Chicago bar reviews

Like the first time I tried to go to the Violet Hour and walked straight past the door, I had no idea how to get into the Drifter, a new bar located underneath Green Door Tavern. But while the Violet Hour was Chicago’s first nouveau speakeasy, bar culture has changed over the past eight years—now, when a bar claims to be a speakeasy, all that means is that it’s dark, with well-made cocktails and bartenders in retro clothes. The Drifter breaks the mold, since it’s actually located in an old speakeasy space, and it’s missing the pretentious trappings a lot of cocktail bars have. In speakeasy days, people would enter a door a couple blocks away and get into the bar through a window, which has been covered over. We had to ask at Green Door how to get in, so I’ll save you the trouble: Walk through Green Door, head downstairs and enter through the wooden door that’s next to the restrooms. There’s no sign, but if the door guy isn’t there taking names for a waitlist that grows longer as the night goes on (though we walked right in at 5:30pm on a Saturday), knock and he’ll let you in. Once inside, the space is dark, cozy and full of objects that were already there when bartender Liz Pearce (Gage, Drawing Room, Aviary) took over the unused space. There are old paintings, like one of FDR that overlooks the end of the bar, a bullet-riddled Mobil sign, flags billowing from the ceiling and dozens of dusty old bottles lined up atop the bar. It’s a comfortable, low-key spot to hang out,...

The vibe: Among the framed drawings of regulars cluttering the wooden walls of this dim saloon-style staple are posters boasting that you’re in “le premiere dive bar” of Chicago. We don’t know where this place gets off speaking French, but it’s been around since 1958, so we’ll grant it bragging rights. Plus, it's a favorite among celebs like Stephen Colbert, Bill Murray and John Belushi. The food: None to speak of. The drinks: Take a look at the wall behind the bar and you'll see the massive selection of sips served at this cash-only dive. Drafts, bottles and cans, and ciders are on offer, as well as your classic cocktails and mixed drinks.  Time Out tip: One of the best parts about Old Town Ale House is admiring the eclectic and often crude paintings. The backstory is fascinating—ask your bartender.  

This West Loop cocktail hub raises the bar on fine dining and delivers a superb lineup of sake- and shochu-centric sips, and delicate bites imbued with Japanese flavors. The dining room offers à la carte shareables, while the beautifully fleeting omakase menu is pricey for the portion sizes, but makes up for it on the drink side. The vibe: This Japanese-inspired cocktail bar and restaurant, helmed by chef, creative director and beverage visionary Julia Momosé, is one of measured pace and care. The food: Kumiko’s eight-seat omakase bar lends a peek into the humming kitchen through an intricately carved wood shade that acts as a focal point of the restaurant. An evolving tasting menu is offered gluten-free and pescatarian upon request, and Kumiko suggests allowing up to three hours for the full experience. The drinks: The accompanying sakes ranged from supple and delicately floral junmai to crisp, dry and nutty futsu shu—all beautiful counterparts to pristine oceanic bites. Still, it’s hard to outshine Momose’s exquisite cocktails, like her woodsy, citrusy sudachi shochu with tonic, sage and kumquat, and an elegant blend of mellow aged junmai sake, shiro and apricot eau de vie that tastes like boozy blossoming fruit trees and melted snow. Time Out tip: Sake and shochu cocktails and low- or no-proof sips headline Julia Momose’s imaginative menu, but we love asking for a recommendation on sake, which harmonizes beautifully with the refined, umami-rich fare. We recommend...

River North mainstay Hub 51 closed in 2024 after 16 years, but Lettuce Entertain You quickly remodeled the space and launched its successor. In a neighborhood rife with overpriced drinks, Gus’ Sip & Dip is a breath of fresh air. The menu boasts 30 cocktails—made with a variety of spirits—and each is priced at $12. Your favorites are all here, from refreshing options such as the Hawaii-style Mai Tai and classic Margarita to the booze-forward Sazerac. Gus’ also has a shaved ice machine, which comes into play in cocktails like the Grasshopper and Hemingway Daiquiri. The food isn’t an afterthought, either. The kitchen turns out a solid selection of shareables (including dips, of course), salads, sandwiches and more. Our recommendation: Start with the crab rangoon dip before splitting the wagyu beef dip—served with whipped horseradish and jus for dunking the sandwich in. The bar only accepts walk-ins so expect a wait during prime hours; we prefer dropping by between 4-5pm on a weekday for happy hour, when one rotating cocktail is priced at just $6.

