In an unexpected twist of fate during a 2014 Sunday errand run, two lifelong friends stumbled upon a peculiar bar that would change their weekends forever. The Podlasie Club, located at 2918 N. Central Park Ave in Avondale, caught their attention with its eye-catching red and white neon sign.
The friends, who began their drinking adventures together before they were even of legal age, decided to take a chance on this Polish dive bar, only to find themselves fully immersed in a vibrant atmosphere.
“We left and saw the Podhale one block north and decided, what the hell, let’s check that out, too,” they recounted in a joint email interview.
The memorable scene inside Podhale, with a diverse mix of patrons, remains indelible.
“The bartender was having a heated argument on a landline telephone while pouring our beers, and there were old Polish guys in suits just having a good time,” they reminisced.
That day marked the start of a tradition that has since captivated them: exploring unique bars around Chicago and sharing their experiences online through their Strange Bar Sunday Instagram account.
Initially, their circle of followers was limited to just themselves, but over the years, they cultivated a community of tens of thousands of fans.
Despite their growing popularity, the friends, now in their 30s, prefer to keep their identities under wraps.
One works as a teacher on the South Side, while the other serves as a bartender on the North Side, both cherishing the anonymity that allows them to capture a genuine experience among the bars’ patrons.
“We want to meet people in their natural habitats, behaving how they normally would to get a true sense of the bar and its clientele,” they explained, emphasizing that any special treatment would tarnish the authenticity of their visits.
As their passion for exploration deepened, they developed a fondness for bars that have stood the test of time.
“They’re time capsules,” they said, describing how these venues serve as portals to the past.
For them, visiting a bar is akin to a social experiment, a rare opportunity to engage with tangible locations in a world that increasingly leans towards the digital.
Their journeys led them to uncover hidden gems, the forgotten taverns that continue to thrive against the odds.
“Those places are the last of a dying breed. Every time we think we’ve been everywhere, we keep finding new gems. Chicago is the best,” they declared.
But what exactly defines a strange bar?
“A dive bar is not always a strange bar, and a strange bar doesn’t have to be a dive bar,” they clarified.
According to them, the category encompasses more elements than just the ambiance; it could involve the bartender, the clientele, the location, or the events taking place within.
“It depends on the vibe. It’s about … [the] spectrum of strange. And strange things are fun,” they added.
Through their adventures, they have relished the joys of people-watching, encountering stories they might never have heard otherwise, and absorbing the unique atmosphere each bar presents.
“Strange Bars are nooks in which Chicago secrets lie,” they explained.
Their experiences have illuminated the distinctive features of Chicago’s bar culture, particularly its abundance of Old Style beer signs, which symbolize long-standing pubs.
Unlike other major cities, Chicagoans engage readily in conversation, making each visit to a bar a unique encounter.
“What we’ve learned is that you never know what you’re gonna walk into,” they revealed.
Stepping outside of their comfort zones has sometimes been unpredictable, but they have often found bars to be welcoming and hospitable.
“We’ve come to realize they are the backbone of the community — real people living in the neighborhood,” they said.
The unpredictability of their explorations has led to memorable moments, including a spilled bag of sex toys and unexpected invitations to unique parties.
“We appreciate the tiny moments,” they remarked.
As of now, nearly 11 years since their inaugural bar visit, the dynamic duo has measured their success in terms of followers and beers sampled.
With over 20,000 social media followers and a quest for 1,000 beers in 1,000 bars, they marvel at how their project has evolved.
“When we hit 100 followers, it was funny to us, like 100 people are reading our diary, that’s so weird,” they expressed.
Now, they receive requests from out-of-town visitors seeking recommendations, a testament to their influence.
For anyone looking for a suggestion, they enthusiastically endorse Rossi’s downtown dive at 412 N. State St. as a fantastic choice, with Uncle Paulies in Glen Ellyn representing their favorite suburban find.
Encouraging interaction, they invite their followers to share their own strange experiences in the comments, transforming each post into an interactive historical record.
Looking ahead, the Strange Bar Sunday duo intends to continue their adventures indefinitely.
“It never ends,” they affirmed, adding a playful notion of organizing a “Strange Bar America Tour 2028.”
In their view, every detour has the potential for discovering a strange bar, signifying that their exploration of Chicago’s hidden gems will persist, anytime and anywhere.
image source from：blockclubchicago
