FAME

This review is looooooong overdue but better late than never. FAME was the first stop that VIP Bachlorette sent us to. They were amazing! We felt like royalty coming into the place. The food was amazing! I still dream of the italian beef dumplings… Drinks were on point. I love when employees know the menu inside out and can tell you what their favorites are or what you may like depending on your taste. Did not see the sign for no request for the DJ. I mentioned to the waitress that the bride liked a song and it was played in seconds. We enjoyed this spot so much that we came back and closed it down. Go DJ, that’s my DJ!

Very dissappointed with this place. A group of 6 of us came here on a Wednesday night specifically because they were promoting food and drink specials. Upon arrival we asked the bartender what the drink specials were. He said none… Odd since we saw promotional material stating otherwise. We proceeded to the patio and asked the waitress what the drink and food specials were. She told us they had one drink special. She then came back and said that they actually had no drink specials. After that a manager/​promoter came to our table and started telling us about all of the food and drink specials. We were confused because clearly the waitress and bartender were not informed of any of this. We decided to leave due to all of the staff confusion.

I had the best time ever here. Went here last weekend to kick off my bachelorette weekend and ended up coming back here that same night.
The staff is wonderful, they were attentive to our needs and offered great suggestions. The drinks were great and the food was amazing! I cant stop telling people about this place.

Great music! But will never come back again. The place charges $ 2 for rocks, meaning if you order a drink on the rocks you pay $ 2 FOR ICE! I kid you not!

I have such angst about FAME. I’ve been sitting on this review for ages. I started writing it and then dragged my feet about posting it. I like this establishment but it’s like an unlit candle. It’s beautiful but lifeless.
The décor is industrial-​loft style with neat, graffiti like artwork on the walls. The employees are peppered with body art and their personal style definitely matches that of FAME. It’s hip, cool, and trendy.
Service is friendly and desperate to please. Our server gave us a free drink because two of the drinks we wanted weren’t available. She also noticed how we wanted to try a lot of food so she brought us an amuse bouche size taste of a dish we wanted to try but didn’t order. Every time we’ve gone she’s given us free drink tickets to come back. Besides that, the employees in general seemed really relaxed for a work-​place.
I’ve had much more creative and complicated drinks at other mixology spots (Gallery Bar and The Drawing Room). The server explained that some infusions weren’t available because they were so popular. Maybe the drinks made with those particular components were better than the ones we got.
I think we’ve ordered everything on the menu. Our first time, we ordered four or five dishes and LOVED them all except for the egg roll. M commented that the ingredient and flavor combinations reminded her of those produced by chef Stephanie Izard. The presentation was lovely, the food was surprising interpretations of familiar items, and the consumption was heavenly. The food was good on consecutive visits but seemed to miss the magic of the first taste.
It was pretty obvious that FAME was trying to emphasize their drinks over the food. For one thing, the menu had three (?) pages of drinks and food only on the back cover. All of the food is small and not intended to be a full meal. Whenever we’ve gone we’ve gone for dinner because the food is really delicious. Our opinion is that the food is superior to the drinks.
We’ve often talked about how the chef from FAME and the bartender from Gallery Bar need to team-​up. They’d have a winning combination of fabulous food and inventive drinks!
The real problem with FAME is that it’s dead in there. At first we thought it was because we were there on a weeknight but then we went again on a weekend. Both times we were the only guests the entire time. It was a bit awkward that the employee to guest ratio was so imbalanced — especially when neighboring establishments were lively.

I like the concept of this place. My bf and I were walking in the cold on division trying to find a place to dine on Valentines Day. I noticed their sign and that it was done by artist Ben Eine which is what caught my eye being a graffiti/​street art enthusiast. Reading their story on the front door made me want to stop in. Mentioned something along the lines of an art and dining experience. Sold.
They had work by some amazing artists inside. Futura 2000, Banksy, Lady Aiko, Ben Eine, Eric Haze etc. Unfortunately the bartender said he didn’t know anything about the art, I understand this but if this whole concept is based on art then you should know more about the work you are showcasing. He knew absolutely none of the artists names. For all fairness he said they have not been briefed on the art yet since it was new pieces. I would think they would hire someone that is experienced with this sort of art culture.
Bartender overall gave us great customer service. He was on top of his game. Food was good but they are smaller plates. Fish tacos were great. Jerk chicken wings were also good. He mentioned that they were changing the menu because a few of the items I wanted to try were no longer available. There should be real dinner meals soon.
This place has potential to be great but they may need some more marketing because I want to see this place busy! When we walked in on Valentines Day it was pretty dead until about 11pm a few other people were coming in but still pretty dead for a super busy night and a Friday. Also, please learn more about the art if this is suppose to be an art experience. I had a good time none the less.

