New nautical 'Dive Bar' bringing beachy $4 cocktails to Boystown
Thu. October 23, 2014 11:08 AM by Andy Ambrosius
The concept by the owners of Minibar, DS tequila and mEAT will bring the beach to Boystown in December.
Chicago, IL -
Heavy construction is already under way in Boystown as the team behind Minibar, mEAT and DS Tequila prepare to open the nautically themed Dive Bar, located at 3445 N. Halsted St.
Formerly Tapas Gitana directly next to Halsted's Bar & Grill, Dive Bar is expected to serve up vacation-inspired food and drinks in a space newly renovated from to match the nautical theme. Owners Stu Zirin and John Dalton say food will range from items like crab, fish, oysters and shrimp to the "turf" menu like fried chicken and other comfort foods.
That will be combined with exotic cocktails garnished like they were ordered beachside.
"The cabin of Dive Bar takes you through a nautical voyage on a ship bound for warmer ocean waters," the duo said in a statement, which should be music to most Chicagoans' ears once it opens during the first week of December.
"The space and design is where the maritime theme goes overboard," they continued. "Broken into three parts, the interior is meant to take you on a journey."
The front of Dive Bar will feature a "theme fit for a sailor," and will serve inexpensive drinks -- $4 cocktails and craft beer, to be exact. Deeper into the bar will be "the galley," featuring a 200-bottle specialty rum bar complete with shipping containers and a library ladder to catalog and reach the rarest rum selections.
At the rear of the building will be a private dining room big enough for 14 people, called "the captain's dining room." All-in-all, Dive Bar will seat roughly 50 people.
Behind the building features a patio, "the wharf," for warmer months. Those who have dined at Tapas Gitana before it closed know it's roughly the same size as Replay Beer & Bourbon's patio.
And according to Zirin, it's all a part of their plan to continue to add to Boystown.
"We're building North Halsted Street," Zirin told RedEye Chicago. "We really believe in the neighborhood and the street."
Formerly Tapas Gitana directly next to Halsted's Bar & Grill, Dive Bar is expected to serve up vacation-inspired food and drinks in a space newly renovated from to match the nautical theme. Owners Stu Zirin and John Dalton say food will range from items like crab, fish, oysters and shrimp to the "turf" menu like fried chicken and other comfort foods.
That will be combined with exotic cocktails garnished like they were ordered beachside.
"The cabin of Dive Bar takes you through a nautical voyage on a ship bound for warmer ocean waters," the duo said in a statement, which should be music to most Chicagoans' ears once it opens during the first week of December.
"The space and design is where the maritime theme goes overboard," they continued. "Broken into three parts, the interior is meant to take you on a journey."
The front of Dive Bar will feature a "theme fit for a sailor," and will serve inexpensive drinks -- $4 cocktails and craft beer, to be exact. Deeper into the bar will be "the galley," featuring a 200-bottle specialty rum bar complete with shipping containers and a library ladder to catalog and reach the rarest rum selections.
At the rear of the building will be a private dining room big enough for 14 people, called "the captain's dining room." All-in-all, Dive Bar will seat roughly 50 people.
Behind the building features a patio, "the wharf," for warmer months. Those who have dined at Tapas Gitana before it closed know it's roughly the same size as Replay Beer & Bourbon's patio.
And according to Zirin, it's all a part of their plan to continue to add to Boystown.
"We're building North Halsted Street," Zirin told RedEye Chicago. "We really believe in the neighborhood and the street."