The Revel Room

Walked in to some staticky Fall Out music. Requested Nickelback and got a swift and firm “no”. Was mad but respected the strong opinion. He was ok with Marty Robbins though. Good Guinness. May or may not comeback here, we’ll see.

Had a fun night here last night. Been a while since my friends and I have gone to Revel Room, glad to see it still has that same warm ambience and intriguing interior decor. Prices not bad I feel like back when I was in college it was actually more compared to now lol. DJ in the back was fun played a mix of 90s and early 2k jams. Service was solid too I did get up to go to the bathroom and came back to my drink gone which is a bummer but it was about 40 mins to close I can understand they probably want to clean up and close the bar as quickly as possible. It could be due to the time of year it was a warmer February night but I do remember when this place used to be super packed, not sure if its a sign of the different generations or again maybe just not a packed friday. All of that is to say still had a lot of fun here hope to stop by in the not too distant future.

Coming here is a fun experience, but beware of tipping on the credit card tablet. The default option is 50%, and then offers 25% and 20%. If you are not paying attention, that 50% would be an unfortunate accident to an unknowing customer.

Limited drink options and music that felt dull. I brought several friends here and the overall atmosphere was disappointing. The bartenders were friendly, but it seemed like there was little attention to the quality of the drinks.

This place is a nice chill spot with a good selection of drinks and also a dj playing some good music. We only stopped in for a bit as we were waiting for our ride to show up. The place wasn't packed yet, so it was pretty good to just hang out. I need to make another visit here when back in town.

Super chill and charming little bar with great vibes and comfortable leather booths. Great pregame for things at The Point later in the evening.

Great dive bar. Drinks were solid and bartenders were fast and courteous. Vibe was chill

Awesome, chill bar to hang at during the weekend. They have a good selection of cocktails that are extra tasty. I tried the Winthrop and El Diablo, and they were delicious. Loved the ambiance as well! They played good music, and it didn’t feel extra crowded when I went on a Saturday night.

No TVs. (That's a good thing) the general decor and vibe don't seem to align with the pop music playing, but it's a nice dive that I was happy to run across. Also, the sign turning away warrantless searches makes it a place I want to support.

Came in for the first time and this place is awesome. Ignore the funk smell when you walk in because the music and dance floor area are elite. Ended up staying out way later than intended so kudos to the DJ mixing live 90-00's hip hop. Relatively cheap drinks and respectful inclusive space. Fun spot to check out if you're in the mood for a dancing spot to cap the night off!

Super cool and quaint bar. Bartenders were very friendly. Prices are fair. Drinks were tasty.

Katie and Cameron made my day. They went above and beyond - if i were on check pleaee . I would pick this place as my favorite

Chill place at times but it can also get crazy. It depends on the day and time, but the drinks are always good. The Revel Room is very close to the Damen Blue Line. Has more of a laid back feel than the frat boy bullshit around it. Prices are higher than dive bars, but the drinks are higher quality. A lot better having some room in here than being crowded at a sports bar. It's one of the few Wicker Park bars that are still cool. The other bars are packed full of loudmouths on weekends. Even here it gets like that but not as bad. It's about $12 for a cocktail. The drink prices actually match with quality. Among my favorites is the Cry, Baby. This is made with Aperol, Corazon, elderflower liquor, and lime juice. Mellow citrus flavor. They also have cheap beer and basic liquor. Sometimes they have a DJ but usually this is laid back. There's actually the ability to just chat and hang. Has a chill ass feel. It also has better music. There's more of an actual hipster vibe instead of the bastardized version of wannabes you find in the other bars with bad drinks and tunes.

Kinda small hole in the wall that was ok not much dancing but a great hangout for a short time.

This place is a nice chill spot with a good selection of drinks and also a dj playing some good music. We only stopped in for a bit as we were waiting for our ride to show up. The place wasn't packed yet, so it was pretty good to just hang out. I need to make another visit here when back in town.

