Elm Street Liquors

Maybe it’s just about controlling expectations. I’d read the reviews. I knew the location. I braced myself for a heinous experience and a funny story to tell afterward. And, then… not so bad.
Granted: I arrived ridiculously early. Seriously. It opened. I walked in. The bouncer barely looked at my id;
Granted: I didn’t have to pay a cover;
Granted: the only people in the bar were my friends so that meant that no matter where I turned, I had good conversation awaiting me and no threat of me *needing* to cut anyone (cuz sometimes? ya need to. trust me);
Granted: there was plenty of room to move around, no competition at the bar and no mass of bodies to absorb the music I was listening to («Kiss you back» will always be welcome in the club);
Granted: I was sipping on sweet tea and cucumber vodkas and mixing them with lemonade and soda water (respectively);
Granted: I left before the place got packed or any of the above materially changed;
Granted all these things, a decently enjoyable evening… especially in light of what could have been. Sorry to all y’all who were roughed up by bouncers, pushed up on by drunks and robbed by thieves. Seriously. That’s awful.

This place is now called «twelve west» either in homage to places with numbers in their title like «studio 54» or because its at 12 w elm.
They have like 50 wines prices reasonably at $ 7.50-$ 10 per glass range which in the gold coast/​rino area is pretty good.
Good live music here.
Since it is next to orgiastic party den known as the hang uppe one of the people over there told me «we are trying to create an environment where people are not having sex in the bathrooms».
nice touch. Point taken. You should always wait till you are in a sanitary area when doing the horizontal mambo :)
Good classy crowd

Oddly, I went last night on a Friday night and it was not too crowded. Music was decent, but don’t expect too much. Décor does the job with dark woods and browns. Drinks are a tad expensive.

I used to go here when it was owned by the same guys who set up Victory Liquors and Empire Liquors and always had a good time. The last time I went however, I did not realize it had apparently been bought out by the guys who ran Spoon, and had a much different experience. It’s been about three years since.
Long boring story short, two guys with their wives manage to get kicked out of a bar in under 3 minutes. My friend’s wife accidently bumped into a girl who appeared to be dating the bouncer, girl got mad, and that was the end of our night there. As I waited at the bar to get back my credit card I laid down for the drink I hadn’t yet received, I was taken out in a chokehold despite showing no aggression or resistance. My throat hurt for a few days. There are more details if you ever want to hear a stupid story.
I try to write this review every 6 – 8 months when I think about it again and it always gets rejected by Unilocal for some reason. I guess they probably think it is just some rant from a drunk who got himself kicked out of a bar and deserved it, but I know what happened. Ask yourself, would a drunk guy who got what he deserved still be bitter enough after 3 years to give a bad Unilocal review?

A great little bar next to Chicago’s favorite late night spot — the Hangge Upppeee.
We threw a little party there, and they set us up with a $ 30 wristband. The bartenders were nice, the bar was basic, but the bar stock was very limited. They don’t have many beers or different liquors, so your options are limited.
Honestly, though, sometimes you just want a place like this to chill out and not be shoulder to shoulder with Chi towns trash.
Overall had an great time here, would definitely think about it again.

Saturday night — post Work Christmas Party — I was ready to whoop it up with the «Kids» of the surgery department. My co-​workers convinced me to head over to Elm Street Liquors where some residents were meeting up. The intermingling of doctors and nurses and techs, oh my!
It was around midnight and there was a steady flow of people going in — but no crazy line. Hurray! This was a good sign. Second positive omen was me getting carded. Third was when my friend had a beer ready for me. The night was improving with every step I took!
The music put us in the mood — a wide variety from R&B, hip hop, 90’s, and even dare-​I-​say, 80’s. This sent me into a mild flashback state which was only exacerbated by some random guys BREAKDANCING only a few feet away from me. I giggled just thinking about my youth and how cool I thought it was to hang out with the Chicago Street Dancers. These guys could be their kids! Yikes…
Anyway, I can’t tell you about the bartenders or waitstaff because a surgery resident kept buying me drinks. I think he was trying to get all McSteamy on me. Uh, no can do, little buddy… I’m no cougar — and besides, I’m management!
The crowd was young — 20 – 30 somethings — getting their drink and dance on. Anyone over 40 was probably home and asleep — which is where I SHOULD HAVE been. ;)
At this point in my life, I’ve patronized a wide variety of drinking establishments. This one is nothing special, but decent enough to hang out with my young friends, enjoy some frosty beverages, and maybe even do a little dancing. Just don’t try to pop n’ lock without stretching first!

