High Dive Bar Reopens In West Town, Sharing Former Storefront With Dante’s Tavern

WEST TOWN — High Dive in West Town has reopened after a two-year closure.

The bar, 1938 W. Chicago Ave., closed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when the state implemented its stay at home order.

In the meantime, the eastern half of its pre-pandemic storefront was taken over by Dante’s Pizzeria, which opened Dante’s Tavern in the space in December 2020. The space was originally open for carry-out before expanding to dine-in.

The move followed Dante’s closure of its Avondale and Humboldt Park locations. The restaurant also operates a location in Logan Square at 3028 W. Armitage Ave. 

Before it closed, High Dive hosted weekly karaoke and comedy nights in its back room. It’s unclear if those events will continue. High Dive management did not respond to requests for comment.

High Dive and Dante’s owners George Simos and Alex Tsolakides previously owned Crown Liquors in Logan Square. The bar and liquor store closed in April 2020, right at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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