Chicago is in many ways a dive bar paradise, a community so supportive of neighborhood drinking spots and so sprawling in nature that there are fresh dives to explore on seemingly every corner. But even the most observant dive bar hunter would be forgiven for completely missing J&M Tap’s very existence thanks to an almost entirely unmarked exterior in one of the hot bed dive bar neighborhoods in the city, Ukrainian Village.

All of these factors are, of course, very good signs when it comes to the quality of a dive bar and J&M Tap certainly lives up to the promise of its nondescript exterior. Inside, the space is naturally quite dim thanks to the slender nature of the structure’s windows, another source of the bar’s tight-knit, almost cozy vibe. The ambiance inside J&M Tap hits almost every classic dive bar note, from the bar’s drop ceiling to its extensive use of wood paneling.

Beyond the bar itself, the rest of the J&M Tap space is filled in by sporadic seating and a lone pool table where games are free each Monday and Tuesday. The most ostentatious element in a space that includes very little extravagance is perhaps the J&M Tap street sign that extends from the wall near the rear of the space. Only minimal beer signs dot the walls, though thankfully the string lights do extend through much of J&M Tap.