Great little dive bar right next to our Airbnb we were staying at. The bartender, Brad, was funny and welcoming. You can tell it's a local's place as everyone knew each other. They welcomed us in and asked about the Cubs game. We were in town to see the Tigers play the Cubs and came for a nightcap after walking back from Wrigley. Great atmosphere and cheap drinks! Love hole in the wall dive bars and this place ticked all our boxes. Bonus there's a great little Mexican restaurant next-door that has excellent street tacos. read more

Dram Shop - Trying Old Style beer - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Another stop along the I Love Dive Bars bar crawl sponsored by Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce. Blink and you'll miss it! Never knew it existed until I saw it on the bar crawl list. Kind of non-descript - typical small, dark bar. Got a drink. Bartender didn't interact really. Just kind of "eh." read more

Dram Shop - Interior - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Solid dive bar and a great stop while on the Lakeview Dive Bar Classic crawl! Malort Jello-O shot syringes were great, had a lot of fun with those. It's a pretty narrow bar with not a ton of standing room in the middle - was pretty packed when we were there but luckily were able to grab a table at the front for a bunch of us. The servers were quick and friendly and the drinks were solid. I'd definitely come back on another crawl or with a smaller group! read more

This is an amazing bar! We went after a Cubs game just to hang out and have a few beers. It was a great time and very laid back.

Great, affordable drinks and incredibly friendly bartender - what more does a dive bar need? Big fan of the laid back vibes here and their whiskey selection. Space is small and seating is limited, so be prepared to stand around while scooping out empty tables and seats as a heads up. read more

It's a cute establishment for a dive bar. I went last week and left my wallet but no one is answering the phone.

Great dive bar with great prices and great bartenders. They are dog friendly which is nice. I will continue to keep coming back!

Affordable drinks but the bar was freezing, staff was friendly but overall an average experience. Better dive bars nearby

Cool fun little ass bar. Dram Shop is a good place to get a few. It doesn't have much on tap, mostly in bottles and cans, and has a better selection of hard liquor. For me that's okay of course. The prices are pretty good for around here. Basic local bar. It doesn't have much room to move around, so it's cozy. They also have a patio. Good for those feeling claustrophobic. The drinks are pretty good prices. It's about $7 for a cocktail. They also have cans of cheap ass beer, and many of these are local. Come with a friend, including a dog. It usually has a drink special going on. There's only booze, no food, but you can usually bring some in though. read more

Dram Shop - Paddy's - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Brad has gotta be the nicest bartender I have ever met. Great variety of cheap drinks, barstools with backs (no one ever thinks about how important those are), and some great conversations with the neighbors make Dram Shop the best dive on this stretch of Broadway known for its dives. read more

Great dive bar on Broadway. Service was 100% as was my cocktail. Dog friendly which is always a bonus! read more

Dram Shop - Back bar and boulvadier - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If your into dive bars, this place is a must!!! As soon as I walked in, the first thing that I noticed was the patrons. Everyone was in the their 'fave' seats, I was very particular about where I chose to sit. I sat down, none of the patrons barked or grumbled at me, I guess I'm in a 'safe' seat. I was very intentional about speaking to the bartender John and trying to 'squeeze' into one of the convos that involved the patrons. After a few drinks, I felt like the vibe in the room was loosening up. I asked John if I could take pics with my 35. He said, "There's no one in here with a 'side piece', take as many pics as you want". I made an announcement to the bar. I said that I would be taking pics of the bar only and these pics are exclusively for me. Everyone was Kool about it. But one guy insisted that I take a selfie with him. I was honored! read more

Dram Shop - two men in front of an american flag - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I never could come up with a good answer to 'What's your favorite bar?' When people always asked I would provide them a list of places or rattle off some brewpubs, but a bar? A drinking establishment unaffiliated with any brewery or anything? I usually rattle off a list of places I've been to but hard pressed to name one. That was until my friend introduced me to Dram Shop, which we went to because it was close to her house and dog friendly. What I found was a laid back dive (in the best sense of the word,) ridiculously cheap beer prices and a very deep bench of whiskeys. So, what's the big deal? There are a bunch of bars like that. I'll say that Brad, who has been behind the bar on my first visit and every visit save one is probably the most unsung bartender in the city. He manages to remember you on your second visit, keep a packed bar full of customers happy and still come around to catch up. I would say that there are a lot of regulars but the way Brad talks to everyone it's hard to say, except for the old guy sitting at the stool closest to the door, he's definitely been coming here before the 70s. read more

