Bruno's Lounge

They clearly don’t like students coming despite being across the street from a university campus. When you try to ask if they’ll play a school game, they give you a runaround and won’t give you a direct answer. And when you try to question him to get a more direct answer and figure out what’s going on, he gets emotional and tells you “I’m not dealing with this”. I might be a university student, but I didn’t get started until my 30s. I went to Bruno’s once before and it wasn’t a very welcoming ambiance. I usually call bars ahead of time just to confirm what games they’re playing. Check your prejudices at the door before coming into work.

No real hours they actually close whenever they decide to unless you are a regular & they crowd of regulars don't necessarily give the welcoming vibes which makes you feel like you shouldn't even go inside the liquor store that also closes early and not at the posted hours

Great vibes! Even the liquor store that’s connected (closed at 12 midnight) offers a great variety of spirits, wine and beers! Awesome customer service!

It is a dark neighborhood bar with mostly older men at the bar during the day. I have never sat at the bar so I can't say much about it. They also have a carryout side with beer, wine, liquor, and soft drinks. They actually have a pretty good selection and the prices are reasonable.

Listing is inaccurate. I showed up around 1:30am thinking I made it in enough time and was told the store side had been closed since 12am in spite of the listing saying 1:45am. A wasted trip, literally. Not cool.

Great drink prices, unlike any other watering hole in Chicago. They gave the place a "face-lift" during Covid, and it looks good.

I read enough reviews of this place I had to visit. I was really hoping for a dive bar but their bathrooms are far too nice. We were treated with 5 star quality and the drinks were stiffer than if I ate a viagra. Really wish I could have been sworn at a few times but they definitely pass the test as a bar that I could feel at home in.

Great Chicago dive bar. Has been in the same family for 60 years. Do not go here for mixology. Good old school Chicago bar. Shot and beer joint. You will be sitting next to some of the finest blue collar people this city has to offer.

Nice little dive in Rogers Park. Historic building and I'm glad the owner held out and didn't let anyone buy him out. Decent beer selection, couple of TV's. Clean place. Liquor store is adjacent.

I would've left a decent review because the drinks are cheap and the dartboard was fun to play with, but at one point after having a cigarette I went back inside and the owner barred me from coming back in. When I tried to ask if the bar was closing or if it was last call, he said me for me it was, despite the fact that I was not drunk and only had two beers. I tried asking him why he wasn't letting me in and he raised his voice. Man should stop being belligerent to people who didn't do anything.

So, this place has been here for decades, but I went here for the first time last weekend, despite also being a former resident of Rogers Park! So, Bruno's waited patiently for me. Was set to order a bottle of Schlitz, as is my M.O. for dive bars, but my charming companion was allll "Bloody Mary!" Okay, I'm susceptible to peer pressure, so Bloody Mary it is! I'm here to tell you (thankfully I lived to tell) that this was the worst Bloody that either of us had ever tasted. I was shocked at how bad it was. I think the mix was old or something, because it looked sorta brownish. Not savory or salty at all, and no garnish whatsoever. We had to ask for olives. And here's a little PSA: When you take the olives out of the jar - preferably with a toothpick, not a knife - don't roll them around in your fingers before you place them on the BAR MAT, before you roll them around some more in your fingers and put them in the drink. I'm not taking off stars for this however, because - my bad - don't get all fancy when you go to a dive bar, just stick to bottled beer. Which I did - and we did both manage to suck down those bad Bloody Marys, so there's that. This place has so much more appeal - just DO NOT order Bloody Marys. Chilled bottles of Schlitz in hand, we spend an hour or so chatting with the bartender (who is fine, but don't order Bloody Marys) a neighborhood resident for a LONG time. This place is great (except for those damn Bloodies). Truly a neighborhood DIVE bar - down to the sets of keys. Keys that belong to people who live in the 'hood in case they get locked out. Super cool idea. So, go here! Besides those goddamned Bloody Marys the place is pretty clean, and there are many TVs for watching sports, if you're into that sort of thing, and there's a package store in the other half. The place has been here forever, and therefore it is good. But, for the love of dog, just order a Schlitz!

I called here to see if a lost item was left here...I got an EXTREMELY rude response before I even got the chance to ask whether the item was lost because the man who answered "was closing and didn't have time to talk on the phone right now". He rudely said he was handing over the phone and as he was he made a racist comment about me sounding "chinese"...first of all I am not Chinese or Asian in any capacity, and second of all, what on earth? The second guy was polite enough but the rudeness and racism is enough to make me not want to give my business.

