New Stumble Inn — Restaurant in Elmwood Place

I’m no stranger to dive bars—I've made a habit of seeking them out like some people collect vinyl. But on this particular night, I didn’t stumble into one by choice.

The car broke down on I-75, leaving me stranded with a dead phone, a finicky bank, and a AAA estimate that might as well have been a suggestion to take up knitting. Three hours for a tow? I wasn't built for that kind of existential waiting.

I did the most practical thing that a woman in a stupid dress and painful, platform shoes could do: I hiked through abandoned service roads that stretch like ghostly veins off the highway—and found myself at the New Stumble Inn.

If you’re on a quest for artisanal cocktails or a curated list of craft beers, this isn't your haven. But if you're in desperate need of a cold beer and the kind of comfort that only comes from worn bar stools and neon signs that hum like they might give up any second, well then, take that high heeled exit off the abandoned service road, my friend.

The night played out like some kind of fever dream. My phone battery was circling the drain, my bank decided that I was a top tier mafioso worthy of card freezing, and I was left with the very real possibility of being stranded in every sense of the word. The New Stumble Inn didn’t let me panic. In this dive bar, surrounded by strangers who felt like family, I was safe.

A bar patron —someone I’d never met—offered to let me CashApp her to cover my tab. The bartender threw a Post-It my way for last-minute Uber details, promising I wouldn't “just be walking home." And I did get home safe and sound.

The next time that I go to the New Stumble Inn, it will be on purpose and not via an abandoned service route. Because it really is a shame that I discovered this place under these circumstances. Establishments like this transform patrons into a community, creating unexpected belonging. This isn't just a bar; it's a sanctuary for the stranded. It is a go-to for those needing a cold drink and a warm welcome, no matter how they...

They do not serve food. Chill, hole in the wall bar the locals frequent when they aren't at the other local bar. It's either Stumble...

Tori is always so nice and welcoming and the reason I will...