The Bob Inn

I swear I didn't mean to take a hiatus. Fret not, though - while I haven't been sitting down and pounding out these posts, I've still been going out and pounding down those drinks. I've got three bars to write about for you, with more on the way. That being said, it's time to share the magic that is the Bob Inn with you.

The Bob Inn, located at 2609 W. Fullerton, is the first bar I started going to on a regular basis in Chicago. I had met some folks while I was still living in Missouri who lived in Logan Square and when I moved to the city, we all met up. I was introduced to people who would soon become my roommates, best friends and just general motley crue. It was apparently one of their rituals to make an appearance at the Bob Inn every Thursday, when "The Coffin Banger" would do his weekly show. It is a tradition that still lives on two years later.

So let's talk about the Bob. It is a total dive bar, that's for sure, but I feel like in the world of dive bars, there are different levels. This is not a hipster dive bar (unless you go on a Friday or Saturday night), it is not a music dive bar, it is not anything other than a good ol', workin' man's dive bar. Definitely one of the only White Sox bars I've seen on the northside, there's sports memorabilia all over the walls and front window. There are two TVs that generally have a sporting event on, though if you go in the afternoon for a beer you can totally catch an episode of Jeopardy with the owner, Jimmy. The bar itself may seem like one of those places where your options include beer, whiskey or water, but it's actually fully stocked with several brands of all the major liquors and even some more random stuff (think malort's and ouzo). It's pretty dark, though there are an assortment of old beer signs, christmas lights and colored bulbs that provide enough glow to see the people you're with. There's also a pool table in the middle of the bar, which provides for several showdowns between me and a certain Philippe.

The prices, as with all dive bars, are totally cheap and reasonable. You get your 16 oz. PBR tallboy for $3.25 or you can take the classy route and have a well cocktail (think whiskey and coke or vodka and tonic) for $4.25. And don't you fret - they pour em' stiff. They also have specials on Labatt's, Becks and Hamm's daily.

The staff is amazing. It's pretty much the same two or three bartenders nightly, though again - if you go in the afternoon, you'll probably see Jimmy just hanging around. There's also Annie and Betty, the two sweetest women I've seen behind a bar since my days in Hannibal. They're easy to talk to, easy to listen to and when the bar isn't three-deep with hipster fools, the service is always quick and awesome.

Thursday nights are especially great with the aforementioned "Coffin Banger Show". DJ Pete shows up, spinning some of the best oldies (with a few new surprises in there) from 10 p.m. til' the bar closes. He often has theme nights or honors those rock n' roll greats who have passed with a special playlist. He works off requests, throws out trivia questions and is the most awesome, non-cheeseball DJ there is. People dance. People sing. People take off their shirts and run outside of the bar yelling (okay, that only happened once but who's to say it won't catch on as the new thing?). It's just one more special touch the Bob Inn offers.

Yes, I'm partial. Yes, it's very hard for me to find something negative to say about this bar. Sometimes the bathroom is out of paper towels. Sometimes you'll get hit on by a creepy man in his late 40s. But it's a dive bar! What are people expecting?!

Check this place out if you live in Logan Square, it's a treasure that shouldn't be missed.

Drinks: Cheap
People: Working class, Locals, All age ranges
Atmosphere: Relaxed
Grade: A+

www.myspace.com/24939439 (See? They still have a fucking Myspace, FANTASTIC.)

Next time: Quenchers