I have finally come to the landmark and milestone 200th review on The Yelp. I've been holding back a bit on writing this review, hoping I might patronize some epic establishment and have an experience such that something would come down from heaven into my head to put down on this Yelp screen that might one day be deemed classic. This hasn't quite happened, but that's okay all the same. It's always the little things that matter most anyway. And this review will be comprised of the little things surrounding a quaint night at Matilda. Oh, I'm not going to get verklempt like I fleetingly did when composing the 100th review. I've become much too jaded by The Yelp to get maudlin. There was no set plan to ever go to Matilda. There never really was any plan, period (many sets of eyeballs from the past just rolled), apart from going to get some takeout. The thing is, you can't take someone dressed like little miss super cute to the tenth power was out for a slice, a taco or a burger without being embarrassed, so, on a whim, DMK Burger Bar popped into my head as something more appropriate than something greasy wrapped up in wax paper to go. The problem was, there was a 30-minute wait at DMK, so we extricated ourselves from the premises stat and started walking north down Sheffield until we happened upon the high stoop of Matilda. Since we were in a bit of a hurry because it was a school night, we committed to Matilda. I said committed. I committed. I did. I've been to Matilda twice now, with the first visit being around 3-4 years ago for drinking and the latest visit being just recently for grub. The weekday vibe consisted of dim lights, candlelight, communal tables (um, no) and a more relaxed area in the front with couches. I grabbed a grilled cheese and fries. It's an indisputable fact that the best grilled cheese is always made at home. Matilda's was as dry as the Gobi. I basically had to eat it like a kid, removing the crust as Bill, who got killed, did for his daughter, but without that much precise care, because of the dryness. The fries were more of the same dryness. Thank goodness I had a couple of three dollar Tecates (Tuesday night special!), or I would have been a dehydration casualty. Little miss super cute to the tenth power said her chicken wrap was decent, but I didn't try it and had to take her word for it. Whatever she sells, I buy. Even though there were only about six tables occupied, service was ever so glacially slow. It took upwards of 25-30 minutes for the grub to come out. I think my grilled cheese and fries sat desiccating under the heat lamp for most of that time. Getting a second Tecate, as well as ultimately getting the check, was also difficult. And there was no check-in to see how everything was after we got our food. I don't harp on service much, but this was bad service. Lastly, I do remember from my previous excursion to Matilda to drink that the stairway down to the basement is treacherous. It's also remarkable that the stoop at the entrance is very high. It's raised up approximately 10 inches from the sidewalk. How people coming out of Matilda at 2 a.m. don't face plant or break ankles all the time, I don't know. It's amazing their insurance company doesn't force them to remedy this hazard. Anyway, I would say that I wouldn't recommend Matilda for dining. What would be best is if you could grab one of the couches in the front during the week and have a few drinks. I suppose drinking at Matilda on the weekend is okay as well, but it's pretty much off the radar for me. Matilda is 2-1/2 stars. I have now completed my 200th review and am still not verklempt. And Bob's your uncle and Betty is your ****ing aunt. Cheers. And good night. read more

I have been here 3 times. Every time I go back it's not really by choice, but it's not the worst place to end up either. The atmosphere at night is pretty weird. This place is trying to act cooler than you, but doesn't really pull it off in my opinion. I was really mad when months ago the bouncer almost didn't let my 22 year old friend in at like 7 pm, but I guess their enforcement of the 23 year old rule keeps college kids out. That time I had the onion ring tower which looks cool and comes with several sauces. Thursday nights are $5 appetizers. I have tried the wraps (5 stars, basically bacon fried in a tortilla with sour cream on top), hummus (2 stars, kind of tastes like feet), goat cheese (4 stars, almost as good as Ba Ba Reeba's), and quesadilla (5 stars- asiago, mozz, apples, walnuts, brown sugar. weird but so good and more of a pizza). It's very dim inside. Had to steal other tables' candles to read the menu. The decorations make it seem like you are in outer space in that Van Gogh painting. Their drink specials aren't great but they do have a good beer selection. read more

