June’s Inn

Good, old fashioned dive bar. Glad to be apart of June’s Inn. Beers are always cheap & shots too. I don’t see a problem with that if you’re trying to get some drinks in your system for practically, free. Also, they play all the games that are on. Hawks, basketball, football. You got it! They have a pool table that everyone is always playing as well as the jukebox. Never a dull moment at June’s. You’ll definitely get a sense of family & protection at June’s

I like June’s, too.
The divey, neighborhood bar – like June’s – was a longtime fixture in Chicago. I agree that it’s not super welcoming. It’s not super clean, but I wouldn’t call it dirty either. The patrons are regular folks. The staff are too. It doesn’t have a huge list of craft beers or signature drinks. And yeah, It happily harkens back to simpler times – which is nice.
There is no denying that the patina of the place (and it’s regulars) makes June’s Inn unique. If your inner Old Man is calling, stop in to grab a Highlife and a round of darts.

From the outside, June’s appears to be a perfectly charming dive bar. I love dive bars, so when I moved in with my cohabitator, I said,“Golly! I can’t wait to try the dive bar next door!”
My cohabitator responded, «You’re not going in there. Ever.»
I thought he was kidding. He wasn’t. He has lived on the block for ten years, and he has been in many times. He seriously doesn’t want me in there. I am not banned from any other bar in the neighborhood, nor any other bar in Chicago, for that matter.
This bar attracts a lot of crack-​heads and meth-​types and other unsavory folk. I’m sure there are plenty of exceptions, but I value safety, both mine and yours. Find another dive in the area (there are plenty!).

It *is* a dive bar. It *is* a dying breed. There *is* a story and a smell to the place. But if you’re cool with that, give the place a chance. Just mustered up the cajones to check it out last night, and June’s sister Karen, the bartender, is just about the nicest person I’ve met all year. 5 stars for good old-​fashioned niceness. We could all use a little more of it in our lives.

I like June’s…you youngsters and newer-​to-​the-​neighborhood types must realize that places like this are a dying breed. This doesn’t bother most people, but it’s nice to come into a place where the barkeep will actually have a conversation with you, drinks aren’t $ 8 and, goshdarnit, they just don’t take credit cards. Woe is you.
The first few times you’re here, you may get a few stares (I’m guessing this place isn’t too fond of interlopers), but once you prove you’re human, it’s fine. Even nicer are the days they have BBQs… BIG space out back with plenty of picnic tables, free food, and lots of drunks with their kids… very ‘70s. I do agree with the confederate flag being creepy, but WTF, free expression, right?

This is a true dive bar… and also one of those places my folks would have told me to steer clear of. It smells weird. To be fair, these people are very nice. Weird, but nice. It does feel like «the family…» and I’m not sure this is a family I want to be a part of. It sort of felt like EVERYONE was hitting on me. And my friend. And each other. Weird.

I once had to play a dart league game out at June’s Inn, it is a small dive with tiny TVs from maybe the 1980’s or so. The dartboards are lumpy with cancer and the drinks flow cheaply. The dart league players were very nice people and bought us many beers.
Look, I might be a bleeding heart blue blood liberal, but for peep’s sake please get rid of the damn Confederate flag hanging over your bar. It makes me feel like I am going to get lynched, for Pete’s sake!

So sure this isn’t the classiest place in the area. It is small, dark, not great beer selection, and small. For some reason it has a certain… feel to it. A story if you will. I can see men of yore sitting at the bar, wallowing in whiskey, writing nothings on a cocktail napkin. But then… maybe I have envisioned too many Hemingway moments.
We’ve been here a few times, usually on a last minute-​not ready to go home yet-​I still have $ 5 dollars burning in my pocket– kind of evening. Really there are only 6 regulars that come in and they are very protective of their bar. This is understandable as there are not many more seats in the place. However, when you want a quiet evening on a patio…
they have a back patio.
And it is pretty big.
It isn’t a beer garden mind you, but it will accommodate about 30 people. I know this as the one evening we were in, there was a gaggle of bikers in the back.
So, it’s a dive bar. Not a «popular» or «to be seen» dive bar, but an actual dive. That is just fine by me.

I have rated this a 3 star simply because it frankly defies conventional means of description, it certainly defies any conventional means of rating, let me first say that this is a SMALL tavern; and yes per Jennie’s description there are certainly some regulars. The tavern is «run» a tleast in his own mind by a fella called the Mayor (of Western Avenue) although I strongly suspect that his sphere of influence does not extend beyond the 4 walls. He will immediatley adopt any clear newcomer to the place and you will be one of the family. (You may also be plied with free drinks to encourage a return visit) although if you are drinking Johnny Walker like I was this is less likely. I have visted half a dozen times, invariably late in the evening after being elsewhere and eventually broke down the NO TABS rule. The more adamant the barkeep is in smallplaces like this the more determined I grow. In the end, I had to give up the dream of settling in to this neighberhood dive despite its proximity to my place, too much DAVID ALLAN COE, too little JOHHNY CASH, too much JOURNEY not enough WILLIE NELSON, as it stands I owe this place 24 dollars, should probably return, whats right is right, but I dont want to get sucked back in to the family… Dont drink the cool aid. Think DELIVERANCE. Plus one star for the cocktails on the house, June I owe you.

I don’t want to admit I’ve been here, but I can’t lie to my fellow Unilocalers. We’ve been at this hole in the wall Bar a few times for the BF’s dart team.
The place is REALLY run down. The same 6 people are always at the bar, and also on the Dart team as a matter of fact. They are really nice people. But the place kind of gives me the creeps.
Three cheers to the Tamale guy who comes around just when we get hungry!