First and foremost, I am a straight female with a boyfriend. Second, I went with a group of co workers for a going away get together.
With that said, I had a blast! Sunday night around 10:30 pm. There was a lot of people without being overcrowded. Â Crowd was diverse. I saw both straights and gays and perhaps some in betweens. Â No one got upset that my friends and I were kind of just hogging a corner/side of the bar by the stairs. That, I was surprised with. People passing through would just politely say excuse me and make their way.
Karaoke. Amazing song selection. Amazing diva host. Hilarious commentary. Even a big box of props open for use! Isnt that fun!? There was crazy good and crazy bad singers alike. But I think you need both for good fun drunken entertainment.
Super cute layout. It really does look like an old attic. Uniqueness and authenticity. Dimly lit which is always nice. Only missing one star solely because I feel like we didn't have an option to sit because there weren't enough chairs/tables. Maybe I just happened to be there at a really busy time, which I'm assuming. We had a great time regardless though.
I can't say enough how much I LOVE the staff at this bar. Always friendly and strangely all attractive. I almost exclusively come here for karaoke and the outrageously huge song selection with the ability to change the key of the song. (Something you don't get everywhere)
The drinks are free pour so if you treat your bartenders well, they will treat you well. The food is typical bar food, but the drinks, friendly staff, clientele, and laughs more than make up for the food menu. Definitely worth a wednesday/sunday night venture! And Sunday is $3 domestics and $4 wells! ;-)
just went here this past fri nite 4 theor ole skool 80s &90s house party & it was da shit!! i luv me sum ole skool music! if they still played this type of music at the clubs i swear i'd be clubbin every damn weekend! the dj was soooo awesum! the cherry on top was when he played a janet jackson medley 4 like an hour! i was in heaven! i couldve seriously died right then & there & wouldve been happy! the drinks my friends & i ordered were on point & it wasnt 2 crowded in there. i cant stand it when u dont even have room 2 dance cuz its so packed so this was just right! oh yea, they have FREE coat check! how nice is that!?! they have this event every month so i will DEFINITELY be back!
Review Source:Mary's Attic sounds like a VC Andrews book.
But it's the top floor of Hamburger Mary's and Mary's Rec room. Â It's a BAR.
Meeting friends and the karaoke were the main howcomes why we went. The first singer we saw performed "Into the Great Wide Open" rather dejectedly. I happen to love that song but didn't take umbrage. Maybe he was emo. Of course, there were some campy songs/duets. Complete with butt shaking. And a guy did "Thunderball" from James Bond. He sounded/looked exactly like Steven Wright as a shoe gazer.
There's 3,000 songs in the catalog and it's hosted by a diva.
Of course, my friends performed with pastiche.
I cheered my ass off for all of the performers.
There's a couch, a bed (ha), great views, and they play campy films and the lyrics all over. The patrons are friendly.
Worth checking out and maybe you'll see me there singing my heart out to "Go Your Own Way" or Duran Duran.
I came here to see a friend perform last night. Every third Thursday, OUT ROCK, a monthly rock show of LGBTQ musicians perform their medleys. There was a $5 cover to enter this venue, but it was so worth it. I believe the performances begin at 930pm and end at 12am.
The attic is definitely an intimate setting and makes for good times. I felt that everyone here was friendly. I even was able to order a couple of appetizers here so that was great because I was so hungry. I think the fried green beans were the best.
Now I am just curious as to what other events they have. The closest red line stop is Berywn, which is 0.6 miles. In retrospect, I'd probably take the bus or drive here.
I love me some Mary's...
I suppose it's possible to have a bad time here, but I'll let you know if I ever have one. Â Lots of live entertainment - including a monthly themed music showcase from queer and queer-friendly artists, plenty of seating, friendly bartenders (treat Meredith well, or I'll cut you), great housemade beers, and Mary-oke! Â Seriously, if you come to Mary-oke and don't enjoy yourself, I will pray for your blackened blackened soul.
Their food selection trends towards the fried and also the fried, but if you ask nicely, you can order a burger downstairs, and bring it up. Â Or you could just order their cheese curds and life will still be just fine.
