The drinks are decent. The food is nothing special. But location, location, location. That's our first impression of Spats, a slick new bar in Warrenville. West suburbanites flocking to nearby AMC Cantera 30 theater have always faced the same dilemma: Where to hang out after a movie? Considering the late-night options have been limited to chains like Rock Bottom and Buffalo Wild Wings, Spats' chic surroundings and indie ownership are a welcome change. We stopped for dueling piano night on a recent Thursday to scope out the scene.
THE NAME Let’s clear something up, people: This kind of spat has nothing to do with spit. It refers to those genteel shoe covers you find on distinguished “Puttin’ on the Ritz”-era dudes. Save for marching bands, spats are all but obsolete today, but this bar's name and logo (with a saxophone forming the "S") gives a nod to the Prohibition Era.
THE DECOR Running along the right side of the space, a bottle-stacked back-lit bar slowly fades from green to blue to purple, while the countertop itself is lined with glowing white rectangles, a subtle nod to piano keys. A VIP corner near the front is warmed with a fireplace and shielded by a curved wall, if you’re seeking a quieter nook away from the live music on Wednesday through Saturday nights. Black-and-white vintage photos decking the walls and waitresses laced up in shiny corset tops lend a hint of retro glamour to contrast the contemporary sports-airing flat screens and sleek wood-toned tables.
THE TUNES The pianists, courtesy of Chicago Dueling Pianos, took requests at the night’s start, doling out a fair number of sing-along standards like “Miss American Pie” and “Shot Through the Heart.” They also pulled out a few surprises to amuse the nearly standing-room-only crowd of local 20- and 30-somethings—including a rap-piano rendition of “Baby Got Back” and a raunchy Rated-R hokey pokey for a troupe of Oswego teachers out reveling the night before a long weekend. And of course, they generated some controversy—and tips—by staging a Cubs-versus-Sox battle, with “Go Cubs Go” taking on Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” For the record, the South Side won out, thanks to the generous dude with the $20 bill. These guys are big on audience participation, so plant yourself toward the back if you’re feeling like a wallflower.
THE DRINKS Well drinks ($4) and martinis ($6.50) feature on Thursdays, though a formal cocktail list is still in the works. As for beer, you’ll find standards like Blue Moon, Stella, Fat Tire and GooseIsland’s 312 on tap ($4.50-$5.50 for 16-ounce drafts) with 22-ounce tall boys running just a few quarters more ($5.75-$6.50). For more serious sippers, the bar shelves are stocked with an array of scotches and an impressive 40-plus vodkas—including ultra-premium Stoli Elit for those who care to drop $18.50 on a single 10-ounce martini. THE EATS Cooked up in the kitchen of casual eatery Livorno’s next door, most of the menu options here seem miles less sophisticated than the sleek square plates they arrive on. A platter of mini-Italian beef sandwiches or salami subs ($10.95 for 6), for example, will hardly satisfy any cravings for elevated eats to match your martini. If you’re sharing with a group, though, the cost will split to a favorable buck or two apiece. Massive platters of cheese and bacon-topped fries and traditional deep-fried bar eats, like the fried mushrooms we tried ($5.50), are plenty good enough to satiate post-movie munchies. Sadly, the desserts our waitress recommended were nothing special: a dry bread pudding ($3.75) and an utterly underwhelming chocolate cake ($4.25) that we could have trumped with a box mix baked at home.
THE BOTTOM LINE Stick to the bar food standards and drink your dessert and you may just fancy Spats your new post-movie meet-up.
Lisa Arnett is the metromix suburbs and shopping producer. lmarnett@tribune.com. All Metromix reviews are based on anonymous visits. Meals are paid for by Metromix.
(5 ratings)
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