Yesterday, I attended an amazing social event for a Queer Feminist organization in Logan Square, ran by a real fire brand kick a*s Womyn who unfortunately doesn't have the best taste in bars.
She suggested that we go Weegee's Lounge. I was very hesitant. A good friend of a couple of months back, got fat shamed by a skinny hipster bartender there. She ordered some drinks and he was way condescending towards her. He looked her up and down and smirked, while entertaining a bunch of hipster bros. He then made her wait, while he poured shots for for them. Then he "forgot" her order and made a crack about her weigh as she walked away with her drinks. My friend called him rude and she immediately left with her roommate, leaving their drinks on the table. On the way out he snickered at her again, and one of his friends obnoxiously laughed loudly. Yes the new and improved Logan Square right?
So yesterday my new fried, who I still really like, suggested we go there to debrief after our meeting, (we SHOULD have stayed at Azucar who hosted the meeting- watch for my review on yelp about Azucar!), and although I didn't want to go, (I should have just said HELLZZ NO!) I used a more diplomatic approach. One of the womyn in our group is transgendered, so I asked my new friend if Weegee's is safe for Queer Womyn? She assured me that it was, and said that the owner was "Queer friendly" and that she and her partner hung out there. Well I'm writing to tell you that Weegee's IS Not Queer Friendly!!
We rolled up around 1:30 and my friend said sometimes they close early on off nights so she wanted to check. It was a lot of angry looking guys walking up and down the street and I got a bad feeling. My friend told us to wait,while she jumped out the car ran in real quick. She came out a few minutes later, so clearly she had a conversation with someone who told her they're still serving and it was o.k for us to go in.The street was really dark and two men from the group of really rough looking guys actually walked up to us and began asking us how are night was going? And if we wanted to hang out with them? Really reepy right? So we rushed in while my new friend held the door for us
Low and behold there was the skinny hipster bartender! He took one look at our trans friend, and basically kicked us out, claiming he just called last call. He looked like we wanted to kill my new friend WTF!!!! The thing was a bunch other people were at the bar, clearly enjoying themselves and it's not like the door was locked and my friend did go in and ask so WTF! But what I can't get over the way this bartender looked at her. It was as if he was dangerously drunk and wanted to fight and everybody seemed to follow his lead because another voice said rudely, yea We are closed, get out! The bartender must have said something really mean about my friend when she came back out to get us.
My friend was stunned and clearly embarrassed by these completely hostile jerks
We immediately took off and went to the Owl. I was still shocked, and I asked my friend what was the deal was with that guy??? She said she knows him, and he's a misogynistic drunk sometimes. More disturbing, she said her partner and him almost got into a fight a week ago because he kept telling her to "go fuck herself", she said the owner made him apologize, but she noted that he first only apologized to her male partner instead of her, even though it was her that he ordered to "go fuck herself"! So the owner made him apologize again. Well clearly his treatment of her was again another "go fuck yourself" I asked her why she goes here and she said good question.
If Weegee's allows their bartender to treat women like this then we need to say Go Fuck Yourself to Weegees.
The bartenders name is Phil D and it looks like he works on Wednesdays Ladies and Queers beware, this bar is already located a desolate and out of the way stretch on west Armitage, so don't risk this type of treatment from, Phil D. the overly entitled misogynistic bartender. read more