*sigh* Another dive bar. I think that I need to take a break from dive bars. I'm getting a little tired of them. Maybe it's because the people that I always go to the dive bars with are all smokers. Maybe it's because I was drinking champagne on Michigan Avenue and eating tasty treats before I went to Innertown Pub and was kind of let down by the change of venue. Or maybe I just need to stop going to dives for a while. I don't know what to say about Innertown Pub. It's a bar. It has a pool table. There is beer. The jukebox is outstanding! I gave my rating an extra star for the jukebox alone. There was something for everyone. It was nice to meet some new Yelpers at the Innertown and to see the usual suspects again. read more

Can't exactly beat the epitome of a dive bar. This is THE dive bar. -it stinks like sewage -pool table is free -video games don't really work -jukebox is about right -vintage video games have unbeatable high scores (yes, I spent $40 to beat the high score on Galaga with my roommates) -they have a friggin' consumer refrigerator in the bar -its stinks like sewage -its cheap What else could you ask for? read more

I love dive bars. but I hate elitist hipsters that are just too cool and think you're dirt if you're not wearing a horrid mustache or something. Anyway this place has a few of those, but not too many. I like the kitsch all over the walls, the wood paneling, its definately an interesting place. I went there with a date to play pool but the table was taken. So we sat back and people-watched and drank cheap beer. It was a fun night, and I prefer this place to some other dives in the area. read more

I love the look of this place. Historic old bar, cool interior with tons of those sexy 70s girl posters everywhere. I went here on a packed weekend night and found the crowd to be fun and easy to talk to. This is the sort of bar, like many in Ukrainian Village that I bet is more fun to visit on off nights so you can take in the amazing interior and have a conversation with the bartenders. I would give this place three stars, but the inside is so awesome, I had to toss them the 4th star. The bar itself is perfect. It is wonderfully preserved, and the twin owl lamps on top of the bar make this place one of my favorite from a design perspective. Really a cool interior. It looks like a "dive" bar, but it is not a dive bar. In fact there are almost no "dive" bars in the area any more. If you see a bar with a sign that says Zimne Piwo" then you are walking into a dive bar. I bet this really never was a dive bar. It has the look of a solid working class corner bar where the bartenders made loans to drunks and had hot buffet two or three nights a week rather than something seedy from a Algren novel. The bar has good beer on tap. As it got busier the bartenders tended to get grumpy (the dude bartenders seemed a bit rude) otherwise they were a cool bunch. The place is loud and full of hipsters and folks from a 2-3 block radius but I suspect it is more of a local place on the weekdays. Ukrainian Village is nothing like what it used to be, and this bar like some others is thriving. Any bar that has the "please don't lock your bikes on our neighbor's fences" is no longer a "dive bar" but a "hipster bar." read more

A total dive, but when you're in Wicker Park and feel like it it's there. I find the place to be a little bit dim and the bathrooms are very aged. I remember when I went there a chair was blocking one bathroom since it was broken, but there was a line too long for the other bathroom so I just decided to use the broken one! This place is very cheap and is usually filled with the hipsters of Wicker Park. They are relatively friendly and won't give you a hard time. I can't remember if pool was free, but I know Silver Strike bowling was definitely free along with an old school detuned piano that you could slam on if you wanted to. I do not recommend this place for darts. If I remember correctly they did not have a house set of darts and it was hard to plug in the lamp so you could actually see the board. The chalk was a giant slab of chalk which made it annoying, so no - Do not play darts here! read more

I performed at the Open Mic night and stood for eternity in the bathroom line after singing my three songs. "Are you sure someone's in there?" groaned the girl behind me. "Someone is STILL in there! Can you believe that shit?" After ten minutes or so the guilty girl stumbled out of the bathroom just in time for our personal line of Hell to extend its borders with fresh new faces waiting to take a piss. I was the unlucky girl who was next in line, still fuming about her extended stay. What I discovered, while entering the oddly shaped bathroom, is they need better lighting. If the lighting had been stronger I would've noticed even quicker that the sink was full of puke. Great bar, though. read more

