Who eats
: Businesspeople and casual diners visiting River North art galleries or shops.
Why eat:
Near the Merchandise Mart Brown Line stop and financial district, and about a mile from a Kennedy Expressway exit, this upscale sports bar is conveniently located and offers a chic atmosphere with quality bar food at fair prices. Booths with beer taps upon reservation.
Ambience:
Exposed ventilation, a combination of booths and high-top tables, and sports on about 15 high-definition TVs create a spacious, inviting atmosphere. Modern chandeliers cast dim light from the lofted ceilings, but plenty of light streams through tall windows. Playing off the bar’s name, a 36-foot-tall stock ticker cranks out sports scores and news.
Dress code:
It’s a bar, so any casually dressed diner, business or otherwise, fits right in.
Noise factor
: The dark wood floors and exposed brick walls help absorb table din. A mix of classic rock and pop music echo throughout the space.
Overheard:
“Andy, what do you do here again? You’re an intern?” “Yes.” (Nervous laughter)
Service:
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Prompt, friendly and accommodating, to the point of fixing our wobbly table.
Cellphone reception/Wi-Fi
: Full cell reception. Free Wi-Fi upon request of password.
Menu:
Appropriately named The Wells Street Journal, the menu includes dressed-up bar food — burgers, salads, soups and wraps — and short-order options for more moderate appetites, such as three sandwiches, crab cakes or sliders per order. Full bar with extensive wine list.
Reliable options
: The $14 trio of American Kobe sliders with crispy shallots, smoked bacon aioli and Gruyere cheese on toasted brioche almost melts in your mouth. A large plate of truffle fries ($9), sprinkled with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano , are fairly bland but an easy appetizer for a larger group. A large $12 spinach salad includes moist herbed chicken, and, like all salads at Bull & Bear, can be made into a wrap. Three large blackened tilapia tacos ($16) provide a generous portion of fish, citrus-scented slaw and salsa verde on corn or flour tortillas, and garnished with a dollop of Spanish rice.
Expect to pay
: $20-30 per person.
Contacts
: 312-527-5973 or
bullbearbar.com