STREETS OF CHICAGO SPORTS BAR & GRILL

STREETS OF CHICAGO
550 S. McLean Blvd. - Elgin, IL
847-697-7311
www.streetsofchicago.net
Date & Time: Saturday 09/25/10 - 12:30pm
Atmosphere: Sports Bar
Price: $2. 00!

I'm going to make this quick as there really wasn't much memorable about this cocktail except for the price. By FAR the cheapest Bloody Mary I got so far, it would have to be really bad for me not to recommend this drink, especially in this economic climate. 


The drink wasn't really that good, but it wasn't really that bad either. It was the standard Bloody Mary you get at any decent establishment, and will make do if your not a picky drinker. Hung over after a night of heavy drinking? This cocktail is more then adequate to help recovery....

DONLEY'S OLD WEST STEAKHOUSE

DONLEY'S OLD WEST STEAKHOUSE
8512 S. Union Rd. - Union, IL
815-923-8000 
www.wildwesttown.com
Date & Time: Tuesday 09/21/10
Atmosphere: An Old West Saloon

The Bloody Mary I had at Donley's Old West Steakhouse was surprising excellent. When it first arrived at the table, seeing only a pickle & celery stalk had me worried. It wasn't the most appetizing looking cocktail, but the taste was up there with the best I've had since beginning this journey.

After being greeted by a cute smiling girl in western garb, I made my way into the cavernous room filled with taxidermy heads & western memorabilia. This definitely was a first for me, and I have to admit, it had me doubtful in what I would be getting to wet my whistle....

AMICI'S CLUBHOUSE

AMICI'S CLUBHOUSE 
456 Reddington Dr. - S. Elgin, IL
847-531-8820
www.amicisclubhouse.com
Date & Time: Wednesday 09/15/10 - 12:45pm
Bartender: Katie
Price: $6. 00

I've been a little under the weather, so sorry it took so long to get this review up. Getting right into things, the next Bloody Mary on my quest to find Chicagoland's best was consumed at the newly opened restaurant & bar Amici's Clubhouse. While it doesn't take the top prize, the drink definitely was one I'd have again.

Made by a very friendly bartender named Katie, the cocktail came with 2 olives, pickle, lime wedge & celery stick. The drink had a nice taste, but could use a little more "kick" - I think adding a bit of horseradish would set things off nicely...

OLD STARKS TAVERN

OLD STARKS TAVERN
43W478 II Route 72 - Hampshire, IL
847-683-0014
Old Starks Tavern Metromix
Date & Time: Saturday 09/11/10 - 7pm
Atmosphere: Outdoor Deck
Price: ?

After getting a damn good Bloody Mary at the Red Ox, we went down the road to see if we could press our luck and find another. Unfortunately, after arriving at what I would have to describe as an "old bar" - we were informed that they were out of Bloody Mary mix...

Not being one to leave a bar without ordering something, we got a couple Miller Lites & went out on the back deck where a very friendly lady named Marina informed us that we must try some of the food from the cook - and went on to describe in detail the various options & how good each were. Even though I had ate before I left, her enthusiasm for the food definitely had my mouth watering, so I mentally made note to come back again sometime...hopefully they'll be able to provide a Bloody Mary when I do!

QUICK REVIEW OLD STARKS TAVERN BLOODY MARY

 Look: NO IDEA

Garnish: NO IDEA
Satisfaction: NONE

Rating: TBD (out of 5)

RED OX RESTAURANT & BAR

RED OX RESTAURANT & BAR
129 E. Oak Knoll Dr. - Hampshire, IL
847-683-2300
www.redoxhampshire.com
Date & Time: Saturday 09/11/10 - 6pm
Atmosphere: Outdoor Patio
Price: $4. 75

My second attempt at getting a Bloody Mary at the Red Ox was a success, and thankfully, it was worth the wait. Wanting to enjoy the good weather before it's gone for the rest of the year, my sister & I took advantage of the big back patio that we had virtually to ourselves, except for a cute elderly couple that turned out to be celebrating a big win at an OTB earlier in the day.

When our Bloody Marys arrived, the waiter brought with him a huge bottle of Tabasco sauce, which was a nice touch. This, as well as the nice amount of garnish overflowing from the top of the glass, had me licking my lips with anticipation....

