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Fabulous place. Decor, staff, food, cocktails are all first rate. The weather is getting cooler now but I'm happy to report that their patio has great heaters so you can still sit out there (for now.)
It's really cozy in here. Stopped for a quick bite before shopping one weekend. Scofflaw feels very inviting. Upon entering the bartender greeted us and we were sat immediately. The server came down quickly and gave us a rundown of the drinks and menu. The meatballs, burger, and spinach dip were al delicious and our concktails were made perfectly.
Bomb cocktails and yummy food. Chill vibes and lovely outdoor area for summer. The charcuterie and bacon burger were amazing. Happy hour $8 drinks is a steal. So blessed to have neighbors like this!
One of the OG craft cocktail bars in the city. Still going strong with creative offerings (NA as well) and a great snack menu. Daily happy hour offerings. Outdoor seating weather permitting. Outstanding service and we were fortunate enough to be there early so as to engage the mixologist in creating bespoke cocktails. Different seating areas to create the suave you want. Thank you thank you thank you! When you're old as us and been around, originality is hard to find. Will make it a point to return more often.
Everything is better here! The vibes are relaxed and warm. The cheeseburger is delicious it hit the spot so perfectly. Three seating options are either at the bar, a table or the loveseats. Our servers we attentive and super friendly, time just flew by and we pretty much stayed until last call. I cannot wait to bring all my friends to hang here.
Dark and inviting vibes. Great staff, good reasonably priced drinks, and the burger is killer. The best thing is free fresh baked late night cookies
If you're a gin fan, you need to check this place out. Very few spots in Chicago have this type of selection. The craft cocktails were pretty good, but the gin selection is the star here. Try to make a reservation so you can snag one of the cozy seats. Otherwise, bar seating isn't hard to snag unless it's a Friday night. Was also impressed by the staff. They were accommodating and made great drink suggestions. I'd come again.
Scofflaw has the best ambiance! Their chandelier, fireplace truly bring you back to another time. And to add to that, their cocktail creations are so yummy. You couldn't go wrong w anything!!
Tried 4 drinks off their happy menu and all slapped - really good range of tasting notes! Pleasantly surprised by their cheeseburger! Patties were juicy and the sauce was really good - simple but done right. Their spinach and artichoke dip was very rich and cheesy, served with fried wanton chips. Greasy finger food but went to well with the clean and crisp cocktails.
Everything from the ambiance, to the service, to the food was 10/10. We arrived early for our reservation and they had us seated for a drink at a couch in the back while our table finished up. The vibes are immaculate inside - cozy, dark and lively. Scofflaw truly exudes coolness without trying too hard. We enjoyed our drinks, some more than others. But seriously get the burger. It's absolutely perfect, I have no notes. Our waiter went above and beyond and even brought my brother a small plate of fries because we didn't save him any. For dessert we got the apple pie monkey bread which was a comforting end to the meal.
In a world where it has become normal to have a $22+ burger, I appreciate Scofflaw serving what could be a Top 10 Burger in Chicago for a fair and reasonable $15. The vibe and decor are cool and the staff was friendly. Service was quick and efficient. Fries, which are extra, are a solid compliment to the tasty burger and I like that all of the beers on tap are local. Overall, a good experience and I would go back.
You can have anything on the menu before 5 as long as you order from the Brunch menu. Im not a a burger person but my son and future son I law swears by it so who am I to argue. I had the sesame French toast; sweet, savory strangely weird but I like it. It's too rich - share it with someone. The steak sandwich is excellent. My issue is with the "to go" order. I told the bar tender I need it by 2:10 - 2:15. I got it around 2:30. Too late for my wife, daughter, her future mother in law they left at 2:18. He wasn't the fastest bar tender his speed was his speed and you just had to deal with that. He was nice mind you. You just knew you couldn't rush him. He said that in advance - the food will show up when it shows up. Oh well.
