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Their fantastic beer list is worthy of comparison to such notable pubs as Bucktown’s Map Room and Andersonville’s Hopleaf. Their Scotch selection, as well as its list of cognacs, rival anything this side of the Duke of Perth. Clark Street Ale House is just about the perfect place to meet with friends, or make new ones, and you just may leave the place having just found your newest favorite drink. That is absolutely not the feeling you get as you step inside the Clark Street Ale House.
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The common thread among the varied clientele is a simple desire to enjoy their favorite drink and time with friends in a laid-back and unassuming atmosphere. For 20 years it was a steady, low-key hang for actors, screenwriters and literary types, tourists and locals. Grief poured out on social media in January 2021 when word spread that the 101 Coffee Shop had closed. Patton Oswalt posted pictures of his young daughter in one of the booths.
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Clark Street Ale House
Kat Dennings mourned the loss of the blueberry-stained Purple Haze milkshake. “I didn’t stop to think about what a luxury it was to be able to count on the place I simply called ‘the 101’ until news broke last week that my diner around the corner had — without any last goodbyes — closed for good,” former Times columnist Nita Lelyveld wrote in a tribute. Stephanie Breijo is a reporter for the Food section and the author of its weekly news column. Previously, she served as the restaurants and bars editor for Time Out Los Angeles, and prior to that, the award-winning food editor of Richmond magazine in Richmond, Va. To be the finest food city in the country and might be biased on that count but doesn’t believe she’s wrong. A World War II-era neon sign hanging above this River North tavern encourages passersby to "Stop & Drink." Once inside, you'll find a cozy wooden bar that makes it easy to do just that, whether you prefer craft beer or single malt Scotch.
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I dip a finger in the small syrup pitcher perched on the plate to make sure it’s real maple. In fact, Clark Street Ale House goes out of its way to be an unpretentious oasis in the chic desert of River North. It begins out front with antique neon signage that encourages passersby to “Stop and Drink,” the notation “Liquor House” intentionally blinking to emit a faux-dive feel. It serves as a welcome beacon for those seeking a simple place to quench their thirst, while perhaps encouraging those headed for the nearby “Viagra Triangle” to get a move on before their pills wear off. Stop & Drink was actually the name of the pub prior to its reincarnation as Clark Street Ale House in May 1994. Organic and local sourcing is at the core of Clark Street already; naturally, Hall says, it will extend to the diner.
After learning of the vacant space and negotiating terms through the spring, Hall signed the lease in May and announced Clark Street Diner in July. Inspired by the space, the diner was conceived as a simple, straightforward all-day spot serving Americana, organic and local goods, and a new pastry menu, separate from his bakery business. The project represents his first full-service restaurant, complete with new dishes, a new neighborhood and a small fleet of staff to seat and serve customers. But he says the first time he saw the space, he knew it was special. Its booths were featured in “Swingers” and “Entourage,” were the scene of many scriptwriting sessions, and later became a lynchpin to the neighborhood’s late-night scene.
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I ask sheepishly if the omelet I’ve requested to be loaded with vegetables and cheddar can be made on the soft side, and out comes what is essentially a pale French rolled omelet. The yolks on the eggs Florentine burst and bleed onto the English muffin, spinach and (optional but recommended) kerchiefs of smoked salmon. Corned beef hash delivers satisfying proportions of crisp-soft spuds, salty wisps of meat and more deftly cooked eggs (over-easy, texture wise, feels right with this dish). Lately a common refrain runs through morning text exchanges with friends who are longtime Angelenos. It starts with me asking if they want to meet for breakfast at Clark Street Diner.
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The interior is rectangular, with exposed red brick along two sides and a hand-painted mural covering the entirety of the back wall. High-boy tables and chairs cover most of the floor space, providing plenty of seating. The cherry bar itself is detailed, refined and the staging area for a veritable treasure trove of liquid pleasures. About the only negative I can muster is in regards to the beer garden at the back of the premises.
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Surrounded on three sides by towering walls, there is scarcely enough ventilation to blow out a match and the concrete slab of the patio has all the charm of a prison exercise yard. I fully understand the need for a bar to maximize their floor space and provide customers with an outdoor option, but Clark Street’s beer garden is nothing to write home about. Clark Street Ale House is testimony to Chicago’s storied tradition of quirky neighborhood pubs and taverns. Since it was built in the late 1800’s, our building has always been a bar-even during prohibition.
I prefer the cheesy, oniony punch of a patty melt over the just-fine burger, and vegans can have a Beyond Burger counterpart on sourdough. A substantial arugula salad laced with sliced pear, blue cheese, hazelnuts and pomegranate and dressed in tarragon vinaigrette isn’t far off from something you’d order at A.O.C. or République.
My first impression, even before I took in the bar’s set up and décor, was one of diversity and inclusion. Tables of twenty-something urbanites banter happily next to groups of revelers who are, at least theoretically, old enough to be their parents. White-collar workers sit next to blue-collar tradesmen who sit next to no-collar patrons (tourists in t-shirts and shorts).
For Private Events please include the potential date, time and number of guests in you inquiry. In the first days of 2021, news of the closure spread quickly across social media, garnering farewells, photos and remembrances from the likes of Patton Oswalt, Paul F. Tompkins, and Alison Martino of Vintage Los Angeles. Though he was a lifelong fan of diners — from the casual and inexpensive to the haute Fountain Coffee Room tucked into the Beverly Hills Hotel — he never dreamed of owning a diner of his own, at least not until 2021.
Stop & Drink Liquor House became Clark Street Ale House in 1996, but the historic World War II-era Stop & Drink neon continues to proudly mark our spot. We are one of the Original Four craft-beer focused pubs in Chicago, with an affinity for fine whiskey. From the cheap stuff to the finer things, our focus is on thoughtful selection without pretension. Please join us in our classic Chicago barroom or on our beautiful beer garden patio.
Neighbors mark their lives by the everyday moments they spend in diners, but it’s also a genre of restaurant where people settle in for decades to make their livelihoods. Stewart’s place of employment has landed in capable hands, and that’s uplifting news for all of us. Since the owner runs one of the city’s most respected bakeries, it is almost redundant to say that the bread is excellent. Hall’s plush sourdough crisps handsomely; the avocado toast, sprinkled with mild chile flakes, transcends clichés and tedium. Clark Street Ale House is a must-visit spot when in the River North area.
After nearly 20 years as the 101 Coffee Shop, it shuttered a few weeks into the state’s first dine-in shutdown in 2020. Though the closure was originally intended to be temporary, at the end of the year the restaurant permanently and quietly closed. Sally Stewart had worked as a server at the 101 since it opened, and she’s back in its new incarnation. Stewart has ageless rock ’n’ roll energy (her husband is, in fact, a touring musician); she practices a steely sort of patience when my friend changes his order three times in 90 seconds. There’s nowhere in Los Angeles I’d rather eat a three-high stack of blueberry pancakes right now. The edges bounce pleasantly against the fork’s tines, and the interior of the heap is hot and just set but bordering on custardy.
The beer offerings are particularly impressive, with sours, stouts, IPAs and even barleywines from Chicagoland breweries on tap. Once you pick something out (don't be afraid to ask for a recommendation), you can sip it on the Clark Street Ale House's beautiful garden patio out back. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions. Clark Street diner will open open with breakfast and lunch service, from 7 a.m.
