What a place this is! This is as throwback as you will get in Chicago. You literally walk into another era upon walking through the red, green, and white entrance. There are always a wide array of people. You have your local drunks, possible Mafioso, young-ins searching for a sweet dive, and just your normal run of the mill bar folk. I decided to take my friend here as part of his bachelor party "dive bar" crawl. Everyone absolutely loved it and we ended up spending the majority of our evening here. I also learned that I was probably the only person at the bachelor party that doesn't smoke, but the everyone seemed to appreciate Richards (hint hint). If you haven't been here you are missing out! Cheap drinks, great services, old school, pickled eggs = a great night! read more

This place is straight swank. Hands down. I walk in because i smell cigar smoke wafting out. Open the door, you got three, no effing around guys who look like they're probably all named either joey, vinny, or donny, intuitively pouring healthy drinks for regulars and noobs alike. All without almost ever making an expression or uttering a word. You got Frank Sinatra playing on the old-skool jukebox, and a couple dancing in the corner. I am not making this up. Then after the best collection of classic and vintage neon beer signs that would make even the non-admirer inextricably and inexplicably envious, it finally registers in your mind and your eyes are drawn to the side wall where, BAM! You're hit with a hollywood-proportioned, 15 foot long Goodfellas poster, and i'm afraid it just seals the deal. If i died right at this moment, i'd die a happy man. After all, I just walked into heaven read more

Richard's Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Every time I hear "My Kind of Town" I picture myself sitting at the bar at Richard's. I feel like Frank could walk in the door at any minute, order some whiskey and punch me out for no discernible reason*. That's right... My Kind of Bar. So everyone, join with me.... This is my kind of town, Chicago is My kind of town, Chicago is My kind of people too People who smile at you *If the Chairman of the Board found out that my infamous nipple dance originated at Richard's that is probably reason enough. read more

I am not sure why I like Richard's so much. It could be the eclectic mix of entertaining patrons, like the elderly cougar who frequents the place in her tight mini skirts, or the middle-aged 4' 7" mafioso who put the moves on my 6' friend Jennifer I. Perhaps it's the carefree atmosphere. I recall swing dancing to country music on one visit and singing along, with the rest of the bar, to a Neil Diamond song on another. It could be the total randomness of the place, like signs advertising hard boiled eggs for 75 cents. I haven't worked up the courage to try one yet. Maybe it's the music selection on the juke box. I don't believe it includes a single album released after the 80's. Whatever the reason, I find myself willing to overlook flaws like inconsistent pours and a blind eye being turned to smoking patrons. Richard's has a certain charm, a certain je ne sais quoi. Yes, I do realize I just used French to describe a dive bar. Sometimes I can be classy like that. read more

Not so much a tavern as an entrance into the Twilight Zone. There are honestly people in this place who can not possibly exist in real life. The kind of people you see walking down the street in Chicago who appear as though the decades might just have passed them by. Those people whose stories would be so interesting (yet incomprehensible) that you could sit by the fire with them for hours, if you weren't afraid they were going to stab you. It's fitting to find Richard's Bar off the Grand stop on the blue line. For the longest time I never saw anyone get on or off the train at this stop. I honestly wondered if anything existed above it. The vortex this El stop created must have been looking for something to fill it and formed Richard's Bar. If you ever want to escape from reality for a little while, be it the hipster reality further up the blue line or the douchebagette reality of the red line, this is the place. To call Richard's a dive bar is not giving it enough credit. Sure it's got old school bartenders and outdated movie posters on the wall and a cigarette pricing board for drink special (really this should be at every bar) but there's no feeling of kitsch at all. This place seems to honestly not know it's outdated and that's a wonderful feeling. I think even the electric is outdated or stuck in the vortex as the lights just sort of went out multiple times. Though this only added to the effect. I can't think of another place in Chicago where two prostitutes (Mary T. and I tried to take up a collection to buy for Ryan L. one of these for his birthday but failed), the world's worst transvestite, 70-year-old swingers, and a group of drunken Yelpers could congeal on Valentine's night and have it all make sense. As much sense as anything can make at Richard's at least. read more