I’ve only been here on 2 occasions, and all on a saturday night.
The first time was for a friend’s birthday. That night, I fell in love with Elm Street Liquors because I had a lot of fun there. The DJ played all my favorite music, the prices were reasonable, and there was no cover charge! The crowd was dancing away and just plain having fun. However, it does get a little crowded.
As I try to recreate that time I had so much fun there, I went here again with a friend about a week ago. Needless to say, I was a bit disappointed. The place was empty, and the music wasn’t as good as I remember it being. This doesn’t mean I’m going back though! I like the place and the concept. :)
P. S. The times I’ve been here, they’ve always had Rumble in the Bronx playing.

A 7 and 7 should never cost $ 8. A fifth costs about $ 19. It’s practically well liquor. That automatically puts it in the $ 4-​$ 5 range.

I have not been here since it opened years and years ago. and would not even bother writing this had it not been for the fact that I somehow just got an invite on my facebook to go there.
All I have to say is one thing — beware of what you drink here if it is the same owner… My girlfriend dragged me there after hours b/​c she wanted to meet with him. There was about five of us there. while the owner stepped away, whoever was in the bar poured us the drinks we wanted… When the owner came back he freaked out that I was having a shot of expensive whiskey saying something about how it doesn’t run like sink water, and then he swiped my shot glass (i already took a few sips and he was aware of that), he found the whiskey bottle, and yes he poured it back into the bottle! I could never step foot in there again after seeing that.
Sorry for the poor review. I do not like writing bad reviews. It just had to be said.

I went here on a Saturday night.
There was a birthday going on, open bar package $ 25 til 1. I didn’t get it but now I wish I had.
Yay!
— awesome music
— no cover
— nice location
Boo!
— expensive drinks
— no parking (valet $ 12)
— can get really packed and not the biggest bar

I am VERY torn on how to rate this place! I’m going to say 2.5 stars. I liked the look of the place. Minimalist, concrete floors, and bars. The place was dark but not so dark you couldn’t see your feet which was nice. There’s a sizeable dance floors in the back and some leather benches.
Here’s where the irritation comes in. A week or so before, we were at a special event at Spoon and the DJ was awesome! He played anything and everything under the sun and about 5 minutes after you requested it, so my friend asked where he usually DJs and he said Elm Street Liquors. My friend decided that a good DJ was a priority, so she scheduled her party at Elm St.
As the night went on we tried to request some songs, specifically rap and the DJ said the management wouldn’t let him play that stuff, especially not that early (it was midnight). He continued to play stale 90s stuff that you hear all the time. I was very tempted to give the manager a piece of my mind for his opinions, which in my mind scream the R word. Later on, a girl ended up puking right on me and my friends feet (in the middle of the dance floor!)
I can’t say I’d never go back but I’m definitely hesitant.

I should have written this months ago. I apologize for not doing so.
Back in the autumn, I was walking north on Dearborn. I heard my name being called by my friend Johnny. He was with a friend who knew the owners of Elm St. Liquors. I told him the story… see my previous review.
Anywho, Johnny’s friend Sanjay knew the owners of Elm. He went to high school with the brothers I told him my experience. and he was pretty upset. He got in touch with me and so did the owners. I was invited to have drinks and a conversation about what happened. I was treated to a few drinks and apologies. More than I expected.
I was very impressed at how the owners reconciled this matter.

No line/​no cover on a Saturday night = :)
Mean bartender girl = :(

Elm Street Liquors was our first destination and the start point of a most glorious adventure. Walking from McGlurgg, our motley crew was already hooched up, Jaegermeister streaming through our veins. Our eyes glazed, we stumbled into a place where our tour guides ominously said this was Viagra Triangle.
I am a fan of sketchy people. They add the dilution in a waterhole. You can’t just have polite social drinkers around. Creepers, lurkers and old peepers come with the territory; i totally understand. I do not judge. I am not quite on the end of that spectrum but I am pretty belligerent. I drink for the next adventure… my bones ache for it. Add in a mix of your closest cronies and you might as well put on your coonskin caps.
Anyways, we took shot after shot after shot. I budgeted my Chicago trip, but I blew like 2 bills there, which was half of my 3 day budget. If that is the price for fun tho, so be it. Our bartender was very nice. She kept on giving us free shots as we bought an insane amount. I wanted to get our tour guide friends aka law students and med students fucked up, because it has been so long since the have seen the bright side of life. I have to put this in caps too: THEY SELL FUCKEN 40s. I thought i was in a dream, rubbing my eyes when I saw the paper bag being passed from bartender to client. It was like some beacon of light that would burn my corneas. It was too glorious.
I have to add an extra star to the man who was sitting by himself at his table and would periodically rise to dance, looking at himself in a mirror. I guess he was perfecting his slaying techniques. I hope to be half the man he is someday.
Another star would go to the man who dishes out napkins in the bathroom. I caught him slacking on his job, shaking his rump in the halls, and he profusely apologized. I told him to not apologize for living and he grinned and offered me as much gum and mints as I wanted. If i can impart some knowledge on you, never apologize for living.
I would deduct a star for the 50+ year old butch who keeps giving me titty twisters and mauling me, however, like I said, a bar isn’t one without these type of folk.
Thank you Elm Street Liquors for spawning upon us a ridiculous piss-​filled, tweaking night, sluttish night.