There are two options when you enter John and Karen Urie Shields’ Smyth + The Loyalist. You can head upstairs to Smyth for a modern fine dining experience, complete with a prix fixe menu, or you can walk downstairs to the Loyalist, a sultry bar with upscale bites (including an amazing cheeseburger) and killer cocktails. Positioned in the West Loop, the spot is perfect for a before- or after-dinner drink, but you could also spend a whole night there. The Loyalist’s cocktail menu is the centerpiece, springing from the mind of former MFK bartender Roger Landes. The menu is well rounded, with a mix of light and spirit-forward drinks, including twists on classics and more original ideas. All the cocktails have at least one special component, such as the use of Chinato in place of Campari in the Innocents Abroad with Gentiane, creating a citrusy and bitter negroni. Likewise, the Nothing Noble combines bourbon with demerara sugar, a bit of Amargo Valet and mint for an herbal twist on a classic old-fashioned. It isn’t just the variations and balance that makes these cocktails interesting—there’s also something to be said for the presentation. Drinks come in beautiful etched glass goblets and fancy thin-walled lowballs that exude quality and attention to detail. The food works well for the space too, with primarily small plates made for sharing—a sharp contrast to the fine dining dishes served upstairs. The most notable thing on the menu is the cheeseburger, served on a sesame seed...

When Grant Achatz does a cocktail bar, it should go without saying that it's no ordinary cocktail bar. At the Aviary, which opened next door to Next in 2011, cocktails receive the same innovative treatment as the food at Next or Alinea. This James Beard Award-winning lounge also offers seasonal five- and seven-course food and cocktail tasting experiences, as well as a customizable three-course cocktail progression. Even if you're just dropping in for drinks, you should expect cocktails like the Partridge, an artful arrangement featuring bourbon, spiced pear, douglas fir and mint, all accompanied by a chrome bird gently perched atop. You've never seen a drink like it, and given how rare a visit to the Aviary is, you may never again.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the Cheers theme song and the idea of a place “where everybody knows your name.” The thing is, on nights when I can sneak away and splurge on a round of craft cocktails, I seek out places where no one knows my name. It’s not that I’m anti-social—more than anything, it’s about reveling in quality time with close friends. Lazy Bird, the bar in the basement of the Hoxton hotel helmed by Lee Zaremba, ticks all the right boxes for that kind of night out. The space is so dimly lit that you can barely see across the room, and seating is configured in a way that gives each party a sense of privacy—even if you are seated two feet away from the next table. And don’t plan on checking your email or Instagram feed while you’re here; the subterranean space is a black hole for cell service. Those qualities alone make Lazy Bird a solid watering hole. But when you toss in Zaremba’s pièce de résistance of a menu—a whopping 52 classic cocktails that have been refined and perfected—this place easily enters Best New Bar of 2019 territory. Just as my date and I snagged seats along the wall opposite the bar, our server presented us with a beautiful book of tipples to choose from—each accompanied by hand-drawn illustrations from Kate Dehler and bite-sized descriptions penned by Zaremba. When we asked for a second menu so that we could browse simultaneously, our server told us that there weren’t enough to go around. As soon as we ordered our first sips—an Aviation...

If you order the Daiquiri Tropical at Cantina Rosa—which I highly recommend doing—you may become convinced you've bitten into a fantastical mashup of a fresh peach and a passionfruit, so balanced and purposeful is each component of this magical sour. I closed my eyes mid-first sip and floated elsewhere, my feet still firmly planted inside this beautiful, Mexican-inspired Hyde Park bar from chef and restaurateur Erick Williams. The tiki-tinged cocktail menu—which legendary mixologist Paul McGee consulted on—packs numerous delights, many of them starring agave and sugarcane spirits. Consider the bright, smoke-kissed Paddle Cactus, with mezcal, tart prickly pear, chile and just enough pineapple to bring out the vegetal notes in the agave and cactus. Glancing around the room, I saw a Jushu in front of probably three-quarters of customers. This refreshing sorta margarita is a no-brainer indeed, with mezcal, floral acacia honey, lime and mango.  As I waffled between the demure Rebujito (nutty manzanilla sherry, orgeat, ginger and lime) and the daiquiri, the server plainly suggested the latter “if you like to drink.” Her candor was a balm on that particular Friday, much like this sophisticated yet inviting room, while outside the winter wind howled and democracy’s foundations shook. In that moment I could simply marvel at how the baked apple notes of the calvados and sweet citrus of the passionfruit, lime and pineapple cleverly muffled the drink’s boozy foundation of rum-like...

