The best bars in West Loop (2024)

Kumiko has reconcepted to embody the Japanese concept of a dining bar where both the drinks and dishes are treated with equal weight and meant to be enjoyed side by side. Owner Julia Momose draws on her Japanese heritage to serve imported spirits and sake, plus enticing ingredients such asshiso-pickled umé, Japanese seven spice and green tea shōchū. There’s also a menu of delicately simple highballs as well as sake flights and small bites.

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When Grant Achatz does a co*cktail bar, it should go without saying that it's no ordinary co*cktail bar. At the Aviary, which opened in 2011, co*cktails receive the same innovative treatment from beverage director Micah Melton as the food at Next or Alinea. Order drinks a la carte, choose from a three-course co*cktail progressive co*cktail tasting or indulge in a pairing menu featuring five of the bar’s most popular co*cktails matched with bites.

There are several different drinking experiences you can have at the Hoxton hotel, but none is better than basem*nt bar Lazy Bird. When your eyes adjust to the dimly lit room, page through the menu of 52 classic co*cktails that have been refined and perfected for your drinking pleasure. Start with the Negroni and work your way up to the Grasshopper, which is crafted with oat milk and tastes like a Thin Mint cookie in liquid form.

Lone Wolf is the unofficial waitlist bar of the West Loop. Whether you're waiting for your table at Au Cheval or Girl & the Goat, this neighborhood tavern is happy to whet your whistle with delicious co*cktails and plenty of craft beer (plus, they nearly always have Three Floyds Zombie Dust on tap). If you decide that your reservation isn't worth the wait, you can always fill up on tamales provided by the Tamale Guy.

Though it dubs itself "just a bar," there's way more to Moneygun than meets the eye. Located on the east side of the Kennedy Expressway, this West Loop spot specializes in classic co*cktails—41 to be exact. Sip sidecars, cosmopolitans, mojitos, negronis and martinis for $15 each, which is a steal when you consider the bar team is using house-made syrups, sodas and elixirs to craft perfectly balanced sippers. Additional perks: old-school hip hop beats, inventive plates from pop-up FAFO,including an unforgettableMalört grilled cheese, decadent bacon fat popcorn and Chicago style char dog bao buns. What's not to love?

Ever, one of the most luxurious restaurants in Chicago, expanded its footprint in 2022 with the opening of an upscale co*cktail bar right next door. Dubbed After, the chic and futuristic-looking lounge provides a new place for Chicagoans to imbibe rare and vintage spirits plus expertly crafted mixed drinks. You’ll have plenty of high-end options to drop your money on, including Japanese whiskies, and scotch and Armagnac flights. And if you’d like some light bites to accompany the drinking, there are premium delicacies likeduck wings and caviar flights, too.

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A bistro in France it ain’t, but curiously enough, this tidy, dark dive takes a few traditions from across the Atlantic. The bartender—usually a skinny, older gentleman or at least some variation on the theme—typically dresses in an immaculately crisp white button-down, and you can buy hard-boiled eggs (seriously). Oh, and it's one of the only remaining bars in Chicago that still allows patrons to light up inside (pesky smoking ban be damned!).

Although it's one of the newest additions to the Fulton Market strip, Bisous has already proven itself to be a local favorite and heavy hitter. The Parisian-themed co*cktail bar transports you to the swanky days of yesteryear, withlibations to match. There's an entire subsection of drinkspaying homage to the classic martini, but respectable signatures like the saffron-based almost RICH & almost FAMOUS or Agricole Daiquiri are rave-worthy as well. The snack menu is quite modest so make sure to grab some grub beforeheading over to Bisous for the perfect nightcap.

There’s no denying the cool factor of walking through a barbershop to reach a secret backroom bar. Blind Barber, with outposts in L.A., NYC, Philadelphia and Nashville, landed in Chicago in 2017, offering trims and cuts by day and a raucous good time by night. Though uncomfortably packed on Saturday evenings, the place is ideal for big groups, which are seated at reserved tables along the perimeter of the room (just be sure to make a reservation). The house co*cktails are phenomenally balanced, and the brioche grilled cheese sandwich with a side of crab rangoon make for excellent drunk food.

Boka Restaurant Group co-founder Rob Katz and business partner Matt Ruder have transformed the space that once housed Emmit’s Irish Pub into an elegant co*cktail lounge. Designed by Kehoe Designs, The Pearl Club is sophisticated yet cozy, sporting floor-to-ceiling velvet drapes, rich wooden tones, a restored grand bar and other artful touches.You'll imbibeunique riffs on classic libations and when you need a snack, the kitchen turns out complementary bites like pigs in a blanket and double crunch chicken nuggets.

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CH is one of Chicago's most innovative distilleries, producing everything from vodka and gin to Malört and aquavit. Stop by for mixology classes and CH's finest flight tastings. Just here to drink? Sip seasonal co*cktails like Baby Sharks, a blend of vodka, strawberry, red bell pepper and serano, alongside creativeofferings like a Malört white negroni.

