Open late. Allow Irish people filter in after the other bars close in the summer...loved this place! Sound bouncers, great music. Will definitely go back when I go back to Chicago. read more

Trace is my favorite late bar in the city. It is a two floor sports bar with several TVs and reasonably priced drinks. There is always a variety of popular music playing throughout the night, accompanied by music videos displayed on all of the TVs. It starts to get really crowded at 2 AM, when most other bars close, so I suggest getting there a bit earlier to avoid the line. The crowd is very diverse, so you can meet anyone and everyone here. I love it. It's always a good time! read more

Nice bar and don't know why it was mentioned in douchiest bars in Chicago. it look like a charming bar with nice art on the lower level. The bar is magnifcently created and loops into the next building on the first floor. the second floor was closed the Sunday night I went, but I am sure it is as nice up there too. The staff was ultra friendly on a dead night. Not really sure all this frat bashing going on, but it has been years since I went to Wrigleyville bars. This place would be a cool bar no matter what crowd it draws on a baseball or saturday night. read more

This was Stop number 3 in our night out Saturday night... I loved the look of this place. Very casual with Rock band art all over the wall. I would definitely hit this place back up for the chill vibe! Loved the Gin and Tonics!!! And they have my favorite beer- Hacker Pschorr!! i'll be back. This joint is actually open after everyone closes!! Plus!! read more

Near the stadium and a favorite for beer vendors to go after they finish their shift.

Great atmosphere here. Very chill and few annoying frat types. The staff is very fun and there are some great drink specials on Tuesday when Polyrhythmic is there (see Bianca's review.) The regulars are also really friendly. read more

A cool outpost in Wrigleyville that doesn't have the same drunken frat boy feel as the other bars in the neighborhood (except during games). The staff is really personable and quick to befriend a newcomer. read more

This is a good bar and generally has good music. i remember my cynical lawyer friend walking into Trace, he's a hard sell, quietly taking in the music and beer selections, and opining "wow, this place's music is like my iPod and the beer's pretty great." i've been here any number of times and so has my friend. read more

3 stars for being open late!! the bartender was great and had just seen us at taco bell like 10 mins earlier, which makes us kindred spirits. I don't know if this is a standout bar as I was here on a Monday...well, technically, tuesday morning, but it was clean and had decent beer on tap so a girl can't complain. read more

Monday's have been good night. Not super busy but good crowd though. The bartender is good, nice and super hot. Haha

pretty decent bar.. it doesn't get as crowded as some of the other ones right near wrigley read more

Trace - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place was awesome. The music was great rock and roll they played classic rock, Michael Jackson, the Beatles... Just really good music. And the crowd was diverse and everyone one was so friendly and talkative. I loved the bar tender! She was so kind and funny! Plus it's open late. read more

Two of my friends and I had joint bday party here, and it couldn't have been better. Few of my friends knew of Trace (at least since it reopened) but they all loved it and now it's one of our favorite spots. Since we had a large group (50) they gave us the upstairs. The space had great flow with a good mix of booths, tables, and bar stools. The decor was edgy without trying too hard. I found the staff to be perfectly friendly and fast, while the managers seemed to sincerely care that we were having a good time. Meanwhile the downstairs was busy without being obnoxiously packed. For me it was a great find, because I live in the area but find most of the bars to be redundant. But I kinda hope it doesn't become too popular... because I really like the way it is right now. read more

Decent beer selection, great bartender when i was there (hello free soco and lime) pluuuus there were some posters on the wall that i'm envious of. it's right by the metro and a great pregaming location! read more

Place everyone comes after all the 2 am bars are closed. The only place in wrigley that stays open until 5am. It's not a club kinda place just a sit down with friends and have a beer. This place is very cramped on the weekends. Overall a decent time! read more

Got here early before a show at the Metro with a couple of friends; we were literally the only ones in the bar for a while and so got to chat extensively with the bartender, who was friendly and accommodating. We actually skipped the official concert afterparty to come back here, where we arrived just in time to get one of the last group booths and meet up with another friend. Drinks were tasty, respectably strong, and very, very reasonably priced for Chicago. The bar itself has a nice atmosphere and the crowd wasn't excessive or annoyingly douchey. As a random pick by a gal from out of town, I really couldn't have done any better. read more

First time there couldn't of been better! I had one of the best times in a long time there this past Friday night. Music was great to dance/ sing along to, drinks nicely priced, woman's bathroom was CLEAN even at 3am which was such a happy surprise and rarity to find! read more

Trace never fails to be a destination for an interesting night. They play some pretty good music, lots of good alternative. The bar tenders are pretty efficient. Met a piss drunk Zach Galifinakis lookalike there. The bouncers tend to have a good sense for any creeps and know when to intervene. Overall, enjoyable bar, especially for a 4am. read more

Great service but holy crap snooze fest. The bartenders aren't in control of the music and it's on a whatever playlist which is the kind of playlist to make me sleepy. I wish the bartenders could have more control of the music because it might as well be classical to put me to sleep on the rail. read more

