Dram Shop

Old school dive bar with 100+ whiskeys and where the bartender working knew all of the regulars names, what could be better? Came on a Saturday at 1p and it was busy, not hard to look busy for a small place but the service was super quick. Each whiskey pour we had was $7.50 which was insane, great spot if you want to watch a game and hang out sampling whiskeys and chatting with the super friendly bartender.

Dram Shop is the kind of place that feels like a hidden gem in Lakeview. Tucked away on Broadway, it's got that old-school tavern vibe—dimly lit, jukebox rocking everything from Steely Dan to the Beastie Boys, and a crowd that feels like family. Brad behind the bar is a legend—always remembers your name, cracks a joke, and keeps the drinks flowing. I stopped by with a buddy, grabbed a couple of PBRs for $2 each, and tossed a few bucks in the jukebox. We didn't order food this time, but the place is known for its chill, no-frills atmosphere. If you're looking for a spot that's low-key, dog-friendly, and full of character, Dram Shop is the move.​

Hit up Dram Shop on Broadway last Friday—grabbed a $6 PBR tallboy and a $8 whiskey neat. Laid-back dive vibes with that classic jukebox blasting old-school Steely Dan and Beastie Boys—real talk, it hits different. Bartenders were chill, regulars were chatting it up, TVs showed the game. Spent about $15. Cozy, no‑frills spot—perfect for a quick, honest drink. Will be back!

If you like small, dark, dive bars, this is your place! Don’t be put off by how hole-in-the-wall it is though, they have a great whiskey selection and friendly service. It’s a great stop along Broadway for an Old Style or a Chicago Handshake!

The barman was friendly and poured a generous beverage. Patrons were welcoming. Great place to grab a drink when it's before noon and you already need a drink.

Both of the jons was Great love the atmosphere.. watched the NFL draft here.. kudos.. made me feel welcomed.. I didn't wanna go anywhere else.

Great service, darts, funny bathroom messages and affordable drinks. The best experience from any bar with an Old Style sign

Whisky. Beer. Cheap. Dog friendly. Enough said. UPDATE 6/22: Still great. Still an amazing whisky selection and great for the price. Still loves dogs.

Great dive bar on Broadway. Service was 100% as was my cocktail. Dog friendly which is always a bonus!

Cool fun little ass bar. Dram Shop is a good place to get a few. It doesn't have much on tap, mostly in bottles and cans, and has a better selection of hard liquor. For me that's okay of course. The prices are pretty good for around here. Basic local bar. It doesn't have much room to move around, so it's cozy. They also have a patio. Good for those feeling claustrophobic. The drinks are pretty good prices. It's about $7 for a cocktail. They also have cans of cheap ass beer, and many of these are local. Come with a friend, including a dog. It usually has a drink special going on. There's only booze, no food, but you can usually bring some in though.

If your into dive bars, this place is a must!!! As soon as I walked in, the first thing that I noticed was the patrons. Everyone was in the their 'fave' seats, I was very particular about where I chose to sit. I sat down, none of the patrons barked or grumbled at me, I guess I'm in a 'safe' seat. I was very intentional about speaking to the bartender John and trying to 'squeeze' into one of the convos that involved the patrons. After a few drinks, I felt like the vibe in the room was loosening up. I asked John if I could take pics with my 35. He said, "There's no one in here with a 'side piece', take as many pics as you want". I made an announcement to the bar. I said that I would be taking pics of the bar only and these pics are exclusively for me. Everyone was Kool about it. But one guy insisted that I take a selfie with him. I was honored!

I've lived a block away from Dram Shop for about two years - only been in twice now but I wish I had come in sooner! Great dive bar with a lot of great whiskey.

I never could come up with a good answer to 'What's your favorite bar?' When people always asked I would provide them a list of places or rattle off some brewpubs, but a bar? A drinking establishment unaffiliated with any brewery or anything? I usually rattle off a list of places I've been to but hard pressed to name one. That was until my friend introduced me to Dram Shop, which we went to because it was close to her house and dog friendly. What I found was a laid back dive (in the best sense of the word,) ridiculously cheap beer prices and a very deep bench of whiskeys. So, what's the big deal? There are a bunch of bars like that. I'll say that Brad, who has been behind the bar on my first visit and every visit save one is probably the most unsung bartender in the city. He manages to remember you on your second visit, keep a packed bar full of customers happy and still come around to catch up. I would say that there are a lot of regulars but the way Brad talks to everyone it's hard to say, except for the old guy sitting at the stool closest to the door, he's definitely been coming here before the 70s.

