Best Intentions

"Compared to the other spots on this list, Best Intentions in Logan Square has the scene of a club. Weekends are packed with people standing close together, especially when their back patio isn’t open. But it scores high on the “antique store finds” scale. The place is covered with Old Milwaukee signs and portraits of people who never imagined they’d become wallpaper in a Chicago bar. Best Intentions shows Midwestern pride with its big wall of beer cans in the back, plus they also have excellent cocktails and one of the best burgers in the city." - nick allen

"Best Intentions, the Logan Square cocktail bar, is an unusual spot to find matzo ball soup, much less one flavored with duck fat, lemongrass, and ginger. But Best Intentions serves a wonderful version of this comforting Jewish American staple alongside their fancy drinks. This bar was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2025." - Naomi Waxman

"Where Christopher Marty, nominee for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service, works." - Emily Venezky

"After a three-year hiatus, Logan Square's Best Intentions quietly reopened in 2023, simply writing “we back” on a teeny note posted outside their building. And after three years of separation anxiety, we hope they never leave us again. No barstool stays empty for long, and the fun space full of knickknacks is perpetually full of people happy to stand while funk and soul music blasts through the speakers. Unlike most dives, the cocktails are fantastic, while still keeping the dive bar price point (around $10). Plus, they have a great secluded patio and their $6 smashburger is the ideal bar snack—you can even get a baker’s dozen for $72." - John Ringor

"After a three-year hiatus, Best Intentions quietly reopened in 2023, simply writing “we back” on a teeny note posted outside their building. This also included this Logan Square bar's secluded back patio. And that cute outdoor space happens to be an ideal place to drink $10 cocktails (which are way better than they have a right to be) and eat $6 smashburgers—you can even get a baker’s dozen for $72." - adrian kane, john ringor