Cardinal Wine & Spirit

The liquor store is fine. I mean, it’s a well stocked package store, a bottle shop. It’s fine.
The bar though, that’s something else entirely.
Bob is one of the best, crankiest, funniest, friendliest bartenders in the area, an old school, tattooed, unshaven, eyeglassed, heart of gold guy who treats everyone the same from first meeting. I suppose that, like all of us, he too can occasionally be a jerk. Though in public, on duty, he’s always been an exemplary curmudgeon with no mean spirit evident. He’s even a hugger. Yes, guys too. Bob’s a bi-​hugual.
A solid, perfectly cold tap beer selection, and every alcohol you might like. They adjoin a liquor store, fergodsake. If they don’t have it now, they can get it for you by next Tuesday. You know you’ll be back anyway. Everyone goes to Bob’s. I mean, Cardinal.
Hey! There’s some warmish, serve yourself popcorn in an old style maker over there by the wall. Help yourself, but don’t take too much.
Last Halloween kind patrons and owners brought in hot food and many homemade cookies and such for the greater pleasure of we customers– costumed or not– and some doggy companions. A generous, good hearted bunch of people, for sure.
No pretensions.
Best,
Peter O. and S.

Bob is amazing. I have stopped in here on a few occasions but it wasn’t until meeting Bob that I had a reason to go out of my way to hang out here. He was just lovely. Very engaging, friendly and has a great sense of humor. I had the misfortune of getting sick outside the bar and he went out of his way to make me feel comfortable and was entirely gracious about the ordeal. The friends I was with were equally as impressed. We will be back!

Best dive bar in the area and it’s not even close. Bob is the best bartender I have ever known, seriously. He goes out of his way to make everyone feel welcome. My friend Rob said it best when I took him here: «you didn’t tell me we were going to a show!»
If you like drinking, hockey (this is a Hawks fan’s Valhalla), and good old conversation, this is the place to be.

My husband and daughter stopped in at the bar here on a cold Christmas eve night. Bob welcomed us like we were his long lost cousins. Bob is the model of a kind of bar tender that knows everyone’s name and what they drink. It makes you think of a bar like «Cheers.» Being from Texas, we don’t really have a bar like this. It was fun to watch Bob in action. I tried to order a coffee, and he said «this is a bar, we don’t have coffee!» It made me laugh. He’s tough in a nice way! It’s nice to see a bar so authentic. The service was great, the popcorn delicious and the drinks generous! Go here and meet Bob!

This bar adjoins a liquor store. You know, just in case you decide that you can’t wait until you get home for a drink. There’s also a free parking lot. Just in case you want to stay awhile.
My friend invited some people here to celebrate her birthday, and we had a great time. It wasn’t too crowded on a Sunday during a Bears game, so we were able to relax and get drinks quickly.
Cardinal is more like a neighborhood bar or tavern; everyone here was here for the birthday party, flying solo, or with one other person looking to drown their sorrows. It’s not a party bar by any means and not a place you’d dress up for a night on the town.
The bartender or management was also really cool with her wanting to bring in decorations or snacks for people. Cardinal does not serve food, but you are welcome to bring your own.
They have Three Floyds Gumballhead on draft, so that always scores major points with me.
I wouldn’t go out of my way to come here, but I think it’s a nice neighborhood spot.

So. it doesn’t help that I literally live next door to this. I almost feel it’s like my drinking office. If I want to drink from home, I can pick up whatever drinks or ingredients I need to finish that drinking deadline or experiment. If I want to be away from home and drink somewhere that is stumbling distance, they have a bar. It is the best of both worlds as one reviewer said and the people that work there do rule. You also get a great value to abuse your liver.
It’s a real solid Chicago, neighborhood dive bar /​liquor store with no pretentiousness whatsoever. Like Bob the bartender that works there says, «if you’re looking for fast service or some trendy craft cocktail, you can GFY». You’ve been warned yuppies looking to write unjustified, negative Unilocal reviews because you don’t like the way the service talks to you. This place is beer, booze and attitude straight up. This is a good thing.

Just like everyone says. Dive bar is awesome and friendly. Bob the Bartender is the quintessential Chicago tough guy with a heart made of sugar. Beyond that though, ALL the staff is really friendly and the prices can’t be beat (in the liquor store side too).
Top notch joint. Have been going there for a good 7 years now.

Cardinal Wine and Spirit’s is the best of both worlds. You can elect to shop at their liquor store and get shitfaced at home, or enjoy the comforts of the bar area. I’m a fan of both.
The bar reminds me of the old shot and beer joints that we’re on every corner of the Chicago I grew up in. Long before the City was gentrified with the Chad’s and Trixie’s of Lincoln Park, there were Saloon’s for the hard core drinkers who would wind down with an Old Style and a shot of Old Grandad after a hard day’s work. I miss those days.
So if you’re looking for a taste of what Chicago was like when it was a hard-​core, blue collar town, head on down and see the good people at Cardinal Wine & Spirit. You’ll be glad you did.

This is a locals bar with a heart. Bill, who I think of as head bartender/​manager whether he is or not, is a charmer who frequently comes through with half-​time chow during Bears games. This is also a staunch Blackhawk bar, as the other bartender Bob will attest. Herman, the real ladies man behind the bar, is super nice as well. It’s a working man’s bar, where tradesman come after putting up drywall or laying in floors to drink and bullshit. They’re friendly to outsiders, though, so if this is stumbling distance from you go become an insider. Anti-​Hero on tap and a few other interesting offerings for the hipsters who get lost as well.

