Sovereign Liquors

Sovereign is the best type of Chicago dive. Cheap beer, good people, best jukebox you'll find. Much love to them for letting my band do a fundraiser for my buddy's medical bills. The crowd, the staff, and the regulars dug deep and we've covered medication costs for the next couple month

Its your quintessential dive bar!! Loved it

I watched Andrew Luck beat Peyton Manning in a playoff game in this bar in January of 2015. I was there with my cousin, his wife, and some friends. Never been back, but we still incessantly reference “The Sovereign” any chance we get, nearly 10 years later. It’s that kinda bar 🇺🇸

absolutely best dive bar on Broadway in this neighborhood. cheap beer, decent amount of seating, great service. have yet to be there when anything was rowdy - totally chill atmosphere. not really going to find craft beer or cocktails, but that's not what you look for in a dive bar.

Just a great place! They were open on Christmas, cheap strong drinks, juke box and darts. The bartender Paul was very kind.

It's cash only, but there's such a diverse group of patrons that no matter what, you can find someone to talk to, even if you go alone. I had an amazing time and met some great people! The bartender, Michael, was fantastic! (Plus, his dungeons and dragons and diners, drive ins, and dives shirt was amazing. His wife has GREAT taste.)

Very unsafe for women, especially young women. There will be men imploring you to compromise yourself. Let alone the mark up on the ATM after you've been extorted . Don't get it twisted. As a woman you the last care as management is concerned. Unsafe for women. There isn't even a way to lock the bathroom door. Harassment doesn't get the blame for the regulars. Let the cash only bars fall by their wayside as they should. Disgusting.

They don’t have food but you can bring your own. Very much one of my all time favorite bars…ever.

Sovereign is the best type of Chicago dive. Cheap beer, good people, best jukebox you'll find. Much love to them for letting my band do a fundraiser for my buddy's medical bills. The crowd, the staff, and the regulars dug deep and we've covered medication costs for the next couple month

Its your quintessential dive bar!! Loved it

I watched Andrew Luck beat Peyton Manning in a playoff game in this bar in January of 2015. I was there with my cousin, his wife, and some friends. Never been back, but we still incessantly reference “The Sovereign” any chance we get, nearly 10 years later. It’s that kinda bar 🇺🇸

absolutely best dive bar on Broadway in this neighborhood. cheap beer, decent amount of seating, great service. have yet to be there when anything was rowdy - totally chill atmosphere. not really going to find craft beer or cocktails, but that's not what you look for in a dive bar.

Just a great place! They were open on Christmas, cheap strong drinks, juke box and darts. The bartender Paul was very kind.

It's cash only, but there's such a diverse group of patrons that no matter what, you can find someone to talk to, even if you go alone. I had an amazing time and met some great people! The bartender, Michael, was fantastic! (Plus, his dungeons and dragons and diners, drive ins, and dives shirt was amazing. His wife has GREAT taste.)

Very unsafe for women, especially young women. There will be men imploring you to compromise yourself. Let alone the mark up on the ATM after you've been extorted . Don't get it twisted. As a woman you the last care as management is concerned. Unsafe for women. There isn't even a way to lock the bathroom door. Harassment doesn't get the blame for the regulars. Let the cash only bars fall by their wayside as they should. Disgusting.

They don’t have food but you can bring your own. Very much one of my all time favorite bars…ever.

This place has been calling my name for two years but life got in the way. Today that drought ended when I entered its cloistered weathered door and went back in a tavern time machine. This place is a stripped down tavern with layers of images and signs. Beer list? All bottles with domestic and a few overseas beers. Food? No. Credit cards? No. Cash and they have an ATM to prove it. They play classic rock and the two ceiling fans keep the air flowing. Bathrooms? Did not try them but can visualize them in my imagination. A must go to if you want a local dive to forget your troubles.

Still a fine joint. Not shouty. Neighborhoody. Authentic. A CD jukebox. Slightly grimy. Friendly. Don't ever change. And Aldi is across the street!!

Fantastic old-school Chicago dive. Stiff, cheap drinks, excellent juke box selection, friendly staff and deep Chicago vibe. Don't ever change.

