50 Best Cocktail Bars in Chicago

“Foodie and gals it’s are addictive. Warning!! 💕💕💕💕“

“Esme is truly an experience to have. We did the menu and the wine pairing and it was amazing. From the presentation to the food was unbelievable and will definitely do it again as it changes quarterly“

“Great staff and every thing we ordered was absolutely fantastic.“

“We dined on Easter for brunch- it was delicious and lovely with excellent service - our server Dylan was so sweet and took great care of us! We really enjoyed all of our dishes but the shakshuka, mezze platter, oysters and the chicken & waffles were stand outs! Good coffee and nice cocktails too! We’ll be back for sure!“

“I asked a local friend for a reco for a bougie, but laid back dark and moody cocktail bar with lounge vibes. This hit the mark! Awesome cocktails. Try the Voodoo absinthe one. Bartender Ashley was fantastic and made me an off menu chartreuse cocktail after telling her I loved chartreuse. Met some friendly locals as well. Will def be back. Thanks for a great last night in Chicago. ???“

“This place is the coolest bar I have been to in a long time, hip and fun but not pretentious. They paid attention to every detail when building and designing. The white marbel bar has clean lines and looks fresh. All of the hardware finishes look sharp and clean. The patio is large and inviting with a fire place and plenty of tables to sit at. The drink menu is creative and refreshing and the staff is kind and welcoming. I cannot say enough good things about this gem of a bar. I am excited to hang out this fall on the patio by the fireplace with good drink in My hand.“

“Adoro l'arredamento vintage. I tarocchi sono divertenti.“

“I have never eaten food like this before! It is so good and I am leaving beyond satisfied!“

“Michelin Star Indian inspired vegan or vegetarian (or meat) tasting menu, in Chicago! If you don't know what a tasting menu is, it is where you have a bunch of small courses and spend a long time. It is not cheap, or fast. Typically you'll see interesting ingredients and some cutting edge techniques. I would have appreciated more of an explanation about the courses, both about ingredients and techniques from the servers, I think it heightens the meal and this isn't eating out as part of an evening, this is dinner as THE EVENT. Some tasting menus I've had were like 12-14 courses, this one was about half that, although I haven't done very many tasting menus. For us it is for a very special occasion, but expect to spend a couple of hours and at least a couple hundred dollars (before tip) per person. We went with the vegetarian menu with the wine pairing (not the fancy wine pairing) and went for the two plus ups. I haven't experienced a tasting menu with plus ups (aka an extra course for an additional price) but I'm no expert. Consistent with other tasting menus, some things were mind blowingly awesome and I wanted more and some things... well... no regrets. The two plus ups were probably the standouts, so I'm glad we did them but that did add $ to the meal. I don't know if we set the pace wrong, but we were often still finishing the wine from one course when the next course would arrive, which led to us drinking faster than normal, and feeling it. I don't know if this is because we had an early seating and they wanted to make sure our table was free, or maybe it was on us. So my advice is to not let yourself feel rushed. Would I do it again, yes. Soon, no. Pretty sure the bill was over $600 for two people. For my budget this is like a once every other year kind of meal. Overall not a revelation, but a very good meal and great experience.“

“It’s the best. Great Bartenders and excellent cocktails“

“I am late writing my review but I had to write it !! I visited provare chicago On july 8th !! From start to finish this restaurant gets 5 starts . The decor was nice and set a perfect atmosphere for a great night . We were greeted immediately upon arrival and seated within 5 minutes of being there . Once seated the wait staff began their introduction's on drinks and popular menu item's. After my party ordered drinks and appetizers a gentleman came over (not sure if he was the manager) and introduce himself and made sure we were having a great experience. Appetizers were amazing!! We couldn't wait for dinner!! Our entrées we just as good if not better ! Everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection! When we didn't think the night could get even better the entire wait staff and the gentleman that came over before stopped and recognized my friend for her birthday and brought over a birthday surprise!! I live 307 miles and this place was definitely worth the drive !!!“

“Great variety and unique flavors. Great vibe.“

“An incredible experience at Alma (Hotel Zachary)!

We went for their Sunday Afternoon Tea (available on select non-game day Sundays) and it was absolutely amazing! The space is chic and stylish, and you can’t beat the iconic views of Wrigley Field—such a unique and beautiful setting for tea.

We were welcomed with a glass of sparkling rosé, followed by a delicious pot of tea—I chose the Mallorca Melon, which was light, fruity, and perfect for summer. The tea selection changes seasonally, which makes me excited to come back and try something new!

