The Gingerman Tavern

Great drinks, pretty decent prices. Locals were very friendly. Loved that the music was at a volume that you could enjoy and still converse. We enjoyed ourselves on a Wednesday night, and would definitely come back.

Friendly and delightful – great place for a beer (or cider, as the case may be) with a friend after a movie at the Music Box Theater.

This review is for the live music section of the bar. The place is obviously does a great job of being a bar — four stars for sure for all the reasons others have given — but as a music venue, it’s awful.
The sound is terrible, the layout really odd and not user-​friendly, and if you don’t shove your way into the three-​deep crunch directly in front of the stage (if there is one, no way to know), you can’t see a thing from anywhere else in the room. The triangular shape of the room compresses all the action to the tip of the triangle and if you are anywhere else, it sucks to be you.
Won’t be back.

Leave the Bourgeois behind and come on over to the Gingerman. I pretty much despise all Wrigleyville bars fro the obvious reasons. I’m not an immature 22 year old white cubs fan. However I’ve been frequenting the Gingerman for a few years now and even though ownership changed and they gnarled up the sign so it now says the G-​Man (federal agent much?) it’s still the same good service, with the same affordable drinks in a low key environment.
It gets a little nuts on game nights as idiots pour in from the overflow at other bars, but generally if you’re looking for a good low key spot to have some drinks, chat and have a good time, this is the place. Very professional door men and bartenders.

Great beer. Great prices. Big plus is the space to hangout and the pool tables in the back room. They have two bathrooms both small and each one is a one-​at-​a-​time kinda room only. There is a $ 10 min on cards but not so bad considering you’re in Chicago. Plus a real Jukebox and pretty neat old building with tile mosaic floors.

GREAT SOUND!
As an up and coming sound engineer myself, I pride myself on finding excellent audio.
I went in there for a DJ event and man! The sound guy had it so clear and pumping! I asked him how he does it, and he explained to me that it’s faith in Mr. Jesus that does the work. He told me that Mr. Jesus was all I needed — boy is he right!
Awesome!

Monday March 23, 2015. A little busy before the show at the metro around 8pm. There were atleast 10 people trying to get a drink and almost everyone sitting at the bar had empty glasses. I am standing behind two lovely women sitting at the bar. They said something to the bartender to get his attention so they could get a drink since they were empty for 10 minutes. He says «Oh, you want a drink? Turn around, that’s right, turn around! You see all these mother*******s behind you?!! I am fucking busy here, jesus!» Then he storms off to the other side of the bar. Me and my friend left immediately. I wouldn’t give my money to that douchebag.
It’s unfortunate since I have been coming here for 15 years and always liked the low key atmosphere, good beer, and pool. I’m not a regular by any means, but it seems that this bartender only cares about the regulars and isn’t interested in moving faster than a snail and do what he gets paid to do, which is make drinks! It’s not like he is working at the aviary, he’s pouring beer. Not that hard, bro. I have never seen such a classless move by someone in the service industry and I’ve seen some real d bags.
It’s unfortunate that you would employ someone so bad. I get that you don’t really care what people think and the Gman is supposed to be «cool». But don’t forget who pays your bills, its the people that you are lucky to serve. Show at least a shred of respect.

Guinness poured in one swoop here, so don’t expect the two pour special treatment, which really is and should always be the standard treatment for this fine beer. But, the prices are cheap and it’s a cool atmosphere, so you just have to pick your battles. We ordered some vodka shots as well, to make up the bar tab to hit $ 10 for the card minimum. Shots were the way to go because there was a creeper at the bar and we needed to escape as soon as possible. Would definitely come back though if I was ever early for a show at The Metro next door.

Great choice of beers at very reasonable prices. And they’ve got a real jukebox. Definitely worth a look

Just wanted to chime in and say that this place does accept credit cards now. The survey info hasn’t updated to reflect this yet.

I LOVE this place! I have been coming here for several years for pool, good beer prices, and a great jukebox. Like everyone has mentioned, this is one of the few non-​bro-​y places in Wrigley. A delight!

I’m not saying anything new here. I just wanted to plop my 5 stars here and tell the Gman to keep doin’ what you’re doin’ baby. On the rare occasion that I am force fed the shitshow of a neighborhood known as Wrigleyville — this spot is my little bubble of sanity. The Gingerman is the no-​brainer choice for the neighborhood if you are looking for a low key night of jukebox music and good beer. You never know what the night may hold here — and their live music sets have been killing it lately.

Exactly what everyone says it is. Fantastic place and fantastic people. It’s what a bar is supposed to be.

Hmmm… let’s see this place has been here for quit some time now. I would have called it a divey bar… not a straight up dive bar but close. Now they cleaned it up a bit and it’s a bit nicer than it was years back. I call it my Wrigley dive like bar. Good beer selection, clientele that is eclectic and not poser hipster jack monkeys I can’t stand with their pissy little attitudes. Those turd burglars make me hate plaid, PBR, Chrome messenger bags, skinny jeans, beards, horn rim glasses, steel frame bikes, and tatoos. Separately I like all of these… together sometimes you get a bit of attitude which is not necessary.
What brings me back to this bar on a regular game day basis includes the rock solid beer selection, the no nonsense bartenders, the crowd that is pleasant and an interesting mix, and a good selection of music playing. Prices are reasonable, the back room sorta sucks but the bar room is right up my alley. I do not head out to Wrigley for bars but when I’m in Wrigley for a game this and Goose Island are my got to spots. I like to start with Goose Island pre-​game and end at Gingerman.

