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I stopped in at Bar DeVille before the holidays for a few drinks. This is a great addition to the West Town neighborhood. The bar is comfortable, there is a free pool table in the middle room and the back room has numerous seating areas for those people who don't want to sit at the bar.

The bartenders were very pleasant and seemed eager to mix-up great cocktails. You will recognize Brad from the Violet Hour overseeing the bar. I had two Winter Sidecars that were well balanced and delicious. In fact, my bartender was not satisfied with the first round and we discussed several variations to improve upon the recipe. (The second round was even better than the first). My friend had pisco sours and she assured me that her drinks were also very well made. Even better, the drinks were between $8 and $9.

Bar DeVille appears to be fulfilling a neighborhood need for a cozy, laid back watering hole that provides great cocktails as well as beer and wine. I will back!

Bar DeVille
701 N. Damen
Chicago, IL 60611

Cinny,

Only one visit, but DeVille struck me as a great place to have a drink, comfortable, convivial, quality booze and surprisingly large with three distinct social areas to converse. Staff was fine with us bringing in food, tacos from La Pasadita (East side of Ashland) hit the spot after a couple of hours of sipping whisky and conversing.

I found DeVille in contrast to the other new(ish) cocktail bar The Whistler, which seemed starkly serious conveying a Poindexter with cocktail shakers attitude this bourbon drinker found slightly off putting. I should note the three friends I went to The Whistler with, who are more into cocktail culture than myself, had a positive impression.

Enjoy,
Gary

The Whistler
2421 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
773-227-3530

La Pasadita Restaurant
1141 N Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
773-278-0384

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Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

GWiv,

Glad you liked Bar DeVille. I think the cocktails at Bar DeVille are on par with any in the city. They take their booze seriously, but everything else about the place is relaxed.

Thanks for mentioning that you can bring in food. I saw some people eating tacos there before, but I forgot to mention that in my original post.

Bar DeVille is only a couple blocks from my house and I am glad to have it in my neighborhood.

I've been to Bar DeVille and although I'm happy it's in my neighborhood, I must confess that it's a bit on the expensive side. The beer selection is pretty good but about a buck or so higher than your average bar (which I thought this place is trying to be). IIRC, the Matilda was about $8, and most other drafts were in the $6-$7 range. The one saving grace on the draft list is still PBR which is a comfortable $3.

Also, my friend ordered a Jameson, neat, for about $10 - a little high IMHO.

Don't get me wrong, I like the place but it's typically a bit more expensive than most bars. Plus the music is hit or miss (highly subjective, I know).

i am glad everyone seems to be enjoying DeVille. I would like to clarify some pricing though...As far as draft beer goes, PBR is $3, Matilda and Brooklyn Brewmaster's Reserve are both $8, and the rest of the drafts (Goose IPA, Stella, Hoegaarden, Guinness, and Half Acre) are all $5.

As far as jameson goes, it is $5 shot, $6 mixed/neat, $7 on the rocks. Redbreast (our other Irish whisky) is $10. Perhaps, our bartender poured (and charged for) that, in which case I sincerely apologize.

Next time you are in Tyrus, please ask for me and I'll buy you a shot.

Cheers,
Brad Bolt

No worries and thanks for clarifying. I did mention that I liked the bar. It's a nice option for us that live on the Chicago Ave side of the Wicker Park/Ukrainian Village neighborhood.

I am really very grateful to you for this thread actually we were (me & my husband) planning for valentine day & now we have got an idea. Great!!!!
Drinks are very reasonable, we like tequila do they serve tequila? or not?

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Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged men who kept on working

We do serve tequila. Here are our offerings:

Milagro SIlver, Reposado, and Anejo
Don Julio Silver and Anejo
Jose Cuervo Platino
Patron Silver, Reposado, and Anejo

And we also have the Del Maguey "Minero" Mezcal

We look forward to seeing you.

Cheers,
Brad Bolt
Managing Partner

Surely would love to meet you there.

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Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged men who kept on working

Stopped into Bar DeVille on Saturday. This is place is evolving in an interesting way -- on Saturday night, it was one part (non-scene-y) neighborhood bar, one part sports bar (TVs on but no volume), and one part loud, crowded hipster(ish) bar. But just before you write this place off as being run-of-the-mill, hearing the customers repeatedly order classic cocktails and watching the bartenders make more-than-respectable and decent renditions of Sazeracs, Piscoes Sour and, as of last Saturday, Tom Collinses (a special), reminds you that it is a step above 99% of neighborhood bars. While the quality of their cocktails do not approach the meticulousness and/or creativity of the Violet Hour's (and, ahem, neither does the price), watching 2 bartenders quickly whip up good cocktails with a bar that was two-deep was pretty impressive. When we were there, our cocktails averaged about $7 -- quite reasonable when a T&T is to be had for that price these days.

I'm very lucky to have Matchbox/Silver Palm and Bar DeVille in such close proximity. Options!

