Shoeless Joe's scoring points with new Addison bar
Named for the hard-hitting White Sox player banished from baseball nearly a century ago, Shoeless Joe's Ale House & Grill has had a long run in Rosemont. Now, fans have a second spot to check out on Lake Street in Addison.
<b>Motif:</b> The rectangular roaring fire pit was more than welcoming upon driving up to Shoeless Joe's on a frigid weeknight. On a night like this, you want to quickly find a place that's as warm and friendly on the inside as it looks on the outside.
There are TVs everywhere in this place, which presents itself as a sports bar in the front and family restaurant in the back. On this particular Wednesday night, there were families with young children in the dining area enjoying dinner while bar patrons warmed up with drinks, appetizers and plenty of games on flat screens on the other side of the center-room wall.
Did I mention there are a lot of TVs? Side-by-side-by-side screens.
Still, there's a cozy feel inside. And baseball fans can check out photos of Shoeless Joe Jackson as well as framed newspaper pages from the “Black Sox Scandal” of 1919, when team members conspired to throw the World Series. Jackson played well and proclaimed his innocence, but he was banished from baseball, with debate about his guilt lingering long after his death in 1951.
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Food:</b> The Santa Fe Chicken Egg Rolls with secret dipping sauce (no security clearance means I can only tell you it tasted great) really hit the spot, but we saved room for the signature dish - the Shoeless Wings. Whether you're a traditional or boneless chicken wing connoisseur, you can try a variety of flavors including sweet heat, barbecue, teriyaki and, of course, Buffalo.
Other interesting menu items include the Popeye Salad, featuring lots of spinach and bacon, beer-battered fish tacos and a “Redneck” burger, topped with bacon, grilled onions, hickory barbecue sauce and cheddar cheese.
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Liquid consumption:</b> Local craft beers and many others brewed around the country are available on a lengthy drink list. Although I usually look for a local brew - Revolution and Lagunitas beers are featured - The Surly Furious IPA from Minnesota caught my eye and was a good choice. All the popular beers on tap are on display at the bar, where mixed drinks are also on order. My wingman for this trip tested the bartender by ordering his usual bourbon old fashioned, and it was spot-on.
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Service:</b> We were warmly greeted when we first arrived. We got a table in the bar area right away and put in our order about a minute after that. Service here was very prompt and even included a courtesy visit by a manager to see how everything was going. There was no waiting during our visit, and our server seemed to enjoy covering a lot of ground between our table and all his other customers.
<b>Crowd: </b>Considering temperatures were in the teens on the night we went, there were a lot of people who bundled up for the trip to Shoeless Joe's. The atmosphere on this night was more “family restaurant” than “sports bar,” so the vibe might be totally different for a Chicago Bears Sunday or late night on a Saturday.
<b>Music: </b>There is a certain science in blending music, lighting and décor to generate an atmosphere that really makes a place stand out - and this is where Shoeless Joe's can stand some improvement. The dim lighting paired with what feels like an entire appliance store of TV screens and blaring music can lead to a bit of sensory overload. Turning down the music would help, especially for anyone more interested in the games.
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Parking:</b> There's plenty of well-lit parking surrounding Shoeless Joe's.
<b>Overall:</b> Building an identity can be challenging for any night spot, but Shoeless Joe's has a lot of potential. The focus on the food and service is there, but giving visitors memorable reasons to come back will be key in helping generate positive buzz and a bigger following.
Shoeless Joe's Ale House & Grill
1480 West Lake St., Addison, (847) 773-9147,
Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday