This week marks the first full week that the majority of my friends and I are 21. Because of this monumental happening, we have all gone to more bars in a week than I think some people go to in their whole lives. I’ve been hearing stories for years about “Hundo” and “The Deuce” and “The Keg,” which led me to believe that these are the only legitimate bars to attend in a ten-mile radius.
I was wrong.
I went to Hundo within the first 10 minutes of turning 21. Granted, I was already really drunk. Granted, it was my birthday so I got a lot of free drinks. But after I woke up, I felt a little disappointed. Was that it? Did we just pay six dollars for tablespoon-sized shots in a crowded little bar with hardly any dance floor? The answer: yes. I will probably get excommunicated from Northwestern for saying so, but I don’t think Hundo is that great. Of course I will still go there, but I thought I’d use this column to tell you about the better bars I’ve been to recently. I’m the first to admit that I have minimal bar experience, but take what I experience I do have and apply it to your own life.
Celtic Knot
Well known on campus, but far underrated. Two words: Irish bartender. There’s a good chance that someone in there will have an adorable Irish accent. When we went in on my birthday, the waitress brought me a cake, unprompted. If that’s not good service, I don’t know what is. They’ve got a great assortment of beers and Irish-themed drinks for a decent price. The food is a little on the expensive side, but it’s worth it. The atmosphere is pretty much the best in this whole town, but I might just be saying that because I am Irish and these are my people.
Bar Louie
Also a little bit expensive, but they have really great bar food for when you don’t want to get fall-down drunk. I highly recommend the pretzels — they’re practically the best thing I have eaten in my entire life, besides my mom’s macaroni and cheese casserole. Their shots are gigantic compared to the shots at Hundo. They also have “Dollar Burger Night” on Tuesday, where you get a huge hamburger for a dollar with your drink order. An inside source tells me that the burgers are getting even bigger, too (and by “inside source,” I mean my roommate Pat). It’s a great bar to go to sit around at for a couple hours with friends while the friendly staff gets you drunk. As a bonus, they have sweet coat hooks attached to the bar itself, so your shit won’t get stolen!
Bat 17
This bar opened pretty recently and I’ll have to be honest, I didn’t even notice it at first. It’s kind of a deli-slash-bar, and while the food is out-of-control expensive ($15 for a ham sandwich? Get out of here) they have RIDICULOUSLY cheap drink specials every single night. Cheap drinks even on Friday and Saturday? I approve. It’s pretty small, but you can follow in the footsteps of my roommate Pat and orchestrate the following: Pat had a party at Bat 17 called “Pat Seven-Teeming with People.” He got a bunch of his friends to fill the place, which made the bar seem totally happening, but it was only filled with fun people that he knew. The bartenders loved it and we loved it, so everyone was happy. Also, their bathroom walls are entirely lined with toilet-paper rolls, so you never have to worry about awkwardly drip drying in public.
Star Gaze
This was the highlight of my birth weekend: a lesbian bar in Andersonville. After 15 or 20 minutes on the El and about a 3 minute walk from the platform, Star Gaze was the most open and fun bar that I’ve seen. Flanked by three gay men, I was probably the only straight person in the entire bar, but no one cared. We bought drinks for others, others bought drinks for us and everyone talked to everyone — no judgment and no cliques at all. Plus, half of the bar is a sports bar and the other half was a huge dance party. If you are comfortable hanging out with relaxed people going out to have a fun time, then you will love this bar. Drinks were pretty cheap, plus the unisex bathroom really sped up the line. Thursday is “Salsa Night” and Sunday is “Karaoke Night,” which is also added hilarity. Plus, I got free drinks and a phone number. Also, if your name is “Choppa”… then thanks for the tequila.
There are many more, and I’m sure I’ll write about them once my bank account refills and I have time for more exploring. The moral of the story is: Hundo sucks. Branch out.