The vibe: As soon as you walk into this place, it’s obvious that everyone has had enough drinks to consider you their best friend—and they know every single lyric to every single song. The first floor caters to the hip-hop/Top-40 crowd, while the lower level gives you sing-along ’80s rock. If you can maneuver your way through the late-night dancing crowd, you’ll agree: This place always delivers a good time. The food: Just drinks here, but the Hangge-Uppe-to-Taco Bell pipeline is real. The drinks: All your classic canned seltzers, mixed drinks, beers, and shots...lots of shots. Time Out tip: This place charges cover, up to $20 at times, so be prepared to pay at the door. They take card, so you don't need to hit the ATM on your way over.

From the team behind Peruvian restaurant Tanta, this River North bar is a cocktail journey around the globe. The exploration at Arbella begins with a menu showcasing a progressive craft approach towards cocktails found in exciting parts of the world. With playful displays and presentations, each concoction aims to transport drinkers to a specific place and evoke a sense of travel. Old fashioned enthusiasts have a wealth of options to choose from, including versions made with ube whiskey (Manila), aged rum (Havana) and spiced turmeric syrup (Goa Coast). Each drink on the menu is rated on a scale that ranges from light to boozy so guests have an understanding of what they’re ordering. Don’t skip on the food— crab rangoons and potato croquettes are great shareable bites, but there are heartier items like confit Spanish octopus and family-style lambo tacos as well. There are also live DJs nightly in Arbella’s music space, The B-Side.

Like the first time I tried to go to the Violet Hour and walked straight past the door, I had no idea how to get into the Drifter, a new bar located underneath Green Door Tavern. But while the Violet Hour was Chicago’s first nouveau speakeasy, bar culture has changed over the past eight years—now, when a bar claims to be a speakeasy, all that means is that it’s dark, with well-made cocktails and bartenders in retro clothes. The Drifter breaks the mold, since it’s actually located in an old speakeasy space, and it’s missing the pretentious trappings a lot of cocktail bars have. In speakeasy days, people would enter a door a couple blocks away and get into the bar through a window, which has been covered over. We had to ask at Green Door how to get in, so I’ll save you the trouble: Walk through Green Door, head downstairs and enter through the wooden door that’s next to the restrooms. There’s no sign, but if the door guy isn’t there taking names for a waitlist that grows longer as the night goes on (though we walked right in at 5:30pm on a Saturday), knock and he’ll let you in. Once inside, the space is dark, cozy and full of objects that were already there when bartender Liz Pearce (Gage, Drawing Room, Aviary) took over the unused space. There are old paintings, like one of FDR that overlooks the end of the bar, a bullet-riddled Mobil sign, flags billowing from the ceiling and dozens of dusty old bottles lined up atop the bar. It’s a comfortable, low-key spot to hang out,...

River North mainstay Hub 51 closed in 2024 after 16 years, but Lettuce Entertain You quickly remodeled the space and launched its successor. In a neighborhood rife with overpriced drinks, Gus’ Sip & Dip is a breath of fresh air. The menu boasts 30 cocktails—made with a variety of spirits—and each is priced at $12. Your favorites are all here, from refreshing options such as the Hawaii-style Mai Tai and classic Margarita to the booze-forward Sazerac. Gus’ also has a shaved ice machine, which comes into play in cocktails like the Grasshopper and Hemingway Daiquiri. The food isn’t an afterthought, either. The kitchen turns out a solid selection of shareables (including dips, of course), salads, sandwiches and more. Our recommendation: Start with the crab rangoon dip before splitting the wagyu beef dip—served with whipped horseradish and jus for dunking the sandwich in. The bar only accepts walk-ins so expect a wait during prime hours; we prefer dropping by between 4-5pm on a weekday for happy hour, when one rotating cocktail is priced at just $6.