HOULIHAN'S

HOULIHAN'S
1508 S. Randall Rd. - Algonquin, IL
847-658-4560
www.houlihans.com
Date & Time: Friday 09/10/10
Price: $5. 00

I'm going to keep this one short & give the review about as much time & effort that apparently was given to the creation of this extremely disappointing cocktail. While my disappointment partially may due to the fact that a good friend of mine had highly recommended a Houlihan's Bloody Mary she recently had in Lake Geneva, as I'm sure you can tell by the picture of the one I got in Algonquin - the drink was pretty pathetic.

Coming with a single celery stick, the concoction had no heat, no spice, and was very "tomato-e" - in a word, it was just bad. I actually wrote WTF! on my review sheet, and underlined a bunch of other descriptive adjectives...none of which were positive....

THE WALNUT SPEAKEASY

THE WALNUT SPEAKEASY
214 Walnut Ave. - Elgin, IL
847-695-2420
www.thewalnutspeakeasy.com
Date & Time: Thursday 08/26/10 - 4pm
Atmosphere: Brick & Wood Restaurant/Bar
Price: $5. 00







I'm happy to report that I found a damn good Bloody Mary! I don't know why, but I wasn't really expecting much when I first arrived. Maybe because I still have bad memories from years ago when the place was called The Walnut Inn, but boy times have changed...


The place itself has been totally refurbished.  Looking very upscale with the exposed brick & wood decor, the place is very nice. With over a dozen flat-screen TVs, it would be a great place to bring a date for a nice meal - and still get to keep your eye on the game.  As for the Bloody Mary...

JD's SPORTS BAR & GRILL

JD's SPORTS BAR & GRILL
908 W. Riverside Bl. - Rockford, IL
815-639-9488
www.jdssportsbar.com
Date & Time: Monday 08/16/10 - 9pm
Atmosphere: Large Open Space Sports Bar
Bartender: Amy

At this point in the evening my taste for Bloody Marys was getting thin, but not wanting to waste the opportunity to do another review, I bought one for the group to share.   Unfortunately for us, we probably should have called it a night on the Bloody Marys...

The bar itself is huge. High ceilings, and a ton of room to move around.  The place was filled with plenty of flat-screen TVs to catch a game or even play a game yourself.  (which we did by playing a game of Bags in the backroom - which is a nice touch)

2ND COUSINS BAR & GRILL

2ND COUSIN'S BAR & GRILL
6246 E. Riverside Bl. - Loves Park, IL
815-637-2660
www.2ndcousinsbarandgrill.com  
Date & Time: Monday 08/16/10 - 8pm
Atmosphere: Where else? (outdoor patio)
Bartender: Bridget?
Price: $3. 50

The third bar on our pub crawl took us down a ways, and brought us to 2nd Cousin's Bar & Grill - where not only did we find an outdoor patio to relax in, but another $0.35 wing special to boot. Life was good.

After drinking a couple 23oz beers to cleanse the pallet, I asked our waitress Bridget if they made a good Bloody Mary.  She of course said yes (they always do) and went off to get more cocktails for all.  The place was busy, but not too packed, and I noticed that our waitress was also helping out the bartender behind the bar, so I couldn't be too mad at the lengthy wait at times for some of the drinks to arrive....

JAX PUB

JAX PUB
4160 N. Perryville Rd. - Loves Park, IL
815-877-0600
Jax Pub Facebook  
Date & Time Monday 08/16/10 - 6:45pm
Atmosphere: Outdoor Patio 
Bartender: Nancy
Price:  $3. 00!

The second stop on the Birthday pub crawl was a little bit down the way to a place called Jax Pub.  Sticking with the theme of consuming our beverages outdoors, we found a table outside on the patio virtually all to ourselves & settled down to see what Jax had to offer.

Asking the bartender if she can make a good Bloody Mary, she said yes & asked what I wanted for garnish.  Telling her to surprise me, she went off to a backroom to get some ingredients - amping up my anticipation tenfold.  When she returned, I'm happy to say that she didn't disappoint....

