The Sixpenny Bit

My husband and I first visited a few months ago, and I enjoyed it so much I’m going to meet up with some mom friends there tonight! I really appreciate that the staff makes it a safe and positive neighborhood bar where people can spend time without hateful old bags (see negative review below) yelling homophobic slurs.

Six Penny Bit is, quite simply, the pub Evanston has been waiting for its entire life—and now that it’s here, everything else feels like it’s playing catch-up. From the moment you duck through the unassuming door on Central Street, the place wraps you in that rare, effortless warmth: low amber light, well-worn wood, and a gentle hum of conversation that somehow never tips into chaos. The beer program is masterful without ever being pretentious; ten rotating taps and a cask engine that actually gets used, pouring flawless pints of house bitter, timeless UK classics, and the best of the Midwest’s new guard. Every glass arrives at the perfect temperature, in the correct glassware, with a smile that says the bar staff actually care whether you enjoy it. Then there’s the food—elevated pub classics executed with quiet brilliance. The fish and chips are benchmark-level: shatter-crisp batter, snowy cod that flakes at the nudge of a fork, proper chips with crackling edges, curry sauce that hums with depth, and mushy peas bright enough to make you believe in spring. The Scotch egg is a perfect orb of runny yolk and seasoned sausage, the Sunday roast (when it appears) rivals anything you’ve wept over in a Yorkshire village pub, and even the bar snacks feel considered rather than afterthoughts. Service is warm, quick-witted, and genuinely proud of what they’re pouring and plating. Six Penny Bit doesn’t just hit every note—it holds them, effortlessly, all night long. This isn’t just Evanston’s best pub; it’s one of the best anywhere. You’ll leave planning your next visit before you’ve even reached the door.

Game at the bar is play with "2 swinging balls " you swing not dice. Very NOT northwest side chicago bar to me Im confused.. Go to Andersonville for this! Young inexperienced bartender says she's the owner lol !!: Cops and firefighters go to Norwood park

Six Penny, Beacon Tap, what's the name? Local neighborhood Irish bar without food and only one bartender.

Our bartender Alex was an amazing bartender. Our drinks were made with love and tasted amazing. Highly recommend stopping in. Very friendly customers and amazing hard working bartenders. I will definitely be coming back to the six penny bit.

Great atmosphere. Very Very reasonable pricing. Plenty of street parking. Lots of TV'S. Rented the party room. Don't tell the owners, but they should charge more.

A true Irish Pub. Good music, good prices, good people. Family, Fun, Darts, Live Entertainment, Pool Table. This IS an Irish Pub.

Very chill and energetic atmosphere. Super friendly staff. Drinks are very decent and not at all expensive. Only downside of this cute local bar is the cash only.

Best place. Saw magic. Drank beer. Nuff said. The word count was low so here's what I usually order. Black and tan x4 malort x3 vodka/tequila x2

My lovely wife and I have been to Six Penny Bit a couple of times now, and it just sort of brings us back to our lovely vacation in Ireland and Northern Ireland last year. Six Penny Bit is an Irish bar at the corner of Montrose and Menard, and our bartender is always this nice Irish lady who makes the regulars feel like they're home. The first time we were there for beers, and she gave us a muffin on the house - now that's class! The regulars include this fellow who brings his friendly black dog to the bar.

We have been in a couple times on Saturday afternoons. The vibe is casual, and they have many regulars but are seemingly welcoming to all. It would be great if they had a beer list of their cans and bottles for those who do not see anything intriguing on draft. The first time we were in there, the upbeat, friendly bartender offered us a freshly baked muffin. That was so sweet of her!

Yvonne and Mary are delightful!! Super friendly and welcoming on two separate occasions despite the fact that we were not locals!

This is a nice bar if you are going for drinks only. There is no food served and it's cash only. Which I don't carry so my buddies had to cover me. The bartender was really friendly and nice. They have your typical bar drinks. The atmosphere of this bar is really nice and inviting. They also have an adjoining room. It's nice and big. Will visit again. The nicest bartender works here. Very very personable and friendly.

This is just thee best Irish bar in the city. Almost half of the people there are right from Ireland. I've gone for years on & off. They had great music too. Lovely little pub that's not so little

Went here because it was halfway between me + cousin. It was just another bar with an Irish tilt. Lots of locals in there having a good time. But nothing to draw me back.

A fun neighborhood bar! Staff was friendly and drink prices are cheap. Love the steel tip dart boards in the back room. They only had one set of bar darts when we were there, wish there were more sets! A fun bar within walking distance of our house! The next time we can pawn off our kids, we'll be back!