I never give yelp reviews to be this Karen but on jah this was the worst experience ever such Rude employee minus the man trying to give me cake as I walked out because I decided I didn't want to give this place my business I wouldn't go back this man really tried to ID me for buying orange juice like what that's crackery luv

Me all night: "Are you sure this place was always here?" I might've went to Loyola across the street, but I definitely never went to Bruno's. I've remedied that now, though. And I've been told that while Loyola might look 95% different from when I actually attended, Bruno's pretty much looks the exact same. It's a neighborhood spot. It's about as dive-y as it gets. And that's awesome. There are several regulars - the old-timers who've been coming here for years, decades even. This is the kind of bar where the regulars sit and talk to each other. Some Loyola kids sometimes wander in. But they aren't actually part of the crowd. The beers are cheap and they have a pretty great selection for being a dive bar. Tip: Stand outside and look at the building. It's got some cool mosaics.

WARNING: THIS IS AN ACTUAL DIVE BAR I am not a dive bar person but understand they hold their place in life. I have been here twice in the last five years. Mostly because I have a friend from NYC who likes to come here as a refuge from his mother in law when he is in town and that is when I come here. The beer dont cost much. some cab drivers use this as their refuge. When I was there last 3 weeks ago it looked like Saddam Hussein's look alike's were having a a get together or at least guys that looked quasi related. I approached them and they told me that they are cab drivers from a certain cab co and come here right after their long shift. Now that makes more sense. You should not come here expecting great service or to see that many women show up. You are in the wrong bar for that. This reminds me of a bar that I used to wait at the train station in Hicksville,NY back in the day where everyone was missing at least a few teeth. A person should go here just for posterity

Who doesn't like a Bar where everyone knows your name. Kind people and low priced drinks. Good conversation and open to changing the sport on TV. I'll be back.

This ber has my favorite liquor store worker. Mike is the man. Good place to have a nice conversation with him. Highly recommend if you're in the area. Hope to see you there fellow yelpers!

Great spot. Used to come here after work. Cool bartender. Decent drink selection. They have a carry out next door with reasonable prices on booze and cigarettes. Really good spot to watch sports.

After finishing our class meeting for my History Junior Colloquium, one of my classmates (the only one within striking distance of my age) asked me to have a drink with her at Bruno's. I guffawed and confessed that even in my first stint at Loyola I never went to Bruno's. But, it was close, so we stopped in for a few beers to celebrate. I ordered us a couple beers and the bartender had a hard time with the total...no biggie. I tipped him 100% on the round (I figure those guys don't do real well by poor Loyola students) but got no thanks or even a nod out of it. I ordered another round and only tipped him 50%. I know, I'm such a cheap bastard, right? After a little while, the bartender ended his shift and the old Rogers Park institution, Tim, the owner of Bruno's, sidled behind the bar to take over. Linda ordered another round from Tim and brought the beers over to our table. Tim and the other old men in the place were watching the news on the TVs. Needless to say, much of the coverage was on the election of Barack Obama. At one point, Tim piped up, rather loudly, "Well, look at that, Barack's done more work in two days than 99% of the people who voted for him have ever done!" This got a big laugh out of the regulars. Now, I know that Bruno's is what it is...it's and old man bar plus Cash n' Carry. The only high-brow conversation in the place was between Linda and I, discussing our grad school plans and the conflicts between different Latin American ethnic groups. I don't expect much out of Bruno's , but I was floored by Tim's open racism, considering that there were two newcomers in the bar. I also know that Tim doesn't give a flying f**k what I think, but I just want others to be aware of what kind of guy they're giving their money to by patronizing Bruno's Lounge in Rogers Park.

The bar is over-priced, though the bartender will tell you he can offer you the best prices in the area. He will refuse to tell the you the exact charge until after you have ordered and received your drink. The bar is cash only, dimly-lit, with bad fixtures and a nasty fluorescent liquor store a room over. No walls or doors separate the two. Worst of all, the bartender is super racist. When I was there I heard him call a famous black athlete in a Dr. Pepper ad a "monkey", and said that he and the other "monkeys" were going to start "drinking that shit like they do Hennesey". Disgusting

Great Neighborhood Bar! Full of colorful "Regulars". There's a guy in there most nights who calls himself Trout Master. If you engage him in conversation you'll be entertained for hours. Just buy him a rum and coke. One and off ya go.... The jukebox features Sinatra and Blues.