Love. This. Place. It has everything I could ever want: Sassy music, friendly and fun people, great drinks for a great price, a dance floor, live hilarious, cheap entertainment, and a bed (seriously...wait til you see the bed). There has not been one time that I came here that I didn't have a great time. It gets crowded later, so don't be discouraged if it seems dead  at first!
Review Source:CTA-gay cabaret show?!?! Â For $10???? Â I am in!
So a friend of a friend performs in this show and we all trekked up there on a Wednesday night to support and get some good laughs.
Man I was so glad I did! Â This show was HILARIOUS. Â It's all about what happens on the CTA. Â Too funny and the performers were great.
I never knew that Hamburger Mary's had an upstairs, etc.
I also didnt know that they brewed their own beer. Â I had the bombshell and it was light and refreshing as I was laughing my ass off at the show. Â I would definitely go back.
Check it out if you havent....a cheap night with a little different flair than a standard night :)
This is actually a really cool space...The music is awful but I'm a straight man in a gay bar so what can you do?
Tip: When all the other bars in Andersonville are packed at 10:30, this place hasn't even got going yet so it's great if you want a seat and to just have a drink...Though it is a little loud but there are also separate rooms that if you are lucky, you can secure one of those...And then there is the bed on the main floor which is also a cool touch. Beautiful room too.
My favorite place on a Wednesday night. :'')
Do you like karaoke? Do you like cheap, stiff drinks? Do you like a fun atmosphere, minus douche bags? Are you comfortable with your sexuality?
If you answered yes to any or all of the above, you should at least check this place out.
Wed and Sun night karaoke. I don't usually go any other nights, because I'm mainly there for that.
Hamybear is a superb karaoke host.
The bartenders are friendly and do a great job. The drinks are well priced and well made. You can also order food from the restaurant downstairs.
This is a great place to go to with a group of friends.
I love Hamburger Mary's so naturally the first bar I wanted to go to kick of my 21st was her Attic. I went with my girlfriend on a Thursday night around 9:30 and there weren't too many people there but a few tables were filled.
They had live music going on that sounded pretty good. We got drinks pretty quickly. I tried a few of their fruity drinks and they were delicious though a bit pricey ($18 for two drinks? Really?) I got sick of all the sugar after awhile and switched to rum & diet which was pretty standard. I am excited to come back for their Karaoke nights though, hopefully more people come out for those.
Went here with about 20 people for some Sunday night Karaoke....
1. I love, love, love the host! Funny, check! Attitude, check! Drag Queen, check!
2. A karaoke place where people can actually sing? Hell yes! Some guy was busting out Michael Jackson and nailing it! The crowd went wild each and every time he sang. Wow!
3. 3,000 songs? There's no way you can't find something to sing...
4. Cheap beer? Ummm hmmm... I think my bud light bottles were $3.
I will be back time and time again. Can't wait to try the food!
Some reviews point out that it's a good LGBTOMGWTFBBQ place, but I prefer to skip the labels and focus on the venue and whatnot. Not to discount their notes, as they're important, but for me the emphasis was on the entertainment and the beverages, not the clientele.
Great performance (Big Red!) kept me smiling long after I left. Everyone was really engaged and respectful, so it made for a real nice evening of singing and laughing. Much needed these days! Very informal,
Though I didn't drink, they're cheap and according to others, done right. ;)
(bias disclosure: I'm friends with performers and staff here.)
Response to Martha C. who listed as one of her reasons for disliking Mary's attic as being full of  "lots of lesbians". Really? You have a problem with lesbians? I suppose gay men are A-OK with you.  I've encountered your type before at Big Chicks.
I've only been there once. It was a crowded Karaoke night. The space itself felt a little claustrophobic. The clientele was mostly gay men and I had a really difficult time getting a drink. Men who saddled up right beside me got served before I did. Referring to me as "honey" did not resolve the issue for me. I may give it another shot but one more experience of sexist bar -tending and I'm out of there for good.
There's a bed in a bar. There's a bed in a bar. There's a bed in a bar! No such things down south.
Mary's for Thirsty Thursdays is a fun time. The bartenders here kick a** and are friendly (especially those from South Carolina...heehee). Plenty of space and the dj's seem to spend a good mix (fortunately, I have always been spared from that a lot of the "umpth umpth umpth" techno stuff whenever I go). I haven't really been on the weekends, but I always have a fun time when I do come. Love the eco-friendly toilets.
