PlanJam!From your screen to the scene

Andersonville offers all kinds of bars, but my favorite for a casual night out is Simon’s Bar. Tell your girlfriends to come as they are and not fuss with high heels or dresses. The jeans and tennis shoes crowd here comes for drinks and conversation, not to dress and impress.

Look for the neon light shaped like a fish with a Viking helmet and cocktail and the Swedish flag. Mingle at the long dark wooden bar or relax at tables and wooden benches along the walls. Try the comfy couches in the back by the gas fireplace and the jukebox, which is loud enough to enjoy but not won’t drown out your conversations. Bands sometimes play here on weekends but the occasional cover will not be more than a few dollars.

Simon’s has the old Swedish charm that made Andersonville unique. My favorite drink here is glogg, the traditional Swedish red wine punch strengthened with vodka and infused with plump raisins and slivered almonds. Glogg costs only $4 here and comes with a gingersnap. No drink warms you better on a snowy night. With fruit, nuts and antioxidants it almost seems healthy. The bar offers a broad selection of flavored vodkas and microbrews like Goose Island and Red Seal Ale, but drink prices remain reasonable. Don’t count on bar food here but enjoy do drinks after dinner at any nearby restaurant or a cocktail before a play at Annoyance Theatre or the Neo-Futurariam.

Impress your friends with the history of Simon’s. This bar dates from 1934. Before that, there was a speakeasy at this location. The small wooden booth near the front door was a booth for cashing checks in the Depression, after many customers lost faith in the banks. Faith in beer and liquor has stayed strong here, though. The yellow murals on the walls have said “Wilkommen” to generations of neighbors and friends.

As so many Chicago neighborhoods gentrify and cocktail prices become downright insulting, it’s comforting to know that some watering holes remain the same. I’ve enjoyed Simon’s Bar with my friends and met some good people there. The place feels as comfortable as a living room for drinks and conversation. The bar stays full, not because of advertising or trendiness, but because its patrons honestly like it and bring their friends. Hang out as long as you want, because here you can afford it.