I came here on a Thursday night with a friend who lives in the area. They have a decent selection of draft beers, but it is nothing to write home about. We did enjoy the cheese fries though! They also have a minimum age of 23. The service was all right. I didn't have a bad experience, but I don't really think there was anything that notable about Matilda. read more

Question. What the hell does Baby Atlas mean? I digress. Came here with a crew to watch Michigan lose to Illinois (BOO). Great service and I felt terrible for the nice waitress who had to endure our increasingly foul moods as the day went on. I was delighted to have some Bell's beer (which is unavailable out east) and wanted to write this review specifically to mention the tortilla salad. Being a veggie saurus I often get salads, but never do I literally eat every last bite. Here, I ate every single last bite. Every last bean. Shred of cheese. All of it, in my belly. I even thought about sneaking back there later that day and getting another salad. The ingredients were so fresh, and the dressing was unbelievable. Watch them stairs, ladies, when you're going down to the loo. They has drunken disaster written all over them. Hell I wasn't even buzzed and I almost wiped out every time. If Matilda wants to avoid a lawsuit, she might want to at least put some rubber on them...or a pile of pillows at the bottom. read more

Matilda is a refreshing change of pace from the bars in the area (see Mad River, Uncle Fattys). The place has a funky, arty vibe which is apparent as soon as you see the tables and light fixtures when you walk in. I like how they have arranged the seating, the are a variety of large tables and cozy two-person nooks throughout the space. I've always been impressed with the beer selection, they don't have an enormous draft list but it always has something for the picky craft beer drinker (Dogfish Head 60, Matilda). The food is great, which surprised me the first time I ordered anything because I always thought this was more bar than restaurant. The outside seating in the summer months is a huge plus. read more

Years ago, Matilda was a regular destination for me. I went back for the first time in awhile tonight, and I'm remembering why I liked it so much. 1. Awesome jukebox! 2. Cute retro decor 3. Strong, tasty martinis 4. Killer nachos A tip - leave the heels at home if you think you'll have to pee. The stairs to the bathroom are killer - steep and not at all wide! read more

As far as I can tell, Matilda is named after a really hot chick with unique and slightly expensive tastes, the kind of girl you don't take out unless you're confident have something interesting to say for yourself and a few extra bucks in your pocket. But she also really likes hanging out on a comfy couch in the basement and talking about indie rock in the candlelight, so it's worth the effort. OK literary conceit aside this is probably my favorite bar in Chicago and has been for a long time. As far as the few negative reviews go, I'll just say that you get what you pay for. And the stairs are funny. Get over it. read more

Overall one of my top all-time bars in Chicago!! Found Matilda's about seven years ago and loved it since day one!! Great food, staff, people, events, and music selection in the box.......Find the time to stop in if you haven't been Just nice to find a normal bar that's in the area.......not filled with twenty something tools!! Bottom line....... the place rocks!! read more

A group of friends and I went to Matilda's on a bit of a whim after dinner one night, and not one of us had been there before. We had heard it was a fun place, but having no one in the group who actually knew how it would go, I think we all entered a bit apprehensive of what we might find -- what kind of crowd it could be, how fun (or not fun) it would be, etc etc. We were really, really pleasantly surprised! Matilda's is a great little joint for hanging out with friends and getting some great drinks. As some folks have pointed out, the stairs inside are extremely steep and short, meaning you have to be extremely careful when using them. This is not easy when one has been consuming alcohol! But staircase aside, Matilda's is awesome! The service and staff are incredibly cool and welcoming, the drinks were great, and the music customizable (just head to the jukebox at the top of the stairs). The entire place seems great for a small group of friends - its enjoyable and not too large, with no vast expanse of unused open space...it's traditional mixed with trendy, and its conducive to conversation and interaction with friends and other guests, too. We didn't spend much time downstairs but the atmosphere down there looked pretty cool (do stop for an obligatory shot of the sideways "ASS" lights!). I'd definitely suggest Matilda's to anyone that enjoys a fun, more intimate bar atmosphere...and I definitely plan on going back! read more

