The 17 best cocktail bars in Chicago

What is it? A “Japanese dining bar” that serves creative snacks and a cocktail omakase in the West Loop.

Why we love it: When a regular ol’ G&T simply won’t do, mixology maven Julia Momose is waiting with splurge-worthy concoctions at Kumiko. Arranged from bright and light to spirituous closers, the drinks here are chock-full of ingredients that reflect Momose’s Japanese heritage, including rice vodka, saké vermouth and umé. The environs are equally intimate, with a bar that offers a peek into the kitchen. Walk-ins are always welcome, but space at Kumiko is limited, so you may want to lock down a reservation before your visit.

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.

Address: 630 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60661

Opening hours: Wed, Thu, Sun 5:30-11:15pm; Fri, Sat 5:30-11:30pm

What is it? A dimly lit cocktail haven offering inventive cocktails and Midwestern hospitality in Logan Square.

Why we love it: The team behind Logan Square spots Union and Lardon also operates this intimate and swanky cocktail bar. Housed in the same century-old building as the other two concepts, The Meadowlark provides guests with a cozy den to hang out in—complete with low lighting, comfy leather couches and book-lined shelves. The rotating drinks are all named after childhood activities, birds and World’s Fair attractions, and there’s also an accompanying menu of small bites. Seating is limited, so get there early to snag a spot.

Time Out tip: The bar bites are not to be missed. We recommend the fries, which feature a kimchi spice and ssamjang aioli.

Address: 2812 W Palmer St, Chicago, IL 60647

Opening hours: Daily 5pm-1am

The Kimpton Gray's cocktail lounge, Vol. 39, boasts a library-like feel with shelves of books and leather chairs in a modern setting. Sit back and relax with a house old fashioned—made with a blend of cognac, armagnac and Calvados legal precedent—or try the judiciary-inspired Objection! with Stateside vodka, espresso liqueur, cold brew concentrate and cacao. Hungry? Order the wagyu smash burger to soak up the booze.

What is it? A self-proclaimed “Asian-ish” cocktail bar inside Chinatown’s Moon Palace Express.

Why we love it: Chinatown is home to an incredible assortment of restaurants but until 2022, a cocktail bar was missing from the equation. Nine Bar owners Lily Wang and Joe Briglio have given the neighborhood a drinking oasis with this moody, Blade Runner-esque lounge hidden away in the back of Moon Palace Express. Drop in for Asian-inspired old fashioneds, a classic Mai Tai (enhanced with almond cookie orgeat syrup) and potent concoctions like the Paradise Lost, made with mango brandy, cachaça, ube, pineapple and Thai coconut milk.

Time Out tip: A lineup of Asian-inspired plates and sandwiches complements the cocktails, meaning there's no reason to leave. Order the cold sesame noodles for a spicy bite that doesn’t overwhelm. But no matter what, make sure to get the McKatsu, a fried pork sando packed with flavor.

Address: 216 W Cermak Rd, Chicago, IL 60616

Opening hours: Mon, Wed, Thu, Sun 5pm-midnight; Fri, Sat 5pm-1am

What is it? A modern cocktail lounge by The Alinea Group.

Why we love it: 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.

Time Out tip: You'll need a reservation (accompanied by a deposit, which is applied to your bill) to enjoy one of the distinct experiences at The Aviary.

Address: 955 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607

Opening hours: Tue-Thu 5-11pm; Fri 5pm-1am; Sun 4:30pm-1am

If gin is your liquor of choice, you've come to the right place. This swanky but understated cocktail bar specializes in the clear booze and offers a seasonally rotating lineup of beautiful gin sippers (which are all lovingly illustrated on the menu). The bar team doesn't discriminate: They also use tequila, rum, mezcal, sake and other spirits to craft their beverages.

Brothers Chris and Calvin Marty bought the old Marble Bar and reopened it as Best Intentions. The dive bar charm remains, although the bar is a little sleeker and the drinks are much better. Settle into a table on the big back patio, or sidle up to the bar for minty Wondermint Malted shakes, shots of Angostura bitters (they're the only bar anywhere with the bitters on draft) and a list of well-made classics. Fill up on matzo ball soup or a cheesburger while you're at it.

