Pubs in Lakeview, Chicago, IL

Chicago will never run out of pubs, particularly of the Irish variety, and Lakeview knows how to do these gathering spots right. Dark and inviting, Lakeview pubs consistently have insane amounts of beers on tap, delicious unhealthy food, and probably more than a few TVs being flipped between games.

Starting the tour of the British Isles, the very English Globe Pub caters to cricket, rugby, and soccer fans. The Globe brings in British expats, European travelers, and stateside footie converts looking for a fix. In order to air live matches, the place often opens in the wee hours, pulling in rowdy fans before most of the city has even rolled out of bed. Even those who call it “soccer” instead of the correct “football” are welcome here to escape the chill of winter with a pint.

Irish pubs may appear in even the backwoods, but Lakeview has a Scottish pub, Duke of Perth. Unlike the Globe, this tavern has not a single TV in sight. Instead, it wins over Scots and others with whiskey. Inside the shadowy space, two rooms sport dark crevices full of hardwood chairs and church pews, all familiar to the buns of long-nosed connoisseurs who come to enjoy the seventy-plus selection of malts.

Okay, fine. There are Irish pubs in Lakeview, too. What may seem like millions of them. No chain-restaurant wanna-be’s, however. Proprietors, most of whom are actually from the old sod, tend to avoid Lucky Charms décor and instead go for cozy gathering spots, and many servers have authentic Irish lilts as well. Lakeview pubs serve as real public houses, and every block seems to have them.