The Diag

Hosted my boyfriend and I’s combined birthday celebration here and had a blast! Mikaela made it super easy to reserve a table for 15 right by the patio which was super nice. She was very easy to communicate with and was even at the bar that night to greet us! The bar itself was nice and spacious and has a beautiful patio. They also have big Jenga, which we definitely took advantage of! Overall great experience

This is the best bar in the United States. From Door guy to bartenders everybody is super friendly. Patio space is massive. tvs outside. UNREAL place to watch any type of early morning sporting event. Saw US hockey team play there and it was insane. Packed full of patriots.

I am extremely disappointed with my experience last Saturday at Diag. I went to lunch around 2pm with 5 of my friends, all from the neighborhood that Diag is located in. We sat down at a table that was 3 tables in one. We asked our Waitress, Kelsey, if we can take out one of the tables so that we weren’t so spread out. Her reply was «No, it won’t be in my section then.» We thought that was rude but continued to review the menu and placed drink orders. Kelsey came back with our drinks and spilled a 22 Ounce beer ALL OVER ME. She didn’t apologize at all and instead said «Shit, shit, shit, shit. Let me grab a towel.» I had to go home to change and switch my contacts because the beer got into my eyes. While I was gone, she went to check on the table and put my drink and my boyfriends (who walked me home) out in 90 degree weather we we weren’t there. She also asked the remaining group «Are you guys going to place a food order??» They replied letting her know they would, however, wanted to wait for my boyfriend and I to get back. She rolled her eyes and walked away. When I got back I walked passed her and her only words to me were «Oh welcome back.» No apology, no explanation, no anything. I am not one to complain much, actually this is my first negative review, however she went above and beyond to be SO MEAN and DISRESPECTFUL to our group when we did nothing to her. We then asked for her manager, which I do not have his name however he is a light-​skinned, skinny black male with glasses for those who want to follow up with this review. We proceeded to tell him about our experience and informed him we would like to leave and go somewhere else. He responded stating «Let’s not jump to conclusions, I am sure there is an underlining issue to why she is treating you like this.» I was in complete SHOCK that a manager would respond in such an unprofessional, immature way. We had enough of this place and ended up paying $ 26 for nothing other than being treated horribly. As I said in the beginning, we are residents of this neighborhood and will NOT be coming back and I will advise all of my neighbors about this experience as well. Highly disappointed in the workers at Diag, truly the worst restaurant experience.

One of my favorite places. The manager Anthony and server Jenessa are AMAZING. I feel like family every time I come here because of those two. I usually come here on Monday for trivia, but find myself coming here on other days of because of how friendly the staff is. After a long day at work it’s great to relax with a fat pour of delicious craft beer and some of the best boneless wings in the city.

This is a great University of Michigan bar. Worked with Mikaela to put together food/​drink packages for a medium-​sized group (30+ people). She was great in terms of communication and flexibility. Definitely recommend as an option for putting together a semi-​private or private event. Go Blue!

We came to enjoy the patio and have some drinks. We sat at the outdoor bar. The bartender brought menus for my friend and I, but completely ignored my husband.
I ordered a beer for him and she and I each ordered a tequila mule.
The tequila mules were terrible, like plastic corked wine. We clearly weren’t enjoying our drinks but were ignored for 25 minutes. Finally we got her attention and ordered a different drink. She took the order, ignored the fact that our drinks were basically untouched and went back to ignoring us. After another 10 minutes we decided it wasn’t worth waiting, got her attention and asked to cancel the order and cash out… Drinks still full. She charged us for all the drinks and went about her business. Meanwhile, whilst I sit here reviewing her really terrible service she is continuously giving us the side eye. This lady has got to go.
It’s too bad. It’s a neighborhood bar with an amazing patio… we had high hopes.

Absolutely love this place! I live down the street and feel like home walking in here. Staff is super friendly, food is phenomenal and service is great. If you get the opportunity, talk to AK at the bar. Most friendly bar tender around.

My wife and I love this place. They have some great specials — half price salads/​wraps and $ 5 house wine on Wednesdays, for example — and great service. The outdoor patio makes it a go-​to destination during the warmer months, it’s one of the best patios there is. Plenty of tvs, and free popcorn if that’s your thing.