Ok folks… hold onto your hats! This is the most fantastic dive bar this side of the Mason Dixon line! I stopped in to pick up a bottle of bourbon at the liquor store and then had a pint of Anti Hero in the bar. Bartender Bob was very charming and fun. My kinda guy and a great conversationalist!!! Actually while I was there he sold me an additional bottle of bourbon– I left with two! Shots anyone? My house? The service was incredible the popcorn rocks! This has quickly become one of my go to bars. Honestly. Love love LOVE it!
Cheers to you BOB! You can quickly put a smile on anyone’s face.

My favorite neighborhood bar. Bob is the best personality bartender around and the service is great!

Cardinal BAR is great, if you are looking a fancy martini bar GET UP AND WALK AWAY! I love this place, they sponsored our softball team last year and treated us like gold, (Uncle) Bob is one of the funniest SOBs you’ll ever find behind a bar. Good place to watch the Hawks game seeing that Bobs a hockey nut, great daily deals and free popcorn.
Angel bartends from time to time and he’s a good time too, everyone in the joint can take a joke! This is one of my favorite neighborhood dive bars, but I hate calling it that because I don’t want to take anything away from it but it a well-​kept secret (YUPPIE FREE) when you walk in the make you feel like a regular after 10 minutes. But if you ask for a bomb or something that requires a garnish Bob will let you know that you might be in the wrong place «No appleteenies here mam»
As for the liquor store, they have a good selection of liquors, some craft beers including some of my favorite Czech beer. Check it out and say whats up to «affordable bob!»
BOBS KNOWS BAR TENDING

Came here a few weeks ago with my running club after we tapped another local bar out (true story!). The bartender could not have been nicer or treated us better. Good jukebox, free popcorn, and a package store attached.
Looking forward to going back!

Great selection for your everyday craft brews with good customer service and friendly folks, but this is unfortunately overshadowed by the fleecing that the establishment has begun to undergo whenever a rare craft brew hits their inventory.
Example: Release of Goose Island Bourbon County Bramble Rye Stout the first week of February 2012. Binny’s sold the bottles for this release at $ 12.99/bottle, which was the MSRP from Goose Island. This same bottle was selling for $ 29.99/bottle here. (231% over MSRP) Other similar liquor stores in the area (including Armanetti’s and a smaller liquor store near the Diversey Brown Line station) sold their bottles of Bramble Rye for under $ 20.
I have only been here a handful of times over the course of the past couple years, but if I am in the area to pick up supplies I will make sure to avoid contributing to such an opportunistic establishment, and instead settle on the numerous competitors found close to this location.

I love this place. I opened up a business on the same block back in May 2011 and we stock up here all the time for business and pleasure. The staff is fantastic, they have a great selection of booze and mixers, and they always help me carry the enormous amount of alcohol I’ve purchased to my car. I wish they had a frequent buyer card!
Haven’t frequented the flourescent-​lit bar that is attached, but that’s…okay.

A liquor store & a bar in one? what? yes! You heard me, you can go shopping for your booze AND have a drink under the same roof.
Bob might be one of the funnest bartenders I’ve ever come across. You know you’ve found a great bar when the bartender is going to bust your chops, take pics with you, and buy you a drink (or two)…
p. s., the place ain’t pretty, but it’s a damn good dive! Christine approved!

This review is for the bar. Great place for locals to catch a Hawks game. Bob the bartender is a hockey nut and a jam up guy. Not a yuppie bar by any means, this statement is supported by a convo with Bob and a non local patron:
Patron: Can I have a Cherry Bomb?
Bob: What’s in it?
Patron: Cherry Vodka, Red Bu…
Bob: You’re not from around here are ya?
Drinks are reasonable and its a basic beer and shot joint. Here’s a tip, if you get a draft beer keep your glass because Bob hates washing glasses. If this bothers you, go elsewhere or stick to bottles. This is my kind of place, despite the quirks I’ve always felt welcome here. For most folks who read this, I’m guessing they’ll never step foot in here. But whoever likes a good dive bar will truly appreciate this place.

Cardinal is a great place for beer, liquor or wine. They have a wide selection of everything. I personally like their whiskey section. So many whiskeys to choose from. But I know I’ll always get Powers Irish Whiskey, my favorite. This whiskey can be hard to find a conventional liquor stores and I am so glad they always have it in stock just for me. Customer service is always great. The gentlemen working there will always grab a cold pack of beer if you can’t find one already chilled and are great behind the counter as well. Cardinal’s bar is also great. Great drinks and beer, for really cheap, served by very friendly bartenders. Cardinal is great liquor store/​bar, has Powers Whiskey and great prices and has some of the nicest employees/​bartenders around.

What a great idea. Bar and a liquor store all in one. And the prices are great. $ 2 shock tops. TV’s. And yeah some of the people are regulars and older, but sit down and talk to them, you can learn a lot about shit you never even realized.
It’s like a clean dive bar that has plenty of lighting. Honestly, if I lived in the area, I’d be here every night.

I have nothing terribly new to say about the place, but I just realized I’d forgotten to include it here as one of my long time favorites. I’ve been a customer here for about eight years. I like the choice of single bottled Czeck, Croatian, and Lithuanian lagers. The variety is less than it used to be but still a fun way to try different Eastern Europeans brews, mostly Pilsener-​esque. And as far as other beers go, there is always great variety and always great prices. The hard liquor here is a good value, too. Very friendly and helpful staff.
I love the tap room, too, which is a unique Chicago thing. Always festive, friendly, and full of neighbors with names like Marty and Stell. Not a bad Saturday afternoon hang, either. No attitude. Some patrons who kind of yell instead of talk. What’s up with THAT?!