Butch McGuire's
Butch McGuire's is a family-owned Irish pub and singles bar in Chicago's Gold Coast, founded in 1961, serving late-night diners, weekend brunch patrons, private event groups, and singles via on-premise dining, online ordering, and branded merchandise.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1961
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Butch McGuire's does
Butch McGuire's is a family-owned and operated Irish pub and singles bar located at 20 W Division Street in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood, founded in 1961 by Butch McGuire and currently run by his son Bobby McGuire. The venue operates as a single-location, full-service bar and restaurant offering made-to-order pub fare (burgers, ribs, wings, brunch), a full bar with signature cocktails credited to the founder (Harvey Wallbanger, Skip and Go Naked), and late-night dining seven days a week (kitchen until 9pm Sun-Wed, 10pm Thu-Sat; venue open until 4am-5am). The business targets three primary customer segments: local singles seeking a social atmosphere (its historical positioning as "Chicago's original singles bar"), dining customers seeking pub fare, and event/party planners booking private gatherings for 6-18+ guests.
The underlying operating stack is standard hospitality SaaS rather than proprietary technology: a WordPress website on the Astra theme serves as the marketing hub, with ToastTab powering online pickup ordering and gift card sales, ChowNow handling third-party delivery, Tripleseat managing private event bookings, and Shopify running a branded merchandise store. Headcount is reported as 51-100 employees. Revenue is generated across five streams — on-premise F&B sales, online ordering (pickup and delivery), event hosting (with a reservation inquiry fee for large parties), merchandise sales, and gift cards. Distribution is omnichannel but anchored to a single physical storefront; marketing is primarily organic social (Instagram and Facebook), with email for event inquiries.
The company's competitive position rests on its 65+ year legacy, multi-generational family ownership, iconic holiday decorations (including two signature double-decker trains), and reported cultural footprint of 10,000+ marriages attributed to the venue. The business has no institutional investors, no parent company, and no disclosed funding events; ownership and management are direct family-controlled. Strategic posture over the past several years has emphasized channel extension (online ordering, delivery, e-commerce, event booking platform) rather than geographic or vertical expansion, consistent with a mature, cash-flow-oriented single-unit operator.
Butch McGuire's firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Butch McGuire's
- Legal name
- Butch McGuire's
- Website
- https://butchmcguires.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1961
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Butch McGuire's is a family-owned Irish pub and singles bar in Chicago's Gold Coast, founded in 1961, serving late-night diners, weekend brunch patrons, private event groups, and singles via on-premise dining, online ordering, and branded merchandise.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Butch McGuire's industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bar and Restaurant Hospitality
- NAICS
- Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (72241)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Neighborhood & Sports Bars (THAFAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Neighborhood Bars & Taverns (CRANACAA), Bars & Pubs (Non-Music) (MPAGAIAC)
Keywords
Where Butch McGuire's is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Butch McGuire's business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Food and Beverage Sales: On-premise food and drink sales including burgers, ribs, wings, brunch, cocktails, beer, and wine. Late-night dining available. Kitchen operates until 9pm Sun-Wed and 10pm Thu-Sat.
- Online Ordering: Takeout and delivery orders placed through ToastTab and ChowNow platforms.
- Event Hosting: Private event bookings for parties of 6-18+ people. Reservation fee required for large party inquiries.
- Merchandise Sales: Branded merchandise including t-shirts, hats, stickers, and limited edition items sold through Shopify store.
- Gift Cards: E-gift cards sold through ToastTab platform.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Food and beverage items |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Large party reservations |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Gift cards |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Merchandise |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
Butch McGuire's product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Butch McGuire's operates a single-location Irish pub and singles bar in Chicago's Gold Coast providing made-to-order pub fare (burgers, ribs, wings, brunch), a full bar program of beer, wine, and signature cocktails, and late-night dining until 4 a.m. The venue also books private events for groups of 6-18+ people, sells branded merchandise through a Shopify storefront, and offers e-gift cards.
Product overview
Butch McGuire's is a family-owned and operated Irish pub and singles bar established in 1961 in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood. The business operates as a single unified hospitality venue offering in-store dining and bar service, weekend brunch, full bar with signature cocktails, and special events. Supplementary offerings include online ordering and delivery (via Toasttab and Chow Now), private event booking (via Tripleseat), gift cards, and a branded merchandise store (via Shopify). The establishment is known for its festive holiday decorations, iconic Christmas displays with double-decker trains, and late-night dining hours until 4 a.m. on weekends.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- In-Store Dining and Bar Service Full-service Irish pub and bar at 20 W Division St, Chicago, offering made-to-order pub fare, beer, wine, and cocktails to walk-in patrons; kitchen operates until 9 p.m. Sun-Wed and 10 p.m. Thu-Sat.
- Private Event Booking Private event and large-party reservation service for groups of 6-18+ people, managed through the Tripleseat booking platform with three event spaces and an inquiry fee.
- Online Pickup Ordering Takeout food ordering through the ToastTab platform, allowing customers to place pickup orders directly from Butch McGuire's menu.
- Delivery Service Third-party delivery service for Butch McGuire's menu items, fulfilled through the ChowNow platform.
