Gorgeous curved wooden bar, excellent cocktails. Cool staff, laid back vibes. Decent music,…read moreyou'll hear Bowie if you're lucky. Mostly high tops, but some lounge furniture in the back. Wheelchair accessible bathroom.

The Getaway is a bona fide gem if ever I've seen one! With fantastic drinks at great prices, this…read moreis a spot you don't want to miss. It's pretty unassuming on the outside and easy to miss if you're not looking for it. The vibe kind of sits somewhere in between a dive bar and cocktail lounge. Definitely unique and a great lowkey spot to unwind either with friends or solo. They have a fantastic happy hour on weekdays with half off all drinks. The menu is a quality over quantity situation, featuring a pretty small but super interesting and unique selection. On this visit, I tried the cocorococonut cocktail, which had a very interesting blend of coconut, lemongrass, and lychee. It was super refreshing, not at all too sweet, and aesthetically very pretty. I wish I could've tried more of the menu, but I'll just say that the pours are generous! Overall, I had a great experience and highly recommend paying a stop!

In honor of Women's History Month I would like to update my review of Nobody's Darling to state…read morethat the lovely owners of this fine establishment are still doing their thing. Nobody's Darling is not just to have a chat and cocktail, they offer quite a few events for folks to attend. Below are a few examples of the swinging times you can have there. In 2026 I am so happy that they are still in business and thriving. The vibe is still cool, the menu for the cocktails is still exciting and the crowd is eclectic. Wine Down Wednesday Unwind midweek with Happy Hour 5-7pm $7 glasses of wine $20 bottles Thursday: Pitch Your Peeps Help your friend find love (or vibes). Pitch them to the room - all relationship styles welcome. Feel Good Fridayz w/ DJ All The Way Kay Start the weekend right! Happy Hour 5-7pm DJ Kay live 8-11pm Sunday Karaoke All Day Happy Hour starting at 2pm Karaoke 5pm-8pm Sip.Sing. Repeat. Empanadas by De Luna Empanada 7pm-10pm DJ Gloria on the decks Cocktails flowing all night Friday, March 20 DJ Set 8-11PM

Great drinks and no douchy "bro" energy to be found anywhere. I love this bar. The staff is so…read morefriendly and the vibe of the entire experience was very appealing. It's thought of as a gay bar and clearly that's a lot of the clientele, but all are welcome. Cocktails are delicious and run about $15 each. Pretty standard pricing. They have a good selection of n/a drinks and a menu for lower alcohol cocktails as well. Great neighborhood bar

This bar is so adorable! The name alone drew me in lol. We got there right when they opened at 4pm…read more The bartender was really friendly and asked us about our plans for the day. We ordered a Saturn and a Hemingway Daiquiri. Both were sweet, refreshing, and delicious! Of course we had to order the jello shots that come with a little candy heart on top. I'm already planning my next visit here to attend the Lover's Lounge event.

