My co-workers and I went here after work on a Saturday night, around 12:30am. We work in the neighborhood and wanted something close and more low key so we could drink and talk. Morseland was very loud and crowded, so we kept moving. We arrived at Chuckie's and a few drunk middle-aged women were dancing on the tables, but despite that we went in. The customers in there seemed to have seen better days. In their defense it was almost 1am. The the only unoccupied table away from the dancing women had a beer on it, but we sat down anyways.
A server came up to us and we asked for the specials. We decided on mango margaritas that were $5. They came from an alcoholic slushy machine behind the bar, and even though they looked nice, they tasted off. I was hungry and wanted food, but for $10-$15 a plate I didn't want to risk buying something equally gross. After a few sips of it and a man reeking of weed and booze talking to us way too close, I got a headache. I wanted a glass of water (which most servers usually bring anyways), but our server was nowhere to be found. The resident crazy woman came in and stood in the middle of the bar with a lit cigarette, but no manager or bartender asked her to leave. Eventually we just decided to go, so my friend went up to the bar and asked for our check. We scurried out of there and will not be going back.
The bar looks very nice and the selection of alcohol seems great, but the patrons and service is totally lacking. The entire time we were there we felt like we needed to watch our back, because everyone there had been served too much to drink. Chuckie's is the equivalent of seeing a pretty women on the street but then hearing how stupid she is when she talks, a total turn off. Next time we will just go to Red Line Tap.
Not impressed. The first draft beer I asked for was out but u wouldn't know it given that the tap handle hadn't been removed. The server/bartender didn't appear to know the register software that well (even though she was the only one there) and rang me up for a smithwick's vs a dos equis. One pint of dos equis cost me a total of 7.13 but i suspect i was overcharged the price of the smithwick's. The bathroom is unisex. This could get dirty and unattractive for evening guests. Fixtures were broken. The sink was leaking onto the underneath cabinet. You might not see all of this given the minimal bathroom lighting. This place looked nice from the outside. It does not look divey at all. I was mistaken. I just came from the Oasis and was FAR more impressed because they weren't trying to be something they are not. To sum it up, this bar was empty when i got here and i had to ask the one on-duty staff member for toilet paper so that i could, then, put it on a broken holder. Enough said.
Review Source:I just live a block away from Chuckie's. I walk past it everyday and I happened to go on Friday night. My observation : Overly expensive drinks despite an average ambiance! Â Less selection of Appetizers compelled us to get fries from the restaurant nearby. Although we did not plan to eat, but from what I realized, the food did not catch my attention either, no one nearby was ordering food (given that everything was above $18.)
Give it just a 2 star. I think it wasn't a value for money decision.
Wouldn't even give it 1 star. Went there late last night and nothing was right about this place besides the couple of waters some female friends ordered. Other than that I ordered a Mad Hatter and got a Manhattan. My friend ordered Oberon and was told they didn't have it any more. They only will serve you want they want to and when they want to. Server drank behind the bar or outside when he was done with dealing with us. STAY AWAY!
Review Source:Don't ever come here. There are plenty of better options - Glenwood/Red Line Tap are right near by, Heartland Cafe has friendly staff and good food, same with Morseland.
Worst service ever, excruciatingly slow. Wrong drinks--repeatedly, and the bartender was loath to correct any of her mistakes. I actually had a conversation with my girlfriend whether it's required to get a bartending license or something in Chicago, because if so, these bartenders DEFINITELY did not do their homework.
Plus, the atmosphere is terrible. "Edgy" decor messed up by odd selection of music, TVs that are covered partially by track lighting, and the constant smell of burnt pizza and a vague hint of cleaner.
It's the rare occasion an establishment has disappointed me so great that I felt the need to write a Yelp review. In advance, don't be fooled by the two stars: the second one was granted by the grace of my accompanying friend who thought 'it was terrible but not *totally* a waste.'
When we arrived, there were a very few patrons at the bar, most of whom seemed to have the complete attention of the two bartenders. The music was of some smooth jazz-esque variety and not really geared to inspire the few other 20somethings present. Whatever. As the two tables were cleared to our left and right, neither server deigned to address our presence. Not even a 'hey-one minute' was given. We saw them Windex and wash dishes, replenish the drinks of the few they were perhaps on an intimate basis with, touch the chests and shoulders of a few but never so much as a glance in our general direction. It would please the reader to know neither me nor my friend are ones who might otherwise blend in with the vanilla landscape, if you catch my drift (I don't say this with accusations of blatant prejudice on behalf of the bartenders but I make a point to say as potential patrons, we definitely stood out).
