I honestly don't even know if I'm welcome back here. I forgot to eat dinner and instead had a few too many of their $5 martinis. You know how that goes.
But really, the waitress we had was so great. I've had her a few times, but this time in particular I made a real ass out of myself. We had some creepy guys come to our table and she was nice enough to intervene when she saw we were overwhelmed and they were trying to stick us with their tab. She easily could have just let it happen but she went above and beyond, and to me that is great customer service. So, thanks to her on a business and personal level.
Also, their food is great. I've had their burgers and apps a few times now and they were good enough to make Blue line a food destination, not just a drinking destination.
A+, will come again once the embarrassment wears off from the martini night that will forever live in infamy.
first of all: I definitely misjudged this place from the outside and the many many times I walked past it. Â It's nicer than I would have expected. Â I went on a Saturday night (drinks only, so I can't judge the food) and I enjoyed an entertaining and welcoming mix of folks. Â The service was at times a wee bit slow, but it was a busy Saturday night, so I consider that pretty standard. Â We happened to sit at the bar right where the food comes out of the kitchen, so while I didn't eat there, I did make the following observations: 1. when the food is up, it's brought to the table/person RIGHT AWAY (they seemed almost o.c.d. about that - which I consider a good thing); 2. the food looked to be "nicer bar food". Â That is, it was relatively standard, but presented well, and looked at least slightly unique; 3. a lot of people ordered food there - this might sound silly, but this is an indication to me that it's a place worth eating. Â There are a LOT of options in this neighborhood, so if it's that packed and the kitchen's that busy, I'll assume it's worth at least trying. Â As for the drinks: they were "a-ok" (as the 3 star rating indicates). Â Some interesting cocktail and mojito options, but overall nothing that blew me away. Â I would definitely come here again. Â They earn MAJOR bonus points for me being steps off the blue line (like 1 or 2 steps, that is). Â Also, I recall a good sized outdoor seatint area when the weather's nice.
Review Source:Great location right by the Damen Blue Line stop and the perfect spot for Wicker Park residents to hang out on a consistent basis (at least in my opinion). Comfy booth seating is available for large or small groups, and I have never needed to wait in line to be seated. Food is yummy, I even had a hard time choosing what I wanted (normally I have a hard time finding something). I definitely recommend trying the sangria, you'll want to order the carafe as one glass is not enough!
Review Source:I've been here 2 or 3 times now and each time was great. Â Can't comment on the food but the drinks are reasonably priced, taste good, and the female servers are easy on the eyes. Â They play older movies on mute so you still have music going in the place. Â When we came in last night the place was full. Â We found a couch in the corner that wasn't occupied and we ended up staying there the rest of the night. Â Nobody seemed to mind us dancing all around by the fire place like we owned the bar. Â The place is a-ok with me.
Review Source:Purely a review of drinks and more importantly, the drink specials.
Thursday night, all mojitos are $4. They are good, the mint is fresh, and its a great place to start the party for the rest of the drunken night.
Also a plus? The vibe is never douchey, which gives this place an extra few starts in my book.
We headed into Blue Line when we had trouble finding a taxi to get home on NYE. Â I was already smashed from the evening's festivities, but I kept 3 other company while they had a beer and waited for the crowds outside to die down.
The place was decorated with ballons, and the guy at the door didn't mind when I nonchalantly walked out the door with a fistful of them. Â He just insisted on keeping the balloon weight.
And obviously, it's close to the blue line. Â
Hell yeah, I'd go back.
As a bar, you really can't have better real estate than right next to a CTA station. Also, what a better name than the name of the train line that you're right next to?
The food is pretty good and decently priced for bar food, which makes the Blue Line a great place to eat quickly in the middle of a night out. I usually order whiskey neats at bars that don't seem to have "experienced" bartenders or extensive liquor selections (which is okay! Most places don't!), so I can only speak for those: they're $6/glass and filled up more than most other places do. That's more the work of the bartender, but, hey, she works here so Blue Line receives the credit.
I've patronized this bar with a large group of friends as well as with just one gal pal. Each time I've visited, I've enjoyed the experience so last night on my girls night out, it was no exception.
A few reasons why it's a go-to:
*Convenient location near the Blue Line stop in Wicker Park
*Huge variety in its martini menu with non-astronomical prices (especially compared to downtown fare)
*Friendly crowd and decently consistent service considering how busy it gets
*Board games to make it more of a longer hang-out spot
*Comfy plush couches and wide bar stools
Minor annoyances:
*Would help to have hooks underneath to hang up coats or bags especially when it gets crowded
*Top 40 music is WAY too loud for this type of lounge environment - I felt like I should be dancing but there is no room, so sometimes I need to power through a conversation by shouting into someone's ear.