I had one of the worst experiences of my life last night at this place. I stopped by to buy a six-pack at the store in Bruno's on my way home. I was listening to a friend on the phone and walked straight to the back to browse. The employee at the front of the store started yelling at me to get off the phone. I was confused and wasn't even sure he was talking to me. He ran back and shoved a ratty cardboard sign in my face and started telling me to "get out of his store" (plus several harsh expletives. I said, "what is going on? I'm not checking out, I'm not even talking." THE SIGN SAYS NO CELL PHONES! And he began screaming at me. I left and called the police, then he came out to the sidewalk and started calling me anti-gay slurs and pushing up against me. The police were of little help, but I am horrified by my experience here. I will never go back and am actually afraid to walk by the place now. I love this neighborhood and am beside myself that I've been terrorized by a store employee at Bruno's.

Slashie. Oh yes. Great selection of cold beers and lotsa liquor. All reasonably priced (if I do say so myself). Oh and the bar side is pretty wonderfully divey. My friend and I, just passing through at the time, vowed to return. Its been a couple weeks and we haven't made it back but I'm postive it will be entertaining. And I'll be sure to update my review like a good little Yelper.

This place is hardly ever busy and there's a few reasons for it. None of which are all that bad. Numero uno: Bruno, the man, is a bit of a sarcastic asshole. Which is refreshing, however, it can be entirely frustrating when all you need to know is how much for a Jamo and water. I am not Irish, I know. I'm American. I bleed Lincoln, thanks guy. Numero Dos: the bathrooms may as well not exist. It has best been described as "trying to pee under the stairs in a cramped room at grandmas house." Oh so true. Numero tres: they just slapped a $2 raise on almost all of the booze in the store attached to the bar. WTF? Students are back, I get it, but what about all the loyal alcoholics who have crawled begrudgingly to your humble abode through the cold winter days when no student would have you? You have price penetrated me from behind Bruno, not cool. However, since I live so damn close, I shall be back. The overall atmosphere of the bar is laid back and sometimes it just can't be beat. Plus, you can shoot the shit with professors almost any night of the week which can always be interesting.

Cool lounge. Everybody knows everybody. Bruno is cool too. There's always sports on the TV, if that's what your into. There is also "a community laptop", if your in the know.

Worst Place ever!. Stay away from this place. Spend your money time for minimum respect as a customer. Their customer service is worst ever in my lifetime.

Martell by the glass. Friendly patrons. You can read if you like. Dangerously close to campus. Damn near perfect, if you ask me.

I was drugged here at around 10 pm last night after the Loyola game and lost my ability to walk. Someone put something in my drink and I have a strong suspicion it was the man who made the drink, because I ordered a Whisky Ginger Ale and he told my friend he was out of ginger ale and used "Margarita Mix" instead (wtf?) We left and 10 minutes later I lost my ability to walk and completely lost my memory from that point on. The entire place was packed with mostly creepy old men, though, so it could have been anyone. Not a safe place for young women!

I go here out of necessity. The scripted "Lounge" name painted on the windows always makes me laugh...it's the kind of lounge you'd find in a bowling alley...will peeling floor tiles and an "eclectic mix" in the jukebox. But the fact of the matter is, it's just freakin' convenient, especially after a night class when you want to continue to debate the merits of Karl Marx and/or Max Weber with your favorite group of nerds...I mean friends. They have a full bar, beer in bottles, and 4 tvs that play a variety of nightly games. The regulars are welcoming, the bartenders good at what they do, and it's seen many an excellent conversation in my experience. It's cash-only which can be irksome to some, but an ATM is right there in the building...and the women's bathroom is the most awesome shade of hot pink I've seen in a long time. This place just does the job and it seems to revel in its "okay"-ness. The fact of the matter is, they could care less if you come or go. But when you're there, they take care of ya. That's why I gave it 3 stars and not 4. I had the feeling that if they knew I'd given it 4, Brunos would be angry. And I couldn't do that to them.

Great low key place to go for a cold one. I once asked the bartender what beer they had and his reply was "I got a whole store next door, I got whatever you want" which was the best reply. They have free wifi and are accommodating with the sports on tv. Why go out of the neighborhood when Bruno and Tim's will take care of you for much cheaper.