Went to Scofflaw for the second time this evening and it remains an excellent experience. Service was fast, polite, and made us aware of a few things we didn't know about things we were ordering so we wouldn't be surprised. Menu remains good while being relatively compact - they do fewer things better and I appreciate that. We had several cocktails with differing profiles and base liquors and they were all good, definitely in the A class for our fair city. Particularly good was the Bear Necessity which was delightfully well balanced for any palette. For appetizers we had the fried cauliflower with the lemon pepper sauce and the beet bruschetta. Both were S class and vegetarian as well. For mains we had the Italian Beef Spaetzle and the Eggplant Hoagie, both were A class and off special note was the crispy chickpeas in the hoagie giving it an extra enjoyable texture component. We finished with the cinnamon monkey bread which was so good that I did indeed split it with my date despite initially turning down dessert. If you're in the neighborhood or looking for somewhere worth a bit of a jaunt for a lovely meal, I'd recommend Scofflaw wholeheartedly. Prices were reasonable, maybe even trending a bit on the inexpensive side for the quality of the meal.
Reviews are largely positive. Many highlight the cozy ambiance, creative cocktails, and tasty burgers and food.
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3 years ago
10 years ago
I love any bar that feels like a speakeasy. My boyfriend and I were waiting to meet up for dinner with some friends, so we decided to hang out at Scofflaw for some drinks and appetizers. There's an instant speakeasy feel to this place, but it's way more chill than your typical underground speakeasy bar... well maybe that's because we were there during the day. The waitress was very friendly and attentive. I asked for a cocktail recommendation, telling her that I generally like scotch but was in the mood for something fruity and refreshing. She recommended the Close Talker cocktail, which met both criteria! The cocktail had gin, cynar, chareau, lime, and cucumber. Quite tasty and strong. Would recommend. Meanwhile, my boyfriend snacked on their house fries with aioli which were also delicious. The fries were perfectly seasoned, and I liked their aioli. Though our experience here was brief, and I didn't get to walk around much, I would definitely come here again the next time I visit Logan Square! read more
Moving to the neighborhood a year and a half ago, Scofflaw quickly became our go-to brunch spot and decadent dinner and cocktails standby. The food was always good and at times bordered on really really really good. But something changed a few months ago. While OK... it's just not great anymore. Our last 2 or 3 brunch visits were disappointing to say the least. To the point that during our most recent brunch (we used to go weekly) we decided take a break for a while. There are too many great options in Chicago and specifically Logan Square to suffer through bad food. After a break, we decided to come back and grab some dinner. Sadly building upon our last few bad brunch experiences, tonight's meal was a huge disappointment. I know they change the menu all the time but wow. Talk about a bummer. We've drooled over and devoured their pâté on several visits in the past and it was always decadent and divine. Tonight's chicken mousse was warm, watery and tasted like BAD liverwurst. We sent it back and requested the pâté instead, hoping to build on previous experiences. Instead it was a slice of a nondescript, somewhat dry meat-blend that wasn't worth the time of day. They even re-plated it on the chicken mousse plate minus the toast. Thanks guys! We also ordered some cheese and TALK about disappointing. I know you don't know how big my pinky is, but for $4 a serving you got a piece of cheese the size of my pinky that didn't taste any better than a kraft grocery store brick of cheese. I'm sure we'll be back for cocktails, as that's Scofflaw's speciality. But damnit, it used to be food too. I know this review won't matter in the scheme of things as they are always busy thanks to some fantastic national press. But seriously... I'm bummed. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
I checked out this place this other evening. And all I have to say is WOW! This place really knocks it out of the park. They have a really cozy and intimate atmosphere with fireplaces, low lighting and different sets of chairs and tables throughout the bar/restaurant. Waitress was great and very accommodating. Prices weren't too bad either. Try the cheese and meat board- you can pick which ones you want or go for the full board. Delicious! All drinks were top-notch. Can't recommend their batch shots enough. I highly recommend this awesome little establishment in Logan Square. read more
7 years ago
The venue is charming, the staff is delightful & the drinks are flowing. We didn't have any food because we were eating at Giant 2 doors down (yum). But we had drinks both BEFORE and AFTER dinner. We will definitely be back on our next trip to Chicago! read more
