Before the corridor became famous for its national retailers, it had an entire ecosystem of pubs, sports bars and neighborhood taverns. They weren’t all Irish pubs, but each gave longtime Southport regulars somewhere to belong.
Mystic Celt
Mystic Celt at 3441–43 N. Southport was an unmistakable part of the old neighborhood’s Irish-pub scene. Opened in 2003, the bar hosted countless game days, weekends and evenings out before closing in January 2016.
Read our original Mystic Celt closing coverage.
Justin’s Bar & Grill
A beloved bar and beer garden dating to 1984, Justin’s was a neighborhood institution for 31 years. Its January 2016 closing left a gap that had little to do with the menu and everything to do with the memories.
Cullen’s Bar & Grill
For years, Cullen’s at 3741 N. Southport brought an Irish pub atmosphere to the northern end of the corridor, near the Music Box and Mercury theaters. It closed in February 2015.
Read our original Cullen’s closing story.
Newport Bar & Grill
Just west of Southport, Newport Bar & Grill at 1344 W. Newport had the unpretentious feeling of a place you could make your regular. Its July 2016 departure was another in a remarkable series of neighborhood bar closures. We welcome reader photographs of Newport for this retrospective.
Southport Lanes
With vintage lanes, a historic tavern and a bowling tradition unlike anything else in the neighborhood, Southport Lanes was a living piece of Chicago history. Its permanent closure in 2020 ended an era; there was simply no other place like it.
Read our Southport Lanes history.
Schoolyard Tavern
Opened in 1994, Schoolyard Tavern at Southport and School was a favorite for Cubs games, casual get-togethers and familiar faces. It closed in 2020, leaving another void in the neighborhood’s social routine.
Read our Schoolyard Tavern follow-up.
What really disappeared?
You can replace a storefront. It is harder to replace a spot where your friends already knew where to find you. The loss of these bars wasn’t just commercial change; it changed people’s habits, friendships and sense of place.
If you could bring back one of these six bars for one night, which would you choose? What is your best memory? Share it in the comments.
Explore the full anniversary series: Part 1: 15 Years of Southport Corridor Chicago: How Our Neighborhood Changed Since 2011 | Part 2: The Southport Bars We Wish We Could Bring Back | Part 3: Before the Big Brands: Independent Southport Shops We Still Miss | Part 4: Southport Then and Now: What We Gained, What We Lost, and What Comes Next