Best bars in Logan Square, Chicago

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.

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 Chug Life lagers, you'll find a menu of sausages featuring selections from Bridgeport's own Makowski's Real Sausage.

Veterans of the Whistler and Boiler Room joined together to open this bar, which initially 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, which 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.

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.

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.

The many uses of grain are celebrated at Bungalow by Middle Brow, a brewery that also serves fresh baked bread and pizza with wild, foraged and farm fresh toppings such as Michigan ground cherries and black chickpeas. Stop by in the morning for an espresso and breakfast sandwich and you can also stock up on groceries including farm fresh eggs, flour and local produce. If you get hooked, you might consider joining their community supported fermentation program, a subscription that includes a weekly package of beer for you, plus a bread donation to a Chicago family in need.

This neighborhood bar primarily serves beers from local breweries including Maplewood and Moody Tongue, plus classic cocktails including sazeracs and negronis, 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 hosts an outpost of Lincoln Park’s Evette’s which serves Middle Eastern-inspired bar bites.

Ten years from now, when this strip of Armitage is populated with coffee shops and vintage clothing stores, this old-school, soul record–playing, classic cocktail–mixing bar will be overrun with hipsters vying for their turn in the photo booth. Start hanging out here now so you can say you knew it in the good old days. And make sure that you try the Wisconsin Old Fashioned.

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. Come from noon-4pm weekends for brunch drinks like the Hazemosa made with Be All hazy pale ale and orange juice. The spot also hosts Monday night markets and pop-ups featuring local restaurants.

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 beer-battered fried mushrooms served with wasabi ginger aioli and nachos covered in beer cheese.

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. Fuel up with vegan spins on bar fare such as cauliflower Buffalo wings from their new satellite kitchen Fry Like an Eagle.

Take an hour-long tour of Maplewood on Tuesday nights and you’ll learn about the brewing and distilling process while sampling a variety of beer and spirits. If you just want to relax with a drink, visit the lounge and try one of a dozen beers on tap like their Charlatan American pale ale or a cocktail such as Granny Spice, a blend of Maplewood spiced rum, apple cider, spiced caramel and nutmeg. 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. You’re welcome to bring your own food, though the bar also regularly hosts pop up vendors slinging burgers or hot dogs.

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. Pick your tunes from a jukebox and relax 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 cocktail or something a bit more novel like Scorpio Rising, a blend of Rhinehall pear brandy, cachaca, amaro, cinnamon and rosemary. Stop in for happy hour from 5-8pm weekday 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 a bocce court, 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. DIY s'mores 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 $1 game of pool.

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.