GET THE WICKER SHANDY, ITS THE BEST DRINK EVER
Do not judge a book by it's cover. I walked into this place assuming the worst. It was in a hipster neighborhood, it was underneath a train, and when we walked in there were a million candles lit in a dark, romantic setting. We came here with a group of 8 for a night out, and yet it appeared that everyone here (all in thick-rimmed "I found this place before you did" glasses) was intimately dining. I thought to myself, "Where have you guys brought me?"
BOY was I wrong. This place may have been closing up their dinner hour, because then the place was rocking, and not in a crowded, annoying way. All the tables were full of friends laughing and boozing, and every table had a ton of BOARD GAMES on them! We literally drank and played board games for 5 hours...when we were bored with the game we had, we'd go mingle with other tables, trade games, maybe move a few Jenga pieces at another table, and just drunkenly laughed our asses off all night.
The place specializes in whiskey drinks, and even though I'm more of a beer drinker, I SERIOUSLY recommend them. They mix them really well, so they are completely worth your money (not too strong, not too weak). I really recommend the Wicker Shandy (Allagash, whiskey, and lemon juice) or the Kentucky Sidecar (Bourbon, Cointreau, and lemon juice). Super tasty and will do the trick. They are both about $8, so fairly standard for a specialty mixed drink in the city.
I have nothing bad to say about this place. I've only been there once, and it left a great impression on me. Go for the drinks, stay for the fun.
The more I stop in here the more I like it. The buffalo chicken dip is wicked good. Yes you read that right, Buffalo Chicken DIP! It's really, really good. I always sit in the back because I 'm usually with a companion but I like the train car feel and the faux fireplace. I'd sit at the bar if I was alone and knocking back a few though. I haven't tried too much of the menu as I usually just come in for drinks, but did I mention that the BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP is amazing!
Review Source:I'm new to Wicker Park so I'm trying enjoying all the new restaurants. So many great choices!
The Blue Line is, in a word, great. The atmosphere and service is fun, friendly, and relaxed. The menu is somewhat limited but everything we've had in our three visits has been very good.
The bartenders rock. The drinks are excellent, and the Wednesday night specials are the best.
The only bummer is parking - if you don't walk, ride your bike, or take the train you might have to spend some time looking for a spot.
I am honestly surprised at how much I like the food here. Blue Line looks like a janky dive bar from the outside, so I never really thought to dine in. We had passed up Big Star, though, due to the line, so we stopped on in here just because we were getting tired of browsing menus.
I, of course, ordered the biscuits and gravy. It's my favorite meal ever. I also asked for a side of sweet potato fries just because I wanted to eat ketchup and a Bloody Mary because it's simply my go-to lunch drink. My friend built her own omelette - she made it with egg-whites, red and green pepper, cheese, and chicken sausage. She ordered some coffee because she was slightly hungover.
My dish came out with four biscuits covered in a peppered colored gravy with some meat bits. The biscuits looked a little flat, but they were awesome. The biscuits were soft and soaked the gravy up so well without getting overly soggy. The gravy gave me that warmth and happiness that only gravy could ever give me. It was a good sized portion and I was very much satisfied.
I normally don't give a shit about omelettes because they are wack and really boring, but I must admit that my friend's omelette was extremely delicious. The flavors were great, and I think they add a sauce inside of it that isn't typical of most omelettes. I was impressed, but I most certainly was not impressed with the fact that they charge an extra dollar to make it an egg-white omelette. I'm not sure why they would charge us for taking OUT the yolk, which is half the egg. I guess it takes effort to separate the yolk from the white, but seriously?
The fries had a great flavor but they were just too soggy for me to compliment them in any way. My Bloody Mary wasn't one of the better ones I have had - probably didn't even make it into the top 42 (I LOVE BLOODY MARYS). They use a sweeter mixture, and it just wasn't happening. My friend liked her coffee - it's free refills.
I had a great time in Chicago, and loved visiting the Blue Line.
Initial disclaimer- I didn't eat there, so I cannot review the food. Â However, their drinks are AWESOME! Blue Line has an extremely varied and extensive cocktail menu with everything from the usual gin and tonic to a cheery hazelnut martini. Â The prices are great too! Â Wicker park is such an awesome location with many bars; Blue Line is a must visit
Walked in here on a few weeks ago on a Sunday with a group of 10 people and no reservation. Â We got here around 7 and were seated immediately!
Since most bars don't cater to vegetarians (and they don't have to), I was getting ready to eat onion rings or some other type food but was pleasantly surprised to see that they have a veggie burger..not just a frozen garden burger but a homemade one! Yum!
The drinks are good too, and they have specials every night. I really want to be back for the Wednesday martini special. Although we were seated right away, I'm not sure if this would happen on a Friday or Saturday night with a large group.
