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While compared to neighborly places like Gingerman, Four Moon Tavern and the Jake's Pub, Kasey's Tavern is not that spectacular. However, in an area not known for its exciting nightlife or happenin' bar scene, Kasey's stands out as a reliable neighborhood joint with friendly patrons and a long history especially when compared to the South Loop Club located one block east.
Kasey's is located on Dearborn Parkway in Printers Row, just a few blocks south of the Congress Parkway. The bar can be spotted by its old wooden sign with gold lettering, and by the Irish flag hanging behind tall, plate glass windows. Kasey's has been around since 1974 but has reputedly been a pub since 1914, and the building itself dates back to 1889. Kasey's has outlasted other pubs in the area like Moonraker, which used to be located a few doors down and is now the most recent installment of the suburban burger & bar Hackney's. Step inside and you'll find a large room with very high ceilings and a long wooden bar on your left. Old-fashioned lights and a few televisions hang above the bar, and a picture of Kasey himself hangs behind the bar on the exposed brick wall. Opposite the bar stand several wobbly wooden tables, chairs and a banquette of black vinyl on your right. Above the seating area hang several metal Bud Light lights on on the yellowed stucco walls (ala Durkin's up north). Elsewhere around the room hangs a multitude of neon beer signs, mirrors, a giant circular fan (in the summer months), and an unframed mural of a nude. If you follow the worn wooden floor towards the back, under the Indiana, Purdue and Guinness flags, you'll find the backroom with its pool table that has seen better days. Additionally, Kasey's has a sidewalk café in the summertime.
Kasey's does not have a menu, but if you ask the waitress nicely, the bartender might heat up a Taylor Street Pizza for you or ladle you a bowl of chili or one of their homemade soups. Otherwise, you're welcome to bring in your own food. All staff at Kasey's wear red t-shirts with the bar's slogan, "Positively No Dancing" written on them. Rather than a rip-off of the Twin Anchors motto, the slogan originated from a city ordinance, perhaps intended to keep Kasey's from becoming a nightclub. Given the laid-back neighborhood crowd of all ages, it makes one wonder if the ordinance is really necessary. Kasey's claims to be an Irish pub, but is about as authentic in that as Irish Eyes or Harrigan's. Instead, head to Kasey's when you're looking for a quiet pint, not traditional Irish music.
"In back, the world's most-crowded pool table seemingly bumps up against the bathroom doors, making for some amusingly awkward conversations."
– excerpt from James Janega's Chicago Tribune Article, "Life in the South Loop" (October 5, 2006)
My first visit to Kasey's coincided with the annual Printers Row Book Fair. The fair is one of the best times to find whatever used book you may be looking for, no matter how rare or obscure. In walking down Dearborn, Kasey's was impossible to resist. While half of the dozen taps were out, I still was able to enjoy a Guinness (to be fair, Kasey's also has a cooler stocked with a wide variety of imports), along with a pulled pork sandwich obtained from one of the many street vendors amidst the book sellers. It was then that I observed an older couple unashamedly making out in the corner of the banquette as the Stray Cats played, "Sexy and Seventeen." Book fairs sure do make folks feel frisky: "Ooh, look honey, a copy of A Tale of Two Cities... Let's head behind the Hackney's booth – quick!"
I also noticed a globe atop the wall-mounted jukebox near the front of the bar. Shortly after, I met Rod, who is one of the bar's regulars and who lives across the street. Rod was the one that bought the globe from one of the resellers outside. He then bought another which led to a conundrum – how to remove the nicer stand from the crappier globe to replace the stand on the nicer globe? Rod mulled over this for a long time; longer than usual as he was somewhat tanked. To break free from his dilemma, he related to us a story of how he was beaten up down the block a few years ago, sending him to the hospital for days. Fortunately, condo dwellers in the area sleep more safely at night in knowing that the area has gotten much better. However, if you're leaving Kasey's loaded and late at night, take more caution than you would on the North Side or in the suburbs and maybe have the bartender call you a cab. Rod reminded me of Mark, one of regulars at Friar Tuck, who had the interesting stories concerning inflatable sheep. Perhaps this is because both Kasey's and Friar Tuck are neighborhood joints that attract older, friendly gentlemen from the neighborhood. Unfortunately, I'm afraid Rod was not able to solve his globe problem there and then, but check above the jukebox anyway, as he may have figured it out later.
"If everywhere else is crowded you can pass some time amiably in here."
– The Official Chicago Bar Guide (1994)
Because of its location, Kasey's draws an interesting crowd. An old-school Bohemian set that moved in during the urban blight of the 70s, students from nearby Roosevelt University, Columbia College and DePaul's South Loop campus, and both Cubs and Sox fans. All are indeed welcome. Back when the original Kasey owned the place and Printers Row was still full of publishers and print houses, Kasey's Tavern actually ran from dawn until dusk to accommodate the typesetters that worked the night shift. The place today operates during more regular hours now that it is owned by Bill White. Kasey's Tavern is a great place for a pint, to mingle with regulars, and for a break from the Printers Row Book Fair. If you like the neighborhood vibe of Kasey's, you may also want to stop by Blackie's for a burger just around the corner at Polk & Clark. For more information, you can try visiting Kasey's website, which may or may not be working. Here's to Kasey (and Bill).
~ Have a good story relating to this bar? Email us. ~
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