50 Best Cocktail Bars near Evanston

“The owner Jeremy is a true artisan. He's a guy from the industry who is experimenting and loving his life. This place is creative, wholesome, organic, and real. Amazing atmosphere for a date, getting together with friends, or just to hang.“

“Our server was Trey!! I had the smash burger and a margarita! Everything was so delicious! I recommend this place to anyone! It is a Mexican spot so getting a burger was sorta strange but once I read the beef was mixed with Chorizo I was sold and just had to try it. It didn’t disappoint. The Guacamole/ salsa and chips were as very tasty! A must try“

“I will drive across the state for the fries with garlic aioli. Yummy!!“

“Delicious food and awesome atmosphere and staff!“

“Good, service, atmosphere! Just the best!“

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

“Jacob was an amazing server. We loved the food (Thai shrimp and charcuterie) and drinks (Autumnal Shift and Karma Chameleon) We will definitely return for another Karma Chameleon.“

“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.“

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

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

“Absolutely LOVED loved loved The Meadowlark. We came for cocktails with friends on Wednesday night before our 7pm dinner reservation. Upon check in, the hostess escorted us to four seats at the corner of the bar. The bar itself is the most cozy and feels like being at a friend’s house if that friend had a bar in their living room. The bartender was incredibly personable as well as being knowledgeable about the various cocktails on the menu. Before a round of classic cocktails we had to try some of their specialties. The pool party, field trip and pizza party were all remarkably good and interesting without being cloying or sweet. If I lived in Chicago, I would be frequenting this bar on the regular.“

“Great food and interesting menu to say the least. 10/10 would eat and drink again!“

“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.“

“I love the diversity of the people who come here. Just an amazing atmosphere of unique individuals that bring so much to the place whenever I'm here. And some of the best bartenders in the city!“

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

“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“

“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.“

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

“I like Whiskey Girl! We can watch the WNBA and Unrivaled there with the sound ON. The food is good, and the folks who work there are very sweet. One person was particularly welcoming to us, we later found out that was the owner!

Parking: there is a lot in the back with a few free spaces if you can get there early!“

“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 variety and unique flavors. Great vibe.“

“You won’t ever get a watered down drink from Take Flight!

My wife and I have had tons of mini-dates here (I suggest Village Inn Pizza next door), we’ve shown up for game nights, and on weeknights I’ve gone solo just to have a few drink and get some work done too.

Whatever the occasion, if you’re looking for quality drinks and a comfortable place to sit for a while, this is it!

Also, you should order their pretzels.“

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

“Delicious cocktails:) I will definitely go back!“

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

“On the evening of July 5 my wife and I tried Avaspi on Belmont Avenue in Lakeview for the first time. It will not be the last! I love lamb and am quite particular as to how is it prepared. The “lamb delight” menu item was the best lamb I have ever had in a restaurant: tender, succulent, and prepared to perfection. The side salad accompanying it was not your ordinary side salad! My wife and I both enjoyed the Mixed Meze appetizer plate. Each of the five items was quite good but the muhammara was to die for. We ended our meal with tea, baklava and kubralice. The décor and ambience were refreshing and relaxing, and the service was outstanding. The pricing was very reasonable. Please give it a try. We do not think you will be disappointed.“

“We stopped in Alma in the evening for a few rounds of drinks after dinner. We've been here a few times before and always seem to like it. The drinks and wine options are pretty good. There's a ton of space which we like too. The service was lackluster though. We sat for awhile before our server came by; he eventually came over and took our drink order but wasn't that friendly. We had to flag him down for our other rounds. The ambience of the space itself is pretty good, but the music was just a little too loud for a hotel bar. We'll go back again, but there is room for improvements.“

“Just that you will have an awesome time!“

“Sparrow has a very cool, speakeasy vibe. It's much more spacious inside than I expected. The cocktail selection is great, certainly more rum-forward. I was happy to see they also have a wide selection of global rum brands as part of their menu. Overall, great experience!“

“Love the low key environment and drinks was 🔥🔥“

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

“Great food and a local gem!!! We ate out on the patio and had a lovely meal“

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

“This family operated eatery was a great place to meet friends for quiet conservation. It would be a great date place as well. They will customize your order on request (one of our gang was. It about cilantro 🙄), a fresh mint herbal tea, and lechon (pork) with rice and plantains was mixed and matched for us. My arroz con pollo was delivered late as a chicken paella but very tasty nonetheless. They did not charge due to late arrival. The only weak spot was the Cuban sandwich - just not enough meat. So very friendly and informal…and almost a five star. We will be back!“

“Elena, ryne, Matt. The staff at the pines room have an amazing vibe. The restaurant is small but that's the appeal. It's an amazing place to hang out and couldn't be a better spot as a regular bar. The drinks are very well made and the staff is very attentive and personable. 100% recommend to check out.“

“White Sox Bar!!!!!!!!😂!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! N n n n n n“

“The food was fresh, authentic and good! 😋🤤👏 My chews were in rhythmic to the music as my mind thoughts were transported to this beautiful island we call Boriquen. 🏝️😌✨ I'd like to see more of us employed in this establishment. That would have made it just right. 💯🙌🇵🇷 #PuertoRico“

“Pretty space, intimate and friendly staff.“

“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.“

“The place is the best for chill vibes. We come here on Fridays and Saturdays when we want to have great cocktails and talk to each other.Aaron and the rest of the team are great. If you like Gin, Whiskey, or Vodka come here as soon as possible!“

“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.“

“We understand why it’s named Gretel… if you’re wondering where Hansel is, he starved to death waiting for his burger. To be fair, it’s one of the best burgers you can get in Chicago BUT you should not come here if you have any other plans that evening. It took 30 minutes longer to be seated than they initially told us (over an hour and a half total). Once we were seated, pretty sure the waiter forgot about us at our table, but it didn’t really matter because the vibes were high 👌🏼 The drinks were great, but consider bringing your own because you’ll grow a five o’clock shadow waiting for your next round. The host, Jonah, was the shining star of the evening and was truly hilarious. But our waitress kept trying to argue that “well” and “well done” were different levels of doneness, so that was annoying (and slightly concerning). Overall, the food was phenomenal, but it was a very slow experience - the antithesis of “fast” food.“

“Food are great And good drinks too“

“I first want to note that I went when this venue was presenting miseltoe the pop-up bar. This place was a lot of fun to go to, and the staff that I interacted with was very kind, and we had a few good conversations with them. The drinks that I had were simply amazing, especially the gingerbread milk punch. While we didn't order really any food, the things that we did have were also equally as good, especially the cheese curds.“

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

“I had the mac and cheese with the steak on top absolutely divine🤍“

“Good food (I had the muscles which were awesome and split elotes casserole with friends), very nice service and it was a great place to catch up with some girlfriends as it was comfortable and quiet (though we were there on a Sunday night and it was pretty dead). They had some good happy hour drink specials. Love the pink and green decor, velvet chairs and holiday decorations.“

“Kennedy Rooftop is a nice local spot with a great view of the skyline! Check out their happy hour menu! The bartender made some really good drinks, and there’s both indoor and outdoor seating.“

“Great food/drinks Great service Great prices We will be back.“

“Great for private events! Very accommodating, kind and attentive staff, delicious brunch buffet option! Recommend strongly. We hosted my sister’s bridal shower here, and it was perfect!“