Citizen Bar

Came here for my birthday on a Saturday night with a bunch of friends. The weather was gorgeous and the only saving grace. The space is nice and in a good location, but the service was terrible. Stood by the bar and got sprayed by the bar staff on two occasions (from them opening beer cans). Staff was very rude and everyone seemed like they didn’t want to be there. Cleared way out after midnight when the rooftop closed. This bar is nothing social. I was super disappointed.

I hate to give any place 2 stars but I have to be honest and this was just not very good at all. I came here with some coworkers today and was seriously disappointed. We sat inside because it was too hot and I understand they have a nice patio so keep in mind, I’m only judging the inside, during the day for lunch. The food itself is ok, not terrible but certainly nothing more than bar food. What got me was the cleanliness– the tables were sticky, the stools/​chairs were sticky when you’d go to scoot in/​out and there is an powerful and obvious foul stench when you walk downstairs to use the restroom. It just smells like something is rotting. The bathrooms are in some serious need of TLC– out of soap, stalls that don’t lock, stalls with a space so wide people can see in, just not kept up. I hope to come back and try it for a drink outside and at night but lunch during the day just fell short.

Went on a Sunday afternoon. Drinks were pretty weak, service was slow, atmosphere was meh… almost every employee was super grouchy! it was bizarre. I’d heard amazing things about this place but was not really impressed. The buffalo chicken wrap is phenomenal!!! Such a good sandwich. I don’t need to go back but the rooftop is fun.

This place is usually pretty busy in the evening because they have a large outdoor patio and rooftop. Easy to bring groups here, although you might have to wait depending on how late in the afternoon/​evening you go as it gets pretty busy. The food is pretty decent, I personally like the wings.
That being said the service is terrible. Every time I’ve been here I can sense the anger and reluctance of the staff to serve me or even look me in the eye. Last time I was there our waitress openly admitted she had been wasted all night and gotten home at 7 am, and was hungover. This is not the place for friendly or even efficient service.

Dustin is the absolute best! From his one hand umbrella grabs, to his vigilance on tackling the empty cups, he is the man. #legend

Extremely Disappointing! I took 2 of my closest friends here yesterday around 1pm. Upon arrival we were instructed that the
credit card machine was down and that they were excepting cash only. We agreed and were subsequently directed to the ATM in the basement. Going down the stairs looked horribly seedy; the only thing missing was a dark room. Nevertheless we returned to the patio after grabbing some cash. The guy at the door told us to sit anywhere and a waitress would meet us. After sitting there for about 15 minutes which felt like an eternity; having watched the waitress greet others and serve several other tables we were not even offered water. Let alone a menu. Perhaps because we were black. The waitress walked past several times and did not even acknowledge our presence. Others. Whites were greeted and served after our arrival. My friends and I all have amazing careers, 100k plus, well educated and genuinely good people. I will never spend my hard earned money where I am blatantly disrespected and unappeciated. This was a reminder that racisim in this country is alive well. Citizen us not a place for those who welcome diversity. I urge any self respecting individual to steer clear of this place. It reminds me that even if you are in a Benz to some you are still just a nigger. Needless to say, we left.

Went here about a month ago on a Saturday night. The place was a bit empty inside. They’ve got an area to dance, but the who wants to dance inside when they have such amazing outdoor space? Yet, both the inside and outside would be packed if the music and sound were great.
Second thing: the bartenders had kind of weird attitudes. I asked for a vodka lemonade from their cocktail menu and then they wouldn’t accept my drink ticket as payment (I was there for a group event). Then the bartender just stood there looking at me before I finally took it upon myself to ask him what I COULD get with said drink ticket. Turns out I could have had a house vodka lemonade. Huh. (As an aside though, it was really delicious and as a cute touch they put a huge gummy shark in there).
Next: They are sitting on a real gem with the large patio downstairs and the intimate rooftop deck. The problem: the rooftop bar is a joke bc they haven’t yet figured out how to keep it stocked, they don’t have the drinks listed, and the sound system up there is WEAK. TURN THE MUSIC UP!!!
They seriously need to: 1) have food/​cocktail waitresses on the patio
2) get a dj inside and 3) stock the drinks and turn up the music on the deck, and then that place will be poppin.

