The long bar takes up the length of one wall, terminating in a framed piece of art depicting a beach scene that I can only presume is titled “Christmas in July.” Behind the bar, there aren’t enough words to describe the full scene, a complete explosion of visual stimulation swirling around every inch of the back wall. Foreign money, dollar bills, Halloween decorations, photos of aspiring actresses, movie posters, there’s no end to the items to be discovered over a few hours of drinking frosted mug, $2 Old Style pints. Central to the bar is, of course, a cactus, because why not.
The decorations spiral from there, one end of the bar using a series of ancient-looking shelves to prop up all manner of dive bar relic, including what looks to be a collection of alarm clocks. Around the space, a classic dive bar metal sign can be seen here and there mixed in with seemingly random pieces of framed artwork and even a bas relief sculpture along one wall. And it goes without saying that the mixture of all of these varied pieces with an intense amount of Christmas garland only adds to the experience.
Rose’s Lounge features every element that marks a great dive bar, a particularly noteworthy achievement in a city that is flush with great dive drinking options. Epic sign, Christmas decorations, relentless wood paneling, mistmatched seating, a plaid couch, Rose should be proud for the thorough way she has architected one of Chicago’s best dive bar environments.