Most warm, welcoming bar I've ever been to! Owner and/or manager personally would welcome us while coming in and thank us on our way out. If there's a Bears game on, the vibes are high there. Patrons will scream, shout, clap, high-five, sing, etc. while watching the games. I like how it's BYO food friendly, they have non-alcoholic beer / sodas and dog friendly. It's cash only, but Chase ATM is just around the corner. Street parking only, but never had trouble find a spot nearby. Occasionally, they have a complimentary buffet supplied by both owner and their regular patrons - which were all yummy. read more

Female owner is amazing. Ray the bartender is very fun! Drinks are inexpensive. DOG FRIENDLY!! Great for watching sports. If you play darts or pool, this is your place. read more

Gamblers - Watching the Olympics - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Great cozy spot. Excellent people and the beer is cold. Good dart boards. Friendliness all over the place.

Gamblers is an Albany Park institution, long established as one of the finest dart bars in the city, the tradition continues on as flocks of darters will come far and wide to fling sharp pointy darts at their impressive row of darts again and again. One of the greatest things of being a Yelper and being in a dart league is that every other week I get to try out a usually new dart bar and get the opportunity to get into the nitty gritty and experience the best of what dives have to offer. Playing here on Tuesday night, Gamblers furnished us with a soup and salad buffet with plenty of chips and dessert. Who knew!? Random dive bars hook it up with the eats, joe! Having such a good time with their congenial and well-mannered team, me and my fellow teammates returned to Gamblers on a Saturday night to sharpen our teeth on the boards and to hang out. My friend ran into his co-worker who is in one of the higher level leagues and I saw plenty of Windy City Darters board members hanging out and shooting out. The Windy City Darters were having an official Nickel level qualifier and people were playing for some big money. Afterwards, they opened up a blind draw tournament and plenty of people played. I am always impressed with bars that still got the muscle to have Saturday night dart tournaments because it shows the robustness of the sport. At Gamblers there is no shortage of friendly northwestsiders and the Juke rarely stops playing. Over 40 dart trophies line their walls and people were playing all night. As we kept shooting until closing time, we were given free shots for keeping up the shooting. Seeing as how Gamblers is six blocks from my house , I can get myself used to playing marathon dart sessions with some of the best players in the city. read more

Gamblers - a man standing in front of a wall with darts on it - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Free food for....EVERYONE? Very Nice. God Bless you, Gamblers. Being in a pool league, I get to travel to different bars. I have been to my fare share of holes. This is a neighborhood bar fitted with a dart room, yes DART ROOM! The bar is pretty stardard but the service is outstanding. It gives me a homely feel to it. The man and woman behind the counter were friendly and inviting and constantly checking on the free food making sure everything gets rotated. The pool table was very well maintained and gave us players ample room to shoot. The have a giant dart room with maybe 6-7 dart boards for league also (i am guessing). This is an awesome neighborhood bar and great service and quality. Nothing too fancy but nice enough to not be a dive bar. read more

Gamblers is a hidden gem! Started going here 3-4 years ago and hooked ever since. Cash only, plenty of dart boards and a pool table. Super cheap drinks and the best bartenders. read more

Safe neighborhood place to enjoy a beer and watch a game. You can grab a bite there as well. Have reasonable expectations as far as bar food goes and you won't be disappointed. If you happen to run into Ray (the bartender) give him a big hello, He's the reason you'll want to come back! read more

5 star old school dive bar! Great bartender been there 38 years. OUTSTANDING BLOODY MARYs! Kind of dark. No name outside. Regulars have a flea market out back twice a year in memory of a departed regular. Sunday afternoon dinner - guest chefs - hehe. We just stopped in for a quick one, left feeling like a regular. We were there early sunday afternoon. Quirky locals, non ethnic. A hidden gem from the past! If you are faint, prissy, or think you're special in some urban chic way - you probably won't get it. This is a community, a village, and a watering hole for local folk. read more

Gamblers - the outside of a restaurant with a red door - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I started playing darts there early 2001 and have been a true regular ever since. Jackie has to be the most conscientious bar owner in the city! She has the most dart teams coming out of her bar than any other dart bar in the city, too. Ray, Greg, Donna, and Dorothy are also the great bartenders. She has her annual BitchFest in February that gathers all her ladies for a Sunday afternoon of fun/frolic/bitchiness (in the best way). read more

Gamblers is a well-worn neighborhood bar that offers 4-5 beers on tap and local sports on the tvs. The bartender on duty most nights is a very friendly fellow. Gamblers is also a dart bar offering 6 well laid out dart boards and league play. While Gamblers is the opposite of gastropub ,on Sundays they do provide a home-cooked spread. If you come on a Monday there may even be re-heated leftovers to enjoy. Gamblers may be the only bar that holds an annual rummage sale; probably because most bars recognize that many customers don't want to drink beer surrounded by 30 year-old crock pots. read more

This bar is close to home, always friendly, reasonably priced drinks, I love seeing my favorite bartender Ray when I come in

This is a very down to earth pub where the owner will personally serve you and make you feel welcome. They have a seperate room where they have live music once a month or so. The last time I went they didn't have many different things to eat, so you can go to one of the restaurants that are nearby if you like. read more

Gamblers - Gamblers Pub - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love this place! I always meet friendly strangers who I end up having long conversations with. The main male bartender (might be the owner, not sure) is friendly and fun! They have some free food on occasion whenever they're celebrating something or whenever they feel like it. Their prices are reasonable, too, which is a cherry on top of their greatness. read more

