Michael Diversey’s

LOVE THIS PLACE!
For my money, this is a great place for burgers, nachos and football. Ive never had a bad experience here with either the food or the staff. This place will be missed.

The nachos are the best in the city!!! If your looking to throw back a huge plate of nachos and a few beers, amazing!!! (Literally huge plate of nachos) The beers are a little pricey, and the stupid trivia nights are annoying. I say get rid of that junk and hire some mixologists and get some signature cocktails in the mix. I frequent this place often and have had several great meals from the menu. Great place to watch the blackhawks. But I wouldn’t take a date here or expect to be happy when the bill comes. The servers and bartenders are friendly and great! Sometimes a little slow but they do what hey can for a lot of tables.

Their loaded Bloody Mary was good, but the brunch menu was something to be desired. Only one waiter/​bartender during Sunday rush. Customer service was lacking, but could have been do to lack of servers.

I LOVE THIS PLACE.
Why do you ask? Well the owner is the most friendly and attentive owner of a bar/​restaurant I have ever seen. He gets to know the customers that frequent here often and even listens to our input on drinks! (We like Vandermill cider, and he always makes sure they have it).
The food is fantastic, you can not go wrong with literally anything on the menu. My favorite is the BBQ bacon cheeseburger; it comes on a pretzel bun with loads of toppings and is always perfectly cooked! The waffle fries are also very tasty. You also need to try the chicken tenders, they will be unlike any other chicken tenders you have had in your life.
This is also Michigan state bar for my fellow spartan alums (and if you’re not a spartan alum, don’t worry– it’s also a Chicago sports bar.) This MSU bar isn’t like the Tin Lizzie’s of the world filled with rowdy 22 year olds, it’s a fun sports bar to come if watching the game and actually want to remember the game!
Summary: great owner who will make the effort to say hello and get to know you, delicious food– best bar food I’ve ever had, and a great game day atmosphere.

Service can be slow during prime time (Friday and Saturday nights) but go during the day and staff is so friendly, they’ll chat with you for a while.
I can split the nachos with a friend and call it a meal. If you order the nachos, wait to order anything else. This platter is huge!
Besides the nachos, my go-​to meals are the Cali BLT, the black bean burger or the turkey burger. All solid, filling meals and I indulge in the waffle fries. My husband gets the fish tacos or the habanero pulled pork sandwich.
For drinks, this craft beer on draft changes constantly with the seasons. When the seasonal ones are odd, hubs gets the Hennepin and I get a hefeweizen.
We live in the neighborhood so this is our place when we can’t agree or are too lazy — about once every two weeks.

(Insert Chelsea Dagger song)
I never knew this place existed until my fellow Hawks-​loving friends decided we come here to watch the Hawks and football during football playoffs earlier in the year. Not gonna lie, this place looked like a Bennigan’s and I felt like I was in the burbs when I saw handrails, dark wood booths, sirens, and banners of college and pro sports teams on the walls.
I sat down with my group and we were attended to surprisingly quick. We all ordered a bunch of stuff and even though the place was packed, service wasn’t compromised one bit. I had the buffalo shrimp wrap with sweet potato fries and hubby had a parkside burger that looked large enough for a small family to consume. Prices weren’t bad and they even with all these prime-​time sports events, they had $ 5 huge sized beers. They even play the Chelsea Dagger song every time the Hawks scored. Damn, why haven’t I been here before???
The Hawks didn’t win or the football team my friends were rooting for but this place was attentive, food was good and prices were right. It was a little out of my area and the décor reminded me of my previous burb life but that shouldn’t stop anyone from passing through and singing some Chelsea Dagger. Even on the off-​season.

*MICHAEL DIVERSEY’S IS NOT CLOSING*
Last week I asked the bartender Megan about the Unilocal review (s) saying Michael Diversey’s is closing and she confirmed it is not true. Rumors manifested during winter (ie slow season for the food and beverage industry) led to this misunderstanding.
And thank god. The beer menu is expansive. They have craft cans/​bottles and unique beers on tap, as well as «crappy beer Thursdays.» Whatever your preferred beer style, they have it.
The food is great, period. I always recommend the Diversey Nachos. The crispness of the fries fluctuates depending on the day but this has never really mattered to me.
Cocktails aren’t consistent, but that may be attributed to newer staff members or portions. I’ve ordered the Don’s Skinny Margarita multiple times and each time it has been different. It’s been served in a margarita glass, a collins glass, and snifter. Once it had salt and occasionally it tastes less like tequila and more like mix. This week I noticed it may be a pre-​mixed cocktail stored over days. Their whiskey cocktails are good, like the Templeton Sidecar and the Bulleit Old Fashioned (muddled as it should be).
Tuesday night trivia is free and entertaining, especially if you’re in touch with your geeky side. The host is great, too.
The interior is really beautiful with vintage accents despite posters and flags for the Blackhawks thrown around. Check out the wall by the bathrooms for some cool historic advertising.

