was outstanding. Will definitely go back and try other menu items! read more

Hi All, A group of 5 of us just had the most wonderful evening at Desert Hawk. A wide selection of beers, great service with an attentive and personal touch. We sat curb side under a canopy tree, which was lovely on a beautiful evening, but the inside is not to be missed. Every decision made from colors and materials to the lighting was absolutely perfect. You can tell the owners know what they are doing. We had a selection of the main dishes. The smash burgers were killer. This is sure to be the next go to spot on Division. All must go and check this place out read more