Sometimes there is a dog who sits at the bar and eats ice. The bathroom door lock does not work well and I have walked in on two people.

Bartender was very rude. Would never come back. Do not come to this place if you want to have a good night. Bartender was not welcome to me and my friends.

mainstay, pillar of the community, gathering hole to wrinkle origami and watch Star Trek and Cubs in the afternoon and to feed worn cottony dollar bills for lost B-sides into the jukebox.

I have been there twice now both times met up with some great people it reminds me of the bars i grew up in Wisconsin...now from Holland Michigan..Lou is the best ..great feeling when your in there..

Bartender makes her own special cocktails and their delicious! We had Black Cherry Margaritas and they were all that and a bag of chips.

Like most people have been saying; this place has good beer, a great jukebox and a great dive atmosphere anyone could dig. I went to the Sovereign for a friend's birthday and the staff was friendly, fast and accommodating. We ordered pizza, had cake and drank like a camel at an oasis. And they still loved us! The beer and booze selection is great, as is the CD jukebox in the back containing past patron's homemade mixed CD's. A great selection of random songs. Trust me it's great! The atmosphere is "divey" with a touch of "old man", but it gets the job done. Beer me! Entertain me! Comfort me! The Sovereign does all this and much more.

Dive, well almost ! Been in many wose! More like the local neighborhood bars us older folks enjjoyed before these Crap SPORTS BARS. Dont have to be a sport to drink "REMEMBER THAT KIDDIES" The Sovereigh's backbar bottles and mirrors are clean, shix I have been downtown and seen worse. Bartenters are great, prices are even better. The best draw is the Jukebox, where in the FXXX can you walk into a bar and have Brian Eno on the Jukebox! Few negatives and biggest gripe is the Jukebox, it needs a tune up as somtimes it forgets to play everything selected. Next gripe has nothing to do with the bar, its a few of the customers, some folks just plain have to understand about taking as shower more then once a year. Last and very minor few of the var stools could be tuned up. For us oldsters my all time favorite as far as dive bars in Chicago was STOP N DRINK hehe what a change! I think its now called the Ale House, if those poor fools sitting there new what was spilled on the floors and everthing else.. Not a hipster, really do not understand the term. Past bartender, lover of music and cocktails and cold beer................... Drink dont drive have a gas, can life be any better?

I have to admit, I was once an impostor hipster that tried to take over this bar. All of my bff's in college were the kids that didn't shower, wore the same tight fitted ripped jeans, oversized & unnecessary glasses, and threw impromptu dance parties all over Chicago. I never could fully convert to "hipsterism", but found a little niche where I fit comfortably. Once we all turned 21 & weren'feeling Hamilton's, the underage anyone can get into bar, we decided to check out the litte dive bar near campus. Hallelujah, we found paradise! Not sure if it was drunk old men who would talk to anything as long as it resembled a human, the cheeky bartenders that loved when us youngin's (esp. the ladies) would come in, the fact I would get numerous free PBR's everytime I went, or its super close location to my dorm at the time...but I adored the Sovereign. Sure some of the locals didn't like us there & sure I was somewhat embarrassed by how often I ended up there, but it was still a comfy place to be. They had lots of seating, a decent jukebox, and a general friendly atmosphere. $2.00 PBR bottles & strong mixed drinks were my poisons at the Sovereign. The bartenders are also something to make note of. They were great & honestly made every visit a fun experience. Upon walking in the door they would generally yell our names & give us free beers. Hey, who can complain about that? I haven't been back since I graduated & long for the comfort of the Sovereign when out at Duffy's or McFadden's. I wouldn't go out of my way to return, but when I do end up in Rogers Park you bet your ass I'll be drinking a PBR & chatting up the locals.

