Falcon Inn

Chicago, Illinois

Field Note

Because Hyde Park is a bit south relative to Chicago’s downtown core and public transit on occasion can be less than convenient (use the Metra, not CTA), some of the area’s storied dive bars can feel a bit off the beaten path for visitors. Like neighboring community institutions Woodlawn Tap and The Cove Lounge, Falcon Inn has been a mainstay of Hyde Park, opened in 1978 just steps away from the Metra line that connects to the rest of the city.

While Woodlawn Tap and The Cove Lounge have seen fairly visible upgrades over the years, Falcon Inn feels like it has kept as much of the original ambiance from 1978 as possible. Perhaps in keeping with that commitment to tradition, beer prices at Falcon Inn are hyper affordable by Chicago drinking standards with pitchers running as low as $9 for domestic beer options. Notably, and this may feel like a bit of Chicago dive bar sacrilege, Falcon Inn does not stock Old Style, preferring PBR as its base dive bar beer of choice.

Outside, Falcon Inn can be easy to miss with only a small illuminated sign hanging among highly reflective glass panels suggesting the existence of the Hyde Park dive bar. When in doubt, keep an eye out for next door Cholie’s Pizza, another long running Hyde Park business connected to Falcon Inn through a pizza portal of sorts, a rolling metal window that allows Falcon Inn visitors to order pizza slices, nachos and even tortas.

The eye-catching element inside Falcon Inn is no doubt the bar itself, a weathered, original piece that bears an attractive amount of scuffs and scrapes, suggesting its age. Two small televisions are mounted in the installation behind the bar decorated with carved wooden columns framing a set of mirrored panels. Draft beer options flow from a central tap filled with dive bar classics like PBR, Budweiser and Miller Lite. Additional bottled varieties can be spotted from a windowed cooler just off the end of the bar.

As with really any Chicago dive bar, the clientele here is diverse, pulling locals from the neighborhood as well as nearby University of Chicago students. A sign restricting access to anyone under 23 has historically been part of Falcon Inn’s minimal exterior signage, though the policy seems seldom enforced. The Falcon Inn floorplan is downright spacious, the main bar area flanked by a pair of open seating areas divided in part by an exposed brick wall that runs down the center of the structure.

Naturally, Falcon Inn is cash only with an ATM available in the rear of the bar. On the way to grabbing some cash, be sure to look up at a pair of faded fresco paintings depicting a pair of skyline scenes, one of them seemingly depicting New York City (another bit of Chicago dive bar sacrilege to be sure). Prime seating can be found along the rail installed across the bar’s front window, providing a comfortable perch to survey pedestrian-heavy 53rd Street.