Any place that allows dogs is an automatic four star joint to me. We popped in to make a decision on dinner and were pleasantly surprised. It's like a mini dive bar without the weirdos, bad smells, loud, annoying music, smoke and dirt. There were TVs, but the sporting events on them were on at a reasonable volume. The crowd seemed like a bunch of regulars, but a very accepting crowd, at any rate. Bartenders are very friendly and the prices are right. Why have I not seen this place before? read more

I was brought here after randomly watching a comedy show by the comedians themselves, who happen to be regulars. After arriving, I totally understand why! The bartender was super friendly and kind, the people were kind, and the atmosphere was the perfect mix of a classy dive bar, with a jukebox and old timey feel. However, what takes the cake for me is that I somehow lost my bedroom key and came back the next morning. An older gentleman was cleaning and let me in, and helped inform me that he couldn't find it but I was free to look around. Although I ended up not finding it, the friendliness was really what I enjoyed the most. If I'm ever in Chicago again, I'll definitely come back! read more

Awesome spot for some cold ones with the pals. Bartender was super nice and personable. Super accommodating and got us a table in the back that was nice and cozy. Big fan of this dive. read more

I've lived a block away from Dram Shop for about two years - only been in twice now but I wish I had come in sooner! Great dive bar with a lot of great whiskey. read more

I've been to the Dram Shop several times now, both pre-COVID and post. I actually like it better post-COVID (I know, weird). But that's because they have opened up the back patio. The drinks are reasonably priced, the staff are nice, and the place is a great dive with sports on the TV. Come here a few times and this really will be a place where everybody knows your name. I suspect that each bartender is different, but the ones I have had were nothing but nice, helpful and on top of it. Beer and alcohol selection is pretty typical for a dive bar. Good food right next door, which is nice. I hate that smoking is allowed on the back patio, but it is what it is. The back patio is a bit weird, as it used to be just their area for dumpsters. But they have made it nice, with music, lights, tables, candles, etc. This is a nice little spot, but it does get crowded. read more

Just love this Bar. Tenders are kind and friendly. The locals are welcoming. Good conversations. Cold beer. Super fun atmosphere and great music. read more

There's something I've always liked about small neighborhood watering holes like this that aren't much on the outside, or inside for that matter. But they're the long "battle cruiser" type setup. You can walk down the row of barstools, check out maybe a small seating area in the back. And then come back up front and plop down at the bar to order a drink. It's almost never too crowded to find a seat. And if the bartender isn't occupied they'll say something completely impersonal but righteous like, "So, you're a (vodka / rum / whisky) man?" Just to start a conversation and get to know you. They're great pre-bars to get liquored-up with friends if you're getting ready to stay out late. Nested among other businesses on this strip of Clark St., like Radio Shack, Stella's Diner, and a hardware store, this little pub is kind of like a slashie but without all the raucous denizens with really hard livers who haven't up and died yet through shear willpower. These lone battleships are calmer and more easygoing than the hardened slashie. And the owner's almost always got the Cubs on. read more

While entertaining out-of-town guests nursing hangovers, I frantically searched Yelp in hopes of finding a bar open in Lakeview on a Monday morning. The only one open and within walking distance was Dram Shop. Unassuming & completely signless, I already knew this would be the beginning of a long friendship.... I was wrong, it was love. $3.50 cocktails & my entire life's soundtrack on the jukebox? We ended up spending about 4 hours there mingling with the regulars. A sweetheart named Pat used to live in the neighborhood 25 years ago and now takes 2 buses every Monday to frequent her favorite bar. Awesome. The final clencher was the Merle Haggard Drive sticker from my hometown of Bakersfield, CA. I've frequented Dram ever since, only bringing the special kind of people through it's doors who appreciate it's divey splendor. read more

