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    Old Town Ale House

    4.2 (331 reviews)
    InexpensivePubs, Dive Bars
    Open 3:00 pm - 4:00 am (Next day)

    Old Town Ale House Photos

    OLD TOWN ALE HOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Moderate noise
    Juke Box
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Old Town Ale House

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    Shawn C.

    This was a Chicago dive bar bucket list for me and my husband. We took my brother here who was visiting from Austin TX for drinks after spending the entire day downtown at Christmas time. We plannned on hopping a few bars in Old town , but my brother and hubby said " Lets just chill here ! Diggin the vibe". This place was featured by Bourdain and we love old town so we made it happen today. It is now our new favorite "dive" in Chitown. From the art work , the simple drinks, the people we met .... And just so you know ... cash only but an atm is offered . Just do it .

    a variety of portraits of men
    Chun P.

    Old Town Ale House was featured in a couple of Anthony Bourdain episodes, and also conveniently located right across from the Second City theaters, so we just had to check it out. It's not quite a dive bar, the owner's savvy and humorous paintings cover most of the walls, creating fun and relaxed atmosphere. At night, its warmly lit, almost as if it was a romantic restaurant. There seemed to be a lot of locals, maybe a few tourists. No cover charge. Beers ranged from $6-8, wells gin & tonics $8, making this a very affordable drinking hole. Doorman and bartenders were all friendly, as well as the regulars. Great place to chill before or after your Second City show, or just in general.

    Deanna S.

    Always a great option after comedy show! Many of the comedians also come here at night and can be good opportunity to chat! Cash only but so affordable it's worth it! Such good vibes and good people. Easy to have drink in hand any night of the week! One of my favorite bars in the city for sure!

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    Steve A.

    For sure this is what a dive bar should be. It may not have the cheapest drinks, but there's lots of other things about it that make it so. Old Town Ale House has been around for a long time. Gets so dark inside even during the day. The walls are covered with the most interesting artwork, and that alone is reason enough to check it out. Basically it's a classic. It's had a lot of visitors come through. There's evidence of this on the walls. Paintings of the celebrities who have been here fill one side of the bar. These include Anthony Bourdain, Jimmy Kimmel, and many others. Cool artwork above the bar. There's some funny nude paintings of politicians. Other than the art, the main thing is the drinks. There's cheap and expensive. Cheap beer comes in cans. It's about $8 for a Stiegl on tap. Good liquor choices. It's about $10 for most cocktails. This place isn't as cheap as it was but there's still a few specials. It's cash only. The only bad thing about this place it seems. Good place to check out artwork and get drinks. It's pretty crowded because space is limited. The bar is cash only so before coming out some money in the wallet.

    Kyle P.

    After nearly ten years of stopping in every few months, this remains one of my favorite bars in the city. Not necessarily for the beers or mixed drinks, you can get the same or better just about anywhere else. It's the vibe. It's the incredible jukebox with records ranging from Count Basie and Tony Bennett to Howlin' Wolf and Tom Waits. It's the crazy paintings on the wall, showcasing the heroes from across the street, and the criminals who permeate our government. It's the kind of place that's too few and far between, your classic watering hole filled with regulars, folks who know, and visitors from all over the country. The bartenders will happily strike up a conversation with you, and just as happily leave you alone. You'll see people who might as well have their name on the barstool, folks who have probably been kicked out more than once, and people just having a really good time over a couple of beers. It's always a pleasure to come in and feel like you've transported forty or fifty years back. This place isn't trying to be trendy, and it certainly isn't desperately trying to be cool or coax people in. But it doesn't need to, like the owner himself, it wears who it is proudly on its sleeve and demands a little bit of honesty, humility, and for you to leave your bs at the door. Come in, have a beer, and enjoy the best jukebox and wildest decor in the city.

    Cat N.

    One of my favorite neighborhood bars I've ever been to while traveling, and I can imagine would be a too-frequent haunt if I did live in town. I could tell why there were so many regulars popping in for a quick drink and hello and others staying to watch the game. I hate saying "the vibe," but the vibe indeed was warm and comforting, in a quirky but well-decorated space. The staff (Steve and Chris) were so friendly and helpful. I fully expected them to roll their eyes when I asked for a hazy IPA, but they patiently let me try what local drafts they had (I ended up really liking Half Acre). They knew I was a tourist, roasted me just the right amount, but fielded all of my questions about the best pizza and hot dog anyways. Most incredibly: Chris took the time to write down a TON of recommendations for me for not only pizza and hot dogs, but breweries, whiskey bars, and Italian beef joints he thought I would like. I immediately wanted to go back the next day, and would have if I didn't have such a short time to explore the city - and more cash, as they are cash only.

    Charley B.

    This is the neighborhoodiest of neighborhood bars and a dive among dives. Word says this is a popular hangout for Second City performers, and I can see why. Its walls are filled with wild art and the portraits of famous customers. It has a good taplist, too, a mix of macro and locally brewed beers. The locals are friendly and happy to discuss all things Chicago.

    Tracy M.

    Cash only but there is an ATM available. If you're a Trump fan, you probably wouldn't appreciate the paintings hung of him in a straight jacket. There was some interesting artwork through the whole place. Our group didn't have any cocktails so you can't really mess up drafts, bottles, and cans. I wish the windows opened bc it was a little stuffy. Typical old dive bar that met that expectation.

    portraits of men and women

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    9 months ago

    Great, dark dive bar. Great place to escape the heat, or cold in Chicago. Cash only, cold beer, well mixed drinks

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    6 months ago

    Beautiful paintings on the walls, great service, chill vibes. I just came for one drink at 3:30am on a Sunday. Great late night spot

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    1 year ago

    The vibe is fantastic! The jute box, the paintings, the wood - I was so happy to be there!

