At Inner Town Pub, honorary pool plaques hang on the wall. One of those emblazoned names is Henry Ferolie: an attorney by day and pool enthusiast by night who grew up playing with his dad. Today, Ferolie competes in local leagues through the American Poolplayers Association, though there’s plenty of options around Chicago for serious and non-serious players alike.
He shared some with Hey Chicago:
Pool Halls
- City Pool Hall in West Loop is a legit hang for league players, though you can usually get a table — there's nine total. Open since 1998, it keeps an old-school feel despite its (increasingly ritzy) location.
- Chris' Billiards in Portage Park is the North Side’s go-to pool hall. It’s dingy, BYOB, and historic: “The Color of Money” and "The Hustler" both filmed there.
- Surge, in Albany Park and Logan Square, is a more upscale option. (“Millennial-core,” according to Ferolie.) While I might not forgive them for replacing Marie’s Golden Cue — RIP — the cocktails and food are surprisingly tasty!
Personally, I suck at pool, but I’ll take any excuse to drink beer with my friends! Here I am side-lining at Ten Cat. (Emmi Mack / Hey Chicago)
Pool Bars
- Ten Cat in Lakeview has two large tables, plus an outdoor pool table in the back: a rarity in Chicago. The living-room-style interior is also cozy for posting up as you wait to play.
- Holiday Club in Uptown is good for just about everything: playing pool, dancing to throwback music, binging bar food … It’s also run by a league player and great for a date, according to Ferolie. Go while you still can!
- West Town has several solid options: Gold Star Bar, where a live feed of the pool table plays on a flat-screen TV; Easy Bar, a more modern spot; and Inner Town, Ferolie’s home bar and one of the diviest options on this list.
- Delilah's in Lakeview has a bustling pool table on the second floor — and dollar beer on Mondays. (Not far, Parrots and aliveOne also pair pool with cheap beer.)
- The Giant Penny Whistle in Pilsen has a more elevated pool vibe. Literally. The table is on an elevated platform and open till 11 p.m. on weekends … before the joint turns into a full-on dance party.
- Bridgeport Inn is a hub for friendly competition. According to Ferolie, Lots of great South Side players hang at this ol’ dive.
Additional recs from friends include: Cole’s Bar in Logan Square, The Chicago Athletic Association in the Loop, Carey’s Lounge and Mark II Lounge in West Ridge, Seven Ten Social in Hyde Park … Chicago has lots of pool tables, and good thing! The game’s a simple way to get out there indoors as this rough winter continues.