I can't really vouch for matilda's as everytime i have come here i have immediatly head down stairs towards Baby Atlas. Baby Atlas is my most favorite bar in the neighborhood. Great lighting, chill atmosphere, they are pumping the 90s rap, but not to loud so that you cant chat people up. And they serve drinks out of goblets, this is a major selling point. I can not under estimate these goblets. Everyone raise their drinks and say, "TEN POINTS FOR GRYFINNDOR"! read more

This is my favorite bar (other than Kasey's - my favorite dive) in Chicago. Every time I visit the city I have ALL my friends get together here to get down and have some fun! I started going here about three years ago when I lived down the street. The bartenders are great!! Don't recommend coming for food - only booze and fun activities There is something for everyone - bar upstairs and baby atlas for dancing good times downstairs The mood of the place is always amazing and it makes my heart smile to be there. read more

Matilda's gets a 3 for their super slow service and a beer list that's not as impressive as their ambiance suggests, but I would still totally come back. The food was good and the beer was good. A big group of us had a great time on a Friday night. Drink service was solid and nothing cost too much. My gin rickeys had plenty of booze and didn't break the bank, either. It was cozy and cool, we even headed down the dangerous stairs to Baby Atlas to get our dance on. The dance area is teeny, but it was bumpin' so we didn't mind. It was just straight up FUN. I'm looking forward to going back! read more

I love this place. *good specials during the week. Half Price or $5 appetizers on Thurs (I recommend the quesadilla w/ apples & walnuts). *you can use this place when you feel like having dessert and wine, but your friends want to drink beer and be at a bar. I had the chocolate brownie with ice cream, and it was really good. It surprised me. *People tend to pack in near the front door, so it looks more crowded than it probably is. The back room usually has more space. *Docking a star only because I think the bathroom could use a little face lift. read more

LOVE this place! Magically avoids the awful, smarmy, yuppie, meat market feel that dominates all of the other bars on Sheffield. The interior is great. I feel like I'm stuck inside the "Tonight, Tonight" video from Smashing Pumpkins. Great lighting! (The minimalist exterior does not reflect the interior at all - which is perhaps why this seems like the best kept secret in 60657.) The feel is upscale casual. The bartenders seem nice. I've heard they have great food, but have yet to eat there. More than anything, I appreciate the diverse crowd of people that inhabit the bar. Even on a Friday/Saturday night the bar manages to pull a pretty hip crowd. I'd take just about anyone to Matilda! BEWARE of the stairs leading down to the bathroom. You will break a hip, Gram'ma! read more

This is one of my top five favorite bars, and I think that many people who wrote reviews missed out on a lot of things. Most bars suck on the weekend, and the kind of crowd who comes in is impossible to control without a guestlist, which would suck more. Matilda is a nice, laid back place during the week for the most part. Food is half-price on Monday, and appetizers are half-price on Thursday. I'm a bit biased, living only a couple blocks away, but the food really is quite good, the jukebox has a VERY wide variety of music to choose from, and if you don't like it upstairs, check out Baby Atlas downstairs on Thursdays and bring your own iPod if you don't like the music. Food specials are the same downstairs as up, and Lailaw (the main bartender at Baby Atlas) is awesome. Edit: half-price no longer applies, but appetizers are still $5 on Thursday. Movie night downstairs on Wednesdays from 8-12, normally posted in the window at least a few days in advance. Also, half-price bottles of wine and $5 glasses upstairs and down on Wednesday. Seriously now. read more

Matilda, how i love thee. let me count the ways: 1. one of the best jukeboxes in the city 2. wonderful, wonderful, wonderful bartenders 3. staircase of death (i love a challenge) 4. hacker-pschorr on tap 5. nary a popped collar or puka shell necklace in sight p.s. the scoop on 23 and up: it is enforced at the discretion of the staff, in order to keep hordes of barleycorners from wandering in read more

I want to love Matilda, I do. Mostly because it's only 2 blocks away. Needless to say, I'll definitely make a return trip. Pluses include: -Best cheese fries of my life (add the bacon) -Great beers on tap -Cozy atmosphere -Summer sidewalk seating Minuses: -Pricier drinks than expected -Sloowww service -Michigan bar ...My goal is to show up for a late-night Saturday and discover one of these infamous Baby Atlas dance parties. read more

matilda is cool - average lp bar, drinks, lights, cute bartenders, yeah. BABY ATLAS. BABY ATLAS, BABY ATLAS. BABY ATLAS. if this doesn't catch the yelp search then, well... i dont know. baby atlas is where it's at. only after 12 though, and only if you're ready for it. which, you probably aren't. read more

