47 W. Polk St.
Chicago, IL 60605
312.347.0000
Type: American, Bar Food
Fancy Shmancy Factor: 2/5
Price: $6-15
Quality for price: 3.5/5
Ambiance: Casual
Other: Crazy good happy hour specials
Neighborhood: South Loop, but locations all over
[Kristen:]
Bar Louie cures the blues. When Dan and I met after work on Tuesday for a burger at this South Loop restaurant located in historic Dearborn Station, I could tell right away that he was in a lousy mood. He didn't have a very good day at work and it was the first beautiful day so it was a double whammy that he was stuck inside at all. Yet, an hour later, when we parted ways--he to go home and get some cleaning done and myself to tap dance class--he was in a good mood. Now, perhaps it was the aforementioned beautiful weather that did it, but since the patio seating was full and we had to sit inside, I doubt that was it. Perhaps it was the witty interchanges with his charming dining companion or the energy of the happy hour crowd in the packed bar, but more likely it was the food and drink. In case anyone is somehow unaware of this little nugget: Bar Louie has dollar burgers on Tuesdays! And not tiny little things, either. It's extra to add cheese and sauces but at reasonable prices between 25 and 50 cents, it's still a deal! Dan ordered blue cheese, bacon, and barbecue sauce and I got cheddar and bacon on mine. (Have we ever mentioned we love bacon?) We split a huge side order of tater tots and while Dan had a Shocktop (classic warm-weather beer), I had a soda using the excuse that I shouldn't drink beer before going to dance class, as if a greasy burger, salty tater tots, and sugary soda is so much better.
We understand that Bar Louie can be found all over the place and isn't purely a Chicago spot but we figured since most of our followers live in Michigan, why not include this chain in our blog? The daily specials are definitely worth checking out, from the dollar burgers to daily half-price appetizers from 4-7 pm. The music was a little too loud for 5:30 pm and was reminiscent of a dance club, but most of the other customers seemed pleased as they awkwardly danced in their seats between bites of nachos and shrimp cocktail. This, combined with low prices, filling food, a good drink selection, and casual service, makes this an ideal place for an after-work date, in our opinion. It's a safe bet for getting to know someone you've just started seeing, or for meeting someone tried and true for a little pick-me-up after a rough day. If a burger and a beer for under ten bucks doesn't cure the blues, I don't know what will.