I like Innertown for its laid back atmosphere and clientele. And the owls which dominate the eclectic and often kitchy decor. The prices are fairly decent, too. Also, the people are unpretentious. Other than that, it's your standard dive bar: pool in the back, good music, random decoration, and pitchers of PBR. read more

This was our 1st stop on our Halloween crawl for 2009. I've been to Innertown a number of times and have always had a great time. The bartenders are really cool and friendly. I was dressed a PBR tallboy. It was quick and cheap costume for a recession year, what can I say? My buddy Frank introduced me to the taco shot while we were there. I can't for the life of me remember exactly what was in it, but it may have been tequila, Guinness, and Tabasco. It's my #2 favorite spicy shot of the two that I know and drink. The juke is solid and I threw on some Cars and the Cramps for this Halloween occasion. This is calmer dive, but fun nonetheless! A great warm-up bar for the night and I can't wait to make another trip soon! read more

I hope no one ever ruins this place. It is awesome. Great, inexpensive drafts, friendly staff and plenty of space. Free pool in the back is really cool and the crowd is everyone from old Mexican dudes to hipsters to young couples and beyond. This is a gem of a spot and I look forward to coming back. read more

****Edit***** 6.17.07 - for those who love the Innertown and live in the First Ward of Chicago, stop in and sign the petition to keep the bar alive! A specific neighbor is doing all she can to close this wonderful establishment, so show your support. For more information, ask a bartender. And, as always, leave the bar quietly! :) ********************************************************* Reasons to visit the Innertown... 1) free pool 2) cold beer 3) friendly, amazingly awesome staff 4) plenty of seating 5) great jukebox 6) mike, the owner, aka "the old man" 7) wonderful regulars (myself included *ahem*) 8) open mic thursdays and sundays (it's free, folks) But as another poster mentioned, the neighbors have their complaints. You can't please everyone, but you can respect their property and leave quietly. It's not that hard! Just walk down the block and start yellin' there. Cheers! read more

MYSTERIOUS FARTER ALERT Before my first visit to the Innertown pub, my friend commented that "it's ok, but it smells like farts." I just thought she was exaggerating, you know, some old dive bars smell bad ... so I forgot she'd mentioned this. A few hours later we wandered into the Innertown Pub, and stood at the bar waiting for a drink. It was crowded and hot. Suddenly I was overcome with the most intense, rank FART SMELL I have ever experienced (Well, except for one experience that perhaps beats it -- time I spent living with my ex's very old Staffordshire terrirer). The Innertown Pub Farter is almost as bad as a gastric Staffie. Now that's baaaaaaad. We don't know who was the culprit, but s/he's either a regular, or works there. The fart smell returned twice in the following hour, and we just had to escape. It's a pity, because other than crazy fartness, I rather liked the place. PS- On reflection maybe I should have read the other reviews before posting this? Could perhaps be a sewerage problem, but it came in waves, and smelled very fartlike. read more

First of all, I'm really curious about the "sewage smell" that several other people have referenced. I will make sure to keep it in mind next time I'm there so that I can either confirm it or come back here to refute it and accuse you of just being several people who happen to imagine they are smelling shit and blaming it on Inner Town. Anyways, my favorite thing about this place is their resident middle aged alcoholic man. He's always there, every single time I have ever been over the past 4 years. Sometimes he's angry, sometimes he's dancing, sometimes he's hallucinating. But whatever it is that he's up to, it's amazing. Other than that, it's just a fun place that plays pretty good music and serves alcohol. As long as you serve alcohol, I'll give you at least 3 stars. read more

