Bad Rum, Poor Hygiene Found At Rainbo

By Hanna Aronovich in Food on Apr 27, 2006 2:21PM

Sure you may call us hipsters or yuppies or whatever, but Chicagoist thinks we’re above social labels. And, no matter what you call us, truth is, we’re sometimes a little late to the party. We know Rainbo Club at 1150 N. Damen is nothing new, but it wasn’t until recently that we stopped by. And while we enjoyed many aspects of this cozy little bar, there’s one thing we really must emphasize: hygiene matters.

Yeah, we know the I-haven’t-bathed look traces back to even before the grunge and heroin-chic ‘90s, but we haven’t been surrounded by as many unshowered types as we have when we were at Rainbo.

Now, sure, we’ve hung out at other bars where the patrons maybe aren’t so fresh, but Rainbo seems to have topped them all. And, say what you will about the striped-shirt constituents, they are reliably and freshly showered, shaved and gelled.

Cleanliness aside, the crowd at Rainbo was laid back and relaxed. The music was an eclectic mix, and we caught some Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Flaming Lips, which we enjoyed. You gotta love the photo booth and small stage. And, in our opinion, the more arcade games the better.

Drinks were super cheap. We ordered two rum and cokes for under $7. However, the deal seemed a little less sweet once we took our first sip. Whatever the worst rum in the world is, that’s what the bartender poured. It was so harsh, we couldn’t even finish half of it. Next time, we’ll stick with beer.

In conclusion, we don’t care about your white belts or ironic tees or whatever outfit you’ve scrounged out from the thrift stores, it is never OK not to shower. So wash your hair. And, maybe run a comb through it while you’re at it. Go ahead. We’ll wait.