I was looking for a place in Lakeview to have my best friend’s 30^th birthday. I emailed Diag and got a prompt response from Mikaela. I emailed back and forth with her for a few weeks and the day arrived for the party. Not only were the tables reserved with personalized happy birthday signs, but someone greeted us right away and offered to take the cake to the kitchen. We had our own waitress, who was fantastic, and the music they played that night was great! Mikaela was super friendly and checked in a few times to make sure everything was going well. They brought out the cake with candles to sing happy birthday and even cut and served it for us. I was so impressed with the service and attention to detail. Thank you, Mikaela, and to all of the Diag colleagues! Everything was perfect!

I wish I could rate this place higher. It has a great ambiance and is a great sports bar. The problem is that they like to pull their weekly specials every time there is something happening in Chicago sports (which is actually quite frequently).
To management — If you choose to publicize weekly specials, it’s now an expectation, and it’s your responsibility to follow through regardless of the health of Chicago sports.

Diag is your standard sports bar in Chicago. There’s nothing that puts this place head and shoulders above the rest.
Pros: Their brewery of the month deal offers a $ 5 pint, which is a pretty good deal, and their happy hour specials on food and drinks are decent as well.
Cons: Service is pretty slow, even during off-​peak hours. At one point during our last visit, I thought that our server had either gone home or forgotten about us, as my water glass was never refilled and I didn’t get a chance to order another beer before I had finished my meal. The food is somewhat bland as well. Their signature grilled cheese felt like it was missing something to really put it over the top in my book.
As I’m not a Michigan fan, I doubt that I’ll go to this place during a game, but I’ve walked by and it seems like a pretty popular hangout while their football or basketball teams are playing.

This is one of my favorite places to go for Hawks games. The crowd is good, the food is good, and drinks are reasonably priced. I recently planned my boyfriend’s birthday here, and I was so pleased with how everything turned out. I worked with Elaine (who is now over at Woodie’s in Old Town) and Mikaela, who were AWESOME. I can’t tell you how many times I emailed them back and forth with questions and changes to the party, and each time they were very accommodating, and thankfully, not annoyed with me.
They offered several drink packages, and I was able to reserve tables with no problem. On the night of the party, The tables had the birthday boy’s name on them, they gave him a fun little t-​shirt and sharpie for friends to scribble over, and even threw in a skillet cookie. Service from our server was also great. Also love the free popcorn! I would recommend this bar for anyone planning a casual birthday or event!

Great if you’re a Michigan fan in to watch the game, otherwise it’s your standard bar.

The Diag has great food and service! We go here about every Monday for trivia night and are never disappointed. Janessa and Anthony are amazing! Don’t miss out on the wings and the beer of the month!

My friends and I gather at The Diag every Monday night for trivia and wings. The staff is always extremely friendly and greet us as if we are their old friends, especially Janessa and Anthony. It’s refreshing after a long day of dealing with my own customers. They offer boneless, traditional, and grilled wings. Try the Detroit hot and/​or the buffalo sauces. If you aren’t in the mood for wings try their pretzels or nachos.

This review isn’t related to sports games, etc., but I have two comments on the Thursday night specials which, according to their website are $ 5 burgers and $ 4 drafts.
First, my group asked which was the $ 5 burger and the bartender said it was the «classic.» There is no plain classic but there is a «classic cheeseburger» on the menu. We both ordered that and when we got our bill, we were charged extra for cheese. This was confusing, why is the cheese extra on a cheeseburger? Or if a simple hamburger was $ 5 and cheese was extra, why not tell us?
Also, the website says $ 4 drafts on Thursdays, but the bartender told me there were $ 7 «tall pours.» It turns out both were true (after we asked about the $ 4 special), but «tall pours» are 22oz vs. 16oz regular drafts, so that tall pours are actually more expensive per ounce, so I was a little misled when it was suggested I get a tall pour.
I guess my point here is that the specials are (perhaps deliberately) misleading. Why not be clear about what’s going on? There are a zillion specials on Thursday in Lakeview and they’re all super simple. «$ 2 tacos,» «half price appetizers,» you can find them anywhere and they’re spelled out clearly. I guess I just don’t understand why there were two reasons for me to be confused when there should be zero.

This place rocks if only because they play awesome music during TV timeouts for Hawks games! Went there with 10 teenage cousins and 4 adults over the holidays — had to find a place that wasn’t going to cost us big money to feed these kids dinner. We went on a night with $ 2 tacos. The tacos were decent — we ate them out of all their tortillas toward the end of the night :) However, they lose a star for their pizza — it was terrible. We ordered a couple pizzas — cheese, pepperoni and sausage. The kids said it was barely edible… and these are kids who will eat Little Caesars, so, that’s saying a lot. Waitstaff was good, and the Hawks won!