RBI'S BAR & GRILL

RBI'S BAR & GRILL
3870 N. Perryville Rd. - Rockford, IL
815-877-5592
www.rbisbarandgrill.com  
Date & Time: 08/16/74 - 5:45pm
Atmosphere: Rock & Roll Diner/Sports Bar
Bartender: Tiffany
Price: $5. 00

Going on a birthday pub crawl brought me out to the Rockford area, and another opportunity to try & find the allusive perfect Bloody Mary.  While I didn't find perfection at any of the four bars we hit that night, one of the night's highlights was found at R.B.I.'s Bar & Grill.

Wanting to take advantage of beautiful weather, after ordering our cocktails, I went out back to the patio to grab some space for the group.  At this point I wasn't expecting too much from the Bloody Mary, as I had seen my drink start being constructed with Zing Zang.  As I was walking out back though, I noticed the bartender pouring in a splash of Guinness, so I was hoping she might knew a thing or two about jazzing up a pre-made mix....

EMMETTS TAVERN & BREWING COMPANY

EMMETT'S TAVERN & BREWING COMPANY
128 W. Main St. - W. Dundee, IL
847-428-4500
www.emmettsalehouse.com  
Date & Time: Sunday 08/15/10 - 5:15pm
Atmosphere: Outdoor sidewalk patio
Price: $6 .75

It was a beautiful day in Dundee, and since I was still nursing a two day hangover from Friday's festivities, a Bloody Mary was definitely in order.  Not wanting to be stuck inside on a day like this, finding an outdoor patio to imbibe was key, and Emmett's Tavern took care of both of my needs.

After sitting down on the wrought iron furniture, I ordered a Bloody Mary and relaxed in the summertime air.  Enjoying the nice view of Fox River to my right, the waiter came back and placed a Bloody Mary in front of me that I was pretty sure that I would enjoy just as much....

RIVER LEE'S

RIVER LEE'S
6 E. Main St. - E. Dundee, IL
847-428-8020
River Lee's Metromix  

Date & Time: Friday 08/13/10 - 9:15 pm

Atmosphere: Festive Dive Bar
Price: Either $5 or $6 (didn't ask for breakdown of multiple drinks)

Walking across the bridge over the Fox River, the group decided to make a quick pit-stop at River Lee's on our way to meeting up with two other friends at Banditos.  Having never been inside the place even though I've lived in the nearby area for over three decades, I was anxious to see what this long time Dundee dive bar would bring.

After opening the imposing dark door I was pleasantly surprised how festive & inviting the place was.  Decorated to the hilt with pictures of patrons on the walls & a bunch of Christmas lights - the place gave off good vibes, and I immediately asked myself why I waited so many years to actually venture in....

R BAR & GRILL

R BAR & GRILL
101 W. Main St. - W. Dundee, IL
847-428-0249
Date & Time:  08/13/10 - 8:30pm
Atmosphere: Dark Dive Bar
Price: $6 .00

Meeting up with a group of girls for a night of bar hopping, I found myself at our first stop in the heart of downtown Dundee.  Kiddie corner from the location of one of my former employers, the now defunct Dundee Dollar Theater - R.I.P old friend - R-bar is a local dive that I've been to a handful of times.

Saddling up to the bar, I sat on a stool & asked the blond bartender if she made a good bloody mary.  She replied with an affirmative, and went off to the side to mix my cocktail as I caught some of the Whitesox game on the TV behind the bar.  Seeing her pour from a bottled mix,  I didn't get my hopes up...

RANDALL ROAD HOUSE

RANDALL ROAD HOUSE
2267 Randall Rd. - Carpentersville, IL
847-836-3300
www.randallroadhouse.com

Date & Time: Saturday 08/06/10 - 4: 30 pm

Atmosphere: Sports Bar
Price: $6. 25 

I will begin this review with a shout-out to a very generous lady named "Autumn" for being the first person to donate some cash for a Bloody Mary!  If you would like to do the same, please hit the DONATE button on the left hand side of the page about half-way down.  Thanks again Autumn!!

On with the review of the Randall Road House Bloody Mary.  I've been to this establishment a time or two in the past to catch a game (with plenty of flat-screens to watch your game all over the place), but never had the opportunity to try one of their Bloody Marys.  After getting a call from some kin to see if I wanted to meet up for a couple pre-drinks before they headed to a friend's wedding. (which is consistent to how most of my extended family rolls - even though they were heading to an open bar...it's never to early to get started) 

After battling the busy Randall Rd. traffic, I went into the bar to find that it had a pretty decent size crowd.  Seeing that my companions had started without me, I asked the waitress if the bartender made a good Bloody Mary.  After getting an enthusiastic yes, my mouth started watering in anticipation....

