According to my junior high health teacher, you know you have an alcohol problem once you start drinking alone. Well, the folks at Bruno & Tim's don't drink alone, but theirs is a more alarming habit; they drink in the dark. This Rogers Park slashie is just a hop away from the Loyola Red Line Stop—a particularly seedy stretch of Sheridan that's slowly suffering the Starbucks and Chipotles of gentrification.

The stools in this sparse watering hole actually have backs, inviting drinkers to settle in for awhile. About half a dozen loyal regulars take them up on the offer daily, and can be found drinking in this dimly lit storefront through the day, staring into their beers and watching the ballgame on the television. As night falls, Loyola students and even a few profs filter in and out—usually just for a quick nip before heading somewhere a bit more lively.

The other side of this establishment is painfully bright—perhaps as a defense against roving kids looting forties. The full-service liquor store stocks every conceivable beer from Mickey's to Newcastle, though most customers emerge juggling three or four cases of Busch to stock an evening of dorm parties. A great stop for a large selection of take-out booze, Bruno's has more than earned its chops as a neighborhood landmark. Ideal for a quick shot before a cheap flick at Village North or an evening of reflective drinking, not only does Bruno's put the D in dive—it puts it into derelict, too.

Centerstage Reviewer: K. Tighe