As I was putting on my jacket, my friend cautioned me to remain. It had been a long day and she didn't feel like moving. She got the attention of one server who then took another ten minutes to return. I asked for something very simple, as did my friend. With no great hurry to serve us, our drinks appeared but not without a significant amount wasted on the table. Madam bartender did grant us a second round on the house for our patience however, which was awfully generous (maybe again inspired by my friend's benevolence or my wiping of my shirt before being able to enjoy my cocktail).
I don't care about decor. I don't care about location. I don't care about the crowd (usually-in this case especially because I just wanted an easy, carefree time). But when I am out to enjoy myself, I do care about service. And the service was poor. Continually. Egregiously. To me, my friend and a few others. We weren't loud or asking ridiculous requests, messing with the jukebox or overly flirtatious or displaying any of those traits that I (as a sometime bartender) have known to dissuade one from immediate service. I will even admit, had we been men, this review might not have been so conservative in expressing the merits of Chuckie's. They may have gotten three stars. However, who or what we are shouldn't have mattered.
This wasn't my first time at Chuckie's but it may be my last. I have some co-workers who speak higher of this place so perhaps if I'm in mixed and better bartender acquainted company, my experience will be better. But in the meanwhile, as a suggestion, there are a few but far better places to go in walking distance that might be not only a better bang for your buck but also a lighter weight on your night and your conscience (said because I almost felt bad about giving a two dollar (15% only) tip to a fellow bartender).
Worst. Bar. Ever.
UPDATE: FRAUD ALERT! Our incompetent bartender gave herself an extra $3 tip on my boyfriend's credit card. She basically stole his money. I can't say this will happen to you if you go here, but seeing as that I've NEVER seen this before and she was so brazen about it would make me worried. No amount of comping could make up for this complete loss of trust between customer and business.
I am amazed that there are good reviews of this place because of my experience was so bad. I don't have a strong opinion of the decor or atmosphere, it was slightly nicer than the Glenwood and Red Line Tap but the service and drinks were so bad I can't give this place more than 1 star. First off I asked for a Hoegaarden and when the bartender pours it it looks like the keg is empty, don't know why she didn't know that already, but oh well, I ask for something else. She pours it into the glass like a total amateur, straight down. Of course it's about half foam and she looks as disappointed and confused as me. Okay... I ask for Hacker Weiss and she looks confused. I point to it in the menu. She nods and sets off. She comes back with a beer that is the wrong color and about 3" of foam. She acknowledges the foam and does nothing about it. At this point I'll take whatever is in front of me so I go to town. It is actually Smithwicks and it tastes watery.
In the meantime my boyfriend's gin martini shows up in a tumbler on the rocks with a lemon. What? He asks for olives and our clueless bartender takes 2 olives and sticks them on the ends of straws and hands one to each of us. Like a lollipop. Then the "martini" actually tastes like straight up gin. We didn't bring anything up with our bartender because a) she didn't have a strong grasp on the English language and b) she made no apologies for our drinks and I didn't have faith that she would understand our criticisms or offer to comp.
I watched the other 2 bartenders pour more extremely foamy beers so it's not that we got the wrong lady (though I did see one of the others make a normal-looking martini).
Sooo if you want wine or bottled beer you're probably okay. Steer clear of draft beer and cocktails. All in all just go to the Glenwood instead, Chuckies is too frustrating to waste your time on. If you insist on going here, hold on to your receipt in case they try to squeeze a better tip out of you!
I can't decide what I hate most about this place: The tacky, neon lighting? The fact that they serve Miller Lites in goblet glasses? The total lack of service? The constant smell of burnt, frozen pizza? The bowl of Lay's potato chips as window dressing? I could go on.
UPDATE: And on I go!
I walk by Chuckie's almost every morning before dawn and can easily see in the windows. Absolutely disgusting. On a regular basis, the closing server(s) leave dirty dishes and half-eaten food out on the tables and bar. Where they make their pizzas, I often see ingredients left to rot in their containers overnight. The staff/owners clearly have no sense of pride or concept of sanitation.