CRUISIN'

CRUISIN'
11 Galligan Rd. - Gilberts, IL
847-836-7272
www.cruisingilberts.com

Date & Time: Sunday 08/01/10 - 8:15 pm

Atmosphere: Auto and Rock & Roll Decor
Bartender: Kaylin?
Price:$4.00 special

Made a quick stop the other day at this unique establishment on Route 72 in Gilberts on the way home from a dinner out at the parent's house.  Seeing that Bloody Marys were one of the day's specials, I figured I made a good call by making this unplanned stop.

There was only one other person in the place sitting at the bar when I arrived, so I pretty much had the place to myself.  I asked the bartender if she made a good Bloody Mary, (knowing full well I was going to order one either way) and she confidently said she could.  I saw her bust out the cocktail shaker & a bunch of ingredients & I knew that potentially I was going to be in for something good....

MAD MAGGIES

MAD MAGGIES
51 S. Grove St. - Elgin, IL
847-531-5883
www.madmaggies.net

Date & Time: Friday 07/23/10 - 6:00 pm

Atmosphere: Downtown Elgin Patio
Bartender: Hot Latina
Price:$5. 50

AFTER GETTING AN UNEXPECTED PHONE CALL FROM AN OLD FRIEND THAT LIVES IN CHICAGO TO PICK HIM UP AT THE DOWNTOWN ELGIN TRAIN STATION & MEET UP FOR A FEW COCKTAILS, I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOPEFULLY FIND A BETTER BLOODY MARY THEN I GOT EARLIER IN THE DAY AT JBs.  SINCE MAGGIES IS ONLY A FEW BLOCKS DOWN THE ROAD, I FIGURED WE'D CHECK THE PLACE OUT WHILE THE SUN WAS STILL SHINING, AS I'VE ONLY BEEN THERE A FEW OTHER TIMES BEFORE LATE NIGHT.  

AFTER ENTERING THE PREMISES, WE SAW THE PLACE HAD A DECENT SIZE CROWD WITH WHAT LOOKED TO BE A BUNCH OF HIGH SCHOOL KIDS WAITING TO HEAR A BAND THAT WAS SETTING UP EQUIPMENT ON THE STAGE.  EITHER THE PLACE HAD AN 18 & OVER RULE OF SOME SORT, OR FAKE IDs ARE GETTING MUCH EASIER TO GET THESE DAYS - BECAUSE I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT ANY OF THEM WERE OF LEGAL DRINKING AGE. (EITHER THAT OR I JUST RAN INTO A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WITH EXTREMELY GOOD GENES)

AFTER GOING TO THE BACK BAR, I ASKED THE HOT LOOKING BARTENDER IF SHE MADE A GOOD BLOODY MARY.  SHE SAID YES, AND I TOLD MY BUDDY THAT THE FIRST ROUND WAS ON HIM FOR GIVING HIM THE FREE CAB RIDE FROM THE TRAIN STATION.  I WENT TO GO TAKE A PISS AS SHE MADE THE COCKTAIL, AND AFTER I TOOK CARE OF BUSINESS, I CAME OUT TO HEAR THE BAND PLAYING AT RIDICULOUSLY LOUD DECIBELS....

JB'S GRILL & BAR

JB's GRILL & BAR
297 S. McLean Bl. - Elgin, IL
847-695-0626
www.jbsgrillandbar.com

Date & Time: Friday 07/23/10 - 1: 00 pm

Atmosphere: Empty Beer Garden
Bartender: Diane
Price:$6.00? 

After four days of recovering from the Minnesota weekend in which we made an unplanned stop for lunch in Wisconsin Dells on the way home, an ended up partying till sun-up, I finally was well enough to venture out of the house just in time for the weekend.  Making plans to meet the ex-wife for lunch & a cocktail, we met at JB's Grill & Bar in Elgin as it was a beautiful day, and I knew there was a beer garden to enjoy.

Sadly, the beer garden was the only thing I really enjoyed, so I'm going to keep this one short, as I wasn't too impressed...