Amazing food, mac & cheese bites are really good, but chipotle chicken taco takes the cake, sooooooo good. Awesome service, but greeter could have been nicer. Really pretty in summer, nice open space and rooftop seating are great. Totally recommend!

Citizen is a cool spot. Particularly cool for their outside and rooftop seating. It would be cooler if their outside food and drink menus were the same as inside. They’ve got great wings. If it’s a nice day and your looking for outside seating, I’d suggest a reservation because it’s a popular place and gets packed quick.

This place could be a good place but the service is awful. Sat at a table and waited for 25 minutes and wasn’t served.

2.5 stars would be incredibly accurate for this place because it is just that: average.
Everything from the food to the service leaves you to wonder why you decided to dine here. The food is mediocre (I’ve tried a number of appetizers and entrees) except the fries/​tots – those are pretty good. And a side of them is big enough to share! The service is fine but nothing spectacular.
I most recently had the chicken sandwich and although I appreciate them trying to be quick with the service, the breaded chicken was scalding hot and the first bite emitted hot oil causing me to lose a few taste buds that day. Everything else is very «meh» and you leave feeling a bit disappointed especially for a $ 15 lunch. If you’re looking for a quick bite I’d go elsewhere.

I was there this past Saturday (2/6)for the first time for drinks after dinner with my cousin and was presently surprised. I loved the décor and the bartender James was awesome. He was friendly really easy going. I will definitely be back!

Citizen was an unexpected surprise for us! We were at a conference last Saturday and 14 of us ended up here after the place we were assigned to go was closed. Citizen was very accommodating and honored our time crunch of an hour and the staff showed no signs of stress or inconvenience by our large group. The food was great, colorful, and nicely presented. I had The Natural spinach salad with shrimp and it was the perfect combination of sweet and savory — excellent! Thank you Citizen for saving the day!

Great place to eat and have fun! I love the chicken sandwiches here. The summer atmosphere is great and they have an outdoor patio and rooftop bar. They play indie music on Pandora and it’s different than any places I go to. It’s a great place to hang out in your 20’s and 30’s.

Simply put: the cocktails weren’t very good. In fact, the Tequila Old Fashioned was one of the worst drinks I’ve ever tasted. They had a decent beer list — nothing special. The atmosphere was nice. And the staff was very polite and friendly.

We went there for light food and drinks after work one night. The food was just ok. I got the tacos and only really liked one of them (I believe it was the steak) and my husband got some sort of a buffalo chicken wrap which I actually thought was really good. Our server was great until a large party came in and then we couldn’t get her attention at any point when we needed her.

Came here to start a Friday night with an international crowd in for the weekend; chilean, french-​canadian and some others. Sat at the bar and loved the service. The bartender Sean was correct and kind to our entire group. He talked us through the drinks we ordered and made sure everybody was comfortable!
Started our night there again the following Saturday, and would do it again!

Get the chicken tacos, they’re the best thing on the menu. Cool spot to go drink and have great out door seating. Cool atmosphere. Not the greatest service but you’ll be alright.

25 minutes. Uncrowded patio for Sunday brunch. No waitress. Horrible service. Still waiting…

Citizen has become a favorite of mine for work happy hours as its a few blocks away and they definitely don’t disappoint. Love the vibe here and the rooftop in the summer. Staff is always friendly and the drinks are strong. The mac and cheese bites are awesome and this is my favorite buffalo chicken wrap in the city by far, these guys kill that.
Easy to get a reservation on
for a larger group and they’ll hold your table for you if you call and mention you’re running a bit late. Fun after work spot, absolutely can’t wait to return!

I really cant say enough good things! Fifth birthday party here and its excellent. Samantha is the party planner, she took great care of the event. The appetizers were very delicious!
But the most unbelievable thing was that I accidentally purchased an additional wrist band which I did not end up using for my guests and they credited me back the next morning without any issues! I am very impressed and coming back for my next party!
Also, I totally forgot to add a tip (in my intoxicated state), I asked them to help me take care of her the next day. They had no issues, using my card to process a tip for our waitress (who was absolutely fantastic)
In other words, I felt accommodated as a host on all fronts! All of my guests were very happy!

