NJ's

The patron saint of NJ's is Miss Norma Jeane Baker, the pinup model who became film icon Marilyn Monroe. Her glorious image is plastered all over the front room of this Oak Forest neighborhood haunt just off the Northwest Freeway. From the street, NJ's looks a lot smaller than it is once you get inside, with a pool hall and gaming room in the back adding more drinking space. The covered smoking area out front feels more like a cozy garage than the forbidding zones where most bars throw their smokers. A DJ spins '80s nostalgia jams most nights, and you can always expect a strong pour at a decent price. NJ's backs up onto a subdivision, so you won't see many uptown peacocks strutting their stuff, but you may make a few new friends from around the way.