If I'd just stopped in for a drink or two, we would be fine. My rating would be a three or a four,…read moreand 'have a nice day.' Alas, my catchphrase being "I eat and I know things" means ordering food is a given. That was a mistake, but not as bad as whoever made the decisions behind the Heartbreaker Burger. Let me start with the good. I started with the M&M shot, a simple yet tasty, and not face-melting combo of mescal and Montenegro. I drink spirits neat, so YMMV, but something I wouldn't mind ordering again. Next, I tried the Vieux Carre: a solidly executed classic with balanced flavors and spirit-forward without going overboard. While the bevvies are not mind-blowing, the prices are low - In the year of our Lord 2026, $12-13 for a cocktail in Chicago is almost unheard of outside of happy hour. The vibe is old-timey and retro. Loads of wood, exposed brick, and wallpaper that your great aunt probably had. There are a few game-heads on the walls, for I guess great uncle likes to hunt. There is also a piece of art on the walls that, feels almost like it can go in a museum, but not quite. Let's say this: gentlemen, I would advise against brining a date here, lest you be tempted to look a little too long. Alas, we've now arrived at the abomination that is the, perhaps aptly named, Heartbreaker burger. To start, it was wrapped in foil and tasted through and through as though it's been sitting under a heater for at least an hour. The lettuce within had time to wilt due to the heat, making it go from a positive addition, past neutral, and into negative. The patty missed the mark: In this case, Smasburger applies to the thinness, and not at all to a roasty, crispy, Maillard-y consistency. Between the thin piece of strongly favored meat, and bun a little too large and dense, all other ingredients lost their presence. Further, If felt the burger was so bready, I removed the top bun and turned it into a fork and knife affair. I'm all for burgers getting wider, rather than only so tall one can't open their jaw so far, but not like this. Hardly worth mentioning are the sides of Tater Tots and Queso. Both weren't heartbreaking, but at the same time, wholly unremarkable. Felt as though I could easily beat these with a quick stop at Aldi. I've no complaints about the service. Since I came right around opening, it was very quiet. Still, I was well-taken care of, and things came out relatively quickly. Final verdict: Sweethearts Bar makes inexpensive, solid classic cocktails in a mostly retro vibe. However, the alleged-smashburger left a bad taste in my mouth, literally and figuratively, spoiling the experience. Would return?: Probably not. There was nothing on the menu that I couldn't easily and cheaply recreate myself. Would recommend?: Also probably not. If you're looking to catch up with a group in a space without a TV, Sweethearts and its cheap drinks aren't a bad deal. For all other cases, I would not recommend.

They're back but as a bar only with no plans to have food at the moment, but the bartender said…read morethey're hoping that someone will take over the other half of the space and open a restaurant. They're using the front half of the original restaurant as a lounge. Nice to have them back where you can get drinks before watching a movie. And they still have bubbles, which makes me happy

Love, love love! I was here before they converted to a lounge and I can say that I really like the…read morequaint feeling, beautiful chairs and of course the DVD wall! Also I am not a fan of an old fashioned but I tried a sip and it was yummy! The service was great too! I will definitely be back!

Victor Bar is very cute!!…read more I was very impressed by the cocktails and the service from Caesar was phenomenal! Definitely will return!

We stopped by the Victor Bar after dinner on Saturday for our first visit. It is a small place with…read morea booth running the length of the bar and stools along the bar. We had to wait for a few minutes for a seat but got scored two seats at the bar. We tried several cocktails including a dealers choice one based on green chartreuse and one with mezcal, both of which showed off the bartenders skills. Highly recommend!!

We had such a great time at this cozy little bar. I planned to have one margarita but they were so…read moredelicious I had three margaritas. It's a good thing they also had excellent little snacks for fuel (I had the mixed nuts which were way better than what I was imagining and the amaaaazing goat cheese) and they had chill attentive service instead of being like a snooty cocktail bar vibe. Loved that.

This place is ADORABLE! The team was so kind and service excellent. The drinks were amazingly…read moredelicious. Great vibes while reading a book and waiting to meet a friend.

This is one of the best spots in the city. Came here last week on a date and it was basically…read moreperfect -- has a cool ambiance, relaxed vibe, good music and at the right volume, excellent wine and small plate selection, and the staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. I didn't get a chance to go to the patio outside, but I will definitely try it out next time. Special shoutout to the staff who recommended some amazing wines I would have otherwise never heard of.

Stopped into this wine bar on a rainy Sunday right when they opened with five of my friends. They…read morewere able to seat us immediately in the spacious corner booth. The ambiance is really nice without feeling too "stuffy". Bar was gorgeous and service was friendly and helpful, allowing my boyfriend to sample some wines before going in on some bottles. Prices were what you'd expect for a trendy natural wine bar. The complimentary corn nuts in the antique dish were a cute touch. The charcuterie board with mixed meat and cheese was really small though. Only three pieces of cheese for five people... it made it feel like an awkward fight over who'd get to try some. The gluten free crackers were appreciated though. We ended up ordering more food including the "party tray" which I would describe more as charcuterie nachos. We didn't really know what to expect with this one so we got the canned mussels but it really would've tasted better with the prosciutto instead. It included a whipped cheese, olives, and cornichons piled onto potato chips. Less of a tray and more of a nacho-style dish. If we return next time we're in town, I'd skip the food and focus more on the wine. Beyond that, it was a fun time!

