Villains once ruled the South Loop with an iron fist.
Oh, unless you’re thinking about that defunct dive bar called Villains, which come to think of it, you probably are. That place mainly just ruled with cold beer and burgers.
So alert: Villains Chicago, a not-at-all-divey pub that revives the name but improves upon everything else—and it’s open now.
The moniker really just pays homage to the old place across the street. Here, it’s rugged, handcrafted furniture, a concrete bar top and Day of the Dead wallpaper. It’s all very charming. And gritty.
Serious is how you’d describe their beer situation. They’re opening with a menu featuring 40 or so beers from Mikkeller, the Copenhagen superstar brewer. So you should come with hop-headed friends to talk about pints you’re probably not getting anywhere else like MAD Beer Umami, brewed with Icelandic seaweed. Better yet: less chatting, more sampling.
And when thoughts turn to burgers, rest assured they do have one—locally sourced beef, house bacon, four-year cheddar, mayo made with aged beef—you know, the whole bit. But you’ll also be looking at charcuterie, a rotating steak selection and farmers’ market salads.
See, clearly no longer a dive bar.
Oh, unless you’re thinking about that defunct dive bar called Villains, which come to think of it, you probably are. That place mainly just ruled with cold beer and burgers.
So alert: Villains Chicago, a not-at-all-divey pub that revives the name but improves upon everything else—and it’s open now.
The moniker really just pays homage to the old place across the street. Here, it’s rugged, handcrafted furniture, a concrete bar top and Day of the Dead wallpaper. It’s all very charming. And gritty.
Serious is how you’d describe their beer situation. They’re opening with a menu featuring 40 or so beers from Mikkeller, the Copenhagen superstar brewer. So you should come with hop-headed friends to talk about pints you’re probably not getting anywhere else like MAD Beer Umami, brewed with Icelandic seaweed. Better yet: less chatting, more sampling.
And when thoughts turn to burgers, rest assured they do have one—locally sourced beef, house bacon, four-year cheddar, mayo made with aged beef—you know, the whole bit. But you’ll also be looking at charcuterie, a rotating steak selection and farmers’ market salads.
See, clearly no longer a dive bar.
