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    Desert Hawk

    4.6 (49 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)

    Desert Hawk Photos

    DESERT HAWK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Desert Hawk

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    Reviews With Photos

    Shorty's Burger
    Mary T.

    This burger was a 10/10. Flavor was there, the onions in between the 2 burger patties was chef's kiss. Definitely a good greasy burger, worth the heart burn. Service was fast, but didn't go during a busy time.

    Smashburger
    David M.

    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.

    Sherwin C.

    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.

    Smoke Signal
    Joneice B.

    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.

    Gissell P.

    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!

    Megan F.

    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

    Walking into the bar
    Candy N.

    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.

    Ali M.

    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.

    Marlene S.

    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.

    Burger with bacon
    Paige K.

    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!

    Brian W.

    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~

    Smashburger Jibarito
    Jessica W.

    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!

    Pickled jalapeño and grilled onion burger
    Izabella P.

    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.

    Ogilla

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    3 years ago

    Wow, the drinks here are amazing and the staff is so nice. Definetly feels like a bar, nice place to take a date for drinks.

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    3 years ago

    Amazing date spot during the week. Food and service is top notch. Great weekend spot for a large friend group

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    3 years ago

    Service was amazing and the vibe is unbeatable. Also you can't beat their spicy marg. Definitely will be back!

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    Page 2 of 2

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    Cleo's Bar & Grill

    Cleo's Bar & Grill

    3.8
    (496 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    Paid Street parking Nice bar area with nice patio seating…read more Front windows open to allow for a breeze. TVs throughout the place. Clean bathrooms Nice staff service I ordered jerk wings all flats for an upcharge. The jerk marinade/sauce was decent not spicy but flavorful. I added a dusting of ghost pepper for heat and it definitely kicked things up a notch. The chicken itself wasn't seasoned and that it what I would have done differently. It was cooked perfectly though. My friend nachos were delicious there was a light refreshing flavor with a pinch of heat because of the jalapenos. Definitely worth eating again. I like the drink options we had classic margaritas and oberon beer. The margaritas were delicious with good flavor and well balanced. The beer nice, cold, and crisp. I would return... But I hope they start seasoning those wings they have so much potential!

    So I wrote this email to the establishment...I really don't think they would do anything...but here…read moreI go ... To whom it might concern... I was there last night after several years of not going due to a horrible experience with one of your bartenders ...VICTOR ! So I return last night with one of my dear friends that was so excited to visit your establishment... First thing that happen and wanted to avoid was to see this particular employee of yours .,, He came and greet us ambit with a sarcastic tone of voice and the first thing that came out of his mouth was .. " I haven't seen you in a while I thought you got deported !" As you can imagine I got deeply offended by his comment and told him , " man we aren't friends and even if we were that's not something you say to someone, specially a guest ! So I am gonna ask you to please disappear from my sight !" This is unacceptable, I really hope you guys can take care of this particular issue ...I won't ever come back to your place because I wouldn't like to encounter this individual ever again !

    Photos
    Bar area
    Bar area
    Jumbo Wings
    Jumbo Wings
    Front Entrance

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    Front Entrance
    Nettare

    Nettare

    4.3
    (73 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    Cafe in the front, party in the back!…read more Beautiful surroundings. Beautifully and thoughtfully decorated. We stopped in early (1pm) for the tail end of lunch service. We had a great time. We were welcomed nicely. Service was really nice. The menu though-- drinks and food are on another level. Everything is just elevated a little bit more. We started with coffee drinks, shared the ham hash, and ended with their mimosa which is better than any other place. Thoughtful, elevated, approachable and wonderful experience. Boom that's my review 10/10 recommend.

    I came here first thing in the morning to treat myself to some delicious lattes. I had heard they…read moreeven had latte flights, but I didn't see that anywhere on their menu, so that was my first bit of disappointment. We were going to order at the counter, but we were offered paper menus and told we could take a seat in the front area if we'd like to have our coffees there. I ordered the Black Walnut & Honey latte ($7) that was really mild on flavor. My husband had the Crème Brulee latte ($10), which was better but noticeably smaller. The Cinnamon Roll ($8) was fine, but it wasn't worth $8, and it wasn't heated all the way through. Unfortunately, I didn't like the Confit Mushroom Egg & Cheese Sandwich ($6) at all. It wasn't hot, and the smell was a bit off-putting. Despite a lackluster experience, the real disappointment hadn't sunk in yet. When I got home and glanced at our receipt, I realized that they had charged a mandatory additional 20% service fee. I at first thought my husband had unexpectedly left a large tip, but I checked their menu again and saw that it says "For dine in service only: When your bill arrives, it will have a 20% service charge added to the subtotal. This we use to compensate our staff as they deserve for their exceptional work. As such no additional gratuity is expected." I have of course seen this practice done at full service restaurants, but I wasn't expecting this for a café visit simply because we chose to sit and drink our coffees there instead of taking them to go. It was a bit of an awkward space as it was, and we were still going up to the counter to get our food and drinks and carried our plates up when we were done.

