Although it’s greater than 50 bus stops away from town’s geographical middle, Simon’s Tavern is a hub for most of the 1000’s of Chicago commuters who cross by the bar every day. Situated simply steps away from two bus stops on intersecting Chicago Transit Authority routes, the cash-only establishment is a real neighborhood tavern, one which strikes a steadiness between welcoming newcomers and preserving its regulars; the type of spot to cease in and catch a buzz earlier than the subsequent bus, or watch them go by from the consolation of the mahogany bar high.
Proprietor Scott Martin’s grandfather drove the general public trolley that ran previous the Chicago bar within the decade or so after Simon’s opened in 1934. He drank his after-work beers at a bar a pair blocks up, however his true hideout was Simon’s, the place he was a daily fixture, even coming together with his household in tow every so often. Like his grandfather, Martin spent a lot of his life contained in the bar, first as a daily, then because the proprietor. In 1994, Martin purchased Simon’s from the household who initially owned it, and has been working it ever since.
Inside, after passing beneath its signature “pickled herring” neon signal—a fish holding a Martini glass— low-cost beer and a shot is the standard drink order. The home specialty, nonetheless, is selfmade glögg, a beloved spiced mulled wine drink that’s ready heat in the course of the holidays and served as a chilly slushy in the summertime. Individuals from everywhere in the metropolis go to the bar for these items, and Martin has even mentioned that the glögg income helped save the bar in the course of the pandemic.
The place appears like a front room most days, dimly lit from its 11 a.m. every day open till its 2 a.m. shut. A number of the bartenders have labored there for near 10 years, providing a way of familiarity that shouldn’t be taken without any consideration in a metropolis that’s more and more seen as a world vacation spot. Plus, Martin emphasizes, each bathrooms are protected to take a seat on, bucking the bar’s repute as a dive.
Earlier than its present iteration, Simon’s operated as a speakeasy within the basement of a grocery retailer throughout Prohibition. Then, as now, Martin says, the bar has all the time been a spot to seek out group. He hopes to maintain it that means, as a result of he is aware of the tales we inform later in life begin with the folks we come throughout, whether or not it’s on a bus or a barstool.
“I adore it, and it’s a privilege to run the bar,” Martin says. “It’s neat to see folks whose friendships we one way or the other get to encourage.”
To get a way of the enduring bar on a given evening, we sat down with the individuals who know Simon’s Tavern finest: the regulars.
When did you begin coming right here?
1997.
Why’d you begin coming right here?
A pal of mine lived within the neighborhood. And it is a nice bar, actual old school. It’s a really comfy place. So I began coming right here with my buddy. And [owner] Scott’s dad was bartending, and he was nice. Because the years went alongside, I simply got here right here. Different folks got here and went, and I stayed. I’ve discovered numerous mates—very nice, actually clever folks. And we speak shit, too.
What retains you coming again?
[Pointing] That bartender, that man there and that man proper there. They’re good mates of mine.
What do you drink once you come right here?
I used to drink a Belgian beer however now I simply drink Carlsberg. A pint of Carlsberg and generally a shot of Bushmills. [Smiles.] Generally—on a regular basis.
What do you consider this place by way of its location and accessibility?
For me, I stay 2 miles north of right here. I simply stroll one block, and I’m on the Clark Avenue bus, take it to Foster, and I get again on the bus after I go house.
How would you describe the ambiance and the folks right here?
I might say, for me, they’re simply heat [and] comfy. I can are available in right here at any time and see anyone I do know. And if I wish to speak, I can speak; if I don’t wish to speak, that’s high-quality, too. To me it’s like a neighborhood bar, regardless that it’s 2 miles away from my home.
The journey is price it?
It’s completely price it.
When did you first begin going to Simon’s?
My grandfather used to drink at Simon’s, and my household will inform tales about again within the previous days, when youngsters may nonetheless go inside, and there was the barrel with spreadable cheese and crackers. [Editor’s note: This Great Depression–era tavern earned a reputation for taking care of its patrons from the neighborhood, and that often included offering people free food.] In order that’s a fond reminiscence of my mom and her siblings. I began to go to Simon’s in 2001, after I was sufficiently old to drink. Stopping into Simon’s for a glass of scorching glögg has all the time been a convention.
