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Saturday, July 9, 2011

Bar #13: Rainbo Club

Wednesday, June 29, 11:30pm

1150 N. Damen Ave.

Price of Old Style: $3.00 tall boys

Rainbo Club doesn’t have an Old Style sign, but it is worth including in The Project. Everyone knows Rainbo Club by their neon sign, but when you have another sign that was made exclusively with Old Style, you get an exception.

The Rainbo Club has 4 things going for it: (1) the perfect ratio of seats at the bar, booths, and open space for everyone else to mill around; (2) a photo booth; (3) a great bar set up (see review of The Levee); (4) distinction of being a popular hipster hangout.

This place used to be one of the smokiest bars I had ever been in, along with Ronny’s and Glascott’s, but the smoking ban hasn’t really slowed this place down. It was packed at 11pm on a Wednesday. No TVs, no overpowering music…just a bunch of people having good conversation. An added bonus is the art gallery on either side of the front door. I am assuming local stuff, but in a great display area, and some really good pieces. We asked the bartender about the defunct stage behind the bar…he said that it was mainly for Polka bands that played there in the 1930’s.

Even 80 years ago the Rainbo Club (or whatever it was called) was cool…

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