Empire Liquors

Fun dance club that spins top 40 and hip hop. Good crowd on the dance floor — this isn’t a mere lounge, people actually come here to dance. Empire is one of the few clubs that isn’t a sausage fest, AKA actually fun for girls. Gets packed on the weekends, the back room tends to be less insane. Pregame elsewhere, as drinks can be an endless wait. Arrive before 11 to avoid annoying lines.

Cool place, fun, great DJ, but guys must wear collared shirts? Why?

Okay, this space is confused:
Nice looking front venue with weird looking back «dance floor» area. DJ that has no consistency and didnt know his ass from his elbows when it came to music. He luckily hit a handful of songs that were good, but trust me it wouldnt surprise me if it were a slip of his wrist.
We didnt last long here. That was a shame because the bar is done really nicely. Lots of liquor choices, too.

What a find in my new neighborhood. Wicker Park really needs more places like this. Beautiful artsy ambiance, not too hipster crowd, reasonably priced drinks, sweet waitresses.
We got there early (10:00pm) and got seating right by the front window. We didn’t need bottle service to do so, which was nice. Great dance music. Had a blast.

I’ve never been a big fan of Empire. It’s too small, overcrowded and the drinks are mediocre.
I went for a friend’s birthday and she’d ordered a drink package. She had a few bottles of liquor with crates of OJ, cranberry juice and seltzer water. Everything was always refreshed accordingly without anyone having to even ask. The bar tends also kept the area clean of glasses that we no longer were using.
We were confined to a very small area and as the night wore on it just got too crowded. The atmosphere is great as is the location’s design but the stairs can get tricky when there are too many people.
I ordered a margarita from the bar and it was terrible. I took a few sips before setting it down and just leaving it. Oh well, might as well just lit that $ 8 on fire and watched it burned…
Music is also WAY too loud.

I used to really like this place. But then I got sick of overcrowded bars and clubs. You can’t move in there! But the music is good.

We looked up the douchiest bars in Chicago, and on one list this was #3. It started off OK when we arrived early, at 10:30ish, but soon we discovered why so douchy. Music so old and played out, fat chicks in hot pants and open-​toed stilettos (it’s 40*, dumbass), and short guys with bad clothes. Please, bitch, no more wrinkled, glittery shirts from Express.
Our waitress was attentive, but the drinks were extremely weak, not the best menu for bottled beer, either.
We left as it was starting to get more crowded. We walked down the street to check out another bar and as we were coming back to our transportation, there was a fing line down the block for this gdamn place.
Please don’t waste your time.

Came for a friend’s birthday on a Saturday night…
Waiting in line for about 15 – 20 min I didn’t like so much…
Small spot to jam it with so many people you’re basically always touching someone’s back or shoulders the entire night…
No room for dancing which sucked because the music was on point :/​
One thing I loved about this place was the bathroom wait. THERE WAS NONE! Which was great considering the number of people there that night…
I suggest buying two drinks at a time on a night like this because getting a drink can take you about 20 – 30 min…
Drink prices are decent.
All in all it was OK. Will I be back? Eh, undecided.

I’m glad this place has three stars because I think that’s about how much it deserves, overall. But from me, I’m going to give it two stars because:
1) I like hip hop, but I’m sorry this is *not* a «go-​to place for any hip-​hop head.» Really, I mean… really? It’s more like hip hop hyped up on a techno beat and not well blended with the next song.
2) The layout of the place is annoying because it’s narrow due to a weird low step in the front room (calling out for some drunkard to break her neck) and just plain narrow in the back room/​dance floor.
3) The waitstaff walking around the place are kinda flake-​tastic. A waitress literally asked three times what our drink order was.
If my friends didn’t go here, I probably wouldn’t go here.

Our friends were having a get together at this place last night. I ‘ll save you the story, i just think it’s an «ok» lounge, music cab be too loud, service is ok, drinks are ok too.
Jeremy thinks shots are overpriced — he paid $ 16 for 2 shots of Jameson. yucki.

