Cons It always smells funky. Not sure what that is about but its so not okay. I have never heard good music here. Last time the DJ was more interested in getting a book light to clip to his hat then change the song although people were yelling at him to. Bartenders suck here. I've had to remind the bartender to give me my drinks before Pros Waitresses are very friendly and helpful Great beer selection Has a type of dance floor.... now they just need to get the music figured out. Would have been three stars, but last time we went up and ordered 4 of Beer A and a 1 of Beer B. We ended up with 5 of Beer A, two beers we didn't order, and never got Beer B We told the bar tender we did not order them. That was ignored. We did not take the beers. Instead left them there at the bar yet later they refused to take them off out tab insisting we ordered them. We paid and left and probably will not be back because of that. I wanna note that this place is a few places down from the Rocking Horse, also reviewed by me, which seems to smell the same way only worse. read more

I remember when this place was a Latin-dance club (some others on here seem a bit negative about the cultural diversity in our amazing city) attached to a seedy hotel on Milwaukee. This said, the Owl is a big improvement. Now, the "all hipster chicks love owls" theme is sort of funny. It reminded me of marketing a-la the TV show "Portlandia" (hey, put a bird on it!). So we were making fun of this place before we even got in the cab to head up. Come on, "The Owl"!? OK, so the place was fun. We went on a busy Saturday night and got in right away. Inside you have a very cool busy room with a big bar and what was a hopping dance floor in the back. I think this place is open very late! read more

This bar gets a bump of a star because i had just gone into rocking horse expecting an ambiance like the owl so when i walked into the owl I was like yes....this is what i was looking for. The owl is a chill bar with a nice water feature behind the bar. You don't see that very much in Logan. Or at all really. They had a nice drink special menu and the bartender was very attentive even with a butt in every bar seat. We were in on a saturday but it was actually v chill and didn't start to fill up until we left around 11:30. They had a cocktail on tap which I believe is a seasonal rotation. This one was very fall themed in flavors. They have a room in the back with no bar that I assume is for dancing. Bathroom was clean and well maintained. read more

Welcome to Logan Square: The place to go when Wicker Park is too Lincoln Park. Welcome to Hispter Heaven. I'm not really a hard core hispter. I know some cool bands and can say that I knew some bands before everyone else, but I never really felt that cool. The Owl is a nice in-between place for me. There is a waterfall behind the bar? I never really knew what that was about. Pro-tip: Open super late. Later than late late. 4? 5? Not sure. read more

There aren't many 4 am bars in the city or maybe not as many as I would like, but this is a good place to go after your favorite place closes at 2 or 3. I'm giving 4 stars for the bathrooms. I know this sounds weird, but their bathrooms are amazing, clean, high tech, and not at all like the normally small, closet like, toilet paperless bar bathrooms around the city. The music is good, the drinks are okay, and their wall is also very cool. Again, I realize this sounds weird, but I'm giving The Owl major points for decorating smarts. read more

So I'm extremely close to giving this place five stars, but I'll be realistic and give it four. I live around the corner from the Owl, and therefore get there a bit more often than I probably should. The main draw is Tuesday night, which is when they price nearly all their taps at $2 or $3. $2 for a Founder's Centennial? $3 for a Bear Republic Racer 5? It's pure insanity, people. And they have really great taps for what is ostensibly a hipster bar, so that's a huge plus. The ambiance is a bit dim sometimes, and the density of the crowd varies widely from nearly empty (say Monday or Wednesday nights) to stuffed as all hell (Tuesday or weekends). It can get a little loud for super casual conversation, but if you get there early enough you can usually snag or shark a table without too much trouble. The jukebox is awesome, with a great mix of classic and indie rock, some hip-hop, punk, and metal, and some classic soul. The bartenders are usually nice, or at least never outright rude, and after awhile they will begin to recognize you if you come there often enough. Prices for liquor seem a bit high (but fair for Chicago), but that's just me whining. The main drawbacks someone might mention about the Owl include the dim lighting, the loud atmosphere on popular bar nights, and the fact that it can seem like a 4am hookup bar for twentysomethings. HOWEVER, if you can overlook these shortcomings and just sit back and enjoy a neighborhood bar that ISN'T gross and stuffed like Bonnies or the 2-way, an expensive cocktail bar like the Whistler, or as.... whatever... as Rocking Horse, then the Owl is your place. read more