I was brought here after randomly watching a comedy show by the comedians themselves, who happen to be regulars. After arriving, I totally understand why! The bartender was super friendly and kind, the people were kind, and the atmosphere was the perfect mix of a classy dive bar, with a jukebox and old timey feel. However, what takes the cake for me is that I somehow lost my bedroom key and came back the next morning. An older gentleman was cleaning and let me in, and helped inform me that he couldn't find it but I was free to look around. Although I ended up not finding it, the friendliness was really what I enjoyed the most. If I'm ever in Chicago again, I'll definitely come back!

Awesome spot for some cold ones with the pals. Bartender was super nice and personable. Super accommodating and got us a table in the back that was nice and cozy. Big fan of this dive.

I've been to the Dram Shop several times now, both pre-COVID and post. I actually like it better post-COVID (I know, weird). But that's because they have opened up the back patio. The drinks are reasonably priced, the staff are nice, and the place is a great dive with sports on the TV. Come here a few times and this really will be a place where everybody knows your name. I suspect that each bartender is different, but the ones I have had were nothing but nice, helpful and on top of it. Beer and alcohol selection is pretty typical for a dive bar. Good food right next door, which is nice. I hate that smoking is allowed on the back patio, but it is what it is. The back patio is a bit weird, as it used to be just their area for dumpsters. But they have made it nice, with music, lights, tables, candles, etc. This is a nice little spot, but it does get crowded.

Any place that allows dogs is an automatic four star joint to me. We popped in to make a decision on dinner and were pleasantly surprised. It's like a mini dive bar without the weirdos, bad smells, loud, annoying music, smoke and dirt. There were TVs, but the sporting events on them were on at a reasonable volume. The crowd seemed like a bunch of regulars, but a very accepting crowd, at any rate. Bartenders are very friendly and the prices are right. Why have I not seen this place before?

Just love this Bar. Tenders are kind and friendly. The locals are welcoming. Good conversations. Cold beer. Super fun atmosphere and great music.

If you've made it south of Belmont in your drinking quest, this should be your go to dive bar. They have a surprisingly good variety of beer and liquor, everything is reasonably priced and the bartenders are all cool. The music is usually pretty good too. Depending on what time you go it'll either be lively with a crowd or chock full of regulars who probably spend way too much time here. Or maybe both! Dram is totally unassuming and that's what I love about it.

There's something I've always liked about small neighborhood watering holes like this that aren't much on the outside, or inside for that matter. But they're the long "battle cruiser" type setup. You can walk down the row of barstools, check out maybe a small seating area in the back. And then come back up front and plop down at the bar to order a drink. It's almost never too crowded to find a seat. And if the bartender isn't occupied they'll say something completely impersonal but righteous like, "So, you're a (vodka / rum / whisky) man?" Just to start a conversation and get to know you. They're great pre-bars to get liquored-up with friends if you're getting ready to stay out late. Nested among other businesses on this strip of Clark St., like Radio Shack, Stella's Diner, and a hardware store, this little pub is kind of like a slashie but without all the raucous denizens with really hard livers who haven't up and died yet through shear willpower. These lone battleships are calmer and more easygoing than the hardened slashie. And the owner's almost always got the Cubs on.

While entertaining out-of-town guests nursing hangovers, I frantically searched Yelp in hopes of finding a bar open in Lakeview on a Monday morning. The only one open and within walking distance was Dram Shop. Unassuming & completely signless, I already knew this would be the beginning of a long friendship.... I was wrong, it was love. $3.50 cocktails & my entire life's soundtrack on the jukebox? We ended up spending about 4 hours there mingling with the regulars. A sweetheart named Pat used to live in the neighborhood 25 years ago and now takes 2 buses every Monday to frequent her favorite bar. Awesome. The final clencher was the Merle Haggard Drive sticker from my hometown of Bakersfield, CA. I've frequented Dram ever since, only bringing the special kind of people through it's doors who appreciate it's divey splendor.