This is a fun bar in Chicago! The music was good and there is a little dance floor in the back with a live DJ. They were playing some throwbacks, and we were having a great time! The drinks are standard. I just stuck to some High Noons. We were able to snag a table for hanging out and putting our coats down.

Another terrific Chicago bar! This was our second stop in the Damen/Wicker Park neighborhood. Again, super close to the blue line stop, making it easy for us tourists to figure out these awesome bars. I had a couple of Old Styles. My kids had a couple of shots. Wife had an Old Fashioned. That was her drink of choice for the long weekend. We came in about 10pm. The bar was not crowded at all,but the crowd was cool and diverse. Very fun atmosphere. The drinks were awesome! The bartender was incredible. I talked to him a bunch about local, live music. Very chill, laid-back spot. Will definitely try to get back here on our next trip to Chicago!

I ordered an espresso martini and it was made with coffee (not espresso) and for $14 I got half a glass. I tried a sample of their featured drink but it was batched and not good. The vibe is cool, but the drinks are mediocre. There are much better places right around the corner. Don't waste your money.

maybe it had potential but their IG is a total catfish in my opinion since it was not an enjoyable night. no refunds but i would've walked out the second i walked in ‍ plus im an out of towner so it was rather disappointing

Came here for karaoke on Monday night and had a nice time. Enjoyed the Burt Banana and the House Daiquiri, both cocktails we're delicious! Would def recommend coming here on a Monday night, karaoke was a lot of fun and the KJ did a great job!

The Revel Room is definitely reminiscent of my early twenties! So fun! We just popped in for a drink after dinner and we loved the music and the crowd! It was around 9:30pm when we came so it wasn't too busy yet but the energy was up! The bartenders were friendly and attentive! I tried a new seltzer there called city water! Super good! Definitely should stop in if you're on Milwaukee Ave on a weekend evening!

My favorite bar in all of Chicago! Monday night karaoke is wonderful with a great crowd and kind host. Weekend nights have a great vibe with music and dancing, week days are quieter, but still lovely and a great place to meet for a drink with a friend, date, or group. House cocktails are delicious, unique, and strong, classic cocktails are made with great quality ingredients. The best thing about the Revel Room is the staff. Bartenders are kind and are great to have a conversation with if you get the chance. They are observant of the crowd and will check in on you if they feel you might be made uncomfortable by another guest. It's a place I always feel safe at.

Inviting and cozy neighborhood bar with excellent list of specialty cocktails. A small list yet well developed with clever names to each drink. The Italian spider-Man was a gin lover's delight. Definitely would try some of the others. Their version of an Old Fashion is also something to try. Small and cozy, dark and moody, loud but still a place to have a conversation and plenty of couples smiling at one another so a good place for people watching.

I think this used to be something else but I can't remember what. We were walking by and my friend decides we should stop in for a cocktail yesterday. I gladly agreed! Firstly, they make a good old fashioned there. My buddy liked his drink as well. Maybe just take that from this review! It's a small place, dark and moody. Kind of a vintage environment, old school saloon or parlor or something. I was trying to figure it out. I think someone mentioned Victorian? But I really wasn't feeling that. Then again, it's much nicer than your average dive bar so who really cares? There's that. It reminds me of a place I used to frequent in LA. I can't remember the name but it was in Los Feliz. Man I miss the Cha Cha lounge in Silverlake. Oh well I live back here in Chicago now! And I love Chicago. Just being picky I guess and I think I compare everything hospitality to there or NY. Disregard! Anyway, we sat at the bar and enjoyed the space. The end. I'm feeling a bit underwhelmed. I miss double door! I feel like violet hour and big star are places I can typically hit (I think big star owns this place to)? But we went to swig and revel room last night, and I just thought both were ok. That said, this neighborhood is weird now. It used to be better when double door was around! Why did they remove that? Yeti! Wow. This sounds negative but it's honest. My POV anyway. I think over on Division is probably better if you venture to bucktown/wicker park. They might be having an identity crisis on this side of the neighborhood. I don't know what the deal is. It's lost its edge. Maybe it's the Lincoln park style eateries. Or Robey Hotel or places like whiskey business and emporium that rob its soul. Nothing wrong with Lincoln park though. Just saying, keep it over there! At least the drinks were tasty, and I liked those old style booths in there. What else do you need right? It's just drinks. I guess. Cheers~