Long live Innertown! Cheap and reasonable prices for beer (including three types of Berghoff on tap for $2.50 each), strong cocktails (tall average about $3.50), good music, and good mix within the 20-something East Village crowd. No one is too crazy or annoying usually, just a bunch of chill people. Bartenders are nice and get to you quickly even in a rush. The decor is awesome as well, with lots of owl lamps, and a dark wooded atmosphere. Galaga machine and pool table as well. Only three minor complaints: open mic night doesn't do it for me (and is more annoying than anything, especially when loud), it gets very smoky, and the place gets a bit too packed certain times. But you can't fault a place for being popular. This place holds several memories for me, but besides that, it's a great place to take a date to talk. Especially for low-key conversation at one of the tables on the upper-level. This place is also very attractive in the winter for some reason. Must be the warm, wood-walled vibe with the candle lights. Innertown reminds me of everything good about a bar: coming in from the cold, good cheap beer, friendly service, friendly patrons, good music, just overall a really special place in the City of Chicago. read more

Dive Bar scale 5/5. This is by far the best dive bar in the city (that I have been to). I love the "decoration". It's one of those places where you find yourself sinking into the bar stool, staring at your surroundings and people watching a lot. I usually end up there for one drink and close the place out along with all the other wicker park degenerates ;) I also never do whiskey shots, but for some reason some Jameson always ends up in my system when I go here. It's one of the first places a friend took me to when I moved to the city...and I got the low down on the owner's facelift and if you're lucky the muffin lady might stop by and hustle some pool. read more

I can't believe I haven't reviewed my favorite neighborhood bar in Chicago. WTF. Innertown Pub is mere minutes from my house and seems to be one of the only Ukrainian Village bars that hasn't been completely taken over by the "condo set" (Happy Village, I'm looking at you, bro). Inntertown has funky decorations, a good selection of beers, and a very relaxed vibe. You can tell that they retain a lot of regulars, which is always a good sign to me. Also, ladies, this bar tends to have a lot of decent looking dudes. On the weekends, definitely show up early-ish to snag a table. read more

I have only been to the innertown pub a few times, but it has been great both times. I went to participate in the open mic thursdays. The great thing about the open mics here is that it is relaxed, fun, and doesn't take over the total atmosphere of the bar. Another bonus is that this is a regular stop of the Tamales Men! $5 for 6 Tamales? Yes, I am in! This bar makes for a fun night out. yes! read more

I was never quite sure why this place is called a "Pub," but it's (as the rating system calls it) A-OK in my book. The quintessential time to come here is on a Sunday-Wednesday night, when you might be able to play free pool without a ludicrous wait. When it isn't a weekday, however, this place is TOO hopping - to the point that you cannot move unless you've arrived early and snagged a table. Even sitting at the bar sucks when it's crowded because it seems like someone is always bumping you or trying to reach and talk over you. Not ideal. Also, the crowds can get a little rough. I've had one too many bike messengers who seem to frequent this place give me dirty looks... Please bathe. That is customary in our society. Weeknights have more of a local feel with regular people, but weekends turn into a hipster fashion show. Again, not ideal. The bartenders are awesome - guy bartender gave us free shots once after a long wait for brews, and the chick with giant knockers knows what she's doing and never gets intimidated or slow during a huge rush. Also, it's pretty damn cool that dogs are allowed inside. Great jukebox too! I'm not sure if I would ever come here if I lived further than a mile away, but I live a few blocks away, so my sporadic pop-ins will continue! read more

When my dear friend Kate was in town from DC, I asked her where she would like to go, "A cool, fun diveish bar with secret 'Christmas morning shots' (best), or a bar with really good beer and men?" She asked for the latter, so we went to Map Room, where we consumed some delicious unpronounceable beer while being surrounded by men engaged in dude-like conversations of their own. She seemed nonplussed, so I asked her if she was ready to go, and she said yes. Then, we went to Innertown. Cue the tchotckhes, Christmas lights, good music and cheap beer, and simultaneously cue the advent of Happy Kate. We ended up having a ball that evening, consuming a number of non-wallet breaking libations (including a free one or two), chatting it up with a slew of customers, and both developing massive girl crushes on the bartender decked out in her 50s-best. After Kate was romanced by a certain Innertown fixture (y'all know who I'm talking about), we went back to my apartment. "Olivia," she said. "I want to live in Chicago, and I want to live in that neighborhood." Innertown Pub: One Chicago Convert at a Time read more