The place is an absolute joke. It's the bar equivalent of a cretin who has no qualms taking a messy shit and then not washing their hands before making your sandwich.
This is a very odd place - but not in a bad way...just weird! It's a little mismatched for the area. Rogers Park tends to be a little dumpy and this bar, from the outside looks more like an ultra lounge. The service left something to be desired only because the bartenders seemed busy with texting on their cell phones or flirting with the male clientele. Other than that, they were actually very nice and willing to help when they had the time. The overall prices are too high for this location but their specials are prices very low to make up for it. For example, a Miller Lite is normally $4 for a goblet but their special has Miller Lite as $2 - so in the end, the pricing worked in my favor. I didn't try the pizza but it looked good. I will keep coming back.
Review Source:I will never go back here. It looks trendy and hip, but if terrible service is trendy, and mismatched unnecessary decor is hip, then count me out. Drinks were okay, and they had some fun alcoholic slushie drinks, but the food menu was a joke. I was there with 2 girlfriends in the middle of the day, no one else in the bar at all, and the bartender ignored us almost the entire time. She was too busy texting, the whole. d*mn. time.
The decor is just weird. "Crystal" chandeliers with some kind of "modern" attempt at native american art on the walls, antler and trees and stuff. But everything was sleek and metallic.
Seriously, skip this bar, not worth the time.
Would not go back.
Weirded out.
From the outside, this place looks fun. Â I've walked by several times in warmer weather and there were always people sitting out on the patio. Â I was hopeful.
Came by on a Friday after 10 PM. Â MAJOR crowd change from what I had witnessed. Â Lots of middle aged single men there for some eye-candy. Â An uncomfortable amount. Â My friend and I could not finish our drinks enough.
Call me a beer/drink snob, but the Smithwick's they had on tap was given to me in a goblet, rather than a pint glass. Â THAT was odd. Â Took quite awhile to get our drinks ordered as well since we were sitting right at the bar and had to wait for the bartender to stop yapping to her co-worker.
The music style was very strange as well. Â Went from typical club music to polka. Â Yes. Â Polka. Â We were there for 20 minutes and heard at least 3 polka songs. Â I am not being sarcastic or anything, they were playing POLKA inside a "hip and trendy" bar, and it was still September when we were there.
No idea what the inspiration is or the desired atmosphere here, but I don't plan on stopping in again.
This review is errs on the side of 2.5 stars because the service is so bad. The very positive thing about Chuckie's is they make great martinis. They have a wonderful martini list that is reasonably priced without using gut rot well vodka. They have a great sound system, the music selection depends on who is buying songs on the jukebox. I like the decor, it is a nice departure from the typical decor of the bars in RP and Edgewater.
As some of the other reviews mentioned the negatives are a result of the bartenders. The first problem is none of the bartenders seem to have a great command for the English language as they all seem to speak English as a second language. That would not be a big deal if they knew what you were talking about when you talked to them. I have been there three times on different days during the past 6 months and I each time I have gone the bartender seemed clueless when I ordered a drink or asking a question. That is very frustrating, just hire bartenders who can effectively communicate with the customers. Â
The bartenders are more like bar-forgetters; because they are always doing something else besides tending the bar. They all hangout at the end of the bar with a tall guy (maybe the owner of manager) and the customers who happen to sit there. The bar was not crowded when I have gone and I wait FOREVER for a bar-forgetter and see what I would like to order. A refill on a drink.... forget about it, change the drink or ask a question, that is a 10 minute lost in translation frustrating verbal exchange not a conversation b/c no one seems to know what the other is saying.
The last negative is they have TWO unisex bathrooms. Why? I think I speak for most women, unisex restrooms are not ok. We do not want to walk in the restroom and look at urinal or worse there is no urinal and have to use a toilet that probably has urine on the floor around it and/or on the toilet seat. Get rid of the unisex bathrooms. Ladies do use the men's room if the ladies room is occupied, but at least in that situation you know you are taking a risk.
I really want to like the bar, they have nice decor, good drinks, and they are a few steps from the Morse red line stop; but the horrible service and language barrier keeps me from going back.
I was very intrigued by this place. Â From the outside, it looked like a very nice lounge, and I really like to support local businesses. Â I went there with my fiancee and a couple of her friends, and was IMMEDIATELY struck with disappointment. Â The outside, as stated, looks like it has potential, but as soon as you walk in, you're given the impression that the decor was slapped together, and it all looks cheap. Â This, I'm willing to forgive, if my other experiences are positive. Â They are not.