Was passing by, turned around to stop in for a quick beer. Nice neighborhood spot. Friendly bartender. Will be back!

The best venue to watch soccer matches on the weekend. It's open early, the drinks are cheap, and Anna is the best Liverpool FC fan on the planet!

Awesome spot for a chill atmosphere and affordable drinks! Laid back and friendly! Cheers!

After being told by patron of another bar that this place was "a dump", I stopped in, and rubbed my head and said "HUH??" No bar that has Blanton's AND Whistle Pig bourbons can be regarded as a dump. Clean, good range of booze, decent prices, a great CD jukebox. This is a classic neighborhood kinda bar with friendly people, efficient and friendly staff and just a general good time. Be sure to check out "Larry's Various", CD in the jukebox, the owner ( Larry ) has some great taste in tunes ( Joy Division, Big Audio Dynamite to name two ).

This is a non-dive dive bar masquerading as a dive bar in the sanitized wilds of East Lakeview. First, the Dram Shop is intelligent as dive bars tend not to be. How, you may ask, can a bar be "intelligent?" Start with the hilarious name: "The Dram Shop." A "Dram," for those of you who read words you don't know (most of us) and don't look them up (the majority of most of us), is a small unit of alcoholic beverage; so small you might laugh, actually. There are 8 drams to 1 fl. oz. of booze. (http://ts.nist.gov/WeightsAndMeasures/Publications/appxc.cfm) A "Dram Shop" traffics in drams. Hence, a bar, tavern, liquor store, and establishments that are not liquor "stores" but which sell liquor, e.g., 7-11, Costco, etc. In effect, any liquor licensee is a "dram shop." "Dram Shop Liability" is an entirely different and broader matter. You don't have to sell booze to get in big trouble if you permit someone to get too drunk on your watch. Dram Shop laws nationwide differ, but since MADD has awakened us to the menace of cars and booze, the basic point is if you sell OR GIVE too much booze to someone, and then they hurt or kill another person, you are in deep shit, which is one reason why parents of teenagers who let packs of budding 12-Steppers imbibe in their basements ought to have their heads examined. And that brings me back to why the name "The Dram Shop" is hilarious. This joint opens at 7 a.m. The bartenders will tell you (if you ask, as I did) that they have a brisk traffic of dram sipping customers at 7 a.m.. Yes, The Dram Shop has a "before work breakfast crowd," consisting - they say - of predominantly local employees whom they fear not, apparently, will meld into the local Lakeview workforce booze-breathing and rearing to confront another day on the job. Good thing for the Dram Shop that Dram Shop Liability doesn't go so far as to let the boss sue the bar where the drunken employee sipped too many drams and screwed up at work, costing the employer time and money. (Paper doesn't refuse ink, you know. Some day some enterprising lawyer will try that theory on for size; it's just a matter of time). The hilarity of "The Dram Shop" name goes further. This joint has upper-middle class sensibilities. It's in Lakeview, for God's sake. And so it is, I suspect, that this place is immaculate, and lacks the slightest whiff or stink of stale booze from which even many non-dive bars in this locale suffer. Not only does it not stink of stale "dram" here, it isn't dark, which is one of the reasons I know it's immaculate. You can see what you are stepping and sitting and resting your elbows on in here. (I stuck to nothing during my visit.) Again, an accommodation to the upper-middle class. It's just not a scary, seedy place, which is among other reasons why I suspect this dram shop beckons to the before work breakfast crowd. And another reason it's a non-dive dive bar: every customer I saw here had all of his or her teeth; there was no country music playing, no one was using profanity or racial slurs, and the repartee between the bartenders and customers was of US not local politics, and also not about the Cubs.