My friend, the Bachelorette requested we stop at Trace for her last night out as a single lady. I have nothing but great things to say about this place & the other party girls agreed! The entire staff was very accommodating & friendly. When we needed more chairs the security & bus boy rounded them up for us. The bartenders were very attentive. Jim made sure our night at Trace went off without a hitch. THANK YOU GUYS! read more

Been there a handful of times and it's generally been OK. Service is extremely slow and the bar tenders just assume you're wasted and don't give you the time of day, which is par for the course considering it's a 4am bar. If I'm at Trace it usually means I've made a bad decision somewhere along in the night, most likely the 10 mins leading up to getting there. It's nice to have a 4am bar around the corner though. read more

Bartender was a total jerk. Asked him what was on tap and he told me he didn't feel like naming them off so I could just tell him what I liked and he would tell me if they had it. Ended up getting a pabst pint for 5 dollars (total ripp off) and drinking it fast so I could leave. Not impressed. read more

Do not go here if you want to have a good time. The atmosphere turns sour very quickly due to the staff. My wife and I really liked the place when we walked in and appreciated that it was not too crowded for a bar in Wrigleyville on Saturday night. We shortly went out for a smoke and struck up great conversations with fellow patrons. As my wife went back inside with a woman she had a conversation with, the door guy stopped me and would not let me back in. He claimed that I was stumbling and did not listen to me explaining that I suffer from neuropathy and often have problems keeping a straight footing. Anyway, we were very polite and everyone else in the bar defended us, saying, "they're good there's no problem, why aren't you letting them back in?" Mind you, there were only 4 people in this bar. The door guy asked us to wait for the manager and we did politely as our paid for drinks were still inside. The manager came down my wife calmly said to him that there's no problem here, we just want to finish our drinks and conversation. At that point this bearded tattooed guy (manager) says to my wife that she needs to calm down. She said that she is calm and what is the problem? He responded "I was going to let your husband get in but now you are acting crazy". It was BIZARRE. After talking calmly and politely for another 5 minutes she walked in and wanted to at least finish her beer. At this point he stopped her and said; "If you touch that beer I will have you arrested." We could not, not anyone at the bar, could understand what was happening. Then, standing outside as my wife joined me he pulled out his phone and started filming me, as I stood politely with my hands behind my back. He then put away his phone, called my wife a c**t and lifted his phone back up as if I were to react to his childish behavior. This experience was very bizarre and we still can't understand what that staffs M.O. was. No wonder this place is empty, it is such a shame. read more

Love coming to this place after a concert at the Metro or a Cubs game! Great music always playing overhead and the bartenders are extremely nice. The beer selection is pretty sweet too! I'm a sucker for an Old Style or PBR tall boy. Plus, it is open until 4:00am! read more

So this is the 4am bar in wrigley, and the crowd is pretty good. The drinks are strong and service is pretty fast. My favorite part is that they play like all late 90s/2000s music and the music video is played on all the tvs, seriously awesome! read more

Worst experience at a bar I've ever had. We came here to have a couple drinks and they had recently painted the entire upstairs. The fumes were unbearable so we opened a window to try to relieve the smell. A bouncer approached us, flashed a flashlight to his other partner, and slammed the window shut. I told him "we opened the window because the paint smell was so strong," and his response was "don't touch the window bro". I have bartended for over ten years and never experienced such poor customer service. I will never return, and I hope if you read this review you won't either. read more

This bar is great for late night drinks and I've always loved the bartenders here but the bartender that I've had to serve me the last couple of times have been been unfathomably rude. I'm not only a patron but a regular and friends with other bar owners in this area... I've worked in restaurant business and couldn't imagine treating loyal customers with the amount of disrespect that this particular woman has treated me with in your bar. This bartender is not only bad for business but gives your bar a negative name. She treats customers as if it is their privilege and not hers and she deserves a major reality check. Perhaps more people would be inclined to hang out here if they felt sincerely welcome and not judged./ bad for business and I hate to post such a negative review but I feel forced to and hope the owners of Trace will reconsider current decisions of employment. Unless you want a complete male population in your bar, I would suggest this blonde, stocky bar tender, who is there almost every night to be seriously talked to. read more

I went to Trace after the Cubs game Monday (home opener). Last time I was there was for the St. Jude Pub Crawl and had a blast! We ordered our drinks and were just chillin. Not many were there and the music was somewhat loud. My buddy showed up....and he order a water. Drank like 2 waters for over a course of an hour. Then he decided to order a round of shots before we all head home. The bartender wouldn't serve him! Sure you see guys drunk at bars after the game but my buddy wasn't drunk. He did have water and paced himself...but some people need to work the next day. Then the bartender kicked him out of the bar! I never seen anything like this and was very disappointed. All I can think of is maybe the bartender is a Sox fan?!?! We will never go back to this place. read more

Trace is the place to be on Tuesday nights if you're into open mic nights. The event starts at 10 p.m. on the second level of the two-story bar. People who sign up for open mic perform magic, comedy, sing, but mainly you will be entertained by the various forms of spoken word. The rectangular shaped bar has a DJ booth located in the front corner behind the mic. The DJ plays a song snippet between performers. A small black wrap around bench is also in the front of the bar where the talent "on deck" and non-smokers hang out. Another long wrap around bench is in the back of the bar with a few tables and chairs that separate the bench from the bar stool patrons. The majority of the people in attendance are performers who welcome all to hear their penned poetry. read more