The seating was laid out awkwardly, and despite the bar not being very filled, we had a tough time finding seating to sit four of us so that we could talk. Â The music was excruciatingly loud, and we had zero chance of having any kind of conversation. Â There were some people at the bar, that I got the impression were regulars, that were visibly drunk, and very loud and obnoxious.
We went there on New Year's Day, in the evening, and the bartender was drinking behind the bar, and bragging to everyone about how she was still drunk from the night before. Â When I asked what kind of beer they had, I was given a half-hearted attempt to list a couple beers. Â I ordered one. Â When she brought it to me, I took a sip, and I realized that it was not the beer I had ordered. Â When she came back, I told her, and her response was, "yes it is." Â Then when I proved her wrong, she said, "Oh yeah, we ran out of what you ordered." Â It boggles my mind that she would've just randomly picked another beer and brought that to me, pretending it to be what I had ordered.
We paid and left after that. Â I will not be returning.
I'm really trying to keep the rating at 3, even though it's edging closer to 2 stars.
I like that this bar is newer and adds some foot traffic to the area. It looks a lot bigger from the outside, but has a fair-sized interior, with a long bar and a handful of high top tables. They have daily food & drink specials.
The music playing is kind of loud at times. Sometimes you can hear the person in front of you, and at the next song you have to yell. The music selection is also all over the map. One minute we were listening to Lily Allen and her expletives, and the next was something Enya-esque.
Now, as far as the service, I've really had better experiences to be honest. The bartenders (female) we had seemed like they were newbies. They had a handful of them though, which is nice... if they were really on the ball with their customers. Also, for being a full bar, I was surprised they didn't have TWO things I asked for. Our bartender went over to ask another what Sweet Tea Vodka was, and did the same when I asked for a lemon drop with Chambord. So, she kind of improvised on that drink. Here's a free tip from me to you (bartender) btw, it's easier to get a sugar rim if you use a lemon around the rim. Sugar doesn't stick dry, honey.
Anyway, I think the manager (or someone higher up) came around to our table and chatted with us a bit. Nice gesture, maybe too little too late.
I want Chuckies to be a cool bar. I really do. My girlfriend has been more often than I but after 3 visits to this place and each experience leaving me with an even worse taste in my life, I think it's safe to say they suck at life. Each time we received crap service. It's not even the lack of attention you get in this place. It's the low level comprehension of the employees. I am not one of those jerky Americans that thinks everyone should speak perfect English to be in our country but if you are working in an establishment that requires you to be able to speak and understand peoples specific requests it would be desirable. Are the owners using Chuckies as a front to something else and don't care about their servers not knowing the difference between a Sierra Nevada and a Smithwicks?
We went for the new chicken wing buffet. Not bad at all. In fact, the chicken wing lady had to watch me try to explain to one of the vacant minded people behind the bar that I wanted her to put a little water on napkin so I could wipe off my sweatshirt. The "bartender" never got it even after I explained it 3 times differently so the chicken wing lady happily stepped in. Perhaps they could consider turning down the volume on the high school kid quality rap music they had on full blast so they could hear their patrons a little better.
I am also amused by other users comments about the burnt pizza smell. Never noticed it before but as we were paying for our overpriced beers my girlfriend commented on the burning smell.
Highs and Lows:
Chicken wing buffet on Fridays - great
Helpful chicken wing lady - great
Vacant looking staff members - suck suck
Drinks - overpriced
Atmosphere - suck
Such a disappointment. They have a great location, a half a block off the red line, and about the same to my doorstep. Â The atmosphere was modern, with a decent, albeit pretentious vibe for Rogers Park. And every day walking home i see daily specials, but the upsides end there.
My wife and I walk in to a mostly empty bar, and waited only a few minutes for the waitress/bartender/cook to come around and take our drink order. Â Yes, one person. Â On a Saturday night. Granted it was only 7:30, but still. Â Now I saw plenty of other people behind the bar-- At least four of what I thought were customers casually strolled behind the bar on into the "kitchen" (corner). But none of them were interested in helping out.
It took several attempts at eye contact with the one employee before I could convince her that my wife and I would also like some food to go with our overpriced beer (and I know it's far from an Irish pub, but it irks me when people can't pronounce Smithwicks... but I digress). Â Apparently the menus in front of us on the table did not send the message that we were hungry.
