Darien Bar's Music Again Draws Complaints

DARIEN, IL — Over the summer, residents near Q Bar in Darien complained about its outdoor music, resulting in a number of police calls.

But officials said the complaints would likely subside once the pandemic-era outdoor music ended at the bar, 8109 S. Cass Ave.

On Monday, the City Council learned the bar's neighbors remain unhappy, even though the music is no longer outside. The residents said the problem is in the winter, not the summer.

Resident Megan Hofbauer, who has three young children, said the bass can be heard inside nearby homes. She said she and her husband had moved in before last winter, so they figured they may be alone in their feelings.

"We suffered through the loss of sleep and interruption in our lives, hoping that it would be better," Hofbauer said. "Over the summer, it was better most nights. The nights when the music was loud, I could drown it out with a noise machine and thankfully, we couldn't hear the bass."

But she said now that the weather has gotten colder, residents are again dealing with the bass.

"I've called and messaged Q Bar with no results," Hofbauer said. "I resorted to contacting the police twice a few weeks ago. Each night I spoke to the police, they were able to get Q Bar to lower the volume of the bass, but it would only help for that night. After speaking to my neighbors, some of (whom) are here tonight, it turns out that I'm not the only one. It's not just my family. This issue has apparently been happening and ongoing every winter for several years."

She said the best way to describe the bass was a "pulsating headache all over my body." She said the affected neighbors include essential workers from the law enforcement and medical communities.

Hofbauer said she felt she had no option other than to go to the City Council. At the same time, she said neighbors do not want to negatively impact the business.

Another neighbor, Janet Tunget, said Hofbauer was not joking and that the situation was "ridiculous." Tunget cited her experience as formerly in charge of entertainment at the annual DarienFest.

The neighbors across from DarienFest years ago, she recalled, were concerned about the bass, not the music.

"We're not asking (Q Bar) to stop the music. We want them to succeed in their business," Tunget said. But she said the bar needs to adjust its bass.

Ward 4 Alderman Tom Chlystek said he encouraged Hofbauer to speak at the council meeting after she called him. He said he spoke with Q Bar owner Bob Taft earlier in the day. Taft's argument, Chlystek said, was that he had owned the bar for years and the music had never been an issue before.

"Everyone's under the assumption that this just happened recently," Chlystek said. "Obviously, this has been going on for quite a while, and this is why I support looking into this."

He said no residents, especially police officers and medical personnel, should have to lose sleep over loud music. He said Q Bar may want to invest in soundproofing as a possible solution.

"We'll keep looking at it and see what we can do," Chlystek said.

In an interview with Patch on Tuesday, Taft said Hofbauer has called police a number of times. But he said he has yet to get any proof that the bar's music can be heard at nearby houses. He urged residents to take audio through their phones' video applications to give him examples of what they're hearing.

Taft said he has gone around the neighborhood, using an app to gauge the sound. And he said he only gets silence. He also has a manager taking decibel readings.

"I don't think I've gotten a single complaint in 20 years. I've never had any issues until now," Taft said.

He also said he hasn't changed his sound system in nearly 10 years.

"All I ask is to see it or hear it before trying to remediate something that no one can prove is happening," Taft said.

In late August, Q Bar's manager was cited after its music could be heard a third of a mile away. This was after residents had complained about the noise to the council.

The bar started 35 years ago and has been owned by Taft for the last two decades, he told Patch last summer.

At a council meeting last summer, one resident near the bar contended that her toilet bowl shakes because of the bar's noise. She said her children were suffering.