Gamblers. Its it the place for you? It very well might be if you like darts, don't mind an older crowd, and love bars that are totally unpretentious. The crowd: You get an older crowd: Think 40's and 50's But there are some (2-3) younger people there from time to time. I'd say it's not very diverse. Majority white (if you were wondering) but everyone's welcome and you do see different races :) No one gives you weird looks or anything like that if you're not a regular. The vibe: Definitely gives you a Cheer's type of vibe.. Where everyone is really enjoying themselves, having laughs, telling stories, talking loud, standing up, sitting down, I saw someone bring in his dog into the place.. a big ol' rottweiler.. and it was totally cool. It's so comfortable.. One of the most unpretentious bars I've ever been to. The music being played: Not for a younger crowd. It's old and boring country.. But I didn't care.. Darts, beer and a basketball game kept me busy. Things to do: Besides socialize.. DARTS! They have an impressive amount of dart lanes.. Trophy plaques span the whole top of the wall from east to west. They got plenty of tv's for whatever you're watching. (I hear hockey is big here).. Not many tables but you can just pull up a bar stool, chair and practically sit anywhere. They have some board games and tables that can accommodate board games, if you're into that! The service: Awesome. Our bartender the night we went, Ray, was super cool and accommodating. Some bars you go to, you're treated like a new person /first timer.. Not with this place which is great. FINAL VERDICT: Gambler's is a great place to stop by if you're on the northside and want to play some darts and grab some drinks while in the area. It sure beats the other bars in the immediate area! read more

It's a hole in the wall, dive, neighborhood bar. Once you've been there a few times, it's like you're family. The bartenders are a trip and the owner is the sweetest... but don't you dare cross her! If you're looking for a little bar that offers good music on the juke box, darts and regulars to chat with... I'd recommend gamblers! read more

This was a good find. A friend and I stumbled upon Gamblers when we were an hour early for a dinner party. The sign says "thirsty" under the name. We were greeted with a warm welcome and the regulars were quite nice. The prices were great too...$6.75 for a Makers rocks and Schitz...not too shabby. If you ever find yourself in Albany park or looking to get drink before the strip club, Gamblers is the place to be. read more

Great drink prices. Things to do: steel tip darts, board games, pool, video games, jukebox. Great service & friendly staff. Definitely coming back to play some darts! read more

This bar is an all around treasure. The owner is so nice and friendly, you really feel at home. Darts, bags and other bar games make it a fun stop. It feels great to support a local business that has been around for a long time and this is definitely a place to go if you want to see a real Chicago bar away from some of the more touristy neighborhoods. read more

A place that caters to darts and is a great place for beginners and experts alike. Plenty of dart boards (non-electronic) to choose from, and even during league nights, there are places to play. While the place might seem creepy upon first entering, it isn't what it seems. One might see a pathetic regular or two, sitting at the bar, watching the tv, but that isn't frequent. Despite its relatively stark edifice, it's a great place with fun people - everyone laughs and hangs with their groups. Pool costs a buck I think, and they have (I think) 6 steel-tip dart boards in the fantastic back room. There's Golden Tee, an ATM, and a Millenium touch machine. The bartenders are great, and Jackie, the owner, is the sweetest. read more

The neighborhood is not the best in the city but this is perhaps the best dart bar perhaps in the area. A local joint for the non immigrant community of Albany Park the place was decent enough although with its name perhaps four or more poker machines would of been appropriate read more

Oh, dive bars, how I love thee! Gamblers, you are about to become part of my regular haunts despite that I live nowhere near you. I have not played darts in 10+ years, and I was never good at it. I had so much fun here. Even though my friends are really good at darts and so are the regulars, I felt oh so comfortable here. Local bar, cheap, crappy beer by the pitcher, Kettle One, friendly staff and regulars who embrace newbies...perfect night. read more

Cheap drinks, good juke box, friendly staff. Thanks for the good times!

Gambler's is a PERFECT neighborhood bar. Same faces for years which makes it so special. Formerly, MONGO's and prior to that Blue Adriatic. Wonderful bar staff (especially Ray). I only go a few times a year to reunion with old friends and family and I am treated as if I were there on a daily basis. Tip well, they deserve it. read more

This is an awful place, old frozen food is served when served, I've seen it as a customer for so many years, stopped going over a year ago when I had food poisoning, owner I think her name is Jacky caters to certain customers only, don't come in as a new customer as she will watch you thinking your are trouble. Don't let the fake smile get you. read more

It's a perfect dive bar. The drinks are affordable but not fancy. There is darts, pool, and characters everywhere! You will make friends, you will get advice, and have a laugh. During the summer regulars sign up to cook a meal for the whole bar. When you cook, you get a little money to shop with, but you drink for free, and the meal is free for everyone. It is a good little neighborhood bar!!! read more

Gamblers is one of the greatest neighborhood bars I know! Jackie the owner is simply amazing and is always giving back to her customers! Its a comfort zone people know you by name ( and drink! LOL) Cactus Juice rocks thank you Ray..... The side party room is amazing and Jackie always goes all out when you book with her... she decorates and everything she is AMAZING!!! So Kudos to You Jackie and PS: they have a pretty HOT DJ ( Love you Jay! ) Moe :) read more