Bar of the month

Four Shadows
2758 N. Ashland

The Basics

Where you’ll find it: 2758 N. Ashland. On the corner of Ashland and Diversey. (773) 248-9160. www.FourShadows.net

When it’s open: 4 p.m.-2 a.m., Monday through Friday; 11 a.m.-3 a.m. Saturday; 11 a.m. -2 a.m. Sunday.

Peak time: The Four Shadows typically gets a good push for dinner, then a second wave later on. University of Iowa and Bears football draw big crowds. On weekends, things get busy around 9 p.m.

What you’ve heard: Cleaned-up, classy neighborhood bar in a spot that desperately needed one. ... Great TVs and a cool staff. The owners regularly mingle with the crowd. ... Some seriously good food and a diverse and friendly crowd at night.

History in short: Formerly called everything from the Brass Ass to the Diversey Tavern and, more recently, Lee’s. The space was purchased in March of 2006 and completely gutted before re-opening in July.

Visual Aids

First impressions: Four Shadows has the feel of an old-school classic Chicago bar, complete with rich, dark woodwork, exposed brick and large mirrors. ... You can walk into the bar during the daylight and not be afraid of it — it’s that spotless. ... There are eight flat-screen TVs that make it easy to watch the game, but they don’t have a dominating presence. ... Plenty of seating for couples or large groups, leaving adequate space down the middle to maneuver about.

The atmosphere: This has all the makings of a big-time sports bar — as you can discover on weekend afternoons in football season — but also a great place to come for dinner on a Tuesday night. ... Friendly setting, as the staff makes it a point to have you feel like you’ve been there before, even if you haven’t. Whatever you’re looking for, whether it’s sports, live music or a good place to gather with friends at night, it’s here.

What you’ll tell your friends: “It’s a fun, clean neighborhood bar with great management, staff and food. The service — you get everything on time. ... You’d never know how nice it is until you come inside. It’s got the atmosphere where you can just chill or get crazy.”
— Ann Gentile and Nicki Holtzmann

“In a neighborhood where a lot of people live, there wasn’t a place to feel good about going to until now. People like to have a place they can walk to and feel comfortable, and this is it. Plus, the food is to die for.
— Katie, 26

What the owner thinks: “The biggest thing is, we want this to be everyone’s bar. The vibe is never going to be bad because we cater to the crowd. We’re young and we’re always noticing what’s working elsewhere, so we get it. It’s the kind of place we’d want to walk into. If we get a suggestion, we pay attention to it. Our mentality is: “This is your bar.”
– Alex Zupancic

The Experience

At your service: This isn’t one of those places that’s corporate owned, where you feel like a number walking in. A lot of people are on a first-name basis with the staff, and waitresses are swift. “There aren’t many places you can go where there’s a decent chance one of the owners will be sitting there next to you, ready to buy you a beer,” says Alex, one of the owners. “We’ll take care of you because we love meeting our patrons. Customers who come here always come back. Really, a fun environment is what we’re about, and we get that point across to our staff.” ... “We can sling martinis or serve the High Life,” says Katie. Parking, it should be noted, is plentiful in the surrounding neighborhood.

Get your drink on: Besides a full liquor bar and a wide assortment of bottled beer, Four Shadows offers up a nice mix of 12 beers on tap, including favorites like Smithwick’s, Goose Island Christmas Ale, Blue Moon, Stella, Sierra Nevada, Fat Tire, Harp and Guinness. They’ve been known to make a mean martini as well.

Menu variety: The owners insist they tried everything on the menu many times over when they were getting the bar off the ground. “We ate wings by the dozen until we thought they were just right,” Alex says. “We’re not afraid to change things even now if they’re not perfect.” Appetizers like wings, spinach artichoke dip and loaded nachos are available. The mini burgers, quesadillas, homemade pizzas and Agustin’s spicy chicken sandwich, which is served on a toasted ciabatta bun with lettuce, tomato, applewood bacon, cheddar cheese and cayenne mayo, come recommended for good reason. There are plenty of healthy options as well, such as a Tuscan caesar salad or honey mustard chicken wrap.

Daily specials: Monday $2.50 Long Islands, 25-cent buffalo wings; Tuesday $3.50 Fat Tires, $1 mini burgers; Wednesday $3 U-call-its, $4.50 burgers; Thursday $4.50 Effen vodka, half-price wine; Friday $3.50 Goose Island drafts, $6 Miller Lite pitchers; Saturday $4 Three Olives vodka, $5 Pomegranate martinis; Sunday $6 Miller Lite pitchers, $4 bombs.

Who you can expect to see there: You can find people in shorts and a t-shirt sitting next to someone who just got off work at a bank in a suit and tie. It’s a good mix of patrons, from rec-league teams after the game to sports fans, construction workers, neighbors stopping in for a bite to eat, sorority girls, you name it. A wide variety of ages too, but most on the weekends fall into their mid-20s to mid-30s. According to the staff, it’s usually the most fun when they’re all in there together.

It’s a good spot to … “get $250 toward your sports league, as well as t-shirts and specials when you get sponsored. ... laugh and have a blast with a broad range of people. ... attend a Super Bowl party Feb. 4 with $6 Miller Lite pitchers all day long. ... partake in a chili cookoff on Feb. 11 or celebrate Fat Tuesday on Feb. 20 with $3 hurricanes and Fat Tuesday punch. ... sit and watch the world go buy in the summertime with the front windows open.

 

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