Corcoran's Grill & Pub

Lincoln Park, Chicago –

Irish bars are hardly a rarity in Chicago, but Corcoran’s Grill & Pub avoids cookie-cutter stereotypes with lots of outdoor seating and a crowd that’s as much burgeoning funnymen as Boddingtons-seeking boozers, thanks to its proximity to Second City.

The venue truly shines in summer, with its sidewalk terrace in front, large beer garden in back, and brick gangway connecting the two, all of which overflow with happy day-drinkers when the weather cooperates.

The narrow front room offers ample seating at the long bar, while worn booths and lots of nooks for little tables are taken over by a jovial young crowd when a comedy show lets out across the street.

That doesn’t mean the standard Irish trappings are missing. Guests will still find lots of comfort food, Guinness slow pours, and multiple TVs inside and out, which make the place a popular neighborhood hangout when a big game is on.

The pub’s location means that the regular crowd is a bit more prosperous than at the average bar, but daily specials still make it easy to fill up without breaking the bank, and $5 shots and bombs on Fridays and Saturdays promise a busy scene of frat hijinks mixed with folks still trying to be funny.

The more astute older brother to the boilerplate Gaelic pub, Corcoran’s Grill & Pub is where twenty-somethings can bring their grandparents for dinner and then return for festive flirting late into the night.