Granville Anvil
Video Bar · Cocktail Lounge · Chicago, IL
About
Right next to the Granville Red Line stop in Edgewater, this dive bar feels more like a 1970s basement than a gay bar. Strong drinks come cheap, the crowd is a mix of gay and straight locals in their 30s and 40s, and the vibe is low-key and casual.
Reviews are split: regulars praise the friendly staff and free pours, while others note rude bartenders and a tired interior. With a Yelp rating of 3.6 from 62 reviews, it's a place you'll either love as a no-frills neighborhood bar or want to skip. Smoking area and outdoor seating are available, but the bar opens at 11am (not earlier).
In Edgewater, Chicago, directly next to the Granville Red Line stop.
Features
- ✓Strong, cheap drinks -- some of the city's heaviest pours
- ✓Outdoor seating and a smoking area
- ✓Mixed gay/straight crowd, mostly 30s and 40s
- ✓Divided reviews: polarizing but beloved by regulars
Good for
Practical
What people say
Rated from 62 reviews. 26 community ratings. View this venue on Yelp
From the community
Everything was excellent, with strong drinks.
A visitor · Over a year ago
“Don't waste your time”
I just moved back to town and live two blocks away, so I stopped by on a night in January. Within twenty minutes, each time the bartender spoke to me, he made two rude and catty remarks. #bitterqueen
A guest · Over a year ago
“Neighborhood dive”
This is one of my favorite local dive bars: it has a digital jukebox, amusing bartenders, and the cheapest beer available if you like Schlitz.
A recent visitor · Over a year ago
“A little more than disgusting...”
In my many years traveling across the US, I've seen both good and bad aspects of gay culture. Over three visits to this awful place, the clientele represented everything that's negative—from predatory behavior to superficial, dramatic stereotypes. The regulars here are just a sad caricature of gay culture. Aside from the bad behavior, the atmosphere is as uninviting as a truck stop bathroom, and it would need far more than fresh paint to overcome the near-nonexistent lighting, terrible music, and odd smells that make anyone who hasn't spent money here wonder why the place hasn't been condemned. Since it's right next to the Granville Red Line stop, you're guaranteed to be approached by homeless people asking for money when entering and leaving, and sometimes the staff won't bother to confront those who come inside to bother patrons. The staff seem both rude and ineffective, and I've observed that they drink more than the customers. With only three other people at the bar, you might wait twenty minutes for the bartender to notice you if you're not a friend or a potential hookup. Of all the bars I've been to in this city, this is definitely the worst.
A local visitor · Over a year ago
“One of Chicagos' original Dives”
A great local dive. Old-school bar, dingy and smelly. A good mix of guys – something for everyone. You'll find anything and everything here. Opens early at 9 AM for serious drinkers. No attitudes, friendly staff. A+ service. Cheap drink specials and free pours. Tip well and it will pay off.
A visitor · Over a year ago
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hours? +
Open daily from 11am to 2am (until 3am on Saturdays).
Does Granville Anvil have outdoor seating? +
Yes, there is an outdoor seating area, and a smoking area is also available.
Is the crowd mostly gay or mixed? +
The crowd is mixed gay and straight, with a focus on locals in their 30s and 40s.
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