New Elmhurst bar Charlie's draws varied crowd
Since opening in October, Charlie's Bar and Grill has been bringing in huge crowds for dinner and drinks. The two-story space encourages customers to stay all night, eating downstairs and then heading upstairs to dance and lounge.
Motif: A large square black-topped bar occupies the center of the space, with wood-backed stools providing seating. Black-and-white photos of sports players line the walls, and a bank of flat screen TVs shows up to 10 different games at a time. Large windows with stained glass at the top provide a view of Elmhurst's downtown.
The biggest draw for Charlie's is the upstairs area. When it's not serving as a private party space for up to 150 people, it opens up at 9 p.m. hosting a late-night migration from the dining room. The space has its own bar, a dance floor, couches, high-top tables and direct access to the patio, where smoking is allowed. The patio has its own TV and heat lamps will be added there soon, so sports fans can use it throughout the winter.
Crowd: The place was packed when we got there at 7:30 p.m. Friday night, with a 20-minute wait for a table and nearly all the seats at the bar filled. The dinner rush brings out a mix of families and older couples and groups, with some people still dressed for work but most sporting more casual attire. A lot of the dinner crowd tends to stick around into the night when younger customers come in.
Service: The bartender never came over to take our orders on his own accord. We had to flag him down every time we wanted something. Still, when we did have his attention, he was able to take a little time to share his personal favorites on the drink and food menu.
Liquid consumption: Charlie's sports a solid selection of specialty cocktails and martinis. The $7 Splash is the signature cocktail, a mix of Absolut Raspberri and Mandarin, strawberry vodka, cranberry juice and orange juice that gives the drink a pleasantly strong, but not overwhelming, berry flavor. The $7 Electric Lemonade is another favorite, blending Bacardi Limon rum, Blue Curacao, lemonade and Sprite.
Beer fans will find all the classics along with a reasonably priced menu of craft brews like Three Floyds Gumballhead and Alpha King and Magic Hat #9. The list changes seasonally so you can find Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale and a selection of Christmas ales on draft now.
Music: Acoustic cover acts perform every Thursday, and DJs spin everything from house to hip-hop in the upstairs area Thursday through Saturday nights.
Food: The chips and guacamole made a great starter; fresh-baked chips are served with a bowl of creamy dip boasting a strong lime flavor. Burgers are the most popular option. The spicy burger, 10 ounces of beef topped with jalapeños, pepper jack cheese and spicy aioli served on a pretzel bun, was never too hot but lived up to its name when you got a good bite of jalapeño and sauce. The wood-grilled skirt steak sandwich was so full and juicy it was almost hard to eat. Pieces of sauteed mushroom and steak kept falling out of the toasted bun. But the mix of flavors, including sauteed onion and arugula, was well-worth the mess. Sandwiches come with a choice of sides, and the big and crispy house-made potato chips are a great pick. Other popular dishes include brisket, made with the bar's own smoker, and steak bites, tenderloin tips served with onion rings and spicy rémoulade.
Parking: It's easy to find free street parking within a few blocks of the bar.
Overall: Charlie's is already proving to be a place that can attract a crowd. It provides a great compromise spot for any group torn between wanting good food, a place to watch the game, and somewhere to lounge and dance.
Charlie's Bar and Grill
Info: 122 S. York St., Elmhurst, (630) 834-5700, charlies-elmhurst.com
Hours: 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday