Historic Chicago dive bar Old Town Ale House reopens despite tavern restrictions by selling frozen pizza

Table Of Content

• Rush partners with top-ranked MD Anderson, aiming to give patients more access to the latest cancer treatments
• Morgan MFG, 401 N Morgan St Suite #204A, Chicago IL 60642
• Anthony Bourdain's 'Parts Unknown' Extols Chicago's Lack of 'Douchery'
• Menu
• Anthony Bourdain’s Most Memorable Chicago Quotes
• The infamous walls of Old Town Ale House
• Twin Anchors Restaurant & Tavern

“My boss drove down to the City Clerk (office) and got a copy that they said we could post and be legal,” said Tim Polk, bartender and manager of 20 or so years. The bar obtained a retail food license from the city, which allowed it to sell the pizza. In true pub-style, The Old Town Ale House puts down daily specials on a chalkboard, which include the day’s drinks and food. There is also a celebrity wall, where Elliot has painted portraits of the famous and not-so-famous stars that used to come in, including  Stephen Colbert, Bill Murray, John Belushi, and Dan Aykroyd to name a few. The Old Ale Town House was established in 1958 by entrepreneur E.J. Vangelder’s idea for the pub came from his visits to San Francisco, where he often visited the Vesuvios saloon on North Beach.

Rush partners with top-ranked MD Anderson, aiming to give patients more access to the latest cancer treatments

Add to that its late-night operation, and you’ve got a much more entertaining alternative for late-night Old Town than Burton Place or Amp Rock Lounge, even with its anti-trendiness and one-time atmosphere that smelled “a lot like death” according to one Yelp reviewer. For more information on the Old Town Ale House, they don’t have a website so you’ll have to give them a call or, better yet, head over there for an ale and you might even have your portrait painted. For more information, check out the Old Town Ale House website and, next time you’re there, be sure to raise up your glass to the Klugs. Despite the window dressing, regulars will be happy to note that nothing has been remodeled inside. The same battered wooden bar, matching the floor except for the tiled area up front, runs the length of the western wall below a tin ceiling of indistinguishable color. In his Cezanne-like French Impressionistic style, fellow regular Bruce Elliott is responsible for this artwork—over 125 portraits in all—the rest of which can be found hanging throughout the room.

Morgan MFG, 401 N Morgan St Suite #204A, Chicago IL 60642

Victorian architecture, Second City comedy, and brick alleyways are some of the traits of Old Town, one of Chicago’s most-affluent North Side neighborhoods. Wells Street tends to get packed during fall weekends, with college football fans, shoppers, and tourists crowding the neighborhood’s main drag. There’s plenty to eat and drink in one of Chicago’s most-historic neighborhoods. Here are 15 best bets for food and drink, listed from west to east. The beloved McGillin's bartender is credited with being a matchmaker, saving marriages and pouring countless drinks while working at Philadelphia's oldest continually operating tavern.

Anthony Bourdain's 'Parts Unknown' Extols Chicago's Lack of 'Douchery'

Receive the latest updates from Chicago Drinks Guide on the drinks industry, informative stories, and drinks reviews. This restaurant may be the epitome of the neighborhood, with Italian-American classics and a nice patio tucked in behind Wells Street. Find old-school items like clams casino, an underrated Italian beef, and more. The Old Town Ale House has been called "The best bar in the world that I know about" by Roger Ebert[13][14] whose biographical film Life Itself contains several interviews within the bar, and ends with a portrait of Ebert in the bar that was painted by Elliott. "He's very personable, he loves people, and he comes home with stories and stories and stories, it's so much fun, it really is. Somebody's gotta write a book, I don't know who, but somebody has to write a book. He's amazing," Laura Doyle said. "He's a very dedicated man, very nice man; everyone loves him. I know he doesn't work full-time now, but still, he's very well-liked as you can tell by the turnout," said friend Robert Devitis.

Menu

“My latest one is Trump in a straight jacket with naked Melania and Ivanka,” he said. Bars and restaurants in the city are still required to restrict capacity to 25% and maintain 6 feet of social distancing. Now, the bar is in the hands of Bruce Elliot and his wife Tobin and is like a second home to many locals. If you’re in this neck of the woods, then you definitely cannot miss out on a pint at the Old Town Ale House. Roger Ebert, a well-acclaimed film critic deemed the Old Town Ale House to be “the best bar in the world that I know about”.

Anthony Bourdain’s Most Memorable Chicago Quotes

Old Town Ale House is one of the most-unique bars in Chicago, keeping a part of the city’s history alive until at least 4 a.m. The spots evokes Chicago greats like Roger Ebert and Mike Royko. Several famous performers from Second City have tipped a few back at this dive. The artwork is quirky and obscene, the characters sitting the barstools have stories, and the bar attracts drinkers from all over the city.

If you’re looking for something off-the-menu, then feel free to ask Tim for one of his ‘signature secret creations’. Over the years, the Ale House saw many partners come in and go, but Art Klug always remained. Eventually, Art’s ex-wife Beatrice bought the remaining shares and the two took over. After the death of Art and Beatrice in 2005, Tobin Mitchell, Bruce’s wife, took over the bar, on one condition iterated by Beatrice - no blender, no credit cards.

Mike Royko's 1973 Foreign Vs. Domestic Beers Test Will Be Restaged At Old Town Ale House - Block Club Chicago

Mike Royko's 1973 Foreign Vs. Domestic Beers Test Will Be Restaged At Old Town Ale House.

Posted: Tue, 11 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

The infamous walls of Old Town Ale House

Beer summit: U.S. beers win big in restaged Mike Royko 1973 beer taste test at Old Town Ale House - Chicago Sun-Times

Beer summit: U.S. beers win big in restaged Mike Royko 1973 beer taste test at Old Town Ale House.

Posted: Sun, 30 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Near the front of the bar, you’ll find the “Curiosity Shop” that features a large bulletin board of various notices. Less famous regulars who have passed can be found honored on the northwest corner’s “Dead Wall,” which is kitty corner from “Crazy Bitch Wall,” above the pinball machine. A disturbingly large head of papier-mâché, found on the back wall and originally from a defunct establishment called Figaro’s, rounds out the décor. I’ve found it difficult to recall details of Old Town Ale House visits as, mysteriously, my memories seem a bit clouded the next day. However, what I can remember is that the Old Town Ale House has a lively yet relaxed atmosphere that is quite difficult to find in this part of town.

Once the painting took over the internet, Elliot was interviewed by major TV networks and over a hundred radio stations. That’s where the idea of ‘political porn paintings’ came to Elliot, and many now adorn the wall above the bar. For more than 30 years, this Old Town landmark has graced Wells and served Italian-American cuisine.

Nookies has locations in Edgewater, Lincoln Park, and Boystown. While Old Town doesn’t have an abundance of quality diners, Nookies fills the void. This article related to a building or structure in Chicago is a stub.

In fact, The Old Town Ale House has seen a shift in ownership over the years, before finally finding its place in Elliot’s hands. Old Town is home to one of four Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, the chain with a cult following out of Ohio. Jeni Britton Bauer is a Beard Award winner, and her creative ice cream flavors are served in fresh waffle cones. “The Old Town Ale House is as close to the Old Town of the 60’s and 70’s that you are going to find, making it a neighborhood landmark, classic Chicago joint and generally a pub that you’ll not want to miss”. Open since 1958, the Ale House has had plenty of time to develop into the best dive bar in Chicago. He's also witnessed some of the greatest moments in Philadelphia sports history and served customers as they celebrated the Sixers NBA Championship, the Flyers Stanley Cup, the Eagles Super Bowl and the Phillies World Series victories.

SteakBar carries some of those traits (they serve a Fireball Old Fashioned for the refined bros), but inside a gorgeous multi-level space with huge windows on the second floor that overlook Wells Street. Brendan Sodikoff’s team developed the menu for the space, which is run by Four Corners Tavern Group. Doyle earned a "Best of Philly" award in 2010 when he was named the city's best bartender, and his wife, Laura Doyle, said all these years later she doesn't mind sharing him with the rest of the city. One of the most sought-after paintings at the pub is one of Sarah Palin naked, holding an assault rifle while standing on a polar bear rug with harlot red high heels on. Elliot painted the piece right after the Republican Convention in which Sarah Palin was made the Vice Presidential nominee. The painting was first put up as a joke, but in less than 24 hours it went viral on the internet.

The art all over the walls includes pictures of Vladimir Putin as a ballerina and Kim Jong Un and Dennis Rodman together. It’s the total opposite of everything else you’ll find near it on Wells St., which makes Old Town Ale House the perfect escape for a low-key couple of drinks. Old Town Ale House, the historic dive bar that the late film critic Roger Ebert once called “the best bar in the world that I know about,” quietly reopened Wednesday night on the North Side of Chicago.