FAME is my favorite bar ever. The cocktails, the infusions, the bartenders, the food, the art work… it is all incredible.
We were here on a Sunday night and tried four different cocktails.
*Overnight Sensation. A raspberry mint mojito, his one was the favorite, and I could’ve drank these by the pitcher.
*Pineapple Express. It’s a pineapple mango margarita with some kickass tequila. It went down smooth.
*My Boy Blue. A blueberry martini that tastes about 1,000x better than any other blueberry martini. I’m terrible with movie quotes, but when my husband ordered this I yelled out, «YOU’RE MY BOY, BLUE!»
*Fame Mule. It was like Christmas in a cup! They served it up in a cute little tin cup, and it’s made with their yummy vanilla bean infusion.
We were also given a sample of the Pineapple Tequila Infusion. I sipped it at first, but after throwing it back, whoa! Best tequila shot I’ve ever had — so take that, all of you reckless Patron shots I did in college. Take. That.
FAME has an amazing shared plates menu, which is perfect for some bites if you’ve had too much to drink or if you just aren’t ready for dinner yet.
We sampled the tuna «nachos,» served on plantain chips. I love plantains! We then ordered the Italian Beef Dumplings. The neatest way to eat Italian Beef. No au jus on me, so no au jus on yous!
Almost a week later, my mind is still in shock that this place was so dead on a Sunday night. This place is amazing. If you live in Ukrainian Village, Wicker Park, or Logan Square, and you haven’t been here… there is no excuse. I would come back to the area just to visit FAME. I know Sunday isn’t the busiest night of the week, but we were the only people here from the time we arrived until we left.
The art on the walls is so fun to look at. There is framed art throughout the joint that is up for sale, and there is chalk drawing all over the bar area as well as a mural on the wall. The gray sofas looked inviting, but we saddled up at the bar so my husband could watch the football game.
Our bartender, Gustavo, was chatty and friendly. He recommended several drinks to us, talked in great detail about the menu and their infusions, engaged my husband in conversation about fantasy football, and took the time to tell us about the art work on the walls. I thought the three «mug shot» photos in big gold frames were the owners, or employees of the month, but they’re just some random photographs taken by some artist.
The cook, I didn’t catch his name, was also really cool and popped his head in a few times to chat.
You know how you have those friends who obsess over things like «Fifty Shades of Grey,» Channing Tatum, or when the New Kids on the Block are coming to town? Yeah, that’s EXACTLY how I feel about FAME.

Came here for a Unilocal even a few weeks ago. Not terribly impressed. Seems like it was poorly organized. Not many in attendance and bathroom napkin dispensers didn’t work. I’d think that the owners would want to make sure everything works correctly when they host any event.
I tried some of their infused Vodka drinks which were pretty good and the music was alright but there was only one bartender and it was difficult to try to get his attention sometimes. The only saving grace was that there was a Bears game on.

I was really looking forward to trying the drinks at FAME, but sadly I came away disappointed. They were not memorable. This is a really cool location located in Wicker Park though, I’ll give them another shot in a few months and will update accordingly.

I attended a Unilocal event at FAME a few weeks ago. I went to the event not knowing much about the place, but I had heard that the cocktails were very good. At the event, we learned that FAME stood for Food, Art, Mixology, and Experience. So, I’ll just review them in that order.
Food: There were passed appetizers. All of the food was really tasty, but the only drawback was that the portions were tiny, tiny. I’m not sure if that was just for the event or not. The tuna nacho was my favorite.
Art: Even before they mentioned what FAME stood for, the artwork caught my eye, but not necessarily in a good way. I love art and love to expereince different types of art. There was a series of murder scene photographs along the back wall that just aren’t my style.
Mixology: I had heard that FAME offered great cocktails, and the rumors are true. For the event, they offered a fall tequila based cocktail mixed with pumpkin. It was by far one of the best autumnal cocktails I have ever had. It was extremely flavorful, and a bit on the boozy side. The bartenders were on point, and I never had to wait long for a drink.
Experience: I had a great experience while I was there. The DJ was great, and they had the Bears game on on several TVs around the place.
All in all, I had a great time at the event and would definitely go back for the cocktails.

