BRIDGEPORT — A new bar just steps from the revamped Ramova Theatre is bringing gothic vibes and libations to Bridgeport.
Electric Funeral, 3529 S. Halsted St., is a “dive bar meets with funeral home,” but with a neighborhood feel, said owners and Bridgeport residents January Overton and John Almonte, who are also behind Jackalope Coffee & Tea House.
“We’re calling it a funeral bar-lor,” Overton said.
Electric Funeral is named after a Black Sabbath song, so Overton and Almonte wanted to bring heavy metal and punk rock themes into the space. Amid the bar’s black walls and dim lighting, there are music posters, skeleton decor and red velvet curtains draped across the walls.
One drink called The Venomous Concept — made with melon liqueur, vodka, pineapple juice, sour mix and cherry bitters — is served in a snake-shaped glass.
The couple describes the bar’s atmosphere as “creepy tiki.”
The menu features several other specialty cocktails, including My Cold Dead Heart, which is made with Jackalope coffee, coffee liqueur, kissed caramel vodka, oat milk and cinnamon. Overton and Almonte said they wanted to bring a little bit of Jackalope into the space “because people know us for our coffee.”
The bar’s namesake cocktail, Electric Funeral, is made of coconut rum, blue curacao, orange and lime juice, with vegan foam and dehydrated orange.
There are also hard seltzers, canned cocktails, ciders, wine and an assortment of non-alcoholic options.
Electric Funeral’s goal is to be open and welcoming to everyone, whether customers are from Bridgeport or just visiting the neighborhood, and regardless of ethnicity or sexual orientation, Overton said.
“When we opened Jackalope … we wanted to create a place that people who grew up in the neighborhood could come to, but also newcomers could feel comfortable at,” said Overton, a Bridgeport native. “Students, people from different ethnicities, people from different backgrounds, who are trans, gay, anything. Everyone feels comfortable. And we were able to achieve that, and it’s something we are very proud of.”
Overton has also noticed customers aren’t just coming to Electric Funeral, but they also are stopping by other nearby establishments like Bernice’s Tavern, which is a few blocks away, and Ramova Theatre across the street.
“People are very excited about having another place to go to in the neighborhood,” Overton said. “It’s almost just bringing people to this area, so everyone is going to all the businesses. It’s like a ‘rising tides raise all boats’ situation.”
Electric Funeral doesn’t serve food, so Overton and Almonte encourage customers to stop by local venues like the Ramova for food, which they can bring to the bar. There are plans to host pop-ups and food trucks in the future, the couple said.
Owning a bar has been a dream for Overton and Almonte for at least 15 years, even before they opened Jackalope in 2012, they said.
They’ve now achieved that dream with Electric Funeral, which opened April 10. It takes over a former bar of 41 years called Sheehan’s, which was more of a private, “in-the-know” spot, Overton said.
The couple kept the building’s built-in bar, which is from the ’40s, they said. Since August, they’ve focused on modernizing and personalizing the space, adding decor and more functional upgrades like sinks, an ice bin and seating.
Electric Funeral is open 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Wednesday-Friday and Sundays and 4 p.m.-3 a.m. Saturdays.
Support Local News!
Subscribe to Block Club Chicago, an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods. Already subscribe? Click here to gift a subscription, or you can support Block Club with a tax-deductible donation.
Listen to the Block Club Chicago podcast:
