The Sports Bar Replacing Rocking Horse Opens in Logan Square

Roundhouse, a new sports bar that pairs game day viewing with eclectic culinary mashups like Italian beef fried rice and cheeseburger egg rolls is open in the former home of 12-year-old neighborhood fixture Rocking Horse at 2535 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Logan Square.

Logan Square isn’t known for sports bars, but this ownership group, which shares investors with Uproar in Old Town (including Dante Deiana of Barstool Sports fame) sees potential in giving the area a rare sports-focused spot. Co-owner Scott Horwitch knows the location isn’t especially suited to a slick and splashy venue. He’s set out to win over locals with an approach that weds the city’s storied dive bar culture to a friendly space for fans. The space’s popular back patio will be unveiled in the spring.

While it does feature around 30 screens, Roundhouse maintains the same layout as its predecessor, albeit with a lighter aesthetic, new booths, and retractable garage doors along the front windows. “Sports brings a select, vintage kind of aesthetic,” Horwitch told Eater in September. “Roundhouse definitely has a nod to that iconic neighborhood bar scene.”

There’s also a selection of draft brews (think plenty of local options including Maplewood, Revolution, and Forbidden Root) and cocktails with names that riff on the roundhouse (a type of kick used in martial arts) theme. These include Bloodsport (in honor of the 1988 Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle) and Put It On the Board, Yes! (the signature catchphrase of retired White Sox announcer Ken “Hawk” Harrelson).

The food lineup from chef Ariel Bagadiong (Spin) is studded with numerous nods to the Chinese food that sated Horwitch and his brother throughout hangovers in their 20s. That translates into offerings like Mongolian beef nachos, sake and soy-marinated fried chicken sandwiches, and rock shrimp with roasted pineapple and garlic ginger crumbs. Those looking for classic American bar fare also have options, including waffle fries, cheeseburgers, and Cobb salads.

Roundhouse, 2535 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Open 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.