Shark City not just for hustlers only
Shark City is a big bar. And I'm not kidding when I say big.
It makes sense why they named the place after a whole Shark City. The bar, which reopened recently under new management and was remodeled in July after 18 months of being closed, attempts to multitask its tail off with a large pool hall, (hence the shark portion of the name), a bar that stretches for yards, a sizable music stage and a nice beer garden complete with outside bar.
New manager Bob Taft is dead set on improving Shark City and bringing the bar back to what he refers to as "the good ol' days."
Motif: Huge. I know I've said other bars are large, but I have a feeling that Shark City would engulf even the biggest of the pack, at 17,000 square feet of space.
The place also has a Pro Shop, a 3,000-square-foot beer garden and a TV wall with four 12-foot HD projection TVs.
The whole place looks like an almost-square horseshoe. Upon entering you'll be overwhelmed by all of the pool tables -- 20 to be exact, which, according to Taft, are brand new. Shark City's focus is on pool leagues, but even non-sharks can find a home there, especially on Monday when pool is free all day. The middle of the horseshoe holds the bar area, featuring a very long bar supplied with a good many tables, new plasma TVs and a bunch of arcade games (Golden Tee, Crazy Taxi, Centipede and that one boxing game where people beat the stuffings out of a bag).
Also of note is the respectable stage, stocked with cover-band talent mostly on weekends.
In short, vast would be a good word to describe Shark City. You could easily get lost here or at least spend quite a while searching for your friends. The high ceilings and fluorescent lights on the walls make the place feel even bigger.
Crowd: On a given night, Shark City could be filled with anyone from pool-hall junkies and die-hard sports fans to fist-raising metal heads. I'm sure it all depends on the night, but don't be shy.
Sounds: On this visit, current Top 40 hits were piped out of the PA. Come the weekend, Shark City is home to live bands playing classic rock, alternative rock and '80s hair metal. Patrons can expect DJs Thursdays and Fridays.
Liquid consumption: A surprisingly good beer selection, considering most big establishments tend to have a weak beer bar. Anyplace that has Franziskaner and Sam Adams Winter on tap will usually get the nod. There are also tons of other liquors stacked up behind the bar.
Food: Shark City has fairly standard bar food with alcohol-soaking choices such as burgers, pizza, sandwiches, wraps and flatbreads. Check Shark City's Web site for $4 lunch specials (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.).
Parking: Shark City is located in a large strip mall, complete with a grocery store a few buildings down. Yeah, parking won't be a major hassle.
Bottom line: Gargantuan. This bar is titanic, and there's no getting past that. If you're in the mood for something a little smaller and low-key, better come back when you're ready. If you would enjoy a mammoth bar with a ton of stuff to see, hear and play, then Shark City is for you.
Shark City 2240 Bloomingdale Road, Glendale Heights Phone: (630) 893-9346 Web: sharkcity.com Hours: 11-1 a.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11-2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.