# Wednesday, 3/12 -- ChiDope Bar Scouting **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 28, 2003, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254 "2003-02-28T22:42:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/1 "2003-02-28T22:42:00Z")
After careful deliberation and numerous e-mails, **Hamlet** and I have come up with a short list of area bars to consider for the ChiDope festivities this coming May. (Y’all should thank your luck stars Hamlet got in on the gig, by the way. Had it been up to me I’d have picked a place within closest stumbling distance of my home and called it a day. Big Ted’s Drinkin’ & Knifin’ Pit it is!) If anyone is available to join us in checking these places out, please drop **Hamlet** or me an e-mail or post here. We’ve not firmed up a time yet, but we are planning on meeting sometime on the evening of Wednesday, March 12 – maybe 6 p.m. or so. Everyone is welcome, so please come along! ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/2 "2003-03-01T04:54:42Z")
You know, it’s times like these when I wish I were closer to Chicago 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Lorenzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4da419/32.png) [@Lorenzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorenzo)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/3 "2003-03-01T05:39:25Z")
Best available bar within walking distance or reasonable cab ride from the train station(s) gets my vote, FWIW ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/4 "2003-03-02T01:39:08Z")
Ah! I finally found the _important_ thread about a **Chi-dope**. ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/5 "2003-03-02T01:46:35Z")
The one that tells you nothing? ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/6 "2003-03-02T16:01:23Z")
As one of the NYC Dopefest bar scouters, I wish you and your colleauges luck on your difficult quest, **Gundy**. I must say that it was quite a challenge stopping in every bar for blocks to see whether they met our requirements. In fact, our survey crew had to go out several times to find the right locations. It’s tough work, but someone had to do it for the benefit of the Dopers in general. Seriously, we did have a bit of trouble finding a bar for Friday night that would hold 50 people and was handicapped accessable (one of the NY Dopers is a wheelchair user). I hope that Chicago bars are a bit better on this front than those in New York. Fortunately, we had found a Saturday night bar that met our requirements early. Good luck on your search – and on the morning after. Can’t wait so see you and your choices in a couple of months. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/7 "2003-03-02T17:00:03Z")
I’m probably the wrong person to check out bars, since I never hang out in them unless there’s a favorite band playing there (and I’ll be out of town that night anyway), but may I humbly request that cigarette smoke level be taken into consideration for those of us who have a hard time dealing with it? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/8 "2003-03-02T19:04:35Z")
**Billdo** , thanks for the good wishes. With all the requests to keep in mind, it will be a tough job indeed. But we’re up to the task! Hopefully most people will be pleased with the outcome. **Eva Luna** , we’re mostly looking at places that have private rooms, so cigarette smoke shouldn’t be a problem. An ideal situation, I think, would be an outdoor patio. Rest assured we’ll keep it in mind. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/9 "2003-03-02T20:30:02Z")
I’ll be unable to help on the scouting expedition due to the commute, but as a favor, could you do some bodyshots for me? ---
**Author:** ![Tiburon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e36b37/32.png) [@Tiburon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tiburon)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/10 "2003-03-03T00:14:12Z")
Okay, I’m blanking on the name right now - but I love Piano bars. There is one in Chicago with two pianos where two people play together and it’s a fucking good time. (Dueling pianos!) Of course, it is my dream to spend my days at my piano so… Just last night I was at the Big Bang in St. Louis. Packed to the gills with Mardi Gras folks. What a blast. Tibs. p.s. I love Gundy. Not really. She sucks. ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/11 "2003-03-03T00:25:36Z")
I work just west of the Loop, so I may be able to join y’all. ---
**Author:** ![monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monster)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/12 "2003-03-03T01:23:06Z")
Tibs, I think it is Howl at the Moon, or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/13 "2003-03-03T03:12:24Z")
Who the hell cares about what **Tibs** wants, anyway? Stupid boobie-loving mullet-hating pianny-playing jerk! Howl at the Moon just opened a little while ago, didn’t it? Maybe good for Friday events? **Porc** , I was just going to e-mail you about it. I’m hopeful **Jane D’Oh** will be joining as well. **Shibb** , I’ll see what I can do about the body shots. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/14 "2003-03-03T03:25:17Z")
Hmm…I thought Howl at the Moon was shot down in the original thread because it’s really hard to talk to people you’ve never before met over the noise of the crowd participation. ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/15 "2003-03-03T04:42:07Z")
**chique** , you remember correctly - I believe _Howl at the Moon_ was relegated to a possible Thursday night early bird outing due to the noise level. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/16 "2003-03-03T17:27:44Z")
The original thread in which _actual_ ChiDope (taking place May 9 thru May 11, 2003) plans have been discussed, may be found here: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=152788](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=152788) ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/17 "2003-03-03T18:29:24Z")
Drat, Drat, Drat and Dammit! I just found out yesterday that on May 10 we’re having a major combined birthday party for my nephew and father, so I won’t be able to make ChiDope. However, for your information, at the New York dopefest we went to a piano bar on Thursday night after our Korean dinner, and that worked out really well. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/18 "2003-03-04T17:31:17Z")
I just thought I’d throw out a few ideas on an itinerary for the 12th. I thought we could meet up a one place about 7:00 or so and go from there. **Gundy** and I thought it would be a good idea to find a place that was near the blue line, so that both the visitors staying downtown and the visitors staying at O’Hare would have a chance to come without having to drive. With that in mind, we figured the Damen stop (where Damen, North, and Milwaukee meet) had the best opportunities for a Dopefest. Here’s the places by the el-stop that we want to check out on the 12th. Cans - [website](http://www.cansbar.com) Lottie’s Pub - [website](http://www.metromix.com/top/1,1419,M-Metromix-Bars-!PlaceDetail-2331,00.html) Holiday Club - [website](http://www.w36.com/inactive/holidayclub/index2.htm) Nick’s - [website](http://www.barsonline.com/chicago/nicks/main.htm). Also, we’d like to check out other spots, including [Black Rock Bar](http://centerstage.net/restaurants/black-rock.html) and [Moretti’s](http://www.morettischicago.com/morettis/ep/index.html). Am I missing any places, **Gundy**? Now, I know it will be a daunting task to have to go to potentially 6 different bars with the beautiful and wonderful **Gundy** , but I’ll put on my stiff upper lip and try to bear that horrible burden. Oh the humanity. Any additional thoughts on a timetable, place recommendations, or anything else? ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2003, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/19 "2003-03-04T17:55:19Z")
I don’t think you’re missing any places (though your link for Cans goes to some weird political site – try [this one](http://www.metromix.com/top/1,1419,M-Metromix-Home-!PlaceDetail-23552,00.html)). Let’s say we start at Cans (at 7 p.m.) since it’s probably easiest to find, and go from there? And, since I will have to suffer through an evening with the beautiful and wonderful **Hamlet** , I hope others will be available to share my pitiable task. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2003, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254/20 "2003-03-04T18:11:58Z")
Erm, what type of place is “Cans”? Does that mean in Chicago slang what it means around here? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wednesday-3-12-chidope-bar-scouting/158254.md?page=2)