We’re starting things off with drinks and good eats at Small Bar, a corner bar that meets everything on our good neighborhood bar checklist. 
It’s right in the middle of this quiet residential area on the Northeast edge of Logan Square and away from the neighborhood’s main commercial corridors. It’s one of those spots that, unless you were specifically searching for it, you’d probably never come across this place.
As the name suggests, the place is small, with a couple of table tops along the wall and stool seating at the bar. They also have a small patio outside, making this a prime summer spot to meet up. To give you a sense of the vibe, we saw a mix of families with younger kids, 20/30-somethings, and long-time locals having a laidback time during our visit. 
They have a legit bar food menu (i.e., burgers, wings, cheese curds, etc.), but it’s a tad bit fancier than most. That’s apparent when your half-pound burger comes with a housemade remoulade. A few last notes about the place.
– Opens at 4 pm on weekdays and noon on weekends.
– The patio is the way to go for kids. They have high chairs and booster seats if needed.
– They have a kid’s meal of chicken tenders, tots, and mac n’ cheese for $9.
– They also serve Glassworks coffee and nitro cold brews if you need a pick-me-up. 
After Small Bar, we’re headed about a mile west to continue the day at Avondale Bowl. This is on the main drag of Milwaukee Avenue and on the second floor of a building that, until recently, was left vacant for decades.
In the 1950s and through the mid-’90s, this space operated as a bowling alley, but it closed down, and for the next couple of decades, it was boarded up and forgotten.
A few years back, however, a few locals saw a for-rent sign in the window, and after clearing out the second floor, they found remnants of a bar and bowling alley. They restored it, and it’s back and better than ever as Avondale Bowl.
From the ground floor, you’ll check in with a host before making your way up these stairs to the main bowling alley and bar. Here are a few notes to keep in mind as you get ready to visit.
– Family-friendly with minors allowed if accompanied by a parent or guardian, but it’s 21+for everyone after 7:30 pm.
– Bowling is $30/hour M-Th; $40/hour F-Su
– Shoe rentals are $4
– Walk-ins for bowling are welcome, but you can also reserve on their website.
The entire space is split into two sections. Half of it is taken up by the bar, and the other half is a vintage eight-lane bowling alley. Even if you aren’t bowling, you can post up at the bar for a while.
The eight-lane bowling alley is on the other side of the bar and what sets this place apart from others is that scoring is done the old fashion way on paper. A bit of mental math will only make you stronger. Here’s a helpful link to remind you how scoring works.