Another thing about Sunday night that the group I was with was oblivious of was that the entire bar tunes in to watch Breaking Bad at 9pm (when the show is running). You know how some bars have stuff playing in the background....not this place. We quickly realized that we were being loud, while everyone else was intently watching the show! Oops! (We got our check and moved on to another bar, but never felt rushed)
Overall, this place isn't fancy, it's just a regular bar with pretty decent food!
For what it is, which is somewhere in between bar and cafe/restaurant, Blue Line is awesome. Â They take reservations, yet you usually don't have to make them unless you come with a big group on the weekend. Â I have brought 6 - 8 people here several times, made the reservation the day of (on a Friday), and everyone had a good time and enjoyed their food.
Which brings me to the food. Â Personally, I am a huge fan. Â I would describe it as upscale bar food. Â Their sandwiches are AWESOME, and their salads and entrees are really good too. Â I have gotten the blackened tuna sandwich, the chicken sandwich, and the steak salad many times, and I would highly recommend them all.
Their drinks are also good. Â They have a wide selection of reasonably priced beers and cocktails; however if memory serves me correctly, they do not have many, if any, draft beers. Â The jalepeno mojito is good to try, if you like interesting and spicy.
I am dogging it one star because I have had some bad service a few times (like waiting 20 minutes after everyone is finished to even get the check or another drink), and they only have one stall in the women's bathroom.
Too lazy to make a long facetious summary so I'll just make a list
+The waitresses are HHHOOOOTTTT. Marry me Sam?
+Drink specials; $5 martini night owns, as they have dozens of great flavors. Try peanut butter and jelly. Bloody Mary's are great too.
+Bison nachoes are good
+They have pretty much every childhood board game you can think of. Got demolished in battleship by roommate, but made up for it in connect-four.
+Not exactly a quiet establishment, but not as loud as most other bars.
+Bartenders and staff are friendly.
+Has to be mentioned again. Waitresses are gorgeous. My future ex-wife may be working at this place
+The area homeless people and addicts always yell funny things to me.
-Aside from the nachos,. food sucks
-As good as the martinis are, they barely contain any alcohol on martini night. Real talk, every time I go I order 4-6 of them, and I have YET to feel anything that even resembles a buzz. That's no exaggeration. I challenge someone to admit they've gotten inebriated off their martinis.
-Loud ass blue line right next to restaurant
-All of the hipsters in the area may make you want to punch things
Blue Line Lounge is in the interesting position of being located right off a busy L stop. The outside seating doesn't seem to suffer too much from the constant noise of the train however.
In my experience the staff has been quite friendly and the decor inside lovely. The clientele is also a little older than the average Wicker Park haunt, if that's something you're interested in. I can't speak much in regards to the food served, but the jello shots are great and quite popular!
Blue Line Lounge is a nice place to stop by if you're waiting for someone to come off the train, as they have decent daily drink specials.
This place is amazing. $5 martinis, but not sure if that's a Wednesday night thing. Their variety of martinis are quite impressive, I would suggest the passion fruit martini if you'd like a sweet treat. They are also pretty generous on the alcohol in the martini. Service is alright. But the best is watching guys pick up the girls at the bar, it's hilarious, the atmosphere is definitely one of a kind.
Review Source:Intimate bar. Cute outdoors and indoor space. Went in late for an after-after party, and grabbed a few drinks. It was a birthday, and the sweetest bartender gave us birthday shots on the house. Good feel, a little slow late late night, but none the less - a good bar hop.
- Mango Mojito
- Blue Moon
- Birthday shots
I always come back to this place because of their great drink specials & convenient location. You can't beat $5 martinis on Wednesdays (especially with their enormous martini selection) & $4 mojitos & $3 sangrias on Thursdays. I would recommend trying a jalapeño mojito if you like a lil kick, they didn't charge us extra.
The food here is very mediocre. Come for the drinks & atmosphere... it feels like you are hanging out inside of a train & they have a bunch of board games that you can play.
Customer service is great. The waitresses are always prompt & friendly. Last time I was here they ran out of the artichoke dip that was supposed to come w/ our appetizer & the manager came over & personally apologized & took it off of our bill.
I can't help but like this place.
Go for the brunch. Â It is cheap and good. Â The Bloodies are great for the price as well.
I also like the mojito specials. Â Get the Social.
One gripe is that when there is a game on they are playing it at a ridiculous volume. Â I am not sure why they play games at all. Â When they are playing movies on their tv's it is always more pleasant.
My girlfriend and I were on our way to O'Hare, when we decided to spend some time in Wicker Park/Bucktown instead of the airport. Â We visited the Blue Line. Â We had an enjoyable experience with friendly service, decent food, and good drinks.