*Pupdate* 2/21/12 I left a mean, drunk review for the owl earlier because my friend got bounced when I went for the first time due to his being out of control the week prior. Some people think, 'The Owl... Who gives a hoot?' but after giving it another chance this week, the truth must come out. I really like the place. Awesome beer selection, vibe, crowd, etc... and the door guy who bounced my friend is actually just a good guy doing his fucking job. Thanks Owl, you have imparted much wisdom (read: beer) read more

This review is for Tuesday nights, when all of the incredible American microbrews and imports on tap (including Stiegl, which I love), plus several unusual and tasty bottles, are all either: - $2 or - $3. I'm sorry, are you serious, The Owl? It is quite hip, and will be quite happening on the future Tuesday when you decide to give it a shot... so carve out your own area if you're not overtly excited for other people's whelmed or apathetic discussions of overeducated underemployment. BUT also bring your drinking pants, because the beer is delicious and will cost you basically nothing. Love the (not tacky, really subtly whimsical) owl decor too! read more

Ha...ha. This is the most accurate way to describe my experience here. I came on a Friday night, and it was probably the best night to come. Not because it was the best night, but because it painted the best picture of what this place is all about. Loud, crowded noisy, and a little bit crazy, it's your typical young person bar. It took forever to get a drink, but standing at the bar shouting seemed to do the trick. The only reason I didn't give it less stars was because I was highly entertained by the people hanging out in here. And the bartenders seemed to do the best they could considering the sheer number of people coming in and out. Can't say anything about mixed drinks since I only ordered beer, but it wasn't any worse than any other bar. read more

No toilet paper in even 1 CUBICLE!!! Luckily the women in the bathroom were fab and someone asked the bartender, they said they were out of paper but had a secret roll behind the bar...??!! wtf guys get it together. It's Saturday night. Also stop serving vodka sodas with lemons, it's vile. Gimme a lime or two. read more

Great place to go on a Tuesday night because where else can you find craft beer for $2-$3?! The Owl is also a late night bar and I've found myself here for a nightcap. I tried one cocktail that was disappointing, but the bartender was nice and made me something different. Super hipstery, but still a fun place to grab a drink. read more

Slowest, laziest and dumbest bartenders I've ever encountered anywhere in Chicago. DJs don't know how to mix music. Save your time and money and go somewhere else with your friends. read more

Never judge a book by it's cover as they say. Inside looks nothing like the inside. Staff friendly and attentive with a great mix of crowd. read more

Large draft selection Dark mood, reminded me of the california clipper before it was remodeled Came in on a weeknight with a couple friends, nice and chill Cheap tab, good time Will return read more

The best aviations. It's a hipster haven. But hey its open late, great selection of beer's and they make good drinks. It's nice to go in during happy hour(6pm-8pm) half off drinks and it's super chill don't have to bump into so many plaid shirts, mustaches, beards, or year worn beanies, oh can't forget the obsession of thrift store gear, oh oh bad haircuts or bed head or sex hair, or a collection of "socially awkward" people(apparently it's the new in thing, to be socially awkward) people who write run on sentences, with so many commas. Yup its a good spot. read more

Stopped in here Friday night and the place was packed. Mike spotted me and my friend at the corner of the bar and took care of us the whole night. His customer service was great.. even though he was very busy he made our wait time a minimum and offered some suggestions when I didn't know what I wanted. I'll definitely be back! read more

Best night to go is Tuesday: $2 and $3 beers across the menu, best deal around! I found it a bit hard to believe, but it's true. It's a pretty good craft beer menu and they're all cheap as hell that night. I don't think you could do better with a six pack, and here you get cool drafts. Get there early and it starts to fill up fast after 10. Jukebox is pretty good (a curated selection of CDs, none of this touchtunes crap) so go with a group, put some of the better stuff on the speakers, grab some tables in back, or if you're lucky, the couches on stage. Hipster VIP? It might feel a bit like that. With $2 beers. You'll find a bar that looks just like this in every dingy old suburb of Chicago, which probably makes half of Logan Square feel just at home, if only they were able to take over the old man bar back home... read more

This place is pretty cool. Great space, nice big bar, dance floor in the back, polite staff. Hipster crowd with some creepos thrown in. The cocktails are good, or at least, the two from the menu that were still available were quite tasty. I'm exaggerating, they had more than two still available...I think...maybe not.... There were at least three drinks on the cocktail menu (out of like 6) that I really wanted to try, but our bartender (who, just as an aside, looked and sounded just like Jack Black) kept saying, "I'm so sorry, this is so embarrassing, we ran out of ______." Mind you, this is at 1am on a Saturday, the night that they close at 5am. That being said, the two drinks I did end up getting (red cap and something else) were excellent. Good beer selection too. Would definitely come back! Hopefully to try some of their other drinks. read more