This is a fun place with lots of space to come with your friends. They have some great cocktails and small plates. Everyone working there was really nice and the art hanging around the room was very interesting. I will be back!

I came here once for a Unilocal elite event and another with a bunch of girls for our 15 year anniversary.
Both occasions were kind of a disappointment. My friends and I came on a Friday night for drinks and we were practically the only customers the entire night. The signage for the place is so small that we drove past multiple times. One of the bathroom doors doesn’t lock, which we found out the hard way. For the elite event, the Italian beef dumplings were good, but they didn’t have a plate or utensils so we had to pick it up with our bare hands. I don’t mind eating with my hands, but no napkins with something drenched in soy sauce? Why couldn’t they use the spoons with one singular tuna nacho for the dumpling? I’m sorry, but the gluten-​free beer was not very good and I’m glad that they provided some other beer instead. My friends and I never got to try dessert and our waitress only came once to introduce herself.
Division Street is really competitive because there are a lot of other great places within walking distance and that’s where I’m going.

I absolutely loved this place! The servers and bartenders are super friendly, especially with my huge purse constantly crashing into people (sorry!). The Italian beef dumplings are not only creative, but seriously delicious. I have been craving them non-​stop since I last had them. The pumpkin margaritas were outstanding.
The vibe is really cool; I think it’s completely different than Gallery Bar in River North, although a lot of people seem to compare the two. They are both bars and art galleries, but totally different ambiance. This place is way more low key and very «wicker park» if you know what I mean. I think FAME does an excellent job fully encompassing its title (Food, Art, Mixology, Experience) in the overall experience.

I came here with two friends, and we all agree that this place is pure awesomeness! First of all, the food is delicious in a neo-​classical style. They make traditional fish taco, tuna nacho, and salad but in completely new gastronomical, experiential way. Additionally, this restaurant is in a beautiful neighborhood with lively yet relaxing atmosphere. I would highly recommend you also call out to Roxanne (our awesome waitress for the evening). Her enthusiasm and superb customer service will make your evening even more enjoyable!

Having such a great time !
Lovi’n Fame!
Tonight I attended a Unilocal Elite event at Fame, and it was such a great time!
It was a gorgeous night in Chicago and my night was spent outside on the
patio with good friends, good libations, great music and some good food.
The drinks were pretty magnificent, now that fall/​autumn is in the air pumpkin
seems to be a common staple, and honestly, I don’t care for pumpkin very much
but tonight I was served 2 Pumpkin Infused Cocktails that were just too good.
And my guess is they were pretty potent for I am feeling no pain. Ahhh…
I also had my very first gluten free beer, don’t think I’ll be having anymore of those.
And, for food, we were served this truly incredible beef dumpling which tasted
so good, just delicious!
I want to give major props to our server Roxanne, because she rocks, she
took such good care of everyone at our table, always made sure we had what
we wanted/​needed.
Roxanne told us she is also a Bartender in Training, and my guess is she will
be a great bartender, she’s got it down!
What it comes down to is this, not a whole lot better than spending an
evening at a great place like Fame.
Such a great place/​Such a great night!
So, Thanks Fame, Big Props being sent your way, cause you deserve it!

Great service, great atmosphere (outdoor patio and art is awesome) sub-​par drinks. The twists on the classic drinks are not as fun you think they would be… there is a reason they are classics! Either the prices should be lowered and serve the same drinks, or remix the twists. The Moscow Mule with vanilla infused vodka sounded like a good idea but the vanilla just doesn’t mix with ginger beer. The bacon drink is VERY bacon-​y. The Rye Me a Basil Berry was ok but it didn’t seem like the flavors mixed very well. They have a good thing going by coming up with unique drink recipes, but they aren’t quite there yet.
Our server recommended the seasonal special made with orange zest and it was actually quite tasty.
Would love to go back and try a new drink menu!

