Carol’s Pub

I would give Carol’s Pub 3 ½ stars. It’s a great place to watch live country music. Dancing is encouraged and everybody usually seems to be having a great time.
The drinks are fairly priced, and you can request music. Just stick your dollar to the fly paper, duct tape strip, and the performers are typically able to play it, pretty well too.
Good spirited folks all around.
It is truly a dive bar quality place, but they don’t pretend to be anything else. So it’s not super clean and it smells of old beer, LOL, but it’s friendly and fellow patrons seem to ‘keep it real.‘
I’ve been here several times and would return again.

I hate modern country music, and I don’t enjoy songs with dances assigned to them. Why do I love Carol’s? I don’t know, I just do. It is a total dive bar and has so much character. I always have a blast when I am here. The house band is amazing and plays a lot of classic (read: before the Dixie Chick’s and Toby Keith ruined it) country hits that get you going.
Quick sidenote: Know your bar. If you walk into this place and think it is a good idea to order some frou frou nonsense, you are BEGGING to be disappointed. Go to River North for that ish. Here, it’s beers and two-​part cocktails only, please… like God and Carol intended.

Last night was my first time visiting Carol’s Pub with my boyfriend. He actually recommended the place, being there once before, he wanted to grab a drink at a bar that wasn’t boojie! Upon entering we were greeted and asked what we’d like to order. For starters we asked for a beer, a shot of Jim Beam, and a Cranberry Mojito. We got everything minus the Cranberry Mojito; the bartender actually asked us what the was! Shocked. I thought that was odd, I ended up skipping the explanation and ordered a Vodka Cranberry.
For the 3 drinks the tab came out to $ 8.00… I didn’t know what to make of that. A part of me couldn’t help but question what I was drinking and the other part I told myself to stop thinking and keep drinking. The bar itself is very divey and the customers they draw in come from all walks of life! Expect to see young college students, young & old neighborhood locals, etc. If there isn’t a live band playing, have no fear, the background music is all over the place! Last night we heard some old school will smith, some 90’s rap, and a couple country songs! Everyone seemed to enjoy the music. Some were dancing, most mingling, and most enjoying alcohol fueled conversations while enjoying the complimentary popcorn!
Overall the place definitely had a lot of character. I would definitely come back for a drink and next time I’ll make sure to keep my drink requests very basic!

Amazing if you are looking for late night fun! It is what it is and country dancing with good beer;)

Only been there once but had a really good time. I don’t typically hop to bars with covers but since this one is 10 minutes from me and they play country I decided to give it a shot. The music was good and the bar had a divey feel (my favorite!) Only complaint is that a beer seems a little pricey. Would definitely go back.

Carol’s Pub is a place to go to forget your problems, celebrate something good, or to make something happen.
Like the above paraphrased writer this bar has character. Authentic, working class, unintentionally weird, and retro. The furniture is mismatched and scarred and past it’s prime. Some of the patrons are as well. But, there’s a glitter and optimism in the grit. A spark or energy on certain nights. And that’s what makes it a fun place that most anyone would enjoy.
Of course there’s pool, darts, and a jukebox. Sunday and Wednesday are open mic. Thursday nights is karaōke and that was a hoot. Friday and Saturday is live honky tonk country music, which juxtaposed with the atmosphere has it’s own campy appeal. They are open until 5 am on weekends btw.
Prices and specials are nothing to write home about ($ 10 – 12 pitchers of draft domestics?) and don’t expect an expertly crafted cocktail from a mixologist. That’s like when my friend Jimmy and I went to McDonald’s and he ordered his burger rare. Don’t be that guy. Be happy if you get a G&T or Cape Codder.
The service is as to be expected, however, the Irish bartender Dermot is quite witty.
Viva la Carols.

This might be one of the best bars in Chicago… actually scratch that in America. When our founding fathers fought for our freedom they had open mic night at Carols in mind. God bless America and God bless Carols Pub.