Mary's Rec Room...fun times. And bc of this mini micro-brewery, I'm so sad they don't serve Magic Hat #9 anymore....that was one of the main reasons I kept coming back...do you know I searched 2 years to find that stuff on tap in this city??
Hamburger Mary's....love the Big Kahuna Hawaiin Burger....just a little pricey as are all the other burgers....but Bingo on Mondays is always a fun time!
I have to say, a lot of Andersonville's night life seems kind of dead...but Mary's does have a good mix until around midnight...that seems to be the time most ppl in this neighborhood seem to turn into pumpkins. Lots of straights, lots of gay men...but where are the ladies? Even the bed can't keep them there for too long...I always wonder how many times they wash those sheets. PS. Who's Mary?
Never again!
The bar tender Orion had the audacity to try and charge me $2.50 for a soda water with lime, my hydration-al precursor to vodka soda and lime... Â I was Flabbergasted, as I laughed and thought he would step back from his absurd assertion of such a fee, he did not, he said well its free refills... Â I said No Thanks, I would not be back! Â I put on my coat and was ready to walk out, as it dawns on me I could not walk out, my good buddy Dan B had just ordered a beer, I could not leave him in the seventh door to hell by himself... Â I stood politely with a judgmental scowl on my face, and the other bar tender Shane walks up and said is everything OK, Â I laughed and said no, before I could even suggest why everything was not OK he made it obvious that him and Orion chatted about my distaste for their soda water fee, and said every bar would charge you for a soda water... Â OH MY!!! Â
Please do not patronize a 31 year old man who has been drinking quite frequently for the past decade all over the country with such craziness... Â I rack my brain of all the bars that I have drank at and of-course I could not think of one that has charged for a soda water, and I know this because I often drink vodka soda and lime and I often kick off my night with just a soda and lime and often book end my drinks be they vodka soda and lime, bourbon, scotch or even tequila; with a soda and lime, I am not a fan of headaches or black out drunkenness so this style of drinking with frequent hydration sans alcohol is a smart way to drink... Â
If this is the policy of the bar shame on you Mary's if this is the policy of the bar tenders to bolster their tips shame on them, the sad part is I am a historically obnoxiously big tipper, which these two bartenders will never be able to reap the benefit of...
Dan B and I joke some days as we debate food walking through Andersonville "We are so hungry we cold eat at Hamburger Mary's" a parody of Simpsons when the twins say they are so hungry they could eat Arby's (( for the record I love Arby's) Â I wish I could eat the food at Hamburger Mary's but seriously its not worth the calories I find myself and my friends disappointed every time) Â ...Well, now I can continue the joke and change it up with "I am so thirsty, I could drink at Mary's Attic"... Â I would rather drink from the toilet then set foot in that abortion again!
HUGZ!!!
I've always had a really good time at Mary's Attic. Â I wish the drinks were a little stronger (I had four whiskey and cokes before I even felt buzzed) and were served in larger glasses (leaving my friends and the conversation every 10-15 minutes).
The music is really fun and danceable, and seeing people go nuts on the stage can be really entertaining. Â The bartenders are friendly cutie pies and the darts in the back room has the potential to be a blast for you and your friends. Â The women's bathroom is adequate and clean. Â And the random bed by the DJ booth? Â Saucy.
Mary's Attic, expect to see me on Fridays and/or Saturdays from now on, now that a lot of my friends just moved up to Andersonville. Â We'll be the ones singing along to all the songs - ESPECIALLY the soft rock shit.
I must preface this review by stating:
1. Yes, I'm a straight girl who went with another straight friend to Sunday Karaoke Night at a gay bar.
2. I have been to many gay bars in the past and have found them to be welcoming and, well, a blast!
3. A bitch is a bitch, no matter the gender.
A couple of Sundays ago, I had a friend in town who loves karaoke. We decided to scope out the "school night" karaoke scene in Chicago (though this was Labor Day weekend and not technically a school night) and after perusing the slim pickin's came across Mary's. We were excited to read the overall positive reviews.
I don't know what these people have been drinking or smoking, but I want some, because this is up there in my top 10 crappy bar experiences.