We each ordered a pizza; she got the margherita, I got prosciutto and mushroom. Â Being so near the kitchen (corner), we watched as she (the bartender/waitress/cook) stretched the dough and applied the cheese, only to pause, walk around the half-wall to our table, and ask if it was alright that there was no basil. Â They were already pretending tomato sauce counted as tomatoes on a margherita pizza, and now, no basil. Â So its a cheese and olive oil pizza. Â Fine.
A few minutes after throwing my wife's pizza in the toaster oven, it arrived at our table, a miserable pool of grease and olive oil. Â Since we could see the kitchen, I knew that she had not even started to prepare my pizza, so I went ahead and snagged a slice of hers while I waited. Â The crust was so very thin, and lets not forget, cooked in a toaster, that it was impossible to pick up without everything sliding off the razor thin sheet of half cooked dough. Â Even attempting the fold maneuver only tore the dough to pieces until you just had a sloppy handful of greasy cheese. Call it uber-thin-crust, fine, but if that's how its gonna come, at least give me some silverware.
Finally, 15 minutes after my wife's pizza, my pizza arrived. Â My prosciutto and mushroom pizza. Â I was horrified to find that what they referred to as prosciutto was literally cold, thin sliced deli ham, thrown on top of my pizza. Â Now maybe I have high standards, and maybe most people don't know that prosciutto and ham are completely different preparations of meat, and that prosciutto doesn't come in a square block. But COLD? It seemed as though she had forgotten what was supposed to be on the pizza, and at the last minute, remembered and tossed a handful of lunchables over my greasy plate of cheese.
So to summarize:
1: Understaffed
2: Poor service, probably because theyre understaffed
3: Way too many random people wandering behind the bar
4: Overpriced drinks
5: Terrible food
6: TERRIBLE AWFUL FOOD
I would give this place a zero if I could. Â Never going back.
Remember those Childs Play movies where that evil gingerkid doll wrecked havoc? It seemed no matter what anyone would do to vanquish that little shit he'd come back! Again and again!
Well I'm happy to report he's finally been destroyed because when you hear the word "Chuckie's" you won't be irritated by the memory of that demented toy, but think of a lounge that is a doll.
There's great specials. Like martinis? They have a ton of tasty versions. Watermelon, mmm..... Or white chocolate. Yes, please. Beer? Good selection. Nice pours. Wine? Yup. They got you covered. Food?!? Yummy pizzas and paninis. All of these are decent servings and well made. And did I mention it's ALL inexpensive? Well, it is.
I said to my partner, "If this place was in Lincoln Park or Wrigleyville it'd be packed to bloody hell."
He replied, " You're right. And gee, your hair looks terrific!"
Speaking of looks, the space is a lil small but very pretty with elaborate crystal chandeliers, mirrors, and modern furniture. What is also attractive is the charming staff and management. So hospitable and attentive. To sweeten this already appealing situation...an awesome dj. Tired of going to bars or lounges where it sounds like they play the same top forty songs ad nauseum? Or an uninspired Itunes list? Yea, me too. This guy mixed it up and the patrons appreciated it. He even tossed in some Portishead, Duran Duran, and Elvis Costello.
The vibe was very chill. The crowd friendly, service awesome. I definitely welcome a sequel from this "Chuckie."
My girlfriend and I stopped here for a quick drink the other day. Â I looked at their drink specials, one of which was for Miller Lite draft. Â There were two Russian girls behind the bar who I don't think could speak or understand English very well. Â I asked for the Miller Lite draft special, and one of the girls brought me a bottle. Â I explained that this was not what I wanted, and she had to ask her manager what I was even talking about. Â Never got my draft. Â We left after our beer, not too thrilled with the place.
Review Source:The good news is that I am thrilled this bar is on Morse. Â However, they really need to improve some things. Â Tonight's experience was one of the worst I have ever had in a nearly empty bar.