When my boyfriend and I first moved into the neighborhood we knew we needed to find «our place» and Diag was right there. I can say we have been drawn to Diag on a day where we don’t feel like cooking or just need drink after a long day. The food is top-​notch, try the B.L.A.S.T salad/​wrap — it’s delicious in either form. Along with the burgers, Bavarian pretzels, tacos, and pretty much specials during the week — Diag is a great place. However, if you are not a Michigan fan (which sorry I’m not) I would avoid on game days — place is insane BUT if you are a Michigan the get over to Diag on game days. Over all, you need to check out The Diag at least once but you should probably go more :)

It’s a Michigan bar so of course it gets 5 stars… GO BLUE! Haha, just kidding… this place truly earned it’s 5 stars just like any other place!
So yeah, it’s a U of M bar and it’s full of life during games. Situated in a great neighborhood and the parking actually isn’t too bad. They have two large indoor bar areas, a back seating area, and a huge heated patio. This place is a mini «big house» where you can cheer on Michigan with a couple hundred of your closest friends ;) !
Even during a busy game the staff was pretty attentive and super friendly. Tv’s are all over in every direction so there’s not such thing as a bad place to sit or stand here. The crowd is great — filled with families, friends, younger people, older people — etc. A great mix. The food was delicious and my favorite part. I had the grilled chicken sandwhich — holy cow this was so good. Everyone else at the table raved about their meal choices as well. I would come back here outside of viewing games just to get a great meal. The prices were pretty good and they had great drink deals and selections as well.
It’s the perfect Chicago bar with the heart of a wolverine! Check it out next time you want to watch some footbaugh!

one of best burgers I’ve had.
I actually haven’t been in the bar/​restaurant but ordered the food from their wine bar next door, which is nice.

Great place to catch a game, many tv’s and the menu has a great mix of drinks and food for anyone. Service was extremely fast… definitely a great neighborhood bar!

Driving through the area, my attention was immediately caught by all of the University of Michigan flags on this building. A Michigan bar in the middle of Chicago? Could this be heaven?!
Of course I talked my mother into stopping in here to watch the first half of some NFL games on a Sunday afternoon. I didn’t need to be convinced to come inside– a Michigan bar PLUS the October beer of the month was Schlafly (a personal favorite).
As we walked in, we were greeted by a man who carded me which I appreciate that in a bar. It was good to know that while we were in here we weren’t going to be surrounded by a younger crowd. We sat at the bar, but there were plenty of tables inside as well as on their patio where they have more TVs and some heaters as well. The bartender gave us menus and greeted us quickly. He was super personable and was more than willing to let us sample any of the beers we hadn’t heard of.
There are varying drink specials every day of the week, noted on a chalkboard on one of the walls. All of them seemed pretty good compared to the lack of drink specials I’m used to seeing.
We split an order of their nachos and oh my goodness. These were incredible. It was about an 8×14 pan full of chips smothered in cheeses, beans, jalapenos, and more. We certainly didn’t need this amount of food but it was great for snacking on throughout watching football. The chips appeared to be baked in an oven after all of the toppings were added and I think that was the perfect touch.
As far as watching sports here goes, it couldn’t have been better for an NFL afternoon. Being in Chicago, the Bears were on a majority of the televisions. However we and some other people were there to watch other games which they were more than happy to put on a tv or two around the bar. I believe they had every one o’clock game on at least one screen.
I loved this place and the only downside to it is the fact that it’s Chicago and I am not. If I’m ever back in the area, especially when a Michigan game is on, I’ll definitely be back!

I live across the street which is very dangerous and tempting. They have happy hour from 5pm — 7pm where their beer of the month is $ 2 a pint. It’s fantastic.
Each day also has daily specials and the food has never steered me wrong. The tacos are seasoned well but I wish they used two corn tortillas instead of one. The Big Onion Burger is also great and the burger was cooked how I asked (Some places really mess this up I feel like). The mac and cheese also has bread crumbs with it which to me signifies that they put in effort to make bar food good.
Because I live so close and because the food is good, I’m here often and the staff is so friendly. I’ve watched them interact with other customers as well and I have never seen anyone leave unhappy. They hire good people.
My only hesitation from a 5 star review is that the prices are high for the food you’re getting when you don’t order daily specials. Other than that, overall great place.