Travel back in time at this wine and whiskey bar, with a 2,500-square-foot lounge decked out with vintage chandeliers and couches plus a baby grand piano where you’ll find musicians playing from 8pm–11pm, Wednesdaythrough Saturday. As the name implies, the menu is focused on wine and whiskey, offering an extensive selection of bubbly plus bottles of rare bourbon. Pair your drink with a plate of cheese and charcuterie or indulge in an eight-ounce ribeye with truffledemi sauce.

If it's wine and charcuterie you crave, let the Press Room be your beacon. This subterranean wine bar is located beneath West Loop bed and breakfast the Publishing House, but you don’t have to be a guest to drop by. Expect interesting, globe-trotting pours available by the glass and bottle, a small co*cktail list and a menu of small plates that shouldn't be missed. If you want to take the guesswork out of your visit, ask the friendly staff to point you toward a delicious red and order the chocolatetart with fig, hazelnut and coconut.The speakeasy alsooffers $1 oysters and $8 old fashioneds and martinis during happy hour from 4pm-6pm Tuesday through Thursday.

Estereo's Fulton Market outpost has quickly become a fan favorite of the neighborhood. Although not as triangular in layout as the Logan Square original, the bar still boasts the same glimmery disco ball reflecting shimmers across the room. You can find the same great co*cktails (try the hibiscus-based Mezcal) and Latin, funk and jazz vinyls spinning on the sound system. It's not just an after-dark spot, either—grab Four Letter Word coffee every day until 1pm.

Haymarket Brewing opened in 2010 in Haymarket Square, the site of an 1886 labor demonstration and bombing. The owners embrace history with brews like theChicago Tavern Beer lagerand Harold's '83 Honey Ale, which is named after the city's first black mayor. Haymarket regularly works with other local breweries on collaborative beers—you can enjoy the latest optionsalongside a rotating selection dry-aged burgersor a 14-inch pizza topped with oyster mushrooms, garlic and Calabrian chili oil.

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Situated on the mezzanine level of Soho House Chicago, Fox Bar is modeled after an English pub and serves up Chicago-themed drinks and seasonal craft co*cktails like the Mezcal Offering #6, a blend of green chile, creme de cacao and mole bitters. Swing by during the weekend to hear DJs spin records while you explore the menu.

Goose Island may have a new riverfrontbrewpub at the Salt Shed, but the brewery's Fulton Market facility isn't just an afterthought. Beer nerds flock to the sleek taproom, where you'll find Goose flagship creations as well as exclusive releases and hard-to-find vintage selections (including the sought-after Bourbon County Stout). Book a weekend tour to see the ins and outs of the operation orenjoy the weather on the brewery’s spacious patio.

Home of Burnt City Brewing, Around the Bend Beer Co. Twisted Hippo and more, this former warehouse brings a multitude of craft beer options to the West Loop. Guests recieve a card upon entering that allows them to pour their own beers (charged by the ounce) at different stations throughout the bright and airy brewpub, one for each of the breweries housed in District Brew Yards and a rotating "Fourth Wall" where you'll find guests taps. In the back of the room, there's a cafeteria-style counter where you can order brisket, chicken, pork and other smoked meats, as well as a variety of sides, from Lillie's Q. With dozens of different beers to try—not to mention the ability to try only as much as you want of each selection—the Brew Yards isa great spot to get acquainted with unfamiliar beer styles.

Specializing in sausage, bacon and beer (seriously, what's not to love?), Kaiser Tiger attracts crowds all year, thanks in part to its spacious patio back. Come summertime, the space is filled with picnic tables and string lights; when winter rolls around, the outdoor area is equipped with an ice-curling rink and heaters. No matter the weather, grab a Chicago-made beer and head outside.

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This barfrom DineAmic Hospitality boastsa 4,000-square-foot second-floor space decked out with Christmas lights, glitter-tufted booths and vintage chandeliers plus a suspended DJ booth and an illuminated gold sequin wall. Both of the spot’s dog-friendly patios are decorated with tropical plants and West Coast kitsch to provide a chill space for sipping an Aperol Spritz and sharing craveable bites like crispy mozzarella sticks and Nashville hot chicken tenders. Get the party going with a throwback shot like a Flaming Dr. Pepper.

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Need something to do while you drink? Then head to the Fulton Market outpost of retro arcade bar Emporium, where you’ll find a host of craft beers to try and games to play. Engage in some friendly competition with classics including NBA Jam and Mortal Kombat, or show off your skills in a round of billiards. You’ll feel like a kid all over again.

Neapolitan pizza, draft beer and a TouchTunes jukebox serve as the inspiration for PB&J’s name, though the menu also features several types of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Chill on the patio while sipping a frozen co*cktail or sharing a bucket of White Claws. Draft beer and houserosé and proseccoare half price from 3pm–5pmMonday through Friday,and5pm–7pm on Mondaysis doggy date night,when you can enjoy half-price beer, wine or Tito's mule while your poochgets a free pup-wich.

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