I can't remember the guy's name, probably michael or david or john or scott or matt, but he had me meet him at Richard's, which was fine with me because I didn't have much hope for the date. Since I had no idea what the guy looked like, I sat down at the bar and ordered a beer. Probably some swill in a bottle but it didn't matter, I was nervous, it was daylight, and I had never been to Richard's before. "Hey, have you been here before?" asked the smiling, grandfatherly bartender. "No, this is my first time," I answered. He gave me a look of pity and envy, as if he wished he could experience coming into Richard's for the first time all over again. "Well," he said, "You should never be afraid to come here and drink alone. We are good to all of our customers, and this is a safe place for women to drink." Safe? Are some bars unsafe for women? I'm not bar-experienced (especially at the time of this story, a couple years ago) so I guess it was reassuring in an unassuring way that I could drink alone and not get hit on at Richard's. As the bartender smiled, he handed me a small laminated free drink card. "Please come back and have a drink on us!" Wow. I have never felt so welcome in a place. I kinda wished my date, whoever he was, didn't show up so I could spend more time with the guys behind the bar. read more

I finally popped my cherry. Richard had me the other night, and it was.....nice. No Gere, Dreyfuss, Marx, Martin or Lion Heart. Just the bar. Cool vibe, nice music, a lot of youngsters who drink a bit too much and talk a bit too loud. Never mind - I liked the old look, the Al Capone pictures and my glass of belated birthday whiskey (thank you, Nishan!). Would go back for more, this time along with hard-boiled eggs. I thought these were only found in rural France and ancient Parisian institutions. I dig. As usual - call me. read more

There are two kinds of people in the world. The type that instinctively understand how special a dive bar can be and those that miss the point altogether and walk out pretty quickly after arriving. Richard's is a classic. It's an old school bar. As all of the reviews say, it's definitely a 'dive bar.' If you're the type that returns from the rest room in a restaurant and tell your friend Chip that he really needs to, "check out the marble countertops in the men's room," then you are going to absolutely hate this place. Which is just fine, since that will leave a free bar stool for those of us who appreciate where they are. So take your friend Chip and get the eff outta here ! CASH only. Amazing jukebox. read more

Between the second hand smoke and the super cheap drinks it's pretty easy to end up being sick from a Richard's visit. No one really cares though. It's like making out withl your biggest crush ever even though you KNOW they have strep throat. The juice is just worth the squeeze. Why you ask? I really can't put my finger on it. Possibly the history? Perhaps the fact that it's right next to La Scarola? It could be all the friendly alcoholics you'll encounter anytime after 8 in the morning? Those cheap drinks I mentioned certainly don't hurt either... Richard's is just cool, and as long as it's open it probably always will be. read more

This is a classic Chicago bar! If visiting from out of town, must stop to see! Old school music and old school service! Cash only but they have an ATM. Check out their website. https://richardsbarbrands.com read more

Really? What can I say that's different than the 70 other reviews here on Yelp proclaiming the greatness that is Richard's? I'm not sure if it can be done. It's a dive bar complete with: *old man bartenders that remind me of my grandfather who passed well over 25 years ago, RIP. *Jukebox. Enough said. *Screen door. * Diverse crowd - aging yuppies and hipsters side by side along with their pop culture progeny. Plus regular Joes and Janes. And lets not forget Lincoln Park's finest: Trixie and Chad. What's great about the diversity is everyone is interacting with each other. It's like the high school that never was. *It has Rat Pack memorabilia all over the place which makes me feel that there are other not so nice connections as well. *They make a fine amaretto sour. I should know. I had at least a dozen one night. On my birthday for the year *cough*. *and last but not least - 75 cent hard boiled eggs, which are great for hangovers. Don't ask me how I know that. Plus it's fabulous for celebrating birthdays, especially number *ahem*. And I did get a nice surprise at last call, but that's special just for me. Whatyaknow?! I did have something different to say from the other 70 reviews. read more

