After building out some of Chicago’s top bar programs, from The Aviary to Moneygun, award-winning bartender Katie Renshaw is stepping out on her own to open her debut solo concept, Bar Bambi.
Spared to open late this year or early next year, the dreamy cocktail bar at 1703 W Chicago Ave is a product of Renshaw’s vast experience and signature whimsy take on mixology. Her accolades include U.S. World Class Bartender of the Year (2019), Speed Rack Midwest winner (2017) and Italicus Bar Artist of the Year (2018), but her mastery of craft and creative approach are what she’s best known for.
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"I’ve been ridiculously lucky to learn from some of Chicago’s best, including some of the people who helped build our cocktail scene in the earlier days," Renshaw says. "Every one of them has influenced how I bartend and how I think about hospitality. Bar Bambi is my first chance to take all of those lessons and make something that actually feels like me. It’s a total dream, and I just hope I can pass that knowledge to the next generation of bartenders."
Elevated cocktails that balance flavor, texture and form anchor the evolving menu, complemented by inventive sips like a martini-meets-highball and an Old Fashioned-turned-clarified whiskey sour. Zero-proof cocktails, Champagne and natural wines, and playful carbonated drinks are also on offer, along with a curated selection of bar snacks.
Equally as intriguing are Bar Bambi’s dreamy interiors. Designed by world-class firm Gensler, the ethereal bar features floor-to-ceiling windows and a mirror-backed bar, accented by glowing light fixtures, a playful amalgamation of textures and colors, and a striking central lighting fixture, programmed with changing colors to allow the space to transform as the day goes on.
"Bar Bambi’s space is meant to feel somewhat magical, like you’re in that special place between day and night, hard and soft, reflection and play," says Renshaw. "I want it to feel comfortable but a bit surreal, like you’ve stepped into a dream that still somehow feels at home in the big city of Chicago."
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Renshaw is currently the lead bartender at London transplant Hawksmoor in River North, which recently debuted its new upstairs bar, Beef & Liberty. She’s also the talent behind Pretty Money, a cocktail pop-up that most recently hosted events in Phoenix and Portland
Located directly next to chef John Manion’s acclaimed Brasero and down the street from Beatnik West Town, Bar Bambi does not have an official opening date yet. Still, the anticipation for its debut is already building. The latest updates, including an opening date and a preview of the menu, will be posted on Bar Bambi’s Instagram page.