Just a solid spot to get drinks. Very experienced craftsmen making great cocktails. They will serve most anything but seem to specialize in gin drinks so come prepared or they will easily guide you. Had the Bees Knees, Tom Collins and Gin Fizz. I was in a throwback kick and enjoyed then all. read more
We came by for drinks after dinner across the street. It was packed on a Saturday night. Make sure to walk past the main bar to the back and you will find a more spacious area on the right. We luckily were able to snag some seats as another group left after hanging around for 5-10 minutes. They have dainty, yet comfy couches to lounge in that are set around coffee tables. I had the first flower, anything with egg white immediately attracts me. It was light and frothy, just how I like it. Everyone else enjoyed their cocktails and they are also willing to whip up special mocktails, if needed. The place is dim and the noise level is not obnoxiously loud. Scofflaw's atmosphere would be perfect for a date night or just to simply get a well-made drink and enjoy your evening. read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
While Scofflaw is known for their creative cocktails and night scene -- my experience was during the day for one of the loveliest brunches I've had in the city. The brunch here appears to be truly underrated -- there were only a couple of other people in the restaurant on an early Saturday afternoon. The food was inexpensive and delicious -- salmon toast and pepper jack hash browns for $15 (though I'll admit it was a weird combination of plates that I ordered). Fleet Foxes and chill vibes abounded. It is truly a lovely place. read more
Stopped by Scofflaw for a nightcap Saturday night and the place did not disappoint. It's very warm and inviting inside the bar with cozy fire places and vintage Victorian style furnitures situated around the room. It was a perfect atmosphere to be able to relax and have nice conversation without having to scream over loud music. Since I'm pregnant, I asked the bartender whip me up a mocktail. It was light and refreshing just the way I like it. Our group also ordered First Flower, In Burma and Elmside Circle which they enjoyed. Will be coming back when I'm able to enjoy a cocktail or two again. read more
4 years ago
4 years ago
9 years ago
Five doinkies. This place is just around the corner and I walk by it all the time but rarely hang out because I'm an alcoholic with multiple kids from different marriages. Bring some friends to the bar if you want a fancy gin cocktail from their expansive rotating menu, which includes a helpful glossary for mixology plebeians (pro tip: if you're feeling stumped, they have a sub-glossary for their glossary, but don't be surprised if you're SCOFFed at ((lmao)) by the individuals with more sophisticated palates). Out on the town with a special someone? Head to the other side after requesting the Romantic Evening, as it will surely aid you in wooing. In order to be accommodated, you will have to whisper "Victorian furniture" sweetly into the ear of the bearded bouncer upon entry but ONLY while he is pretending to read his book. I highly recommend asking for Hadley if you want to experience the fullest expression of Scofflaw sensuality *cartoon dog voice* woof woof They have mäłört on tap and true Chicagoans love that stuff so if you want to impress everyone and be cool you have to drink it even though it's literally garbage water. Also, the apartment above is tight as hell honestly who lives there may I come peep??? I demand that management acquires it and makes it into a speakeasy naming it "Logan Square Conservatory" I've now hit the character count required for yelp to consider my review "epic" so I will be signing off. Please subscribe to my page for more quality content and tips on the best local spots. God bless you read more
7 years ago
Oh my god. So I went here for their well known burger because Small Cheval happened to be closed (that's my favorite burger spot). I didn't think anything could top that burger, but I was proven wrong. This is the best burger i've had in Chicago hands down. Perfectly cooked. Really good special sauce on it. The restaurant was really cute and had a hipster vibe to it. My friends and I also had really good craft cocktails! Definitely come here! read more
Scofflaw has an amazing gin selection, but I didn't notice until after I ordered a glass of wine, as the gin menu is the last of 4 pages. My Sangiovese was only ok. Husband got the Summer Collins which was refreshing but not very ginny. We ordered hashbrowns with jack pepper cheese to share, thinking it would be an interesting gastropub dish. It was just hashbrowns, and sadly not cooked or seasoned evenly... decided not to order more food. After finding the page of gins, decently priced, we shared a slightly dirty martini with barrel-aged Bluecoat gin. This was nice, and came with 3 olives, as a good dirty martini should. Scofflaw is a Pokemon Go gym, in case that's a perk for some of you. We took it over while waiting for the first round. Cheers, Team Instinct! ;) read more
3 years ago
9 years ago