Remember the days before the smoking ban when you would go to a bar and leave reeking of smoke and would have to go home and immediately shower to get rid of the smell? Well, if you want to relive those days, go to Richard's. Had I known this to be a haven for smokers, I wouldn't have set foot in it. I noticed the smell immediately, but thought it was wafting in from people smoking outside. Then right after my friend had already bought drinks, I saw that at least half the people in there were smoking (despite the--clearly ironic--"No smoking" sign above the bar). My gin and tonic was pretty tasty, but after standing in there for ten minutes, my nose was starting to burn from the smoke. I just don't have a tolerance for it anymore. We guzzled our drinks as quickly as possible and moved on to another bar. If you're looking for a bar where smoking is still permitted, by all means, come here. If you're like me and think the smoking ban was the best thing ever, then avoid it like the plague. read more

I've been going to Richard's before it was proclaimed a "dive" bar. Once it was the only bar in a desolate area that used to be known as River West and it was once the only place a stressed out nightclub marketing person could go and compose herself when things were going apeshit crazy in the trenches. No one bothered to look up from their boilermakers if you burst into tears because your boss was being a jerk. The bartender just added a little more Hannah Hog vodka to your drink and patted your hand and handed you a bev nap. Movers from Pickens Kane would jump start your crappy car when you left the lights on for six hours and the guys from Blommers would slip you some chocolate covered raisins on the down low. Damn kids and your internet. read more

Now that dive bars are cool, people want every place to be a dive bar. I've read reviews that describe Big Chicks as a dive bar. Big Chicks is not a dive bar. Richard's is a dive bar. The biggest surprise about Richard's is the variety of people who show up. There's everyone from the old men and women who have been drinking there since before it was cool to guys in pin-striped shirts. The beer is cheap, the room is cramped, and the lighting is not flattering. The jukebox is loud, and it's none of this fancy-schmantsy Internet jukebox. But there's a great collection of tunes. People say they love dive bars for a lot of reasons. They love the character, they love the characters. They love the cheap booze, they love the great jukebox. Here's the secret about dive bars. It's a well-known secret, so it should come as no surprise, but no one speaks of it. People love dive bars because the normal rules of social interaction are suspended. A dive bar is a place where a middle aged fat man can dance across the floor and people cheer instead of saying, "Who's that faggot?" A 60 year old woman can flirt with a 30 year old guy, and no one gets freaked out. And no one takes it seriously. At Richard's last Saturday night, a straight friend of mine had his ass grabbed by another straight guy, who then apologized, saying he thought he was grabbing a different guy's ass. In Lincoln Park, this would have led a fist fight. Here, it's shrugged off. A couple of notes about Richards. If you enter on Milwaukee, you walk right into the bar. If you enter on Grand, you go through a small foyer before you hit the bar. There's a table and chairs in the foyer, and it makes a great escape from the main bar, if you need it. Second, those hard boiled eggs? Those should be pickled eggs. Maybe they are, for all I know. If I was 20 years younger and dumber, Richard's is the kind of place where I would get into some serious trouble. I can say this with authority because I used to be 20 years younger and dumber. read more

There are ladies smoking. (It's 2014.) The bartender is sharpening a knife on a flint. He's smoking too. The hipsters mingle seamlessly with the long-time regulars. This is a bar's bar. read more

Oh, Richard's. Things I don't love about you: you're not a speck of Irish, and you sometimes smoke like a chimney. Things I love about you: everything else. Richard's, unfortunately, condones smoking. Last night, I walked out reeking of an ash tray. The smoke was in my hair, in my eyes, in my nose, in my mouth, on my coat and on my clothes. It's just like the old days of hacking in bars and having to do laundry the next day to get the smoke out of your clothes. Richard's. Smoke gets in your eyes, but with any love there's always at least a little pain. Five cigarettes. read more

One of the best jukeboxes ever. It's chock full of great singalong songs. There's always dancing. Always. I have nothing more to add that hasn't already been said more than 100 times, except to share a story (ask me sometime) about when I took a year break from this place and finally returned. I had a great night, even though some of my past came back to haunt me. Get yourself there now. Don't forget your cash, kiddos. read more

I don't think I will ever come/leave here sober...I don't think I will ever leave here without smelling like a pack of cigs. People smoke in here. It's gross. They have a great jukebox. Lot's of drunk dancing. It's a shit show to say the least....but a fun one at that. Richard's is truly a Chicago dive. read more