Nana, you are lying. I was there Saturday night. It was closing time. Last call was called and ended. Everyone was told nicely, multiple times, that the bar was closed and it was time to leave. You and your group (and yes, others) refused to leave. In the covid era, bars are under strict rules. Since you (and others) weren't listening, the bartenders had to make it more clear that it was time to leave immediately. The reality is all the bartenders at Six Penny (including both who worked Saturday) treat all their customers with class as long as they given basic respect. Six Penny is a great classic Chicago neighborhood corner Irish bar. Nana, you had too many and acted up. We've all been there. But don't blame them and lie for your actions.

Dear Six Penny Bit team. My family mens softball team had their first ever preseason party, and not only was your team helpful and courteous. The drinks were cold, music was loud, (karaoke anyone) and fun times were had by all. So for that we thank you. We will be back to this local and blue collar gem, if you are ever in the neighborhood (or not) we recommend the Six Penny Bit. Steve O Rodriguez.

Your local friendly neighborhood bar. Once your in, there is no getting out. Great service and very homely atmosphere.

I came here many years ago and was physically assaulted by the bartenders because I was drinking a beer in the courtyard but there were about 9 guys doing the same thing. They shoved me out the door and shut the door on my fingers.

Love this spot. Erin is a great bartender. Drinks are super cheap. It's always a good time here!

Great local watering hole; Friendly staff and now serving very tasty pizza's. If you're looking for a great comforting place to grab a drink and a bite to eat, this is definitely the place. A++. Ronnie is top notch and absolutely accommodating to everyone! Wonderful place!

I've been hyping this place up for years. When they started letting high schoolers in the last three times I've been is when I officially call it quits. I know they won't miss my business but how unfortunate. I gather with friends to get away from children not drink next to them.

I asked for a coffee and the bartender said "no" and walked away. I was about to order a Red Bull (because I know they have Red Bull and vodka) but I couldn't ask about that. He walked away before I could ask a follow up question. horrible service.

Just a plain bar that's out in the middle of nowhere. The place might as well be Middle Earth to me. The bar is pretty simple, nothing fancy, a back room with additional tables. A couple of beers on tap, plenty more in botttles and packaged chips and stuff you'd find in any dive. I have no idea why I came here-oh wait, that's right it's because my cop buddy knew about this place. I don't think I would come again, not without my cop buddy(s) but I paid for 4 beers and the tab came up to be 9 bucks. Twelve when you count the 3 dollar lukewarm Gatorade that I got before heading out.

I've been coming here for several years and it's a great well lit establishment with very kind people ! 10/10 would recommend

My friend moved into the area and we thought it would be nice to try a local tavern. We found this bar ,Sixpenny Bit, and it looked like a good covid-friendly place to sit with a small group of friends and get a drink, based on reviews. We walked in at midnight, well before the posted closing time. As we walked in, it looked like a super packed messy underage party with the bartenders cussing us out to leave as soon as we stepped in the door (direct quote: "Get the F*** out!" multiple times). My group and I were in complete shock (we have all worked in a restaurant/tavern industry and would never treat a customer in such a manner). A simple..."Sorry we are closing early would have been fine and we would have turned around and left without issue" I felt I needed to express my concern. I walked into Sixpenny Bit to inform the two ladies that their behavior is completely unacceptable and if you are trying to have guests leave there is more than one way to do so without cussing and being disrespectful. Per my request, the one bartender provide me the owner's email and the other one went on to tell me, "We still need you to get the f*** out. ". I am completely disgusted with how Sixpenny Bit treats their customers and I feel everyone should be aware. Thank you for your time.

If you aren't an Irish brick layer you probably don't know about this bar. No, it's not the cheesy Irish bar you see in Wrigleyville with Miller Lite Shamrock neons and drunken frat boys wearing backwards Notre Dame hats, this is the place you go if your visa has expired and you spent all day laying a mile of concrete. Let's put it this way, above the bar there is a picture of the bar tender shaking hands with Gerry Adams, the leader of Sein Fein. They pour the Guinness like they do back in the old country and since he obviously knows the leader of the IRA, I wouldn't bug him about speeding it up. Walking into this bar feels like what it must felt like for the first black guys who tried to sit at the counter at Woolworths back in the 1950s. You definitely get a sense that you don't belong and may end up with a car bomb under your hood if you piss off the wrong guy. That being said, I usually go right to the back to play darts. If you like Irish music, the juke box won't disappoint and neither will the Guinness.