I’ve spent 3+ birthdays at Carol’s in my 5 years in Chicago, and I don’t regret any night. However, my recent birthday was my last night at Carol’s and we must now part ways.
The two stars here go for Diamondback, the old couple, and the memories. I love to hear Third Rate Romance and Goodbye Earl on my birthday and Diamondback has always delivered. I love learning line dances from the precious «house» couple. I love getting a birthday bear on my birthday from the nice older man at the bar.
However, tonight, the group I was with had some coins for discounted beers which are given out by the bartenders. The waitress yelled at them that they should have told her about said coins before ordering (how were we supposed to know that?) and that she has to pay for the beer to give to her customers and would have to «beg the bar for her money back.» What? I don’t even know what that means.
I had opened a tab earlier in the night and the bartender was nice enough, so we just started getting drinks from him. Problem solved. Rightttttt?
The waitress came back by and offered to close out my tab (I think it was pretty clear she was done with us) only to discover that the bartenders had given my card to someone else. I understand mistakes happen and several of the cards look the same – but I only saw the bartenders look for my card twice, no apology was offered, they barely looked up or stopped what they were doing, I paid full price in cash for my tab, and I had to immediately end my night to call my bank and cancel my accounts (totally the way every girl wants to spend her birthday).
I want to love this place, and I have many great memories here (including introducing several new customers and bringing large groups/​parties) but I can’t rationalize going back.

Fun divey atmosphere. The bar tenders are friendly and they frequently have live music. There is also plenty of space for large groups at the bar and at the tables.

I have never taken the time to do such a thing as this — but after what I just experienced — I can’t just walk away.
I just returned home from overseas. I am a West Point graduate and (now former) U.S. Army officer. I was born and raised in Chicago before I had the luxury of experiencing the night scene. My local friends highly recommended that I checkout carols because I love country. Open till 4am…
open till 4am is a crock of shit — but I digress.
I Was looking for a good country time. Nothing more and glad to be back.
I showed up and was greeted quite poorly. A couple stumbled outed carols smoking cigarettes & laughing and I thought that meant I could step in — I was very wrong.
They said «we are here to clean the shitters and you need to step the fuck away or we will call the police…(and they did).
Chicago squad car 9131 showed up on the scene and proceeded to tell me all of the following «get the fuck out of here, go the fuck home, dude the place is fucking closed, call the fucking owner, what the fuck are you doing here, you need to fucking go, come the fuck back next year if you want to die… amongst other things.»
When I told them I just returned from overseas they seamed very skiddish all the sudden and ran across the street and flashed their spot light at me while I stood on the corner and called in a complaint with the CDP. (I have video because I waved at them and laughed.) everyone is tough from across the street and in an armored vehicle.
one of the officers was wearing a safari hat at 2am in the morning which was very confusing too me since it was 70 degrees at best and it was night time in chicago.
I’m not looking for a fight.
I lost a brother.
And he spoke highly of carols.
So yes — to honor him I came by late at night for a beverage in his honor… I know I could have done this at home or on any street corner… but he spoke highly of this establishment and I wanted to honor it by dropping in for a drink.
There are better ways to honor a man but right now that is all that made sense to me.
I don’t deserve anything. I am just fortunate to have made it back alive. But I will never fail to Honor those that fallen.
It saddens my heart to be welcomed back by the world class pieces of shit of CPD 9131. Asked for names and neither «officer» could state their name… my name is John Kearns and you know my address.
Instead I was pushed across the street and told to «go the fuck home»…I finally am home… and it hurts that this is what I served for… this is what my friends died for…
Quite frankly I am sickened.
And I know this rant turned into more than just a complaint — but I would love to take a walk in a combat zone with the CPD officers of 9131… it is tradition to never leave anyone behind — but those 2 gentleman… I would gladly leave and never doubt my decision. World class pieces of shit is an understatement /​compliment to those — I can’t even say men.

This is the last of the great Chicago honky-​tonks. There was a period when Chicago had more barn dance radio shows than any place in the nation. This is a throw back to that time, down to Jimmy the surly door guy/​MC/​bar-​back. Don’t be fooled this is no dressed-​up, «retro» country bar. This is gritty, lived-​in and frankly –smelly.
The Diamondback, the resident band, is a reflection of their home base; accommodating, but weary. These guys play 4 nights a week, from 9:00 pm until 4:00 am. They’re tired, Man. But they faithfully churn out the country gold, both new and old, with a burnish charm that feel just right.
Drinks are domestic and familiar. This is working man selection. Just order an Old Style.
«IT’S JUKEBOX TIME!!» — Jimmy

Great Honky Tonk dive bar with decent drink prices

Best dive bar in Chicago. Friendly bartenders, cheap beers, a live band playing country music till 4AM, an older couple who dance better than you almost every weekend, a slanted pool table giving everyone a fair disadvantage, decent burgers and darts. When you enter Carols you forget you’re in Chicago. You kind of forget everything though.

