Liberty Lounge — Restaurant in Lake View Township

It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that this is the best bar in Chicago.

I’ve never walked into a space and felt so immediately welcomed, accepted, and loved - as a total stranger - by both the staff and the customers.

The “neighborhood bar” selling points are all there - cheap drinks, great jukebox, hot pizza, free pool, monthly fish fries, and good conversations would be enough to earn Liberty a gold star by any committed bar fly’s standards.

But, as anyone who has spent more than a few minutes at this bar will attest - Liberty is more than just budget-friendly beer and unlimited pool. It’s an instant family of misfits, outsiders, blue collar hustlers, rebels, troublemakers, and the kindest souls you’ll ever meet. It’s almost unheard of to leave the bar without five or six loyal friends.

The bar is owned by a Chicago pool league dynamo named Linda - who runs a tight ship with a big heart. She keeps a watchful eye on the bar’s happenings and makes sure everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience.

The daytime and weeknight bartenders have always been absolute gems - every one of them charismatic, personable, generous, and present. Even on the slowest days, I’ve never felt that my time was wasted - swapping stories, dating advice, dirty jokes, and embarrassing memories with whomever is behind the bar.

It’s well known that weekends are when the real fun happens. I’d go so far as to say, you haven’t had a Chicago dive bar experience until you’ve been to Liberty on a Thursday-Saturday. It’s no secret that Liberty’s primary magic can be attributed to Carla - the weekend bartender. And you won’t be able to sit down at the bar before you realize why.

Carla is the best bartender I’ve ever met. Hands down. Without seemingly any effort, this woman can go from conducting the whole bar in a singalong - to comforting a weeping customer who recently lost a loved one. In the two and a half years that I’ve frequented this bar, I’ve seen her pick up the broken pieces of dozens of peoples lives. She buys every regular a cake for their birthday. She protects minorities. She brings home-bound customers food on her days off. She knows all our secrets, our failures, our insecurities, and our triumphs. She knows who’s grandmother is in the hospital and who’s son is graduating high school. She lets us borrow her deodorant, her cell phone, her clothes - she’s even been known to give hungry customers her own dinner. She is an unsung Chicago legend who leaves an impact on every person she serves - without ever leaving a glass empty even on the busiest nights.

I don’t think I only speak for myself when I say, this bar has changed my life. It’s given me community, support, and family. No matter how I felt when I walked in the door, I’ve always left feeling loved - by friends and strangers. And that’s nearly always a guaranteed experience here - whether it’s your first time or your...

Let me say this without offending anyone the girl working behind the bar is extremely over weight and has no business working at a bar . I remember going to this place Fridays and Saturday nights place was packed went there today only a few heads and I truly believe it’s Bc they got rid of the bar tender that was there this place now has such a dull vibe . The owner should be ashamed his or her was the place to be on the weekend and I don’t think I will ever be coming back to this bar it has...

One of the best dive bars I’ve ever been to! Stopped in on a Saturday night for the first time with some friends and we were so welcomed! The bartender, Alex made us feel so loved and taken care of. Our drinks were cold and never empty. She works on the weekends, we ended up spending the whole night here. Its on our list of favorite bars in the...