I don't know if this is REALLY a five star experience, but I'm kind of off setting some of the ridiculous and pretentious reviews. I visited Chicago back in October and after having dinner nearby, decided to grab some drinks from this bar. Despite it being a fairly busy Saturday night, we managed to grab a seat at one of the booths and were well attended to throughout the night. One of the bartenders must've been keeping a tab on their social media feeds because when I made a comment about a nearby couple being on a Tinder date, the bartender came over and said "You have no idea how many of those we get." You can tell because when they meet, they take a few seconds to mentally match up the physical image in front of them with the Tinder picture profile, and then the awkward hug after that. This place is pretty much the definition of a hipster bar with a wall-mounted animal head, hardwood floors, and a nice looking bar. There are several locations for food nearby, but you should leave someone from your group at the bar if you want the table to be held.

Decided to walk in with some friends for a drink before dinner across the street. The Revel Room is a dark and moody establishment with booth like tables. Even with the tables we had to walk up to the bar to order drinks. I tried the "cry baby" cocktail which I liked, but others in my group did not like their drinks. The place also had an interesting smell to it. There was a backroom to the place. I am wondering if they have events back there or if its only open late at night. Unsure if its a place that I will keep on my list of places for last minute drinks.

The Revel Room is a nice surprise for the Milwaukee Ave stretch of bars that seem to be clichés of Sport/Irish/Frat bars emerging on a once cool scene. The drinks are made properly, the spirits list is solid, and I' not dizzy from seeing 26 college flags draped inside the space. The room is also a nice surprise from the other cliches. The booths are comfy, and there is plenty of real estate at the bar. The interior is not overly lit by 55 tv's, and it's not so dark that you'll run into the wall walking to the bathroom. So, if you want a low key vibe, pop in here.

Man they ruined one of my favorite spots by adding karaoke at night. The cocktails and beer selection is top notch along with the layout and ambiance. But it's the super loud screaming from the karaoke that kills it for me

Cool place but unfortunately terrible servers. If you see a guy with a pink bandana get the heck out of there because he will be little you and be extremely condescending. Sad and unfortunate.. Note: My friend that was yelled at in front of the entire bar was wearing a mask

It's a little ratch, sticky, loud, crowded, obnoxious, wild, young, hot, twerky, and wet. I like it! Haha. It's not a bad spot if you're looking to get a little tipsy or bottoms up. Things move and get wild quick. If you're looking to chill and enjoy a couple drinks, keep it moving. This isn't the place for you, buddy. The nights are usually hip hop. I'd like to hear some house or edm here. It'd probably bring me back more.

On a quiet Sunday night my 2 buddies and I came here for a nice, chill time over drinks. The place was classy and quiet and John took such great care of us! He was super friendly. Here's what I had: CARDINAL SIN - $10 Nickel No. 8, Pear Brandy, Cardamom, Clove. This exquisite drink was alps garnished with a star anise and it was just so tasty! Out of my drinks and my buddies' we all agreed that mine was the winner! It was just slightly sweet and citrusy but definitely a strong one! Loved it! BRAMBLE - $8 Beefeater London Dry Gin, Lemon, Raspberry. This fizzy drink was sweet and a pretty one! I had so much fun it. I even had a taste of some MOLORT! John was just super wonderful and the drinks here are great! I love the decor and how low key it was. I'd love to come back!