This bar is great. I have been going there for about 8 years as a first (or last stop) to my evening. The bartenders are great, even the new ones and are more than happy to engage in conversation. The owners are good people and fun to hang out with as well. My only complaint about this place is what it turns into after 2 am (3 am on Saturdays). Thankfully, Bacci is close and closes its doors about an hour before trace so it makes it a leaving "early" that much easier to bear. :) read more

Small dark bar near Wrigley Field. Limited booth seating, bar seating and nothing else but standing room. Strong drinks, friendly bartenders, cheap prices. Come early because the place gets packed with people. When I say early... I mean by 1 or 1:30 am. Place closes at 4 am which is a novelty in CA. read more

VISA CARD INFO STOLEN. This place is the epitome of awful. I walked into this bar (during my birthday) and the bartender was extremely rude. Seemed to only focus on her group of friends at the end of bar. My roommate and I sat at the bar and ordered a beer. He quickly left because he didn't like the vibe. I too left shortly after finishing my beer. The next morning, I look at my charges and was charged $200 at this place (all fraud) from this bar. Looks like the bartender gave her friends free drinks off my tab. I feel used. Please don't step foot in Trace. read more

Probably a good place for anyone looking to be out past 2am but unfortunately they won't open any windows even if they just painted their whole upstairs. We went there to stay out a little later but it smelled as if the whole upstairs had just been painted. We tried to crack a window to reduce the fumes but the bouncer yelled at us and said "don't open the windows or I'll kick you out." The smell was unbearable and we ended up leaving 5 minutes later. Least favorite for after hours bars. read more

awesome music. solid as fuck. like iron. but with less metal and more hair.

I liked it here..very chill and a good atmosphere. We came here before we went out to get a few beers. If you want a relaxing, clean atmosphere this is the place. The windows in the front are often open to let some fresh air in. read more

Great bar, great owners, great service. I have been here for private parties upstairs and have had my own bday events here. The staff is very helpful and flexible with us. good space and a step up from other Wrigley bars. Music is not super loud either. read more

Was here a while back over the summer. Great Place. Has everything. Met a guy called Mark in the toilets. gave H Jobs for 5 dollars. very small arms but great workmanship. Thanks Mark! read more

I'd like to give this bar zero stars but I'll settle for the 1. First of all avoid the ugly bartender that works the bar in the side room all the way to the right, went on a mardi gras bar crawl in Wrigley and not only was she definitely uneducated on pouring drinks but she was completely rude and wouldn't serve any girls that came by. Why? Maybe she thought she was going to score with the guys she was serving because she bartends for a living? who knows. Overall she was very rude and should probably be fired after that. Also not only was she horribly pouring peoples drinks she wasn't even paying attention to the other side of the bar. I saw at least 5 different guys pour their own drinks, heck one guy poured ten + drinks. Basically this girl was a complete irresponsible and rude amateur. I'm definitely calling the general manager sometime this week to complain and warn them about this girl. Overall, service sucked because of her and I will never recommend this bar to anyone or step foot in it again. read more

There are few times within my memory where I have gotten worse service and worse product. Luckily this was one of those times! Not only was I shorted $5 on ordering 2 $6 beers, one of which was extremely cloudy and not normal. I had to ask the bar-back who luckily knew the bartender's name ...Jeanette. So I asked what kind of 3 Sheeps Draft it was on currently and she said it was some malty something. Also, upon returning my change in which she naturally miscalculated $5 shorting me, ahe insisted that I would be held accountable if her drawer was off. She proceeded to give me a taste in a pint glass with no description whatsoever. Anyway, I was wise enough to decline the taster and ordered a Revolution Anti-Hero as a substitute in which I knew the style, color and flavor profile. The beer I received was extremely cloudy and not normal, along with a snooty attitude from the bartender for not liking the taster she gave me without description. Needless to say, I will never recommend this venue to anyone I care about. read more

While this is not a reflection of the club as a whole there I have 1 major problem with it. I come here when I visit my friends who live in the city when we feel like going to a club that gets busy later on in the night, there is one glaring issue that needs to be addressed and is causing me to never step foot in there again. That issue being their awful bouncers. Typically they are very rude to customers who are being kind and in no way an issue, they push people aside for no reason and the biggest issue of them all is that they will find any single reason to either not allow someone in or kick a person out. Today was a time when I personally did not feel like drinking much but I still wanted to go out I catch up with old friends, we went into trace around 1am and we're having a fun time. I stepped outside for a few minutes with a buddy while he was smoking a cigarette while our other friends were still inside, then when we tried to walk back in one bouncer looked at me, laughed and said I was too drunk to come back in when I was clearly sober. After that he proceeded to mock and insult me like I was a lesser human being and continued this for the next 10 or so minutes while I attempted to get in contact with my friends who were still inside the club. I personally have never been more insulted in my life and I firmly believe that I am not the first person to be talked down to by this bouncer in his time working there. For the sake of this clubs reputation I hope they address this problem and find new people to manage risk. read more