Yes! Finally a cheap, super cool, old school bar! Directly under the Addison brown line, $2 PBR pints daily plus a bunch of daily specials (check small tabs dot com), board games, shuffleboard, darts, decent juke box, chalk in the bathroom if you're feeling artistic. You can bring food in since they don't have any. I like!
Only drawbacks are the influx of DePaul kids on the weekend nights thanks to the cheap drinks, and the night we were there they had only one bartender for a very full bar (which may have been uncommon, dunno) so service was just a wee bit slow the later it got. Their hours claim that they open at 1 but we tried to go on a Sunday and found the joint locked up tight with no one answering the phone even at 5pm - when in doubt, call first. Oh, if you want to play one of the many board games, bring your own dice because theirs have gone missing.
Great specials always(tall boy Schlitz and a shot of Jim Beam for $5). Great beer if cheap beer isn't your thing. Oh did I mention free shuffle board, foosball, and darts as well as $1 pool. This place opened right after prohibition and the current owner Tony sure runs it like a true bar. Affordable, can entertain w bar games, never too crowded... 5 stars
Review Source:Not sure what there is to complain about here. I'm a little old school so I like my bars to have good service, (yeah I lived in wrigleyville so expecting good service and not bartenders who act like they are stars is not assumed) bar games, and quality whiskeys and beer. Cork qualifies. That earns it a 3 star minimum. Bonus points for not being ultra crowded where you can't get served. More points for not blasting music so I can have a conversation, but still playing music from the jukebox at a respectable volume so you can enjoy it.
The kicker? daily special of tall boy schlitz and a shot of jim beam. I love good craft beers and welcome dog fish, founders, victory, stone, etc and will gladly pay an extra couple dollars for that quality, but nothing makes me feel more american than a shot of kentucky bourbon and a tall beer in a can. Add that to free shuffleboard and this bar has earned 5 stars. I will definitely be back here as it has earned a spot as a regular hang out for me in the city.
Say what you will about this place, but I absolutely love it. It's not terribly crowded most times, and they have my favorite beer from California on tap. I haven't been able to find it on tap anywhere since I moved to Chicago last year.
Ok, so maybe I'm a bit biased. But really, the bartender was very nice, the bathroom was clean, and the prices aren't too shabby. It's a pub, not a romantic dinner lounge.
I find it odd that this bar is literally under the EL stop and promotes $2 PBRs everyday, yet there's never anyone here. It's location is rather convenient for me so I've been here on Tuesdays and Saturdays and there's not too much difference.
I tend to enjoy a low-key, low profile place to hang with a friend or two and catch up on conversation without being hassled by a bunch of drunks. I've yet to break out one of the many board games offered up, but I'm always tempted. I do however enjoy the computer screen games that most bars have but here you generally don't have to wait for people hogging it since the odds are usually in your favor that you might be the only one interested in playing.
On occasion there are more than ten people here and that's when the bar seems understaffed since there's only one bartender who is also the server, busser, manager, and security. It's got a good juke box and really good drink specials!
By definition, this is what a 4 star bar is. Acceptable beer prices, cool bartenders, board games, decent pool table, and they actually were playing late 90's early 00's punk rock. Combine this all and normally I would give the spot a 5 star rating, but then you realize this is where stuck up folks go for a beer to hold them till they make it further down Addison.
Overall if you can deal with random Chad and Ashleys popping in for a drink and leaving in disgust within 45 minutes, you have a major sweet bar.
