Black Rock Pub & Kitchen

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About:

Whenever a new customer first comes to Black Rock, they usually ask a lot of questions: "Where did the name come from?" "What's the diamond on the sign mean?" "Where did the moose come from?" "Is this a jewelry store?" We can understand why not everyone knows a lot about Black Rock. After all, we're a neighborhood bar with an obscure name, located slightly off the beaten path (just outside the hustle and bustle of Lakeview) on a residential section of Damen Ave. And you probably haven't seen many advertisements about us—we tend to think our type of customers are the ones that find us. But while we might not be the most widely-known bar in Chicago, we happen to think that we're one of the best. Which makes us, as a number of our patrons have put it, one of the North Side’s best kept secrets.
Of course that’s a bold statement, but we’re quite proud of what we’ve got going. The bar itself—the physical space—is a true classic. The vintage question-marked shaped bar, antique tin ceiling, cozy fireplaces and eclectic, attractive décor all combine to effortlessly create a sense of character that many new bars try to affect. And while we’re inspired by the past, we’re about more than just nostalgia (hey, we like a nice plasma screen as much as the next guy) so we’ve filled this space with plenty of HDTV’s, a killer jukebox, a strong beer selection and a creative kitchen menu. And in doing so, we think we’ve perfected the modern neighborhood bar. Which might explain why we’ve built such a following.
More lively than a typical local bar, more comfortable than most upscale bars, Black Rock caters to customers looking for an alternative to the often formulaic Chicago bar scene. With an army of loyal regulars and a large, diverse weekend crowd (think yuppies to hipsters and everything in between) we've created a home-away-from home for patrons of all types from the surrounding neighborhoods of West Lakeview, Roscoe Village, Northcenter and beyond. In fact, it's not uncommon for customers that reside nowhere near Black Rock to adopt us as their "local."
Obviously, there's only so much words and pictures can tell you. We suggest all our neighbors—no matter what your zip code—experience Black Rock firsthand. Stop by on a rainy weeknight and play some board games by our back room’s cozy fireplaces. Or come in for a Saturday dinner and stick around to scope out the weekend crowd. It probably won’t be long before you’re calling Black Rock your very own neighborhood bar. And in case you’re wondering about those commonly-asked questions: Black Rock? The owners liked it. The diamond? An oblique reference to our name and a slyly apt signifier for the bar itself (‘diamond in the rough,’ get it?). The moose? He just showed up one day and never left. Are we a jewelry store? Umm...