Is the glögg your drink of selection?
Yeah. Scorching glögg within the winter, and glögg slushies in the summertime. I want I knew the recipe. Simon’s serves it historically with a gingersnap cookie as effectively, when it’s the recent glögg within the wintertime. And there’s the custom of placing the skinny gingersnap within the palm of your hand and urgent down on it within the middle. If it breaks into three items versus two items or 4 items, you get your want. So you can also make a want and see in case your ginger cookie will grant your want. Within the summertime, with the glögg slushy, it’s the identical combination, however with out the berries and nuts, so it’s type of just like the slushy you’ll get at your favourite nook retailer, however way more alcoholic.
How would you describe the ambiance at Simon’s?
It’s your basic Chicago tavern. We’re dropping taverns like this on a regular basis. The main focus isn’t on sports activities; it isn’t on TV. They’ve two small TVs in both nook of the bar, however normally they’re taking part in Turner Basic Motion pictures, or if there’s a recreation on, they’ll in all probability have it on, however in any other case it’s a extremely pleasant, homey crowd. It has actually pulled in everyone from the neighborhood of all ages. It’s an incredible combine of individuals.
What do you concentrate on its location and getting there?
Simon’s is only a couple doorways down from the [bus] that runs Clark Avenue, so it’s extremely simple to entry.
What retains you coming again?
Group is so vital. It’s vital to our psychological well being and well-being, and as anyone who lives right here within the neighborhood however who lives alone, it’s actually vital to have locations like Simon’s that really feel like second properties, the place you possibly can stroll in by your self or meet up with mates from the neighborhood and get an opportunity to get that connection time collectively.
When did you begin going to Simon’s?
It’s been lengthy sufficient that I don’t bear in mind the primary time I used to be there. I’ve lived within the neighborhood because the early 2000s and [have] been happening and off ever since. I’ve been going there for possibly 20 years.
What do you want concerning the bar’s location?
I’ve moved round just a few occasions, however I’m nonetheless inside hanging distance. Clark Avenue has a lot happening, there are such a lot of eating places and bars up and down that avenue that it’s not a problem to go to Simon’s. You go to dinner at another place, and the place are you gonna go for an after-dinner drink? Particularly if it’s glögg. It’s a reasonably simple determination to make earlier than the top of the night.
How would you describe the ambiance at Simon’s?
Everybody likes to say “dive bar,” however I don’t know what meaning. As a result of a dive, to me, means a bunch of previous miserable males sitting at a bar after which they get invaded within the night by all of the hipsters. That’s a dive bar. There’s a barely adverse connotation to me when somebody says “dive bar,” and I don’t get that feeling from Simon’s. A part of that’s due to the jukebox. It’s actually probably the greatest jukeboxes within the metropolis. Possibly, occupied with it, [that] may need actually been one of many causes we went there so ceaselessly as soon as we discovered about it.
What do you like concerning the jukebox?
You get a extremely good style in music. If a band had a buzz, you’d go to Simon’s and so they’d have the album. It’s so uncommon to have this curated, semiregularly rotating jukebox of actually good music. There’s a handful of different jukebox locations within the metropolis I can consider that type of have the identical vibe. The jukebox doesn’t get stale. The TouchTunes factor isn’t fairly the identical as a curated, finite quantity of CDs to select from. It actually units the vibe within the bar and units the tone for what to anticipate. If it’s not glögg season, both scorching or chilly, then we’re nonetheless getting into there for the jukebox. I don’t know what number of occasions I’ve put $5 in that factor, since you get 17 performs or 15 performs, one thing ridiculous. And I don’t even know if the songs got here up in the middle of the evenings. It’s not even the purpose.
What do you drink in the event you’re not having a glögg?
Once more, if the glögg is there, I acquired to get a glögg. It’s one of many causes I’m going. Though, if in case you have multiple glögg, it’s somewhat sugary. Possibly two glöggs. Then I acquired to change to one thing else. They’ve a good faucet choice. You could find one thing in there. I’m an IPA drinker greater than something, that’s normally what I am going for.