First, my friend, the polite southerner, asked a male if she could use the extra book at his table. Apparently this was the only straight dude in the whole place, and his larger than life, puffing hildebeest of a girlfriend assumed my friend was hitting on him. So we got the stink-eye all night from said girlfriend and her entourage of equally frightening, snuffling, and gargantuan buddies.
Second, it took about 3 hours for my friend's name to get called. I do realize it was a busy karaoke night--fine. Understood. We can be patient...under normal circumstances. This fine night, however, we were treated to DJ Axel inserting himself into the line-up every 4 songs, and overall being a bitchy queen to my friend. We even witnessed him moving her name down in the pile.
Third, the crowd. I realize that the venue has no control over the kind of people that patronize it. However, the immediate vibe upon walking in here was that of a high school cafeteria. Both my friend and I are friendly, outgoing, and approachable people. But God forbid we tried to engage strangers in conversation. WTF? We're not trying to convert your man to "our team," nor are we hitting on your girlfriend! Insecure much?
The nicest folks could be found outside smoking, where all cliques dissolved and people magically spoke to one another. This is where Mary's gets a star back. These were the people who cheered for my friend once she got on stage.
I will be back to the actual restaurant because it's delicious. But I am so over the attic and its heterophobia.
So after investigating Cowboy Gay Bar, I decided to go to Mary's Attic.
Maybe it was too early, but the crowd was really small. Â
A perk : I got to sit at a table. Â A non-perk: Everyone sat at a table. Â This made socializing a little tough - people were there with their little groups of friends, and I didn't want to butt in.
It would just be odd to walk up to a table and say "S'up?" or at least in my world it is. Â I had one beer from the bar. Â They have a small bunch of beers on tap.
I like the decor - its kind of all over the place, but isn't any attic's decor a little eclectic? Â
The bathrooms are OK. Â There is one with a painting of a lady in her ruffly dress on the lady's, and one of a very foppish blue-boy esque on the men's room door.
They serve little appetizers and things from the kitchen until midnight, which is kind of cool. Â They also have an extensive cocktail menu.
There were some girls dancing, and they kind of freaked me out. Â They all needed a bath, in my own estimation. Â But then again, I can not hold other's to my own standard of hygeine. Â Unless I'm going to sleep with them, which I wouldn't, because they are girls.
The bar tender was friendly, as was the crowd...but I just didn't feel like staying - so I gulped my drinky and left.
I suggest Mary's Attic if you have a little group of friends you like to socialize with, and don't like talking to other people.
Didn't really appeal to me as a great place to go and just "have a drink."
Oh Mary, how I do like you! Â Please accept my offer for your hand in holy matrimony...
What's not to like about this place? Â There is enough seating around the bar and an extended room with a dart board. Â There are couches and even a bed (for those who want to get comfortable)...
The bartenders here were very attentive and even replaced a friend's drink when he spilled it. Â We ordered the jalapeno poppers and cheese stuffed olives for an appetizer...gotta love fried food when you drink. Â
I like the eclectic atmosphere and I especially like the mixed crowd that frequents the place. Â Mary, "I do!"
This place is truly one-of-a-kind: it's a freakin' purple attic. Â
The drinks are cray-cray strong, yet moderately priced. There's bangin' Â bar eats downstairs, for cheap (good bad food). They help host the Zombie Bar Crawl, and a variety of caberet-style shows throughout the year. (You really should check their event calendar first, and then pick a specific night to go). Â
Added perk: the Clark bus is always running.
The few times I've been here it's always been an exercise in cognitive dissonance. Â The music and atmosphere in general scream "campy club." Â Techno, disco lights, and a random plush bed? Â Perfectly acceptable if that's your scene. Â A crew of mid 30's professionals, mixed gay/straight, standing around tables sipping? Â Also perfectly acceptable if that's your scene. Â The two just don't go together.
I think that says something about the place in general though. Â Anyone is welcome and anything goes. Â There is always room for the group of us to stand around sipping and, when the mood strikes, start up the otherwise non-existent dance floor without turning too many heads. Â A solid choice.
Hmmm. Â You know, I can't decide what my favorite part of this evening was.