- Butch McGuire's Gift Cards E-gift cards available in any denomination for redemption at Butch McGuire's, sold and tracked through the ToastTab platform with online balance checking.
- Butch McGuire's Branded Merchandise Store Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront selling branded apparel (t-shirts, hats), stickers, bundles, and limited-edition drops, shipped same-day from 20 W Division St on business days.
- Weekend Brunch Service Saturday and Sunday brunch service running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering dedicated breakfast and lunch items at the Butch McGuire's location.
Companies that use Butch McGuire's
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Butch McGuire's technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Butch McGuire's partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Mercy Home for Boys and Girls of ChicagominorCharitable partnership where Butch McGuire's uses its iconic double-decker trains to raise money for the Mercy Home of Chicago. The holiday decoration trains run throughout the main bar and antique room as a fundraising mechanism.
- ToastTabcoreOnline ordering platform used for pickup orders and gift card sales. Website links directly to ToastTab ordering page.
- ChowNowcoreThird-party delivery platform providing delivery service from the restaurant location.
- TripleseatcorePrivate event booking software platform used for large party reservations and event inquiries. Powers the event booking form and inquiry management.
- ShopifycoreE-commerce platform powering the Butch McGuire's merchandise store at butch-mcguires-1961.myshopify.com for selling branded apparel and items.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Butch McGuire's competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Glascott's Saloon: Long-running Chicago neighborhood Irish-style tavern on Halsted Street. Operates as a traditional neighborhood saloon with food and late-night service, closely matching Butch McGuire's neighborhood-pub positioning and customer base.
- The Kerryman: Chicago Irish bar in the River North area offering pub fare, sports viewing, and live entertainment. Comparable to Butch McGuire's in format, Irish pub identity, and mix of food and bar service.
- Old Town Ale House: Historic Chicago neighborhood bar near the Butch McGuire's trade area. A comparable traditional Chicago dive/saloon concept with food and drinks in a longstanding single-location setting.
- The Green Door Tavern: Long-standing Chicago bar and restaurant in River North/Loop area. Comparable to Butch McGuire's as a historic Chicago tavern with food service, a neighborhood/destination feel, and a single-location operating model.
- Timothy O'Toole's Pub Chicago: Chicago Irish pub chain with food, sports viewing, and late-night service. Comparable in format (Irish pub, full food and bar menu, Chicago market) though operating at larger scale than Butch McGuire's single location.
- Exchequer Restaurant & Pub: Long-standing Chicago Loop/River North pub and restaurant offering casual fare and bar service in a heritage setting. Comparable to Butch McGuire's on the "historic Chicago pub with strong food program" archetype.
Broad incumbents
- Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse: Chicago-anchored restaurant brand with multiple locations and a strong sports/social atmosphere. Comparable in scale of brand recognition within Chicago, though operates in a broader restaurant format rather than a single neighborhood pub.
- McSorley's Old Ale House: Iconic, century-old New York tavern with a single-location, family/legacy operating model. Directly comparable to Butch McGuire's in the "historic single-location tavern as cultural institution" archetype, though operating in a different city.
- Pete's Tavern: Historic New York single-location bar famously tied to O. Henry and longtime neighborhood/singles patronage. Strongly comparable to Butch McGuire's on legacy positioning and singles-bar heritage, despite being in a different market.
Regional players
- Hub 51: Chicago River North bar/restaurant with a late-night, social-events focus. Comparable in its use of a downtown-adjacent location to drive nightlife and event revenue, though with a more contemporary, multi-concept positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Butch McGuire's social profiles
Digital presenceButch McGuire's financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Butch McGuire's leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Butch McGuire's funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Butch McGuire's M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Butch McGuire's
What does Butch McGuire's do?
Butch McGuire's operates a single-location Irish pub and singles bar in Chicago's Gold Coast providing made-to-order pub fare (burgers, ribs, wings, brunch), a full bar program of beer, wine, and signature cocktails, and late-night dining until 4 a.m. The venue also books private events for groups of 6-18+ people, sells branded merchandise through a Shopify storefront, and offers e-gift cards.
Is Butch McGuire's a public or private company?
Butch McGuire's is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Butch McGuire's founded?
Butch McGuire's was founded in 1961. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Butch McGuire's based?
Butch McGuire's is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Butch McGuire's make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Food and Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are online Ordering, event Hosting, merchandise Sales and gift Cards.
Who are Butch McGuire's's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Glascott's Saloon, The Kerryman, Old Town Ale House, The Green Door Tavern, Timothy O'Toole's Pub Chicago and Exchequer Restaurant & Pub. Broad incumbents are Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse, McSorley's Old Ale House and Pete's Tavern. Hub 51 is listed as a regional player.
Does Butch McGuire's have an API?
No public API is recorded for Butch McGuire's.
What industry is Butch McGuire's in?
Butch McGuire's's product category is Bar and Restaurant Hospitality. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAEAA, Neighborhood & Sports Bars, with a secondary code of CRANACAA, Neighborhood Bars & Taverns. Its NAICS code is 7224 and its SIC code is 5810.