I've been sporadically coming to the Six Penny for about four years now due to a good friend being a regular there and just love the whole atmosphere there. I have a soft spot for local camaraderie type bars and the Six Penny definitely fits into that type. It is a smaller and authentic irish neighborhood bar with the sweetest owners and bartenders. They don't serve any food there but are more than willing to hand you over some menus for delivery from local restaurants. Plus, I have eaten a delicious, homemade sandwich on more than one occasion that was given to me by the bartender because someone in the family likes to make a whole platter of them for the patrons. There is also a pool table, bags set, and a darts board if you're interested in throwing in some games into your night too. Also, I would advise against the "house shot" - I've never tried it but heard its pretty intense!

Our Fraternal Organization Ancient Order of Hibernians has come here for many years for our Executive meetings and fundraisers. They have a nice back room where you can have meetings, etc. The staff is ALWAYS outstanding and the drinks are cheap. Love this place.

The Six Penny Bit is a clogged artery in an otherwise healthy area of the shitty heart that is the Northwest side of Chicago. They have something here called the "house shot", this the the epitome of gut wrenching alcoholic speed. They take all the bottoms of the liquor bottles and dump them into one special bottle. You ask for it. You take the shot. You IMMEDIATELY regret doing so because you will be drunk much quicker than you have ever anticipated. This is a good thing. The atmosphere is the avoidable section of this here bar. I vehemently hate country music. I have no comparable source of disdain. Country is the fucking kicker. Whatever. If you want to get completely slam drunk and probably get into a fight about nothing, come here. Cheap beer on Thursday, High Life is the right choice. Unfortunately there is not coat check, darn.

This bar is awesome! I was here for St. Patty's day tonight to play APA and everyone had a blast! I really like how nice everyone is, how well run it is, and the patron's. I had more fun at this bar on St. Patrick's day (the actual DAY people, not the Saturday before like some chud) I would go out again here for St. Patty's, it might become my tradition. They had free sandwiches! They were so tasty! Guiness was $4! A dude with an Irish accent fucking bought us shots and a beer! I love it. So many awesome local people, let's all go here together and sing along to the Pogues, who they did play. Wow. I love it man, I never have to go downtown ever again. I lost my voice from screaming in delight whenever something awesome happened. This was a top 10 night for me in 2016. 1 pool table.

Cash only bar. The prices aren't bad but the crowd really kills this place. I've seen three dudes crammed into a bathroom stall "not doing drugs" as well as fights over the pool table and old drunks passed out on tables and at the bar. It amazes me that an old school dive bar like this can still survive today.

Me being Irish and all,I love it.The prices are cheap.I just felt like I was sitting in someones basement getting drunk.Theres nothing wrong with that anyways. *******UPDATE********************************** Since my last review they have remodeled,It is a very nice place and they even have bean bag tornaments.

if youre looking for the best bartenders in town, its here. if youre looking for the feel of a down-home irish family party, its here. if you want to play pool, its here. if you want to play darts, its here. if you want live music, its here. clean bathrooms, plenty seating, great decorations and food and hats on holidays ! they have a smoking section out back, just mind the neighbors. and you will be asked "where abouts in ireland are you from" about 100 times !

This is a type of bar where you can watch football, hockey, baseball and everything else. The music fits the build and it's overall a good time. Come though and enjoy.

Loved all the dart boards along the wall. (Except, it doesn't work very well if you want to play bags indoors since you have to play both in the same area) They have plenty of tables in the front and off to the side and decent drink specials. There was a DJ when we went and other than the music being a little too loud---The night was filled with numerous drinks and dart games! A-Ok in my book =]

Stopped in for a quick drink. Live music was great. They only take cash. Good tap selection. Would go back!

Wow. Erin c really isn't a fan. Lol. I think this bar is the epic family bar that everyone looks for. Tucked into the Chicago that I grew up around. I love the staff and the service is amazing. If I'm looking for a good bar I chose the 6 penny. Always been that way and I don't see it changing. Ronnie is my guy.

I've got a soft spot for bars that are equal parts blue-collar Chicago and Ireland. Six Penny Bit pulls this off with ease. Attentive and playfully surly young women deliver a proper pint and a generous shot of Jameson or Bushmill's. The mark of a great neighborhood bar is an age distribution from 21 to retirement age and there may very well have been 20-somethings sharing a pint with their grandparents in here. Irish offerings like several varieties of 'Tayto' crisps and advertisements for weekend sports on Setanta inspire me to return and spend a good chunk of the day when the place is quieter and less crowded. A bona fide diamond in the rough.

Great Chicago Neighborhood Bar!!! You don't see these types of bars around anymore!!! Loved everything about it...