There are two options when you enter John and Karen Urie Shields’ Smyth + The Loyalist. You can head upstairs to Smyth for a modern fine dining experience, complete with a prix fixe menu, or you can walk downstairs to the Loyalist, a sultry bar with upscale bites (including an amazing cheeseburger) and killer cocktails. Positioned in the West Loop, the spot is perfect for a before- or after-dinner drink, but you could also spend a whole night there. The Loyalist’s cocktail menu is the centerpiece, springing from the mind of former MFK bartender Roger Landes. The menu is well rounded, with a mix of light and spirit-forward drinks, including twists on classics and more original ideas. All the cocktails have at least one special component, such as the use of Chinato in place of Campari in the Innocents Abroad with Gentiane, creating a citrusy and bitter negroni. Likewise, the Nothing Noble combines bourbon with demerara sugar, a bit of Amargo Valet and mint for an herbal twist on a classic old-fashioned. It isn’t just the variations and balance that makes these cocktails interesting—there’s also something to be said for the presentation. Drinks come in beautiful etched glass goblets and fancy thin-walled lowballs that exude quality and attention to detail. The food works well for the space too, with primarily small plates made for sharing—a sharp contrast to the fine dining dishes served upstairs. The most notable thing on the menu is the cheeseburger, served on a sesame seed...

The vibe: Among the framed drawings of regulars cluttering the wooden walls of this dim saloon-style staple are posters boasting that you’re in “le premiere dive bar” of Chicago. We don’t know where this place gets off speaking French, but it’s been around since 1958, so we’ll grant it bragging rights. Plus, it's a favorite among celebs like Stephen Colbert, Bill Murray and John Belushi. The food: None to speak of. The drinks: Take a look at the wall behind the bar and you'll see the massive selection of sips served at this cash-only dive. Drafts, bottles and cans, and ciders are on offer, as well as your classic cocktails and mixed drinks.  Time Out tip: One of the best parts about Old Town Ale House is admiring the eclectic and often crude paintings. The backstory is fascinating—ask your bartender.  

When Grant Achatz does a cocktail bar, it should go without saying that it's no ordinary cocktail bar. At the Aviary, which opened next door to Next in 2011, cocktails receive the same innovative treatment as the food at Next or Alinea. This James Beard Award-winning lounge also offers seasonal five- and seven-course food and cocktail tasting experiences, as well as a customizable three-course cocktail progression. Even if you're just dropping in for drinks, you should expect cocktails like the Partridge, an artful arrangement featuring bourbon, spiced pear, douglas fir and mint, all accompanied by a chrome bird gently perched atop. You've never seen a drink like it, and given how rare a visit to the Aviary is, you may never again.

This West Loop cocktail hub raises the bar on fine dining and delivers a superb lineup of sake- and shochu-centric sips, and delicate bites imbued with Japanese flavors. The dining room offers à la carte shareables, while the beautifully fleeting omakase menu is pricey for the portion sizes, but makes up for it on the drink side. The vibe: This Japanese-inspired cocktail bar and restaurant, helmed by chef, creative director and beverage visionary Julia Momosé, is one of measured pace and care. The food: Kumiko’s eight-seat omakase bar lends a peek into the humming kitchen through an intricately carved wood shade that acts as a focal point of the restaurant. An evolving tasting menu is offered gluten-free and pescatarian upon request, and Kumiko suggests allowing up to three hours for the full experience. The drinks: The accompanying sakes ranged from supple and delicately floral junmai to crisp, dry and nutty futsu shu—all beautiful counterparts to pristine oceanic bites. Still, it’s hard to outshine Momose’s exquisite cocktails, like her woodsy, citrusy sudachi shochu with tonic, sage and kumquat, and an elegant blend of mellow aged junmai sake, shiro and apricot eau de vie that tastes like boozy blossoming fruit trees and melted snow. Time Out tip: Sake and shochu cocktails and low- or no-proof sips headline Julia Momose’s imaginative menu, but we love asking for a recommendation on sake, which harmonizes beautifully with the refined, umami-rich fare. We recommend...

I’ve been thinking a lot about the Cheers theme song and the idea of a place “where everybody knows your name.” The thing is, on nights when I can sneak away and splurge on a round of craft cocktails, I seek out places where no one knows my name. It’s not that I’m anti-social—more than anything, it’s about reveling in quality time with close friends. Lazy Bird, the bar in the basement of the Hoxton hotel helmed by Lee Zaremba, ticks all the right boxes for that kind of night out. The space is so dimly lit that you can barely see across the room, and seating is configured in a way that gives each party a sense of privacy—even if you are seated two feet away from the next table. And don’t plan on checking your email or Instagram feed while you’re here; the subterranean space is a black hole for cell service. Those qualities alone make Lazy Bird a solid watering hole. But when you toss in Zaremba’s pièce de résistance of a menu—a whopping 52 classic cocktails that have been refined and perfected—this place easily enters Best New Bar of 2019 territory. Just as my date and I snagged seats along the wall opposite the bar, our server presented us with a beautiful book of tipples to choose from—each accompanied by hand-drawn illustrations from Kate Dehler and bite-sized descriptions penned by Zaremba. When we asked for a second menu so that we could browse simultaneously, our server told us that there weren’t enough to go around. As soon as we ordered our first sips—an Aviation...