You know how when you laugh or smile too hard for too long you get those pains on the sides of your head sort of behind your ears? That's me every time I go to Richard's Bar. Between the dancing, the sing/yelling, the oldies (including the music), the perfectly-timed raising and lowering of the self during "Shout" and the booze, Richard's creates a perfect utopia encompassing all those hilarious wedding reception dance floor moments you've ever experienced. I lose my voice every single time I go, and I'm sure it's because I always wind up standing or sitting next to the juke, but the pains in the back of my head tell me that it's completely worth it. read more

I spent so much time at Richard's this past weekend that they should have given me a cot to sleep on in the back room! I like Richard's. I like the salty bartenders with stories up the wazoo. I like the cheap beer and I even like the hard boiled eggs. It's a fun place to hang out whether you're on a date or looking for some trouble with your girlfriends. The jukebox is indeed awesome and eclectic, but not a very big selection. I guess what I'm trying to say is it contains fun music, but be prepared to hear several songs over and over again while you're here. read more

Woo! Deep breath. Strong drinks, cheap beers, lotsa smoke. That being said, I can see why this establishment is a favorite of the agency. The jukebox gets everyone's blood pumpin and the slight high from the smoke will really put you in the mood. The only downside? You guessed it, smelly clothes. It's been awhile since I've had to get something dry cleaned duh to cigar smoke, but hey, it comes with the territory. You'll definitely have a story to tell after one night at Richard's Bar. Sidenote: Cash ONLY. AND- the ladies powderoom was very clean, impressive! read more

My friend has been raving about this place forever, so since I was in the neighborhood on a recent Saturday night, I stopped in to check it out. It was much brighter than I'd imagined, but the jukebox was just as good as she said it was...possibly as good as "the Lodge", but I didn't hear enough selections to be able to say for certain. We got there early enough to find some space of our own, but you could tell that it can get pretty packed since the crowd nearly doubled in size during the short time we were there. Personally, I'd like to be able to sit at the bar and have a conversation with some of the Seniors there since I'm betting they have some pretty interesting stories to tell. We had a good time but didn't stay long as we had another stop to make, but I'll be back for sure! One word of advice, though...don't stand next to that exhaust fan in the front. It stinks! read more

Hooray for Richards! Love it here! It's a great time and drinks are cheap. I also love the fact that all beer and their respective prices are listed on the menu above the bar. What can I say, I'm a visual person!! The jukebox is loaded with all the oldies and you shouldn't feel embarrassed if you wanna dance and sing-a-long. Lord knows I did. Had a great time here and I'll be back soon! read more

A true throwback dive bar - and not the ironic kind that draws hipsters and world travelers. $4 Old Style bottles (don't ask what's on tap, there is no tap), Sinatra on the juke box (music made since 1990 need not apply), video slots that spit out tickets and styrofoam cups full of used cigarettes, a food menu that consists of hard boiled eggs and potato chips, that's how Richard's rolls. And don't even think about breaking out a credit card...greenbacks are the only coin of the realm. Open early, open late, friendly service, and I defy you to be sober after spending $30. Not for everyone, but definitely for me! read more

"You might forget your manners You might refuse to stay And so the best that I can do is pray....." This best sums up Richards Bar. The place is so freaking cool and totally awesome! It has to be the best bar I have been to in Chicago and maybe ever. From the old school, cool as hell bartenders to the jukebox that refuses to quit this place is really a diamond in the rough. I went here for my first informal Yelp gathering and it couldn't have been better. They have no draft beer, take no plastic and only have crooners on the jukebox. I stayed here way late and had too many bottles of Peroni, but it was way worth it. If you love Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, no frills bars where the crowd is lively, dancing and awesome you have to go here. Hands down - best bar ever! I heart Richards Bar read more

