The Southern is a central gathering place where the tallest order of the day is a cocktail, conversation and relaxation.
Taking its cue from the laid back way of southern life, this low-down Bucktown bar offers a deep selection of small batch bourbons, micro-brews, hearty whiskeys and plenty of specialty drinks.
When hunger strikes - as it always does when people get together – Executive Chef Cary Taylor satisfies with a menu that raises the bar on bar food. Influenced by his southern background, Taylor uses ingredients from local farmers and sustainable sources for dishes like fried green tomatoes, Johnny cakes with chow chow and Charleston-style crab cakes. For bigger appetites, expect to find soul-satisfying braised pork shank and grilled shrimp with grits.
"Great for brunch! The Southern is an excellent choice if you're looking for food made from a Southern house kitchen. We had the Catfish Poboy, Mac & Cheese, fried Chicken, crab chowder and started with the doughnut holes. Everything was excellent and we would absolutely come back with our friends and family from Texas. Well done southern food in Chicago."
Dined on 5/12/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for brunch, neighborhood gem, kid-friendly
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"It is not often that I write reviews, however i loved loved loved my experience at Southen so much i couldn't help but share. The number one reason for my feedback is due to the food. EVERYTHING was so delcious. We had brunch and sampled the fried green tomotatoes, fried chicken, and peach french toast. Everything was just flawless. So glad I finally tried the Southern!"
Dined on 5/11/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, great for brunch, kid-friendly, hot spot
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"The food was okay, nothing amazing. The bar was hopping. It was really loud so if your planning a date.... I would not pick this spot. I would most likely not go back. But, I'm glad I tried it out."
Dined on 5/11/2013
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, neighborhood gem
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"Thank you for such great service on Saturday of Mother's Day weekend. Everything about our experience at The Southern was great, from the unique dishes to the fantastic service."
Dined on 5/11/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for brunch, neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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"Nice, pleasant servers and hostesses....but slow on the presentation. Appetizers were great...corn dogs and hush puppies! Salads, sandwiches and fries were wonderful. We 'll come back when the patio is open, because it was rather loud."
Dined on 5/11/2013
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem
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"mediocre at best. everything was pretty bland. Their redeeming quality is their whiskey/bourbon list is awesome! Their "Famous" spicy fried chicken was just super spicy and deep fried. Nothing too special. The crab cakes were dry, and the mustard seemed like deli mustard out of the bottle. Go for a drink, leave for the food"
Dined on 5/02/2013
Special Features: great for outdoor dining
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"THe Pimento cheese was as good as I've had in long time. The Shrimp & grits were okay. Grits were great, but was expecting a more traditional dish (sauce with the Shrimp). The BBQ was tender and delicious. The atmosphere was lively, but louder than anticipated. The service was very good."
Dined on 04/27/2013
2013
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, great for outdoor dining, late-night find, neighborhood gem
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"I usually love the Southern but my most recent dining experience was not the best. The food was so so, minus the great pimento cheese dip, and was made matters worse was the service. The wrong food came out and when the right food did come out, it was thrown together and cold. Not a good experience and not typical for the Southern. The bill was also incorrect which added to our frustration. I am hoping that Southern is just getting things together during the busy warm weather season, because if not I'll have to find a new Southern style restaurant to frequent. I'll give it another shot because it's always been a favorite, so fingers crossed the next time is a great experience."
Dined on 04/26/2013
2006
Special Features: great for outdoor dining
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"Service was great and the food was good. It's a bit noisy, but the dim lighting kept it romantic. The tables are pretty close together, but overall, the ambiance was fantastic. There is only one stall in the ladies room, though..."
Dined on 04/17/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, romantic
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"Real, delicious Southern food; the hushpuppies and collards were our favorites. It was nice for this Georgia native to have some good cookin above the Mason-Dixon line!"
Dined on 04/15/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem
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"I like this restaurant/bar. It's comfy and simple and the cocktails are delicious! The Georgia Ginger is my favorite! I could drink like 5 of them. The smoked Mac n cheese could use a flavor kick, but the Fried green tomatoes were great! The strawberries on top were a surprise addition which compliments the friend tomatoes very nicely! And they are huge so it could be small meal/lunch in itself! The corn dogs were also GREAT! The Blackened catfish was also a favorite at our table. Spicy and a huge sandwich. Portion sizes at The Southern are awesome. The mussels however, were our least favorite. Some were overcooked, some were fishy tasting.. not consistent at all. Overall a good experience though! :) Would totally go back for happy hour."
Dined on 04/17/2013
2011
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"What a surprise. The crab cakes were delicious with very little breaking and big chunks of tasty crab. The pork Was incredibly tender and delicious. If you want wine or bourbon flights or a wide selection of each, this s your place. Loved the sides--the collard greens with bacon were really good. Just good food."
Dined on 04/17/2013
2003
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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"I found this restaurant on Yelp and I was yearning for some fried chicken so I figured we could try this out. Come to find out, they only have fried chicken on Thursdays. Sigh. So instead we ordered the mac & cheese as a starter. It was good, but nothing to brag about. For our entrees, my man had the catfish po' boy which was very spicy and I thought was excellent. My man couldn't handle the spice though. He knows better if we come here again. I had the shrimp and grits. I felt that the amount of grits served with the shrimp was way too much. I ate my shrimp and maybe a quarter of the grits. Overall a mediocre experience. We probably won't come here again but if we do it'll be just for the whiskey drinks."
Dined on 04/13/2013
2009
Special Features: good for groups, great for outdoor dining, kid-friendly
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"I went with a group of friends for Sunday brunch. We were seated right away (I had made a previous reservation on OpenTable, just in case it was "brunch-busy"). The food came out quickly and drinks were served immediately. Our waitress was fun and we could easily converse with her. I ordered the peach french toast and it was delicious. I've never had anything like it and was very happy with my choice. I will be back!"
