Best dive bars in Chicago

Foursquare

Best dive bars in Chicago

Dive bars can be polarizing: Either you love their particular brand of cheap, grimy fun or hate it. While the flickering neon signs, $2 shots, and off-key karaoke strike some patrons as endearing, the allure is totally lost on others.

If grizzled patrons, faded pool tables, and tallboys of beer are your thing, you’re going to want to check out this list. Stacker used data from Foursquare to rank the 30 top dive bars in Chicago, Ill. Foursquare’s algorithm takes check-ins, rating signals, category matches, tips, and photo trends into account to come up with the best hole-in-the-wall pubs. Click through the list to see the best dives Chicago has to offer—and find out whether your favorite gin mill made the list.

1 / 30

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#30. Galway Bay

Address: 500 W. Diversey Pkwy.

Foursquare rating: 7.8

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2 / 30

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#29. Stella's

Address: 935 N. Western Ave.

Foursquare rating: 7.6

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3 / 30

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#28. Cole's Bar

Address: 2338 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Foursquare rating: 7.6

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4 / 30

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#27. Cardinal Wine & Spirits

Address: 4905 N. Lincoln Ave.

Foursquare rating: 7.7

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5 / 30

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#26. Ten Cat Tavern

Address: 3931 N. Ashland Ave.

Foursquare rating: 7.7

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6 / 30

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#25. Nilda's Place

Address: 1858 W. Iowa St.

Foursquare rating: 7.8

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7 / 30

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#24. Simon's Tavern

Address: 5210 N. Clark St.

Foursquare rating: 8.2

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8 / 30

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#23. Billy Goat Tavern

Address: 430 N. Michigan Ave.

Foursquare rating: 8.2

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9 / 30

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#22. Weeds Tavern

Address: 1555 N Dayton St.

Foursquare rating: 7.9

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10 / 30

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#21. Rite Liquors

Address: 1649 W. Division St.

Foursquare rating: 8.0

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11 / 30

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#20. Happy Village

Address: 1059 N. Wolcott Ave.

Foursquare rating: 8.3

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12 / 30

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#19. The Gingerman Tavern

Address: 3740 N. Clark St.

Foursquare rating: 8.0

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13 / 30

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#18. Will's Northwoods Inn

Address: 3030 N. Racine Ave.

Foursquare rating: 8.5

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14 / 30

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#17. Cleo's Bar & Grill

Address: 1935 W. Chicago Ave.

Foursquare rating: 8.1

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15 / 30

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#16. Exit

Address: 1315 W. North Ave.

Foursquare rating: 8.2

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16 / 30

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#15. Innertown Pub

Address: 1935 W. Thomas St.

Foursquare rating: 8.7

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17 / 30

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#14. Nisei Lounge

Address: 3439 N. Sheffield Ave.

Foursquare rating: 8.3

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18 / 30

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#13. Rainbo Club

Address: 1150 N. Damen Ave.

Foursquare rating: 8.3

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19 / 30

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#12. Empty Bottle

Address: 1035 N. Western Ave.

Foursquare rating: 9.0

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20 / 30

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#11. Rossi's Liquors

Address: 412 N. State St.

Foursquare rating: 8.2

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21 / 30

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#10. Delilah's

Address: 2771 N. Lincoln Ave.

Foursquare rating: 9.1

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22 / 30

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#9. Skylark

Address: 2149 S. Halsted St.

Foursquare rating: 8.4

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23 / 30

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#8. Bird's Nest

Address: 2500 N. Southport Ave.

Foursquare rating: 8.7

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24 / 30

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#7. Old Town Ale House

Address: 219 W. North Ave.

Foursquare rating: 8.5

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25 / 30

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#6. Best Intentions

Address: 3281 W. Armitage Ave.

Foursquare rating: 8.7

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26 / 30

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#5. Go Tavern & Liquors

Address: 3219 W. Armitage Ave.

Foursquare rating: 8.7

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27 / 30

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#4. The Long Room

Address: 1612 W. Irving Park Road

Foursquare rating: 8.8

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28 / 30

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#3. Charleston

Address: 2076 N. Hoyne Ave.

Foursquare rating: 8.7

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29 / 30

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#2. EZ Inn

Address: 921 N. Western Ave.

Foursquare rating: 8.8

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30 / 30

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#1. Sportsman's Club

Address: 948 Western Ave.

Foursquare rating: 9.1

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Best dive bars in Chicago