This is a must do if you are drunk and looking for a random place to go at night....but for me once was enough. The crowd is pretty mixed - hipsters, preps, old people, underage people....it seems they pull from everywhere which is cool and allows for some great people watching. What makes it random: -they sell hard boiled eggs (someone in my group bought a dozen and they came in the carton) -They sell beef jerky in a jar - not individually wrapped. While maybe not sanitary, it is delicious -They don't ever have someone carding at the door. While I am well over 21, I couldn't help but think about how this would have been good to know when I was underage -There is a "No Smoking" sign written in permanent market and hung with tape over a shelf where cigarettes are for sale. Smoking is completely allowed and no one seems to mind -Jukebox is playing all night - some good old oldies play all night Personally this is best to do on a bar crawl - go in, experience it, laugh, eat a hard boiled egg, and go. I went a second time and didn't have nearly as much fun because it wasn't novel anymore. read more

The pickled egg, that is all! Ok, the juke box too. Alright and the location, great to go to after an always great meal at picolo sogno. The divy quality is everything you want a dive bar to be. The bartender happy to serve a cocktail or pbr. I've always been a fan and forever will be. I wished I lived closer because I'd be there each weekend. read more

Charming dive bar. Yes, it's an oxymoron, but it's the only way to describe Richards. This place has that something special, a great jukebox and awesome bartenders (that are older than my great grandparents but are still sharp) and pour a mean drink. This place gets very packed on the weekends but I have been lucky enough on each visit to belly up to the bar. The crowd is really diverse. Anywhere from early twenties to late sixties and everything in between. I have had great memorable nights at this place and can't wait to return for another random experience. If you are not a smoker or can not stand to be around smokers, this is NOT the place for you. I hate to beat a dead horse but there are a lot of reviewers complaining about the smoke. You probably knew what you were getting yourself into before you walked into the door, I'm not sure why everyone is surprised. read more

It's 2012...smoking in bars is not legal. Someone forgot to tell Richard that. Like a previous reviewer, we were looking for a nightcap after dinner at next door La Scarola. We were in Richard's Bar for all of 60 seconds, couldn't take the cigarette smoke. Nasty. read more

A haiku: A crowded dive bar that's decorated like an Italian dude's dorm read more

Ok, I'm torn about this place. It's a smoke filled place that absolutely doesn't give a #$%# about laws and rules. It's a dive bar's dive bar. It's smoke filled (did i mention that?). Not just smokey but literally as if all 8 people that were in there had smoked two packs of cigarettes. They have a good selection of beers at an inexpensive price and they pretty much let you drink your drinks on the streets if you're waiting to be seated at La Scarola (restaurant next door) The 34 year old me would hate to bring my wife here and go home reeking of cigarette smoke but the 34 year old me who is reliving his 25-28 year old days would probably love to frequent this bar as a starter/ender of the night. read more

Stopped by during a recent visit to Chicago. Inside and outside, it looks like a dive bar teleported here from 1974. It might look a tad intimidating for newbies, but it's got a great, relaxed atmosphere. Friendly bartenders, diverse crowd, rat pack on the jute box and hard-boiled eggs. It's got it all. You might get your ass kicked however, if you refer to anyone behind the bar as mixologists or order something fancier than a beer and a shot. Oh, and the hand written "no smoking" sign is ignored by all. If you want to reminiscence about what it smelled like after a night of bar hopping in the 20th century, this is the place to be. read more

A true dive bar that is in no way hipster. My native Chicagoan friends called it an"Old Chicago bar" Loved every second of it. Cops, fireman, locals. Great drinks. Shots. Beers. Cloudy air (ahem) I dont mind a bit. A+++++. Every town needs a couple of these, Richard's does what it does well. read more

WHAT?! I can't hear you - the jukebox is super loud! No - JUKEBOX - it's loud! LOUD! Can you ... what?! No - I said I can't hear you! Gah! Folks, if you want to preserve your hearing - please keep away from the jukebox. The thing is cranked to 11. This is a great neighborhood bar. You know how I know this? It's b/c the whole neighborhood shows up. Young, old, regular, newbie - they're all here getting their eardrums blasted out by the likes of Patsy Cline (thanks Penny), Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash and even Madonna. Cash only and for some reason, there are hard boiled eggs for $.75. What's that all about? read more

