NOW CLOSED...Formerly: The year was 1989. The Berlin Wall had collapsed under the weight of its own oppression, a Chinese student stared down tyranny in Tianamen Square and Steve Soble felt the urge to fill a distressing void in Chicago: the lack of neighborhood pool halls. His remedy was Corner Pocket, a friendly place to knock some balls around in a classic environment.
Scorsese's "The Color of Money" had brought the cool back to pool in the late eighties, as Tom Cruise did for pool studs what he would soon accomplish for hyperdextrous bartenders in "Cocktail." People wanted to be awesomely sick pool players and totally sweet bartenders. Corner Pocket rode that popularity to establish a hangout popular among any grade of pool player. Whether you're a shark, fish, banger, preppie, hoser, old schooler or hustler, you're bound to find a mark, I mean a game, here.
The bar area is basic and feels like a down-to-earth Chicago bar, stocked with a series of booths, an attractive bar and a small sectioned-off lounge area that serves as a self-medicating triage for those shooting stick. The main pool room has a half-dozen tables, and long waits are the norm during prime hours. Be sure to check out the smaller room adjacent to the main one; there are a few more tables and a jukebox that obligingly lets you create a different vibe. Rack 'em up at a rate of $12 per hour or start off your week with some free pool all day on Mondays. Free pool! You can't lose. The menu meets the two necessary pub food requirements: It is greasy and it is good, with sandwiches, burgers, salads and appetizers. Basic, but solid. Several taps and a good selection of bottled beer fill up the drink menu, along with a Bloody Mary specialty made with Absolut Peppar. (Jeremy Fredeen)
