Purchase a ticket and enter through the Carnivale’s back alley to visit this monthly pop-up featuring rotating entertainment such as live music or mentalist shows. Like the Latin restaurant downstairs, the speakeasy pops with bright colors, though celebrity photos on the walls give it a bit more of an old school vibe. Stop in after dinner to enjoy a craft cocktail and the show at one of the small tables positioned right near the performers.
During Prohibition, Chicago was home to numerous hidden bars where people could enjoy illicit drinks. While it’s been more than 100 years since alcohol was first made illegal, speakeasies continue to quietly pop up around the city.
“There's such a romance to them,” said Kim Klinger, beverage manager for Jaleo and its basement speakeasy Pigtail, which opened in October. “Something feels really special about a bar that’s a little bit hidden, a little bit dark, and a little bit sexy.”
Adalina owner Matt Deichl said speakeasies like the Rose Lounge, which launched on the Gold Coast restaurant’s ground floor in March, are beloved because they provide a more intimate experience than a typical bar. “I think they are really geared towards having some drinks with friends, catching up and having a great conversation.”
Restaurants add speakeasies to provide diners with an easy way to extend their night out by grabbing a drink before or after their meal in a space that feels very different, even if it’s under the same roof.
“Jaleo is really bright and rowdy,” Klinger said. “Then you go downstairs and you have a different vibe, something that's a little bit more intimate. It's a really fun way to integrate those two floors and give people a unique experience.”
They also allow for more menu experimentation. Adalina’s cocktails have to be fairly simple because the restaurant is so busy, but Rose Lounge allows you to sit back and watch bartenders work on elaborate drinks like The Centerfold, which blends mezcal, aperol, yellow chartreuse and pineapple with just a hint of habanero. Pigtail offers its own tasting menu with four cocktails and three wines paired with Spanish bites with an emphasis on jamon iberico.
“It's a great way to see what the chefs are working on and playing with and come out of there pretty satisfied,” Klinger.
If you want to feel like you’re in the know, check out one of these five new speakeasies. Heads up: You don’t need a secret password, but you might need a reservation.