Dined on 04/14/2013
2012
Special Features: great for brunch, great for outdoor dining, hot spot
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"I split a couple of brunch entrees with a friend and I strongly recommend both the fried chicken and smothered biscuits! I will be back for brunch again!! Also, they have a fun brunch cocktail menu with a nice variety. Not like every other brunch spot menu which is a nice change."
Dined on 03/24/2013
2011
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, good for groups, great for brunch, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"We love this place. Can't miss with the spicy Nashville fried chicken (warning, it is ridiculously hot but tasty), the fried chicken sandwich or pulled pork entree with black eyed peas. Sides like collard greens, coleslaw and mashed potatoes are not to be missed. Went all out for my husband's birthday a few different choices. Makes us hungry just reliving our dinner. And the leftovers reheated well too."
Dined on 03/21/2013
2011
Special Features: good for groups, great for brunch, late-night find, neighborhood gem, scenic view
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"Dinner at The Southern was great! Their bourbon selection is fantastic and the bacon manhattan was out of this world. Our table shared the crawfish fondue which was a perfect blend of spice. I had the blackened catfish, which as a native southerner, I was pleasently surprised and satisfied by the grits and the tender catfish. Portion sizes were perfect for the price paid and our service was very attentive and friendly. I would definitely go back."
Dined on 03/11/2013
2008
Special Features: good for groups, great for outdoor dining
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"First off - I have to say I am crazy for fried chicken. Fortunately/unfortunately I have spent a great deal of time in the South so I am totally spoiled, I know what it should taste like and am usually reluctant to order it anywhere north of the Mason/Dixon for fear of disappointment. All the write ups on The Southern said "best fried chicken in Chicago" so ... went for brunch last Sunday and had at it. It was really, really good. Not MacKenzie's Chicken in a Box greatness (shout out to "Nawlins folks) but really close. AND they had Crystal hot sauce!!! My poor NOLA missing heart(and palate) was temporarily sated. Pretty good Bloody Marys too. Friendly wait staff to boot. We will be back."
Dined on 03/10/2013
2006
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, great for brunch, neighborhood gem
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"Went for brunch, great bourbon selection and we all had the fried chicken-which is outstanding. Portions are huge so I would recommend sharing. They have no vegetables on the menu besides collard greens (cooked with pork) and a salad. They could use a few more eggs dishes at brunch."
Dined on 03/10/2013
2007
Special Features: good for groups, great for brunch, neighborhood gem
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"This review pertains to weekend brunch. The best part about The Southern is the food. The portions are enormous and extremely tasty. I had catfish and grits (wonderfully savory) and one of my dining partners had fried chicken which must have been the size of, well, an entire chicken. I was very impressed. The cocktails were "meh." We had a serious issue with our waiter, although I will spare the grisly details because the management did right by us in the end."
Dined on 02/10/2013
2006
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, good for groups, great for brunch, great for outdoor dining
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"Although my significant other and I went here for Valentine's Day, I'll hold off on classifying this as Romantic or Special Occasion. Those categories largely depend on the tastes of the individual. That said, we had a great date night. The food was filling, and wholesome. The Southern's menu is comprised of items that leave you satisfied in many ways. Valentine's being on a Thursday, they had their HOT Fried Chicken night, 2 legs, 2 thighs. My sig-ot loves hot food and even this was a bit too hot. We both thought it was delicious though, and painfully finished the pieces we started. I highly recommend Wednesday nights for this fantastic chicken WITHOUT the hot.
It comes down to your preference."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups, great for brunch, great for outdoor dining, hot spot
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"An Alabama girl myself, I'm always happy to find a place that understands the finer points of collard greens and hush puppies. At The Southern, every bite is like going home. The mac and cheese is particularly noteworthy, as are the andouille sausage corndogs. The cocktail list is always delightful and creative, full of unexpected pairings and flavors. I had the Bonfire on Saturday, which involved scotch, a housemade pepper syrup, apple cider, lime juice, and cinnamon. It was the best kind of burn. When it's warm, there is ample patio seating for lazing and drinking on a Sunday afternoon at Six Corners. Definitely one of the best joints in Wicker Park for a little down home cooking with some upscale soul."
Dined on 02/09/2013
2011
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, late-night find, neighborhood gem, hot spot
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"This was our first visit to The Southern, and we were delighted in every way - with one exception: the temperature! We were seated "upstairs" which was a level which appeared to have temporary walls and ceiling. We were told "the heat wasn't working properly", and there were outdoor heaters being utilized to warm the place up. First of all, I'm pretty sure those aren't safe to use in doors, and second of all, we were pretty much freezing the entire time (and kept our coats on throughout), until the hour got late and the place filled up with warm-blooded patrons. That helped.
Fortunately, the food, the drinks and the service were all so good, we'll definitely go back. But we might wait until the weather warms up a little!"
Dined on 02/01/2013
2008
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, hot spot
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"The food was outstanding! We had Shiner Bock Mussels with pieces of pork in the broth which were some of the tastiest mussels we have ever ordered (and we order them often!). I had a fabulous blackened catfish served over grits which I would order again and again. My husband had the pork sausage with mashed potatoes. The sausage was a bit bland, but the potatoes were some of the best we have ordered in Chicago, and they made the meal. There is limited seating indoors in the winter, and we didn't love sitting on stools at a high table, but it looks like a place that would be extremely fun in the summer when the weather is nice. Also, long list of interesting cocktails."
Dined on 01/28/2013
2010
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem
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