This is an old school Chicago dive bar. If you don't like such places you won't find anything here to change your mind. By day, gruff blue collar guys and older guys actually talk about conservative/liberal politics with a degree of patience and tolerance that the average modern 20-30 something seems incapable of and by night a younger too-grungy-for-hip crowd tends to assert itself. The bartenders are friendly and easy to talk to but they aren't afraid to boot the occasional drunk if somebody starts acting up. The appeal to the drunks and one of the biggest highlights of this bar is the cheap drinks. I just moved up here from Bucktown. When I stopped in and asked for a Gin and Tonic and the bartender said $2.75 and no, not on special, it's a good thing I wasn't drinking already or I would have choked. Unfortunately there are no beers on tap here, but on the other hand, that might affect the crowd that can be found here and that would be a damn shame. The bar also features an excellent juke, a pool table, and a Pac Man/Galaga machine.

I'd write a full review of this place, but some horrible country singer already summed it up for me with, "I love this bar." I defy you to get a drink over $5. I defy you to not say "I f-ing love this song" at least two or three times in the course of your stay. I defy you to not find yourself in a great conversation with your friends you went with. I defy you to not find yourself in a great conversation with a new friend you've made. Great mix of people, the "culture war" that some people are trying to make happen in their reviews is pretty false, at least in my experience. Sure "hipsters" come, and older locals come, but everybody seems to have a good time. The odd mix of people that seems like it shouldn't work, but somehow does, is part of the fun. "I love this bar." -Horrible Country Singer

I used to live in stumbling distance of this place...thank goodness! Super divey and a safe refuge from the Scamiltons crowd ((though they sometimes wandered in, unfortunately)). Great jukebox, good people, cheap cheap beer (I love me some $2 PBR). They don't have any beers on tap and the classiest beer you're gonna find is a New Castle but that's what Hopleaf is for, right? The bartenders are all super sweet and awesome and let you guess the card under on your PBR cap, if you're right you get a free beer! If you're consistently wrong and you tip well, after a while, you get a free beer! You.Can't.Lose.

Yep, I follow and support LGBTQ parties when I can. This night was no exception. Being right off the Granville red line stop made it easy to spot...okay, maybe it was easy to spot because of the smokers outside and the glowing red dive bar sign glowing its name. I'll definitely agree that this is a hipster bar and no, I'm not a hipster nor do I wish to be...However, I can and always will appreciate those who cater to everyone AND this bar did! The drinks are extremely cheap and I didn't have to wait forever to get them. The bar is extremely old and if I already hadn't been drinking, my obsession with germs would have forced me out of here. Luckily, I didn't care too much by the time I got there. Music was actually good...OR at least I liked it Jennie T. :P (Okay, Jennie T and I went on the same night). I'm a huge fan of old school music (old school meaning 90's and early 2000 hip-hop) and there was no lack of the dancing beats. All in all, it was decent. Is it calling my name to go back immediately? Hmm...probably not...but for a night of adventures, it was A-ok...

I'm going to be the voice of dissent here. I've been going to The Sovereign on and off for 6 years now, and there's just nothing there to hook me. I am more than willing to blame myself, but if you're anything like me, here's what will bring ya down: 1. Not really many places to sit. Not ANY comfortable places to sit. 2. Drunk bartenders just make me feel sad. 3. Drunk regulars make me feel worse. 4. I like draft beer. I drink out of bottles for much cheaper at home, ya know? 5. Way overrun with hipsters in the later hours of the night, way underrun with anyone else at other times. 6. Splattered grossness on the walls. Could be coke syrup. Could be vomit. And it's all over people's photos! I don't know. It's just not for me.

It's weird to me how hipster kids think they've "discovered" something when they find a local dive bar, especially one like this that's clearly been here for years and years. That's the impression I got from a recent trip here. (Full disclosure: I was invited here by an acquaintance who happens to be a hipster, we've all got one of those...) Anyways, there's an eclectic group of drinkers in here. The locals who have clearly been occupying their bar stools there for at least 10 years, and then the younger "rebellious" hipster-type crowd. The locals tolerate the latter, and the hipsters ignore the locals. It seems to balance out I guess. Once you've seen a divey bar or two, you've really seen them all. No exception here. Cheap booze, neon PBR/Old-Style signs, juke box, cash only. It was a fun time, bartender was sweet, but I won't be making any special treks back up here.