    Photos
    Gorgeous front area
    Gorgeous front area
    Nettare
    A manhattan  Journeyman black mission fig field rye, vermouth, aromatics

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    A manhattan Journeyman black mission fig field rye, vermouth, aromatics
    Star Bar Chicago

    Star Bar Chicago

    3.6
    (7 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    Nice little Dive bar on Western. They have some chips behind the bar if you need a pick me up from…read moredrinking. I have gotten bourbon here, they do not have Dickle if you're looking, but they have a nice selection. For beer they have a lot of local options on draft. The inside of the bar is very red, and there are always dogs sitting at the bar which is cute. Definitely recommend if you are in the neighborhood.

    Came here with a friend a few months ago after a show at empty bottle for a couple beers. This…read moreplace uses touch tunes which allows you play whatever music you want through the app. We were playing some early 2000's hip hop and couldn't help to notice the bartender giving us dirty looks. Made us feel uncomfortable, so we left. Fast forward to a couple nights ago . We were in the area and gave it another chance. Couldn't help to notice that all hip hop, rap, Latin music are completely blocked off. Politely asked the bartender what was up with that? He seemed very uncomfortable with my question and gave us a very sarcastic response. "Well, I guess that's a racist juke box." We immediately felt the bad energy. We proceed to finish our beers and play a jazz song by a black female singer. Immediately the bartender and some older biker looking dudes next to us start talking smack about the song. They asked if we put the song on? We said yes, and tell us to read the room. So I respond in a very sarcastic tone. "oh, you want us to read the room, would you like us to play some Toby Keith or Kid rock for you?" They smirked and had no response. I strongly believe the place is owned and operated by white supremacist maga brothren's. I would strongly encourage people In the neighborhood to stop supporting this business.

    Photos
    Lounge area
    Lounge area
    Pool
    Pool
    Bar

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    Bar
    Homestead on the Roof

    Homestead on the Roof

    3.8
    (399 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$$

    Things are very different here than they onxe were. It's now featuring a Portuguese/ Latin menu…read morewhich is far more casual (sandwiches and tacos). It's not a upscale as it once felt, and the poor service did not help that impression. My BF was lamenting Roots in Lincoln Square closing, but mentioned the one in West Town and Homestead. Neither of us had been since before the pandemic, so we made a reservation for the next week. We arrived a few minutes early and were seated promptly. The roof is cute-- what you'd expect of a rooftop. It took 5-10 minutes for our server to make it over. We ordered drinks and asked for 2 more minutes for the food. That was a mistake. It took him at least 10 minutes to come back. We still had not received our drinks, but he said the bar was backed up. I strongly suspect he forgot to enter them, but maybe not because it took 35 minutes! During most of that time, he seemed to avoid our table so he wouldn't have to field any questions. We ordered the broccolini, which was cooked perfectly. BF thought it needed a little salt, but I liked it. He got the mussels as an entrée and thought they were good, but nothing to write home about. I got the potato tacos, which were excellent. Overall, it was fine. Not quite the nice date night we expected, especially with the service being what it was. 35 minutes for a cocktail is pretty outrageous. They comped them, which I appreciated, but I don't know that I'll be back any time soon.

    The rooftop is lovely and this was our second time dining. The food that we got was good both…read moretimes. Very tasty and a bit creative. The first time the service was poor but not so bad that we didn't give another try. Last Thursday it was my mom's birthday and I thought she would enjoy the rooftop. The service was unforgivably bad. I tipped the guy only because I have no idea what kind of support he does or doesn't have. However, we never got a dish, and I ordered a second glass of wine part way through the meal and we then finished all our food and waited a bit. The glass of wine never came. I finally called him over, canceled the wine and asked for the bill. I really can't see how this place is still in business. Don't go there. If they can't bring you your food and drinks, why bother?

    Photos
    Venue? Check. Dinner? Check. Cake? Check. Champagne? Check. We'll take care of it all.
    Venue? Check. Dinner? Check. Cake? Check. Champagne? Check. We'll take care of it all.
    Homestead On The Roof | Chicago Rooftop Wedding Venue | West Town Chicago

Credit: Melody Joy Co Photography
    Homestead On The Roof | Chicago Rooftop Wedding Venue | West Town Chicago Credit: Melody Joy Co Photography
    Host your next event in West Town at this intimate rooftop!

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    Host your next event in West Town at this intimate rooftop!

    Desert Hawk - tradamerican - Updated July 2026

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