Tilted Kilt Chicago

[Brewboy]

The other night, rather late, I found out that there was a Tilted Kilt opening up in Chicago. For those of you who don't know what a Tilted Kilt is, think Hooters, but Celtic themed with girls in skimpy skirts, tartan bras, and knee socks with flashes. It is horribly tacky, but I don't mean that in a pejorative manner. Hooters is tacky too, and proud of it.

Anyway, as soon as I found out this place was opening up, I dashed to the kilt night section and tried to muster up as many kilties as I could. With less than 24 hours notice, only a few said they would try to make it, and nobody actually showed up. I'm not surprised as it was very last minute. I, however, went along with my girlfriend.

This was not the grand opening, but a soft opening. For those of you who don't know what a soft opening is, here's a picture:


Soft openings are just to open and try to work all the kinks out before you let everyone know your open and try to get them to come. When we got there, they let us know they just got their liquor license that day, so the didn't have any booze or beer, but we could still eat if we wanted. This put me in a rather foul mood. I don't really care to stare at women, especially with my girlfriend, and the food at these types of places usually isn't great (usually one does not go to Hooters for the gourmet cuisine). I find it much easier to tolerate these places with a beer in hand. After hearing there was no beer I wanted to leave, but I had invited people out and it would have been rude of me to go if they had shown up. So we stayed and ate. I didn't expect much, but boy was I surprised. The food was great. My girl got a shepheard's pie that tasted wonderful and came in a huge pot. She actually asked for menus since she works down the street and could pop in for a shephear's pie lunch:

I got a bangers and mash with a mustard vinegar sauce that was amazing. Here we are in our post eating bliss:

And my girl insisted on a picture with all the waitresses:

Sorry about the blur, we can't quite figure out how to change the digital shutter speed on my girlfriend's camera. Oh well. I thought I was only going there once, for a laugh, but after the food, I may have to go back...when the bar is fully stocked.

[beloitpiper]

Too bad I couldn't come, but I'm sure there'll be plenty of other kilt nights this summer!

[JolyStNicholas]

The "Tilted Kilt" is far from a Tacky Place. They are well know for the quality of their food. Now as far as the "Lassies"? They do wear a bit more that those at "Hooters" but not much, but they sure do a lot for those Mini Kilts they wear.

While I don't drink I don't hold that against those who do, I can truly enjoy any establishment w/o having a drink in my hand, especially when there are lovely lassies to look at, weather the Mrs./or girlfriend is there or not.

[turpin]

I'm looking forward to the new one opening here in Atlanta.

[Brewboy]

The "Tilted Kilt" is far from a Tacky Place. They are well know for the quality of their food. Now as far as the "Lassies"? They do wear a bit more that those at "Hooters" but not much, but they sure do a lot for those Mini Kilts they wear.

I should further define my use of tacky, since it is a pretty subjective term. Hooters and the Tilted Kilt have in common the objectification of women. Hooters states that, "The element of female sex appeal is prevalent in the restaurants," and defines itself as "Delightfully tacky, yet unrefined." The Tilted kilt says that their idea is a pub with waitresses in, "short, sexy plaid kilts with matching plaid halter tops under white shirts tantalizingly tied show off the midriff," and their tagline is, "A cold beer never looked so good." I should mention that I don't find this to be wrong or immoral. I personally believe that the objectification of the opposite sex is part of human nature, but I find myself less likely to engage in it than in my younger years. Perhaps I'm just becoming a curmudgeon as I get older. The point is, it's not somewhere I'm going to take my girlfriend's mother to impress her when we meet, the Tilted Kilt is a beast of a different color.

As for the uniform, here's a side by side comparison between Hooters and the Tilted Kilt (I edited aTilted Kilt photo provided by our own Zardoz and featuring Jack Daw):


One thing that did honestly annoy me was a sort of trained ditzyness from the waitstaff. They were all very friendly and bubbly (nothing wrong with that), but it rose to a, "We're just girls, don't ask us" level that was unpleasant. Several of the waitstaff asked if I was Irish (a typical question for the kilted in Chicago) to which I used a canned response about me being Irish, Welsh, Scottish and English, so basically my nationality is WASP. All of them claimed not to know what the term WASP was. Also, none of them had heard the word pejorative before (fair enough, it's a 50 cent word). Then one of them said she was jealous that my skirt was longer than her's...in a bar called the Tilted Kilt. Basically I got the impression that the ditzyness was feigned, and that annoyed me a bit.

It is for certain that if the Tilted Kilt is well know for the quality of their food, it is a reputation well deserved. My girlfriend and I expected Hooters level food, and what we got was far beyond the quality we anticipated. I look forward to a fully attended kilt night there...but I still want the bar to be open.

[Riverkilt]

Tilted Kilt seems to be evolving. The original was a true dive neighborhood bar in Las Vegas. The late Tilted Kilt in the Rio in Las Vegas was mostly pool tables, loud, noisy, limited and bad food, almost like a sports bar and much more bar than restaurant.

Not sure how their franchising works, or what corporate is up to, but as they open more each seems to be somehow different in some way from the others....at least they're promoting the kilt.

Ron

[Tartan Shortbread Jock]

When I visit the states, I want to try out these American bars.

[Dan R Porter]

I have mixed feelings. This is one one of the only places I felt truly uncomfortable in a kilt. Though the manager was a sept of the same clan as I, he was wearing dockers and working at the tilted kilt.

The girls did act "ditzy" until my wife asked about her shoes and all the suddon she was a pediatris! haha.

It was full of a college fraternity that kept whispering and pointing. I told the guy with me "We better walk out together..." if you get my drift.

So I had a not-so-good experience. But chicago is a different creature all together.

But I repeat...Why go to the tilted kilt when Chicago has Pizzano's, Giordano's, or the emerald loop. They have tilted kilts everywhere!

[beloitpiper]

There's a Tilted Kilt about two miles from my house. I don't think I'll ever go there. If I want good Irish/Scottish food, I'll go to the Brocach (the best Irish pub in America). If I want overpriced drinks, I'll go to any one of the trendy bars in Madsion. If I want to be surrounded by scantily-clad girls, I'll go to the Union Terrace.

I dunno, it's just not my place. I feel like a gimmick like "Look! Our waitresses are hot!" is weak and exploitative.

[Cynthia]

I dunno, it's just not my place. I feel like a gimmick like "Look! Our waitresses are hot!" is weak and exploitative.

I have to admit, my husband and I really have no interest in going there either. Whatever works for others I guess, we'll pass though.