Inside: Loft Six Ten

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Have you heard the story of the little bar who cried grand opening?

Once upon a time in February 2007, Brad Tice of NoChance Productions (the local group behind Goodbar, Cortland ’s Garage and The Stretch) picked up the keys to a loft-like space on Milwaukee Avenue in Wicker Park, aiming to open a laid-back neighborhood bar called Loft Six Ten that summer. After nearly two years of construction, permit and license delays; a handful of false-start opening dates and some graffiti on the façade to add insult to injury, the bar finally opened its doors last weekend.
 
There’s no big gimmick here—no theme, no kitsch. In fact, Loft Six Ten aims to be a timeless neighborhood spot to eat, drink and hang out, without so much as a flat screen to distract. (No TVs? Forced interaction? Come to think of it, that's almost a gimmick these days.)

Was all this worth the wait?

CROWD
You won’t be stepping on barely legal, trying-so-hard-to-be-edgy hipsters like at Crocodile down the street. The late 20s and 30s crowd filling the bar’s first floor on opening night skewed mainstream-to-trendy—in fact, the edgiest things in sight are Tice’s tattoo-covered arms as he paces back and forth between the kitchen and the bar. Up a flight of stairs, groups of girlfriends chatted over appetizers, while double dates clustered on leather ottomans near the wrought-iron railing to scope the churning crowd below. Rogue girls done up in plunging backless tops or sequin-covered mini-dresses stuck out as grossly overdressed in a mostly jeans-wearing, polished-casual crowd.
 
INSIDE
The owners were going for a homey, timeless look. With its two-story tall windows and industrial touches like a concrete bar and a chandelier made from a giant wooden gear, Loft Six ten will feel like home -- if home is a half-million dollar loft. And though they say timeless, we say contemporary. Exposed brick walls could very well be the stucco of tomorrow, and vintage-style wallpaper might be the biggest bandwagon decor trend of the year (See Bar DeVille, The 44th Ward Dinner Party and LaSalle Power Co.).

Your first clue that music is central here? The DJ is put on a pedestal—literally. Accessible by a ladder, the booth is perched above the entrance, the only spot in the bar where the DJ can keep an eye on both the first and second floors. DJ Major Taylor kept the crowd guessing with a danceable ’80s heavy mix, ranging from Michael Jackson, Journey and David Bowie to Lady Gaga’s latest. We had no complaints—except when Bon Jovi’s fist pump-inciting “Living on a Prayer” blared around midnight. We thought for a moment we were in a Wrigleyville bar at last call.
 
OUTSIDE
Patio seating for 60 to 80 along Hermitage Avenue will debut in June, along with a late-afternoon brunch on Sundays. It won’t be as elaborate as Tocco’s piazza-style seating a few blocks down, but it’s a nice second option on a portion of Milwaukee Avenue that still has more discount furniture stores than bars.
 
DRINKS
A large drink menu has something for cocktail lovers, beer geeks and the average Joe-drinker alike. Brews hit an impressive high-low mix, from $3 Milwaukee’s Best to a $40 bottle of Dogfish Head’s Fort raspberry ale. Those who drink by liquor type will love sections titled “vodka,” “rum,” and “Maker’s Mark,” a shout out to Tice’s favorite booze (also subtly plugged with special-edition bottles behind the bar and in a painting, which the brand commissioned local artist Jeff Zimmerman to complete). We especially liked The Alpine, a sake and pear-flavored take on the classic vodka-lemonade.

EATS
The booze-inflected menu of appetizers, burgers and entrees comes courtesy of chef Roxanne Spruance, no stranger to the nightlife nosh scene with stints at Stone Lotus, Rockit and now-defunct Brasserie Ruhlmann in her recent past. We were ready to scream when we saw lamb lollipops ($9), an oh-so-overdone app on “upscale bar” menus, but the tangy Maker’s Mark-spiked barbecue sauce managed to lull us into submission. To be picky, some portion sizes could use some work, our Guinness cheese dip ($8) came with just three pretzel bites—a buzzkill if you planned to share with a group.

THE BOTTOM LINE
Worth the wait? Sure—there was plenty to entertain us in the meantime since we first heard about Loft Six Ten. If the goal is good drinks, good food and good music, then it’s just about there on all counts.
 
Lisa Arnett is the Metromix nightlife and shopping producer. lmarnett@tribune.com

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