I walked into the Revel Room on Monday evening and asked if I could use the bathroom - the bartender was very friendly and told me I could do whatever I wanted, he'd just prefer if I stayed - you had to be there but it felt like he was hitting on me. I used the bathroom. My friend who had been waiting in the car, then walked in to do the same thing. The bartender refused my friend at the door before they even asked to use the bathroom, told them they needed to see an ID in case they fell on the tile and then reiterated his refusal to let them use the bathroom. I know that many places reserve their bathrooms for customers only. I've worked in hospitality, I get it. But I was welcomed in at the Revel Room for the expressed purpose of peeing. I am a petite white femme person. My friend is a tall, non-binary person of color. When you let the white feminine person "do whatever they want" and, mere minutes later, rudely turn another person away, that's not just inconsistent hospitality, it's (racist, homophobic) discrimination. We go to bars for the ambiance, the social interaction, and to some, for the craft cocktails. Luckily there are many other excellent places in Chicago for all of these things. Needless to say, I won't be returning to the Revel Room.

I never come on here to post about bars or restaurants but I felt it was the right thing to do after my experience last night. My wife & I were walking down Milwaukee after a very underwhelming pop up bar experience and we decided on The Revel room for a night cap. Granted it was only 7:30pm (yes we are in our mid 30s and like to hit the sack early) but it was the perfect time to go in my opinion. I ordered and old fashioned & my wife got a banana whiskey concoction. Both drink were pretty damn good 8/10. However, what was a 10 out of 10 is the great conversation we had with the bartender Matthew. He was kind, entertaining, and you can tell he truly likes to learn and converse with his customers. We were enjoying the convo so much, we ordered a 2nd round and stayed a little longer. If you ever go, and it's not completely slammed, and Mathew is there....You must ask him about the story behind the cat painting on the wall! Thanks again Matthew, we will be back!

Went for the first time and this place is great. Prices are really reasonable, really chill, and they haven't sunk to using single use plastic for every single thing like some other bars in the area. Will definitely be back.

Came to revel room for a drink, expecting a fair drink. I met Matt who asked for my dates ID (which she left in her uber) and she quickly recovered it (thanks to Matt and Lauren). After that coincidence, we had the best experience. Matt and Lauren are incredible, and I love this place. Thanks for the hospitality y'all, definitely coming back

Easy and friendly service. Cool ambiance with nice lighting that made me want to stay the entire night, complimented by good music and not bad drinks.

This is a great bar. It is appropriately dark, it has whatever drinks you want, and it has music. I like it more than the Rainbo Club, which I think has a similar vibe. It's a good spot, check it out!

This is a cool spot in the Milwaukee/North/Damen area. I met up a group of 12 here for a night out. It has a similar layout to The Owl in Logan Square, but I would say its a little nicer and they have better drinks than The Owl. There is no cover, the front area has a long bar with group tables along the side. There is no wait service so anyone is free to take available tables. They have a wide variety of drinks, including an extensive amount of whiskey. They also serve pitchers of on-tap drinks, one of which I ordered and thought it to be a very good deal, considering we made about six drinks for the price of half as many. The back room has a DJ area and there was even some dancing going on at about 10pm. Good energy at this place! Bartenders were nice as well. Great spot!

When I moved here, I really wanted to live in Wicker Park. Nothing worked with my timeline and now after visiting the Revel Room, I'm really regretting it. This would be my local watering hole for sure. The bartenders are friendly, great to have a conversation with (shout out to David and Daniel) and more than willing to analyze how that blind date you were just on went poorly. Sound level: 80 dB, still fairly easy to hear people Crowd: 25-35, adults who don't take themselves too seriously I don't care that I live in Old Town, the Revel Room is my official Chicago watering hole.

Pretty sweet lounge like bar that seems to have 2 parts. When you enter it seems like any other bar and then there is an open space for dancing with the DJ booth near the back and over rot the left there is a couple of couches that you can relax or play on...I did both. This place used to be Empire Liquors

Cool venue, but the back room vibe is mediocre. The drinks are pretty good but the DJ thinks he's working at a club in Vegas and will be extremely rude if you ask if he takes requests. He doesn't, because hitting play on a playlist in a back-bar in Wicker Park is a status play in 2019. So if you want fun, skip The Revel Room.