To start, Â the chalk-written sign on the street advertised a daily special on Bell's IPA. Â Alas, the bartender told me they didn't have the daily special and then tried to sell me a Miller Light. Â No, thanks. It's strange that they would take the time to write out a special that they don't have, but I'll just have a Blue Moon, and open a tab (indicating that I would be having, at the very least, two drinks.) Â In fairness, the bartender did seem to be REALLY tired, so maybe that explains why the rest of the experience only went downhill. Â
A gentleman sat next to me and ordered his drink. Â The bartender never returned with his $5 change. Â She later explained that she thought that was her tip on one drink. While this was going on, my drink was empty, but I patiently waited for her to acknowledge that my glass was empty and pushed to the edge of the bar. Â Nope. Â She walked back to the other end and sat back down to talk to the other bartender (who was also seated). Â I would have left, but I opened a tab and wanted my credit card back.
About 10 minutes later, both bartenders left their seats and walked behind me towards the door. Â The bartender that served me my only drink asked another patron for a lighter so she could light her cigarette in the middle of the bar and then walk outside to smoke it The other bartender pointed at my empty glass and asked "is your drink okay?" Â Ummm.. No. Â It's not. Â It's empty and it has been for a long time while you both sat at the far end of the bar and ignored everyone. I just payed for my one drink, collected my credit card and left. Â
Sad. Â I really wanted a neighborhood bar where I could get a beer. I'll just buy a 6 pack and take it home next time.
Well, well, how Morse Avenue is all growed up now.
In a neighborhood that never seems to gentrify, it seems to be gentrifying. Despite a bartender that has a bit of a tough time understanding your order, this place is a stylish hangout that seems to be doing well. After the Mayne Stage, it's a good place for a nightcap.
I was excited to see this place open, if only to have another business to add density to the Morse Ave streetscape. Â It didn't necessarily look like the kind of place I would hang out, so I never stopped by. Â Tonight, I met a friend/neighbor for dinner and she suggested it. Â I'm glad she did! Â
We ordered a salad to share, as well as a Bianca pizza which had ham, black olives, mozzarella and artichoke. Â I won't say it was the most amazing pizza I've had in my life, but it was pretty darn good. Â The presentation was lovely.
It was a delicious and affordable weeknight out. Â I will clearly go back. Â I was surprised that more people didn't stop after work as they were coming off the train. Â It is worth a visit, especially on a nice summer evening when you can enjoy the outside seating!
Bottom Line Up Front: You're not going to find a whole helluva lot of better full service bars that serve food in the Morse corridor.
This place seems forced. I want to say a bunch of horrible things about it, but other than being a bit over priced for the neighborhood and looking a little out of place, it's not a bad bar.
The bar can be seen from the Morse Red Line Stop, so it's pretty easy access. The inside is TINY, but the stainless steel/industrial vibe is actually different in ROPO, so I kinda liked it. They have this super crazy painting on the Eastern Wall as soon as you walk in. It's totally weird/awesome and I couldn't stop looking at it.
The Bar has the usual suspects for liquor, and a pretty nice little selection of drafts. The cooler had a bunch of different canned beers everything from Hamm's and Keystone Ice to Heineken and Modus Hoperandi.
The food was actually pretty good. This place gets a star for the food. The prosciutto and mushroom pizza was tasty, even if it was NY style. The bartenders were a couple of attractive Eastern European women who were about average with their English, but they were very attentive and they get extra points because they're also the cooks.
Chuckie's has outdoor seating. I'm a sucker for outdoor seating. You get a star for that. I love watching all of the weirdos in my neighborhood.
On to the negatives! The bar has this "super sexy" track light (see, i told you it was forced) above the bar. That wouldn't be such a problem if it wasn't directly in your line of sight to the televisions. Additionally, the language barrier prevented the Bulls game being screened in high definition, even though the place has a bunch of classy HDTVS. "IF I'M GONNA WATCH THE BULLS LOSE, I DAMN WELL BETTER SEE IT IN HIGH DEF!" The previous two negatives were minor pecadillos... price was the biggest negative. In a neighborhood where you can find dollar beers, my Guinness was $6. Look, I know the place LOOKS like a Lincoln Park bar, but you can't charge Lincoln Park prices all the way up here! They did have some $3 Old Style can specials, but I don't think anyone should pay more than $2 for a can of Old Style.
Pleased to report that a return trip to Chuckie's resulted in good times, great eats and no stabbings. Yay!
It's pretty hard to beat a stiff pour of house red, prosciutto with red sauce pizza and views of the train at night time. When in the neighborhood, you have to stop by. Rogers Park, you're lucky to have a neighborhood space that can class it up while you're dressed down.
Cheers.
I was really looking forward to stopping by here as i've passed by this place several times over the past year. Last week was finally the day, the day to be disappointed.
