Old Town Pour House Is Returning to Downtown Chicago With a New Loop Location This Summer

CHICAGO — A familiar Chicago bar name is officially making its return to the city. After closing its longtime Old Town location on Wells Street, Old Town Pour House is coming back this summer with a new home in The Loop.

The popular sports bar and craft beer destination will take over the former City Social space at 120 N. LaSalle Street, giving downtown workers, theatergoers, residents, and visitors another large-format restaurant and bar option in the heart of the city’s business district. The new location is aiming to open by July 2026.

Old Town Pour House Is Coming Back to Chicago

Old Town Pour House's Tex Mex Burger. Credit: Adam Flikkema

For many Chicagoans, Old Town Pour House was more than just another neighborhood bar.

The original location at 1419 N. Wells Street opened in March 2012 and became known for its large beer selection, sports bar atmosphere, and after-work energy. At the time, the brand offered 90 craft beers on draft, which helped build its reputation as one of Chicago’s top beer-focused restaurants.

After nearly 13 years in Old Town, the Wells Street location closed in January 2025. Now, about a year and a half later, the brand is returning, but with a new downtown focus.

Angela Zoiss, chief marketing officer of Bottleneck Management, said the opportunity felt like the right next move for the brand.

“Not just because we know how to operate and have had success Downtown in those two locations, but because we have this beloved Old Town Pour House brand that made such a presence for itself in Old Town.”

That familiarity could give the new Loop location an immediate built-in audience.

The New Location Will Open at 120 N. LaSalle Street

Old Town Pour House is returning to the Loop this summer, serving cocktails, mocktails and craft beer. Credit: Adam Flikkema

The new Old Town Pour House Loop location will be located at 120 N. LaSalle Street, replacing the former City Social space.

The restaurant will span more than 6,200 square feet, with room for approximately 285 guests indoors and another 36 guests outdoors.

That size matters in The Loop, where large, flexible restaurants can serve several different audiences throughout the day, from business lunches and private dining to happy hours, game-day crowds, and pre-theater dinners.

A Downtown Bar Built for Lunch, Happy Hour, and Pre-Theater Dining

Fish and chips are among Old Town Pour House’s menu highlights. It’ll reopen in the Loop this summer.

The Loop version of Old Town Pour House is being designed with downtown routines in mind.

The restaurant is expected to serve weekday business lunches, after-work happy hours, semi-private dining, and pre-theater dinners, positioning itself as more than just a late-night bar.

Its announced hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., which makes sense for a Loop location built around office traffic, government workers, nearby hotels, and evening visitors heading to shows or events.

Why The Loop Location Makes Sense Right Now

The timing is notable.

The Loop is going through a major transition, with the Thompson Center being redeveloped into Google offices and several residential conversion projects underway. Those changes could bring more workers, residents, and activity back into downtown over the next few years.

Zoiss described the move as part of an “exciting moment” for the neighborhood, pointing to renewed energy around downtown development.

For a restaurant group with existing experience in the area, bringing Old Town Pour House into the Loop feels like a strategic bet on where downtown Chicago is headed next.

Bottleneck Management Is Behind the Return

Old Town Pour House is owned by Bottleneck Management, a Chicago-based restaurant group that also operates downtown concepts including South Branch Tavern & Grille and Sweetwater Tavern & Grille.

That experience matters. The group already understands the downtown customer, from business lunches to post-work drinks and large group reservations.

Zoiss said the property management company behind Bottleneck’s other downtown restaurants brought the opportunity to the team, and the response was immediate excitement.

“To get the opportunity to bring it back to the city is just so fun and exciting.”

The brand also has suburban locations in Oak Brook and Naperville, but this new Loop location marks its return to Chicago proper.

When Will Old Town Pour House Open?

The new Old Town Pour House at 120 N. LaSalle Street is aiming to open by July 2026.

If the timeline stays on track, downtown Chicago could have a familiar craft beer destination back in time for the heart of summer.

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