Cork Lounge is one of those bars you go by a few thousand times before you go in. Â If there weren't a few neon signs in the window, you might mistake it for some kind of Irish gift shop. Â
The little storefront is deceiving, though. Â When you get inside, it's the bar that keeps on going. Â Even if you don't have a good time here, you'll get a kick out of the fact that it goes so far back. Â
I started out with Guinness here, partly out of obligation. Â A first visit to any Irish bar calls for a pint of the black stuff. Â As I was already a few whiskeys deep, I soon moved to Old Style, perhaps out of respect for the bar's Addison address. Â
It was at Cork Lounge that I first learned of Jeppson's Malort. Â For anyone unfamiliar with this concoction, it's an extremely bitter Swedish-style schnapps with cult status in Chicago dives and biker (Harleys, not fixies) bars. Â It has been voted by at least one publication as the "World's Worst Liquor". Â I was up for the challenge. Â It wasn't quite as bad as I expected, but you might have six or seven drinks before a shot of the stuff if you're going to try it. Â
We had a few "encounters" with other patrons at Cork Lounge that have strongly moved me to make a return visit in the near future. Â At one point in the evening, an extremely intoxicated fellow demanded that I play pool with him. Â I admitted that I wasn't too skilled, and he berated me for it. Â "Whaaa? Â What do you mean you're bad at it? Â How can someone be bad at pool?" Â He later sent the bartender over with a Jagerbomb. Â I sent him back with a shot of Jeppson's Malort. Â Ladies, feel free to use this move if some douche buys you a drink. Â Retort with Malort. Â
I also vaguely recall chatting with some tease who kept coming up and nudging me on the shoulder when she ordered at the bar. Â She may have referred to herself as a Southern belle, which is something a true Southern belle would not feel the need to mention. Â It turned out that she was from Springfield. Â Not some other Springfield south of the Mason-Dixon line, but our state capital Springfield. Â That one. Â Apparently my brother pointed out the absurdity of this to her while I was in the restroom, and she saw fit to dispense with expletives and a general questioning of his sexual orientation. Â Great times. Â
The tamale guy makes appearances, and they have a serviceable jukebox. Â And if the bartending is as solid with all staffers as it was with our guy, good on Cork Lounge. Â This guy worked the entire bar by himself and made it look like a piece of cake. Â A real pro. Â
If you're in the neighborhood, it's worth a look. Â Hidden beneath the Addison Brown Line stop.
This place now has FREE SHUFFLEBOARD! How cool is that? And its a monster of a table too. Mondays are 75c can night, so it can get pretty busy, but the other nights are way more relaxed. The bartenders are all chill and it also has some of the best art I've ever seen in a bar.
Try the Apple Pie Shot! Its a house recipe -- you won't be disappointed! Also, they have a license to sell beer to go. ^^
This place blows. it is spacious and they have a Ms Pac man. That is about it along with the cheap beer. The time I went these people were hogging the pool table talking more than playing. The server was awful just paying attention to his friends and they place reeked like half of the tap was spilling on the floor. The floor was sticky all over including the table tops and I will not even get into the bathrooms.
Review Source:I sent pictures of this establishment to my large, right-wing-nutjob-family. They blame this establishment for the corrupt elected officials consistent re-election...
Mostly because when it is an election you* can cast your ballot here.
Drink and Vote! What a great idea**!
Now I soothe my frazzled regrets of "Voting for Favorite Menendez Brother" as Joan Rivers once so accurately described voting.
Notes:
*You MUST be a registered voter
**There are NO Free Drinks, regardless of party affiliation or corrupt figure who may or may not be present looking for re-election. I'm pretty and I have tried... all I scored was a doughnut from Dunkin (with pink icing and sprinkles!)
The Cork Lounge is rad as hell!
Fantastic atmosphere, great drink selection, and no bullshit. The Cork Lounge is serious fun.
I usually stop in for 75 cent can Mondays. The bartender is a total sweetheart. Super chill dude. He always knows exactly what kind of music to play depending on the crowd.
Another perk to place is that it is right next to the addison brown line, addison bus, and just a short walk to Damen.
Anyway, I can't say enough about this place. I used to live a block away. I moved to Pilsen this month and still make it a point to pop in every now and then.
AMEN AMEN!
I like Cork.  No frills, its like a nice, local dive bar without looking like a dive.  There's no food, sans mini pizzas, but they have a good/decent  beer selection and plenty of $2 cans (along with $.75 PBR cans on Mondays.)  Enough TVs inside to watch whatever's on no matter where you sit.  Location right next to the Addison Brown line stop.  And the can selection has some of the older names/brands from Milwaukee (Busch, Strohs, etc.) Â
I can only speak for week days, but there's no dominant social element there. Ehhh, neutral, I guess you could say. Â
Well appointed interior. Â And a play-per-game pool table. Â
Good for a drink or two. Â Or more. Â
Four stars.