If you've made it south of Belmont in your drinking quest, this should be your go to dive bar. They have a surprisingly good variety of beer and liquor, everything is reasonably priced and the bartenders are all cool. The music is usually pretty good too. Depending on what time you go it'll either be lively with a crowd or chock full of regulars who probably spend way too much time here. Or maybe both! Dram is totally unassuming and that's what I love about it. read more

The best venue to watch soccer matches on the weekend. It's open early, the drinks are cheap, and Anna is the best Liverpool FC fan on the planet! read more

Was passing by, turned around to stop in for a quick beer. Nice neighborhood spot. Friendly bartender. Will be back!

This is a non-dive dive bar masquerading as a dive bar in the sanitized wilds of East Lakeview. First, the Dram Shop is intelligent as dive bars tend not to be. How, you may ask, can a bar be "intelligent?" Start with the hilarious name: "The Dram Shop." A "Dram," for those of you who read words you don't know (most of us) and don't look them up (the majority of most of us), is a small unit of alcoholic beverage; so small you might laugh, actually. There are 8 drams to 1 fl. oz. of booze. (http://ts.nist.gov/WeightsAndMeasures/Publications/appxc.cfm) A "Dram Shop" traffics in drams. Hence, a bar, tavern, liquor store, and establishments that are not liquor "stores" but which sell liquor, e.g., 7-11, Costco, etc. In effect, any liquor licensee is a "dram shop." "Dram Shop Liability" is an entirely different and broader matter. You don't have to sell booze to get in big trouble if you permit someone to get too drunk on your watch. Dram Shop laws nationwide differ, but since MADD has awakened us to the menace of cars and booze, the basic point is if you sell OR GIVE too much booze to someone, and then they hurt or kill another person, you are in deep shit, which is one reason why parents of teenagers who let packs of budding 12-Steppers imbibe in their basements ought to have their heads examined. And that brings me back to why the name "The Dram Shop" is hilarious. This joint opens at 7 a.m. The bartenders will tell you (if you ask, as I did) that they have a brisk traffic of dram sipping customers at 7 a.m.. Yes, The Dram Shop has a "before work breakfast crowd," consisting - they say - of predominantly local employees whom they fear not, apparently, will meld into the local Lakeview workforce booze-breathing and rearing to confront another day on the job. Good thing for the Dram Shop that Dram Shop Liability doesn't go so far as to let the boss sue the bar where the drunken employee sipped too many drams and screwed up at work, costing the employer time and money. (Paper doesn't refuse ink, you know. Some day some enterprising lawyer will try that theory on for size; it's just a matter of time). The hilarity of "The Dram Shop" name goes further. This joint has upper-middle class sensibilities. It's in Lakeview, for God's sake. And so it is, I suspect, that this place is immaculate, and lacks the slightest whiff or stink of stale booze from which even many non-dive bars in this locale suffer. Not only does it not stink of stale "dram" here, it isn't dark, which is one of the reasons I know it's immaculate. You can see what you are stepping and sitting and resting your elbows on in here. (I stuck to nothing during my visit.) Again, an accommodation to the upper-middle class. It's just not a scary, seedy place, which is among other reasons why I suspect this dram shop beckons to the before work breakfast crowd. And another reason it's a non-dive dive bar: every customer I saw here had all of his or her teeth; there was no country music playing, no one was using profanity or racial slurs, and the repartee between the bartenders and customers was of US not local politics, and also not about the Cubs. read more

