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    Elston Electric

    4.7 (20 reviews)
    Closed • 4:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)

    Elston Electric Photos

    ELSTON ELECTRIC ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Elston Electric

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    Melanie T.

    What an awesome spot to hang out with friends or go on a fun date night! Elston Electric occupies one corner of the Salt Shed building but is separate from the music venue space. It has a small outdoor patio in the front, and after they check your ID, just inside the doors is a dimly lit, moody and intimate bar. A beautiful space at the bar, as well as little corners and small candlelit tables to sit. There is a small row of pinball machines to the left, and a retro disc player to the right where you can choose the music, and a smattering of retro games. However, the best part of the arcade is in a separate area. Follow the back sign on the wall and walk past the bar and to the right. It will open up to a big neon-glowing arcade, with casual tables for sitting and enjoying some beverages while figuring out which games you want to play. There is a main area for machines (screens) where you can purchase credits on a card to play games! I love how easy it is to use the credits (no coins, just a card) for the games. I think it's pretty reasonably priced! The games are a really good mix of classics, updated classics, and really unique/silly ones! I highly recommend coming here for a fun date night or hang with friends. We had so much fun and are excited to come back and try more of the games!

    Arcade
    Michelle S.

    What an absolute treasure Elston Electric is!!! It's located in the Salt Shed building, but is separate from the venue and you can go any night regardless of whether you're planning to go to a show at the shed. There is a nice outdoor patio in front to enjoy drinks on in the warm months. Inside, there is a stunning cocktail bar where you can order a large variety of beer, cocktails, seltzers, etc. the service was quick and easy. The star of the show is the arcade inside. WOW!!!!! This is easily the best arcade in Chicago, no doubt. There are so many different games, ranging from classics to modern ones, even a VR mask game! The card system is easy to use and there are no physical tickets that you have to carry around. There are also little tables for your drinks next to every game which is a great touch! This spot is absolutely perfect for a date night or a night out with friends. Can't recommend it enough!

    Bar
    Charles B.

    Nice staff, cool and fun atmosphere with great drinks, bar snacks, and killer pizza. Only wished you got a little more bang for your buck w/ video games lasting a little longer than (for example) 1 Mario kart race - despite coming in first place or nba jams only lasting 1 quarter. Great place for a kids bday party

    Jill G.

    Cute arcade located at the Salt Shed. Cool bar area with the charm of Morton Salt. Drink service with friendly bartenders. Yummy snacks too. Great mix of games. Arcade style & skee ball type. Great items to redeem points.

    Celeste M.

    A generous 4 stars. Cool place near the salt shed. I'm sure this place is popping at night but we went during the afternoon on a Sunday and got to try out the arcade games. Decent selection. Of course not the biggest arcade in the city, but the vibes are cool and the separate bar area is definitely nice to grab a drink. Lots of pinball machines!!!!

    Fire breathing dragon with actual smoke
    emma d.

    It's weird to go to an arcade when you're used to the second floor of Sluggers and dark Headquarters Elston is a dream. I do miss having physical tickets as souvenirs, but it's a wide selection of games and everything is very clean and up-to-date to. The bar area is quite impressive and it makes a great place to kill a time before your concert at the salt shed. Also: whoever designed the space knew what they were doing by putting small tables at each game to hold your stuff.

    Graham H.

    Elston Electric is hands down the best way to kick off a night at the Salt Shed! Why stand in line when you can grab a drink, play some arcade games, and stroll right into the venue through their connected back door (with a minimum purchase)? The vibe here is on point--laid-back but buzzing with pre-show energy. The staff is awesome, and Matt, our bartender for most of the night, absolutely crushed it. Great cocktails, fun shots (including a wild one with a relish back), the coolest-looking Jell-O shots, and even solid pizza to keep everyone going. If you're heading to a show at the Salt Shed, do yourself a favor--start your night here and enjoy every minute from the first drink to the last encore.

    Game time!
    Megan S.

    Wow, what a spot! Took my 4 & 5 year old here on a weekday evening and we had a blast! My kids didn't want to leave. Retro, cool, throwback ambiance with a sunken bar and amazingly comfy bar seats! Awesome concept having the arcade in the restored Salt Shed building - would highly recommend!!!

    Arcade

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    5 months ago

    Good drinks, good selection of games, good vibe and ambiance. Will definitely be back to play again

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    Ask the Community - Elston Electric

    Review Highlights - Elston Electric

    “Elston Electric occupies one corner of the Salt Shed building but is separate from the music venue space.”

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

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    3.9(1.7k reviews)
    1.3 mi•Lincoln Park
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    Step off the streets of Chicago into a beautifully dimly lit fondue experience is so cozy inside…read morewith the music of a live Spanish guitar that really create a private magical experience. All the premier dinners come with salad, cheese, fondue, and the chocolate fondue - You are just choosing what protein you would like. The Prince Geja combination has a little bit of everything. However, we most liked the seafood which includes lobster and the scallops were to die for! Also the beef also cooks well. Favorite dipping sauce included the pimento mayo, chimichurri, and garlic butter. The cheese fondue is quite rich and the bread is quite filling so maybe get as much cheese as you can on each piece of bread. The chocolate fondue, I think is actually the best course as the Belgium chocolate melts so well and has a decadent but not overly sweet flavor. It pairs well with all that is provided for dipping, which includes poundcake, rice Krispies, strawberries. They also have some liquor that they light on fire at first so you can roast the marshmallows. It is such a well thought out experience. Service flows very well from two waiters who take your order set up your fondue pots for each course, but be prepared to spend at least 2 hours on this experience. Check out the Groupon but also I read a review that they just tack on the extra $50 so it's not really too much of a savings. Not sure if this is true.