Was it the rude bartender? Â I went up to the bar to get drinks for my friend and I, and he was a total dick about getting both of our ID's. Â So I had to walk over to my friend and bring his ID over before I could get served. Â Ok, I can understand carding us, and I might have even been flattered as I am clearly over 21, but there's a difference between being professional about it and being a dick about it. Â Guess which one this guy was? Â Then he was a dick to me for paying with plastic and not wanting to open a tab. Â Um, we were only coming here for one post-dinner drink before heading home, not that it was any of his business. Â Way to make me want to stay for more drinks, though!
Maybe it was the fog machine that went off every 5 minutes. Â Um... Â it's a Tuesday night. Â The crowd in there was clearly there to just kick back and relax, not shake their booties. Â Seriously, lose the fog machine on a night like that.
Oh, and then there was the smoke detector that went off. Â I'm going to assume that it wasn't because of the fog machine, but it was loud and annoying as hell. Â Clearly there was no emergency as there was no evacuation.
The dick bartender was doubling as the DJ, and you know, he was actually playing some good stuff so I will give him credit for that. Â But perhaps he needs to get acquainted with this thing called a playlist, because if he was busy serving drinks there was just dead silence until he could make his way over.
They called last call at 10:50. Â Really? Â Ok, it's a weeknight, I'll give them that. Â But have I mentioned the fog machine? Â Set a different tone for your establishment if you're going to kick everyone out early.
I really liked the chair I was sitting in though, so they get another star for decor.
I'm seriously pissed off that all of the other HM's don't have the clever ideas that Mary's Attic has!!! I love this place.
Mary's Attic is attached, but ABOVE the restraunt so its strictly party in here. There are no waitresses to dance around or people eating and making you jealous with their giant Mary burgers.
Cool Things About Mary's Attic:
- seriously high budget karaoke and a perfect little stage
- nice big bar
- low lighting and great decor
- GAMES!! wii + giant jenga and more
- a random bed (wtf??)
Crappy Thing about Mary's
- Bartenders have been rude to my girlfriend...GrrRRrrr.
Even though this place was a complete (polish) sausage fest, I would certainly be a regular here if it was in my town!!
Overall I have a very mixed opinion on Mary's Attic. I have to say it is a nice place in the neighborhood to go to when my other favorite bar is filled to capacity. Great staff, nice strong drinks (though a bit over-priced), interesting atmosphere, and decent music all make up this space.
Perhaps one of the biggest negative aspects, and a tad bit ridiculous in my opinion, is the fact that they require a $15 minimum for credit cards. Not only that, but the ATM is located on the exterior of the building and in the winter time that proves to be very, very inconveniencing. Personally I think that anyplace that requires a minimum for a credit card in this day and age can't afford to pay the fees associated with said machines and should just go all cash.
Other than that, this bar is a nice escape, especially if I want to stay in the neighborhood.
Cheers!
SO much potential. So cute. Located in the "attic" above Hamburger Mary's, this has all the possibility of being *the* place to meet up on any night of the week, and yet, maybe it's only the times I've been there, but it's consistently not fulfilling and hardly ever filled up.
Their service is not consistent. I've been flat out ignored by bartenders three times I've been there, and treated like a VIP the other two times. I admit I like the special treatment, but would prefer a solid middle ground.
A negative: $15 minimum for charging something to a card and an ATM that is often broken...
Couches, beds, random decorations, and sparkles...all the things a good Mary would love. Â Every time I'm in here I look around expecting Divine herself to make an appearance, but alas...
On occasion, I've felt out of place without a colorful concoction in hand. Â An eclectic mix of people, mostly men, surrounds me and few seem to notice the difference. Â Good thing the bartender doesn't care either way and my glass has been kept full.
The location offers a spectacular view of Clark Street and a good vantage point for people-watching. Â Check it out on a snowy evening, it's worth the stop.
My first time at Mary's Attic I was sharing a drink with my friend and this girl walks over to us and tells us she is exhausted, she crawls under the covers of the bed that sits in the attic, and actually falls asleep. In a bar.
Yes, Mary actually has a bed in her attic, along with other random kitchy objects. Mary must also be an alcoholic because she keeps a lot of booze in her attic.
Overall, a fun place to get drunk and watch things like Gremlins on the TV while yapping with your friends.
