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Whether strolling past a remaining piece of the Berlin Wall within the Western Brown Line or sampling a wide variety of Polish delicacies at Gene’s Sausage Shop & Delicatessen, the neighborhood of Lincoln Square will casually remind you of its robust European heritage. Exploring Lincoln Square by day or night will offer you substantial points of interest, especially a unique collection of bars.

Huettenbar

© Marc Heiden/WikiCommons
© Marc Heiden/WikiCommons
One of a number of German pubs in the commercial heart of Lincoln Square, Huettenbar offers a perfect blend of inexpensive German beers and a warm, friendly atmosphere. The Bavarian sense of authenticity and community is unlike anything you’ll experience in North Chicago. You may experience some hidden side effects after a night out here, such as new friends and a few German words up your sleeve.

Chicago Brauhaus

Pub, Restaurant, German

Chicago Brauhaus is a prime spot for a daily serving of Oktoberfest in Chicago, offering a remarkable trifecta of German beer, cuisine, and live music every week. This pub serves as one of the curators of Chicago’s annual German-American Festival. With a few beer boots in your system, you’ll feel as if you’re celebrating the end of a workweek hustle right in the heart of Germany.

Carola’s Hansa Clipper

Bar, Wine, German, American

Carola’s Hansa Clipper captures the German flair while maintaining the appeal of a bare-bones dive bar. This bar encapsulates an age-old sense of warmth and familiarity. Lincoln Square simultaneously offers the extremes of old and new on nearly every corner, and this bar is no stranger to this.

The Sixth

Cocktail Bar, American, Cocktails

The Sixth is a relatively high-end bar with a contemporary, relaxed ambiance. It offers a wide variety of whimsy cocktails, such as a Trix cereal inspired concoction named ‘Silly Rabbit’. A lengthy wait is only natural as word of these alcoholic works of art spread beyond Lincoln Square.

The Grafton Pub & Grill

Pub, Irish, Pub Grub, Wine, Cocktails, Beer

Standing beside the Old Town School of Folk Music, The Grafton Pub & Grill is a humble pub with a cozy fireplace and live Irish folk jams every Sunday. The pub offers a delicious variety of burgers and over ninety types of whiskey from around the world. Surrounded by accessible parking and located south of the Western Brown Line, The Grafton Pub & Grill will serve your best interests as a foodie or beer and spirits enthusiast.

Big Joe's 2 & 6 Pub

Pub, Beer, Pub Grub

Big Joe’s, two disparate words prevail: turtle racing. Competitors are drawn from raffle tickets through each pitcher of beer purchased during the course of the night. There are rules, it gets rowdy, and the turtles always remain unfazed. The turtles are under constant supervision and are never in any danger. For the beer lover and aspiring turtle racer out there, you may want to test your patience before heading over.

About the author

Matthew Iammarino is a DePaul alumnus, film enthusiast, writer, and fighter for all suburbanites, topped with an affinity for travel and, admittedly, the city life. When he’s not writing for The Culture Trip, he is either “attempting” to write the next nine-figure blockbuster or hanging with friends at the bar that everyone overlooks. You can catch his film/humor blog at absolutefilmstuff.com.

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