The drinks depend on the bartender. Tonight they were great. Last time they were average. Food is good, but occasionally they do not have things listed on the menu.
I would like to mention that I just spoke to the bartender and despite rumors they are NOT closing. The cold winter «polar vortex» months have them a scare, but they have no other plans than to stay open.

This might be one of the last reviews Diversey’s gets – apparently it’s due to close.
Well laid out, its good service serves a decent list of craft beers, in a well designed seating area ideal for big groups. I imagine it’s a well patroned local water hole – which then surprises me as to its coming demise.

I’ve lived in Chicago for almost five years now and I think I’m ready to declare Michael Diversey’s one of my favorite neighborhood bars in the city. The space is cozy without feeling cramped, the atmosphere is warm and friendly, they have lots of TVs around the bar, but it never feels hectic or overly «sports bar,» and Michael Diversey’s stands out for its cleanliness among comparable Chicago bars.
The food is some of the best bar food in the city — I highly recommend the boneless wings and the mac and cheese, but I’ve never ordered anything here that disappointed. (Their ranch dressing is amazing!)
Trivia on Tuesdays is pretty challenging and the guy who runs it is a little scattered/​high-​energy but it makes for a fun way to spend a Tuesday night.
Drink specials are plentiful and there are lots of different beers on draft.
My only complaint is the lack of wifi, but it’s a small price to pay for such an all-​around great bar.

I totally stumbled upon this place while shopping at Trader Joe’s across the street and it has become my go to place when I want a great burger.
The first thin you notice is the space. You can grab a table up front and people watch while you eat or you can venture to the back where it’s a bit darker and more «bar like.» I like places where you can get multiple vibes depending on your mood.
The beer selection is outstanding! Got myself a glass of Goose Island Bourbon County here. That’s impressive they even had it… I’ve had too many great beers here to mention since I’ve been quite a few times but suffice to say Jack (I believe he’s the owner) is quite a beer aficionado. The stuff he puts on tap is all over the place and not a miss in the bunch.
The food is excellent too. The burgers are to kill for and the other fare (at least the sandwiches and apps we’ve had) was excellent as well.
The only thing holding this place from burger and beer nirvana is the service. It is a bit spotty. I’ve been here at various times and on various days and every time you really need to track down a server. Not a big deal but when your beer is empty, you kind of panic! Seriously though, maybe they need to throw another person on or do bit of training? Minor complaints but hey, I’m thirsty over here! :-)
Anyway, go get a burger, a beer and relax. And if you see Jack tell him I said hi and thanks for the beer recommendations!

Who is Michael Diversey and why does he have such a wonderful restaurant? We walked into this place randomly after we shied away from another restaurant that was far too crowded and I’m so happy that we did. Very spacious around lunchtime with many open tables, it was the perfect spot for a small group of young adults. We ordered beers and mimosas and prepared for a grand meal as we browsed through their expansive menu. The place has a nice atmosphere and great service.
I ordered the bologna sandwich on a whim because the menu said it was new to the restaurant. The Diversey bologna consists of 100% beef bologna pan fried and served with caramelized onions sitting on a toasted onion roll. The bologna was stacked high on this sandwich, at least eight layers deep. It was a very hearty bologna sandwich, one of the best I’ve had. The sandwich is around $ 10, but for an extra $ 1, you can add a fried egg on top of the sandwich, which I did, and it was a great decision. The egg sits on top of the bologna, and when bitten into, oozes everywhere in the best kind of way. The fried egg works incredibly well with the ingredients in this bologna sandwich. The sandwich comes with a side – you can select fries, tater tots, vegetables, mashed potatoes, wild rice, or a salad. I opted for the tater tots, and I couldn’t have been happier. I’m a sucker for some tater tots. All in all this was a very good experience at this restaurant.

This was a great place to meet up with some friends, grab a seat by the window, chow down on some delicious bar eats, wash them down with beer and watch the snow fall outside. We split nachos, wings, quesadillas and sweet potato fries (to DIE for!) and stayed for hours. Definitely some of the best bar food I’ve had in a while.
Our server was not super knowledgeable about the menu, including beer, specials and food, which is why I only gave 4 stars. She was very sweet though.