We seated ourselves at a booth facing the bar and a couple of TVs. Â To my liking, they were showing the Italy v. England match. Our server immediately brought us water and took our drink order-- a classic mojito and a bloody mary. Â Both were well-made and hit the spot. Â They split their chopped salad for us (still received a large portion), and held the chipotle dressing on the side. Â After finished our food and drinks, we sat and watched the game for awhile with little to no trouble or hurry from the staff. Â
Also, we noticed that 1) they had great brunch specials, and 2) board games for the patrons. Â Good stuff.
Bottom Line: have a drink or bite to eat in a cool, relaxed place while the CTA runs just above. I'd go back if I were in town.
I love bars that have board games available for their patrons, so I was destined to like this place. We drank here for several hours on Saturday, and got there at the right time to get a table in between basketball games. Service was good, even though we were just drinking. I'm sure she hated us for that, but she did a great job keeping our drinks full anyway. The cocktail menu was fun, and the martini I had was delicious.
Definitely a fun atmosphere, perfect for either a lively date or drinks with friends.
My friend who also writes reviews on the ol' Yelp once told me he only gives one stars when it's quite clear the place of business is only out to make money. Â I can respect that, but there's also times when places just suck so much they deserve one star. Â Welcome to the Blue Line Lounge and Grill everyone!
Located underneath the Blue Line, it tries to give the feel of a diner, and succeeds in that there's booths and a lack of lighting. Â That's about it. Â After that it's just a plain old restaurant.
We started out with the Bison Pot Roast Nachos. Â That sounds amazing, right? Â They weren't. Â Very plain. Â What little meat there was we all found to be dry.
Our main course were sandwiches, which again we all found very plain and nothing special. Â Tasteless, really.
Tasteless is also a good word to describe my mojito. Â They have a full list of mojitos so you'd think they could do it right. Â Nah. Â It was pretty terrible. Â It might have been pure water.
Avoid the Blue Line Lounge and Grill. Â There's nothing special going on here.
Located right by the Damen blue line stop (how fitting), it is open 'til 2am er'day! .
Where the mojitos are crisp, the patrons are lively (even for a weekday at midnight), there are board games for the taking, and where I can leisurely chat and tap my feet to swanky retro music.
I can't think of any other place where I can have a classic mojito in hand while yelling in pirate, "ARG, you sunk me battleship!"
Great nightlife option for a weekday!
My girlfriend and I stumbled into this place by chance and I'm glad we did. I wanted to take her out for a pre-birthday celebration dinner before I headed home and this place was perfect.  Great food, friendly service and cozy fun booths and decor. Totally  girls night out friendly. Everything we ordered was fantastic. From the appz, to salads and entrees. I'm sure anything and everything on the menu is pretty tasty based on your preferences. They have tons of speciality martinis (also perfect for girls night out) which can keep you busy for hours, or for as long as you can stand. Good pours.
Not too shabby guys
In my (still) thunderstruck mind, Blue Line remains the place where I ingested 14 shots during a work holiday party last year (and a couple of beers).
Not my own, but my husband's.
And the whole thing lasted a mere 90 minutes, tops. And was loudly encouraged by the boss, who was ordering said shots two at a time.
Yes, I lived to tell the tale.
No, I didn't even get sick.
I wasn't even hung over the next day when I woke up because I was still drunk. The pain came later in the day, around noon.
That being said, Blue Line is a charming establishment that really doesn't have to lead you to these dangerous? insane? world-record breaking? extremities. The inside is dimly lit, the booths, inviting and the daily specials, oh-so tempting. Get there on a Wednesday to enjoy $5 martinis. There are 32 to choose from, and you'll want to try them all. If mojitos are more your speed, Thursdays are your best friend: they are declined in 11 varieties, and priced at $4 a pop.
Note: the dirty martini I had the other night was not that "dirty", and the blue cheese olives were lacking in the blue cheese department. So be adventurous and girly, and opt for something else.
Open until 2 am, with a kitchen that throws the towel between 11 pm and 1 am, Blue Line is the perfect Wicker Park bar where everyone can mingle and gossip away, or selfishly cozy up in a booth with their party while munching on fries and nachos while watching classics and games. On weekends, brunch is served until 4 pm, and the spicy bloody mary are only $3.
There's a lot to like, with a bit of moderation.
$3 Bloody Mary's on a Sunday is all you need to know!
The Bloody Mary was good and spicy and did the trick as I was spent from the night before
Their brunch menu was slightly subpar so I went with the apple-maple sausage sandwich. This sandwich came with a huge sausage patty on an english muffin with eggs and cheese. It was just ok as it sounds better than it looks and taste.
The service here is a little wierd as the girls that work here seem to be a little lost in the stars. The seating here is raggedy as hell with torn couches
Def worth stopping by for a bloody and maybe to watch a sunday afternoon football game if you are hopping off of the Damen Blue line stop as its right there as soon as you come off of the train.
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