The Sovereign is hands down the best dive bar of all time. Despite some of the reviews here, I wouldn't call it a hipster bar at all. Sure, grad students frequent it, but most of the clientele are long time locals. People are friendly without being up in your face, and known to break out into song frequently, probably because The Sovereign has the best jukebox on the planet comprised almost entirely of homemade mix CDs. Beer is super cheap, and bar tenders are great. Atmosphere is, well, divey and dark, just as it should be. Sovereign, I love you.

Soverign is easily my favorite bar in Chicago. This opinion is also heavily influenced by its proximity to my home and the (late) Standee's Diner. There's always a great mix of people, awesome music (via jukebox or occasional DJ), and $2.50 PBRs. Should you opt for a $2.50 PBR, Justin (one of the bartenders) will likely let you try to guess what 'card' is under the bottle cap. I usually walk away with a few free PBRs by the end of the night. I'm not sure if I qualify as one of the hipsters who have tried to take over the bar, but I usually come here on Thursdays with a sizeable group of friends. Everybody in the bar is pretty much approachable. I have yet to experience a 'culture war' of sorts between the older crowd and those of us in the flannel army. Another reason why this bar is great. Only downside is that sometimes Sovereign (or as I like to call it Snoop Sovvy-Sovvs) runs out of PBR and then I can't play the guessing game anymore. This isn't too big of a problem because I don't think anything in this bar costs over $6.00. Sovereign, you've brought me closer to my friends. With your drinks so cheap, I can afford to have drunken heart-to-hearts with my nearest and dearest. Also, Sovereign is close in proximity to CJ's; you can soak up your ocean of beer with an ocean of grease.

Wow, this place is something. Now, I've never been inside after dark, so I can't testify as to the crowd that shows up then (though from walking by, it looks like vaguely-hip Loyola students), but by day, it's a trapped-in-time snapshot of classic Chicago; during football games it's often like a charmingly depressing episode of Bill Swerski's Superfans; the accents are there, but the optimism is not. Drinks are cheap here, which is key; Old Style cans/PBR bottles are $2, and I don't think there's a beer in the joint that costs more than $3.50. Depending on the time of day and the crowd, it's really quite possible that one of the old folks will treat you to a beer.

The only reason it's not 5 stars is that there's nothing on tap. A bar, with nothing on tap? What's that about? I locked myself out of my apartment one Sunday night, and I needed somewhere to seek refuge while I waited for my building manager to get home from the burbs. Good of time as any to check this place out. Only a few other small groups hanging out, a couple TVs with football on, decent rock music playing, and $2 bottles of PBR. We have a winner! Speaking of winners, if you guess the card under the cap, your beer is free... granted, it's a 1 in 52 chance, but the chance is there nevertheless. How many places can say that? Other bottled beers were all pretty reasonable. Even the imports (a decent little list, beyond just Heineken) were under $4. Very cool little place. I'll definitely be back.

This is what I remember of my night at the Sovereign: #1 - cheap booze - mixed drinks were like $5 a piece - AWEsome. #2 - cute college boys - nice to look and and chat with, but some of the little hipster dudes really need to discover better personal hygiene - "pee-yew!" #3 - DJ spinning good tunes :o) Happy dancey drunky #4 - kind bartenders - friendly drink delivery all night and after our table *somehow* toppled over the bartender who cleaned it up didn't even bat an eye This bar turned out to be too much of a good thing for me. For my liver's sake, I'm going to have to limit my nights at Sovereign. But yeah, I'll be back!

This was my regular bar I'd hangout out when I first moved to Chicago. The bartenders are cool and I like the option of board games. Ive moved but still stop by in the summers for old times sake. I recommend if your looking for a comfortable divey bar!

It's a dive bar, that is for sure. Being located so close to Loyola's campus brings an interesting mix of students, middle aged neighborhood regulars and some really scuzzy looking people. A good selection of beers, but no taps. Cheap beers are cheap (as they should be) and better beers are still pretty cheap for a bar. They've a large selection on liquors available as well. I have been going to watch Gonzaga Basketball games since I don't have my own TV. They always promptly switch to the game if they aren't already on it when I walk in with my Zags hoodie. What really makes me love this place is the service. The bartenders are very nice and quick with drinks. Each time I am there once I've tipped two dollars, the price of a PBR, my next order is on the house. It's awesome and I can't help but keep tipping after that. Also, the location is premium. College bar means college girls. Plus being a block from the Granville red line stop makes the tipsy return home real easy. I am adding to my review of the Sovereign about three months after posting it originally. I love it even more. I've gone almost every Thursday, when the Zag games have been on ESPN. There are lots of regulars and they are friendly and welcoming. I got a cupcake one of the first times I went there because it was somebody's (who I didn't know) birthday!