I came here on a Sunday evening to check out the trivia and the place was PACKED! Trivia started at 8pm and our group got there at 7:30pm… and the place was already buzzing.
I appreciated the vibe and the atmosphere. There were long tables with high wooden benches to accommodate a group that was there, each person with an open laptop, with their page open to fantasy football… so the draft? (Sorry I am clueless when it comes to sports…) But essentially friends, esp larger groups come here to chill, hang out, play trivia, do their fantasy football draft… whatever you want. Cool. One girl even had a gigantic plate of sour-​cream topped nachos next to her screen; she wasn’t messing around.
Michael Diversey’s feels like a reunion in an old friend’s basement, but with a great beer selection.
When I checked in, I got a free glass of House wine with the purchase of an entrée, score! I ordered a pound of hot wings, and other orders at the table were the veggie sandwich, fish tacos, burgers and wraps. We also ordered a brownie sundae to split between a few of us. Deeelectable. They have large portions of food, it is GOOD, and the servers were attentive and cheerful.
FOUR STARS for the food and beer.
I tried some of the Pumking (pumpkin ale) which smelled like a scented candle and tasted very good. I would order this next time, because compared to others I’ve tried it more smooth and less sour, which I like. But they have quite an extensive beer list here and there are plenty to try.
FOUR STARS for the trivia. Screens were everywhere, on all the walls and they kept track of all the team names/​scores on an Excel sheet that was projected on the screens. Very organized. Cool categories and they had a round that I really like. (They would play two songs for about 30 seconds, and the titles of each song are supposed to overlap. I.e. Kelly Clarkson’s «I can’t live without you» and Taylor Swift’s «You belong with me.» Thus, the answer = «I can’t live without you belong with me.» Fun stuff. The trivia host was great.
THREE STARS for the atmosphere, which seems to accommodate everyone and anyone. From fantasy football tables to families with younger children, it was all one big happy family. We came here for trivia and to just hang out and talk. Loud trivia we got… but (personally) I like places that are a little less rowdy. Great for people who want a lively place Sunday evening or to watch a sports game, though they also do have some lovely outdoor seating. I would definitely come back though and I’m sure this place would grow on me.

The good: Good service. Fast and attentive and friendly. Good menu options for a bar. Great drink selections. Outdoor seating and open window atmosphere. Good sports décor. Food was pretty tasty.
The bad: All of the food was too oily.
Overall: A good spot for dinner or just some after work drinks.
Atmosphere: ⁸⁄₁₀
Service: ⁸⁄₁₀
Food: ⁸⁄₁₀

I hit up Michael Diversey’s last night for some trivia and grub with some friends, it’s quite a place!
For some reason heading into the adventure I pictured Michael Diversey’s to be somewhat divey, this was not the case at all. It has the ambiance of a comfy neighborhood bar with it’s beautiful wooden high tops and sumptuous comfy booths. It’s very clean and quite light and airy for a bar.
My friends had already grabbed one of the wooden high tops and ordered a bucket of miller lights which was fine by me. What was even better is that on Tuesday they have $ 15 buckets. I personally view $ 15 buckets as quite a steal in the city, you’re not going to find $ 3 beers too many places!
Some of my trivia team had eaten but my sister and I had not so we ordered dinner. She ordered the steak teriyaki wrap and tater tots and I ordered the Parkway burger. I loved my burger. It was an awesome flavor combination (jack cheese, bacon and bourbon-​chipotle onions on a pretzel roll)! I also really liked the french fries a lot. My sister was equally pleased with her wrap and tots.
My only really complaint is that the service at Michael Diversey’s could have been a little bit better. Our waitress was not as attentive as I like (food took longer to clear, water glasses went empty for awhile, etc) but it was by no means bad service at all.
I definitely hope to be back at Michael Diversey’s soon, especially for their awesome trivia night!

My go to place in the area!
The menu has great variety and the majority of the food is great. The burger is good if you don’t want to wait 2 hours next door! Great beer selection and cocktails. Awesome place for Blackhawk’s games!
Great for large parties with ample space and a varied menu for everyone’s taste buds.
Service has always been good. I mean this is not a 5 star restaurant, its a pub. So, just have that in mind. I hope this place stays in business with Kuma’s next door. Doesn’t have Kuma’s attitude and pretentiousness about it. Just a good place to go for a beer and some food. Woot woot!

The old «Firkin and Pheasant» has grown up. I’m not sure the name is any better. After declining to wrestle our way into Kuma’s Too, we opted for Michael Diversey’s for pre-​movie cocktails (we never made the movie). Surprised to see that it’s the «official» Chicago Blackhawks headquarters. On a Sunday afternoon, it was crowded likely with overflow from Kuma’s. We split the Michael’s nachos which were large enough to serve as a meal.
I was pleasantly surprised and would recommend stopping in before a movie at the nearby Century Theater.

My friends and I came here on Valentine’s day-​is there a male equivalent to Galentine’s? More importantly, should guys use it? Anyway, I remember the other bar that used to be here and didn’t think too much of it service-​wise.
We got nachos which were pretty plain. The buffalo wings were also similarly decent.
However, they had bourbon county stout, which was really good and the manager came by to talk about the different options we ordered. Two PBRs, my bourbon county and mentioned that they were due to run out of bourbon county but Goose Island was bringing in a Green tea infused kolsch.
So, the food hasn’t changed much from before but I think the service has improved, and it’s right near my buddy’s house so it’s probably worth returning to.

I’ve lived within a couple of blocks of this place for almost 3 years now and it is my go-​to spot. I haven’t eaten anything here I didn’t like. The burgers are fantastic, and it’s hard for me not to get one when I go. I have also enjoyed their salads, wraps, fries, the garlic aioli, etc. My boyfriend loves their beer selection.
The atmosphere is great– it’s comfortable, clean, nice, but laid back. It’s not too loud, but busy enough to know it’s good. The service is always fast and thorough. It’s my favorite bar to catch a game at.