I WANNA LIVE FOREVER
I want to learn how to fly… HIGH! Oh wait this isn’t FAME the movie. At first, I thought this bar was named after the movie and I would be hearing that song all night long. Then I noticed FAME was just initials and stood for something more:
F — Food
A — Art
M — Mixology
E — Experience
I recently attended an event here and was able to experience all that FAME had to offer.
First lets cover the drinks. I was able to meet Joe, the mixologist. Joe did a great job of putting some amazing drinks together. My favorite drink of the night was the infused pineapple tequila drink called «The Pineapple Express». It was kind of there version of a Margarita. After taking one sip, I called it the «Tropical Storm» and the General Manager, Mark asked if he could steal that name from me. So if the name changes on the drink menu, then I’m taking full credit for naming it.
Joe took great pride in his drinks. We also tried his house made «Stephen Bloody Mary» and he made us two versions. One version was with cut up tomatoes instead of tomato juice along with habanero juice & garlic infused Ketal One Vodka. I personally liked it. Then Joe made us a version with the tomato juice in it. Both were really good and Joe told me that both would be available upon request. These would be perfect to enjoy on a Sunday during the Bears Game. Just a word of warning, the infused garlic will not help you if you plan on trying to find a date at the bar, unless she’s totally into garlic. Vampires Beware!
I also had a «FAME mule» which was vanilla infused vodka with Ginger Beer and served in a copper mug. I really liked it but I don’t think I could drink more then one because of the sweetness. And don’t forget the «Painted Pear» which was a cucumber infused vodka drink. This drink was very refreshing and is a perfect summer drink.
I would love to say thanks to Joe for taking the time to mix us up some delicious craft cocktails. I also loved hearing how he created it or came up with the inspiration. I want to say thanks to Amy, the bartender, for always making sure we were helped at the bar. Attentive bar staff is 5 stars in my book.
I also want to say thanks to Mark the General Manager. He was a great guy and displayed great customer service. I had a nice time talking to him and wish him much success at this fun cool bar.
We also were able to sample some of the food. One of the items I loved was the Italian Beef Dumpling. What a perfect item to serve in a fancy bar in Chicago. Chicago is know for Italian Beef but you’re not gonna eat one in front of your date at a classy joint. That’s what makes these so perfect. It is like one of the most delicious dumplings you will ever have but it’s secretly a beef sandwich. High Five to the chef for coming up with this concept.
We also tried the Ahi Nacho. It was served on plantains which I wasn’t a fan of. I would have loved to see it on a fried wonton. The ahi was fresh and delicious. One of the last items we had was like a bruschetta but with fried eggplant instead of toasted bread. It was served open face with arugula and mozzarella. I tried the toppings but had to pass on the eggplant (considering I’m allergic to that). I thought the concept was hip and fresh. In fact, I thought all of the food was very creative. It is not the typical bar food you would expect on Division.
Division Street keeps growing. I remember when there was nothing safe West of Damen Avenue. Now all of these amazing places keep opening towards Western Avenue.
FAME is a great addition to the neighborhood. The inside is very comfy plus there’s a nice patio out front too. FAME has a great concept between its unique food and inventive craft cocktails. I can hardly wait to come back.

Don’t let the name go to your head. This place isn’t what you might think from the title. It’s an unpretentious vibe meets magnificent spirit selection finished with an awesome list of upper scale bar bites.
Eats include options such as tuna nachos, escargot, lollipop jerk chicken wings and other Miley Cyrus caliber sustenance. (I love her. Haters) Cocktails can be tough to decide on with so many excellent options, but I’d recommend either the Painted Pear or the Overnight Sensation. There’s also a Brown Sugar Bacon Infused Jim Beam worth giving a whirl if you’re into a little something sweet added to your bourbon.
Definitely have to shout out the awesome bartender/​mixologist/​whatever you want to call it. She had great tattoos, knew her stuff, and was great bar company for my buddies and I.
I’m going to end this review with a pretty FAME-​ous quote and just say that most definitely «I’ll be back!»

I hope I don’t make anyone feel bad… but I hate the name of this place (FAME is an acronym for Food And Mixology Experience). Perhaps I’m just burnt on the term «mixologist» from my many years being on the forefront of the graduation from «bartender,» but that doesn’t mean they’re not running a quality operation over there. Hell, tUnE-​yArDs is probably the most obnoxious band name in recent memory, but that doesn’t mean I don’t really like their music. That said, FAME is well worth checking out if you’re scootin’ around this neighborhood.
They feature a bunch of different infused spirits ranging from floral, summary treats to year round classics like maple and bacon infused whiskey, all mixed perfectly into cocktails their «mixologists» have perfected. I had a taste of at least three different libations, all of which really hit the spot. Couple that with a really friendly woman behind the bar (didn’t catch her name, but I believe she only works on Friday and Saturday nights), and that’s about all I need to become a regular. Of course not being a resident of Chicago that’s nearly impossible, but I’d totally return here in a heartbeat next time I’m in Ditka country.

So love the dog-​friendly patio, especially for our pup’s first rodeo. Staff was super attentive to our pooch, providing cuddles & water. Delish mojito & mule, with brilliant ambience. Definitely returning to sample the menu!