The vibe: This dressed-down remake of the bygone Orbit Room beckons with snug tavern vibes, spirit-centric sips and nostalgic drunk food that will no doubt keep you drinking. The food: Old Habits slings salty throwback bar fare at its best alongside addictively bracing condiments. Think Filipino egg rolls with pork, beef and spam; succulent smoky rib tips; and vinegary buffalo cauliflower with dill-infused ranch dip. The drinks: Martini lovers may yet become whiskey drinkers with the nutty Japanese whiskey- and sherry-based Summit, while the refreshing whiskey sour sets the new standard for a classic cocktail. Wine drinkers, take note: Lambrusco is Italy’s mid-sweet, fizzy red answer to rosé (which Ludlow bartenders will also stir into quenching Aperol spritz remakes all summer). Time Out tip: Wind down after a long day at the well-spaced bar, where you’re also guaranteed the fastest service (bar service only here). Come summer, bring a crowd and nab a picnic table in the sprawling back beer garden. Updated with reporting by Lauren Brocato

You might as well be walking into a Wes Anderson film when you enter Estereo, where everything is tinted slightly yellow-gold and patterns—from tiled floors to detailing on the bar—make you feel like you’re on set. The all-day bar from Heisler Hospitality (Pub Royale, Sportsman’s Club, Trenchermen, Queen Mary Tavern) has a “leave your worries at the door” vibe that transports you to an island town where three old guys wearing oversized button-downs sit at the bar all day long. And you can sit all day long, too. The bar opens daily at 11am with coffee from Dark Matter and pastries like guava croissants and chocolate croissants, while afternoons offer a list of ten cocktails based on specific spirits. Drinks come from Ben Fasman (Sportsman’s Club, Big Star) and Michael Rubel (Lone Wolf, Violet Hour), with spirits like pisco, cachaca, rum, tequila and mescal dominating the menu. The menu changes regularly, with one exception: the Breezy, a highball served in a branded plastic cup (this somehow feels fun and whimsical rather than childish or gimmicky) with your choice of spirit (gin and rum are our favorites), Yerba Mate, Falernum, lime and soda. It’s built to be an easy sipper year-round—light with just enough body to pull us through the cold winter. The drinks are exceptional, but what really makes this place tick is its vibe. Music from a turntable fills the air with bright Latin-American tunes. Settle in at the large, triangle-shaped bar that dominates the space, or for a...

If you order the Daiquiri Tropical at Cantina Rosa—which I highly recommend doing—you may become convinced you've bitten into a fantastical mashup of a fresh peach and a passionfruit, so balanced and purposeful is each component of this magical sour. I closed my eyes mid-first sip and floated elsewhere, my feet still firmly planted inside this beautiful, Mexican-inspired Hyde Park bar from chef and restaurateur Erick Williams. The tiki-tinged cocktail menu—which legendary mixologist Paul McGee consulted on—packs numerous delights, many of them starring agave and sugarcane spirits. Consider the bright, smoke-kissed Paddle Cactus, with mezcal, tart prickly pear, chile and just enough pineapple to bring out the vegetal notes in the agave and cactus. Glancing around the room, I saw a Jushu in front of probably three-quarters of customers. This refreshing sorta margarita is a no-brainer indeed, with mezcal, floral acacia honey, lime and mango.  As I waffled between the demure Rebujito (nutty manzanilla sherry, orgeat, ginger and lime) and the daiquiri, the server plainly suggested the latter “if you like to drink.” Her candor was a balm on that particular Friday, much like this sophisticated yet inviting room, while outside the winter wind howled and democracy’s foundations shook. In that moment I could simply marvel at how the baked apple notes of the calvados and sweet citrus of the passionfruit, lime and pineapple cleverly muffled the drink’s boozy foundation of rum-like...