I feel like I’m at Elm Street alllll the time! Definitely my regular weekend spot. It’s kinda tucked away and while you expect it to be crappy inside, it’s pretty nice. If you come early enough, it has a nice quiet lounge feel with candles and comfy chairs. I’d definitely get there before 10:30 to snag a table, it can get really packed after that. The djs are awesome and the dance floor is definitely the highlight.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been here for bachelorette parties and had an awesome time. They have decently priced bottles, I think we had champagne last time, and they reserved us a great table next to the dance floor. The staff is extremely nice and helpful and is one the reasons I keep coming back. Elm Street is definitely worth checking out… it’ll probably be your favorite weekend hang out too. You’re welcome :)

Two things you must know about me:
(1) I love to dance, or shake my groove thang, yeah yeah, if you will; and
(2) I hate to pay cover. (Seriously.)
Good news kids, you can come to Elm Street and do BOTH. As my friend likes to put it, this place is kind of like a «dive-​bar club». It’s dark, there are NO TVs and people are dancing.
Viagara Triangle? Sure. Lotsa drunks? Of course, you’re at a bar, that’s inevitable. But I have a lovely time the few times I’ve been here (perhaps it’s because I am always with my fabulous friends who are like portable fun machines*) and there is NO COVER.
Bartenders are friendly and darling and drinks are strong enough to leave an impression. I mean, come on, otherwise there would be no drunk people at which to be annoyed. ;)
If you’re lucky, you might get to see a picture of the bathroom attendant’s baby on her cell phone.
Go here. Bring your portable fun machine friends.** Shake it.
*You know who you are. You rock.
**If you don’t have friends that meet this criterion, secure some. Life is so much better with ‘em.

If I would have rated this in summer 2007 I would have given it 4 stars, but I tink since that time they have come under some new ownership or something.
There is this complete ass clown that stands outside telling people they can’t come in because there are not enough girls inside or it is just too crowded, but when you look inside you can tell it is not as crowded as he makes it out to be. They don’t charge a cover, which is great, but when you walk inside, by the time you make it to the end of the bar you will be wearing a different variety of drinks on your clothes.
Everyone is usually walking around with a 40 of Mickey’s in their hand sporting a brown paper bag. I have no idea how much the drinks cost because either someone has bought the drink for me and when I attempt to get a drink I can never get to the bar because of all the liquor spilling patrons standing in my way not wanting to let me through.
This used to be a pretty decent place but now I gotta give it a thumbs down.

Elm St Liqour. What to say about a place where the BEST thing about it is free cover. This place is the worst of all the Liquor bars. It’s like a magnet for drunk crappy human beings. The entrance is a long corridor filled with people humping one another while the «dance floor» is covered in people bumping in to one another spilling drinks and having seizure. i mean dancing.
My friend, whose review is below, got into a fight with an especially huge ass, in which case she had to yell «step the hell off» before we almost had a physical fight. Also, her camera was stolen.
Overall, this place is totally heinous. Never go there, unless you want to relive your worst nightmare.

Elm Street Liqours. Or should I say Douche Bag Central. I went here on a Saturday night looking for good music & drinks with a couple of friends. The bar itself is just too small overall for the amount of people they try to pack in there. As the night progressed, it became impossible to squeeze yourself through the mass of undeniably underage people. The drinks are reasonably priced for the Viagra Triangle, and by that I mean overpriced. After fighting to get through the crowd, and then fighting again for a place at the bar, I had to order 2 drinks just so I could avoid the experience again!
Speaking of fighting, the guys in there were so high in douche-​baggedness that my friend almost got into a physical fight with one! An underage D Bag was bumping her repeatedly from behind and did not seem to notice the murderous looks she shot his way. This prompted her to say «Step the f*** off!» which he slurred back with «Thisssis soo not necessary.» Fortunately, we were able to separate them and avoid a physical altercation. Not only that but my same friend had her digital camera stolen there, right out of her purse!
If it’s not D-​Bags, it’s T-​Pain look-​a-​likes and 65 year old Thirst McGirsts. As for the females, can someone please tell me when the Hooker Look came back into style? Spandex pants are not cute, and neither is wearing a see through white dress with a white lace thong underneath. I know you are underage but please have some dignity!!!
Needless to say, I will not be coming back here, and unless you want to have a crappy ass night… I advise you to stay away too!!!

This is the best of the «Liquors» bars. Which doesn’t say much. Go there if you have ‘upscale’ friends and want a decent compromise between a bar, lounge and a club.
Best part of the bar… «Hang-​ups» is next door.