    Had a fantastic evening at this classic spot!…read more Food was super tasty and fresh! The seafood was probably my favorite! The full dinner with chocolate and cheese was perfect! Also appreciated that they were accommodating for the vegetarian in our party. Everything except the cheese course can be made vegan friendly as well. The service was top notch! Appreciated that they called me ahead of time to confirm our reservation and ask about food allergies. All the staff was incredibly helpful and attentive. They were quick to refill items and answer any questions we had. The location is classic fondue restaurant, cozy and romantic. However, also perfect for catching up with a friend. I love the history in this place and really enjoyed the mood lighting. Pricing was fantastic for the quality of service, food, and drinks! Look forward to many happy returns!

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    4.0(775 reviews)
    1.3 mi•Lincoln Park
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    Back Again - Gemini Pt 2, but this time for brunch!…read more I enjoyed my first dinner experience here so much last week that we had to come right back to try their weekend brunch. From the start, the hostesses were inviting and lovely. The restaurant is very pretty, warmly blending a modern style with a touch of classic French bistro elegance. I'm mostly so impressed with how versatile the restaurant actually can be, shifting seamlessly from an elegant, upscale dinner setting with its beautiful U-shaped marble bar to a bright, whimsical, and enchantingly airy brunch setting. The fully opened bifold windows are adjacent to the pergola-topped patio, letting a glorious, cascading breeze drift through the space to create a wonderful indoor-outdoor flow and a lively weekend energy. Once again, we thoroughly enjoyed everything we ordered: Super Green Vegetable Salad: The kale, broccoli, avocado, asparagus, and peas were crisp and fresh. We loved this so much during our first dinner visit last week that we had to order it again for brunch! Spectacular! Nova Lox Platter: The wild salmon topped with diced red onion, capers, and hard-boiled egg crumble, served with an everything bagel and a side of chive cream cheese, was excellent. French Onion Frittata: The rich gruyère and caramelized onions were wonderful. If you're a French onion soup lover like me, this is a can't-miss!! Definitely will be reordered and often. Fantastic! Daily Omelette: Ordered from the special menu, featuring black truffle salsa, mascarpone, and Calabrian chile honey. It was absolutely phenomenal, perfectly cooked, and the flavor combination was incredible. Our server, Sarah, was excellent and made the experience even better - we even share the same name! The management team was also incredibly warm and attentive, stopping by our table to welcome us back. Returning twice in one week says it all. This restaurant has made it into my regular rotation and is hands down one of my new favorites!

    Over all this place was okay, and when I say okay it was mediocre…read more How ever I would like to point out that the staff and I repeat the staff was very friendly not to mention very welcoming. I came here with three others and we all ordered different things from the brunch menu along with a few drinks. The atmosphere here is open, modern, and pretty eye catching, we all heard a few negative comments about brunch here and rather than just taking words of advice we came anyways. To be honest we should've went elsewhere, the only thing about the food that actually seemed to have any flavor was the fries and even they were a little salty like my wallet when we left LOL The Jumbo (not so much) Lump Crab Benedict at $25 was honestly boring lacking any flavor also it didn't even come with potatoes I ended up sharing my Lincoln Park Turkey Club that was good but even it was pretty basic at $21, the Burger at $21 literally looked like something off the kids menu the bun was bigger than the patty LOL and the Blackened Chicken Caesar at $19 was more like an appetizer size and the chicken at least it was juicy not dry. Other reviews about brunch here seem to be about the same and honestly I think it's funny they don't even try to elevate their food when so many say about the same things. I think the only reason why people come to this place is 1. It's located in Lincoln Park and 2. that makes it a trendy spot to eat. So why bother fixing anything when it's just trendy and flavorless Their brunch is mediocre but apparently dinner is where it's at. However after the experience with brunch I'm not even sure I would even go back. Come here for the staff eat at your own expense maybe your food will have flavor or not but honestly do what you want and keep it trendy

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    Sparrow - Bar area Hotel Nacional

    Sparrow

    4.3(348 reviews)
    1.6 mi•Near North Side
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    Right before starting writing this one, I wrote a review for Kibbitznest, another phenomenal…read moreChicago bar with a totally different theme and vibe. That is to say: I am not throwing words of praise like "one of a kind" and "phenomenal" around lightly. Both are different and still amazing. Sparrow has a vibe straight out of the 1920s. The decor, signage, use of color, and absence of screens or TV's all contribute to the theme. The music is also appropriate and plays at the perfect volume to be pleasant without forcing one to raise their voice. I tried the Green Daisy and a House Old Fashioned. The Green Daisy was boozy and had some herbaceous notes. A little tartness and a little sweetness helped balance the drink out and make for a phenomenal sipper. I loved the creativity with this one! The House Old Fashioned was also well done, assembled with quality ingredients in balance with one another. Nothing wrong with a well-executed classic. The prices are more or less reasonable considering the location and overall market, with bevies costing around $16. The bar staff is excellent! Very friendly and welcoming! Final verdict: A spot where I can say come for the drinks and stay for the vibe. It's the kind of place where walking in you are transported a century into the past. Everything about the experience, including the atmosphere, drinks, service, and prices, is calling me to return and bring some people with me.

    This might be my favorite rum bar in the country. If you want intimate spaces, moody lighting,…read moreextensive rum selections, and drink specials come here. Monday nights are my favorite because they offer a different specialty rum in special. It's a great way to try different kinds. They also serve beer, wine, and every other spirit you can imagine. Cocktails are on point. Seating options are varied: bar seats, small tables in back, bench seating with tiny tables up front. Quiet and comfortable.

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    Perfect Perfect

    Elston Electric - arcades - Updated October 2026

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