Lodge Tavern

Chicago, Illinois

Field Note

There are dive bars that are hidden, hard to find or even underground (like Chicago’s own Streeter’s Tavern). And then there are dive bars that can be seen from a mile away, the facade so distinct, the look to unique that one can’t help but stop in for a beer. Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood is home to one such institution, the much-beloved Lodge Tavern that has been open since 1957 within a structure very appropriately designed to match the name of the bar.

Though the bar opened in 1957, a renovation in 1962 brought with it the ski lodge-like appearance that makes Lodge Tavern the dive bar icon that it is. Prior to life as Lodge Tavern, the space was inhabited by Suzy’s, a jazz-filled nightclub, and another bar concept named Allegro. Thankfully, the Lodge Tavern incarnation persists still today, its longevity reflected in the bar’s unofficial slogan that decrees that the Chicago bar is perpetually “hosting Chicago’s longest cocktail hour.”

The appropriately-named Lodge Management Group owns Lodge Tavern as part of a stable of Chicago bars that run the full spectrum from true dive bar to upscale cocktail joint. The aforementioned Streeter’s Tavern, the Streeterville subterranean dive, is another of the company’s holdings. Though this reviewer was unable to confirm its existence, online reviews of Lodge Tavern mention a speakeasy concept open on Friday and Saturday nights in an adjacent alley.

What could be confirmed is the near perpetual presence of peanut shells strewn across the Lodge Tavern floors thanks to a generous bar snack program that is basically impossible to ignore when faced with salty snacks in the presence of domestic beer. So strong is the allure of Lodge Tavern and its many amenities that after the Chicago Cubs won the World Series in 2016, Bill Murray and Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder chose Lodge Tavern as their celebration site. Other celebrities have been sighted at the bar, including local sports stars Mark Grace and Hal McRae.

A large wooden sign (wood is a strong theme here) hangs over the bar’s front door with an Alpine-feeling font depicting the name of the space. A sloped, weathered, faux-roof hangs over the structure, an array of flags waving from atop the building. The Lodge Tavern interior pays off the promise of its pronounced exterior thanks to a relentless commitment to exposed wood features, from the walls to the bar to the floor and everything in between.

Where most dive bars adorn their walls with bits of neon and old beer signs, Lodge Tavern has opted instead to decorate the space with a vast array of old-time portraits and paintings. The combined look feels a bit like some extended family tree depicted along the walls of a treasured lake house cabin, a nice contrast from the usual array of bar mirrors and beer special signs. One casualty of time at Lodge Tavern is sadly the original Wurlitzer jukebox once found on site and today replaced by a digital version thankfully at least in the same general style rather than the more typical wall-mounted variety.

Patches from first responders all around the country line the wall behind the bar where a mantle of sorts houses an array of dusty figurines, framed photos of past regulars and the occasional bit of faded artwork. The curved front wall houses a long string of windows that make for great sidewalk watching, a chandelier overhead with candle-like lighting adding a warmth to a space already intensely warm thanks to an abundance of wooden features. A handful of televisions can be found here and for those so inclined, Lodge Tavern doubles as a Wisconsin Badgers watch bar.