Now I wouldn't exactly call myself old, but I am turning the birthday that used to be called "over the hill" at the end of next month. This has made me a bit out of touch with the next generation coming up behind. Especially those on the north side because I rarely ever come in contact with them. So imagine my confusion when OK Cupid paired me up with a 27-year old from Lakeview. Now when I was 27, I lived in Lakeview myself so I had an idea what 20-somethings liked to do over there back in the Stone Age, but now, not so much. Dive bars? I guessed they still liked those. Can't go wrong with a low-key place for drinks, right? Those are universal. I hoped. Dram Shop isn't much from the outside (it barely has a facade and it's easy to walk right by). In fact, I used to live less than two blocks away and had no idea that it was there. When I asked the bartender how long they had been there, he said, "forever" and looking around at the condition of the place, I believed it. There's only about ten beat up bar stools and a couple of tables. But there is a lot of character. And characters. The first time I stopped in was only a few days before. I was drawn in by two things. The first was the mystery of it being a basically unmarked bar in a highly populated part of Lakeview East. And who doesn't like a little mystery? But the second reason, more importantly, like a fish to a worm, I saw painted on their window (a sign of any good dive bar, cheap painted specials on a window) - $3.50 Guinness! Those are magic words. Well, some numbers and a word, I mean! Inside this place was straight outta Logan! There was a tattooed bartender playing Interpol for the after work crowd who had no idea who Interpol was because they had been glued to the same chairs since the 1970s. That was until some hipsters wandered in and started chatting up the bartender about pretentious bands. I seriously wondered if I was still in Lakeview enough to check the GPS on my phone. On to the date. Everything seemed to be going well until the bar's one drawback presented itself. Since it is so divey, there's a certain element. I'll call them "local crazies." One of "the neighbors" brought two dogs into this dog friendly bar, which wasn't bad. Then he decided to chat us up for an hour, which was bad (but probably pretty normal for how friendly the place is). To say this killed the mood was an understatement. Haven't talked to her since. It's a shame because she was kind of amazing. Still, I don't hold this against the bar and I wouldn't hesitate to come back to Dram Shop if I found myself on this stretch of Broadway again - just not on a date. It is definitely good for peeps of all ages (well over 21, I would guess, most of the time). And, apparently dogs too. read more

I would not recommend taking me here on a first date, however, I would not be opposed to popping in for a drink. From what I can tell the beers are cold (I don't drink beer) and my vodka and sprites were mixed the way I like them...strong. The bartender is a cute girl and she was really nice, making us feel welcome even though we were clearly not like the other regulars. These guys are so regular their ass prints are tattooed to their barstools. It's a great place to nurse a beer, watch some sports, and also nurse a brokenheart if you have to. It's dark, small and fairly hidden even though it's right on the street. Good luck finding it. Sometimes I still walk right past it. read more

Ahhh, yes. My 27th. *sigh* As my friend announced it was my bday, the ever-so-helpful/friendly/amusing bartender told me I needed to take a shot. Who am I to argue? Bartender: What sounds appealing to you? Me: (hesitating) Uhhh, whiskey? But I always do whiskey... B: Hmmm. I can make a shot that tastes like chocolate cake? M: (intrigued) Whoa, really? I'm down. The bartender mixes up some unknown combo of liquor. When he's done, he pours out a shot similiar to the color of lemonade. M: Sooo....this tastes like CHOCOLATE cake? B: (smirking) So I've heard! And so, my friend and I 'cheers' and throw back the shot, unwilling to believe that it would actually taste like chocolate cake. Verdict? Chocolate cake, fa sho! Unbelievable. So, cheers to three things - the surprisingly delicious shot, the most welcoming bar in the 'hood and my 27th...new year, new opportunities await. ;) read more

I felt like I was transported into a deep recess of my brain where I took a narrow shack in the woods and put a bar in it, then built Chicago around it. Big fan. read more

The Dram Shop is that whole in the wall where everyone knows your name!! You can start drinking here at 8am and at the end of it all you and your friends' tab of mixed drinks, beers and shots will be no more than $50 total, if that. The vibe is definitely more divey, they're dog-friendly, with a lot of affable regulars and you can almost miss it if you're not driving slow enough. Metered parking in front. Very friendly, down to earth atmosphere, cheap drinks with no bells and whistles. read more