I have been living in the area for 7 years and I hadn't been to this place until this past weekend. I decided to watch Loyola vs Michigan basketball game and went to this place. It was packed and there was only one bartender. At some point I asked for gin mule. For those who don't know what it is, it is gin with ginger beer. Only two ingredient.. the bartender in a very annoyed way asked me what the fuck I want the mule for!! I was shocked. He told me that he is refusing to serve me because he said I was a pain in the ass.. It was fine because I didn't want to drink anyway, I just wanted to watch the game. 10 15 minutes into it I asked for water, he then yelled and told me to get the fuck out. If anybody told me before that I would get kicked out off a bar I would have laughed.. well he told me to get fuck out. I told the bartender that I didn't do anything wrong and it is not right to kick me out, I am at least 21 and I am not harassing anybody. In fact I was having genuine conversations with people around me. When I refused to leave, he physically kicked me out. I basically got kicked out off a bar sober, asking for a gin mule. This person was likely very stressed and he got it all out on me. Regardless, it is unacceptable. I am not going back there again. ..If this person ever reads this post, this is to you.. "I was very disappointed in your reaction. But I forgive you, and the only other thing I want to tell you is what I tell to everybody. Be the energy you want to attract!"

This is the ultimate people-watching bar. Every damn walk of life can be found at the Sovereign. Hell the name is authoritative enough, it really is it's own world. It's dank, it's dark, full of random yelling and regulars friendly enough to chat with you. The bartenders are liberal with pours and shots. No taps, all bottles, no bombs, straight booze. No food, but feel free to have some brought on over. A classic music-box with a pretty eclectic build of old and modern music. Also, you can pick up a six pack of hipster-lager for the long walk home. The Sovereign can get a bit rambunctious at times, but don't let that steer you. Regulars will make you feel at home. Even on the so-so nights here, I can't help but have an unsung affection for this bucket of blood. Give it a shot, take a shot, sail on.

The Sovereign is the my ABSOLUTE favorite bar in Chicago. Abi, Justin, and Matt are not only super cool bartenders, but they pour killer drinks. Yeah, the place might be old and dark, but this all adds to the Sov's charm. This is not a hipster bar. It is a neighborhood, 20-something, 30-something, 40-something, eastern-euro, african, old man, hodge-podge bar. Its a place where you can go and find good conversation without any pretentiousness. I love it. Go there, you'll love it.

This place has the best juke box in the city. The patrons are always game for a conversation. Everyone is approachable, don't worry. Yes this is a neighborhood bar, but it welcomes everyone. Their are no judgements. The bartenders listen to you and remember your name.

What a great dive bar. Old school soul and 60's music spun on turntables by a hipster deejay sets the mood. Friendly service surrounded by decor that adds to the stale charm of the joint. And the drinks are cheaper than most places! Good vibes, good company, good music, good times. If you are a hipster or an old man barfly no matter- everyone blends in here.

This is my new Wrigleyville Tap. Yeah, yeah, Wrigleyville Tap closed, what, 15 years ago? What can I say, it's taken me this long to find a bar that is as cool as WT was. Pretty good jukebox, interesting regulars and non-regulars, CHEAP beer, cozy room, clean bathrooms, two blocks from my place, nice barstaff, etc. What more could you want? Bring cash and eat first. They don't take credit cards and they don't serve food.

It's a neighborhood dive bar, plain and simple. It draws a diverse crowd from a diverse 'hood. You have the old-timers and regulars kind of "shift" followed by the later younger, vaguely indie set. Drinks are cheap. The bartenders and folks that run it are good people. The crowd is uniformaly well-behaved, even if it doesn't always a uniform crowd. It can get very crowded. The service can suffer as a result but that's the same with any bar. I used to be kind of down on it but over time it has grown on me.

