[hypesession]

Anyone in Chicago, where are you guys?

It's Tuesday and The Owl in Logan Square has $2 drafts and the draft list is impressive with a long craft beer selection.

Anyone down to wing it up and hit the town to do some damage, hit me up.

[Thorfinnsson]

I live in Lincoln Park

Not free tonight, but maybe some other time

[at350zguyy]

im in the city too. always up for hitting the town and doing some damage.

[Thorfinnsson]

I've never gone out in Logan Square honestly, what is it like out there? I hear good things...and this is not the first time someone has mentioned The Owl.

[chyamor]

There's a blackhawks game tonight so I recommend going near west loop /madison for drinks since those will be packed with women

[at350zguyy]

Bulls games also draw a lot of good looking women too....both at the games and at the bars. Weekend games have even better draws.

[hypesession]

(01-24-2012 03:31 PM)Thorfinnsson Wrote:  

I've never gone out in Logan Square honestly, what is it like out there? I hear good things...and this is not the first time someone has mentioned The Owl.

It's diverse, people get drunk and things get messy. Lot of hipsters.

Last time I went I was on my way to The Whistler with someone I had met on the train. That place is a couple blocks farther up and is a dim, suave vibe with live jazz and a solid cocktail list. But it was cold so we ducked into The Owl which I had never visited before. It's a bit more rowdy but the draft list blew me away. It's probably because I haven't been in Chicago for a terribly long time and just am not aware of everything that's available. In there I met a bunch of Californians, one who claimed her brother beat Ken Jennings at Jeopardy and there was an cool chick selling grilled meat outside.

There's another bar on Fullerton near Milwaukee. I forget the name but it was unassuming; had an Arabic sounding name. There was a good mix of attractive people. The kind that read books but seem like they want to just let loose. Juke box. It was interesting. PBR is the drink of choice. Maybe a boilermaker.

There are a few bars by the California blue stop that are kind of dirty--more figuratively than literally, but kind of literally, also. I've been to a few very good house parties where you get a more eclectic crowd and things get really wild. The house parties can be hard to track down but I like them the best so far.



What about Lincoln Park? I've been there but I don't know much about it, either.

[at350zguyy]

i dont know much about lincoln park myself, but i know wrigleyville is loaded with bars and potential talent all along clark street south of wrigley field. even busier during the school season as a lot of the loyola and depaul students go there.

[Thorfinnsson]

hypesession: What do you mean by diverse?

at350zguyy: Yes Wrigleyville is loaded with talent, but it gets very "bro" and douchey. This doesn't stop you from pulling tail, but it does prohibit me from having a good time often. Shit like some random pack of 22 year olds pouring a drink on my buddy's head on the dance floor tends to ruin my night in a hurry. Because of the scene in the area, a lot of the bars are BIG and cater to huge groups of girls dancing in packs as well.

As such I usually only go to Wrigleyville when there are Cubs games, especially day games. Then Wrigleyville is AWESOME. Tons of cute girls in Cubbie blue, lots of fun dudes from all over the city, even middle aged people from the 'burbs there for the party. It's pretty much a street festival in the entire neighborhood every day the Cubs play.

[chyamor]

wrigley during the weekends has gotten more and more ghetto and douchey. All the nice fancy shit has moved towards hubbard/oldtown.

[Thorfinnsson]

The bars are trying to counteract this through discrimination. Many bars in Wrigleyville will not admit anyone with a jersey (yes, including whites) or any blacks (using whatever flimsy excuse about "loose clothing"). The local media has been trying to expose this "scandal", but for once no one seems to care. A buddy of mine who is a classy WASP was asked to remove a Cubs jersey before entering a bar a few months ago before they would admit him.

They're also hiring more aggressive bouncers, to the point of basically empowering criminals. I witnessed some dude trying to get into a bar suffering a brutal beatdown from four jacked up meatheads. Their conduct should've gotten them all arrested and charged with aggravated assault, but a cop actually looked on and did nothing.

Tread carefully. I never worry about things like that happening to me, but that's because I look like a young Mitt Romney (blonder) and have the gift of the gab.

[at350zguyy]

some places in river north will get after you if you don't have shoes that are dressy enough. i avoid these dress code problems by not wearing jerseys or loose clothing, and always wearing dress shoes when i know im gonna end up in one of those places.

[Thorfinnsson]

Yeah, River North is really bad on that. I've seen dudes who seem classy and respectable being turned away for very minor things, even though these dudes clearly have money to spend. I understand bars wish to maintain a certain image and clientele, but they really take it too far.

