6 days ago
After 3 Decades, Twisted Spoke Will Close in West Town
is the James Beard Award-winning regional editor for Eater's Midwest region, and in charge of coverage in Chicago, Detroit, and the Twin Cities. He's a native Chicagoan and has been with Eater since 2014.
In the mid-'90s, the Twisted Spoke's rotating motorcycle, piloted by a skeleton perched on the bar's roof, served notice to passersby that they were about to enter the West Loop. This era's West Loop wasn't as polished as its current state, where Randolph Street serves as an amusement park for tech bros and brands.
But despite the rough exterior, Twisted Spoke, which debuted in 1994, was a friendly and mostly welcoming place. There were whiskey specials, bloody marys on weekends, and an underrated bar menu. The bar had one of the few rooftops in the area. A Wrigleyville sequel would emerge eight years later, meant to be an antidote to the glut of sports bars that dominated Clark Street. A barbecue spot — Bone Daddy — debuted down the street from the original, where Big Star West Town has taken up shop.
Both Bone Daddy and the Twisted Spoke's Wrigley location closed years ago, as the original kept going, even surviving the pandemic-era bar restrictions. But now, after more than three decades, the Twisted Spoke will be no more. Co-owner Mitch Einhorn announced the closure via email, writing that Saturday, August 30, will be his bar's last ride.
'You'll hear the usual excuses: 'spend more time with family,' 'lease expired,' 'pandemic aftermath,'' he writes. 'But the real story is uglier: The gears of this city don't turn the way they used to. The nights got quieter. The fights less rowdy. Half-priced whiskey isn't a sustainable business model, and sooner or later, the bill comes due.'
The Einhorns — Mitch and his brother, Cliff — described Twisted Spoke as a 'family biker bar.' They've gone on to open Lush Wine & Spirits in Roscoe Village and West Town and Pie Hole Pizza.
Mitch Einhorn wasn't sure what else he could add beyond his email, which was also posted on social media. He counted down the four weeks left for customers to visit.
'After that? Who knows. We'll sit in the wreckage, chain-smoking and scheming,' Einhorn writes. 'Something always bubbles up from the wreckage. There's always another bad idea waiting in the wings.'