BEST JUKEBOX IN THE CITY!!! No joke. I love a good dive bar and the Dram is definitely that. But the pièce de résistance that is making this a 5 star review is their jukebox. In order to qualify for best jukebox status, said jukebox can NOT be digital. You can only play what's stocked in it. And unlike the Gingerman (another favorite), the Dram has late 90's hip-hop and dance music to go with all the rock and smattering of oldies. So, my playlist for last night included Pharcyde, Queens of the Stone Age, Tone Loc, Elvis, Metallica, Beastie Boys and a few gems off the Pulp Fiction soundtrack. The bar itself is small, but we had no problems seating our group. Christian was a great bartender. Our drinks were always full and poured strong. Said drinks were also cheap. Dogs are allowed, which I love. The girls' bathroom, while very small, was clean. As was the rest of the bar. I can not think of one single thing I would change about this place. Except to make it slightly closer to my apt. It's at the annoying too far to walk, too close to take a cab distance. But that is a good thing. My liver can't have such an awesome bar across the street. read more

Allow me to think. Glorious, glorious. The dark wood - The pearls, screaming from beneath a well measured goatee. Mirrors. Reflect. Myself. We entered and felt as if every patron belonged to us. And we belonged to them. If only there were a fireplace. Erotic photo hunt. It's the kind of bar you only know if you live in the neighborhood. My friend Jessica lives just around the corner. And its namesake alone had me excited to visit the haunt that evening. We ordered beers, we chatted with the friendly bearded man behind the counter. ¡We played games! "Last Call!" he says. It was perfunctory (the goatee looks confused). "Jess, Di, I'll be right out." "Close the door!" Each peregrination (wandering; let me help you improve your vocabulary, bar man) brings me to places anew, but this I've not seen. The door is closed, but for a glint... no, but for a shimmer of light peeking through. I finished and stomped ("walked") for you Mr. Bartender, from the dark restroom. Never has a bar approached five stars and plummeted (fell) so quickly. We left with visions of goatees, dancing in our heads (the thing on your shoulders, bar man). Good Night. read more

I think I met a pirate in Dram Shop. Pretty sure I met a pirate. At least the person said she was a pirate. It was 1 in the morning though, I wouldn't have been surprised to have met a person who said they were a penguin in there. Small place, has its share of regulars, but I didn't feel out of place as a newbie at all. Highly attentive bartender, there was little wait for service, and there was a good amount of people there when we got there. Oh, and there was a dog walking about. Just a chill bar dog. I don't know whose chill bar dog he is, but he kept coming up to me to be petted. So I guess we're total BFF's now. read more

First off, the boy was very happy to see 3.50 Guinness. Well, I usually get something on draft and the only other thing they had was Spaten. I had never had the normal Spaten (I've had the Optimator and loved it), and I have to say I wasn't impressed. I was impressed with the gi-normous sized glass for 4 bucks. Yeah, this place is a bit quiet (except the regulars having their own conversations) so I'd recommend going here to watch a game. read more

I killed my last cockroach on the bar there last night. Never going back as the snooty bartender TOLD me what I can and can't say in the Dram. BUT that said I have to give props to Larry the owner for trying to fix the place up. Also Tom, Ted and Brad are great bartenders but the other two are on power trips. Stay away Friday and Saturday nights! read more

This is how every good dive should be: small, dark and damn near impossible to get kicked out of. Oh, drink prices are very reasonable and the jukebox is one of the best in the city too. ... what could go wrong? read more

jeezus I almost forgot about this place. I used to drop in here occasionally circa 2002 (?) or so when I subletted an overpriced dump on Barry. This was the pre-hipster love-era of PBR when PBR just sucked (like it still does unless your a stupid -uh huh - hipster!) Sounds like that same little dinky hole in the wall. Glad to here it hasn't changed much. Must visit next time I'm in the area. read more

After being told by patron of another bar that this place was "a dump", I stopped in, and rubbed my head and said "HUH??" No bar that has Blanton's AND Whistle Pig bourbons can be regarded as a dump. Clean, good range of booze, decent prices, a great CD jukebox. This is a classic neighborhood kinda bar with friendly people, efficient and friendly staff and just a general good time. Be sure to check out "Larry's Various", CD in the jukebox, the owner ( Larry ) has some great taste in tunes ( Joy Division, Big Audio Dynamite to name two ). read more

Awesome spot for a chill atmosphere and affordable drinks! Laid back and friendly! Cheers!

Just a neighborhood bar - nothing special. They were out of the beer I wanted so I ended up with boring Miller Lite.