Unfortunately Scofflaw was a huge disappointment on the cocktail front. However, I really liked the cute Victorian-style atmosphere with attentive servers.. so I guess it's not a complete fail. First of Four 3/5 - nothing too special, quite refreshing, one of the better ones of the night Utopian Coast 3/5 - my date liked this one.. I'll refrain from commenting because I'm impartial to rye Sundial 0/5 - this might've been the worst cocktail I have ever had. It tasted like cough medicine. I couldn't taste any of the individual flavors/ingredients. Who made this? Did they screw it up this one time? We basically took this as a shot. As other reviewers have mentioned, they come around at midnight with freshly baked cookies. The cookies are clearly not made by someone who knows how to bake... but I shouldn't complain cause they were still soft and most importantly, free. I really love gin cocktails but somehow Scofflaw managed to disappoint me with every single concoction. read more
3 years ago
9 years ago
Scofflaw, yes, we all know you as a tasty, trendy cocktail bar, but who would have thought that you have an awesome brunch burger that I would absolutely rush back for?!? Not me! Seriously, this burger was on point. Buttery bun - check! Good meat to bun ratio - check! Egg and bacon - check, check! This burger was everything I hope, dream and wish for in a burger! I really enjoyed our brunch experience! It was bright, sunny and not nearly as crowded as it is in the evening. They have patio seating, but it's nice to lounge on the couches indoor. An under the radar brunch location, that I will now recommend! read more
7 years ago
The venue is cute but crowded on a Thursday evening, leaving my friend and I to share a couch. As expected, service was slow, and our server wasn't eager to offer suggestions or deal with our indecision and bewilderment. However, our drinks came out moderately quickly and were delicious- I truly enjoyed my aviation, but unfortunately preferred my friends camaro, which had an unexpectedly sweet taste. I can't wait to try more of their drinks! For the restaurant's vibe and their quality, Id say they were priced appropriately. I will absolutely be returning (this is a great date night spot) but hope for better service next time read more
3 years ago
Business owner information
Iain M.
Hi Kara, Sorry to hear you were upset with our 21+ policy. We've been…
7 years ago
9 years ago
Scofflaw is a phenomenal cocktail lounge with a penchant for gin. The ambience is a great mix of neighborhood local hang out and high-end speakeasy. The bartenders are super kind, knowledgeable and consistently go out of their way to make your experience great. I'll be right up front about why I didn't give this amazing place five stars - not a deep enough cocktail list. While the cocktails are inventive and very delicious, for a place that focused on gin there weren't enough gin heavy cocktails where it was the real star of the drink. Both my drinks were executed with stellar precision and unique peculiarity. I ordered a side of fries which were freaking delicious. My bartender was particularly amazing. He even poured me a taster of a liquor I had never had before so I could pick it out more clearly in the cocktail. Well done! If you are in for a local treat and some really awesome drinks with a unique twist, get down here!!!! read more
9 years ago
It has taken me too long to post this! What a lovely spot to dine and drink. I went on a Friday evening around 6:30 pm and snagged a table. The waiters were very friendly and attentive. Food: we ordered two charcuterie plates, Kale Salad, the Burger, Fries and Aioli, and Bologna Sandwich. I cannot rave enough about this food. The Burger is probably second best only to Au Cheval... I don't necessarily think it can compare. I was delightfully surprised by the flavors (caramelized onions, special sauce). It was a delicious burger in its own right. The kale salad was delicious as well and the charcuterie plates were amazing. I'm at a loss for words the food was simply spectacular. Drinks: we ordered the Air swizzle #23, Jacuzzi Frost and Whitehall Garden. I liked the Air swizzle #23, the gin and bitters were lovely, but I found the lemon dominated the drink. The Jacuzzi Frost had a wonderful smokey and complex flavor from the sesame oil. I would've loved that one if I hadn't read the ingredients first. The Whitehall Garden was delicious as well, I think this was my undisputed favorite since it took me far away from Chicago winters. Excellent tropical notes, I just wish it had Gin in it because I love my Gin. read more
9 years ago
After attending a very cool underground art fair nearby, we were famished, Yelp mobile to the rescue (again!). Enter Scofflaw, nearby, accessible and just oozing atmosphere. As soon as you walk in you're like "Oh, Yes!" The bar area is a magnificent greeting upon entrance and the friendliness of the staff was notable. We found a cozy little spot near one of the fire places and settled in to order. Our space consisted of a love seat and an easy chair with a ornate table between us. Feeling the room, I opted to share the love seat with my love and it was wonderful. The folks nearby were close enough for comfort but not too close to be crowded, so as Goldilocks would say 'just right.' The drink menu had many tempting options but upon noting Malort on tap, I knew this was my moment. I have heard and read much about the ominous Malort and knew my time to experience this rite