Off the Beaten Path

A one-of-a-kind find in the heart of downtown Elmhurst

ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY DAVE NOBLE

Clearly, the secret is out. Once a hidden gem nestled between the bustling activity of York and Addison streets in downtown Elmhurst, the massive beer garden of The Club Shot & Beer has become a destination spot for local diners and shoppers who enjoy having a drink outdoors.

The eyes of first-time visitors often light up as they enter the bright, inviting, and strikingly clean 5,000-squarefoot space directly behind the 59-year-old tavern. Opened in 2017, The Club’s beer garden features a shipping container that has been transformed into a full-service bar, a large tented area, and brightly colored benches and chairs. Nearly 100 beer and liquor signs adorn the perimeter fencing, and potted flowers are hung throughout the space.

The beer garden is open most evenings from 6:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. during warm weather months, and there is often free live music on the weekends. Outdoor games like bags and Jenga are available to play, and ample couch seating and fire pits provide multiple areas for groups to gather. While The Club does not serve food, customers frequently bring in their own or have something delivered.

In addition to a backdoor entrance leading from The Club’s inside bar, the beer garden can be reached from a pair of walkways on York St. Having dinner in town followed by drinks at The Club has become a common ritual for local diners.

“What many people didn’t realize is that we are walking distance from two dozen restaurants,” says Dan Mowrer, whose family owns and operates The Club. “But they finally found us, and we’ve seen a steady increase in foot traffic over the last two years.”

Much of the beer garden’s recent success has come from private and semi-private parties. The space can hold up to 300 people and has the flexibility to accommodate numerous types of celebrations and gatherings. Birthday parties, York High School reunions, corporate events, parent outings, and even a wedding reception have been held in The Club’s beer garden.

Decorated with neon signs, beer memorabilia, and other trinkets, the outdoor bar is the centerpiece of the beer garden. Large concession windows on each side of the bar open up and allow customers to walk up and order drinks or simply take a seat and watch sports on the television and chat with the bartenders. Although there are plenty of beer choices to qualify the space as a “beer garden,” there’s also a large variety of hard seltzers available along with wine and a spirits menu that includes high-end whiskeys, scotches, and tequilas.

The atmosphere in the beer garden is lively. Upbeat music is played when there isn’t a live performance, and the crowd is a diverse mixture of local residents and visitors from nearby towns.

Open since 1964, The Club is located at 111 E. Addison St. and is perhaps the most well-known “dive bar” in Elmhurst. Updates to the inside bar over the last decade or so include the installation of numerous HDTVs, a roll-up garage door facing the sidewalk on Addison, and Saturday night “Turtle Races,” which take place from March-November. ■