I’m sooo fucking surprised I’ve never been thrown out of here. I’ve come close a few times, I’m sure. Look, I like this bar because it’s the only decent thing in that god damn neighborhood that’s not crawling with dickholes and yuppies. I like that they have free pool on Sundays and that the bartenders are fucking always on their game and easy on the eyes. I like drinking in a bar with a pinball machine and MC5 on the jukebox. I like girls with tattoos and bathroom art that really deserves to be published in the paper. Maybe not the Tribune, but for real in the Sun Times.
I even met Stephen Malkmus there and asked him if I could take a bite of his hot dog. He said no. I will forever frequent this bar as often as I am in Wrigleyville.

I’ve visited this establishment (g-​man since it’s new ownership) a couple of times since it is right around the corner from my apartment. I will never come here again as my friend had their wallet stolen and the bartenders are less than hospitable to put it kindly. My recommendation to the management is to get new staff or re-​train those you have hired.
Overall this bar is about par for the Wrigleyville bar scene… nothing special and no regard for honest customers.
Save your money and find a neighborhood bar that will treat you with some respect.

If i had a list entitled «Best dive bars», this place would top it.
We originally went in because we thought it may have been affiliated w/​The Gingerman in NYC. Wrong. We had a fantastic time, none the less.
Katie was an awesome bartender. She was really nice and talkative (we were 2 of 5 people in there for about 2 hours). I love that they have a pile of phone chargers you can use if you have a low battery, we all partook.
Good taps, better bottles (mmmm Angry Orchard). And yes, Virginia. They actually DO take credit cards.
If ever were in Chicago again and near Wrigley, this place is a must visit.

I expected this place to be extra-​douchey just based on the neighborhood and the fact that we were there on St. Patrick’s Day.
The service was pretty good. The wait staff was great. The clientele wasn’t so bad, and all-​in-​all it was a pretty good experience.
Cash only, which always knocks a star off in my book. You’re already making like 400% on the alcohol mark-​up, there’s really no excuse at a bar.

My first experience with Gingerman was for Beer Appreciation Society, and I fully appreciated the hell out of this place. So much so that I ended up staying and playing pool until way past my bedtime on a worknight. It was relatively easy to get to, parking wasn’t too bad and they have a really good selection of beer on draught and in bottles for the right price. They also carry my beloved Sweet Tea Vodka. What else could a girl really ask for?
Well, I found out last night that they are also dog-​friendly given the right circumstances. They don’t like pooches in there when it’s super busy (weekends, game/​concert days), but if your dog is well behaved and you call in advance then they just might let you bring them along. It was great for Mandi G and I because we were coming from a puppy playdate and looking for somewhere close, cheap and accommodating toward our companions.
The pups chilled while we chatted and drank. Bartender Katie mixes a great Jeremiah Weed & Minute Maid Lemonade. Again, I stayed longer than I anticipated, which is typically a good sign that the bar is doing something right. I’m pretty sure it had a lot to do with the warm wood atmosphere and the sweet jukebox with Interpol, The Bravery and Social Distortion.

When I walk into a ‘Tavern’ and the first 3 songs played are by Interpol I pretty much KNOW I’m going to fork over the Full 5 Star Monty.
It would’ve taken a brazen act of malevolence to take it down to even a four star after that point. Like maybe I order a beer and instead they hand me a dirty baby diaper and tell me to eat sh*t and die or something… and even then, it’d still only *maybe* drop to a 4. And that’s a BIG maybe.
Luckily, I never even had to consider dropping my changing mental rating (emphasis on the ‘mental’ — obvi) to a 4— or what I was gonna do with my new dirty baby diaper gift basket.
If you’re seeing a show at The Metro you’ve obvi got the attached Smart Bar (very cool) as an option but if you’re looking for something a little more chill, where you could possibly and very probably meet the band before or after the show, you’re defo gonna want to stake out some real estate at the Gingerman. For me, there’s no where else… at least in Godforsaken Wrigleyville. I mean, I’d totally be down for John Barleycorn or Cubby BEar but my Ed Hardy embroidered button-​up is in the wash and I can just never manage to starch my collar enough to stay properly popped. C’est la Vie, eh?
Anyway, the environment is chill as a mutha and the bartenders are cool as sh*t (in the good way– not the baby diaper way). IMO, defo some of the best around. Plus, they’ve got a great selection to offer up. Craft beer, anyone? Yeah, I thought so. See you there, Gingers.

ja, das ist gut. das ist sehr gut.
i like the gingerman because:
–it’s a little rough
–it’s a lot fun
–it’s a lot cheap.
…remember it’s cash only, which is a downer. wah wah.