The best bars in River North and Streeterville

Bartenders like to pretend their cocktail bars are speakeasies, but Liz Pearce's cool bar underneath Green Door Tavern actually is one. The secret door is still visible, and the decor consists of objects that have been there for decades, like a painting of FDR and a bullet-riddled Mobil sign. The drink list is printed on tarot cards, and a fresh offering is plucked from the deck each night. If your favorite isn’t on the card, you can still ask for it to be made. 

Take your tastebuds on a world tour at Arbella, which offers a Traveling Old Fashioned menu with spins on the classic cocktail including the Lagos (spiced ginger whiskey and habanero honey) and the Tokyo (sake and plum bitters). You can also enjoy some adventure by ordering a dealer’s choice cocktail. The bites are similarly globe-trotting, including potato croquettes with smoked paprika aoli and brisket baos.

The Berkshire Room, the bar in River North’s Acme Hotel, doesn't just name-check the Berkshire Hotel, the Acme’s former name from the 1920–1950s. Side rooms, off the main bar, include whiskey lockers for rare spirits, barrel-stave wall paneling, copper light fixtures and plush seating. For drinks, choose from a seasonal cocktail or go for the dealer’s choice and let the bartenders craft something for you based on your choice of flavor profile, spirit and glassware. We recommend the Oaxacan New Fashioned, a flavorful mixture of Añejo rum, mezcal, cocoa and molé bitters. 

This branch of the renowned Miami hotspot is unique in its own right. The tropical-meets-Midwest vibe combines palm tree wallpaper and octopus decor with dark wood panels and tall bookshelves filled with trinkets. Such a hybrid produces balanced yet inventive drinks like he turns out balanced, inventive drinks like Lemme Baiju A Drink and the citrus/tequila-based Bamboo Banga.

At first glance, Three Dots and a Dash appears to be all flash—the smoking punches, servers bedecked in long Hawaiian dresses and the clubby soundtrack can distract from the very good drinks. The cocktails are beautifully garnished and potent. Try the Trader Vic Mai Tai, a refreshing drink with a range of different rum topped with curacao and lime. Venture off into group drinks like the giant tequila-based Sippopotamus that serves three people.  Fortify yourself with some island fare like kalua pulled pork sliders or coconut shrimp.

A sleek and elevated sports bar where you can watch your favorite team while ordering a fancy cocktail, No Vacancy is more than just a typical neighborhood haunt. Sip on concoctions like Do Not Disturb (mezcal, green chartreuse, Maraschino) and nosh on creative gameday bites such as birria egg rolls, pretzel-crusted chicken tenders and jackfruit sliders.

Open since 1921, Green Door Tavern is a neighborhood favorite and one of the most low-key River North bars around. The menu offers elevated bar fare (think Scotch eggs, Chicago-style poutine and roast chicken), riffs on classic cocktails and impressive whiskey and beer lists. Pop by the Drifter, the basement bar that's located in the old speakeasy section of the bar, for a nightcap.

At 18,000 square feet, this underground lounge is enormous, the space broken up into a labyrinthine set of handsomely designed rooms designated for cocktailing (we like the Bitter Bonnie, made with tequila, grapefruit and Campari), ambitious dining (pan-roasted skate) and live performances by swing orchestras and burlesque dancers. With an extensive whiskey list and 16 gratifying cocktails, this place is a must-visit in River North.

When you want to keep the night going after Gilt Bar, head down to the basement to The Library. Though still Sodikoff-trademark dim, the space has a warmer glow and first rate cocktails such as the Hemingway Daiquiri and the Cucumber Martini. Best part: Gilt Bar’s full menu, including ideal snacks like truffle mozzarella sticks and burrata with aged balsamic, is available to accompany them.

The folks behind Three Dots and a Dash surprised us with a bar-within-a-bar concept called the Bamboo Room, where guests can sip cocktails mixed with rare and high-end rums. The 22-seat area offers a menu curated by beverage director Kevin Beary; expect simple, well-balanced beverages that are more refined than their Three Dots counterparts. There are also rum flights tailored to both novices and those seeking limited release offerings.

For a break from the frills of River North, check out this humble dive bar on State Street. With almost every brew under $10, this is may be the best place to go in the area on a tight budget or while you're out for a quick drink. Come for the beers, stay for the classic Chicago bar vibes.

While Pops for Champagne remains sleek and jazzy upstairs, the downstairs has been transformed into a lair slightly reminiscent of a hunting lounge, one that specializes in Midwestern liquors and beers. Here, the cocktails are created with care (the Cats & Dogs Janet, a bubbly gin drink, has bitterness offset by White Port wine), but, thankfully, without the pomp of other mixology haunts around town.

This Mexican restaurant on Kinzie Street is committed to keeping things "fresh, flavorful and authentic" through both their wide food selections and cocktail menu. From classic margaritas (with the option to add smokiness) to a casamigos espresso martini to the perfect blend of tart and spice in the Little Market, there's plenty of options to taste the authenticity. For something refreshing, try the Pepino El Pyu cocktail, a puckering blend of chile guajillo, cucumber and lemon.

This Rick Bayless production is just down the alley from the famed Frontera Grill and brings delight to any mezcal connoisseur. Try the Poleo Negroni to taste the house-made Mexican vermouth delicately mixed with Bar Sótano branded mezcal. With the  "Tacos Al Pastor," a cocktail infused with flavors from fresh chorizo, and three different mezcal flights, you'll never run out of things to try. If mezcal isn't your thing, there are still a few rum and whiskey drinks that will keep your taste buds jumping.

The country western bar is big, loud and a whole lot of fun. Whether you stop in for live music, barbecue (the pulled pork is the way to go) or a drink (whatever comes out of the frozen dispenser is worth ordering, as is the old fashioned), you're in for a good night.

TAO Chicago serves excellent spins on classic pan-Asian fare in a gorgeously appointed dining room, but you can also get the same menu in Ink Bar and Emperor’s Lounge located at the top of the grand staircase along with happy hour specials from 5–7pm such as $10 signature cocktails, half off wine and beer and $5 glasses of sake. Come after 10pm Friday and Saturday to walk through the lantern-lit alley into the nightclub space for DJs sets and bottle service featuring dramatic parades.

Only open during the summer, the fully outdoor space on the rooftop of Streetville's Loews Hotel is a fun spot to sip cocktails and grab dinner while taking in city views. The menu emphasizes shareable fare perfect for a relaxed group outing.