This place is great. It's got dive bar vibes with prohibition style drinks. The staff are all friendly and savants when it comes to crafting cocktails. The absolute best part is that it's about 3 miles away from the shit holes Saba, The Walk In, and The Old Plank. Those restaurants in Logan Square must, AT ALL COSTS, be avoided.

This place is awesome! Probably the most fitting bar for the neighborhood. I always thought it was a speakeasy, and after four years living here, finally went in! Although it looks like a speakeasy, it was way more relaxed than that! I had a cocktail and then finished my night out with $3 old styles. My husband went on and on about the antique collection of whiskey they had. He had a pour of the three he hadn't tried, and after 5 hours there, our bill was only $90. He's never seen the entire antique collection in one establishment before, and to be so reasonably priced was amazing (about $20 each - but considering the rarity, that's pretty good). The bartenders were also super helpful. Showed me a bottle of liquor to understand the flavor my cocktail would have. Also helped people decide on whiskies. Really friendly! Get there early if you want a seat. This place is great, cozy, friendly, and fun!

Revel room had a trendy vibe of a lounge, without being a lounge at all. It was packed! Despite that, the bar seemed to be doing just fine. I didn't have to wait too long for any of my cocktails and they do have a great list to choose from. Some very nice Moscow mules to be had here. My only complaint was around the limited vodka selection, as they only had Tito's and I want to say Grey Goose or something along those lines. Basically two vodkas, none of which make my list of vodkas I would drink without mixing. Get some Belvedere folks, or Chopin, or Russian Standard. Even the best craft cocktail can be ruined by mediocre vodka. Crowd was fairly diverse in terms of scene kids, hipsters and young professionals, but clearly on the younger side (mostly mid to late 20s).

Stopped in for one drink last evening while my fiance and I waited for a friend to meet us in Wicker Park. Friendly bartender, immediately gave us a carafe and glasses of water; I like bars where you don't have to ask for water too, small bonus. The space was dimly lit, (read: cool) and open, with a row of huge red leather booths lining the back wall, leading to the "Silver Fox Den." WHAT IS BACK THERE?! Anderson Cooper? There's also a pretty spectacular painted portrait of a cat hanging prominently in the front by the bar. Ironically hip or not, I liked it. Craft cocktail list looked tasty and interesting, with an ingredient I'd have to Google in about half the drinks. So, for last night, I stuck to a black currant cider, tasted almost like a sour, but very good. I should mention that my fiance and I were THE ONLY people at the bar not taking advantage of the $5 Old Style & a shot of Bourbon special, so there's that. Overall a decent spot to take in a few beverages.

Cool place. Ducked in here after glancing in from the street stylish low key open good selection. Of cocktails draft and hand crafted. Low lit and good tunes coming out of the juke box. Also liked the red leather sofas for table sitting that lined the wall.

Sexy Place! I love the free drink happy hour they host if I can make it through the door. I WILL BE BACK!

Came in just because this creepy dude had been harassing me and following me on the street and I wanted to be in a public place around people. The bartenders (one was maybe an owner? I don't remember) there kicked the dude out, stood outside and watched where he went. They asked if I was okay, told me to stay as long as I needed and one of them even walked me to the next place I was headed. Haven't actually tried any of the drinks lol but I will definitely be back because bartenders/staff having women's back and not standing for creepy dudes is honestly a top priority for me.

Love this spot! The music is AWESOME. I always hear the best mixes here. Usually rap/hip hop - the new stuff and the old stuff. You never know what you're going to hear! The downside is how PACKED this place gets on the weekends. Good luck finding a seat anytime past 8 on the weekends. During the week it's totally low key, but it's a madhouse on a Friday or Saturday night. They have a cool back room here that looks like a house - paintings on the walls, comfy couches, cool wallpaper... this is the area that becomes the makeshift dance floor. Hey, it works. It just becomes a sweatfest when this place is at capacity. Credit card minimum is $10, I believe. Drinks are typically pretty strong and they are usually understaffed with only 2 bartenders most times on the weekend (they need at least 3-4). But there's never a cover to get in, and the music is great. So I'll keep coming back!