Been here to support friends on open mic night, and maybe I just love watching my friends perform, or maybe it's just a nice respite from the bars around where I live in Lakeview (a neighborhood I'm convinced that frat boys come to die), but I always have a great time. Cheap drinks, laid back crowd, and all of the other above mentioned perks (stellar selections on the jukebox, pool table, did i mention cheap drinks?). No questions about it, it's the perfect corner bar. read more

Me loves ITP...I love a dog in a bar. I love the juke. I love the "Little Nut Hut" that provides me warm stale nuts to settle my drunken tummy (that and the tamale guy are your only food bets in the nearby vicinity). I love that I stayed at this bar by myself once, after my friends left, and had just as much fun as when they were there. I love that ITP has bathrooms that make you feel like you're in a log cabin. I love that I can "walk" home in 8 minutes, and pass a gas station for "supplies" on the way home. Only issue can be the hipper-than-thous on the wknd. Just remember, when you go to ITP, and you are the guy that wears skinny lady jeans and/or you have an "ironic" haircut...my friends and I now hold regular jobs and wear nice shoes, but we have been coming to ITP since before Vans were back. So meh! read more

A dive bar that has character, inexpensive but decent beer (Berghoff Dark rocks!) At $2-$2.50 for a draft, you'll walk out with a smile on your face and money in your wallet. You wont find this place unless you look for it, but its definitely worth looking for. There are pool tables for those who are interested, and the bartenders are great. This place is definitely worth a stop in. read more

The inner pube is great. It won't leave a bad taste in your mouth. Good beer selection as well as specials during the week. The ambience is quite hipster, so bros - you might feel a bit uncomfortable. It gets pretty packed on the weekend but if you're looking for a pretty quite/chill place during the week this should do it for you. read more

Innertown is one of the bars I have been meaning to go to for years. I saw that they have free pool and darts so some friends and myself headed that way. We were going to make a stop into Happy Village to play some ping pong first but for whatever reason there was a line to get into Happy Village. So we just headed straight to innertown, which wasn't too busy at all we were able to get a table no problem. I tried to get the darts but it turns out they don't do darts are the weekends... makes sense since they have a cork dartboard. One of the best things innertown has over Happy Village is good beer. They have beer on tap and offer a couple micro brew bottles too. My friends and I were drinking dogfish head 60 minute and Three Floyd's Alpha Kings. Both great beers that I was happy to find at innertown. I'll be back for sure! read more

You gotta love a place that has a 'little nut hut' behind the bar (oh, please tell me it's still there, I haven't been in a few months). If you're good, the owner will tell you a story and point out the bullet holes in the ceiling from 'back in the day'. The women's bathroom is in a constant state of flood, though (apparently, the 'hold the handle' sign doesn't work on everyone). Pretty nasty. Grab a friend and make 'em hold the men's room door for you (sorry, guys). read more

I went here last night. It's a cool joint with a fun and interesting crowd. Expect to see a fair amount of hipster-y folks in skinny jeans and at least a few peeps who rode their fixed gear bikes to the bar... With free pool, decent seating, good music, and $2.50 PBR pints, it's hard to beat this place if you're looking for a fun dive-y bar to hang out at with some friends on a Saturday night. My favorite part was all the interesting tsotchkes on the walls. It seems like they don't take down decorations from past holidays but rather just keep adding on new stuff as the year goes round. We counted decorations for 7 holidays including: Christmas, Valentine's Day, St. Patties, Memorial Day, Cinco De Mayo, Elvis' Birthday, and what we determined must be a decoration for Flag day... If there are any holidays we missed, let me know... read more