I swung by for a late mid-week lunch with the intentions of having a few drafts to get a feel for the place. My plans changed after 4 mins of sitting @ the bar.
I decided to order a Margerita Pizza (which i didn't know it was a toaster oven pizza) then the waitress disappeared w/o asking what I wanted to drink. The sad thing is ... I WAS THE ONLY ONE THERE. After a good 10 minutes, I called her over and said, "Can I have something to drink?" She finally obliged as I went with a diet coke as i figured i'd eat my lunch and not hang out after being annoyed about the wait to order a drink.
So the pizza comes and it's coated in Olive oil, ugggh and the basil didn't taste fresh either.
Some reviewers had it right to say this place had potential. Externally and interally, this place looks cool/hip but the service and food blew so i'd rather check out better bar options Rogers Park has to offer.
My wife and I did a bit of Ropo bar-hopping on St. Patty's day. Stopping by our usual haunts and seeing familiar faces. We decided to hit Suckie's to mix it up at someplace new. What a waste of time.
Our easy 2 drink order was mixed up, and it was even a beer and a whiskey straight up. Not rocket surgery. Then it was impossible to find our server to get any refills, because she was off filling the place with burning pizza smell. After 20 minutes of trying to flag down anyone, we hit the bar to pay our tab. Voila extra drinks on our bill that we never ordered and certainly didn't receive. Rather than contest the charges with the bar I removed it from the tip and got the hell out of there.
I was driving down Morse on my way to meet a friend for Indian on Devon and was struck by the apparent makeover that this stretch of Morse has undergone since the last time I was in this part of East Roger's Park. Â After dinner, I was compelled to return to see exactly what was going on. Â Drawn in my the chandeliers, my friend and I spent the remainder of our evening at Chuckies. Â
The good: Awesome chandeliers, strange wall painting, good beer menu, decent specials and a diverse crowd makes this deceptively fancy-lookin' lounge a sweet place to sway about to the hot beats they blast while attending to the fascinating words rolling off the tongues of the folks at the table behind you. Â
The bad: There were a series of strange smells ranging from stale cigarette smell to burnt pizza. Â I could have done without the odors (particularly the stale cigarette smell that eventually went away). Â The pizza crust looked really good. I vote on the addition of a vegan pizza to the menu.
Such potential wasted!
Chuckie's has a great location--1/2 block from the El and on a street that sees a lot of foot traffic. It also has an appealing interior as seen through the floor to ceiling windows.
But in somehow trying to be unique, Chuckie's just ended up strange, in a tetched in the head kind of way.
First, there's the name. Chuckie's? Really?
Second, there's the food. The pizzas are okay but pricey at about $10.
Third, there are the drinks.Expensive. This is still Rogers Park, people, no matter if you put a chandelier in!
Fourth, the bartenders, while superficially friendly, can be inattentive.
I may go back--the beer list is not bad and the pizza is tasty--but it's not gonna make my list of bars to frequent any time soon.
Note: I could be wrong but I believe all the tables are high-tops, so probably not a wheel-chair accessible place.
I finally made it to Chuckie's. I wanted to come here for over 2 months and finally got a reason to do it.
I was drawn to Chuckie's mainly by its decor, Â and the crystal chandeliers, open bar and amazing specials written on the chalk board just outside their door.
As to my experience,. I can't complain. I got the $5 bellini which was excellent. I also tried their mozzarella cheese, tomato and artichoke pizza. I thought that $10 was pricey for a small pizza and maybe $8 would be more appropriate but the pizza turned out to be really good. and delicious. Other specials: $3 Old Styles. Their bar is pretty well stacked with liquor and beer and their staff is super friendly. Can't wait to go back!
This place is like an adrenalin shot for Rogers Park. Some of these people who write here need to get over themselves. This is Rogers Park and the owner obviously spent alot  to build out this place. I would liken it to Benchmark in Old Town. Yes, I agree the pizza is not out of this world, but this is a bar after all and not a pizza place. A must see. Hands down the best place in Rogers Park!!!