Now I wouldn't exactly call myself old, but I am turning the birthday that used to be called "over the hill" at the end of next month. This has made me a bit out of touch with the next generation coming up behind. Especially those on the north side because I rarely ever come in contact with them. So imagine my confusion when OK Cupid paired me up with a 27-year old from Lakeview. Now when I was 27, I lived in Lakeview myself so I had an idea what 20-somethings liked to do over there back in the Stone Age, but now, not so much. Dive bars? I guessed they still liked those. Can't go wrong with a low-key place for drinks, right? Those are universal. I hoped. Dram Shop isn't much from the outside (it barely has a facade and it's easy to walk right by). In fact, I used to live less than two blocks away and had no idea that it was there. When I asked the bartender how long they had been there, he said, "forever" and looking around at the condition of the place, I believed it. There's only about ten beat up bar stools and a couple of tables. But there is a lot of character. And characters. The first time I stopped in was only a few days before. I was drawn in by two things. The first was the mystery of it being a basically unmarked bar in a highly populated part of Lakeview East. And who doesn't like a little mystery? But the second reason, more importantly, like a fish to a worm, I saw painted on their window (a sign of any good dive bar, cheap painted specials on a window) - $3.50 Guinness! Those are magic words. Well, some numbers and a word, I mean! Inside this place was straight outta Logan! There was a tattooed bartender playing Interpol for the after work crowd who had no idea who Interpol was because they had been glued to the same chairs since the 1970s. That was until some hipsters wandered in and started chatting up the bartender about pretentious bands. I seriously wondered if I was still in Lakeview enough to check the GPS on my phone. On to the date. Everything seemed to be going well until the bar's one drawback presented itself. Since it is so divey, there's a certain element. I'll call them "local crazies." One of "the neighbors" brought two dogs into this dog friendly bar, which wasn't bad. Then he decided to chat us up for an hour, which was bad (but probably pretty normal for how friendly the place is). To say this killed the mood was an understatement. Haven't talked to her since. It's a shame because she was kind of amazing. Still, I don't hold this against the bar and I wouldn't hesitate to come back to Dram Shop if I found myself on this stretch of Broadway again - just not on a date. It is definitely good for peeps of all ages (well over 21, I would guess, most of the time). And, apparently dogs too.

Good place to pop in and checkout the neighborhood regulars . I like to go on a weekday day off , watch a game of jeopardy, which everyone joins in. Like it in the afternoon for a quick one and prices are low.

I would not recommend taking me here on a first date, however, I would not be opposed to popping in for a drink. From what I can tell the beers are cold (I don't drink beer) and my vodka and sprites were mixed the way I like them...strong. The bartender is a cute girl and she was really nice, making us feel welcome even though we were clearly not like the other regulars. These guys are so regular their ass prints are tattooed to their barstools. It's a great place to nurse a beer, watch some sports, and also nurse a brokenheart if you have to. It's dark, small and fairly hidden even though it's right on the street. Good luck finding it. Sometimes I still walk right past it.

Ahhh, yes. My 27th. *sigh* As my friend announced it was my bday, the ever-so-helpful/friendly/amusing bartender told me I needed to take a shot. Who am I to argue? Bartender: What sounds appealing to you? Me: (hesitating) Uhhh, whiskey? But I always do whiskey... B: Hmmm. I can make a shot that tastes like chocolate cake? M: (intrigued) Whoa, really? I'm down. The bartender mixes up some unknown combo of liquor. When he's done, he pours out a shot similiar to the color of lemonade. M: Sooo....this tastes like CHOCOLATE cake? B: (smirking) So I've heard! And so, my friend and I 'cheers' and throw back the shot, unwilling to believe that it would actually taste like chocolate cake. Verdict? Chocolate cake, fa sho! Unbelievable. So, cheers to three things - the surprisingly delicious shot, the most welcoming bar in the 'hood and my 27th...new year, new opportunities await. ;)

I felt like I was transported into a deep recess of my brain where I took a narrow shack in the woods and put a bar in it, then built Chicago around it. Big fan.

The Dram Shop is that whole in the wall where everyone knows your name!! You can start drinking here at 8am and at the end of it all you and your friends' tab of mixed drinks, beers and shots will be no more than $50 total, if that. The vibe is definitely more divey, they're dog-friendly, with a lot of affable regulars and you can almost miss it if you're not driving slow enough. Metered parking in front. Very friendly, down to earth atmosphere, cheap drinks with no bells and whistles.