Just moved into the area- actually i read the reviews on yelp before I went there. I hit up the Happy Village Pub first then headed over to Innertown. Real sweet place, free pool table and darts- although you gotta bring your own pair. Kitsch but not trendy- homey but not a dive. It's been refined with age, nice patrons. I was surprised to see they had Brooklyn Ale on tap, never have I ever seen it in Chicago- that sealed the deal. Oh yeah and Elvis is King! read more

Great beer selection, very friendly staff. Excellent Elvis collection. This is an excellent bar to hang out with people and chat, grab a drink and soak in some very interesting ambiance. Always a fun time there. read more

It didn't take me long to fall in love with this place. I think what hooked me, first and foremost, was the fact that there were decorations up from four different holidays. That's right. There was a big plastic skull for Halloween, some hearts strung up for Valentine's Day, Christmas lights, and a sign that simply said "Happy Memorial Day." That last one was my favorite. So, aside from that decidedly witty anecdote, here are the top three reasons to go to Innertown: 3. $2 PBR draws 2. Wacky, wonderful decor 1. JUKEBOX read more

Love this place. Cheap drinks ($4 Guinness with a PROPER POUR???). Completely warped pool table. Maybe the best jukebox I've ever seen. Great community events (open mics, et al). The bartenders dress up for Halloween. There's a tv if you want to just grab a beer and watch tv, but it's unobtrusive, so you can completely avoid it if you want; plus, they screen movies on certain nights. There are two drawbacks: The bartenders do sometimes avoid you, but I've never had any serious problems; just know what you want and order it quickly. And also, the bathroom might be the grossest bar bathroom I've ever seen. But, cough cough, there are lots of alleys and dimly lit trees nearby . . . read more

If the company i'm with everytime I go here weren't so great, I would never return. I walk in the door and wave to my boyfriend and his dad who I am meeting. And I get a nasty woman standing by the bar (which never has a lot of people in it, so there's no chance she'll lose sight of me) and in a nasty tone says "I'll need to see your id." Ok, ok, I'm 27 years old, I'm happy to show you my id. Then I go up to the bar to buy the b/f's dad a birthday drink. The same woman looks at me and I think that means what would you like, so I say 2 Old Styles please. She grabs a glass and goes towards the tap and I say, oh, in a bottle please. She says again in a nasty tone, "This isn't for you." I laugh and say "Ok, just didn't want you to waste any of your delicious beer," to try and ease her nastiness. Not even a semi smile. Ok, so that's how we're gonna be. $1 tip for you, my dear. Then when either my b/f or his dad goes to the bar, she is all smiles and giggles. F you. That's all I have to say. read more

Sort of a love hate relationship... over all decent juke box.. ramones, social distortion, bowie, misfits (feel good music for a Friday night.)..Cheap drinks but a terrible tequila selection (Only Cuervo!!).. Wolud love to know if the old man is still around. .. .. His style is as good as the bar. read more

About the best place in the area, now that the "real" Tuman's has long bitten the dust. Dark as a cave. Come in here and forget about life. Great jukebox, cheap beer, and free pool. I would recommend coming here on a weeknight. Weekends get packed and smoky, and get ready for an argument if you want to jump on the pool table. However, the wall kitsch is outstanding. I especially like the American Flag made out of red, white, and blue ads from the 80s. Open mike is surprisingly good. Be forewarned: The bathrooms are wretched. And the "special bew" ain't so special. read more

