You Gotta Love a Good Dive Bar! The Winner Is....Holiday Club

Jim Grillo, NBC5 Street Team

For those who worry that the gentrification of Chicago’s formerly fringe neighborhoods means age-old establishments like the classic dive bar are becoming a thing of the past, Holiday Club offers proof to the contrary. Holiday Club, a dive bar in the best sense of the word, just celebrated its 15th anniversary.

With its unusual-but-it-works “Rat Pack-meets-punk theme,” Holiday Club still packs in the crowds.

Holiday Club Backroom

Maybe it’s the shimmering Vegas-esque sign outside. Or the crazy kitsch inside, like the vintage posters and light fixtures to the martini shakers, the jukebox and the ever-popular photo booth. It’s all the collection of Holiday’s popular owner Tim Juliusson, a Peoria native and veteran of the ‘80s punk scene. 

Holiday Club is great for birthday parties, charity events, rehearsal dinners, bar mitzvahs, bachelor/bachelorette parties, baby showers, karaoke parties and of course…holiday parties!

This comfortable retro lounge features ambient lighting and a versatile floor plan. They can accommodate an intimate party of 30 to 300 of your closest pals. Holiday Club is equipped with a full kitchen and a range of award winning menu items sure to satisfy both the carnivore and veg-head in your crew. They offer several food and beverage options sure to float your boat.

The private lounge includes:

• Full service bar with professional bartender
• Access to a full service kitchen
• Fully equipped DJ booth set-up
• Intimate dance floor with disco ball
• Private restroom
• A/V hookups including TVs, jumbo movie screen, VHS/DVD player, cable

Honorable “dive bar” mentions which make my top 5 Chicago dive bars list include:

Richard’s Bar
Miller’s Pub
Matchbox
Snicker’s

Read comments below or post a comment below and add to the list of YOUR favorite “dive bars”. 

Jim, Here’s Chicago

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