With summer underway and many looking for a great spot for a night out, a recent list from Esquire aimed to single out the 15 best bars in the United States – and one Chicago watering hole made the cut.
The list, which aims to highlight places where “you can loosen up and be yourself,” highlights establishments from across the country capturing a variety of settings and atmospheres.
The publication specifies that the list is not meant to be one judging which bar has the finest and most unique cocktails, crafting the list by asking writers, “Where do you go for a drink when the world’s giving you the blues?”
The unranked list included one Chicago representative, Lake View tavern Schubas, located at 3159 N. Southport Ave.
Hailed for its unmistakably Chicago atmosphere that features a mahogany bar, tin ceiling and scattered tables throughout, Schubas also has a small concert venue that has hosted artists such as Jeff Tweedy of Wilco and The National.
The bar’s simplicity and central location have made it a staple of the neighborhood for years, with its history traced back to storefront bars with attached breweries during the prohibition era.
In addition to being the lone representative from Chicago, Schubas was also the only bar from the Midwest to make the list.
New York City, Los Angeles and New Orleans led the way with two inclusions each, while establishments in some smaller cities such as Missoula, Montana and Catskill, New York also gained recognition.
The full list can be found here.
