Bernice’s Tavern

Great bar to have in Bridgeport. When you walk in you just feel that the place has history and that the owner has lots of pride in his establishment. I typically go for their version of bingo – Stingo-​and always have a great time and walk out with some cool, random and silly prizes. The prices are fair, although cash only, and the bartenders totally know what they’re doing. I haven’t been in a couple of weeks and I definitely need to change that.

I moved to Chicago a few months ago, the minute I walked into Bernice’s I knew I loved it.
The staff at Bernice’s is awesome, and a lot of the owners and owner’s family and some great friendly faces as well. They’re the kind of people who know your name once they’ve met you and treat you like their own. A++
For drinks in Chicago, the prices cannot be beat — that’s for sure. That’s a rare find around these parts.
My favorite part of Bernice’s, other than the great people, is Wednesday nights… STINGO! It’s like Bingo, you play and have a chance to win prizes, it’s super fun and there’s always new faces to meet.
All in all, if you’re around the neighborhood or looking for somewhere new to check out — this is the spot!

Charming, old school, lots of beer and the bartenders are seasoned pro’s who can throw down the meanest rail cocktails. Friendly vibes, total gem. Bingo and live music weekly. Healthy dose of kitsch.

typical neighborhood dive bar right in front of my apt, its cash only, but the beer is cheap, especially the $ 2 pbr, just your standard domestic beers, and a few crafts, plus open mic nights on thursdays, not a big place, they sell some chips at the bar too, nothing special, but its become a regular spot amongst my friend group

Another one of the classic, low-​key, old fashion friendly, blissfully fun, and eventful watering holes in Chicago. Always a good crowd on hand and an always entertaining place to have a few drinks and conversation. Never a dull moment.

Super fun bar on the south side… Awesome music and great bartenders. On Thursdays they have open mic with some really talented acts.

Dude. Stop in and have a shot and beer and check out a hipster or two and have a laugh on them.

The first time I went to Bernice’s Tavern I didn’t know what to expect. My wife and I decided to have a night out just like we did in college, when we didn’t care about features like the décor. With this in mind, we saw this bar and decided to give it a shot. I must say we haven’t had so much fun since that night!
Once we entered, the bartender started asking if we were from Chicago, while a guy who was standing next to him helped us decide what to drink. We found that very nice yet unusual, as we always thought this type of bar exists only in movies.
I must say the Lithuanian beer was delicious and cheaper than in other places, so this place is perfect in case you want to get drunk without spending too much money. The décor is very laid back and friendly, encouraging pleasant conversations with people you haven’t even met before. Besides, Bernice’s Tavern is located in the vicinity of a police station, so you’ll never have to worry about your safety.
And that’s not all! On every Thursday night the staff organizes an open-​mic night, while on Saturdays you get the chance to listen to live music played by local bands. In my opinion, Bernice’s Tavern is one of the most amazing bars in Chicago. You will certainly plan your next night out once you discover all these wonderful features.

PBR and a shot of Ev Williams for $ 5? I’m in.
For a neighborhood bar, this place was most welcoming to me when I was a newbie to the area and the city. It has an old-​school divey vibe that Bridgeport exudes as a whole and Steve the bartender is good at tending to his patrons, a lot of whom he knows very well. Don’t forget to ring the buzzer to be let in! It’s a great little watering hole post-​Sox game, too, when you don’t want to get caught up in the horde of people walking the other direction towards the Red Line.

Been going to this place for over 8 years. Steve is the coolest. The bar is pretty much what a bar should be. I love it.

What can I say but this is your grandfathers bar from back when, nothing changed! Family run, wonderful people, typical neighborhood Bridgeporters mixed with hipsters. They have Stingo Wed and actually give the cutest prizes. Love this place.

Every dive should look to this hole in the wall as an example on how to run a got dang saloon.
Somehow manages to have the locals (Bridgeporters) and the hipster invasion in a amiable atmosphere. To the locals the hipsters are quirky, to the hipsters the locals are kitschy! And all of this facilitated by very accommodating management, owners, and bartenders. Stingo and Open Mic are great fun! And as if that wasn’t enough they have ALCOHOL that gets you drunk!

Stopped in after a Sox game on Wednesday afternoon. Loved the idea of being buzzed in. Bartender was friendly, beers were cold, and they have Malort!

Maybe not as good as it gets, but definitely a nice dive bar. First of all, the service was EXCELLENT. I didn’t order much, just a $ 2 PBR (good deal), but the bartender went out of her way to find us stools in the limited space. The beer selection was pretty decent too, with lots of labels I didn’t recognize. Everyone seemed really friendly and happy, and it wasn’t creepy. Not the largest or most beautiful bar, but products and service are its selling points. Wish they offered food, but you can bring your own. I will be returning to try more cheap beer!

It’s the Platonic ideal of dive bars. If you know what that is, you’ll be happy.

If you live in the neighborhood, this is the best bar. Cheap drinks and friendly people.

It seemed like your pretty standard dive. I wasn’t floored with it, but it was alright.
Granted, I didn’t come on bingo night but I did come on open mic night. It was me, a friend, and an old English guy talking history to the young lady he was with. I don’t know if 8pm was their lull period but there wasn’t a ton going on.
I will definitely go back after a Sox game just to see Steve the bartender. He was a wonderfully nice guy who was really delightful to talk to and always kept my drink full.
Maybe it was just a really slow night, but it wasn’t anything to write home about for me.

Was in the area and looking to kill some time on Sunday. This old school tavern caught my eye. Man am I happy I stopped in! The sox were in the 8^th and the place had about 12 regulars at the bar. Very «old school» friendly vibe. Nice selection of imports and at $ 4 what a great deal!!! Had a few Sierra Nevada’s…
Bartender /​owner «Steve» was totally cool! I felt right at home! Can’t wait to be back in the area to visit again!!! Great neighborhood tavern. Friendly locals.

My Fav.

I heart southside… though I’m still wanting to find a bar with some great single women… but I digress.
Bernice…I SPECIFIcALLY heart you…
Why? You’re the only bar I know that I have to get buzzed in.
Folks are nice… and will talk to you and strike up conversation in a heartbeat…
There is some good free music a few days a week
Beer is cheap…
Mike, son of Bernice, is a great bartender and quick with a few stories of the place over the years…
Jukebox is great, albeit a bit in disrepair.
Cash only… F**K the banks!!!
A police station just down the block, so no safety issues (for those Northsiders that question this part of town… pssssststts…wha evr…)
A true flavor of folk and places that give you a real sense of the real deal in Chicago… visit this place if you so dare as you probably won’t regret it… if you do, you’ll probably too uptight anyway?