L and L Tavern

...and they weren't planning on going. It was just there after a spontaneous visit to a tattoo parlor. Surrounded by ostentatious sports bars and freak boutiques, as insignificant as a cough. She had been there before and found it forgettable. They ordered beers. The bartender was curt. It took time for our protagonists to appreciate the bar. It was a dive. Unapologetically. But it had quirky character from the signs, the fact each stool and chair were covered in duct tape and stickers, 2 small tube tvs, and regulars who were a mix of young hipsters and old timers with wise eyes. The girl felt the place was out of a Bukowski poem or somewhere Cindy Sherman would shoot an "Untitled Film Still." The man felt at home and impressed by it. Nothing was contrived. The bathrooms didn't lock but had a latch at the top of the door not unlike scout camp WCs or Kum and Go (Kum, Cuddle, and Go?) gas stations. The girl loved the free jukebox with a decent selection of songs so she could play DJ. Though she wished they had more songs and albums. The tamale guy came and everyone bought some including her companion. The next round the bartender warmed up. The girl realized she loved the bar. After that they...

After a Cubs game we hopped on the Red Line.  I quickly realized that  I had to go to the bathroom SO bad!  So we got off at the next stop and walked directly to what smelled like the next bathroom.  Once inside we realized that this bathroom was actually a bar with a pretty kick ass jukebox  selection, so we ordered a beer and grabbed a stool.  

Around 6 in the evening we were the only people there, and had no complaints about the service.  At one point I knocked over my empty PBR can (yeah, my own dumb move) and the bartender snarled "that is not funny" in my direction.  

It's honestly not a place that I am going to intentionally return to, but if I need to pee again I know where to stop.

My boyfriend has a man crush on this place and I really don't know why. My neighbor also went there often, but I think that's because he was crushing on one of the bartenders.

Anyway... cash only... cheap drinks... dirty... old... sarcastic staff... oh wait... now I know why my boyfriend has a man crush....

I lived across the street, but didn't frequent this place. It just kind of reminded me of a place hipsters would go - thinking they were cool by being in an old dive. Eh. I like other dives better.