Tonic Room, 2447 N Halsted St
You’re drinking: a Fat Tire
Tonic Room is a neat little hole-in-the-wall bar that has live music six nights a week. We caught local jam band Hack’N Wheeze belting out Phish and Led Zeppelin covers to a dancing crowd that ranged from hip to hippie.
Other nights feature hip-hop DJ’s, open mics and various local bands.
The dimensions are tight, (we were feet from the band while standing at the bar) which translated to intense volume and the impossibility of conversation, but this didn’t seem like the place you’d come for a quiet drink with a date (at least not that night).
Depending on the music, this place seems able to morph between dive bar and chic lounge with relative ease – this night it seemed like a combination of both. The bar is lit with low red lighting and decorated with historic tonic bottles, giving it a warm, speakeasy-like feeling.
You won’t find the outrageous specials like you will at The Lion Head or McGee’s (we payed five bucks at the door and four for a glass of Fat Tire), but the added charm and guaranteed live entetainment make up for the price increase. The quick service and the friendly crowd make it a good bet for live local music and a comfortable atmosphere.
More like it: Wise Fools Pub, 2270 N Lincoln Ave
