Spilt Milk Tavern (and The Feller) - Logan Square

I thought there was already a dedicated thread for this pleasant neighborhood tavern at the NE corner of California and Fullerton but apparently, not. Physically, it's reminiscent of the now shuttered Bar DeVille, though having only been open for about three years, it's nowhere near as worn as DeVille was at its end. The interior is dark and cozy, with an old-timey pharmacy feel. Mirrors and antique hardware adorn the wood-front coolers. The high-backed, padded bar stools are notably comfortable.

It's helmed by industry veterans Anthony Selna and Jason Turley (the latter of whom put in some time at DeVille). Original and classic cocktails are well-made, and the back bar is nicely stocked. Their frozen coffee cocktail rivals Parsons' frozen negroni for best frozen libation in town. Don't be fooled by its frosty appearance. In addition to being delicious, it delivers a potent double-punch of alcohol and caffeine. There's also a bit more curation of wines by the glass than one might typically find at a neighborhood tavern. Prices are reasonable and completely in line with what one would expect at a neighborhood bar. Personally, I like that they open at 4 pm, which is great when I want to get an early start.

Over the past couple of years, Spilt Milk has gained quite a bit of deserved attention and buzz for its Family Meal Mondays, where noted chefs -- mostly local and occasionally otherwise -- throw down on their outdoor patio. The line-up of participants is excellent. This year's line-up was recently released . . .

May 27 – Michael Simmons & team of Café Marie Jeanne
June 3 – Paul Virant & team of Gijian
June 10 – Mindy Segal & Doug Sohn
June 17 – David Choi & team of Seoul Taco
June 24 – Justin Moser & team of Table, Donkey, Stick
July 1 – Charles Welch & team of Good Fortune
July 8 – Yoshi Yamada, Zeeshan Shah, & team of Superkhana International
July 15 – Matt Troost & team of Good Measure
July 22 – Erling Wu-Bower & team of Pacific Standard Time
July 29 – Dan Salls, Ross Henke & team of Quiote
August 5 – Ashlee Aubin & team of Fisk & Co.
August 12 – Abraham Conlon, Adrienne Lo, and team of Fat Rice
August 19 – John Manion & team of El Che Steakhouse & Bar
August 26 – Mark Steuer & team of Funkenhausen
September 2 – Nicholas J. Labno, Edwin Perez, and team of Rootstock
September 9 – Won Kim & team of Kimski
September 16 – Brian Ahern, Jamie Finnegan, & team of Boeufhaus
September 23 – Jonathan Zaragoza
September 30 – Jason Hammel & Sarah Rinkavage

That is one helluva roster. Even though I rarely go out on Mondays, I'll be heading over for at least a few of these.

In addition to all this, Spilt Milk has recently opened its own kitchen, The Feller, helmed by chef Adam Wendt (formerly of The Delta). The configuration is similar to that at Ludlow Liquors, where the kitchen program, Old Habits, is a separately run entity under chef Nick Jirasek. Wendt's focus at The Feller is thoughtful takes on bar food. Based on the few dishes we had last week (house-made chicken nuggets, bbq dumplings, hen of the woods sandwich), I think it's going to be a big hit.

With all the bars in Logan Square, it sometimes gets lost in the shuffle, but the bottom line is that there's a lot to love about Spilt Milk.

=R=

Spilt Milk (website)
2758 W Fullerton Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 413-8440

Ronnie,

Great post! It's been on my bar list and every time I think we'll finally make it, there's a change in plans. Will have to make it over there soon.

That is an impressive lineup! Similar to the Sportsman's Sunday picnics in the back garden.

ronnie_suburban wrote:Personally, I like that they open at 4 pm, which is great when I want to get an early start.

Love it! We all have those days! Plus, an earlier start makes me feel like I'm on vacation.

Al Ehrhardt wrote:Love it! We all have those days! Plus, an earlier start makes me feel like I'm on vacation.

Well, let me know if you feel like taking a "vacation" afternoon sometime soon and I'll meet you over there!

=R=