Let’s see: Rude, Condescending, Bitter, Affected, Patronizing, Angry, Jaded, Annoyed, Irritated, Frustrated and Hostile… words not usually associated with a hospitality employee, especially a bartender on Halsted Street in Boystown.

 Well, do yourself and your gay friends a favor and AVOID “Straight Guy” bartender Igor at Little Jim’s (3501 N. Halsted) because there are MUCH friendlier and gay welcoming bartenders at Bucks, Bobby Loves and North End for your gay dollars.  If you are a tourist, don’t risk it , and just avoid Little Jim’s altogether because Igor works most night shifts.(as of this writing).

We don’t like to write about negative things normally but we feel this guy must be called out for treating patrons rude.

 Little Jim’s has been one of our favorite “Last Call” venues for over 8 years, as it is on our northward bound way home and we have always REALLY enjoyed our time drinking there  over the years.

We have met “Little  Jim”  and chatted with him on several occasions, and have great respect and admiration for the man who launched the first gay bar on Halsted.  Opened in 1975. Despite all the
competition that followed, it has held its ground. He is a pioneer to be commended. And it is sad to have an employee, a straight guy, tarnish this good name.

We first met Igor maybe 6-8 months ago  – he is good looking and seemed somewhat friendly.  But on our last few stops at Little Jim’s over the last couple months, Igor seemed so bored; and rude. Not just to us, we saw it with others. He frequently watches the TV and ignores customers at the bar. Last month I was with a friend who ordered a drink, while finishing another.  And when Igor delivered the new drink, he grabbed the almost gone other drink, and threw it away. When my friend questioned, why he did that. Igor responded it was empty. And IT WAS NOT EMPTY. – If you don’t like your job buddy, it’s time to move on. You are in a customer service / hospitality business.
 

And let us just say, by no means do we care if Igor is straight.  We have  given our business to  MANY straight guys asking for our gay dollar at both Cocktail and Lucky Horseshoe over the last ten years, but they have always been respectful to us. And they valued our business. Igor could care less about you. It’s a  J.O.B. for him. And he does not do it well.

Usually, Michael and I are already a bit tipsy  when we arrive at Little Jim’s. And we are almost always with other friends or meeting up with friends there,  so we ignore  Igor’s issues and attitude because we were busy socializing.

This past  Wednesday, we happened to stop by with friends and were way too sober to tolerate Igor’s issues and attitude. When we called him on the carpet about being so rude,  it really escalated on his end and he became hostile. Now I’ll be REAL honest here, there have been times at Little Jim’s when we probably didn’t need to be served more or a tap on the shoulder to go home may have been in order. But last Wednesday was not such a night… So when Igor threw my drink in the sink, said I was a nobody and  I needed to get a real job,  and asked me to leave for no reason other than I told him he was rude and we were sick of it, we were officially done with Little Jim’s.

So I took the high-road Thursday to call Jeff, the manager at little Jim’s and complain formally, and to let him know what had transpired and that we would not return and that there would be a story or two to follow on BestGayChicago.com. Since last Thursdays conversation, we have heard nothing back from Jeff and I guess time will tell both Jeff and Igor,  how many of our readers heed our advice and avoid Little Jim’s altogether, spending their gay dollars on liquor elsewhere.