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He painted Trump in 2011 after the real estate mogul said he was a bigger businessman than Mitt Romney. Illma Gore, the Australian artist who painted the controversial nude painting of Trump in 2016, contacted Bruce to say that he had inspired her. The first thing you notice when you walk into the Old Town Ale House are the paintings. Filling just about every possible spot on the walls, they’re the work of part-owner and famed blogger Bruce Cameron Elliott.
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He started coming to the bar five years ago when he was taking classes at Second City; both Bruce and Tim say the only way to get a job at the bar is to become a regular. Tobin Mitchell took over the bar in 2005 when both Art and Bea Klug died unexpectedly during the same year. Tobin cleaned the place up and also decided to extend the famous Ale House wall mural which was painted in 1971 by Maureen Munson.
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Balchowsky lost his arm fighting with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in the Spanish Civil War and died after getting hit by a subway car in Chicago in 1989. Bruce has forgotten the story behind some paintings. In his basement, he pulled a portrait of a black woman from a shelf and brought it upstairs to see if anyone in the bar remembers her name. “She was the first female in combat.” Bruce shrugged and said he didn’t remember much about her except that she used to play pinball and smoked a lot.
Old Town Ale House
The Old Town Ale House is a saloon in the Old Town neighborhood of Chicago, United States, that has been in operation since 1958.[1][2][3] It is currently located at 219 W. “The Old Town Ale House is as close to the Old Town of the 60’s and 70’s that you are going to find, making it a neighborhood landmark, classic Chicago joint and generally a pub that you’ll not want to miss”.
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The painting was first put up as a joke, but in less than 24 hours it went viral on the internet. Once the painting took over the internet, Elliot was interviewed by major TV networks and over a hundred radio stations. That’s where the idea of ‘political porn paintings’ came to Elliot, and many now adorn the wall above the bar. But it’s the political paintings that draw the most attention. Bruce leans left on the political spectrum and speaks with a smile about his time spent at UC Berkeley during the Vietnam War. He described himself back then as a “hardcore draft dodger.” Scattered around the bar and in his basement studio are more recent paintings—nude political figures playing out their scandals on canvas.
Bruce said the bar keeps the crowd at bay by playing an eclectic mix on the jukebox—e.g. No pop—which he claimed is one of the best-managed in the city. The website says Armitage Alehouse serves “hearty pub fare and dishes with their roots in India.” Anyone who has lived in London knows that’s a common combo.
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But first, you have to get in, and this place is always booked. Chug that morning coffee to prepare for the daily 9am drop of new openings (always 14 days out) and be alert—the minute you look away, the reservations are gone. A $2.50 per person reservation fee will be added to all reservations made online. We do not charge a reservation fee for walk-in guests. We accept reservations up to 14 days in advance with each new day becoming available at 9 AM CST on Resy. We recommend creating your Resy profile before reservations are released for your preferred date.
Review: Armitage Alehouse is a dreamy escape that deserves better food
In the background through a window you can see a beautiful lake and then mountains. I put the painting up as a joke for the regulars but in less than twenty four hours it had gone viral on the internet and then Drudge posted our address as the first item on his Report and we started receiving death threats. The next day all of the major TV networks came in and I was interviewed by over a hundred radio stations. Thus was born the political porn paintings which adorn the wall above the bar. We have a bare assed Governor Blago called “Cavity Search”, naked Michelle Bachman holding a tea bag called “Tea Bag Me”, Romney in his Magic Mormon Underwear, Newt banging Collista with his other wives watching, and many many more. The Old Town Ale House was established in 1958 by a penurious entrepreneur named E.J.
The history of Old Town Ale House
As the neighborhood became gentrified the clientele changed too. It’s an older crowd now, more affluent, with a lot of students from Second City mixed in. The Ale House Juke box has always had a lot to do with defining the clientele. Beatrice Klug had traveled a year with the Rolling Stones and as a result wouldn’t allow rock and roll on the juke box. Lots of jazz and blues which reflected the type of musicians that hung out in the bar.
A night bartender is the juke box czar and has very eclectic taste. The original Ale House only played classical music and Tim always keeps a classical CD or two on the box. One of the biggest plusses of the juke box is that punks hate the music and don’t come in often. The worst offender is chicken tikka masala ($20), which tastes like limp poached chicken tenders in a barely spiced tomato sauce. So much about this version feels so wrong, it’s hard to even know where to begin, but to be particularly petty, it’s anachronistic to the 1926 vibe.
It obviously doesn’t matter, because Armitage Alehouse needs no promotion. Once again, Sodikoff has created a space where people crave to be. I was only able to visit by showing up before 5 p.m. And sitting at the bar, where the seats are first come, first served.
Over the years, the pub has become a staple spot for many, including those coming straight from the Second City theatre across the street. Chicago is home to many pubs, but one that has left a mark on many is the historic Old Town Ale House. Old Town Ale House has attracted many, from blue-collar men, college kids, and even the more affluent crowd. Everyone wants a pint at the Old Town Ale House, and the pub has something for everyone. The team behind downtown spots like Bavette’s, Ciccio Mio, and Trivoli Tavern is exceptionally good at copy and pasting.
The mural contains the portraits of fifty or sixty old time customers. Tobin said I should paint the current regulars and hang the pictures wherever space allowed. Soon every nook and cranny had a picture of a present or former regular. We are known for our large portions, great prices, warm service, and shareable appetizers, including our famous buttermilk-drenched, hand-breaded boneless chicken Zingers® and Zingers Mountain Melt®. We serve a wide variety of entrees, burgers, salads and sandwiches, plus daily lunch and dinner specials, in a lively atmosphere that includes 60+ TVs, large open-air patios, beckoning bars and spacious booths and tables.
We also have a celebrity wall where I did portraits of all the famous and not so famous Second City stars that used to come in. There is no question that the Old Town Ale House is the premiere dive bar in the world. Since becoming one of the Tribune’s food critics last year, I’ve been trying to center reviews around the food, with everything else (atmosphere, service) orbiting around.
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