This place was pretty good. The seats could use restuffing (our booth had a giant hole in the seat that dropped you down four inches), but the food was solid. The steak salad came with a large share of meat, 1 lb pork chop w/side of macaroni was quite filling, and the beer list was great! I haven't been here as a bar yet, but it got the job done as a restaurant. read more

This past weekend, I held a surprise birthday party for my husband in the Baby Atlas (downstairs) portion of the bar. It was the PERFECT location for this event for many reasons as outlined below. 1.) The space was private until 11:00pm! We were able to start setting up just before 5 and my husband was scheduled to show up at 6. It worked out perfectly because we could have friends meet him upstairs in the Matilda part of the bar and invite him to come down to Baby Atlas. 2.) We have been to Matilda several times, but we had never been to Baby Atlas. The space was the perfect size for a group of approx. 40. It is small enough to feel like a full room, but large enough that you do not feel cramped. Our group loved it! 3.) The bartenders were very accommodating and nice. I echo what the previous reviewer said about the amazing-ness of no rental fee for the room and the ability to bring in your own food! 4.) The owner, Kevin, made it REALLY easy to plan the event. I changed my mind a few times about what I wanted to do and he happily made the changes each time. I would recommend Baby Atlas to anyone trying to plan an event like this. Great food, great drinks, fun atmosphere, and totally accommodating. read more

I always enjoy coming here. The staff are great and the drink menu has something for everyone, though I am partial to their creative cocktails. One star is docked for the stairs that you need to take in order to get to the basement restrooms: OH MY GOD. They are so narrow and steep and difficult to navigate while SOBER. I wonder how many drunk people have fallen down and gotten seriously hurt because of them. Please invest in new stairs!!! read more

Fun bar with lots of beer choices and a good amount of food including apps, burgers, sandwiches, etc. Environment is casual and it's nice that they have plenty of seating. There is a $20 minimum to charge so make sure you have cash. On Tuesday they have a really fun trivia night. You can participate in groups and win prizes like a free drink or money off your bill. read more

Came on a Tuesday and sat near one of the front windows. Chairs weren't so comfortable and it was especially awkward to eat, since the tables were lower than our knees. The regular salad wasn't memorable for being good or bad, though at least it wasn't iceberg lettuce. It was $1 fish taco night and I had three of those and they were entirely satisfying. Their chips are perfectly salted and the salsas are nice and seem fresh. I agree that $11 martinis are steep, especially if you're not entirely satisfied with them...I asked for mine very dirty (lewdness not intended) and it simply didn't have enough of that olivey punch I like in a martini. They were cold any ways. They did, however, have a beer special $3 pacificos. So it's possible to keep your bar tab low. read more

Pretty nice bar. too bad a lot of the staff are a-holes. I'm only 21 (shock) and I usually get in fine. I'm not some crazy frat guy, just a relaxed college student wanting to have a few drinks with friends...really...I am. Then occasionally I get the bouncer who decides to finally enforce their 23+ policy. Either do it all the time (including all the hot 21 year old chicks you let in) or don't do it at all! Last time I was there it took 20 minutes to get a vodka soda with lime...which was a little insane; especially considering I got tired of waiting, got one at the bar myself, and already finished half before my slow-ass waitress got back to me with the original drink...with no explanation whatsoever. Did she have to go pick and slice the lime herself? Overall, kinda pricey drinks for the area. $4 Bud Light? Yeah..... I like the feel of the bar, pretty relaxed with places to actually sit down. Good music, but not so loud you can't hear anyone else speak. Pool tables are a nice addition. Too bad when I was there they were mostly being used by a pack of Lincoln Park macho d-bags. Spiked hair, unbuttoned Cubs jerseys and/or sideways hats, screaming and hitting each other in the face every time someone sank a ball. Really? These are the people that you make sure you let in? When normal-behaving 21/22 year-olds like me get hung up at the door. Classy.... Might want to re-assess they policy of yours. read more