«Mad video games — they call it Pac-​Mania /​
Our cab driver — he’s from Romania»
Rolled out to Wicker Park on a Wednesday– drunk freestyling in the cab all the way there. Having a good time and then I noticed the crowd outside the club. Oh shit — why the hell did we come all the way from Vancouver to drink at an Asian club? I loathe Asian clubs.
But whoa… no line? no cover? Everyone is in fitteds and hot kicks? The bouncers are decent human beings? No wait… they are actually quite awesome.
Roll in — it’s a bit cramped and hard to find a place to dance. But wow — the DJ was on fire spinning old school hip-​hop and R&B all night. Sure, everyone and their dog knows to play ‘Poison’ to get the crowd moving — but then ‘International Players Anthem’ comes on… everyone knows the words and sings along while throwing down. This is how I want my wedding to be like.
Although, I must say the bartenders are a bit clueless. Yes — a double Knob Creek on the rocks. Not two shots. Not two glasses. Are those bottles on the racks just for display or something? Then I realize — it’s 22 oz. Sapporos for $ 6 night. Nice.
Great crowd. Awesome music. Cheap big boy cans. Everyone else must be going out on the wrong night — how can you not love this place? And yes, there are some ’roundeyes’ in this place if you must know.

This place is pretty tight and not much room to move around on the dance floor. I’m not a huge fan of hip-​hop but the DJ’s were pretty good if you’re into that. It definitely wasn’t my crowd but it’s pretty easy to have fun there.

Unless and until I get enough booze in me, I’m super claustrophobic. Walking into Empire Liquors for the first time, my first though was «eff, I need a few more drinks, stat.» It’s definitely undersized for the number of people they let in there. Ack, walls closing in!
But once I was sufficiently boozed up to not notice that I had about an inch of personal space, I had a great time. Great music for a Friday night, and maybe only a 15% douchebag factor (margin of error +/​-​5%). Pretty difficult to get a drink post 12am due to the crowd however.
Perhaps I’m just old and lame, but I definitely have more fun here the earlier in the night I arrive. Some breathing room, the ability to talk to your group, and attentive service. Claustrophobia-​free.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS PLACE!
I’ve been here on Saturdays & it’s always packed with a great crowd. The crowd looks pretty diverse, but they’re all here for the same thing: drink, dance, and drink some more. Good times.
No cover each time I’ve been here, which is nice, especially since I don’t know anybody that works there – I’ve been spoiled by my friends at other clubs, so I refuse to pay cover anywhere.
Drinks are strong, drinks are cheap – but, maybe the bartender was hookin it up, and the wait for drinks, considering the amount of thirsty party animals, was not long at all.
The DJ’s at Empire Liquors are freakin awesome. They get the official Mr Beautiful stamp of approval – it takes a lot for me to give that to other DJ’s. Saturdays is all urban music: new & old hip-​hop, rap, r&b, and reggae. All of which is mixed to perfection because they are great at reading the crowd and programming their set accordingly.
Empire Liquors is a long narrow bar with an awesome vibe from the people & music. It reminds me of Tuesday industry nights at Martini Ranch between 2 & 5am a few years ago, but with an urban twist.
I highly recommend coming to Empire Liquors if you wanna party it up & have a great time with old friends & make new friends while you’re there.
Holla!!!™

We had part two of my girlfriend’s bachelorette party here, and it was… eh. I was completely sober and in five inch heels, which probably didn’t help.
I would like to add that there are some SERIOUSLY CREEPY MEN here. We were dancing at one of the tables, and two guys in their 40’s just sat there and stared at us for about an hour.
I approached them and took care of the situation.