COMPUTER DOWN!

I went on a weeklong bender partying in three different states to come home & find my computer is on the fritz.(just another thing to add to my list of unforeseen drama in the last few months)  Since I'm currently using some free-wi & have a bunch of kids yelling behind me, I'm going to wait until the new modem arrives sometime next week before updating this thing.

Rest assure, I'm still drinking bloody marys & will be sharing my thoughts soon!

PLUMS NEIGHBORHOOD GRILL & BAR

PLUMS NEIGHBORHOOD GRILL & BAR
480 Snelling Ave South - ST. Paul, MN
651-699-2227
PLUMS MYSPACE

Date & Time: Saturday 07/17/10 - 4:45 pm

Atmosphere: Bar, Grill & Beer garden
Bartender: Alex
Price: No idea

I know this place technically isn't  in the Chicagoland area, but being I was up north to catch the Whitesox/Twins series (which being they lost 3 of 4 I should have saved the money on tickets & just watched them at a bar), I thought I'd see what Minnesota brought to the table as far as a bloody mary.  

After getting "iced" (Iced is a game where one is ridiculed & made to get down on one knee & chug a Smirnoff Ice if presented with one unexpectedly)  by the bartender Alex by means of a discreet phone call from one of my buddies before we arrived, I asked if he made a good bloody mary....

RASCALS BAR & GRILL

RASCALS BAR & GRILL
5223 Torque Rd - Loves Park, IL
815-636-9207
www.rascalsbargrill.com

Date & Time: Wednesday 07/13/10 - 8:30 pm

Atmosphere: Sports Bar mixed with Little Rascal Decor
Bartender: Didn't bother to ask
Price: Free (father paid)

I found myself getting my next bloody mary at this out of the the way joint after watching my nephew's little league baseball game with some of my family.  Deciding to grab a late dinner to celebrate my nephew's good game, as well as one of my young niece's dolls birthdays, (don't ask, but you'll know I'm not making this up if you look closely in the picture's background) I ordered a bloody mary from the cute waitress, waiting for some surprisingly affordable pizza, and hoped for the best.

Looking around, there is a nice atmosphere of a sports bar, with the added bonus of some old-school Little Rascal decor on the walls. I could see this place being a fun place to catch a game during football season, or even a weekend hangout to party with the locals. That said, anytime you go, skip the bloody mary & grab a beer or cocktail....

DOUGLAS STREET SPORTS BAR & GRILL

DOUGLAS STREET SPORTS BAR & GRILL
231 Douglas Street - Elgin, IL
847-695-5659
www.douglasstreetsportsbar.com

Date & Time: Sunday 07/11/10 - 6:45 pm

Price:  $5. 00

Atmosphere: Sports Bar 

After yesterdays fantastic bloody mary, I tried to go into this establishment with an open mind.  I had been here a couple times in the past couple months ever since I heard about everything being half-off on Sundays.  While I had yet to try their bloody mary, I knew that even if it wasn't up to yesterday's standards, that I would at least enjoy the tasty wings I've had previously - and that it wouldn't cost too much too boot.

It was rainy, so drinking out back on the patio was out, but being I was still content to hopefully catching some sports highlights from the earlier WhiteSox game where they blasted 5 home runs to take a hold of first place. 

After ordering a bloody mary from the waitress at the bar, I found myself annoyed that the sports highlights were being drowned out my someone who decided to play a Marilyn Manson song that blared out of the speakers.  I took a hearty swig of my drink, and my annoyance continued...

RIVERVIEW RESTAURANT & TAVERN

RIVERVIEW RESTAURANT & TAVERN
1320 S. Main Street - Algonquin, IL
847-658-5200
www.riverviewpizza.net

Date & Time:Saturday 07/10/10 - 6:15 pm

Price:  $5. 00

Bartender: Jaime
Atmosphere: Screen Patio 

This Bloody Mary made my day, so I'm going to call it a night, write my review tomorrow, and dream about the yummy goodness this Bloody Mary provided in the meantime. 

Check back for a more in depth review, but trust me, if your hankering for a damn good Bloody Mary...get your ass over to RiverView right now before the cute waitress Jamie that served up this delicious concoction leaves for the evening!