A few more visits have made me realize how much better Cork Lounge is.
An added bonus to going to a great low-key neighborhood bar? Since they have only frozen pizza on their menu, not only are they ok with outside food in the establishment, they actually have a number of takeout menus available behind the bar!
I used to live a few blocks away from Cork and we would go there on the nights that we didn't feel like venturing out to wrigleyville or we just didn't want to deal with the crowds found at other bars.
Cork Lounge is a great bar with a relaxed atmosphere, and beautiful wood bar. It is never overcrowded and there is always a table available. The bartenders are super nice and fun to talk to. Unlike a crowded bar where you can't get the attention of the bartender long enough to get a drink, the bartenders at Cork Lounge are always on top of getting patrons another drink and even have time to talk to you about the vast selection of beers they carry. That is another plus to this bar- there are a lot of different beers you can try and they are reasonably priced as well.
Cork Lounge also has plenty of things to entertain you. They have pool tables in the back as well as board games up front. It is fun to get friends together for a night of drinking and games.
All in all, I would definately check out this laid back bar with a lot to offer next time you find yourself off of the brown line Addison stop.
I've only peered through the glass nine hundred times whilst driving past. Always admiring the many signs boasting the many beer specials. Cans for .75 cents you say! I don't give a shit for PBR, so I'm glad there are a great more beer offerings & drinks on special. $2 assorted shots, hellz yeah.
As the other guy stated, walk in... All the way in, down to the end of the bar. Sit in the middle of it. Perfect view of those walking in, all TVs and those pool playing. Sit long enough and you can either enjoy the solitude of listening to random music or looking over to your left as the brunette hottie bends over to make her next bank shot. Lots of dark woods, ass enjoying seats, tiled flooring which clacks aloud as the cutie in heels makes her way in. Of course it's another bar, but a nice place nonetheless.
Couple beers in and a few shots on sale, I'm done for the night and headed home. A last hurrah before the bedtime abyss.
A group of us headed over to the Cork Lounge after we found out our dodgeball bar sponsor, Waterhouse, was packed due to a Bears game. We have been meeting at Waterhouse all season to drink away our woes from losing at dodgeball week after week (seriously, there is another team called rubber facials - this is no schoolyard game anymore). Anyway, our night at the Cork Lounge was the best post game night yet!
The Lounge was not crowded when we arrived at 8:30, but a steady stream of people were in and out throughout the night. The bar tender was great - she saw our hungry, down-trodden faces and provided us with a menu book from the bar, Jameson shots, and pitchers of PBR). We ordered in some food from Yindee next door which was just the ticket (must remember to write review...mm mm).
This was a great bar to bring a larger group since they had room for us, but it still had a good atmosphere with what seemed like the usual local crowd. Our team is totally coming back here soon and it may even be our new home for drinking our dodge sorrows away.
My husband wanted to go out for a shot and a beer on November 10th to toast to his fellow Marines on the USMC birthday.
We decided to go to Cork lounge since it was close and we figured it would be dead.
It wasn't, but it wasn't packed with d-bags either. The crowd had a good vibe- laid back- and the bartender was Jenny Quick-pour. Awesome.
And really, they've made some changes to the atmosphere (a little paint goes a long way) that really warmed the place up and made it feel a little more homey and warm. Â
It's no longer that wannabe southport bar. Now it's actually a little Irish pub with good music that I really enjoyed.
That is, of course, unless you're reading this and you're not from North Center, want to pack your friends into the place and turn it into a southport-like bar. In that case, this bar was horrible. You should stay away.
A friend and I were looking for a dive bar and we found Cork. I was impressed by the size of the place, and it was pretty clean, too.
We had drinks and a frozen pizza. Surprisingly, the pizza was tasty!
There were people in there, but it wasn't totally crowded, not at all. And the service was fantastic, the female bartender couldn't have been nicer.
This place gets 4 stars purely because I thought it was gonna be a total p.o.s. hole under the brownline. WOW! I was totally wrong. The $0.75 PBR signs outside scared me away from this place for awhile but upon walking in yesterday on my way home from Retro, I was amazed.
1. It's gigantic! I thought it was teeny but was wrong. It goes all the way back
2. It has Magner's on tap.
3. It was busy enough to realize it was a weekend to be savored but not so busy that I had to beat out the north-side barbies to get a drink.
4. So many beers that you could come in everyday for a month and never taste the same beer.
5. Jukebox. Enough said.
All in all, a good time and can't wait to go back.
Walk through the door, past the bar, go way to the back, where the pool table is. Sit on one of those stools. Seriously... they might be the most comfortable stools in the world.
They have some killer specials on low-end beer, and even sometimes on the good stuff. The bartenders are friendly. They have a good pool table. Kind of a chilled-out, down-to-earth vibe going on here. Feels a little loungey and classy without overdoing it.
Good bar, 4 stars.
I've been here a few times in the last couple weeks and can say it's becoming one of my favorites.
The Pros:
-you dont have to ask your landlord not to cash your rent check to have a good time here.. super affordable and great selection
- you wont get herpes in their super clean bathrooms
- you wont hate the bartender.. super nice guy that seems to actually like his job unlike the rest of us who drink profusely to forget we have a job.
- location is awesome, right next to the brown line
- they serve pizza which is rumored to be pretty good, but if you're more up for a burrito, Burrito House is crawling distance away. I guess I need to write a review for Burrito House too.
The only con I can really think of is that at times the place can feel a little empty... but is that really a con? Who doesn't like being able to find a table and being able to get a drink without having to elbow your way to the bar.
I'm a simple man. I like things simple. I like Cork Lounge because it's simple. A simply beautiful refurbished Irish-style lounge right next to the Addison Brownline stop. Perfect.
Last night I went to Cork Lounge to indulge in their Monday 75 Cent Cans of Beer Special. The cans consisted of Blatz, Burger, Old Milwaukee, Hamm's, Milwaukee's Best, Busch and Pabst Blue Ribbon, my favorite, and even Pabst Blue Ribbon Light. We all got good and happy for less than 10 bucks each. They even bake up and serve pizza to soak up all the delicious beer.
Besides the amazing can selection they also offer many other good beer and liquor too. Everything from Hacker Pschorr to Goose Island IPA on draught to Jameson, Jack Daniels, champagne and house red and white wine as well. Cork Lounge is a great place to imbibe fine spirits, friendly people and good times.
Blah blah blah, cheap PBR, blah blah blah, right by the brown line, blah blah blah BLAH blah...
I'm by no means trying to diminish what other Yelpers had to say about Cork Lounge. Â But I look at the bar from another perspective... from that of... A REGULAR... (insert audible gasps here)
I will agree that perhaps this conveniently located watering hole has yet to really hit its stride with a strong brand identity, but in a neighborhood where douchebaggery is very likely to abound on any given night, it's a welcome option for those of us who aren't trying to bang anything with a pulse or don't believe that SATC is in fact the greatest movie ever made. Â
Regardless of how many people are in the bar - be it 2 or 52 - people feel comfortable just kicking back. Â I've been in there in a cocktail dress and heels while sititng next to me was someone mawing down tamales in his sweats and somehow, neither one of us appeared uncomfortable. Â I enjoy the lack of pretension and the genial attitude (or lack thereof) all the patrons seems to share.
While some may say the location is inconvenient, I belong to the opposite camp. Â Get too hammered to walk home? Â Brown line next door, BOOM. Â Train stopped running? Â Cabs a plenty zip by the Cork more frequently than rats raid garbage in this city, BOOM. Â Dumb enough to drive to a bar? Â Ample street parking, BOOM.
I could touch on the PBR, but if you've somehow made it all the way down the page and are reading this, you already know that yes, they have cheap beer, and yes, the bathroom is clean. Â But the sheer variety of refreshments they offer up to wet one's whistle can almost be overwhelming. Â From a huge assortment of local, domestic and imported beers to quite possibly one of the largest selections of hard liquor I've ever seen, it's easy to spend just as much time selecting a beverage as you'll spend swilling them.
This bar is reminiscent of how cool another local haunt used to be - Goldie's - before that too became rampant with a douchebag-wannabe-hipster infestation.
Don't discount the Cork. Â Stop in when you get off the train for your own personal happy hour - I mean let's face it, you probably hate your job and need a drink or twelve. Â Or stumble in on a Saturday night. Â I promise the regulars don't bite and we might even share a slice of our pizza with you.
I like this place. There's a mellow vibe to this place, that matches the neighborhood it's in. Â There's a slew of drink specials, and you can order in pizza on the cheap. Â I l really like the photography in the front part of the space, it's different, and I like different. Â Service is friendly and fast, but for sure our bartender was running her tail off. Â I think this sleepy location is waking up!
And yes, the bathrooms are as clean as advertised.
This is a pretty strange place. Right off the brown line so it was really convenient to meet up with a college friend who didn't know his way around the city really well.
This is quite possibly the cleanest bar I've been to in Chicago, all the way down to the bathrooms. Really, this place should qualify as a dive bar but the damn thing is just to clean. The prices were great, I can't ever complain about $1 PBR. Bartender was nice and quick with the drinks.
Where this place looses me is the few times I've been here it's been completely dead. 1 a.m. on a Saturday night and there was maybe ten people here, and with the size of the bar that means one person for every two tables/or three bar stools. If your not into crowds this is your kind of place. I generally don't mind a quieter stop but this place just felt deserted. (might have had something to do with Radiohead and Modest Mouse sing along coming from the bartenders iPod)
Overall I like this bar, but I would only suggest it for a quiet place for drinks with a few friends. If your looking for more of an upbeat time, walk past and hop on the brown line and go somewhere else.
This place definitely had a weird vibe the couple times I've gone. It doesn't have a whole lot of personality. I'm not really into blaring music or big crowds at the bar, but when I was there last Saturday the music was fairly depressing and there was almost nobody there.
The bartender was really nice, and the service was super fast, so those are definite perks. It was also very clean, which is hard to find in a ladies' restroom at a bar! But, I guess I'm just looking for a little more ambience in a bar.
I'm glad to see other reviews mention "clean", because this is honestly one of the cleanest bars I've yet visited.
This is a little out of my way, but when I visit a buddy of mine in that area, this is a good spot to stop.
PROS:
-Cheap beer specials (still home to a $2 PBR)
-As mentioned, clean
-Friendly staff
CONS:
-Location (for me anyways)
I do agree with kourtney l. on the sterile quality... but I'm sure the place will find its vibe soon.
It's not you...It's me.
I'm not sure how I feel about this place...not a fancy bar, not a dive bar. Hovering somewhere in between. Â It's huge, and there's plenty of seating, but something's just...off.
The beer list is expansive, but service is slow. Â There's a pool table, which is great; and plenty of room for darts - but no board in sight.
I just didn't make enough of an impression on me to want to return. I've been to alot of bars, and you've got to be special for me to want to pay you a return visit. Â This place just didn't have it.
This is your average tiny Chicago bar, its small, clean and beer is cheap. They do not have a kitchen, but will serve you frozen pizzas. This is a great place to grab a drink any night of the week and seems to always have a place to sit. However one Friday night I wondered in here at about midnight, I asked them how late they were open, which was two o'clock so I thought I had plenty of time. I played a bunch of music and was about half way through when she shut it off at about one o'clock and she decided to close the bar. I could understand this if I was the only one in here however there were several people still inside, playing music and drinking!! I'm sure this is not what the owner would want... The bartender looked tired and was not friendly at all. Thankfully this is not the same experience I had the second time I went into this bar.
Review Source:Cheap beer and clean bathrooms are sometimes hard to find. Â This place has both plus cool bartenders. Â I wish I lived closer as this seems like the perfect low key place to grab a drink any night of the week. Â There was something kinda sterile about it though that messed with the vibe of the place. Â I knocked a star off due to the gunk that was on my bag and coat after hanging it on the back of my chair. Â I can't scrub it off!
