On a rainy spring night, it’s hard to think of a better place to be than Ernie’s Bar and Pizza (2915 W. 44th Ave.).
For one thing, there’s a fireplace. For another, 30 beers are on tap. These two items alone make it a strong choice for rainy-day comfort, but there’s even more to love at Ernie’s.
Opened in late 2009, Ernie’s occupies the building that formerly housed 3 Sons Italian Restaurant. The same homey, family feeling pervades Ernie’s now, though the interior is completely different.
It’s a little shocking. Where 3 Sons was all trellises and columns, booths and marble busts, Ernie’s is vast and open. Walls have been knocked out, and the entire setup changed. The ceilings are now tall, with exposed beams of dark wood. Booths were replaced with banquettes, and a long community table stretches down the middle of the bar area. Cushy couches beckon at the entrance, leading the way to the flickering fireplace.
Ernie’s is a return to the old days of the Sunnyside neighborhood. The original Ernie’s Lounge opened in the same building in 1943 — a fact noted proudly on Ernie’s menus and website. The new Ernie’s cribs the style of its predecessor, updating the unique, vintage lettering from the old Ernie’s sign for its logo.
And though Ernie’s serves upscale (yet reasonably priced) Italian chow, it’s a bar at heart. On a recent visit, a stuffed-pepper appetizer arrived on an old Budweiser beer tray. The bar itself is incredibly long, with plenty of TVs tuned to sports, and cheering fans to match.
There’s a game room in the back, too, boasting a couple of pool tables and — get this — Skee-Ball. Real Skee-Ball. And they’re old machines, not loud, flashy new ones. They look like they could have started life in an arcade 25 years ago.
Ernie’s isn’t stingy with the drinks, either. Two happy hours get the taps moving, with $2.75 pints and $8.75 pitchers from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. to midnight. Well drinks and two house wines are $3 each, as well.
One of Ernie’s signature drinks, the Italian Margarita, is on special at happy hour, too. For $3, they’ll pour you a glass of tequila, amaretto, orange liqueur and homemade sweet- and-sour mix, all on the rocks with a salted rim. It sounds like a punch in the cheek, followed by a happy kiss.
After an Italian Margarita, it’s probably wise to switch to beer, and Ernie’s has you covered. Many of the tap beers are Colorado brews, with selections from Oskar Blues, Twisted Pine, Great Divide and others. There’s a list of bottled beers, too, and a smattering of canned suds for those kinds of days. Sometimes an Old Style or a Schlitz is what’s necessary.
Nonalcoholic drinks don’t get short shrift, either. There’s the usual pop, of course, but Ernie’s also makes fresh Italian sodas in a variety of flavors.
Ernie’s is, really, a family-friendly sort of joint. It’s an old-fashioned gathering place, where neighbors bring the kids for pizza and a soda, or hang out late with their grown-up pals. Pick your poison.
Sitting at a high-boy table, sipping a beer while watching the rain come down on Federal Boulevard and West 44th Avenue, it’s easy to imagine Ernie’s in its early days. Maybe it’s still the same place, in a way.
Mix it up.
Three clubby thoughts for this weekend: Tonight, Chicago house heroes Steve Smooth and JJ Flores mix for the masses at The Church (1160 Lincoln St.). On Saturday, progressive trance DJ and producer George Acosta spins at Vinyl (1082 Broadway). Also on Saturday, eclectic electronica maven Dubfire hits Beta (1909 Blake St.).
Doors open at 9 p.m. for all three shows.