This is prob. my favorite bar in Chicago. It's about a 2 min. walk from where I live, the bartenders are awesome, and the drinks are cheap. The jukebox is pretty kickass, HOWEVER, they DID remove The Misfits from it. One time, we were just sitting at a table, when this guy walked up to another guy at the bar and BIP!....punched him right in the face. i think he said something like "You reap what you sow!" as he was being dragged outside. Also, a dude was projectile vomiting on the floor as he slowly (why not quickly...as seems smarter?) walked out the door. Lots of other tales.... read more

i have been going here since my first visit, October 2005. I'm there usually once a week at least, and very much enjoy the people and atmosphere. beer is cheap. berghoff amber is delicious and only $3. if you befriend the bartenders, expect to be treated well and welcomed warmly. don't forget to try the espresso and mint schnapps shot! no idea what it's called, but it's delicious! my only qualm is that on the weekends it gets very crowded, and some of the patrons at that time are usually drunk and belligerent 21 year old "hipster" chicks giving dirty cross-eyed looks to any other female near by. read more

There's something about this place that makes me feel at home away from home. The interior is cozy and decked out with some odd stuff. They have a free pool table thats not a complete piece of shit. They have good servers with a moderate selection of good beers. The prices are reasonable. People bring their dogs in. They were playing jazz over the loud speaker when I arrived. Overall, Im real glad I got to check this place out. read more

This is a really cool place with a good vibe. Every nook and cranny is adorned with an eclectic decoration. Heads up- Its cash only, but they have an ATM read more

This is a cute little dive bar. I went over Memorial Day weekend, and according to regulars it's usually so packed you can't move. Luckily it wasn't filled to capacity and there was never a wait for the (one) bathroom. The bartenders were so unfriendly. One attempted a smile after several drink orders. Really, I think they just hated being there. I'm sure they're great people normally. The biggest plus was the price; I don't think I spent more than $20 while there and that was enough to get me a bit tipsy. Though I do have to say the whiskey sour was much too sour for my liking. All other mixed drinks and beers were wonderful though. read more

This is a great dive bar, I really liked it. Interesting Elvis sightings inside and a fairly big place. I was with a friend and we both thought it had a great vibe. Lot's of hot art chicks walking in mysteriously dressed in nice tight fitting short dresses. The one in red was a real looker. The bartender was very sociable and attentive and the locals were friendly as well. I'd come back here any day. I don't get the reviews that said the place smelled, I was there for 4 hours and it was fine. I also don't get those who are upset it's a dive bar. Thank god it is! What were you expecting another yuppie upscale bar with the same bland look to go to. We need more of these places. read more

Years have been wasted in this place, and that's fine by me. The best part about it is that I lived approximately 2.5 blocks away from it for three years, which contributed quite a bit to my wastedness in that time. Anyhoo, it's real smokey in here, but the drinks are cheap and if you ask, sometimes they'll give you the Spaten brand beer in a frosty mug from the freezer. Also, if you're cute and loud enough, Mr. Innertown will buy you shots, so make sure to thank him! read more

A genuine dive. Dimly lit, kinda dirty, and a bunch of crazy crap and kitschy nostalgia litters the decor. There's a huge American flag with only 48 stars hung on one of the walls. And across from the free pool table, there's another American flag that's made entirely out of campaign stickers from the 1988 presidential election. The beer is cheap and the drinks are well made. When I used to live in the neighborhood, I would come here all the time. Brandon, Alya, and Betsy are some awesome bartenders. The only downer that occurs from time to time is when Mike (the owner) comes in. (He'll be the old guy with the grecian formula Reagan dye job at the end of the bar - likely ogling the young ladies.) Whenever he's there it just fouls the mood in the joint. The bartenders get all edgy whenever he's around because he's probably gonna yell at them about something. One time I saw him go around the bar and show one of the bartenders the correct way to serve a beer, which is with 1/3 head on top. It's not they didn't know how to do, they just aren't cheapskate jerks like him - thank god. I've heard the jukebox has been updated, but it's still rockin'. The place can get pretty slamming on the weekends. But during the week it's one of the best places to go have some cheap drinks, listen to cool tunes, and get your free pool game on. read more