What is this place missing? You. I mean, if you haven't been here before, it's time. I did. I'm glad a friend chose to spend her birthday here because it was a very fun night. Here's what you get: cheap drinks (look up at the menu, and no, cake balls are not part of it); attentive bartenders; a jukebox which didn't seem to like "Hand Jive" for some reason; a decent dance floor (if you count the space between the bar stools); the décor; and the awesome people watching. Boy, what a rather entertaining night to people watch. PS: I hear they have a cool ladies bathroom too, but I didn't drink much that night to have to pay a visit. Maybe next time... read more

This IS a dive bar, but with class....why class? Because both the folks AND juke box are just great. Though I haven't had the hardboiled eggs....I'm from the south and WE don't even eat those things in our bars *yuck*, so I'm sure I'm not considered part of the in crowd or cool kids, but perhaps at a later date. Folks are dancing and singing to the jukebox (note: the bartender has the ability to skip songs if he so deems so from the bar!!!!) But this evening the crowd as good, with people coming and going. Pricing of beers are displayed above the bar and reasonably priced. A good slice of Chicago...yes and a favorite of mine. read more

Richard's was home to one of those bizarre series of events that seemingly happens to me every now and then. On my last trip to Chicago, I had planned on stopping by here based on the great reviews, and grabbed a cab to head over. One small hitch in the plan was that I goofed and gave the cabbie the wrong address, and not knowing my way around town, had to wait until next trip to hit Richard's. Well, next trip was this week, and this time I got the address right. A couple of quick notes: this place is smoking friendly, and coming from a city with a bar smoking ban, unless you're a smoker it can be an adjustment to get used to bar smog again. So there's that. Also, Richard's is cash only, so know that going in, though the drinks seemed reasonably priced (beers mostly) and this definitely gave off the vibe of a place frequented by friends, old and otherwise. The bartender this night sounded like Joe Pesci, perhaps not a coincidence, since he later pointed out that the main characters from Goodfellas (emblazoned on the back wall) were from this very neighborhood. But I kid you not, the best part of Richard's is the eavesdropping. For the first thirty minutes I was inside, I sat wedged between two groups of friends, one who were pounding beers and talking what appeared to be quantum physics (I am *not* making this up), and the other who appeared to work in competing high end service industry establishments. Others are right, cheap beers and a great hi-fi can take any dive a long way, but on this night I heard stories of 85-year-old bartenders and heard sentences like (again, seriously)..."now *here's* the problem with gravity!" Before the evening was over, I met some of Chicago's hippest chefs (off the clock), an Austin transplant who'd been in the Windy City all of six weeks, and a bartender who was gracious enough to share a truncated personal tour. Thanks for the hospitality Richard's, pour one out for me 'til I make it back. read more

This place can get pretty packed, but the crowd is a nice mix of suburbanites, locals, girls in short dresses preparing for the nightclubs around the corner, and one or two hipsters. The bar has not changed in decades it seems, and yes they have hard boiled eggs. The booze selection is good, and the beers are listed on menus above head that look like they could be used for a hot dog stand menu. The walls of Richard's are a history in frames of the city and its mafia heroes as well as politicians, and other stuff-o-history. It felt like an Amsterdam brown bar where the wood is stained after years of smoking customers and the miasma haze. Great bar so close to the blue line here. read more

Holy headache Batman. That is all you need to know. How in the world did I survive my early 20's spending so much time around nicotine addicts? I'm surprised that I don't have black lung. Knock on wood. If your a smoker, this is your heaven. If your not, well... Lets put it this way - it is a disgusting habit and not sexy or cool at all. Especially having my hair and coat stink even when we went next door to Emmitt's. Ick. But I did it. I went to Richard's and I was surprised at how packed it was. The crowd was diverse in age and appearance. The bar is cash only so make sure to hit the ATM if that is your thing. But that was my first and last time there. I prefer to breath. read more

This bar is the most legit dive i have encountered in my 25 years of life. Jukebox in the back? Check Smoking illegally in the entire bar? Check Old people? Check Really old people? Check Really drunk old people? Check A few young people? Check Lawyers? Check Cougars? Check Wall to wall packed? Check 75 cent hard boiled eggs? Check --- i mean come on - that's not even market value. cheap drinks and a crazy crowd. i hate smoking so that's the worst part. i wish the bar didn't allow smoke because it's really pretty awesome. characters all around and what a mix. read more