Map Room — Restaurant in West Chicago Township

In May of 2010 I was taken this bar by two of my friends that live in Chicago. I loved it. The beers were great, decor awesome, atmosphere amazing. So, last weekend, those same 2 friends and 10 other friends from 3 other States all came to Chicago to see the Bears/Chiefs game. We contracted with a local limo company to provide us a large Expedition that could fit us all, and on Saturday night we headed to the Map Room as our first stop of the evening. I had picked this as our first stop due to the great time I had there the year before. I also had been talking this place up for months and everyone was excited to see the place. So, imagine my disappointment when we pulled up, got out of the car and were told by the doorman that we couldn't go in ...... What???? Yes, they informed us that because we were a group and had gotten out of a vehicle together, we couldn't go in. They don't accept parties from vans, buses, limos, etc... It seems odd that you would deny outright a group of people visiting your town that want to spend money at your establishment. I will not spend my money at the Map Room in the future. I can recommend going across the street to Jack and Ginger's where they treated us very well, including offering group drink specials...

Updated review: Up until today, I enjoyed coming here often. Today, like many days during the week, I held a meeting at the Map Room and we usually stay about an hour or so. I normally leave my tab open at the bar and my employees order away - mostly breakfast sandwiches and coffee items. I had forget my wallet at home and was going to go grab it after the "meeting" and come back to get some drinks and do a little "work from home away from home". When I was standing out front, the bartender/barista came out to tell me " I know you come in here all the time but today no one ordered anything. You know there is a library down the street that you can go to. It is expected that everyone at least orders a coffee". I apologized and quickly explained to him that I had forgotten my wallet at home and was going to grab it and come back. He didn't seem to care what the reason was and continued to go on about how no one ordered anything. He even mentioned that the other bartender commented on it being so busy but not a lot of sales. I have never NOT ordered anything here. Over the fast few weeks I have spent $133.81 on coffee at the Map Room. As a business owner, I would never ruin a relationship with a customer over a few bucks. Pathetic. Rude....

I used to have a friend who tended Saturday morning bar here. Back then at least they weren’t allowed to sell alcohol until ten or eleven, but the bar opened a couple hours earlier to sell drip coffee and packaged danishes to neighborhood regulars. Coming here for coffee and a morning beer was always one of my favorite things to do on a Saturday. It was very important to get there before the alchohol service began though. To sit at the bar talking, while the late morning light came in through the giant windows that would be hauled open whenever the temperature became sufficiently innoffensive. To chat and quietly laugh through the buzz of the Chicago-requisite morning hangover. To wait with anticipation and growing impatience for that first sip of something Belgian and bitter. To make new friends with the people sitting next to you (another required Chicago tradition ), and make a big noise when old friends who simply could not be forced to wake before noon came walking down the sidewalk with a bag full of hot dogs. To me the Map Room Epitomizes everything great about Chicago, beer, and...