The best bars in Logan Square

Everything about Estereo feels calculated, from the pleasant curves of its triangular bar to the breeze that wafts in through the open garage doors on a warm day. Latin jazz and Tropicália will likely be spinning as you look through the menu, which focuses on cocktails made with Latin spirits like pisco, tequila and mezcal. It's a popular watering hole for pups, too.

Veterans of the Whistler and Boiler Room joined together to open this bar, which focuses on cocktails made with gin. One of the two rooms here (the one filled with couches and curtains) looks a lot like the Violet Hour, which makes sense since cocktails are the main draw. The other room is less loungey, boasts a long bar and is truer to what Scofflaw is—a top-notch, friendly neighborhood joint.

Who would have guessed longtime Trotter's chef Matthias Merges would find his calling checking IDs at the door of a Logan Square bar? Granted, it’s not just any bar: Billy Sunday serves beautifully balanced drinks made with unusual ingredients, turning out creations that both pay homage to and defy tradition. The bar also has an extensive selection of vintage spirits, fernet and amaro and serves snacks including curried nuts and house-pickled vegetables.

The team behind Logan Square spots Union and Lardon also operates this intimate and swanky cocktail bar. Housed in the same century-old building as the other two concepts, Meadowlark provides guests with a cozy den to hang out in—complete with low lighting, comfy leather couches and book-lined shelves. The drinks are all named after birds and there’s also an accompanying menu of small bites. Seating is limited, so be sure to snag a reservation ahead of time.

From the outside, this place looks like a gallery (which, technically, it partially is). On the inside, it's a tiny lounge, with a permanent stage set up for weekly live music and performance. But behind the bar, the drink-slingers have perfected the art of the cocktail, skillfully crafting colorful refreshments that pack a punch. One sip and there’s no doubt that despite everything else going on here, the drinks are the reason to stick around.

Transport yourself to simpler times at this retro-themed bar that pays tribute to Midwestern cocktail culture. You’ll find a selection of boozy milkshakes alongside classics like the Rusty Nail, Rob Roy and Wisconsin old fashioned. If you really want to channel your inner child, order an ice cream sundae and reserve one of the miniature duckpin bowling lanes.

It’s always a party at Slippery Slope, the popular Logan Square bar for all crowds. On weekends, expect a line out the door and the dance floor to be packed with people who are undoubtedly fueled by cheap beer, bottled cocktails and the DJ setlists. For a breather from the action, hit up the Skee-Ball machines.

Tucked away in one of the far corners of Logan Square, this combination bar and liquor store is one of the neighborhood's best kept secrets. Formerly known as Dorothy's Liquors, manager Mike Stellatos changed the bar's name and menu while retaining some of its divey charm (including ceiling tiles decorated by regulars). Drink your way through an affordable selection of craft beers on draft or grab a six pack from the coolers and bring the party back to your couch.

Weegee's Lounge is sure to transport diners directly to the 1940s. This old-school, soul record-playing, classic cocktail-mixing bar is one of the most authentic throwback bars to decades past. Expect to see lines for the retro photo booth, live performances and plenty of sips on their signature Wisconsin Old Fashioned.

This neighborhood bar primarily serves beers from local breweries including Maplewood and Moody Tongue, plus classic cocktails including sazeracs and margaritas, though you’ll also find Old Style on draft and frozen Irish coffee served year-round. The expansive space offers plenty of room for big groups and a photo booth where you can capture memories of your night out. The half-covered, dog-friendly patio is popular for private events or just lounging in one of the adirondack chairs. The bar also serves barbecue bites from Umamicue.

The many uses of grain are celebrated at Bungalow by Middle Brow, a brewery and natural wine company that also serves fresh baked bread and pizza with unique toppings such as espresso-maple glaze and escargot. You can also order ahead  bread, buns and cultured butter through the Middle Brow store. 

Building on the success of its Bridgeport outpost, Marz Community Brewing's latest taproom sits between Logan Square and Bucktown, taking up residence in the same building that houses the Margie's Candies ice cream parlor and the Snakes & Lattes board game café. Dubbed the Life on Marz Community Club, the space is a bit smaller than the original Bridgeport taproom, but it's decor is as stylish as the art that graces the brewery's various beer cans. Dangling lights and multi-colored walls complement a cooler stocked with cans of Marz creations and taps pouring drafts (including a few exclusive brews). If you need a snack while you knock back some hazy IPAs and lagers, you'll find a menu of popcorn from Marz Snack Wave brand.

Looking for a laid-back spot where the vibes are good and you’re free to let loose? Then visit Way Out for fun times and reasonably-priced cocktails (every drink is priced at $12) like the Steep Dreams—a mix of spiced rum, chai syrup and orange liqueur. Though the food menu mostly offers standard bar bites, you’ll definitely want to try the Philly cheesesteak. And for some friendly competition, check out the pool table in the back room. Every month, the bar also hosts a free burlesque show.

The negroni slushy gets all the attention at Parson's, but the secret is that all the cocktails are excellent. With a well-made margarita, canned beers, the option to spike your Steigl radler with a shot (do it!), and the best patio in the city, there's no excuse to not drink at the original Parson's outpost in Logan Square.

Naperville’s Solemn Oath Brewery opened this long-awaited Logan Square taproom in 2021, serving 20 brews on tap amid rustic decor that evokes Midwestern dive bars. You can also try several flavors of Solemn Oath’s hard seltzer brand City Water, which is also mixed into cocktails.

