Side Street Saloon Chicago

Dive bar with pizza

Sophie from Chicago

"Side Street Saloon in Lakeview is the perfect no-frills dive bar with a cozy Italian vibe in back, great pizza, pool, and a quirky neighborhood charm."

I don't think there's a more quintessential dive bar than Side Street Saloon in Lakeview, Chicago. It's one space that juxtaposes two very common Chicago spots; there's a dive bar in the front and an Italian restaurant vibe in the back. Side Street Saloon, as its name implies, is a corner bar in a residential neighborhood. It's oblong and houses a pool table, jukebox, bar stools, and booths to chow down on cheese curds, affordable thin-crust pizza (that may be my favorite pizza ever), or "beer buddies" aka stuffed potato skins.

This bar has no frills but draws in all kinds of people looking to relax after work or on the weekend. It's a quirky space where you may find a pumpkin-flavored beer on the menu in July or a group of friends playing Connect Four at the table during the winter. At Side Street Saloon, you won't find "Instagramable" moments, but rather it's a great spot to unwind, put your phone away, and chat with locals or whoever you may be sitting with!

If you're here in the fall, consider stopping by to watch a Bears game and order their consistently succulent pizzas that easily wash down with a cold pint.

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Chicago Spotter Sophie

About me A proud Chicago native and past Fulbright scholar, I hold a BA in English and Spanish from the University of Iowa and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing from Columbia College Chicago. It was during graduate school I really started exploring many of Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods. I occasionally teach English classes but am primarily a copywriter. I also host an open-mic reading series in Lincoln Park (and on Zoom), write essays, and travel in my free time. I'm on the pursuit for the best cup of brew and have been to over 150 different coffee shops in Chicago. ...

About this spot

1456 W George St

Beer:

USD

7733271127

Social

Nov 10, 2025

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