of passage had arrived. The Malort shot was $3 and came in the cutest little sipper glass. Yes I did say sip. I resisted the urge to throw the shot back like many do and cringe. No my friends, this was a time to relish; and relish I did. I nursed that shot the entire time we were there. Of course having a nice bottle of water available at your table also helped ;) It is definitely bitter and leans towards the grapefruit side. The upside of Malort, if you are on a budget, you can save money on your bar bill because there is no way you are drinking this beverage fast unless your aim is to throw them back intentionally. Apparently that was the girl at the table next to us. She was wasted on Malort. Annoyingly so, a bit garish given the room and she also almost took out their entire table when she got up to leave. Ultimately she ended up horizontal on half her group until they managed to shuffle themselves outside. So perhaps Malort on tap can also be considered a red flag? The rest of the room was as you would expect, lovely people gathering to chat, discuss, spend time together and have a lovely time, this was more the norm. My wife opted for a cider that was so fine, it almost passed for a lovely dry wine. The food menu is on the lean side but does a good job of catering to different tastes in short form. The most tempting item on there is the charcuterie chef's choice at $38, a savings considering if you ordered the same amount it would be $50. After some waffling, we opted for the half chicken platter. When it comes out, it is literally on a platter and the presentation is conducive the overall vibe of the room. The chicken itself was good. I prefer my fries crispy, so I found theirs to be more on the meaty/fat side. All the fires were active, all the spaces were conducive, the service was very friendly, and the room was decorated for the holidays. When in the area again, I would definitely stop in again, even if only to spend some time to soak up the vibe with a choice beverage. This venue choice is best to impress, whether it be a date, friends or family. I can also see it being a wonderful venue to host your event. Scofflaw is what we all wish our parlors, receiving rooms, or basement bars were like at home. read more
8 years ago
This being my second time here, I have to say there is just something about this place. We didn't get food last time we were here. But this time we each got a couple of drinks, and then we got the olives (delicious!) and the bone marrow. I had never had bone marrow before, but wow. They did great with it, and the presentation was excellent as well. I love the atmosphere of this place, being able to just sit in front of a fire. One of my favorite winter time bars, and I'm sure in the summer it will still be a favorite as well. read more
7 years ago
Have you ever gone somewhere full of beautiful people in fancy clothes, probably flaunting their dolla dolla bills who look at you like some sort of mongrel and make you feel like a gremlin amongst gods? Well, fellow ugly + poor people, we NEVER have to feel that way at Scofflaw. Why? Because it's so damn (like, unbelievably) dark that everyone, EVERYONE, no matter how skinny, fat, ugly, beautiful, hairy, bald, male, female, you name it--we all look the same and we're all equal at Scofflaw. The only mildly telling feature you can make out is if a person in short or tall, so I guess you could get judge-y on that, but even there it'd be pretty tough since there's not a whole lot of standing room, and instead some miscellaneous antique furniture... or at least I thought it was antique-y, from what I could make of it after a few minutes of my eyes adjusting to the nocturnal state. Seriously, it was so dark I had to use the light on my phone to see my own hand. I've been on a cocktail kick lately, and by 'lately' I mean just at Scofflaw because it's the only place I can afford a decent drink in this town. All of 'em, no matter the contents and craftsmanship, are priced at $8. I can swing that, especially for the caliber of beverage here. We got a few plates of fooders as well, needed the fries with aioli because fries are my favorite food group- LOVED 'em. A whole cone of fries with side of sauce was $4 and cooked just how I like 'em with a little sog on inside. Our vegan po-boy tasted *EXACTLY* like a BK Whopper. Kudos on perfecting that secret sauce without the use of dairy. and our mushroom pasta was filling, flavorful and not too rich while at the same time mastering a bit of decadence. Our server was helpful, made suggestions, answered our questions and was always there when we were ready for our next round. 5 stars to the gentleman or lady (I don't know which because it was so dark) who waited on us and the rest of the wares, fares and provisions at Scofflaw. read more
More info about Scofflaw
3201 W Armitage Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
Logan Square
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(773) 252-9700
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http://scofflawchicago.com
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Does anyone know how to make a "Victory Lap"? One of the greatest cocktails I've ever had.
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