The former home of Bonny's has left the late-night dance parties and ill-advised hook-ups behind in favor of the slightly more grown-up atmosphere of The Native. This is a neighborhood bar through and through, complete with a basic beer menu, stiff cocktails and just enough seating for a small group of friends to sit together indoors, though a spacious patio provides extra room when the weather is nice. In an area crowded with cocktail bars, it's nice to have a place where you don't feel out of place ordering a beer and a shot.

The largest independently owned brewery in Illinois, Revolution Brewing has become a leader in Chicago’s craft beer scene since opening in 2010. While you can get Revolution’s flagship Anti-Hero IPA in bars and grocery stores throughout the city, you have to come to this brewpub to try some of the rotating specialties on tap. The beer is also featured heavily on the food menu, which includes a stout-braised short rib and housemade pretzels with beer mustard and beer-cheddar fondue.

Founded as an incubator where multiple breweries can share equipment and produce small batches of beer, Pilot Project is a great place to sit down and sample many wildly different types of beers in one sitting. In addition to mainstays like a house IPA and lager, the sterile but cozy taproom also serves creations from breweries that specialize in culinary-inspired beer, kombucha and beer-wine hybrids. A patio lined with picnic tables provides plenty of room for outdoor drinking and an early-morning menu of coffee and pasties caters to freelancers, who post up with their laptops throughout the afternoon.

Logan Arcade boasts a fully stocked bar and a huge blinking, beeping menagerie of lovingly restored and well-maintained arcade games. The back room is filled with pinball tables (which account for roughly half of the available games), so flipper fanatics will be able to waste away hours setting new high scores.

Head to Maplewood's lounge to try one of a dozen beers on tap like their Fat Pug milk stout or a cocktail such as Negroni Naranja, a blend of Maplewood aged gin, Maplewood orange liqueur and an Italian vermouth. Try to visit in October for the annual Pug Day celebration, a tribute to the bar’s canine mascot Otto.

Wine lovers will want to check out this bottle shop housed in the old East Room space, which offers wine clubs focused on affordable or limited wines based on your price point. When the weather warms up, you can share a bottle or something from Easy Does It’s selection of beer, cider, cocktails and hard kombucha at one of the picnic tables on the dog-friendly patio, which is equipped with heaters to keep it pleasant for as long as possible.

At Longman & Eagle, there are old fashioneds, stirred slowly and carefully behind a dark, gorgeous bar. There are dozens of whiskeys for under five bucks; the house favorite, Cabin Still, is mellow and gentle. And there are flannel shirts, and mustaches, and Grandma sweaters. The combination of fashionable crowds, hearty dinners and killer cocktails is the quintessential dinner experience in Logan Square.

Weeknights are relatively low-key at this retro dive from the Estelle’s folks, but the rooms fill up by midnight on weekends and stay packed until the 4am closing time (5am on Saturdays). Order a draft cocktail or one of 20 beers on tap, which are all half-price—along with everything else on the menu—during happy hour Monday through Friday. Sip on a drink of your choice while watching the waterfall behind the bar.

A walk-in cooler door connects the Red Star Liquor store to this funky cocktail lounge where the friendly staff will mix you a classic drink or something a bit more novel like Lip Sync Assassin, a blend of tequila, blueberry, and toasted coconut. Stop in for happy hour from 5-8pm on weekdays and park yourself in a booth to enjoy a few rounds of $6 cocktails. When the weather’s nice, the space’s garage doors open onto a sidewalk patio.

Though its kitchen and bar is housed in a former auto repair garage, Park & Field's main draw is its gigantic patio, which features hammocks, fire pits and a camper that has been retrofitted to serve as an outdoor bar. Back inside, you'll find the game on TV, a long list of cocktails and a menu that includes burgers, chicken nuggets and chili—yes, this is a sports bar. Homemade cheesecake and a wine list packed with rosé options might seem out of character for a Logan Square bar, but it's simply a reminder that no neighborhood can remain the epicenter of hipness (just look at Wicker Park).

Nothing brings together the hip kids and blue-collar Chicagoans better than cheap alcohol, and this no-frills Logan Square dive (one of the neighborhood's last) across from the Fireside Bowl is living proof. Watch as the earnest mustaches of Blackhawks and Sox fans mingle amiably with ironically bearded indie rock fans. And if that gets dull, just head to the back for a cheap game of pool.

Mother’s Ruin arrives in Avondale by way of New York City (with an additional satellite location in Nashville), bringing its signature spiked slushies and craft cocktails to a spacious storefront on Milwaukee Avenue. Drink names on the rotating cocktail menu offer an irreverent touch—recent entrants range from Viagra Triangle to Antique Shitshow—and pack a boozy punch that’s well-matched against the joint’s genuinely unmissable selection of bar snacks, including one of the best burgers in Chicago. Sidle up to a high-top table beginning at 11am daily, when the bar starts slinging hearty brunch mains, for daytime cocktails and a breakfast burrito.

This Logan Square watering hole glows with charm—or is it the string of Christmas lights behind the bar? Either way, retired rock stars put away beers next to their disciples under the soft lights, snapshots of regulars and the warm smile of the maternal owner-bartender, Maria. The stools here are limited, but when you can grab one, you'll be made to feel at home.

The group behind several Chicago watering holes, including Spilt Milk and Bucktown Pub, debuted a new concept in Avondale. Quality Time feels like a throwback in the best way, complete with wood paneling, vintage wallpaper and leather booths. Bring a group to down pitchers of beer or let loose with a frozen Grasshopper—a Chocolate rum-based cocktail that’ll give you the exta boost you need to dance through DJ sets.