This place is extremely charming and probably my favorite bar in Logan Square. They have a great beer list and have great beer specials throughout the week. I think the Jukebox has a great selection, but I suppose it just depends on your musical taste. The bar staff is really friendly and also willing to change the music, if you desire. I mean, a bar with a waterfall? What more could you ask? Of course there are a ton of hipsters, but it's Chicago and Logan Square...what can you expect... :) read more

Two friends and I stopped here after a weeknight boozing at Rocking Horse. The front is the bar with the killer water fall. The back is a dance/openspace with a stage. The night we were there at 12:30 it was empty in the back except the DJs spinning some tunes. I thought it was fine. Drink was strong. Hipster spot. Good times. With the waterfall, back DJ area, the neighborhood: there's area to wander and many conversation pieces. read more

Been here a couple of times suring the week and they have pretty good drink specials! So for my birthday this year, my friend decided to book the back area for me and about 30+ people. The date was available and so we went ahead and set things in motion. To book the back for the night was free. The minimum that we needed to hit was low, we can bring our own food and $6 Jamo and PBR was a plus! Successful birthday in my opinion... At least from what I can remember... From the outside it doesn't look like anything special. A bit obscure... But once you walk in, the bar itself is pretty cool. The music was good and the bartenders/managers were really friendly, making sure that the party was going good or that if we needed anything for setup. All in all i'll be back to chill. read more

I've gone to this bar 2 or 3 times, and I've had pleasant experiences every time. Before or around 9:30 pm, there's plenty of seating. It starts to get crowded after 10 or 11. Also, make sure you get there before 2:00 am, otherwise you'll be stuck in a line. Thursday night beer special- $3 Three Floyds - need I say more. Three stars = ambience, wait staff, bathrooms (I'm a sucker for pretty tile.) Fourth star = Thursday Three Floyds' special read more

Tuesday will never be that godforsaken day again so long as The Owl is around. My only complaint would be how crowded it can become, but I can understand why. This place is hipster heaven, but somehow escapes being annoying like another bargain beer joint Estelle's in Wicker Park. I love the quirky touches: the blinking lights in the eyes of the owl on the sign, the so-ugly-it's-cute waterfall behind the bar, the jukebox (!) Best of all is their beer selection and the fact that Tuesday is $2 beer night- and not PBR, quality, "something different" beers. Come here on a Tuesday or any other night of the week. Bring your friends, favorite thrifted outfit, and/or mustache and I'll see you outside by the lady who grills the delicious meat. read more

I've been coming to the owl just a few months. Great bar, good drink prices . But seriously .... The guy w the dreads should dj every night . He's the best dj I've ever seen read more

Great dive bar to go if you're looking to dance to some great oldies and 90's music! The ambiance was hippy, but hippy is the new fad. The crowd is pretty diverse with your people socializing at the bar, people dancing and people lounging out talking. Haven't had a drink when I went there but I trust Logan Square bartenders, so they're probably good. (You can trust that claim, ha) I would definitely go again just because of the music and I love to dance; plus it's the only 4AM bar in Logan. Catch on Slippery Slope! Get to this place, guys! read more

I like this place, but the DJ sucks and needs to play a variety of music besides the same over played pop radio songs

Laws of gravity do no apply to whiskey shots here. This place will steal your 20's and pickle your childhood dreams in regret. It'll teach you what a 3 day bender feels like. Then proceed to teaching you how to count to ten, in the language of the bender. The staff is give or take a good attitude, but the drinks flow till paw used to get up for work. read more

Another bar within stumbling distance of home - what's not to like? But seriously, I've gone to The Owl a couple times now and I've been pretty pleased each time. The service is decent, even when they are jam-packed, and the prices have been a pleasant surprise. You may notice an odd chlorine type smell when you walk in - don't be put off, it's just the waterfall (yep, I said waterfall). The Owl is a late night bar, and has all the good (Tamale guy!) and bad (the creepy guy who will hit on anyone who might give him a chance) things that go along with it. If nothing else, it's great people watching. I will definitely be spending more time at The Owl! read more

We came here for the first time after dinner only because we had another hour on our meter. What luck! That was in Nov and we came back before Christmas. We love everything about this place. The atmosphere, the bartender, the happy hour specials are especially great, good jukes. This place is exactly what you want in a non-divey dive bar. We've never stayed much past midnight so I don't know what its like when there's live music or when it gets crowded. I'm sure we'll be back many more times to support this gem of a bar. read more