It is what it is. I don't get the posts whining about the place, especially from those who should know what Bruno's is (Loyola students, Rogers Park people). There's no specials. Or food. It's an all around decent bar whose bartenders and clientele who are going to change for no one. There's always sports on and it's a laid back place where you can focus on the game or have a conversation with whoever's with you. As a bar, it's not typically on my radar, but if someone wants to go there, it works. The liquor store mainly is a last resort that benefits from its proximity to the el. Prices on average stuff isn't good, but that's what you get for a place that caters to Loyola students (many of which are underage).

Great dive bar atmosphere. I would recommend to anyone who doesn't like the downtown party scene.

Place is a hell hole with overpriced booze and terrible selection. Great location though.

The guys behind the counter are very efficient at being rude and disinterested in doing their job.

Question: What do you get when you combine one of the best dive bars in Chicago with a neighborhood liquor store? Answer: A little bit of heaven on earth. I've never seen the bar crowded and the patrons are a nice mix of old man drunks (age about 40 +) and Loyola college kids. The bar is dirty and cluttered but the beer is cheap and the bar tender is attentive. The liquor store has your basic selection and because it is right there it is a great place to get that last six-pack at closing time and/or for the walk home.

The two most important ingredients of my party life at Loyola were 40s of Big Bear and six packs of Schlitz, dutifully purchased in combination here for $6 on the dot. Hell, it was so ubiquitous that they even stopped carding me. Good times! One year after graduating I come back in and there's no Big Bear or Schlitz cans to be found. The Bill M Loyola Special cannot exist any more and it was like a searing dagger through my heart. Stunned by the total loss of innocence I look through the cooler and see what actually IS there; the 40 of Mickey's and sixer of High Life, though I guess admirable in their own regard, just don't cut it. It cost me $7.75 (and a flash of an ID) to find out that Bruno's has moved on without me. Bummer.

Great beer/shot neighborhood joint!! I stop by every time when in Rogers Park. Tim the Manager is awesome-great prices and a liquor store attached-lol!!. Nice knowing one of my old haunts from the 80s is still around! Thanks Tim!!

Not the kind of place you'd plan a night around, but a perfectly friendly and cozy place for a quick beer before or after someplace else. No beer on tap, but bottles and other mixed drinks are very fairly priced. Also, bringing outside food in is no problem, which is great.

It's a nice little bar. Sometimes there are too many depressing old men drinking by themselves, but otherwise a nice place to drink.

I loved going to this place when I live in Rogers Park! It was actually a great place to go on a date after dinner, you could carry on a conversation without shouting, and the obnoxious college student crowd was kept to a minimum. Calling it a "lounge" is a bit of a stretch, it's just a great dive bar.

Love the store portion, the selection is pretty decent. Never been to the bar and to be honest I am too afraid to go to the bar portion; everyone there is over 40. The awkward small talk with the two guys ringing you up is the best, I always wonder which one is Bruno and which one is Tim (or maybe none of them are). Random side note, they hired two new guys recently, a young dude and an old guy, it definitely shocked me seeing the usual guys there.

It's our neighborhood place. You want ferns and nice, go somewhere else. You order beer, you watch the game, you talk. The music isn't blasting you out. Again, people TALK, not text. The Loyola kids are secondary, but welcome. Bruno's is what it is, and doesn't change, so please don't try.

I absolutely NEVER leave there without pulling tail- LOVE that place! Kinda miss the Kirch, though.

the folks here are fun. nice selection. affordable prices on beer. several televisions to watch. juke box available!

This is definitely a dive bar, as everyone can attest. There's a blue collar crowd that keeps to themselves. Drinks are cheap, service is quick, and there still manages to be a good beer selection. Stick to beer and you'll be ok.

This is a half bar and half liquor store!! The bar has never interested me it looks like an older crowd type bar. It's also a very small bar but tends to be empty majority of the time. I'm a regular in liquor store portion which it's ok. They have a decent selection of beer and liquor but they over price things horribly. Due to the fact that it's in a college town with the kids not knowing any better and just trying to score alcohol.