We’re starting to become regulars. The $ 5 burger (Thursdays) is a good burger. On other nights, the flatbreads — you have to ask for that menu — are excellent. The drinks are a decent pour. The staff is exceptionally friendly.
We make a point of not going if there’s a big game happening or some Michigan related event; that’s when the bar seems crazy busy and noisy. Other times, it’s a nice neighborhood bar/​pub where they recognize you on your second visit and treat you well.

This is hands down my favorite local bar when I want to just relax, watch games, and hang out with friends. Diag has a great patio out back to enjoy when it’s actually nice out in chicago. My friends and I all live close so our group tends to meet here a lot.
Late night music — They have the BEST music if you’re into late 80s, 90s and early 2000 — I’m talking Whitney, BSB, Ludacris, Britney, Nelly… seriously feels like I’m back in high school so no complaints here!
The menu — beer list is very extensive and they always have seasonals thrown in there. The food is the best bar food! Nachos are perfect for a group and never disappoint. Other memorable items are the spinach dip, pretzels, burgers, onion rings and skillet cookie.
Service — bouncers are extremely friendly every time I’ve been here. The bartenders are great too and quick. For the most part, the waitresses are really good. Only can remember a couple times I was here where service was a little slow.
Overall, Diag can’t be beat when you’re looking for a fun spot to hang out, enjoy some games and hopefully join in the late night dance parties (future apologies if my friends and I annoy you with our singalong to the soundtrack of our lives ;)).

They sell Shiner beer here that in itself is WINNING!!!
Came here for a birthday and the place was popping. I love the music videos and the music choices. They kept it old school which is awesome. There was a group of girls who started a limbo line which is so fun! I like the outdoor patio just wish it was bigger. It was a gorgeous night, but we had to sit inside bc the patio was full. I’ll be back again for sure.

Good neighborhood bar with lots of seating, mirroring bars, big outdoor patio and great service. Beer selection is very average, green line, stella, etc. The crowd can get a little rowdy at night, but the place is big enough to escape it. Definitely loader than the average bar, giving it kind of a wrigleyville-​feel.
Although it’s technically a Michigan bar, you wouldn’t know besides the name and the random paraphernalia on the wall. As a Michigan alum myself, and knowing there are a ton of us in the area, it seems like they could do more to pull in our crowd– and their neon lights, pop music videos, and loud music is not really it…
Good, fast, and friendly service that it definitely used to catering to large crowds makes it an easy cheap place to get a drink.

This is my favorite local watering hole. I work in the neighborhood and come here with my friends quite regularly. They have great daily food and drink specials, my favorite is half priced apps on Fridays. Get the pretzel app and order their beer of the month, you’re welcome.
If you’re looking for a fun atmosphere to watch the game then this place hits the spot too. The bartenders are cool and will put just about any game on you ask. The best part about this place though has to be the patio. They have plenty of tables and a big bar out back, it’s great on summer nights.

I really love this spot. It’s the perfect sports bar, in a great location, with phenomenal food and drink specials. What more can you ask for?
I’m a huge fan of their patio; it’s well-​kept, tons of TVs, and has heat lamps if necessary (shout out to Adam with the awesome ponytail for graciously bringing one out to us and subsequently relighting it each time gusts of wind blew it out… you seriously rock! Fave server there hands down!)
Order the burger and fries – just do it. I consider myself a total burger connoisseur and this is a good one. Whoever your chef is, Diag, don’t ever let him/​her go! Perfect amount of char and juciness with a really flavorful bun. The tacos and skillet cookie are on point too; I’ve never had a disappointing meal here at all.
You can’t go wrong with the wide array of drink specials on any given night, particularly Thursdays – margaritas and coronitas (a marg with a Corona in it) for DAYS and for cheap.
I highly recommend checking out Diag if you’re on the hunt for some great food, a fun night, and a ton of great drinks!

one to add to the regulars…
not sure what took us so long to visit this place as we’ve lived in the ‘hood on/​off for years.
the beer garden (equipped with wide screen) and their ½ price app fridays? — that combo can’t be beat.
i’m a nacho fiend, unfortunately ;), and the cheese they use on their enormous helping of nachos is the ‘good stuff’ — none of that out of a can fluorescent stuff.
service was great at first and then kinda died off but willing to look passed that and come back for more. hopefully everything else stays consistent.