Bartender Calen was truly the greatest! Was kind and efficient and did bits with us! so nice! COME…read moreTO THE NOOK!!

So... I'd parked my scooter on my way to Elixir, and couldn't help but notice The Nook as I was…read morewalking towards the entrance. After my drink next door, I would be remiss if I didn't stop in. What I got was one of the more unique and interesting cocktails I'd tried! It was the Sick Day, and while I don't command the English language or my palate enough to do it justice, I can tell you that it was definitely a great sipper. The absinthe mist, despite being just that, has a way of doing that. I want to give some credit to the service. While the bar was shorthanded at the time, the barman on duty did his very best as a one-man show. Can't fault them too much, someone calls out sick last minute, and that's that. However, if there is something I can hold against them it's the heat! I'm not sure why, but the upon coming in, the place was HOT! After settling in, it became more bearable, but this is the kind of thing that sometimes persuades me to leave before I order anything.

Mao bar definitely lives up to its name!…read more Mao in Thai means drunk...but don't worry if you aren't looking to get smashed you can most definitely still have a fab time in the neighborhood! This is located inside Immm Rice & Beyond. It use to be BYOB but since they've received their liquor license they have pumped up their drink options. I love the fun cocktails with the unique housemade infusions. My fave is the "Cool Water" with a smoky and spicy kick that leaves a slight tingle to your lips! They also have a really tasty mocktail called Pinky in Love with lovely fruit notes- as well as a CBD cocktail and a variety of fun southeast Asian fruit drinks like Longan. On Friday and Saturday the bar stays open later with a limited kitchen menu. Great spot to meet up with friends and chat the night away. Service is attentive and friendly. Street parking is available.

The ambiance at Mao Bar was very cute and welcoming. Bartender Leow was pretty fantastic , the…read moredrinks were very delicious and balanced. The sticky rice, the rice tasted like jasmine and it was mushier than regular sticky rice would be, I would've preferred extra coconut sauce on the side to pour over my dessert but I could've asked. Either way just had drinks and dessert, it was a nice experience.

This place is right off the Damen brown line stop. Down the block from Lawrence Ave. It used to be…read morea different restaurant a couple of years ago and it shut down, but a couple bought it and revamped the spot. It was three of us meeting for dinner and some drinks. My friend had white wine, hubby had an Espressotini, and I the watermelon-cucumber marg. We ordered the cauliflower ceviche, the Cauliflower wings, and the Brussels sprouts as appetizer. Then as an entree, my friend had the Jalisco Burger, hubby had the Salmon, and I a Salmon Caesar Salad. I personally loved the salad and the appetizers were great. Everyone else ate ALL their food, so I assume they also enjoyed it. The location was actually having an 80s night and there was a Dj and space for dancing. There were some people there dress for the themed night and it was just a great vibe. Talking with our friend and eating made us lose track of time and then it was time to leave but before we did, we met one of the owners who actually recommended I come by and visit. (Shoutout to Marcos ) He is the most warm and sunny person, and he was so grateful we actually came by. We had a shot and honestly I'd come back because of him. He told us a little bit about him, his family and about the restaurant backstory. I truly recommend you coming here, you will have a great time. Oh, and almost forgot, they have outside sitting, so you know it will be a great time when you just want to have an outside patio vibe with friends and some drinks. P.s. As you can tell, there are only two pictures. I was so, involved in the moment with my friend's stories and then the appetizers came and nothing else mattered. We all lost track of time and just enjoyed the vibe, the beautiful night, and time with friends, drinks, and food. Oh and 80s music.

I stopped by Monday since they were donating 15% of tabs to The Friendship Center food pantry. I'd…read morebeen meaning to come by since they so generously donated mac and cheese to them for the Thanksgiving meals for the hungry in our community. It's a nice place. Kind of a sports bar but seems a little nicer than your average storeys bar. Service was friendly and helpful. I got the vegetarian ceviche, and it was delicious! It was served with aioli and a healing serving of chips. I've never eaten seafood and been vegetarian for over 30 years, but my boyfriend had a taste and also thought it was good and said they got the right flavor profile. He got the burger and tots and said both were very good. I'll definitely be back!