My guess is, most of you who wrote a bad review, or implied that Tim and crew have EVER served underage drinkers, are only saying so because you've probably gotten tossed for not having valid IDs, or for being pretentious a-holes... seriously, how would they even still be open, in this youtube day and age, were that serving minors bs true?... As for the crowd, it's a mix of everyone in the neighborhood... it's a regular neighborhood bar, filled with regular neighborhood people...young, old, white, black, hispanic, students and teachers... as for the girl who was so appalled by Tim's so called monkey remarks... STFU, lying twat!... Tim is a straight shooter, who says what he means, but could hardly be called a racist... if you bait him, he will soundly thrash you, with his quick retorts,...i have lived in Rogers Park, for most of my adult life, and this place, like me, is part of Rogers Park, and if your idea of a good time is trashing someone's reputation, stay the hell out of Bruno's... we are doing just fine without you... Animal

The prices listed for the six-packs included tax. Nice touch. I'll miss Brunos & Cuneen's over on Devon now that I've moved out of RP

Absolutely great experience; yes its not a top notch bar by any means, but if you're like me..former Marine, white, working professional..this bar was awesome. Loved the racism that was directed towards blacks, its about damn time more people were publicly vocal towards porch monkeys. Keep it up!

So my buddy and I decided we need to try out a new a bar. So why not go down to probably the only combo bar and liquor store. Seriously it's split right down the friggin middle one half bar and the other a liquor store...it's quite comical upon first sight....Anyways, I didn't find much for this place to offer other than leaving with a decently priced 6 pack....Most of the depressed patrons seemed to be living the Loyola "dream" and when I say this I mean for the past +30 years...Seriously I am not kidding again....Old dudes wearing their vintage Loyola apparel and getting too fricken hammered....don't expect to find much of a young crowed here...the only person around our age saw was a mid 20 something chick who was eating up what these drunken married men were telling her....oh and the lighting was pretty horrible considering the the bar is dark and you have these intense lights from the liquor store which always blinding a corner of your eye....Honestly one time was enough for me....

Best dive bar in the city. The drinks are cheap and good. Not a place for fancy drinks. Good bar to go to if you want to watch sports and/or have a conversation. You can actually hear the person you are talking to and don't have to yell. Call me crazy, but I actually enjoy that. Perfect place before and after a Loyola ramblers game. It's been here for 60 years and is a true Chicago institution. Love the place. Oh, and I don't get all the people saying that they only take cash. Bruno's has been taking credit cards for a long time.

came here with 5 other girls on a Tuesday night - had the entire place and jukebox to ourselves and drank the night away and had one of the most fun times at a dive bar. there's a couple loners there on some nights but it's not depressing. i've been there to pre-game before getting on the train...pretty convenient. they have a solid selection of liquor at reasonable prices and convenient location on campus. affable staff who've been in the area for long.

I give Bruno's 4 stars because I am an "irregular" (have been there enough times to know the bartender and patrons, but the regulars are there almost everyday), otherwise, if it's your first time there, I would probably give it 3 stars. Bruno's is a bar on one side and a package liquor store on the other. The liquore store is always busy with Loyola students, but the bar is not usually as busy. You can always count on being in good company and in good service from the bartender. It is dark and smokey (until now) and has an interesting crowd - a few students, a few alum, a few neighborhood regulars and a few randoms) I find it particularly amusing to watch the students go past the windows in the fall, when they travel in packs of about 20. However, Bruno's is just a comfortable, come - as-you-are for a beer kind of place. They have several TVs and they watch any type of sports possible. They have a wide variety of beers and mixed drinks, but none of the beers are on tap. If you want a laid-back evening with some very reasonble drink and beer prices with no attitude, Bruno's is the place. (did I mention that the drinks get stronger as the night gets longer?) PS - If your bartender is named Marty, he'll take good care of you!

i don't stop here enough, even though i live right down the street. we went tonight as kind of a novelty, "lets go somewhere we never go" an impromptu pub crawl. other reviews here are quick to label bruno's as a "dive bar" and i agree, except i don't see that as negative. rogers park dive bar means : regular customers, reliable staff, constant service; a no bull-shit neighborhood tavern. not too many brahs, hipsters or gang bangers but plenty of interesting local characters. and (tonight) a surprising number of beautiful loyola women. (obviously, too cool for the likes of 63 or other college hot spots) hit this place up if you are into getting to know your neighborhood and the people that make it interesting. i noticed the least amount of people on their phone here tonight.... this is usually a good sign of people enjoying (real) life.