BEST JUKEBOX IN THE CITY!!! No joke. I love a good dive bar and the Dram is definitely that. But the pièce de résistance that is making this a 5 star review is their jukebox. In order to qualify for best jukebox status, said jukebox can NOT be digital. You can only play what's stocked in it. And unlike the Gingerman (another favorite), the Dram has late 90's hip-hop and dance music to go with all the rock and smattering of oldies. So, my playlist for last night included Pharcyde, Queens of the Stone Age, Tone Loc, Elvis, Metallica, Beastie Boys and a few gems off the Pulp Fiction soundtrack. The bar itself is small, but we had no problems seating our group. Christian was a great bartender. Our drinks were always full and poured strong. Said drinks were also cheap. Dogs are allowed, which I love. The girls' bathroom, while very small, was clean. As was the rest of the bar. I can not think of one single thing I would change about this place. Except to make it slightly closer to my apt. It's at the annoying too far to walk, too close to take a cab distance. But that is a good thing. My liver can't have such an awesome bar across the street.

Allow me to think. Glorious, glorious. The dark wood - The pearls, screaming from beneath a well measured goatee. Mirrors. Reflect. Myself. We entered and felt as if every patron belonged to us. And we belonged to them. If only there were a fireplace. Erotic photo hunt. It's the kind of bar you only know if you live in the neighborhood. My friend Jessica lives just around the corner. And its namesake alone had me excited to visit the haunt that evening. We ordered beers, we chatted with the friendly bearded man behind the counter. ¡We played games! "Last Call!" he says. It was perfunctory (the goatee looks confused). "Jess, Di, I'll be right out." "Close the door!" Each peregrination (wandering; let me help you improve your vocabulary, bar man) brings me to places anew, but this I've not seen. The door is closed, but for a glint... no, but for a shimmer of light peeking through. I finished and stomped ("walked") for you Mr. Bartender, from the dark restroom. Never has a bar approached five stars and plummeted (fell) so quickly. We left with visions of goatees, dancing in our heads (the thing on your shoulders, bar man). Good Night.

Dog-friendly and $2.50 PBR pints? I think I just found my new favorite hangout spot near home. Super friendly and down-to-earth crowd is also a great plus!

I think I met a pirate in Dram Shop. Pretty sure I met a pirate. At least the person said she was a pirate. It was 1 in the morning though, I wouldn't have been surprised to have met a person who said they were a penguin in there. Small place, has its share of regulars, but I didn't feel out of place as a newbie at all. Highly attentive bartender, there was little wait for service, and there was a good amount of people there when we got there. Oh, and there was a dog walking about. Just a chill bar dog. I don't know whose chill bar dog he is, but he kept coming up to me to be petted. So I guess we're total BFF's now.

First off, the boy was very happy to see 3.50 Guinness. Well, I usually get something on draft and the only other thing they had was Spaten. I had never had the normal Spaten (I've had the Optimator and loved it), and I have to say I wasn't impressed. I was impressed with the gi-normous sized glass for 4 bucks. Yeah, this place is a bit quiet (except the regulars having their own conversations) so I'd recommend going here to watch a game.

I killed my last cockroach on the bar there last night. Never going back as the snooty bartender TOLD me what I can and can't say in the Dram. BUT that said I have to give props to Larry the owner for trying to fix the place up. Also Tom, Ted and Brad are great bartenders but the other two are on power trips. Stay away Friday and Saturday nights!

This is how every good dive should be: small, dark and damn near impossible to get kicked out of. Oh, drink prices are very reasonable and the jukebox is one of the best in the city too. ... what could go wrong?

jeezus I almost forgot about this place. I used to drop in here occasionally circa 2002 (?) or so when I subletted an overpriced dump on Barry. This was the pre-hipster love-era of PBR when PBR just sucked (like it still does unless your a stupid -uh huh - hipster!) Sounds like that same little dinky hole in the wall. Glad to here it hasn't changed much. Must visit next time I'm in the area.

Just a neighborhood bar - nothing special. They were out of the beer I wanted so I ended up with boring Miller Lite.

