Chicago people - Places to stop

[Tony]

Howdy All:

I trust you are doing well.

Any thoughts on must stop places for Chicago for great cocktails? I have found a few places-

The Violet Hour - http://theviolethour.com/

Barrelhouse Flat- http://barrelhouseflat.com/drinks

The Aviary- http://theaviary.com/

Appreciate any thoughts.

Best regards, Tony

[luther.r]

The Whistler

Longman & Eagle

Maria's in Bridgeport

[Tony]

The Whistler

Longman & Eagle

Maria's in Bridgeport

Thank you- all three look good. Should be a great long weekend.

Best regards, Tony

[luther.r]

Also look at Scofflaw for a more gin-centric menu.

[cowdery]

Like all of those and will add:

Sable

The Fountainhead

The Drawing Room

Blackbird

[passthebourbon]

Try and hit the Publican

http://thepublicanrestaurant.com/

[Dolph Lundgren]

Longman has great food and delicious cocktails, but your wallet will feel a lot lighter afterwards...

For arguably the best bourbon selection in the world, try Delilah's (my favorite bar): http://www.delilahschicago.com/.

[T Comp]

Longman has great food and delicious cocktails, but your wallet will feel a lot lighter afterwards...

For arguably the best bourbon selection in the world, try Delilah's (my favorite bar): http://www.delilahschicago.com/.

Tony, As a SB visitor to Chicago you are only allowed at the above establishments with AaronWF as your tour guide and must be accompanied by the current Bourbonian of the Year, her better half :grin: and smokinjoe (the one who existed before he started posting in PR &C). Oh and wait, this all needs to be preceded by 4 hours of whiskey/whisky sampling at the South Loop Binny's too.

[passthebourbon]

Just reread this and figured I post to say that the Publican is just a really good restaurant, not so much for cocktails (although they have a great beer selection). If you plan on going to the Aviary, remember that you have to email them that day and await a response to see if you will be "accepted" via lottery. You can just show up, but they say emailing them is the only way to ensure a table. Also, the Twisted Spoke is a cool place to go. Vast beer and bourbon selection, and good bloody mary's as well.

[TradingBoiler]

Delilah's and Barrelhouse Flat are literally two blocks from each other on Lincoln Ave. You can definitely kill two birds with one stone and get two very different ambiances as well. The Violet Hour and Sable are great spots as well. I'd stear clear from Aviary and the Publican if you're just passing through. Save those for a special occassion just based on cost and time. Have a great time!

[AaronWF]

Tony, As a SB visitor to Chicago you are only allowed at the above establishments with AaronWF as your tour guide and must be accompanied by the current Bourbonian of the Year, her better half :grin: and smokinjoe (the one who existed before he started posting in PR &C). Oh and wait, this all needs to be preceded by 4 hours of whiskey/whisky sampling at the South Loop Binny's too.

This is the preferred method of Chicagoing, but it is not required. That said, Thad, and this may be an issue with the Binny's folks, but as far as I'm concerned, twice a year isn't enough! Then again, the rarity of the gatherings may ultimately be the key to the mystical Mary Poppins purse attributes of the magic cart(s)!

Tony, have a great time. Everything I could recommend for cocktails has already been covered, though I'll admit I don't get out much these days, and when I do it's usually beer that's on the menu.

[dbk]

I can't say enough good things about the Violet Hour or the Publican. Both made for spectacular nights in Chicago. You should also comb this thread for other great suggestions by fellow SBers.

[passthebourbon]

This article covers the city's best spots.

The #1 is a frozen orb filled with an old fashioned. Crazy stuff at the Aviary.

http://chicago.eater.com/archives/2012/08/21/20-of-the-most-iconic-drinks-in-chicago-1.php?no_mobile=true#pointmap

Edited August 23, 2012 by passthebourbon

[Tony]

Thanks everyone for all the great ideas.

I have a reservation for The Girl and The Goat and am looking forward to trying their barrel aged Manhattan - http://chicago.seriouseats.com/2011/04/barrel-aged-cocktails-girl-and-goat-stephanie-izard-how-to-barrel-age-cocktails.html

Everything else is up in the air so I will try and get to at least three nice bars and maybe The Publican for our other dinner. Although the couple we are going with really want to do the deep dish pizza thing.

Will report back, this probably will not be until October though. I just cannot bring myself to leave Michigan in the summer and am crossing my fingers for a room down in Bardstown in September.

Best regards, Tony

[HP12]

Don't pass up a chance to visit the Twisted Spoke. Great food, wonderful beer and whiskey selection! Worth the trip.

[trumpstylz]

Yeah, I've heard publican, fountainhead, and delilahs are all good. But don't forget Twisted spoke. They have a TON of stuff- including AH Hirsch and WT Tribute (but it will cost you). Whiskey is also supposedly half priced on "whiskey wednesday".

[michaelturtle1]

Not a whiskey stop but try and get to Hot Doug's for duck fat fries and a really good selection of sausages

[Happyhour24x7]

This is timely as I will also be in Chicago soon, albeit a fair amount of my time is occupied by a music festival. The shows stop at 10:00 though, so cocktails will be explored. Thanks all, even though I wasn't the requestor.

[Tony]

Ok, travel time is this weekend.

Looks like this so far-

Kuma's Corner for lunch on Friday- http://www.kumascorner.com/

Then off to shopping along the Magnificent Mile.

Drinks at Aviary- http://theaviary.com/

then dinner at The Publican- http://thepublicanrestaurant.com/

Saturday we will try Lou Malnati's for lunch - http://www.loumalnatis.com/

then off to the Field Museum and then I think either Delilah's or Twisted Spoke- http://www.delilahschicago.com/ or http://twistedspoke.com/

and then dinner at The Girl and The Goat- http://www.girlandthegoat.com/

Still need to figure out lunch or a brunch on Sunday and we may have our luggage.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Seems like a good plan, would like to get to Binny's but not sure if it will happen.

BTW we are staying in the Old Town area if that helps with other suggestions. Also I am guessing since there are four of us we are better off using cabs then the trains?

Best regards, Tony

[fishnbowljoe]

Chicago without a Binny's stop? :skep: C'mon Tony, you have to stop by at least one store. :grin:

[AaronWF]

Tony, that sounds like a great itinerary. Yeah, with four, might as well cab it - much easier. I definitely recommend getting to Kuma's as close to their opening hour as possible; by mid-afternoon, an hour+ wait time is standard.

As for brunch, check out the House of Blues to see if they still do their Gospel Brunch. Another place I like for less traditional fare is Takashi: it's a Japanese restaurant that serves some of the best fried chicken I've had.

[cowdery]

You should work in Longman & Eagle. That place is awesome.

[AaronWF]

You should work in Longman & Eagle. That place is awesome.

I meant to add that to my suggestions for brunch. The only problem with going there in the early hours oft he day is taking advantage of their whiskey. I can't condone AM drinking, but neither can I condone a visit to L&E without a [thorough] tour of their shelves.

[Tony]

Still here, but so far going well. The Aviary last night, Fun, then The Publican and finished up at Barrelhouse Flat. Looking forward to see how today goes.

Best regards, Tony

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[T Comp]

Still here, but so far going well. The Aviary last night, Fun, then The Publican and finished up at Barrelhouse Flat. Looking forward to see how today goes.

Best regards, Tony

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

And I hope you know Tony...living here...I'm jealous. Just don't get out to all the happening places much anymore...but you know I have a lot of whiskey bottles in boxes around the house...whose cost has a litte something to do with that :bigeyes: :grin:.