Matilda's earned a solid two star rating.. The good: the music and the actual space. Our group first met upstairs at a long table. The paintings on the walls and light fixtures made me feel like I was in some sort of gray-scale womb. Our group outgrew the upstairs, so we moved downstairs instead and were greeted by red and blue lights and half-naked mannequins. It totally felt like someone's basement, but in a good way. The bad: $11 for a martini that tasted so disgusting I could not finish it? Being served a beer that has a fly floating in it? $10 credit card minimum? No thanks. The ugly: those stairs to the basement. I had difficulty walking down them and I had not yet started drinking. I'm in no hurry to go back, but would agree to go if others picked the place. read more

Whatever you do don't order whiskey neat, or any whiskey drink period. $11.50 for an Evan Williams neat, or a cocktail, the price margin doesn't make sense, that's a full bottle of Evan Williams, plus the service sucks, bartenders are doing shots and ignoring customers, if I could I would label this as a shitty college bar, with very inflated prices for low level booze read more

Love this place for watching games. Great setup on both sides of the bar and great beer selection.

I love Matilda. It's probably my favorite bar in Chicago. I love the fact that you can dance downstairs at Baby Atlas, but then go relax upstairs at Matilda. The bartenders are very nice. I've gone a few times during the week. Their food is good too! read more

The BEST cheese fries I have ever had! They have or did have 1/2 price happy hour appitizers! The fries had cheese, sour cream, more cheese, bacon and well they were unbelivable. read more

Came in for a quick after dinner drink. Got the Revolution Anti-Hero IPA which on their menu is a standard $6.50 but they had a special which made it only $3.50 so I was very happy with that. Their stairs to the bathrooms are incredibly steep so go before you get drunk. Also their non-bank ATM does not charge you a fee which is awesome but do know that if your bank charges you for using a different ATM they will still charge you. read more

I am torn on this spot. It is a solid place to grab a cocktail and apps are good and the staff is friendly. In any other town ot would be a solid 4 star play, but with so many choices in Chicago this place lacks a bit of an identity. It just kind of average. I will say that I want to try again and see if its something I am missing. Perhaps next drink I get on there will be better. read more

Hit this place up on a Wednesday night, and was very impressed! The decor is awesome, the fish tacos very good, and the wine list decent. The staff seemed very down-to-earth and like this was both their work and play place. Haven't been to Baby Atlas, but like Matilda enough that I would check it out next time. read more

It would've been one star, but the staff was so cool that I had to give another one. The food is not good. If I had known it would be bad quality from the beginning, I would've adjusted my expectations appropriately. But their website brags about how they use such good ingredients and it takes time to prepare. Um...no you don't use good ingredients. I ordered the tilapia. Ok, maybe I shouldn't have ordered fish at a bar, but the description sounded good on the menu. It included "seasonal vegetables." Ok, great... Um, they weren't seasonal. It was clearly a frozen vegetable medley. You know--carrots, broccoli and cauliflower. The tilapia itself was so disgusting. It was supposed to be pan seared in wine with dill and lemon. It was slimy because they must've put flour on it, but it wasn't actually breaded, and then it was really overpowering with lemon. I didn't see dill anywhere. It was like eating a mushy, slimy bite of lemon. My friend that I was with didn't like his food either. I didn't have the heart to tell the server that the fish was so awful, and was prepared to just scrape the sliminess off and eat the plain fish. But he insisted on telling her. She was pretty cool about it, and took the plate back. I got the quesadillas instead. They were pretty tasty, but from what she said when I was ordering, it was "pre-made". But I thought their website said everything is made from scratch? Confusing. One nice thing is that they gave a side of free guacamole to say sorry...however the guacamole was pretty brown and oxidized by then. I know brown guac isn't necessarily bad, but it was sort of funny that this was the sorry gift. My friend didn't like his food either, and didn't finish it. It was one of the flat breads, which I consider to be more typical bar food. But it was really soggy in the middle, and the taste just wasn't that great. If you're really drunk and you come to this bar and just want to drink and maybe have some bar food, I am sure it's a great place. Your taste buds will be desensitized, so it should be fine. But do NOT under any circumstances come here for dinner. Not good. read more