UPDATE:  Getting back to the review of the best Bloody Mary I've found since starting my quest....

BULLWINKLE'S

BULLWINKLE'S 
7 S. Main Street - Algonquin, IL
847-658-3440
Bullwinkle's Metromix

Date & Time: Saturday 07/10/10 - 5:30  pm

Price:  $6. 00

Bartender: Steve
Atmosphere: Dive Bar

After leaving Port Edwards we decided to walk across the street over to Route 31 to check out what a dive bar could offer us as far as a bloody mary.  To say this was a mistake would be an understatement...

After asking the quirky bartender Steve if he made a good bloody mary, we sat down on the stools underneath a real stuffed moose head, and checked out the scenery.  The whimsical decorum of painted Rocky & Bullwinkle art brought about a smile, but this was quickly turned upside down when I saw the Hawaiian Punch looking drink that was placed before me.  

Not having ANY garnishment, and basically just some well vodka mixed with Clamato juice & a splash of Worcestershire sauce, the bloody mary - if you could call it that - was pretty disgusting.  

Not wanting to waste anymore time drinking this concoction, I held my nose & slammed it down.  Luckily Steve offered up some freshly popped popcorn to kill the taste in my mouth, and needless to say that if I were to return, beer would be the drink of choice.

QUICK REVIEW BULLWINKLE'S BLOODY MARY

 Look: FRUIT PUNCH

Garnish: WHITE STRAW
Satisfaction: YUCK
              Rating: 0 OLIVES (out of 5)

PORT EDWARD

PORT EDWARD 
20 W. Algonquin Road - Algonquin, IL
847-658-5441
www.portedward.com

Date & Time: Saturday 07/10/10 - 4:45  pm

Price:  $7. 25

Bartender: Beth?
Atmosphere: Nautical

After giving my taste buds a little rest from the tomato concoctions the past couple days, I woke up to another beautiful Chicagoland summer day anxious to make up for lost time.  

Knowing my sister & cousin were going to be in the area for a baby shower,

I made plans to meet them in the Algonquin area to continue my search for a good Bloody Mary. I was not disappointed....

We started our quest at a restaurant I have visited multiple times over the years, and knowing that their Alaskin King crab legs dinner was top notch, I had high hopes that their Bloody Mary would be the same.  

Since a rain cloud decided to time it's arrival to the area the exact time I pulled into the parking lot, the plan to sit next to the Fox River under the umbrella covered tables to imbibe was thrown out the window.  Not going to let that stand in our way of getting our drink on, we ventured inside the nautical themed restaurant & headed to back bar that gave us magnificent views of the river safe from the rain.

After ordering a round of Bloody Marys from the bartender wearing a white sailor outfit, we sat back and caught up while watching her go to work on our cocktails.  Immediately the anticipation rose tenfold when we saw a huge stick filled of a array of garnishments was placed into each one.  Being the only meal I had at the time was breakfast, my stomach growled with appreciation....

FILLING STATION PUB & GRILL

FILLING STATION PUB & GRILL 
300 W. Main St. - St. Charles, IL
630-584-4414
www.filling-station.com

Date & Time: Thursday 07/08/10 -12:30 pm

Price:  $5. 50

Bartender: Mandy
Atmosphere: Nice

Another beautiful summer day in Chicagoland area had me in search for an outdoor patio to find & hopefully enjoy that elusive perfect bloody mary.  Having the Filling Station still on my mind from last week, I asked my future ex-wife if she wanted to meet me there for lunch.  As I drove to the destination via scenic route 31, I hoped to myself that it wouldn't be as packed as last time I drove by. 

Finding the place busy, but not too crowded, we walked through the dimly lit building to the large outside patio that's located right on Main St.  After picking an umbrella covered table off to the side, we were immediately greeted by a cute young waitress wearing cutoff jean shorts, and small stud earring in her nose.  I ordered the obligatory bloody mary, and started looking over the many menu options offered as she went off to put in our drink order.

After deciding on getting some Cajun wings, and a chicken salad, we sat back and listened to some of the classic rock playing on the radio.  The likes of ACDC & Led Zeppelin was intermixed with the loud traffic flying by next to us, as my lips licked in anticipation for some bloody mary goodness.  Unfortunately for me, this anticipation was meet with yet another let down....