Stella’s Tap

Chicago, Illinois

Field Note

Standing out as a dive bar in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood is no simple feat, the area dense with immense, legendary drinking options that include Chicago dive bar titans like Inner Town Pub and Rainbo Club. But Stella’s Tap offers something unique even among the robust set of nearby dive bars, only Ola’s Liquors perhaps on par with the almost minimalist atmosphere found inside. The fact that an actual ‘Stella’ still owns, operates and often bartends inside only enhances the experience.

This review may be biased in a positive direction thanks to this reviewer’s last visit that included one on one time with Stella herself. With the lights on but the door locked, a nervous knock led to Stella finding her way to the front, apologizing for having the door locked and opening the bar quite literally just for me. What followed was a tremendous visit, an hour or so spent speaking directly with Stella about the bar, her Polish roots and the changing nature of the neighborhood.

The history of the space extends well beyond Stella herself, the structure dating back to 1897 and home to all manner of bars and businesses over the decades. Nearby dive bar Empty Bottle got its start here, the owner promoting a live show in what would become Stella’s Tap, ultimately parlaying that experience into opening up a bar. The exterior certainly looks the part, a basic brick building sliced off at its corner to allow for a small door under a barred window.

Sometimes referred to as Stella’s Sports Bar, the space is conducive to a lot of things but packing in a watch party for a big game may not be its ideal use case thanks to sparse television coverage and limited space. But Stella’s Tap shines as a no-nonsense, straightforward dive bar perfect for grabbing a beer and having an actual conversation with an actual person. Crowds can of course be found here on weekend evenings, but as far as other Ukrainian Village dive bar options go, Stella’s Tap offers one of the best chances for a chill night with a friend.

Amenities are limited here, a long bar commanding most of the space with a pool table and small alcove near the rear of the space. String lights run along the bar, adding a bit of warmth to what is otherwise a set of polished, hard surfaces that project the kind of old school vibe so perfectly matched to the neighborhood. A classic bar mirror matches the length of the bar back, the usual array of liquor bottles taking up the full space available. Like many dive bars in the area, Stella’s Tap doubles as a package store, meaning that beer & liquor is available for takeaway purchase.

Owner Stella’s Polish heritage can be seen in the bar’s beer selection thanks to the presence of Okocim, one of the great Polish dive bar-friendly beers found in Polish-influenced cities like Chicago and Detroit. What may seem like a basic experience at first glance is actually one of the ideal dive bar experiences in a part of Chicago dense with great experiences, any evening enhanced by a conversation with Stella over an Okocim or five.