The Drunken Bean Coffee & Wine Bar — Restaurant in Chicago

We visited often during the time we lived in the lovely neighorhood of Lakeshore East. Drunken Bean was one of the the first enticing places we encountered during the wonderful years we spent there. It was a lasting first impression that brought us to that little gem of a neighborhood months before affirmatively deciding we had to go live there. Drunken Bean remained a staple & like most things in Life we get accustomed to it. However, we never took it for granted. Whether a nice evening out to listen to some jazz or music (pre-Covid) or a summer walk with a gelato in hand, or a hot summer day and slushy in the park, a fall back good dinner after a long day of work, a tasty anytime tea, the best meeting spot, or a perfect morning coffee, it was always there. It hit us the hardest, the last night we lived out there because we were very tired & hungry in the move-process, all was packed in boxes, & we headed over to the Drunken Bean. That's when it really sank in and we appreciated the fact that we could just head over to the Drunken Bean and relax. We feasted on their delicious Greek menu, toasted to a most beautiful part of our lives with a glass of wine & a beer, had a meaningful & soul-filling conversation with our server & cook over the changes that we all had witnessed during the pandemic & all we lived about that area. We talked about us moving & the bittersweet feelings that we were experiencing. It was a magical night heightened by the great food, deeply nourishing, satisfying, relaxing & lots of nostalgia of that sweet space, the Drunken Bean. It was the topper, on the Christmas tree, of all those days rolled over into the years that we enjoyed on every visit! That last night they sent us home with some Mexican coffee (on the house) for dessert & we walked through the glistening lights & park as we left the Drunken Bean, even as I finally get around to writing this review almost 1 month later- TRULY, one of the Best Places ever to be served by- for body, mind & soul! Thank you Drunken Bean, we'll always be back to visit whenever we're in town. You were more than a place fir good eats & drink. You were a part of our lives & we're certain you are for many with the good fortune of living in...

Usually a regular on a week night when it’s not busy. Have been treated poorly when I tried coming on weekends. If I sit at the bar and you have three people working, it should not take more than 15 minutes of sitting there to even acknowledge me. It may take longer, I’m not sure because I didn’t stay to find out.

This is the second Saturday I’ve had to walk out without being served. You don’t get another chance. If you can afford to lose more customers feel free to ignore this review.

Today three people walked in after I did and were served before me. How is this normal? How can your server (the non-red head) give the person next to me a pastry, ask him if he wants another drink (he didn’t), listen to him for another minute in casual conversation and then ignore me and walk all the way around to the register for a couple that had just walked in while she was talking to him and ignore me?

How can the two people you have working behind the bar engage in conversation with one another without checking on new customers?

Train your servers properly or lose more customers. Or if your business is doing fine, feel free to...

Firstly, let me just say that im SO ecstatic that i stumbled upon this hidden gem! Its kinda tucked away but well worth the find. And as soon as I looked inside, I suddenly got cozy jazzy vibes, from the warm lighting to the nostalgic music, and the unique seating. I was immediately drawn in. And we got there while happy hour was going on. WINNING! That was an extra perk. And whats even better was that even though the food and drinks were discounted, the service wasn't lacking at all! The server was PROPERLY masked, (thats super duper important to me, covering the nose and mouth at ALL TIMES) very informative about the specials and very knowledgeable and descriptive about the menu items . we ordered alot of food and everything came out tasting as delicious as it looked. My fave were the greek fries, the Southerner flat bread , the Village flatbread and the buffalo chicken flatbread (cant remember the real name) and that spiked hot chocolate!! omggggg! And that brownie at the dessert counter...so freakin moist! I honestly just cant say enough about this place other than I will...