Big Joe’s 2 & 6 Pub is located at 1818 W Foster Avenue in the Ravenswood Manor neighborhood on the Northside of Chicago. The bar’s namesake is “Big Joe” Joe Mulvaney, who is a retired gym teacher from right here in Chicago and the (2 & 6 pub) is a reference to the bar it used to be for 30 years prior.

Big Joe spent forty years of his life teaching in the projects of Chicago and raising a family in nearby Andersonville. Big Joe’s is a great unassuming neighborhood bar during the week from Saturday through Thursday with regulars seated at the bar, a few TVs, a pool table, and Steel tip dart boards and leagues, but on Friday night transforms itself into a racetrack for you guessed it……..Turtle Racing!!!

AND THEY’RE OFF!! Yes, every Friday night from 9:30ish to 12:30ish Big Joe’s has live turtle races. In February 2023 Big Joe’s will be celebrating 28 years in business and its 27 th season of turtle racing. The idea came from an old friend Dave Jemilo (of Green Mill fame) who ran them in the 80’s and early 90’s at the DeJaVu bar on Lincoln Avenue. Dave sold the DeJaVu in 1995 and the races moved North to Foster Avenue and have
been run there since. Big Joe’s picked up the torch and has been exciting race fans every Friday night come rain or shine. Come check em out!