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    2 years ago

    Incredible art inside, Anthony bourdain approved and an overall fun vibe, good beer selection, no food.

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    Page 1 of 9

    Ask the Community - Old Town Ale House

    Review Highlights - Old Town Ale House

    My husband and I stopped in for a beer after a show at Second City - we love a good dive bar, and so we had to check it out.

    Mentioned in 33 reviews

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    Mom's Place

    Mom's Place

    (167 reviews)

    $$

    Near North Side

    Quiet enough to talk but rowdy enough to have fun! The music and atmosphere hit that sweet spot…read morewhere it feels energetic without being overwhelming. Just make sure you know what you signed up for with the karaoke room :) It definitely gets crowded on weekends and usually charges a cover. Regardless, no other bar quite does it like Mom's Place! - AD

    Nice big spot to get your drink on and have a great time!…read more A group of us ventured out to Mom's Place after a few in the group had been before and wanted to go back. This was about 3 weeks before Christmas in 2025 on a Saturday night. As soon as you walk in and up the stairs, you are greeted by a ceiling hung Christmas lights display like you've never seen. It has to have been a nightmare to put these all up or, God forbid, have to chase down a bad bulb! I'd have to assume that these are up year-round. But look closely at the ceiling for all the additional bits-and-bobs hanging about. Several saxophones and other instruments along with statues and other "things". You could spend all night just walking around looking at the ceiling. There are several TV's, tuned to sporting events during my visit, to choose from. When we arrived, it was moderately busy. Throughout the two hours we were there, it probably tripled in capacity. But still comfortable. A band had been setting up and you never know what you're going to get with a cover band. I wish I knew the name of the band because they were great. Guitar, Bass, Fiddle, 3 Female Singers and I believe the Guitar player was singing periodically. I've seen and played in a lot of bands over the years. It's sometimes hard to pull off the multiple singer thing, especially when applying vocal harmonies. Again, I hate that I don't recall the name of this band because they absolutely crushed it. Their vocals and sound were tight and on point. Great band. It was Dec 08, 2025, if that's any help. There's also a downstairs but I didn't go down there. Some in my group did and they said it was more of the same, so I didn't give up my real estate that I was comfortable in and stuck where I was at. Would I go back? Yes. Great spot with good drinks and great people working the bar. A plus, for me, was that they had the real Strongbow Dry Cider, in the black cans, which is difficult to find in the US anymore.

    Marquee Lounge

    Marquee Lounge

    (123 reviews)

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    Bad vibes and rude staff? They're proving you can do it all!…read moreCame in for one drink and went to close out. I wanted to pad the tab so tried to order a green tea shot. I realize it's not the simplest shot to make. The gray-haired bartender refused as it was too much work for one shot. Fair enough, I said I'd get two. He said making fewer than four was "a pain in the ass" and he wouldn't do it. Never mind then! Paid, tipped, and started to leave. Didn't want to interrupt the guys impersonation of a bartender for too long. I did mention it to the door staff as I was leaving and they had a problem too. Told me "yeah he's 100% right". Whatever! If the rude service isn't enough, maybe you'll like the copaganda around the bar. I recommend pretty much anywhere else.

    Awful experience. My fiancé and I stopped by for a cocktail before checking out tuxedo shops for…read moreour wedding, and I wish we hadn't. The bartender was rude and unpleasant from the start. While we were waiting for our drinks, he was arguing with two Hispanic men right next to us--for quite a while. When he finally served our drinks, he only brought one, forgetting my fiancé's order. We tried to be patient, but we had an appointment to get to. My fiancé politely said, "Excuse me, I didn't get my drink," and the bartender snapped back, "You didn't order a drink." When my fiancé clarified, the bartender doubled down and said, "No, you didn't, and if you have a problem, you can leave too." At that point, the two men walked out, and we should have, too. Needless to say, this place is a hard pass. Cringe vibes, rude staff, and no sense of customer service. If I could give 0 stars, I would. Surprised this place is still in business given the similar reviews I've seen. Old man needs therapy.

    Richard's Bar - Walk in

    Richard's Bar

    (346 reviews)

    $

    River West, West Loop, Near West Side, West Town

    Great little Chicago dive bar. Love the location. Feels like it's got a lot of history. All our MC…read moreinitiations were done there.

    A loyal Subscriber mentioned to me that she had spent time in Chicago but never had a chance to…read morevisit. So I visited it in her stead (another benefit of subscribing to AfterActionReport.info). Quite simply the best maintained dive bar I have ever had the pleasure of drinking in and an AAR Must Drink. Most dive bars have a fair amount of seed and are in need of some repair, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Not this place, as the spotless tile floor was completely intact, all the swivel barstools (each branded "Richard's Bar" across the back) still swiveled, and the tin ceiling stunning. It's coming up on a hundred years, but the entire joint has been as lovingly cared for as it is cleaned daily. The place has a slight smell of cigarettes. When I mentioned to Joe the bartender, that "I didn't think you could still legally smoke in a bar in this country." He replied "You can't, but people do," as he placed an ashtray next to my beer. All that, and Norm Wendt's brother-in-law bought me a bottle of Old Style because it was his birthday, which was drunk while listening to Steve Lawrence on the jukebox. Norm Wendt's sister then recommended a place for fondue so . . . Located in Old Town, Geja's Cafe is a very romantic warren of a restaurant that offers the best fondue in Chicago. A father/son team ("the Marios") served me the International (tenderloin, shrimp, chicken), a solid Flackhattan and some live flamenco guitar.

    Old Town Ale House - pubs - Updated May 2026

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