Neat enough decor and the bar is very long with backed-chairs. It is really dark in here which is good and bad. It is good because because my eyes are very sensitive to the light on account of the unhealthy lifestyle I lead. It is bad because huge doggish women look better after you have had a few and even better than that after you have had a few in this cavern. Of course if it wasn't for the drinks and the dim lighting I would probably be even lonelier than I already am. Anyways this place is decent for a 4am bar, its got a good assortment of some of the popular craft beers and some decent cocktails. The bartenders have always been friendly to me as well. The downside is that it seems like every time I come in here the place is packed to the gills with dour hipsters. Hipsters are fine, I moonlight as one every now and then after I've had a run at some prescription pills but ease up on the dour, please. read more

The bartenders and wait staff are the g'damn cutest. Always a good time, especially when that Tuesday night special rolls around. Would like some more music on the jukebox, but I'm there to get my blood-alcohol-content to rise, not to pretend that I can dance (even though I do that far too often on their dance floor). Everyone that complains about how it gets crowded or how every single member of their staff isn't fluttering their eyelashes for your money, get over yourselves. It's a bar, and damned good one at that. read more

This is my jam! Come one, come all, to a hipster, classy dive bar. It's the nicest "dive" i've been to. I'm not sure the prices are dive, but the people are down to earth and there to jam to the jukebox and have a great time. WALL TO WALL PACKED on Friday from about 1:30am-4:00am. The lights are low, the owls are around, and this place is open until 4 am. The atmosphere is fun, and different. A waterfall cascades behind the bar while sexy tattooed bartenders serve the classiest beers such as PBR. We went on a Friday night for our first time and I made a bunch of new friendsies. I will definitely be back. read more

I don't really like bars but I LOVE this place. Conforming to the Logan Square standard, they offer a great selection of beers and mixed drinks at prices relative to the neighborhood ($4-$6 depending). There's room to sit at the bar, chill in their back lounge, and even a little extra space for dancing, if one is so inclined. Most place that offer the above mentioned are usually dumpy-dives. This place set itself apart with it's warm, classy atmosphere. But the biggest sell of all for me? Hands down it's the jukebox. Music selection can make or break a joint for me. And the best part is every couple months they change it up and let their customers cast votes as to what should go in next!! Be hipster-friendly and you'll meet some friendly hipsters. read more

DJ sucks ass doesn't take request and plays pure shit. Honestly the drinks are shit- at least let ppl pick the music

Late Night Haven on North Milwaukee! Really cool layout on the inside.. complete with a "Waterfall" behind the bar! Seems to be a "Mixed Bag" as far as the clientele before the bars close then a full on DrunKard FEST!! My only complaint would be the bartenders are not very personable and only seem to be interested in counting the tips at 4AM/ I hate that--Heres your buck! GTFJD read more

I went back to the owl and had a great time. I may have just been there on an off night previously. It could just be that the ever evolving crowd makes it a hit or miss, but the bartender was extremely nice to me and I had a great time. I'll go back. read more

I've been here quite a few times with friends and never had a good time. Awkward layout. A big dance area largely ends up being wasted space since people rarely dance and instead just crowd the narrower bar area. There's also an elevated area above the dance floor with a weird couch that I don't quite understand and have almost never seen anyone use. Many of the patrons seem to just be there to find someone to hook up with at the end of the night which leads to an overall unpleasant atmosphere. One of the servers was incredibly unkind to my partner which has made my decision to cross The Owl off my list permanently that much easier. By the way, even when it's slow or earlier in the night, don't expect to get service at your table. It ranges between nonexistent and sporadic. The bar's saving grace is that it's open late, but you'd probably be better off going home if The Owl is your only option. read more

Thursday nights they have 2$ drafts of several craft beers as well as several equally delcious bottled craft beers. They also have ciders-for me I can't drink beer and ciders are always my go-to secondary option. They have several craft cocktails as well-all looked delicious but I was there solely to take advantage of 2$ pints of good hard cider. My friend I went with wasn't a fan of the huge waterfall in the middle of the bar as it smelled mildly of chlorine but I thought it was fun and made the bar something different than the usual. read more

Stopped by on a Monday night after dinner. It is a long, dark, narrow bar with a definite dive feel. It has interesting decor but its a fun place. Decent drink prices. Friendly bartenders. They have raegae nights on Sundays which is something we've been meaning to check out. read more

Meh. There's not to really draw me back to this place of my own accord. Drink selection is okay, music is too loud, clientele are questionable. The fountain behind the bar is pretty cool and I love the decor of this place, but it's just not really my scene and there are much better bars in the area. read more