Review Source:I had an awesome evening in here! We rocked some Journey and had a pizza. De-LUX Baby!!!
The beer selection was hearty and the pizza was hot as hell. Comes right out of the ol' oven, with toasted cheese and everything! Pretty much hit the spot. We also got talking with the bartender, and it was a nice connection to make. Stopping by late on an off-night had the bar fairly quiet, but we got cozy and to conversation, where neither the beers nor music stopped...
I can get where the other reviewers are coming from in regards to the height of the ceiling, but it didn't stop me from bellying-up. There IS a nice pool table in back; however, I couldn't find any dartboards... so that might be an upgrade? No worries regardless!
Bottom line: Comfortable family place growing into its new digs. I would definitely take friends or family here. Great staff meets extensive beer list.
-w00t!-
To the Cork: Keep it up! Drop in a dartboard or two, and you got yourself my next neighborhood bar!
-d0uble w00t!-
I felt strangely out of place in here. Â I came in after a bit of a walk from a party at Mystic on Southport - and I my friend was raving on how cool this place was supposed to be. Â We walked in and it looked great, a lot of space and room for people to move around, but there was really no one there. Â
I think the layout of the place was what throws me off. Â It just feels odd when you are in there. Â The bar looks great, but the entire location is just a really long stretch of...space. Â Maybe I am just being picky, but I need to feel comfortable at a bar; here - I didnt. Â Plus the people that were there were loud and obnoxious.. Â I agree with one of the other reviewers where it seemed like a bunch of college kids that didn't know how to behave in a bar came rolliing in..
I wouldn't say not to check it out, you may like it - the overall feeling I get though is to walk on past.
This is a place that I have walked by so many times, always wanted to check it out but never made my foot in the door. Â Being right next to the Addison Brown line stop, I see this place a lot. Â Last week, I finally decided to stop by after work for a brew and was pleasantly surprised. Â
Being that my friend and I were the only ones there for quite a while around 5pm, we had a chance to chat with the owner and had great conversation. Â I do not know what it looked like before the remodel but it is nicely appointed & clean. Â They have a good selection of brews on tap and fairly priced.
I will be sure to stop by more often.
I used to be a fan of this place when it was a practically empty dive bar full of talkative old people and a juke box full of memories. I would come and speak some Ukrainian with Natalka, the bartender, and feel like it was my neighborhood Cheers. Now the bar looks like any other bar and attracts the kind of people that could be at any other bar and that makes me sad. It's nice, it's new, and it's clean, but it has definitely lost its charm.
Review Source:I've not experienced the old cork, but heard of its glory days and that it was cool.
The new cork decor is in the generic-typical style, kinda like all the bars on southport, but boring-er. Â I think they need to cover the ceiling w/ Cork to make up for the horrible acoustics they now have after installing a slate floor. Â They're going to have to offer $1 beers to get people in here. Â sorry cork lounge :( Â I hope you can turn things around.
No longer the comfy hole in the wall neighborhood bar, but your average-could-be-anyplace bar. Â The remodel is nice. Â It's clean. The bathrooms are big. Â The bar is nice and open. Â Very chic and clean.
This used to be a place where I would go 3 or 4 nights a week, sometimes more. Â It was dank, there was a long list of usuals that I played pool with and we knew each others names. Â Then the CTA took 4 feet of the bar for the first 20 feet. Â The only thing that is left of the old Cork is the wonderful owner, the neon sign in the window and the lip around the bar. Â While it's nice to see the owner doing well, and making this a "nice clean place to leave his daughter" it's disappointing to see all that history thrown away.
RIP Cork of the good old days, hello hipster hangout.
came here for a uic design student fund raiser get together thing. Â
it's a great neighborhood bar but it was too neighborhood for me. Â
there is a pool table in the front room and karaoke in the back. Â =D Â
the beers were cheap and the environment chill but i think it would be a great time with lots of your friends.
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