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Local Beet

Brad,

Did you guys ever introduce a full on drink menu? I've met you a few times there and you mentioned that you guys would be implementing one in the near term.

Love the bar.

Cheers,

Billy

I had the good fortune of ending up at Bar DeVille this past Sunday with Germuska and happyeater. After a filling meal (two, actually) of birria (at Birrieria Riveras de Ocotlán and then Birrieria Reyes de Ocotlán), a few cocktails seemed like the appropriate thing. We sat at the bar and ended up chatting with Brad and Nathan, who mixed us some fantastic cocktails. At some point, the topic of Malort came up and Brad started mixing on the fly, coming up with Malort-based cocktails.

While the first one was a bit sweet, masking the Malorty goodness, the second drink hit the mark - a delicious and balanced cocktail that didn't hide the fact that you were drinking Malort. The signature aftertaste (is "aftertaste" even the right word? Perhaps "the effect that it has on the inside of your mouth"?) was there, but slightly tempered... just enough to make you want to take another sip.

Even if it weren't for the extemporaneous Malort mixology, I'd still highly recommend the place - it's a really comfortable place with a well-executed interior, a carefully curated liquor shelf, and run by extremely friendly bartenders that are clearly interested in making great - and different - drinks.

The working title of the drink is "The Hard Sell" and I recommend that you saddle up to the bar and ask for one*. Malort, it's the new black.

-Dan

* Though I'd recommend that you ask for Brad first, as I doubt anyone else would know what on earth you were talking about.

Malorty goodness????????

You have to be kidding!!

Just reading the word, malort, not goodness, triggers my regurg reflex.

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Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

Second.

Tried this a couple days ago and was extremely impressed that Malort could be made to work in a cocktail. I have to agree with the rest of the high praise for this spot. Cool, low-key bar with excellent cocktails. Highly recommended. I miss Chicago.

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LTHForum Kansas City

Does it give you a case of Malort Face?

-Dan

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--
Effete and self-important snooty-pants dilettante.
@dschleifer

As much as I hate to link to myself, I think I like Malorts.

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Tweetyspacing @karlklockars.
Writing about craft beer at GuysDrinkingBeer.com
"You don't realize it, but we're at dinner right now." ~Ebert

Is it bad that my friends (including my special lady friend) and I all genuinely like Malort? It's definitely an acquired taste, but when we are out, it's really the only thing we take shots of anymore.

Don't judge.

I'd like not to, but its human nature and I simply can't help it, even if only a little.

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Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

Talk to my guy Nathan at The Green Mill...he will convert you.

Somehow I am put in mind of slick talking Nathan Detroit from Guys and Dolls*

Malort has passed my lips twice, first time because I did not know any better, second to see if it was really as repulsive as I remembered. I am out, done, finished with malort, period!

Enjoy,
Gary

*My first musical theater reference.....ever.

_________________
Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

I don't blame you...God, help us Malort drinkers.

Many thanks to happystomach for organizing an LTHer gathering at Bar Deville. My late-day meeting was canceled, so I was the first to arrive yesterday. I was immediately struck by the intensely citrussy aroma filling the air at Bar Deville, as the bartender was peeling and juicing dozens of fresh oranges, grapefruits, limes and lemons. I'm a citrus junky, so the smell combined with the cool decor and the friendly bartender to make for a most welcoming entrance.

Ironically enough, my first drink was called The Last Word. Beefeater, green chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and lime juice. As those more in-the-know than I are already aware, green chartreuse is intensely herbal. The drink reminded me a bit of a cross between Ricola cough drops and Sleepy Time tea. It was enjoyable enough, and I'm sure it was made precisely how it should be. Still, I'm not sure green chartreuse is really my thing.

Then I had a good old margarita, and it was one of the best versions I've ever had. Orange bitters lent pleasant balance to loads of tart lime juice, and the Milagro silver tequila worked well. An excellent drink that satisfied my needs as a citrophile.

I've only tried malort once, but I thought that was enough. I found it revolting. It was after significant bracing that I took a sip of GAF's "The Hard Sell," and I must say that I liked it. The malort did leave a petroleum aftertaste in the back of the throat, but that seemed appropriate in what was a pretty bitter drink dominated by the flavor of grapefruit pith.

I'll surely be back to Bar DeVille.

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...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

Fuckerberg on Food

Made my first trip to Bar DeVille earlier this week and I really enjoyed myself. I've been on Bourbon kick lately and in most cases, I've come to believe that adding just about anything to Bourbon is a bad bet. But since I was at a venue known for its craftsmanship, I asked Brad -- who took great care of us -- for his guidance in choosing a cocktail that would show off the Bourbon. He made for me an outstanding Old Fashioned that not only highlighted the Bulleit Bourbon with which it was made but also came together -- as great cocktails often do -- as far more than the sum of its parts.