I lived in this neighborhood about 15 years ago. Now every time i fly into Chicago for business i make it my business to stop in for a pint of Guinness then a bottle of Old Style (chi-town seems be the only place in the USA I can find Old Style) Anyhooo! I love Chicago and I'm a native New Yaaaka. I get a kick from the Irish crowd who mistake my NYC accent for a British one. The dirty looks i've gotten make my day.

I agree w. John, it's a REAL Irish pub. They remodeled it a bit and it's lovely. The only downside is that they don't take credit cards so make sure you have cash or your atm card handy. The staff is great and the beer is cold. What more could you ask for?

The Six Penny doesn't look like much -- either from the outside or the inside. The walls are plastered with knick knacks and souvenirs, the decor is a bit of a wreck, and the restrooms could use some real help. But don't be fooled, the Six Penny 'tis a magical place. As with all types of magical stuffs -- it takes a pure and open heart to see the subtle loveliness of the Six Penny. So if you're a frat boy or a jerk with a penchant for rabble-rousing or being obnoxious -- please go somewhere else. There's plenty of places in Chicago where you can dance around with your green beads and oversized styrofoam hat & pretend you're Irish that particular evening. Let these kind folk drink in peace and enjoy decent craic. But if you can bring that much to the table -- the Six Penny will throw it's welcoming arms around you. Welcome home boy-o.

Great Chicago neighborhood Irish bar. Good people, great bartenders, more than fair prices, fun times.

so far as i know, this is the irish-est bar in the city, horse racing on monitors, darts, appropriate beers on tap, and genuine people who were born on the emerald isle and don't drink green beer......ever. others in yelp and friends of mine have told me they have witnessed fights here, but isn't that part of what makes it real???

Well I've known Erin C for 16 years now and the reason she really hates this bar is because her brother and I used to patron it multiple times during the week. The bar sponsors 2 men's and one women's softball teams and the young Irish gents and ladies from neighborhood like to come and get nice and drunk without intolerance. Multiple tv's. great to come watch all the games possible on a Saturday and drunk for cheap. Don't mind the old guys in the corner. They don't bother anyone and even if you tried to talk to them you wouldn't understand what they're saying anyways. The bar tenders are granddaughters and grandsons of the owners or a wonderful lady who lived down the street from me and they aim to please. It's a safe place to be seeing that some of the cities public safety workers patron there. if you're looking for more than a shot and and beer then you're in the wrong place. But if you're down with a real corner Irish hole in the wall with a neighborhood feel, then you're in the right place. Oh, and there's no food so eat something at home and save room for andll the cheap beer you'll be drinking..

The Six Penny Bit isn't the kind of Irish bar where you'll find polish Cubs fans drinking car bombs. If you don't speak with a bit of a brogue you might be in the minority, but that being said, the staff, and for that matter, the regulars, are all extremely friendly people. The tavern is decorated with all sorts of knick knacks form Ireland, and the TVs always have a rugby match on. They have a pool table and a couple dart boards (be sure to bring your own metal tipped darts) and live music in the weekend. The music is usually a one man band who preforms a mix of pop classics (the Beatles, Elvis, Johnny Cash, etc) and traditional Irish folk songs. The drinks are cheap, especially on Sunday and Monday when they offer draft specials, and Thursday nights are Ladies Nights, where the strawberry daiquiri's are flowing at a price that won't cut into your Friday night budget (but might cut into your Friday morning productivity).

Been going here for years. Great place, cheap drinks, and a change from Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville. The other reviews are pretty dead on and while I've seen fights happen in the past I can't remember when the last one was in years.

UNDOUBTEDLY THE BEST IRISH BAR ON THE NORTH SIDE OF CHICAGO! WELCOMING STAFF, GREAT SELECTION OF IRISH DRAFT BEER. IF YOUR FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO LAND ON A HOLIDAY ,THE BUFFET PUT ON BY THE OWNER IS UNBELIEVABLE AND SECOND TO NONE...AND HOMEMADE!! THE CLIENTELE IS A MIXTURE OF IRISH , IRISH AMERICAN AND POLISH BUT PREDOMINATELY IRISH. WEEKENDS THEY HAVE LIVE MUSIC THAT RANGES FROM IRISH FOLK TO COUNTRY. SMALL BUT LIVELY DANCE FLOOR LATER IN THE EVENING WHEN THINGS REALLY WARM UP. YA GOTTA CHECK IT OUT!!

I stopped in here once with a friend of mine who is a regular at the bar. I felt uncomfortable when we first got there but all was well after I got a Magners in my hand. I didn't think I would run into anyone I know but ended up seeing old friends and friends of friends. It was a great time. I was there about a year ago and it was quite smokey but I'm sure things are pretty different in there these days. I actually have thought about going back there again soon. Good times!