So the bald old bear in front of me buys a pretty purple Martini for him and his escort companion.   I want one so I order what I think I heard him order.  "One Poppa Bear Martini  please" , I announced.  The bartender was in total confusion until I pointed to what Big Daddy had ordered.  "Oh you mean the Pom-Berry Martini "(or something like that), and we laughed so hard we cried.
My point is is that  bartender and the rest at Mary's are fun.  The room itself is unique.  The crowd is fun and mixed.  A lot of 30 and 40 something's sucking in their guts, and trying to figure out how they lived in Boystown one minute, and A-ville the next.  Combine that with some younger guys  thinking that "All Over Your Face" never existed before Eminem---oops, I mean Cazwell. Throw in some cool neighbood straighties and  a few well -placed,  fag-hags with huge jugs..  and this place is a party.
I love the harmony of this place!
Was here on a normal Saturday night. Â My friends and I (after having walked past quite a few times) expected more of a dance bar. Â The music here is pure dance music and yet there isn't really a dance floor. Â That was weird to us.
However, the music combined with the chill atmosphere made me really like this place. Â And the drinks we purchased were fairly cheap for a Saturday night in Chicago. Â
We plan to go back and see a drag show. Â And I bet karaoke here would be a hoot to watch.
Mary's Attic holds a bingo night, karaoke night and various cabaret shows throughout the week. Last night a few friends and I went to check out The F*ck It Show. Think gay porn but with PUPPETS! Hilarious. My favorites were Granny and the vagina puppet. Lloyd and Amy were definitely at their best.
I just love this place. It's comfy and cozy. The staff is awesome. The drinks are yummy and the free shots are even better.
Oh and they also serve appetizers from their restaurant downstairs. Perfect for when you have had a tad too much to drink. Did I mention I loved the free shots?
If you haven't checked out Mary's Attic..do it! If you have...do it again!
This bar is so fun. I always have a good time. Extremely eclectic (like the 'hood) crowd - gay/stra8/undecided. Couches for lounging. And hello, Tuesdays is half price drink night! Who wants to go?
I was with 4 friends on a Tuesday, I bought a round, got the receipt, and was like "wait, you only charged me for one drink!" The bartender laughed and said "half price tuesday!" so I tipped him HANDSOMELY. He was my best pal after that, but then - he was charming before.
It is like someone's attic. . . . if you attic has a full bar and a karaoke stage. And drag queens sometimes randomly roaming thru. Who doesnt' want an attic like that!
I REALLY wanted to like this place.
True to form, it looks just like your grandma's attic, if your grandma was a gay man. Â It's got funky antique-ish looking sofas, the requisite disco ball and a bunch of other seats around the bar. Â They're supposed to host karaoke on Wednesday nights at 9, but we left by 10:30 a couple weeks ago, because it still wasn't going. Â
The service was fine, they had some drink specials going and it was a fun space. Â There weren't too many folks there, but if you had a group of people and there were more patrons, this place could be really fun. Â I'm holding out hope that I'll be able to up my rating very soon.
Mary's Attic is the bar upstairs from Hamburger Mary's. I suppose technically they're the same business, but they're completely different experiences. And since Hamburger Mary's has lost some of my love (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/Rs2n1VDDD6pkQqexBAJJ0w">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>), I figured I'd give the Attic a shout-out.
This bar is seriously comfy. The room is big and wide open, with high ceilings and tall windows that look out on Clark Street and Balmoral, below. There's a good sized circular (well, rectangular) bar at one end, with seating on all four sides, so you can usually get a seat at the bar. Scattered around the room are various seating arrangements, with armchairs and tables, if you want to be a little more relaxed. There's even a fourposter bed. I shit you not.
The bartenders are quick and helpful, which is more than I can say for the servers downstairs.
Wednesdays and Sundays are karaoke nights. Sunday is Bingo Karaoke, whatever that means. Karaoke takes place on a stage at one end, which is backed by a red velvet curtain. Hey, the gays do it up right.
This bar is gay, but hosts a very mixed crowd. Part of this may be due to the restaurant downstairs -- I imagine some folks find their way upstairs after dinner. But it's also due to the fact that this is a no-attitude place. Which is one of the things that makes it seriously comfy (see above). Old and young, men and women, gay and straight, all find a home at Mary's Attic.