But yeah, I avoid the problems same as you. And I guess it even works to my benefit by keeping the competition down.

[hypesession]

Thor: When I say diverse I mean ethnically and socially. You can be in Telegraph one second then at some taqueria; with yuppies on Wrightwood or at a party with gangbangers on Hamlin.

I like both ends of the spectrum. My roommate is a bouncer at a place in Wrigleyville, and I would definitely not enjoy that, although I've seen him with a fine girl or two, so maybe it might be worth the trip, but I doubt I could endure a communal bros night in Wrigley only to hook up with a loud blonde. But maybe with a loud ass brunette? Maybe. Or not.

I like River North in the daytime. I see a lot of carefree wealthy women going for runs and walking dogs or just shopping in the middle of the day. I think I prefer that to night game in a swank club in that neighb. I can't be for sure though what do you guys think? I'm talking about River North which I'm guessing is more affluent than Old Town, right?

[at350zguyy]

river north and gold coast areas are definitely more affluent than some of the other areas. i dont like the gold coast as much though mainly because it seems to be the much older crowd than i would like. i agree with you though, that women running around during the day or walking their dogs are such easy targets. i go in and out of my sisters building and the talent there is great. elevator game is great to run in these moments.

[chyamor]

Lets not forget west loop during the summer time.

[at350zguyy]

west loop is pretty good even when it isn't summer. market has been a pretty good spot for me.

[hypesession]

Ok, so I have an observation. I've been hanging around River North lately and noticed that the area between State and Rush and Grand and Superior are a good area with a lot of foot traffic for day-game/early evening game.

I've noticed a concentration of Eastern European women, also. The Trader Joes in the area (Ontario & Wabash) is amazing at around 5ish/6ish. There are hoards of women getting a bottle of wine to relax after work.

[hypesession]

Also, the Art Institute is running a promotion for Chicago residents: free admission until Feb 10. I don't know about anyone else here, but I was there today and it is a good place to meet either artsy chicks or intellectual/pseudo intellectual artsy chicks. Both of which I enjoy.

Venues like these I feel are better than bars in some ways because the place is like a maze so it's like an adventure. Plus it's free. Plus it weeds out people who don't like museums so there's an element of exclusivity. And you can definitely conceal alcohol. Plus the direction you can take conversation in the context of how to interpret art is endless and full of potential.

Definitely quality women here.

[at350zguyy]

friday happy hours are great too. competition is really weak at that time as well.

[hypesession]

right. Ive noticed that fridays in general are a drunken mess pretty much all over chicago. and saturdays.
I have to admit I haven't experienced a happy hour yet around here, but I'll check it out.
What scene are you in? Do you go out alone at all?

[jordypip23]

River North / Gold Coast to me sorta tries to maintain that exclusive Manhattan-esque club / lounge feel, which results in that see & be seen vibe + the douchey doormen that you guys are referring to. When I roll out in the city it's sometimes a tough call to decide the best neighborhood to party in. Old Town seems pretty solid, but then again so do neighborhoods just to the west like Bucktown / Wicker Park. Sometimes it really is like a "choose your own adventure" and you gotta hope that you're walking into a good scene with ample opportunities abound.

[at350zguyy]

a couple of places i frequent during the happy hour scene are english and bull and bear. ive had pretty good runs over there.

benchmark in old town is solid too. has the feel of a river north joint but a solid place regardless.

i dont do wicker park or bucktown mainly because my sister lives in river north and thats my place to crash.

im not usually alone, generally have 1 guy and at least 2 girls with me to make sure ratios arent a reason we dont get in somewhere.

[jordypip23]

Good call on the ratio's you roll with. Rolling with a pack of sausages usually won't help much at the hot spots lol. I had a friend that used to live in Streeterville (no longer in Chicago), so that used to be my home base for a while. It was pretty damn close to River North.

(01-31-2012 01:41 AM)at350zguyy Wrote:  

a couple of places i frequent during the happy hour scene are english and bull and bear. ive had pretty good runs over there.

benchmark in old town is solid too. has the feel of a river north joint but a solid place regardless.

i dont do wicker park or bucktown mainly because my sister lives in river north and thats my place to crash.

im not usually alone, generally have 1 guy and at least 2 girls with me to make sure ratios arent a reason we dont get in somewhere.

[chyamor]

go to whole foods near state and huron I think, packed with hot 20s women all the time