The Globe Pub

 

 

I think The Globe may have the best bottled beer list (Belgians especially) in the city. The staff aren't beer geeks per se but you come there for the beer, soccer / rugby.

Like to bring my in laws here as they love the British style pub food and the soccer theme. Was somewhere I came a fair amount when I first got to the US. Usually a fun place to swing by - their selection of taps is decent enough, errs more to the side of English and Scottish selections.

I was first introduced to this bar back in the mid 2000s. I was delighted to see that it was a soccer bar. However, the place just looked old and cluttered with scarves and trophies around the walls that look like they haven't been dusted off since they opened. I've met the owner who is a nice person, but doesn't remember my name. Since the 1st time I've set foot in there, there have been managers and bartenders that have come and gone, one of which was a bartender/manager which I befriended but left unannounced. In my opinion, she WAS the glue that kept the regulars coming back. When she left, nothing was the same and I stopped going at a regular basis. After years, I stopped by recently to watch the USA vs Ghana World Cup match. Although they annexed the bar next door, the conditions looked the same (maybe worse since the A/C in the back bar did not work with the bar overpacked with soccer fans on a 90 degree day). Bottom line, their beer selection may be satisfactory with beers from around the world (especially ciders and beer from the UK), they need to get things fixed and cleaned. I wish my bartender friend was still working there or told me where she was. Miss her friendship (and the way she would get me drunk) dearly.

 

If I was rating this just as a soccer bar, it would be 5's across the board. But, this is more of an overall rating.

Granted, I have never been here when there wasn't a match on. So, my view on the atmosphere may be a slight bit skewed, so I'm holding back a slight bit. This is the best atmosphere for matchdays in chicago.

The selection and quality of the beer is pretty solid. They know what they are going for as they show a lot of premier league and german bundesliga matches, so their beer list is focused on british and german beers. There is a good belgian selection as well. The selection won't blow you away, but they do a good job of keeping a lot of quality brews available

I've always had good experiences with the service. Even when it's packed with screaming fans, the servers are available and easy to get a beer or food from.

The food is pretty good for what they're aiming for. High-end dining this is not, but it's solid to good pub food. They have traditional english and irish fare along with a good bit of other selections

If it wasn't for the soccer, I'd probably only stop in here only once in a blue moon. But, it more than suits my needs and is worth going to even if you aren't a soccer fan

The Globe is almost everything I want an Anglo-American pub to be; to nitpick, the menu is a bit myopic (towards traditional British food) and the beer menu is not tremendously expansive. But they do almost everything right. Open early in the AM for soccer (I was there 7-ish), there is a surprisingly large crowd, and friendly, attentive service. There are a few TVs visible from any given vantage point, seemingly. The beer selection has enough range and quality to satisfy most any customer for at least a pint or two; my morning beverages of choice are Krankshaft Kolsch and Gumballhead (pre-DLD). I like this place, and would have no problem coming here, say, weekly.

2018: Renovations have closed the Globe temporarily, but it's back open for the World Cup as of June 2018.
The Globe Lounge next door is still closed, and being used as a construction staging area. It looks like they may be eventually renting it out as another bar.

It's ironic their website says "From a humble but good starting beer list we now offer the most varied and most diverse beer list in the city". Sorry, but they've never been the best or most diverse beer list in the city. There are good beers, but it's half filler, quantity over quality. The Globe Lounge *used to* offer a wider variety of craft but it's closed now.

2014: Globe Lounge has expanded with a second bar next door with many more taps and a more relaxed vibe. Great bartenders and bottle specials. Globe still gets the same score, but Globe Lounge is at least a 4.3/5.

12-01-2008
It was a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon. The brick red and gold trim façade outside looked sharp, with Tetley's and Carlsberg neons in the windows, and a handsome hanging wooden sign. Inside there was alot of dark wood, from the walls to the bar and tables. Above the panelling, there were many soccer supporter scarves lining the walls. A medium sized crowd was watching the soccer matches at midday on a sunday. Classsic rock was blaring on the stereo. Greene King IPA was on tap, and multiple soccer games and US football on the tv's. The beer menu listed 166 bottled beers, which was pretty impressive, although it was padded by a number of macros.

The table I sat at was a little sticky, so I opted for food at my next destination, Brisku's Bistro. Beer wise, there were a number of beers listed for Bells and Goose Island (7-8), Unibroue (5), 3 Floyds (4), and plenty of others. There were a few double digit prices for 12 oz. imports, which seemed a little excessive. I hope Girardin for $22 was a misprint. On the flipside, Old Style was $3.50, and there were a few options under $5. Plenty of Belgians with some odd omissions, such as St. Bernardus Pater and Tripel, but no 12...Oud Beersel Framboise and "Lindemans Framboise Cuvee Rene" supposedly, but again, that's likely a misprint. Craft and easy drinking imports on draft, like Wells Bombardier and Bells Winter White. Nothing too wild. Go here if you're looking for a soccer match, otherwise there are better options for beer nearby on Irving Park.