The downstairs is pretty plain-Jane…but the rooftop is sweet! I showed up for a group function and didn’t leave the roof for hours. Sure there are higher rooftops with better views, but you still get sun, drinks, and fellowship at this one, so why not?!

I’ve never eaten here but I’ve always came for drinks. The staff is chill and cool and the roof was nice. Go with a group of people and it will be fun.

Must confess, we came here on a perfect 60 degree day in April. This place had everything we needed, space, sunshine, decent music, cool crowd, drinks specials and shrimp tacos that were delicious.
I will be back here, especially if someone orders up the sunshine before we go.

Perfect sports bar to chill and eat — or to get a little cray for a big game! GREAT food with ATTRACTIVE and friendly service.
I’m a harsh customer service critic, so let’s just say 5 stars means a lot coming from me. The servers were attentive and helpful, even during the busy sweet 16 tourny.
I’ve been here on for lunch, dinner, and on weekends to drink — it’s great for all occasions. The staff is always super accommodating.
AND a killer rooftop patio

Update! Had a great time last night but unfortunately… ND lost. (Citizen is a known ND bar & I needed that win for my bracket!) Even though most tables were reserved, we were given a table facing by the bar (perfect view of one of the many TVs). Service was ridiculously fast! I mean, either these girls were on a mission to get me intoxicated or they were just that good/​quick. We ordered some food (chicken strips and wings) and both were good.
Why I like citizen: it’s a smaller bar (compared to others in the area) where even the manager goes out of his way to make sure everything is going smoothly. That’s saying something!
We will def be back… To try more food and of course to enjoy the outdoor space once this weather gets nice!

Drinks were not that great. Dead on a sat night.

Came here for drinks while walking back from the red line. It was empty on a Wed night but they had music and a DJ (I didn’t see one but my husband said he was by door). Music was ok for a Wed night.
Drinks were strong and the bartender really friendly.
The guacamole and chips off the late night menu was good too. Didn’t get to check out the patio but hear it is fun on the weekends!

After vigorous discussion and debate, our Thursday lunch group headed over to Citizen for lunch. It was a wonderful late July day, and fortunately the food was good enough to match the day.
I grabbed a Bentucky Venetian, best described as chicken with tomato, pesto, goat cheese and veggies. It was served on a pita, with a side of tater tots.
I liked the tots, essentially crunchy all the way through but not burnt. And for $ 11.50 I was certainly stuffed. The pita tasted fresh, and the chicken was seasoned, though a bit on the dry side. The goat cheese melted into it some and helped moisten things up; it was almost like mayo on a sandwich, only richer. And better. Still, I downed it without complaint.
The location is perfect for lunch, with shaded seating at composite wood tables. Service was on the slow side, so some time management beforehand is a good thing.
But overall, I look forward to making another trip here.

We came here for a friend’s going away party… he had a group of like…30−40 people. With these types of larger groups (I think you need at least 20 or 25 people?), you can get the Drink packages for a 2 or 3 hour time slot. The package includes draft beer, house wines and well drinks. It was $ 30 a person for this, and we definitely got our money’s worth of drinks!
The afternoon started out a little gloomy and rainy, but eventually the sun came out and we were able to enjoy the outside patio, and even ended up upstairs on the rooftop patio. With the Drink package, you can order some food as well. The guacamole was pretty good, and the hummus was OK… I don’t know what awesome hummus is supposed to taste like, but it was a good snack to go with our drinks, I suppose…

I sometime forget about this place as its sort of tucked away on W Erie, right across Orleans.
The first time I came here was 2 years ago for a friend’s bday and it was a decent time, but it was difficult to get a drink as the bar was stacked full of thirst patron blocking, but this was a Saturday night so I guess thats expected.
I came back recently on 2 occasions back to back and had a very enjoyable time on their rooftop. Very good margaritas and I partook in quite a few White Rascal belgian ales.
The pineapple habanero wings are spicy as fuck, but good. Their pizzas are really good as I tried 3 different ones… the BBQ chicken pizza was best. Pretty good seasoned fries here as well. Basically Citizen is a good place to sit on a roof and get yo drank/​eat on in the warmer months or you can go inside and chill as well.