Review Source:Don't bother. Â This place is a Monet! Â Pretty from far away, but once you get up close it's just a bunch of squiggly dots. Â Or, cheap furniture and mediocre drinks + eats. Â
I appreciate their attempt... I mean, sure - Rogers Park needs something more than divey hole-in-the-walls, and there is plenty of neighborhood gentrification in progress to justify a neighborhood "lounge".. but what the hell are they trying to accomplish here? Â I'm baffled by the execution. Â
First of all, the name is horrible. Â The ultra-modern typeface used for their sign doesn't make it any better either. Â When you're inside everything looks cheap - the bar stools, the black painted walls, even the bar. Â It's super small and they were playing bad adult alternative music... I have no idea what they are going for... A place to watch the game? {they have TVs but they're mounted so high you have to tilt your head back nose-bleed style to even see anything} Â A place to hit on ladies? {ladies, just say no. trust me.} Â A place to dance your pants off? Â This place is tiny so you can't bring a group of friends... and there's nothing about it that would make it a good happy hour or post-work wind down spot... Let's just sum it up :: fail. Â epic fail. Â
And don't even get me started on their menu. Â It's all pizza, and even with their attempt to fancy it up with words like "bianca" | "marinara" | "margherita" ... it is what it is - TOASTER OVEN PIZZA!!! Â Glance over the left wall and you'll see the teeny tiny EZ Bake Oven they defrost that stuff in. Â No thanks.
See that cute little icon next to my check-ins? It's a crown, and I am a duchess. The Duchess of Chuckie's!
The name may conjure horror movie images, but rest assured, the establishment will not. Pure aesthetics may lead you to believe that you'll drop at least a Benjamin in here, but really (unless you've very, very thirsty) you won't get close.
Now that we've got a couple of fallacies out of the way, let's dig in. Chuckie's is a brand-spankin' new lounge in the heart of Rogers Park. It's small, but the wide expanse of windows adds some depth. And if you adore sparkly things (um, which woman doesn't), you're in luck: Take a seat under one of the three Swarovski crystal chandeliers and get prepared to bask in the ultimate bling. What? My initials are JZ and I have mad appreciation for the bling! Plus it's Swarovski... you can illuminate me anytime, baby.
Drinks... well happy you brought that up. Chuckie's is nicely outfitted with Metropolis coffee, and they specialize in martinis. These are happy martinis... every day, they offer a special martini for only $5. Even at regular price, they're a steal: $8 flippin' bucks!
The $5 special-of-the-day applies to beer and frozen margaritas as well. You'll find fantastic brews on tap (15 total!) such as Hacker-Pschorr, Hoegaarden, Guinness and my new favorite, Three Floyds Robert the Bruce.
For food, they're currently only making one item in house but they're doing it well: Neapolitan pizza! Try the margherita with the fresh mozzarella and perfectly thin crust. Every day, they're featuring one pizza for $8... sense a theme here?
The owner and staff are a delight - spend a minute talking to them and you'll see why they've already earned a slew of regulars. I hope to see you on a bar stool next to me really soon... cheers!
So, my neighbor and I decided to sample some of the new spots in Rogers Park. Â Our first stop was at Chuckie's, a new bar which recently opened on Morse, just west of the L stop.
Chuckie's is small, maybe a modern version of the "neighbor' Bar. Â Huge front windows and several chandeliers. Maybe 4 tables and the bar. Â We decided to sit at the bar...which was a mistake. Â The bar was sticky and, thus, my arm got sticky. Â i ordered an apple martini and my friend a lemon drop martini (which was a $5 special of the day). They also had alot of different beers. Â Only pizza...which neither of us wanted for an hors doevre. Â
As my friend said: They should of put a little more lemon in the lemon drop. Â They also should of put a little more apple in the apple martini.
Small, but I can see the potential. Our neighborhood could use a place like this.
My problems....
we arrived as part of the Alderman's Follow me Friday...My husband present our free drink  tickets, and requested a white wine and asked what beers were available(in past Follow me Fridays restaurants have limited beer/drink choices for the free drink) the "bartender"'s response "look around I have all sorts of beer" , that is NEVER how a bartender should respond. even if the patron is getting a free drink Lets try, "are you interested in tap or bottle?" needless to say she was not tipped.
So we got our drinks and a sampling of the food , the pizza was...ehhh. the hi rollers were an odd choice to serve.
But I am willing to forgive all that since the place was jammed and I don't think they were expecting it.
My husband and I will give this place one more chance, we like to support local businesses, but if the staff is as rude as they were on this visit, and the food is not much improved, we will stick to Gruppo for pizza and friendly service.
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