The food was just as impressive: a beautifully presented spread of fresh pastries, sandwiches, and desserts, all of which were super flavorful and clearly made with care.

Huge shoutout to our server, Amir—he was outstanding! Friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience even more enjoyable.

We’ll definitely be back. Highly recommend Alma for anyone looking for a special afternoon out in Wrigleyville!“

“Kind hearted people are quite rare to find as cooperate people or as individuals also. I'm sharing a 4 years friendship and business relationship i've shared with Mr Ralph Carico for being such an awesome, kind and specially oriented. Thank you for being supportive each time i buy and invest in digital stocks and coins with your firm.“

“Amazing food here! Sticky bun with cream cheese frosting? And cheese curds fried on duck fat?!? Hell yes!“

“Like a flash back to the 70’s, before I could hold a cocktail but fancied doing so.....“

“excellent food - we both the spring rolls and the egg rolls. the crab fried rice and vegetable salad with rice noodles were also really tasty.“

“Hands down the best hotel experience I’ve had thus far in life. I cannot imagine staying anywhere else in Chicago now! I will be sure to book here next time I’m downtown. Special shoutout to Nina (unfortunately that’s the only name I remember, but everyone deserves their own shout out). She was so so kind and thoughtful. I was deeply touched that she carried my luggage out because the bellman was away briefly. That’s what makes hotels like this stand out! 🙂 I actually got a little teary eyed writing this just upon reflecting on the kindness of the staff. All the best! - James Schauff 🫶🏼“

“This restaurant was absolutely amazing. The atmosphere was perfect and the staff was amazing. Our waitress named Frida was the most sweetest and helpful person. She was great in welcoming us at the restaurant and very knowledgeable in the history of the restaurant. The food was so delicious and flavorful. I definitely recommend and enjoyed my time there.“

“Had an awesome time. Thanks you great service“

“Food was great, but it was a little bit overpriced, but the place is nice. We did the tasting menu. We ordered the mixed grill, but I didn’t really like the mix grill that. I didn’t like the fact that it was mixed with seafood. The bread is absolutely the best. The spicy potatoes are good.“

“Estimados encargados de El Solazo: Espero este mensaje les encuentre bien. Me dirijo a ustedes como un cliente frecuente y admirador de su restaurante, en el cual siempre disfruto de una comida deliciosa y un servicio excepcional. Sin embargo, en mi última visita, experimenté una situación que considero importante señalar para su atención y mejora. El día de hoy, martes 26 de noviembre, llegué a cenar a las 8:45 pm confiando en la información publicada en sus redes sociales, donde claramente se especifica que el horario de cierre es a las 11:00 pm. No obstante, a las 9:30 pm ya se estaba anunciando el "último llamado" para bebidas alcohólicas. Además, durante mi estancia, fui testigo de cómo dos familias fueron rechazadas para cenar por el mismo motivo: el restaurante estaba cerrando antes de tiempo debido a "la falta de clientes". Entiendo que puedan surgir situaciones operativas, pero considero que este tipo de decisiones impacta negativamente en la experiencia de sus clientes. Cuando se anuncia un horario de cierre, los clientes planeamos nuestras visitas en base a esa información. De no ser posible mantener el horario anunciado, sería más transparente ajustarlo oficialmente en sus plataformas para que las personas puedan planear con anticipación y, en caso necesario, optar por otras opciones. Por último, quiero mencionar que esta inconformidad fue compartida con nuestra mesera, quien nos escuchó con amabilidad. Sin embargo, creo que esta situación requiere un ajuste desde la gerencia para evitar malentendidos en el futuro. Agradezco de antemano su atención a esta situación y espero que se tomen las medidas necesarias para garantizar que su excelente servicio sea consistente en todos los aspectos. Atentamente, Jesus Jesse Hernández“

“Intimate setting with great staff who are always welcoming and warm. Their cocktails aren’t just thrown together; they take weeks to perfect their recipes with the final product being works of art. Their Old Fashioned is my favorite so far and the mango shrimp is my favorite entree. Their lavender/mint tea latte is unique, luscious and calming. Save room for Diego’s homemade desserts, they are luscious! Great food, great cocktails, great staff, great ambiance.“

“Great food and exceptional service“

“A great place to have a party, the ambience is great and I will be back here again next time, the drinks and food are delicious too!“

“Great music by Ivan Singh!“

“Awesome Chicago Dogs and atmosphere! Great waitress and warm, cozy and fun atmosphere!“