... ehhh. I mean, yeah, this is a dive. But with the limited seating and surly bartenders, I can find other dives where I'd be more comfortable AND pay less for booze. Especially in the Rogers Park area.

It really hurts to have to write this, but then again, a certain person needs to know she was in the wrong. Two friends and I were standing up near the bar, joking, hemming and hawing. All of a sudden, in a gruff, nasty tone, the bartender yells out 'LET THE LADY THROUGH!!' It really shocked us, and I looked over and there was a young woman standing by me, no real look of urgency on her face. Also, she was on her phone and kinda oblivious to the fact she could easily walk between me and the chair about 3 feet away. We were a bit embarrassed after this exchange, as were a number of the patrons. Why treat your guests this way? Why make a scene? Will these questions ever be answered? Well, we up and left after that (one-sided) exchange.

I liked this place. None of my friends did. For some reason I liked this place for all of the reasons I shouldn't have. Leaking water noise in the back, Cases of beer stored everywhere and a refridgerator that was extremely loud. FOOD: Regular Jays Potato Chips. DRINK: No taps. Decent prices bottles. ATMOSPHERE: This place is a great dive. The only light was from the neon signs in the bar and outside. Big steel washtub full of junk and clothes that read "Im Lost". Tempting to look at what culture may have been left behind. The bathroom stunk something nasty. A crazy lady approached my brother at the jukebox and scarred him away from it. She then stumbled around talking random thoughts at anyone who looked at her. I had fun, but we only stayed for one beer.

This place hasn't changed in years, though the clientele has. A lifetime ago I worked an ambulance in this area and my alcoholic partner had to stop in here before work, during work, and after work. Reagan was President, and the place was old, dirty, tired, and full of regulars. No one thought it was at all out of sorts for a pair of paramedics in full uniform to be in there in the middle of the day, a few cops both on and off duty were regulars back then too. The bar hasn't changed but the clientele has. It's infested with hipsters now, but also many of the neighborhood homeowners frequent the place, more well-heeled than the working class heroes who used to imbibe during de-industrialization. In Milwaukee, the latest bad trend in bars is hidden up-charges for neat, on-the-rocks, coupled with smaller pours, it's both insulting and unwelcoming. It was nice to come back to Chicago, rediscover this neighborhood tap where they still generously over-pour whiskey straight into proper whiskey glasses. I do have an important suggestion for hipsters coming here for the "dive bar" experience, don't be ironic with the tips. Service is just fine here when you tip properly.

A dive of dives. Regulars at the bar will give you the stink eye, but won't bother you otherwise. Cheap beers all the time ($2 PBRs), and definitely not crowded during the week nights. Games are available (there are at least 2 Connect 4's!) and there's a dartboard, albeit a plastic dartboard. Women's bathroom is tiny and there's a crack by the doorknob just begging for a peeping tom, but its amazingly clean. go. or don't--more PBR for me!

This is just the most total dive you could ever want or find but if that's what you're looking for, you'll find it here. The bar is huge and the seats are fairly comfortable. Not too many tables so if you've got a large group just resolve yourselves to "mingling." The beer selection is divey and the service is divey. The jukebox is divey. Sensing a theme? I don't mind going there...but it never really seems to be my "destination." And it'll stay that way.

Cheap beer, good jukebox, friendly bartenders. The people here are usually hit or miss. I've met some great patrons who I've really enjoyed talking to; however, there are also some regulars here who creep me out and make me question whether or not I want to go have a drink over there some nights.

I should go here more. Every time people have been so friendly & the jukebox is wonderful. It's a great place to go with friends or to stop in for a quick drink after work. The last time I did that I was texting and the man at the bar next to me, very pleasant, around 70 I'd guess, asked if I was communicating with other bar patrons via text, if that's why everyone always texts in public. I still think that man was onto something.

I used to open up bottles here from time to time. Good people, good prices, and lots of fun. If you're around you should stop by. Although, keep in mind that this place is small so it can get kind of crowded at times.