I had the pleasure of experiencing The Dram Shop this past weekend, while my sister and I were in Chicago visiting family and friends. We went in there on Saturday afternoon while it was snowing pretty hard, and when we got in there, probably about 3:00 pm, there were only about 3 others in there. The bartender was Jess, this absolutely marvelous gal who was very welcoming, entertaining, and hilarious. She had us laughing the whole time we were there. As others have said, the Dram is small and dimly lit, and that is also what gives it such appeal and charm. Nothing fancy going on there, but if we wanted THAT, we KNOW that isn't where to go. The jukebox has a great selection of music to choose from too. Loved the whiskey options too. We left the bar about 6:30 or so and at that point,the place was really filling up with locals. Everyone was so nice! I wish I had a place just like the Dram by my house in St.Louis. We will be back in town in July and can't wait to get back there. Save our seats Jess.

If you're into great music, cheap beers, neighborhood dogs, and even better bartenders....This is a bar for you. The jukebox has classic hits on here from old country tunes, steely dan, the beastie boys, the pixies, and much more. This was my first bar that I visited in the lakeview neighborhood after moving here and it was love at first beverage. Christian and Brad are some of the best bartenders around and are very welcoming to anyone that sits down at their bar. I frequently bring my out of town friends into this bar and they instantly fall in love with its dive feel too. It's a nice change of pace when they've visited all of the chain restaurants all week and just want to experience Chicago how the locals do. Being a dog owner, I love that they allow dogs in here, I've recently started bringing my pug in for the extra attention he sometimes craves. Did I mention $2 pbr? What else do you need?

Ok, this place does not try to kid anybody about what it is or what is stands for. I came here on a Friday night and was greeted by a rabble of half-cut, older, pseudo vagabonds. Brilliant. I am pretty sure some of the patrons beg to pay for their PBRs but everybody is welcome, dogs and all. They do have an amazing jukebox. The music jumped around from Bob Dylan to Rolling Stones to Stevie Wonder and every song was great. A refreshing change to the top 40 crap that is played in every bar and club in the city. A couple of mixed drinks will set you back $9 for the pair and the place even has an electronic dart board if you get bored looking at the regulars. Live life on the edge - have a drink in the Dram Shop!

I miss the Dram Shop. When we lived closer to the city, we became a semi-regular in that when we ventured downtown from the NW Burbs, Dram Shop was our destination after dinner. The owner/bartender was fabulous! Then we moved to the far SW Burbs and haven't been for awhile. It's time! The best part about the Dram Shop is it's not pretentious and everyone is welcome. The patrons, which do seem to be a crop of regulars, are friendly and getting involved in a chat -if that's what you want - isn't difficult to do. There is NO attitude, no haughty staff, prices are more than reasonable and people are friendly. It's my kind of place! If you're looking for glitz, glamor and beautiful people, this ain't it. But, those places are a dime a dozen. Dram is a unique spot in a great location on Broadway. Keep your eyes out though, you could easily miss it.

I want to like this dive. The owner is really trying hard to spruce it up and make this a fun place to hang out. The challenge is honestly the clientele. Any bar that opens at 7am is well ... for drunks. The crew goes there because is REALLY CHEAP. But $2 PBR does rock my world and the plasma screens are new. As you get to the end of the week you will be annoyed by loud post sorority ho's stopping in to have 'one last drink' and pick up a snooty twenty something dude there for the left overs. The bartenders range from spot on divey fun to post-hipster bohemian dude. They do have a kick ass juke box :)

This place is scary as hell and that's really the appeal to me. You can tell some of these regular have been coming since the dawn of time. That's cute. It's not a place I frequent, but when I have gone, usually the people are super friendly.

It was St. Patty's Day weekend. It was also my birthday. We were attempting to celebrate the latter. We trolled the neighborhood while the sun was still up, looking for an establishment that was not soaked in green and looked like it could handle the long drive in our hopes to imbibe 'til close. Door after door was opened, and quickly shut again at the overwhelming sight of people enjoying themselves. Argh, so much cheer! What's a bitter old hag to do? Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spied a gleaming Old Style sign. Surely, this must be the place. $3.50 pints of Guiness and a crockpot full of corned beef, cabbage and potatoes set up on a card table in the back. Room for four of us (next to each other!) at the bar. A dangerously placed dart board. This, I can handle. Eight hours later, and a quick stumble home, I am smitten with the Dram Shop.