What a great time had by all!
As uninviting as it may seem at first, allow yourself to be taken down the narrow hallway as you notice the loungy area along the right wall and the long bar to your left. Keep walking to the «back» where more standing room abounds and more space invites you in. Then there’s the smaller «way back» room where you can sit, chat, and have a good time hiding.
I went here for an event and it worked perfectly. In the «way back» room, a film was playing (it was not for the light hearted, but who said I was that way anyway)…There were sections that helped live up the theme for the night and a temporary photo booth that allowed us to have fun in our own fantasy world.
It was a great unassuming, unapologetic, unpretentious crowd and I enjoyed it immensely! I’ll definitely be back…

By far my favorite decorated bar to date. It is odd when you walk in because it’s very narrow and very dark with black walls and naturalistic décor but beautifully decorated. Private seating area all the way in the back with tree trunks as tables. A tiny DJ booth and dancing floor. The drinks are expensive but their signature drinks are delicious. Great bartenders and friendly. Every 3^rd Tuesday of the month is a fetish event called Stigma with dominatrix performing to hot music and outfits. Fun neighborhood for shopping, eating and drinks. Where do you go wrong?
Okay maybe the parking ;)

I would have rated this 4 stars but I decided against it simply because it weirdly shaped and they need to either pick if they are a lounge or a bar because if they wanted to be a lounge… they FAIL. If they wanted to be a bar… THEY FAIL. Its like somewhere in the middle ground but I am a big girl and I can deal with it. I like the service and the décor. Its so cool, when you walk up to the place, its unmarked except for the hanging «liquor cabinet». That’s how I know I am there. The windows are totally blacked out with gives it the sense one mystery.
I a LOVING the 90’s hip hop on Wednesday nights. I also like the type of cool, chill, and fun people that patronize this bar. For being surrounded by hipster type bars, I am glad none of those peeps go in there. I like the dance floor because you get to holler out your requests to the DJ because he/​she is right there on the dance floor with you!
Parking is scarce but Milwaukee Avenue is a big street… find some.

Another bar on my Wicker Park pub crawl, Empire Liquors was not what I expected at all. Well– I guess it was better than I expected as I thought we were heading to a liquor store given the name!
We were there early in the night– oftentimes the best time to visit a review a bar as the «crazies» haven’t arrived yet and you have a clear enough head to still review the place.
Interesting vibe. Seating areas along the right wall (what’s with the tree stumps as tables?) and the bar along the left with the dance floor in the back. A few architectural details stand out in my mind– from the Mosaic flowered floor tile to the bar made of concrete (note that the bar is not forgiving as a guy next to me slammed his beer bottle down too hard and broke the bottle!)
The music was good the dance floor was packed and the patrons were friendly and just out for a fun night! There is usually a line to get in (and sadly it was raining on the night I was there) but since we were early– there was no line and no hassles. They even have a coat check up front which is nice.
I’m not a big dance bar goer– but given the choice on this stretch of Milwaukee– I’d definitely chose Empire over the Debonair Social Club across the street!

I went here for my friend’s low key bachelorette party and really had a blast.
I think this is the type of place where the pace of your night up to that point, and the crowd you’re with, will really determine the kind of time you have there. I want to compare it to tofu… it depends what else is on the plate in order to appreciate the flavor.
I think most places like this try to rip you off on drink prices but Empire liquors seemed pretty reasonable… actually I think we may have been charged wrong for some shots… 5 shots for $ 13 total? How can that be? Whatever, I’m not arguing with it.
The front was a bit crowded but really great if you can get a seat. The very back has a smallish dance floor and VIP. We had fun in a non-​intimidating environment. The dance floor was 90% girls & 10% men… most gay although we did see one same sex couple enjoy what we all believe was a hand in the pants HJ… grody but they were backed far enough away and against the wall to get over it. The music was great for our bachelorrette dancing… lots of hits old and current. The Dj’s didn’t skimp on the Prince or Michael Jackson… SaWeet! But also know that they don’t take requests. I’m not really sure why there were 2 dj’s either… we all had suspicions that the music was just a premixed cd but didn’t care much… we still danced our asses off.
Get a pre-​buzz, be ready to dance, and own your secret love for top forty hits.