First things first: What’s with the name?
“Whatever your ‘Plan B’ is has to be your comfort zone,” explained Ryan Golden, co-owner of the newly opened lounge that bears the name. “It’s like when you’re out somewhere and you say, ‘Forget this — let’s go to “Plan B.”
‘ It’s more of a mentality than anything. We want to be your comfort zone.”
Just northwest of the busy vortex where Milwaukee, North and Damen Avenues converge, Plan B could easily be an afterthought when you’re making your lounge-hopping weekend plans. But this bar, located at 1635 N. Milwaukee Ave., has become a welcome alternative to the increasingly annoying Wicker Park-Bucktown scene.
Nothing against the Border Cafe, Double Door, Subterranean and other neighborhood staples, but even the local artists and musicians who have long called the place home regularly complain about the influx of outsiders that, on weekends, has slowly begun to turn their too-hip haven into a trendier version of the Lincoln Park bar scene.
For now, at least, they have a new spot that recalls the halcyon days of the 1990s, when Wicker Parkers and Bucktowners reveled in being part of the city’s best-kept secret, before MTV’s “The Real World” invaded their space, ushering in higher property values and turning the area into the cool place to be.
So if you’re feeling a bit nostalgic for those pre-“Real World” days, all you have to do is go to Plan B.
“It helps to be over here because there is a lot of clutter over there,” Golden said, gesturing toward the vortex. “We don’t really get the bar-crawlers. We’re more of a destination place. We get people who want to be here.”
With experience working in some of Chicago’s hottest spots — from Jet Vodka Lounge to Hogs and Honeys to the Dragon Room — Golden and co-owner Mark Parres have gone out of their way to make Plan B, which opened in April, a place where people want to be. There’s no cover charge and once inside, you’ll find no VIP section, no pretentious clientele and no “we’re too cool for you” staff.
What you will find is a comfortable, loft-like room, complete with wood floors, high wood ceilings and brick walls. The front of the lounge boasts four seating areas made up of leather loveseats, leather easy chairs and leather tables. Across from the bar, which seats eight, a mirror runs the length of the wall, bordered by textured wallpaper and a short counter.
In the back, in what normally would be a VIP section in most places, three black denim couches form a semi-circle in front of the deejay booth (they’re thinking of placing tongue-in-cheek-style “not reserved” signs on the tables in the back).
“I really like the surroundings,” said Nicolette Schwarz, 27, who celebrated her graduation from Northwestern there with friends recently. “I feel like I’m in somebody’s living room. I really feel at home here.”
And the crowd — which ranges from mid-20s to upper-30s — is a diverse one. People in dress shirts, slacks and dresses easily fit in with people in jeans and T-shirts.
“Most lounges, you get a certain type of crowd dressed in a certain way,” said Rakesh Sharma, 31, who works for the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. “This is a place you come to not worry that you might stand out like a sore thumb.”
Kind of like the Wicker Park and Bucktown of old.
“We’re just trying to get back to the basics,” Golden said. “Just come as you are and have fun.”
That’s not a bad backup plan at all.
Plan B Bar and Kitchen
More Top Picks Best Blue Light Blocking Screen Protectors For Laptops
1635 N. Milwaukee Ave.; 773-252-2680, www.planb-chicago.com
Hours: 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Wed.-Fri.; 6 p.m.-3 a.m. Sat.; 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Sun.
The buzz: With a capacity of just 150, the lounge gets crowded after 10 p.m. on weekends. Deejays spin daily, from alternative rock to old-school hip hop. Ice-covered cobra-headed taps pour ice-cold draft beers ($4-$6), or try bottled ($4-$5) and canned beers ($3) or specialty drinks ($8) with humorous names like “Ciroc Obama.”
Terry’s tip: Get there before 10 p.m. and not only will you find a parking spot nearby, you can also stake out a spot inside and sample from the menu before the rest of the crowd pops in. Line your belly with a “Block Burger” — a half-pound of beef topped with a fried block of mozzarella cheese ($9), a bowl of macaroni and cheese ($7) or even fondue ($8 per person).
———–