"Are you ready to play the game?" Yes, you must be extremely lucky to guess what's under the cap of that PBR you just ordered, but I did it once and my beer was free! I failed miserably many other times, but any place that will actually give you a sporting chance to win a beer is top-notch with me. The juke has some fantastic choices and folks are mostly pretty friendly here. And you can grab a sixer on your way out. Now a West Coaster, I miss this joint.

So it turns out I'm related to the owner, Tom Foran. I finally met him not that long ago. It's a distant cousin thing and we bonded over both being at Aunt Betty's funeral. I was a pallbearer, he was just there. If the owner of a bar and a distant cousin reminiscing about a long ago funeral isn't the most stereotypical Irish communication setting then I really don't know what is.

Ya gotta love a place that plays jeopardy and all the old men in the bar yell out answers. The drinks are cheap cheap cheap, the jukebox outstanding and the crowd diverse. No, really. Old men, cute young guys, cute young girls, cute guys in hats (not baseball, mind you) in their 30's discussing Frank Zappa with an old guy, cute girls in their 30's discussing wall of sound (wait, that's me), this place has it all. It's one of my favorite old man/dive/dude bars.

I don't know how accurately anyone can rate bars, after all the point is to drink which does not really support an unbiased opinion e.g. unfortunate one night stands, emptying your account, waking up in another country. Anyway my motto as of late has been "great taste bad decisions", I am not proud but I am honest so here it go's hope it's helpful to someone. Lots of college students which is cool I guess I was in college once plus I think it keeps the cost of the drinks down. Really fun people watching compounded by a zombie costume party (with someone dressed as a unicorn?). Well let me get this over with... Fun, cheap (considering my friend bought all the drinks), but kinda out of the way if you aren't a Loyola student. Cheers!

I often have a dream that I've been stabbed on the Red Line and get off at the stop right outside of Sovereign. I bleed to death outside, which is a shame, because I really like this bar. I love this bar. It's a god damned pit full of ugly people like me (or you, as you read this review). They have a very nice staff, with cheap drinks. This place also has a great juke box with 18 plays for $5 (nothing trendy in it, but a very good selections of rock-and-roll and soul music). Sovereign has a relaxed atmosphere which clashes nicely with the neighborhood, which takes on a grimy sheen after dark. Let's see, what else... TO GO DRINKS! Don't be a snob. Drink here.

Best dive bar ever! No matter what time I go in there I get the same good service plus great prices on drinks. Its my girlfriend and my place to go if we wanna pop out in the neighborhood and have a drink or two. We bring friends here who are new in town and they also dig it. Only once have I been blatantly ignored by one female bar tender there but whatever, that bitch isn't stopping this place from getting 5 stars along with the rest of the great staff!

Last Saturday night, I went there with a couple of friends we were there for about an hour. Around 1am the bartender did everything imaginably rude to get us to leave (turned off the dim lighting, turned off the tv, turned off the music, took away full drinks, etc.) even though closing is at 2 am, the regulars were permitted to stay of course. At first we thought that she was just cranky but soon the regulars were chiming in and then they started cursing as we made our way out. I will never be returning which is really unfortunate since I enjoyed the dive bar feel.

Sovereign! There was definitely a time in my life when the Sovereign was always my bar of choice. It was close, cheap and I liked the staff and the regulars. Most of a nightly crowd there is made up of loyal regulars - Chicago dudes during the day and a younger crowd at night (made of up artists, musicians, students, and yuppies -and by yuppie i only mean young professional - and we're talking edgewater yuppies NOT lincoln park yuppies - you won't find any popped collars unless someone kid at the loyola college bar accidentally wanders into the place.) i love it and i wish i could go more often but i live in lakeview now. of course many a drinker willswear by their favorite dive bar...but i think one of the things that makes one's dive bar great is that it is around the corner. and sov is not around the corner anymore...but i still think it is better than any of the dives around here. P.S. Bring cash

This is the best Edgewater dive bar, with a diverse crowd and friendly bartenders (even if they're not actually Irish, as they claim). The kind of place you can watch the Simpsons and drink your Old Style on a Sunday night without hassle.