“It’s the orbit room with “hipster”. Still a great jaunt. Anyone who makes a whiskey sour with egg white is good in my book.“

“Cosmic and Carnal Cocktails, Phenomenal Food and Stupendous Staff Members! 10’s Across The Board! Oh, the sound system and curated DJ Sets will have even the deceased DANCING 🕺“

“What an awesome time! This has been on our list and we finally made it. Everything was spot on- ambiance, menu, drinks & hospitality. Really had a great time and is hands down our favorite cocktail bar in the city. Draven was very hospitable and was a big part of our experience! This place is thoughtful and intentional! Definitely recommend.“

“We had a fair experience at Lilac Tiger. Went in on a Friday night and were seated fairly quickly. My cocktail was great. My friend's, not so much. We ordered the vada pav and the chettinad paneer curry. My friend also got mussels. Everything was alright. Very few vegetarian options and the ones we ordered were okay. Service was a little spotty. The hostess who greeted and seated us was very professional and was amazing.
We weren't super impressed but the place is worth checking out and we will definitely want to give it another try.“

“Great Food. Would highly recommend.“

“Delicious meal, wonderful staff. The food was creatively fresh and inventive. Cocktails were also great. Highly recommend to sit at the chefs counter. Will try to make it back for brunch.

Dietary restrictions: Were able to accommodate gluten free“

“my best friend and I just had the BEST experience at the whale! Our waitress taylor was incredible and the manager (so sorry but we never got his name because he was just being so nice to us) was incredible as well. We will definitely return with friends and recommend anyone to try it out! classy, but not snobby, cool decor, warm kind and accommodating staff, and great food and cocktails are just the cherry on top! try the carrot cake after your meal :) Thank you again to taylor and the manager again <3“

“70s vibe, tasty drink, great service, and plenty of water refills. I’m a fan. 🍹💫✨👍🏻“

“Love this place. The drinks are amazing, the food hits the spot, and the bartenders are what make this place a gem in Chinatown.“

“Great vibe, great staff, well made and designed cocktails 🍸“

“Been here several times, always a blast and great drinks. Last visit was weird. Kinda stuffy. Bartender was uninterested and ok with letting customers wait along time before taking order. I hope things are not changing.“

“Enjoyed the Christmas pop-up, very festive and the food is fantastic!“

“We happened upon this restaurant during a visit from New England. It was the best meal we had in Chicago. The restaurant is fabulous! We had delicious soup with incredible warm rolls, salad and 4 different amazing entrees. The restaurant has great windows to enjoy natural light and is quiet enough to have a conversation. All this with white tablecloths and a reasonable price.“

“Great happy hour daily 5-6pm The burgers are so good !! Always fun“

“Had such a great time here after a long day of exploring this past Saturday! My two bartenders were great and suggested some good sojus for a better Korean experience! I think their names were Lizzy and Ariana but i did have a bit of Soju and beer 😂 The food was also incredible! I can’t recommend the japchae enough! If ever I’m back in Chicago I’ll make sure to come by again and maybe even sing that time around!“

“Had my birthday dinner 🍽 there. Great place. Milwaukee, WI“

“The food was great. The wait staff was courteous and professional.“

“I awoke this morning, filled with regret and resentment. I nearly stayed under my supple, cozy sheets. Yet, I prevailed. I stumbled upon this Elegant establishment. I needed something greasy and practical for a hangover. I also needed to watch the Minnesota gophers beat up Rutgers (do they even have a mascot)? I ordered the double smash burger, and went to work. The service was quick, very quick, which made me believe the burger would be subpar. My first bite awoke me. I was so back. Every following taste left me with childlike joy, much like a young Jack Slunecka frolicking through the South Dakota prairies. I can not recommend this establishment more. Thank you Parlay, not only for giving me strength. But, giving me the motivation to carry on, and make the world a better place. I Love you so so much.“

“Great view and fun brunch spot for family and friends! Margaritas were great and def recommend the burrito“

“Very nice and friendly bartenders. They are very good at making any kind of drinks.“

“Loved the atmosphere the drinks and especially the entertainers!!!“

“The staff was great. As a fellow mixologist, I appreciated the work that went into the bitters and mixers. The spirit list was great and expansive. We had a nice time there. The only thing I would suggest would be to not have the QR Code funnel through Canva to get to the menu or website as Canva is loaded on my phone and it had to bypass my account to get to your listing.“

“I love this place! We were there on 5/29/22 and Wes was wonderful as well as the drinks!“