Budlong Woods: lady bars, Ranchero restaurants, korean karaoke (i.e. heaven)

Budlong Woods might be the most underrated neighborhood in Chicago. It's a primarily Korean/Hispanic area not far from the picturesque Lincoln Square neighborhood of northern Chicago, but seems to have escaped the normality of its surroundings.

I went up there with a friend to try a new box karaoke club. Luckily, it turned out to be full, and we ended up wandering around, which led us to some remarkable establishments. One was the seedy-looking Apache Motel, looking like a relic of the 1960s. In fact, all up and down this stretch of Lincoln Ave we found dodgy-looking motels with flickering neon signs, vacant lots, and peeling paint, looking like something off Route 66.

We also strolled into a Colombian restaurant called Pueblito Viejo. As we entered the waiting area, into view came a warm, wood-paneled dining hall where everyone seemed to be sporting jeans and cowboy hats, and a good number were looking quizzically at the two gringos in the entrance. Somewhere out of site, a live band was playing merengue (?), and an MC was encouraging the dancers. The bouncer/host asked us, in Spanish, if we wanted to come in. After a brief pause, out of politeness, we decided we'd come back another time properly dressed.

Further down the strip we stopped in at the more conventional Hidden Cove Lounge, which was hosting American-style karaoke as performed by drunken white people (e.g. Soul Asylum, David Bowie, etc.). The real gem of the evening turned out to be a Korean place called "Rumors" (see above). The place had a dazzling neon sign outside, but a totally dark storefront. We walked in, passed through a dark hallway and followed the trail of chintzy Asian pop music into a small bar. There we came upon seven or eight not-terribly-young, but dolled up Asian women doting over two older Asian men sitting on bar stools.

Immediately, one of the women came up to us, took us by the hands and started pulling us into the bar, telling us in limited English that we had to buy beers for the women. Making our profuse excuses, we pulled away, leaving the women looking perplexed, and barely escaped...but decided we would definitely return when we had cash to burn.