Always a solid bet. Nice beer selection, good food. The staff is friendly and helpful. We came in looking for a table on a crowded day and they literally put a new one down. The crowd is chill, mixed and has no traces of the the typical lakeview bros. Great vibes all around. read more

Matilda - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place gets two stars for their beer selection and their fish tacos. For some reason they keep getting more expensive and their renovations are ruining their unique aura. No jukebox? No pool table? TV's with no sound for sports? Why did you get TV's then!? I can get a 312 almost anywhere in this neighborhood for less than $6. Matilda may have once received 4 stars, but it is fading fast... read more

So far, this is my favorite lounge in the Lakeview neighborhood. Chill, clean and reasonably priced. The bar staff is very courteous and genuine. The mood is chill and mature, as in, you won't run into any college nutbars. read more

I would actually say that Matilda-Babyatlas ranks among my bottom five restaurants in all of Chicagoland. The first red flag was when our drink orders took 20 minutes to bring out, and the waitress brought the drinks out individually over a period of 10 minutes. The same thing happened with the food (which was just normal grade bar food), over an hour after we ordered it. I would try and blame the poor service on the fact that there seemed to be only 1 waitress working, but that didn't stop her from constantly stopping to talk to all the other bartenders for most of the night. As a bar, though, it's not bad. The music isn't too loud, the bar service is quick (we ended up ordering drinks at the bar, since service was so slow), and they have a wide selection of beers. Also, as a personal pet peeve, putting up a sign that says "No one under 23 admitted" and serving regular ketchup in plastic cups instead of just putting the bottle on the table doesn't make you a higher class establishment, it just makes you pretentious. read more

I just want to preface with saying we went at 6:00 on a Friday night and the place was dead. However, the atmosphere was very enjoyable. There were several eccentric pieces on the wall like an upside down Guinness sign and an upside down Christmas tree, and there was a constant stream of indie music playing, which I LOVED! My boyfriend and I sat at the bar and ordered the cheese fries appetizer and the $1 pulled pork sliders (they were on special). The cheese fries were simply AMAZING! I'm talking about the absolute best cheese fries I ever had. The ginormous platter was full of what seemed to be fresh-cut fries, a montage of cheeses and fresh, crumbled bacon. Oh, and did I mention it was served with a cup of cheese on the side? read more

THE STAIRS OF DEATH!!! So you walk into this place, and it's exactly what you expect for this part of town, no real WOW factor - just another bar. Or so I thought! Weave and dive, wiggle and bummping your way through the crowd towards the back of the bar you come across this drop off that could only be described as "The stairs of death" for any non-sober minded individual. The basement as it were, was like traveling back in time. Michael Jackson, Boys II Men, Vanilla Ice..... yea - it was freaking AWESOME. A little cramped, and loud - but the prices were what you would pay anywhere, but the entertainment was spectacular! Drunks stumbling and falling over all the random steps and dimensions. The "VIP" seating was ragged and worn - yet I found myself happily enjoying my rare trips downtown. PS. If it's winter - and you bring a jacket - DON"T set it down here..... We say 3 -5 people say their coats were stolen. Just a friendly FYI read more

Popped in for a post dinner drink on a Fri night. We arrived around 10pm and the place was 1/2 empty, within 45 minutes it was totally packed. The decor was dark, arty, with 80's music blaring and a mostly 20 something crowd. I did notice the bar is 23 and up, meaning too bad if you are 21 or 22, you're not gettting in. I had never heard of that before, but I guess with De Paul close by they are trying to keep out the new to drinking legal, over jager'd "Steve Holt!"'s of the world. Anyways..... There were prob bout 7 beers on tap, a full bar, and though I didn't try to traverse downstairs there was another room with hippity-hop and I guess dancing. The stairs totally looked like a steep, slippery lawsuit waiting to happen. We sat byt he bar and had a few rounds before taking the party home. Not a bad spot but nothing really to write home about. read more