Total dump. If you must drink past 2am, seriously go to Fireside or Oakwood instead.

I don’t like country music and I can’t line dance. So why Carol’s? It’s different, and in a good way. It’s a break from the standard drink/​dance places in Chicago. It’s not top on my list of places to go, but if you’re in the area, I recommend you check it out. It’s fairly famous in those parts of the state which admire country music more than Chicago does.

Great place. It’s a super straightforward place. Totally different place depending on the time you go. On a normal weeknight you’ll find a fairly empty place, great if you want to have a conversation or just have a drink and watch the evening news. On Thursday night there’s some of the most no-​holds-​barred karaōke you’ll find in this city. On the weekends they’ve got a very good house honky tonk band that takes request is you toss them a buck or two.
Some call it a dive, and in a lot of ways it is, but more than that I think it’s just very unpretentious. It really is just matter of how big you want your slice of life to be, as it’s definitely not an Andersonville, Lincoln Park, or Wrigleyville crowd. It’s a country bar in Uptown, it’s a unique bar that attracts a unique crowd. It’s not like Moe’s (another very cool unpretentious bar) in the Cheers-​like community atmosphere. The atmosphere is more like the L&L, only with more space and generally fewer hipsters. There’s no sawdust on the floor, but it’s what I envision when I hear «To Beat the Devil» by Kris Kristofferson.
Among my favorite places in the city. Hell, I had my bachelor party at their karaōke night.

If you don’t have a good time at dirty Carol’s Pub, then you’re not a true red blooded American. Carol’s is a rockin «sleeper» bar in all of Chicago. Carol’s by far ranks in my top 5 bars I’ve ever been to. Not because their bathrooms are epic, or the service is top notch. But because who doesn’t love a good ol honky tonk bar in the middle of the city? Fun, good music with plenty of beer and hard drinks to last a lifetime.
Carol’s brings all types of people in there, so it’s certainly not a stereotypical «redneck» type of bar. I personally found the staff to be awesome and friendly. Whenever I come to town, I make sure Carol’s is on my agenda.
Bathrooms are totally disgusting, so I had to subtract a star. But in a morbid way, the bathrooms are what makes this place unique!

Weird environment. Did not seem like a safe place. This place reminded me of a bar I went to in the country. Very different vibe than your typical Chicago bar.

Not every night can you be in the mood to have Manhattan’s that have been shaken and not stirred.
I came here with a former friend of mine that I will refer to as Billy ER… ER because he liked to say things to people late at night that will make him end up in the Emergency Room.
We ended up here at 1:30 AM. I saw a bartender in overalls and other characters. This is when I begin to think «oh how classy This is a few blocks from the Wilson L Station. This must be my lucky night.»
I started flirting with some girl who was brought there by some dude she works with and he did not like it too much.
He came up to me and is like «I want her. I am going to kick your ass»
«what do you feel about that»?
me:“Listen pal I think you need an anger management class. You can change your life or you can kick my ass” at that point he asks me where he can find a anger management class.
I told him they had them at the moody bible institute (not sure i they still offer them)
I then left right away.
The people doing karaōke at 2 am seemed to be having a nice time.
This was 4 years ago.
I think I am due for a visit :)

Descriptive phrase: get ready for a weird night.
Where do I even begin? $ 5 cover even for the ladies we came with. Dingey enterior with a long bar immediately then followed by a seating area and dance floor with stage. You know it’s a classy bar when they have Red Dog beer signs all over the place.
Interesting crowd throughout the night ranging from geriatrics dressed for a ho-​down to TapOut dudes to sorority girls. My friend got offered cocaine by a Latino cowboy and his extremely short sidekick. Where do these people come from?
A 4-​piece country band played covers all night. Beer was more expensive than it should’ve been at $ 15 per pitcher of domestics, but service was quick. Cash only.
The appetizers I saw floating around looked absolutely disgusting. I literally saw a guy take a bite of the bruschetta and spit it back onto the plate.
I think the men’s room used to be a jail cell.
I’m severly torn on how to rate this place. I would never go back, but if you want a weird night then Carol’s certainly delivers.