Came to the Revel Room while waiting for a table at Big Star. It's a small bar, mostly booth seating. It was pretty empty around 7pm on a Friday night. The music was weird. They played country, pop, and other random genres. They have a specialty cocktail menu, like most of these hipsterish dimly lit bars and the prices are fair. But the drinks weren't really anything special and they weren't a steal or anything.

These reviews are funny. It has been, and will continue to be my favorite bar in the whirlwind that is Wicker Park. Great cocktails and a very cool and good looking staff. Drinks are always wonderful and the beer and cider selection are plentiful. There's always a great DJ or live music happening which is a rarity in the hood. It's a great place with a different vibe than your average Wicker Park bar. I've never had a bad time here. There's plenty of options between draft cocktails and stirred or shaken cocktails, and they are all great, and cater to anyone in your group. I've been coming here for years and will continue to. The staff here have been nothing but wonderful every time. You should ignore the standard Yelper and come hang out here. It's always a good time.

I loved the cocktails, I loved the bartenders, I loved the ambiance, I'm from out of town and this place helped me fall in love with Chicago. Oh and a little space in the back has a DJ and dance floor(for the brave). My boyfriend and I were the only ones dancing. No worries though we put on a good show lol.

The DJs they have in the weekend are solid - great music to dance to and you don't have to pay a cover. It isn't a huge place I will say so if you don't like crowds it might not be for you. But if you want to do some late night dancing this is the place.

Walking by, wanted a drink and saw the Old Style signl so dropped in. What a pleasant surprise! Although it was early, place opens at 6pm, and the place wasn't packed, almost every seat at the bar was full. I ordered a gin cocktail which came from the tap, Low something, and the bartender said, "That's what they ordered," excitedly, about the two women seated next to me. I figured it must be OK then. It was, with cassis and bitters, I believe. Yeah I'd order it again. But I wanted something stronger so I ordered a gin on the rocks and asked what finds they carried. She told me about a couple and mentioned they had a good organic gin. Yes! It was delightful, a floral and actually tasty alcohol which I wish I remembered the name of. I'll be back. Cocktail on tap are a good thing. Friendly & helpful bartender, great! They have huge, old style, leather like booths and great music via iPod.

Damned tasty drinks. Damned absentee service. I mean, it's better than Empire Liquors was, but what isn't?

Firstly, what happened to hip hop night? This place used to be full of fly honies, now it's just it's just a couple of snotty wicker park barflies. No talent behind the bar either, don't know how you even stay open. Came for a drink after work and the bartender wouldn't make me a jäger bomb. it's jäger and bomb, don't they teach you that in bartending school? No bud on the menu either, dont come here. not worth your time.

I'm giving the Revel Room three stars, but on a Fri/Sat night it would be closer to 2, and on a more relaxed evening it would be closer to 4. Let's start with the positive - if you come here to meet a friend on a weekday, you will most likely be able to grab one of the fairly hard to get booths or at least a spot at the bar. The servers are friendly and they make some very good cocktails that are by no means cheap but are a good price for the neighborhood. The wood paneled vibe is also a departure from a lot of the other places around here and is a good choice for catching up over a couple of tasty drinks. The weekends, on the other hand, are the opposite of this experience. The seats are well nigh impossible to grab and you will most likely find yourself standing two or three deep for a drink. Those tasty cocktails don't really scale up for speed so it will be a while before you get served. And conversation is also a no-go: I tried to order a last round and get my tab and the bartender both misheard my drink order and brought the wrong cocktail and misheard my name and brought the wrong bar tab. So, definitely a place to check out if you're in the mood for a chill night, otherwise there are better places to go out on the town over the weekend.