I live right up the street from this local favorite dive bar and finally went in for a drink. This place is an essential dive bar: small, mostly bar seating, loyal locals, and nothing but the essential decor. Pleasantly surprising was the service- excellent! The bartender was attentive but not overly so and nothing can beat the prices! 2.50$ draft PBR! For a Friday happy hour before dinner it wasn't packed and my group enjoyed a couple drinks right in the window watching people pass on Broadway. I think this place upholds the "no sign gem" principle nicely. Stop by a relaxed atmosphere and cheap drinks!

Dram Shop is my favorite dive bar in Chicago. They have THE COLDEST beer. THE BEST juke box, which changes weekly. and THE COOLEST regulars. I always feel so at home there. It's a great place to stop in for one or spend the whole night.

A spectacular dive bar with an amazing jukebox and a bar full of delightful people who are also, for the most part, very, very drunk. Thumbs up forever.

i almost don't want to review this bar because it is such a hidden gem. a non-crowded dive bar in lakeview - i didn't think one existed. and dram is the king of dive bars. i went here randomly the first time on a sunday morning to grab a quick drink while waiting to get a table at stellas. it was 11 am - there were five customers; a suburban looking man in his late forties wearing northface with five empty shot glasses in front of him, a old lady in a coors shirt with a dog, a smiling snaggletoothed man, and a young woman with a toddler. it was love at first drink. the bartender was hilarious and extremely nice - i had a guinness and it was dirt cheap and delicious.

My favorite decent dive bar in Chicago! I was VERY lucky to live across the street, as many of the regulars have to actually make an effort to get there! The owner Larry is absolutely AWESOME, all the time. The bartender Brad is insanely fun and wonderful, and loves his job. Bartender Ted is an awesome, genuinely nice guy...however, bartender Christian is questionable and rude most of the time. ---regardless, it's laid back, dogs welcome, has dart boards in back, has tables in addition to the bar so you RARELY are stuck standing while drinking, directly next door to a 5am burrito place, opens at 7am for the resident drunks, on the best part of the Broadway strip so catching a cab home is a snap at any hour, and has a really great juke box which is very well rounded with bands like Johnny Cash, The Buzzcocks, Rolling Stones, Fred Astaire, Pixies, Jimi Hendrix, The Ramones, Janis Joplin, The Clash, Black Flag, and The Beatles. Even the old-timer regulars can't complain. $2 PBRs is also very, very nice when you just want a good-old cheap beer to drink while watching one of the 6 or so flat screen TVs when the good Chicago sports are on. Oh, and of course, the San Diego Chargers, the owner's favorite! This bar is just perfect. Love, Pinky.

This is authentically what you would refer to as a "Dive Bar". Nothing hipster or pretentious about this watering hole. The prices are fantastic, the regulars are a potpourri of characters, which adds to the bar's charm. Their jukebox has a great selection of obscure gems as well. Bartender Brad is Dram's' icing on the cake!

My boyfriend and I were visiting Chicago and stopped into the Dram Shop for a few beers one night. We had the best time! The bartender and regulars were really nice and fun and definitely kept us entertained. The jukebox is fantastic! If you are looking for a great dive bar, I would suggest this one!

Small neighborhood bar with not much going for it besides cheap beer and a friendly bartender, and sometimes that's all I need. It's easy to walk past with minimal signage, save for the ubiquitous Old Style sign. Being modest has it's advantages for the patrons though; I've found enough seating for myself and my friends every time I've gone.

Total dive bar, local bar fly hangout and unpretentious watering hole. The kind of people here are Cheers-like aficionado's. Everyone knows one another and the bartenders and owners are drinking right along w/the customers. People were so friendly and basically everyone who played something on the jukebox (which we were sitting right next to) asked us what song we wanted to hear. It's cool when everyone is so laid back and welcoming. On a side note, I overheard the bartender talking about the day Cameron Diaz ran in to use the bathroom really quickly and he was asking for opinions on how to commemorate the momentous occasion. It turns out, he might just place a picture of her right above the toilet so that people know it's the very same one she used ... haha. I say if it's good enough for Ms. Diaz ... it's okay in my book. :-)