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March 30, 2007

The Bar on Buena
The vibe at the three-year-old Bar on Buena is a cut above the smoke-and-mildew aesthetic of your more old-school neighborhood bars. It’s dark and cozy, with a big beer selection—18 on tap and another 80 in bottles-and burgers and other upscale bar bites (quesadillas, veggie “gyros”) are produced by the teeny kitchen until midnight on weekends. In the summer there’s outdoor seating on Buena and Cubs games on TV. | Mon-Fri 4 PM-2 AM, Sat 11:30 AM-3 AM, Sun 11:30 AM-2 AM | 910 W. Buena | 773-525-8665 | baronbuena.com

Driftwood Inn
Pool, darts, video games, and TVs augment the drinking at this unassuming, comfy spot squeezed in amid a bunch of new construction. The crowd is local and low-key. | Mon-Fri 5 PM-2 AM, Sat 5 PM-3 AM, Sun 5 PM-2 AM | 1021 W. Montrose | 773-975-3900

Holiday Club
The Holiday Club bills itself as a “Swinger’s Mecca,” but despite all the Rat Pack memorabilia on the walls, it’s really a bar with a little something for everyone. It’s dim and loud, with a pool table, pinball, video games, a party room, humongous TVs, and that staple of entertainment for giggly drunks citywide, a photo booth. The kitchen serves sandwiches, wraps, pizzas, and wings; there’s a “Swinger’s Brunch” Sundays from 10 AM to 4 PM. | Mon-Thu 6 PM–2 AM, Fri 11 AM-2 AM, Sat 11 AM-3 AM, Sun 10 AM-2 AM | 4000 N. Sheridan | 773-348-9600 | swingersmecca.com

Hopleaf
Considered an anchor of the Andersonville strip, the Hopleaf is technically in Uptown, according to the census and the city. But it attracts beer drinkers from all over the place, with 40 brews on tap—many served in their own dedicated glassware—and a staggering international list of more than 150 bottles, including probably any Belgian beer you can name and plenty you can’t. Be forewarned that the front room can be unbearably strangled (and smoky) on weekends, and bartenders have a not-completely-unwarranted reputation for grumpiness. See Restaurants for info on the dining room and Lit for info on the Bookslut Reading Series. | Sun-Fri 3 PM-2 AM, Sat 3 PM-3 AM | 5148 N. Clark | 773-334-9851 | hopleaf.com

Konak Pizza and Grill
An oasis of elbow room between the Hopleaf and Simon’s Tavern (which, at 5210 N. Clark, isn’t technically in Uptown), Konak is a no-frills bar that at times serves as a sort of clubhouse for actors and other theater types, with a pool table, video games, and comfy sofas in the (nonsmoking) back for yakking. The pizza’s not bad either. Cash only. | Sun-Fri 4 PM-2 AM, Sat 4 PM-3 AM | 5150 N. Clark | 773-271-6688

Nick’s on Wilson
A cozy spin-off of the cavernous Nick’s Uptown, the “new Nick’s” opened last summer in the narrow, space that was once home to the embattled Wooden Nickel. In addition to booze it offers board games, pool, and free Wi-Fi. A 4 AM license is pending. | Sun-Fri 3 PM-2 AM | Sat 3 PM-3 AM | 1140 W. Wilson | 773-271-1155

Nick’s Uptown
This huge, rather utilitarian tavern from the owners of Nick’s Beer Garden and the Note in Wicker Park offers ample room to spread out, relax, and get lit in a space free of pretension or attitude. The main room is notable for its vaulted ceiling and Miami Beach color scheme; a 50-foot-long bar runs the length of the south wall, with a half-dozen beers on tap (e.g., Blue Moon, Guinness, PBR). A smaller room holds four pool tables and other amusements as well as a second bar. Proximity to Wrigley Field means an overwhelmingly sporty crowd at times; in the wee hours the place can get rowdy and, believe it or not, crowded. | Sun-Fri 4 PM-4 AM, Sat 4 PM-5 AM | 4015-17 N. Sheridan | 773-975-1155 | nicksuptown.com

Uptown Lounge
Sleek and trendy, with lots of candles and low sofas conducive to sealing the deal, the Uptown Lounge is the shiny-shirted cousin of the Green Mill around the corner. A rotating cast of DJs and a small dance floor make this as close as you’ll get to clubbing in the neighborhood. And despite the late-night license, the Uptown Lounge somehow never gets so mobbed you can’t find your Stella Artois. There’s karaoke on Sunday nights. | Sun-Fri 4 PM-4 AM, Sat 4 PM-5 AM | 1136 W. Lawrence | 773-878-1136 | uptownlounge.net

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