Who would have guessed longtime Trotter's chef Matthias Merges would find his calling checking IDs at the door of a Logan Square bar? Granted, his is not just any bar: Here, the menu is full of original cocktails and twists on classics packed with loads of amari. Though Billy Sunday is squarely a bar, the food is a worthy companion to the drinks: Don't miss any of the snacks in jars.

You won't soon forget an evening at the Office, a tiny speakeasy hidden below lauded cocktail bar the Aviary in the West Loop. Your best bet is to reserve one of four bar stools for the Office Hour, a 60-minute guided experience that includes two bespoke cocktails and food pairings (ideal for pre- or post-dinner tipples). Can’t decide on a drink? Opt for the Dealer’s Choice and let the expert bartenders craft a concoction tailored to your preferences.

Ever, one of the most luxurious restaurants in Chicago, expanded its footprint in 2022 with the opening of an upscale cocktail bar right next door. Dubbed After, the chic and futuristic-looking lounge provides a new place for Chicagoans to imbibe rare and vintage spirits plus expertly crafted mixed drinks. You’ll have plenty of high-end options to drop your money on, including Japanese whiskies, and scotch and Armagnac flights. And if you’d like some light bites to accompany the drinking, there are premium delicacies like Vietnamese duck wings and caviar flights, too.

The menu at Three Dots and a Dash—and its bar-within-a-bar concept, the Bamboo Room—features exquisite tiki cocktails crafted with fresh pressed juices and house-made syrups. The arsenal of garnishes is next level, with tropical flowers, colorful bendy straws and fresh herbs and citrus. First-timers should start with the namesake cocktail, an agreeable blend of rums, allspice, falernum, orange and lime. After a few drinks, ask for the blue crab rangoons, which are packed with cream cheese and hunks of tender crab meat.

This dimly lit, seriously sexy rathskeller beneath the Hoxton hotel is a great bet for those nights when you want to go somewhere where no one knows your name. The deal is sweetened by a pièce de résistance of a cocktail menu that includes 52 retooled and perfected standards. The Negroni, for instance, mimics the flavor of vintage Campari with a top-secret mixture of bitters, achieving an exquisitely balanced, time-traveling tipple. Whether you want something familiar or out of the ordinary, you'll find no shortage of options here.

Live music and weekly DJ sets take centerstage at this chic and unpretentious River North cocktail bar, where locally-sourced ingredients like honey and kombucha are used to create cocktails that focus on bright, bold flavors (lots of fruit, lots of spice). Whiskey lovers should turn their attention to Arbella’s Traveling Old Fashioned menu for globally-inspired renditions of the classic cocktail, including the Lagos, which blends smoked, spiced-ginger whisky with habanero honey and elderflower.

Located under the Green Door Tavern, the Drifter is a cozy bar from Liz Pearce (Gage, Drawing Room, Aviary), who serves up a rotating selection of cocktails (printed on a tarot card menu). Your order depends on the tarot cards bartenders deal each night, so keep your fingers crossed for the velvety chocolate negroni or South American Mistress, a smooth blend of pisco, vermouth and Fernet, balanced with chocolate liqueur and blackstrap bitters. The space is a former speakeasy and much of the original decor remains; the live performances, curated by Michelle L'amour, feel right at home amidst the vintage vibe.

From the outside, this place looks like a gallery (which, technically, it partially is). On the inside, it’s open and loft-like, with a permanent stage set up for weekly live music and performance. But behind the bar, the drink-slingers have perfected the art of the cocktail, skillfully crafting colorful refreshments that pack a punch. One sip and there’s no doubt that despite everything else going on here, the drinks are the reason to stick around.

Serious drinkers have never had much reason to frequent Wrigleyville until Matthias Merges opened this restaurant and bourbon bar across the street from the Friendly Confines in 2018. The shelves are stocked with countless vintage releases and for those willing to open their wallets, there are several bottles of Pappy van Winkle on offer, too. The cocktail program is also fantastic—headlined by the Three Finger Old Fashioned featuring Mordecai’s house bourbon.

This queer, Black women-owned cocktail bar in Andersonville serves twists on classic drinks amid a sleek and sexy atmosphere. Owners Renauda Riddle and Angela Barnes augment martinis, mimosas and sangrias with pops of lychee, mango, and blueberry basic syrup. Inspired by the famous Alice Walker poem from which the bar takes its name, cocktails fall into one of three categories, Featured Darlings (elevated classics), Golden Girls and Keep It Cute (zero-proof).