Wicker Park Tavern: Just Like Everything Else

By Hanna Aronovich in Food on May 4, 2006 2:41PM

Although Wicker Park Tavern has elements that we like – and overall, you’d think it’d be the type of place that the yuppie in us would love – we just aren’t digging the place.

The former Borderline space (1958 W. North) has been redesigned to feature large windows, plasma TVs, leather couches, candles, a mahogany bar and low lighting. There’s nothing wrong, so to speak, with Tavern’s interior, but it’s rather unremarkable. Chicagoist thinks the sports lounge concept is overdone, and Tavern is just one more bar on the bandwagon.

We also don’t like the ambiguity of the spot. There’s a basket of peanuts on each table, which seems incredibly out of place. It’s fine to see peanut shells on the floor at Monks. They are not, however, appropriate at a tavern that moonlights as a lounge.

Although the bar is spacious, the large, high tables seem to clutter the space – making it a challenge to comfortably move around (and the place certainly does get crowded). And, of course, the crowd is pretty vanilla. Not that we mind run-of-the-mill, well-dressed bargoers, but something just feels off here.

Chicagoist does love late-night bars, and Tavern is open until 4 a.m. (5 a.m. on Saturdays), but truthfully, we’ve never been there that late (we’re at Nick’s, ya’ll). But we can’t imagine there’s much we’re missing.

We know neighborhoods change, and we’re open to some new life coming to the intersection. But, other bars around the area have some unique appeal. Sadly, Tavern is a bland waste of perfectly good bar space. In fact, Chicagoist thinks you're better off heading to Cans.