As Kennyz mentions above, fresh citrus is prevalent at Bar DeVille and it was a major part of this libation, as well. The freshly-cut planks of orange and lemon zest took the Old Fashioned to a level that I didn't know existed. It was so enjoyable. It was mildly sweet (not too sweet) and nicely-balanced. The entangled citrus aromas brought all the components together with synergy. It was so nice, I had 3! I also tasted Kenny's margarita and thought it was excellent. Again I could taste and savor all the components, while also enjoying the way they worked together.

I pretty much perched myself at the bar and spent most of the evening there but the very back room also looked inviting, with several groupings of vintage furniture arranged throughout the room. I could see killing several hours back there without even realizing it.

Between the meticulously-crafted, eye-opening cocktails, the friendly vibe and the comfortable space, Bar DeVille is a place to which I really look forward to returning.

=R=

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I just wanna live until I gotta die. I know I ain't perfect but God knows I try. --Todd Snider

Twitter: ronniesuburban

Not that it should be surprising, but those hoping Bar Deville would be a nicer place to grab a quality drink on, say, a Saturday night should probably stay away. Just as packed as any of the other bars a little further north on Damen by 9 or 10pm, any chance of talking with the bartenders and enjoying a more mild evening is out the window.

If you do go anyway, make sure to keep your drink in hand at all times -- we had to fight with the bussers to keep our drinks when there was still some amount left in the glass. Not to sound cheap about it, but when you pay $9 for a Sloe Gin Fizz (and a really good one, at that), I'm going to finish the dang thing!

I would like to find a place in my neighborhood that I could stop in on a Saturday night without worrying too much about big crowds but that's still a little nicer than my usual stops at Chip Inn or Beechwood.

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best,
dan

For that, I'm partial to Ola's Liquor, where I've been known to belt out a Polish drinking song or two after throwing back a shot and a beer.

Fun times, cheap drinks, small crowds:

Ola's Liquor
947 N Damen

_________________
...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

Fuckerberg on Food

I hit Bar DeVille on the reco of Kennyz on Friday night. It was just getting busy, but in the back is was nice and quiet. I wanted a dirty martini, but they don't have olives or olive juice, so I had to go with a scotch. Good, but not what I wanted. Quiet spots are hard to find on the weekend in that neighborhood.

LTH,

Met friends at the Whistler for a couple of drinks, found it more to my liking this time around. Friendly interactive bartender, chatty interesting fellow bar patrons, still a little too much emphasis on the cocktail-geek factor, at least for me, but I was enjoying hanging out there.

Then the band started playing and out the door for both me and my friends. It might be I am no longer of the age to appreciate loud atonal music in confined spaces, but my friends are a couple of decades younger and they beat me to the skedaddle suggestion.

We headed to Two Way Lounge across the street, a mostly dive bar with pool table, tough, but pretty, bartenderess with a heavy Eastern European accent, one angry screaming match in Spanish and two guys, at opposite ends of the bar, talking to themselves. Cheap drinks and bags of spicy hot popcorn/chips smoothed the rough edges.

Keeping with the theme, we stopped at Two Way Grill for late night burgers. Not the best 24-hour diner in town, but reliable as an Swiss watch for late night burgers, pancakes and eggs.

Two Way Grill



Enjoy,
Gary

The Whistler
2421 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
773-227-3530

Two Way Grill
4351 N Elston Ave
Chicago, IL 60641
773-545-3881

Two Way Lounge
2928 W Fullerton Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
773-227-5676

_________________
Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

After reading some thoughts about this place from you guys, my brother, a friend and I all went there before a Blackhawks game last Friday. Got there about 6 pm and there was a small but lively crowd. We settled in and got a couple of drinks...a Sazerac for me and an Old Fashioned for my brother. Both were up to typical standards. We got to know Jason, the bartender, who turned out to be a very nice guy.

I plan to frequent this place as often as I can. Very impressed with the decor, the friendliness of the staff, and high quality classic cocktails at reasonable prices.

Consider me a fan.

Jeff

I fear my recent trip to Bar DeVille ruined me, or at least ruined cocktails for me at just about every other venue in Chicagoland. Once you have drinks made to these standards, it's really hard to get satisfaction anywhere else. I've taken to simply ordering Bourbon straight everywhere else. Why order a cocktail if the bitters, sweet vermouth and/or other prospective components used in it are lowest common denominator items? Yes, I know there are other places in town where one can order a full range of crafted cocktails (Violet Hour, Sepia, etc.) but they are woefully few and far-between.

=R=

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I just wanna live until I gotta die. I know I ain't perfect but God knows I try. --Todd Snider

Twitter: ronniesuburban

I recently partook in a Songbird, a drink at Bar DeVille which Mike Sula (m'th'su) wrote about here and here, and declared to be the Best New Cocktail of 2009.

I can vouch for its refreshing nature, which seemed to pair perfectly with the warm spring weather we've been having. I also had one of the most perfectly balanced Negronis I've ever had in my life.

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Local Beet