New Year’s Eve approaches, Logan Square! And if you don’t already have a laundry list of friends’ parties to hit up, you may be looking for an experience at one of the neighborhood’s many drinkeries and eateries where you can mark the end of the year, the decade and the 2019 holiday season. We’ve got a few ideas about that: Here’s what’s going on for New Year’s Eve at some of our favorite spots in Logan Square!
NYE Wild Beer and Cheese Warm-Up @ Hopewell, 12 p.m.-7 p.m.: First things first, you need to fortify before the proper night of revelry and abandon gets underway. Hopewell Brewing (2760 N. Milwaukee Ave.) has the nutrients you need, with the USDA-approved two major food groups of beer and cheese. Hopewell will be highlighting its Wild Beer series starting at noon, while Cheese Sex Death will feed you the first word in its name from 2 p.m-5 p.m. The relevance of those latter two words to your night all depends on how much you have to drink.
The Owl NYE Party, 7:30 p.m.-4 a.m.: Logan Square’s favorite 4 a.m. bar, somewhat ironically, starts things off early, at 7:30 p.m. Do people even go to The Owl (2521 N. Milwaukee Ave.) at that time? Find out, or come at a more Owly time if you must. But the all-inclusive drink package—covering “top-shelf liquors,” beer and wine, the midnight champagne toast, and a taco bar—runs from 7:30 to 12:30.
Scofflaw NYE Party, 8 p.m.-1 a.m.: One of Logan’s classiest joints, the gin-focused cocktail spot Scofflaw (3201 W. Armitage Ave.) will keep you feeling upscale – and warm, next to the picturesque fire. (Just be aware: That midnight kiss in front of the fire for the ‘gram? Everyone has the same idea.) The winter 2020 cocktail menu will debut, and you can enjoy an open bar, dancing, a midnight balloon drop—and Scofflaw’s famous on-the-house chocolate chip cookies at last call.
Pilot Project’s NYE Party, 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Logan Square’s new “experimental brewery incubator and taproom” (and site of the next LoganSquarist neighbor meetup), Pilot Project (2140 N. Milwaukee Ave.) hosts its first New Year’s Eve party! So come on and ring in 2020 in the most beer snobby way you can.
Rocking Karaoke NYE @ Reed’s (Avondale), 9 p.m.: Everyone sings “Auld Lang Syne” for New Year’s. But how many places can you belt out some Pat Benatar, Journey, Sinatra or whatever strikes your fancy? Reed’s Local (3017 W. Belmont Ave.) carries on its karaoke NYE tradition, with a free midnight champagne toast included.
The Party Wheel @ The Native, 9 p.m.-1:30 a.m.: If you’re looking for something different, check out Native’s (2417 N. Milwaukee Ave.) “Party Wheel NYE Extravaganza.” Every half-hour, someone gets to spin the wheel (drop your name in a hat for a chance). What’s on said wheel? Different music genre favorites, ranging from pop-punk to the ’90s – plus some whammies like “10 minutes of free jazz.”
New Year’s Eve Chicago at The Whale, 9 p.m.-2 a.m.: For another kind of NYE classiness, this one of the high-roller type, check out The Whale (2427 N. Milwaukee Ave.). Amid the gold-accented, ’40s-’50s gambling decor, including train cars down the middle, you can partake of an “ultra-premium drink package,” a midnight countdown and more.
New Year’s Eve Party at The Old Plank, 9 p.m.-2 a.m.: Much like Pilot Project, The Old Plank (2700 N. Milwaukee Ave.), Logan’s newest sports bar/taqueria, will be celebrating its first New Year’s Eve. But while Pilot’s highlighting its brews, the Plank’s going full-on foodie: Check out the menu of pulled pork sliders, fried chicken, chili, roasted vegetables, churros, pumpkin pie, cheesecake and more. Plus, there’ll be a brisket and turkey carving station. Start out 2020 the right way: at least 10 lbs. heavier.
’80s vs. ’90s vs. ’00s NYE @ Innjoy, 9 p.m.-2 a.m.: With intergenerational conflict at a high pitch these days as “OK, Boomers” and “Millennials killed …” comments fly with abandon, it’s time to amp things up even more: Set the beloved music videos of three now-ancient decades against one another as VJ Juan pits New Wave against Grunge against Boy Bands (and all your other fave genres from those years) at Innjoy Logan Square (2200 N. Milwaukee Ave.). Innjoy’s NYE festivities also include a pizza party buffet, open-call bar and a midnight champagne toast.
William Elliott Whitmore @ Sleeping Village (Avondale), 9 p.m.-2 a.m.: Iowa singer-songwriter William Elliott Whitmore plays spare, stripped-down folk/Americana with punk influences—usually with just a stringed instrument (guitar or banjo) and a suitcase and a kick-drum pedal for percussion. An engaging and charismatic performer, he’ll welcome in the audience like old friends – and I’ve personally seen him win over crowds opening for The Pogues and Chris Cornell. He’ll play at Sleeping Village’s (3734 W. Belmont Ave.) expansive space for a different, comfier sort of NYE experience.
The Year 2020 Part I @ Cafe Mustache, 10 p.m.-2 a.m.: Cafe Mustache (2313 N. Milwaukee Ave.) hosts its third annual NYE get-together, with live music and stand-up, hosted by the Just Us Gals comedy show.
Featured photo: Hopewell Brewing Company, by LoganSquarist
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