This used to be the go-to local bar to blow off steam after a tough day at work. The clientele is…read morecomprised of a really cool mix of local south- siders (read: White Sox fans!) and UChicago staff/students. There is an epic wall mural that features different aspects of the city, including a huge Barack Obama head. As I said: epic. The bar is separated into two distinct parts, divided by a counter/tables in the center (you have to walk all the way around if you want to switch sides or move at the tables). On one side is the bar and a few TVs to watch the games, giving it a louder sports bar kind of vibe. On the other side there are a bunch of tables--almost like picnic tables. It feels very communal and laid-back. It's a place you can sip on drinks and easily spend time with a group of friends. The Cove is very group-friendly. My favorite part? My friend brings his dog there and it's no problem. Is this bar a dive? Yes. Do I care? No. Do I actually love it? Absolutely. Best bar on the area, hands down.

The cove is a great little dive bar in the Hyde park neighborhood. A wide range of patrons from…read morelocals to UChicago students you will see in here. A laid back bar with friendly staff with great service. The drinks are mixed well and you can typically find a seat in the bar pretty easily.

Every thing is cool but the volume of the music TURN IT DOWN A BIT. Cant hear yourself think.read more

Super expensive drinks AND the barmaids don't give you your change back, you have to ask for it,…read morenever heard BS like this. Ambiance is good but limited seating on crowded nights...won't be back.

Speakeasy on the second floor of recently renovated Niso. Very warm vibe with a Greek decor except…read morefor a misplaced disco ball . I went for a night cap after dinner at Komo last night and the 'mixologist' was a lot of fun to chat with. They also have a 'secret menu' but I'll leave the rest of the details on this for you to go experience it. I asked for a scotch sprit forward drink with some smoke to it and was presented an Ardbeg laced with some green chartreuse and it was excellent. The chartreuse was a substitute to using absinthe which I don't enjoy. Overall a great experience and a cool spot to hang out.

Located in Nisos, The Lounge is one of 3 spaces and this one is their cocktail lounge! What a…read morebeautiful spot! However, come here only for the vibes and your IG pics because that's all there is to this place. The ambiance is very moody and sexy which I love however, I felt like I was sitting in seating meant for toddlers! It seemed like all the seats were super low to the ground and i'm pretty short so not sure how the taller folks feel. It felt super awkward to sit in the space. Our drinks tasted like pure perfume so it was disappointing considering they were almost $20. I'll be skipping out on the lounge and will only enjoy the restaurant spaces in the future. Prime Bar's bar on the first floor is 100x better if you're looking for a good drink and aren't too invested in vibes.

I added a photo and was surprised to see I've never reviewed this popular cocktail spot. I've been…read morea handful of times over the years, as it's a solid standby in River North. Tucked away in the Acme hotel, the vibe is loungey with plenty of different types of seating. We came around midnight on a Friday and it was packed but we managed to find a cozy corner. For drinks, I've always enjoyed their "Dealer's Choice", which is a fun novelty. However, on my latest visit I decided to try the Frijolito ($18), which was basically a spin on an espresso martini but with mezcal. Wow! Perfectly balanced, unique, and delicious. For food, they offer some "bites" but I've not tried them. Our server was fine, nothing special. I can't remember ever having bad service here.

The Berkshire room is the Acme hotel's speak easy, but man, the drinks were rough! My Hermosa was…read morehonestly one of the worst drinks I've ever had! It tasted like a 5 year old got into their parents' liquor cabinet and just randomly poured whatever cheap liquor was in there, and mixed it with water! The ambiance was nice. Lightly lit, and easy on the eyes, but our server was inattentive and unfriendly, which made the drink that much more unappealing! Hopefully you have better luck than me here!

We swung by best bar for a few drinks before heading to radius. It was kinda crowded in a. Friday…read morenight but we eventually got some place to sit at the bar. The service was a bit slow since there were only 2 bartenders we ordered a thyme cocktail and some espresso martinis. The drinks were decent. The prices were reasonable too. It was not too loud but the atmosphere was lively since it was a Friday night. The bar was a bit smelly though, especially cz they were about to close. Not sure if I will be back but overall, did have a decent experience.

Uncoordinated workers and understaffed bar. Drink was very mid and don't even think it was a full…read moredrink's worth of liquid in my glass. Finished it in 3 sips, no exaggeration.

Moneygun was a great experience. No cover, great music (I think it was mostly EDM), might be a…read morelittle loud for some people, but I really enjoyed it; place had a great vibe. Lots of people (Sat night starting @ 10p), seats a little hard to come by. Drinks were very good, strong but not nuts. Prices were average for Chicago. Bartenders were very cool. The main guy stayed in the center of the bar all night and he had a great attitude; smiled all the time and was cool all night! Would go back any night and recommend to all looking for a fantastic bar.

I've been to MoneyGun twice now, and I keep going back for one reason...the buffalo taquitos. My…read moregoodness...they are so delicious. You only get two per order, but they're so good you won't mind ordering another round. They do have other flavors, but at this point, the buffalo ones are a must every time. The drinks are also really good and a little different from most places. They put thought into their cocktails, sometimes using things like pure cane sugar and unique combinations that still taste great. Definitely recommend Brandon as a bartender...he did his thing. The vibe is dark and moody, which I love, and they even ring a little bell at the bar. Right next door is Sunnygun, their brighter, brunch style spot, which makes for a cool night to day contrast, even though I haven't tried it yet. I've always sat at the bar, and service has been great. MoneyGun has become one of our go to bars, and we'll definitely be back.

The Pearl Club is one of the coolest, swankiest locations in the city! I had a milestone birthday…read moreparty there last week and everything was perfect! The food was top notch, the drinks were mixology level, the staff (including my event planner - Taylor) were all awesome. I'm a forever customer.

Visited this bar as part of a stop on a St Patrick's Day trolley bar crawl last weekend. We spent…read moreabout an hour there, and several things raised concerns. 1. My sister missed a step on their staircase because the bar is very dimly lit. The manager witnessed this misstep and immediately asked her to leave, claiming she was "over served." She had yet to purchase a drink at this bar because she spent the first 30+ minutes waiting in line for the women's restroom. 2. The women's restroom line was extremely long, and several women were aggressively using the men's restroom instead. One of my guy friends was in a stall and had women banging on the door and yelling that he was taking too long. 3. I saw a woman walk in with a full backpack hidden under her coat. When security asked what was in it, she said "chips," and they allowed her in without inspecting the bag. That felt concerning from a safety standpoint. 4. The manager, Calvin, was very dismissive and cold when I tried to have a conversation with him about the events surrounding my sister's dismissal. He continued to insist she was over served and suggested she wait outside in the "nice weather." It was 30° and snowing. Figuring this conversation was going no where, I began chatting with one of the hostesses. I was asking for her recommendations where my group should go next in the area. During this convo I used an adjective that rhymes with duck and the manager, who was listening in, told me I had to leave because he claimed I was "swearing at his staff." No one was swearing at anybody? 5. Added this one last minute, after reading the owner's response to a previous review from another member of my group. I question the validity of his reply to save face. I personally went down to the women's restroom moments before I left, and waited in line with two female staff members who did not mention any closure. Additionally, we were told that The Pearl Club was closed to the public and reserved exclusively for our event. We were on one of the morning trolleys and there were two afternoon trolleys that were scheduled for 4pm and 6pm. Why would the bathrooms be closed to prepare for the public around 3/30pm when there was still multiple trolleys scheduled for the afternoon? It's unfortunate because the space itself is cute and intimate, and the hostesses and wait staff we interacted with were kind. However, the management response and overall experience make it unlikely I would return. I understand bars get busy during St. Patrick's Day weekend, but basic safety, communication, and professionalism should still apply.

Such a fun vibe and a great crowd! I went in on a Sunday evening and it was decently packed. The…read morebar itself is dimly lit and moody. There's plenty of booth seating, as well as tall chairs at the bar. Once it was karaoke hour, I put myself on the list and started singing. Everybody is fun about it, whether the performer is conventionally a great singer or not, and I absolutely love it! There was even a group of 4+ girls who sang together on stage, and the energy was so infectious, it got the whole bar yelling the lyrics along with them. Would highly recommend!

Stopped in with friends and ended up having a much better night than we expected. The place has…read morethis fun mix of old-school charm and lively energy, and it really comes alive once the crowd settles in. What surprised me most was how welcoming the atmosphere felt -- people were cheering each other on during karaoke, and it created this upbeat, easygoing vibe that made the night even better. Drinks were well-made, the music kept the room energized, and there was always something going on that pulled everyone into the moment. Even with the place getting busier later in the night, the staff stayed attentive and kept everything running smoothly without making anyone feel rushed. I also loved how organized the karaoke setup was. Being able to add songs without waiting around made the experience feel seamless, and it helped keep the energy flowing. It's the kind of spot where you can unwind, have a laugh, grab something tasty, and forget about your week for a while. All in all, it turned out to be one of those unexpectedly great nights out. I'd absolutely come back and recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, relaxed place to hang out and enjoy some good music and good company.

Tuesday night, the place says it closes at a certain yet, they forced last call on us at like 9:30…read moreand i overheard the manager rushing other people out too. Talked to some of the guests that were turned away and apparently the manager had a bad attitude, being dismissive. Really nice cocktails though.

Gorgeous space!!! It's very dark and moody, so great for a date night. Service is really friendly…read moreand there are a few areas where you can get seated the actual bar. There are three booths near the bar as well as a little back room with more seating. The food is also incredible which is not shocking because it is an affiliated with Curtis Duffy. The best bites of the night were the duck and hamachi crudo. The drinks were also incredible and very unique. We ordered the bell pepper daiquiri, and the mushroom penicillin. They both had very unique flavors. The daiquiri actually tasted like a bell pepper in the best way possible and the mushrooms has a great flavor. Would definitely come back!

The Chicago food tour commences... First stop, drinks at Bisous! This cocktail bar was listed no…read more 39 on the top 50 bars in North America for 2025. It was no wonder when we arrived that there was a line out the door. We waited around 45 minutes, and the bouncer was a really nice fellow who kept track of the numbers and people at the door. Upon entering, we were immersed in a dimly lit retro-style lounge. It was quite loud inside and packed as we walked to our seats. The server was great at taking our orders and offering suggestions. I opted for the French 75, which featured sparkling wine and mixed gin, brandies, and citrus. The drink was delicious, but STRONG. I don't know what they put in the cocktails in America, but I am always finished after one drink. Needless to say, we were all struggling to finish our own drinks. My favourite touch was the coasters, I ended up keeping all of them so that I can reuse them at my galentines event next year. The 'bisous' with the kiss on the other side is a perfect touch! I think the drinks are fairly priced for USD. I would love to return someday to try other drinks and bar bites, and also try their sister bar, Sparrow.

My boyfriend and I were visiting Chicago (from Las Vegas) 2 weeks ago, and were very excited to…read morecheck out Bisous, as it looked nice inside and had good reviews. Imagine my shock when we didn't even make it past the bouncer because he was so rude, AS OTHER RECENT REVIEWS HAVE MENTIONED AS WELL! We had dinner nearby and walked to Bisous after, and saw there was a line of 5 or 6 people outside. We expected this as we knew Bisous is a first come, first serve bar. We were curious what the wait time would look like, so we approached the front door to ask a host or employee inside (we assumed there'd be a desk with an employee working it who could give us a wait time). We had no problem waiting, just wanted to see how long they estimated it would be! Before we could even fully open the door, the bouncer swung the door open from the other side and hit me with the door. I stumbled back a few steps and he looked at us and said, and I quote, "What do you want?". I laughed at first because I thought he was joking and putting on a tough guy act. He was not. We quickly explained we just wanted to see what the wait time was, and he said "don't you see there's a line outside?" We said yes, and explained we just wanted to know a rough estimated wait time. He just blankly stared at us while ushering us out. Both my boyfriend and I have worked in customer-service roles for a very, very long time. This encounter was not only extremely rude and unprofessional, but he also hit me hard enough with the door to send me stumbling back, and then said nothing about it and continued to address us in a tone that was nothing less than annoyed and irritated. We didn't end up going inside because that encounter left such a bad taste in our mouths. I don't believe in spending my money at establishments that don't treat their customers with the bare minimum respect they deserve! Bummed we didn't get to experience it, as I'm sure it was lovely inside and I can only hope the rest of the employees were much more kind and accommodating, or at least able to answer a simple question. Fire your "bouncer" (??) and hire someone with some basic customer service and communication skills!!