The small footprint to Joe’s on Broadway may be its greatest asset, forcing the bar to maximize every square inch of space made available. The bar itself creates the flow of the room, a winding L-shaped bar that curves around two distinct spaces, one in front and one in back, creating some interesting angles when it comes to interacting with others saddled up to the bar. In front, Mona Lisa makes another, much larger impression, similarly poised with PBR in hand just next to the bar’s liquor and merchandise stash. Overhead, all manner of miscellaneous sticks can be found, including broom, wooden pitchfork and hockey stick.
The bar back is lined with TVs as it curves through the space, often tuned to the Cubs when available given the dive bar’s proximity to Wrigley Field. But though the bar sits roughly in walking distance of the stadium, it sits outside of Wrigleyville proper, making it an excellent alternative to some of the crowd-crushing intensity that can come with grabbing a beer further toward the field before and after a game. Joe’s on Broadway seems to be spared some of that traffic, making for a much more relaxed pre- and post-game atmosphere.
A series of chairs sit in the front window, allowing for a bit of people watching along Broadway. In contrast, just around the bend in the bar, the back area is a bit more sheltered from the natural light let in by the windows up front, creating a slightly different atmosphere. Here, the very dark wood paneling that surrounds the space seems to absorb some of the ambient light, making for a more mellow experience. Small lamps jut out from the wall over low square tables that provide some additional seating opposite the bar.