I really want to like this place because it has potential, but after 2 visits, I can only give a 2.5 star review.
The service is ok– I’ve certainly had worse and this isn’t that bad, but the servers seem stretched a little thin, or just not capable of handling the number of tables in their sections. Our waitress on this last visit came outside (to the patio) 3 times to wait on other tables and didn’t bother making the detour to check on us while she was in the area.
The drinks specials are a joke. Don’t get me wrong– the prices are right, but you get what you pay for. I still refer to this place as «the worst mimosa I’ve ever had,» and I don’t know how many times I asked for a lemon with my vodka soda before whoever made it realized lemons were the yellow ones. The food is ok. Nothing special, nothing terrible.
What really kills it for me is this place is somehow bro-​ski central of Southport. I don’t know what is up with college kids flocking here because it’s not really close to any of the college campuses, but there are always an overabundance of douchey dudes and their annoying sorority girl counterparts here. I’m too old to even find it amusing anymore.

Went to Diag the other night to catch the Blackhawks game. My friends and I had a table out on the patio, which was sort of a bad move on our part since it got a bit cooler outside once the sun went down. They were kind enough to put a heat lamp near our table (but didn’t set up any of the other heat lamps for some reason…), but some BRO next to us kept moving it towards his table so he could keep warm. Really, dude? Man up.
I was disappointed to learn that they weren’t able to play sound for the game out on the patio due to some neighborhood ordinance. I understood it — but it was still a bummer. We had a wall of four screens right behind our table, so at least we had a good view of the action.
Service…woof. I don’t remember our server’s name, but she had jet black hair and was wearing some kind of body suit. She seemed to have a bad attitude towards us the whole night, and she didn’t come around to our table very often. The patio was very busy for the game, but I feel like good service should be a standard no matter what the circumstance is. She was visibly flustered towards the end of the game, and when we asked for our tab she scolded us and told us we would have to wait since she was dealing with so many other people at that time. Also, maybe it’s just me, but I hate being called «honey» by basically anyone and everyone. It just felt like she was being a little condescending.
The food was pretty decent, so I might return on a night that might be more low-​key there. But as for my first experience at Diag, the service really killed the whole night for me — and the fact that I was surrounded by people who were acting like they had just tasted beer for the very first time.

As a local in the neighborhood and a frequent patron of the Diag, this review is long overdue. I love the Big Onion Tavern group and I’m so glad they bought this space — they did an amazing job transitioning from Jack’s to Diag several years ago.
The patio during the summer simply cannot be beat, especially with the TVs on every possible wall. The staff and people have always kept me coming back to the Diag — it’s a little more laid back than The Crossing down the street, and to be frank, a lot less douchey. Also, the food here is always spot on — my favs are the nachos, fish tacos, and all of their salads.
Last year I had my birthday party at the Diag and worked with Kim, their event planner. She couldn’t have made it easier for me to reserve tables, which was especially nice since it was during a Blackhawks playoff game. In comparison, the Crossing told me I could reserve tables until I mentioned it was a Hawks game — then they told me it was first come, first served. Kim was a pleasure to work with and even brought me out a fishbowl and shots for my birthday. She is a gem!
Unfortunately, recently I’ve been very disappointed in the service. I was there this weekend for the Hawks game and it took over 30 minutes for our waitress (the one with the shaved head) to even come to our table. We were there very early when it wasn’t too busy, so I was suprised at the slow service. We eventually just ended up ordering drinks from the bar for faster/​better service. Additionally, she seemed to have an attitude the whole night and yelled at us when we asked for our checks.
For that reason, I have to give the Diag 3 stars for now. Service is a huge reflection of the management and while they have some great staff in the management and bartending areas, the servers seem to be lacking lately. I hope it gets better soon!

The service here is SO AWFUL. The bartender was just playing on her phone behind the bar. And the manager was just standing there watching her. Regardless of taking like literally 20 minutes to get drinks (for reference, we had already finished our appetizers) our server was no where to be found pretty much the whole time.
This place needs someone to give there servers and bartenders and wake up call, because that’s just ridiculous the manager isn’t doing his job.

I have been here several times, and have always been treated wonderful by the staff. Inside has a very warm an cozy feel to it, and also a nice sports bar. Last summer when their beer garden was open, again I was impressed. They have a good food menu and would suggest going to Diag.