Been meaning to try this spot for a while since my boyfriend lives right down the street. Definitely an interesting place... I like that it's quiet and we were able to have a conversation without having to yell to hear each other. The servers were also great - very friendly and quick to take our order and bring our drinks. The overall ambiance is that of a basement/"speakeasy" type bar, which is cool but the prices do not reflect this. I will say the cocktails were incredibly expensive for the vibe of the place. I get we're in River North, but it's hard to justify paying for a $17 cocktail downtown when I could get the same vibe in Lakeview and pay $7 less. Overall, cool spot if you're looking for somewhere chill to end or start the night with a small group, but probably won't be back because of the cocktail prices. read more

Watershed - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great place! Has a casual feel with great decor Homey, comfortable, but elegant at the same time. Great spirits available. Terrific service, comfy seating. Came on a non-busy late Wednesday evening. Ordered cocktails off-menu and both were made no problem. Will love to come again with friends! Only downfall was that the evening we came there must have been a plumbing issue, it was a bit odorous, especially in the ladies room. read more

Watershed - At the bar - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good drinks, good food. Nice atmosphere -- dark & cozy. Service was good. Nothing was bad about it, but for the price, it didn't blow me away. A couple of other reviews mention that it's quiet, which was shocking for me to read because my only complaint is that it was SO loud! Maybe it depends on the night (We were there on a Friday.), but we struggled to have a conversation because it was incredibly loud. read more

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Quiet fun tucked underneath pops for champagne. Husband and I sampled 3 drinks all were delish. Would return Quirky with some board games read more

Watershed - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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An open but intimate bar down in the basement level. I love the leather and dark ambiance here. The games they offer is also a nice addition but I wish the guests were nicer to the games because the cart for the games were a little messy. The bartender was very nice and attentive and drinks came out quick. The cheese curd snack was quite tasty and not greasy and had a perfect crunch! read more

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My husband and I have been coming here for years. The atmosphere is fantastic and the drinks are good as well. The bartenders are very knowledgeable and friendly. read more

I'm always on the lookout for new speakeasies, and Watershed did not disappoint. We reserved a spot at Watershed for a few drinks before a friend's birthday celebration, and it was a fantastic choice. The entrance is unique and intriguing--Watershed is located in the basement of Pops for Champagne. The ambiance is rustic with dark themes, has a cozy atmosphere. One of the highlights is their cocktail menu. My friends and I sampled several drinks: the "Bad Idea of the Day," the popular "Chica Rosa" (which most of my friends ordered), the "Dracula Flow" (which looks red and bloody), and the "Barbie Girls." Each drink was liked by my friends. I personally did not like Dracula flow. The service was quick and efficient, enhancing our overall experience. While we didn't order any food, we noticed they had card games and chess available for guests, adding a fun and unique touch. read more

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Cool little cocktail spot beneath Pop's for Champagne. Not gonna lie, though, it was pretty dead despite it being a Saturday night so it wasn't the best ambiance, and we felt like we had to keep whispering. The menu was themed around "The Good Place" which was kind of fun, but the drinks were... okay-ish? Definitely not as good as I'd expect for the price level and the feel of the place. The bartenders did seem to genuinely want our feedback as they were trying new things, which is a plus. It's been a few months since I've been there, so maybe it's gotten better. I'll likely give it another shot, but I'm in no rush to do so. read more

It's low-key, quiet enough for conversations but loud enough to be alive. Bartenders were exceptionality kind to my party and I and very fun to talk to. Super easy going and down to earth team. People complaining about it being quiet... It's a speakeasy. It's gonna be more laid back than a standard bar. Cheese curds are fantastic. Solid wine selection but it could use a little more variety. Solid cocktails. Very solid playlists. The vibes are nothing short of wonderful. read more

Food was good and drinks were good. Service and staff were bad. We were 1 of 3 tables at 10pm on a Saturday night. The four of us ordered a bottle of wine 2 drinks and a couple of appetizers/picking food. Like I said before food was great but service was severely lacking. We got the wrong wine and was charged for a more expensive bottle than what was brought to us. We also were booted out a half hour before closing time the staff was annoyed we were still there even though there were other customers still in the facility. I would rate the drinks a 4, food a 4, price a 3, and service a 1. read more

My husband and I met at the Watershed ten years ago and he decided to surprise me by taking me back. Right away, I was blown away by the hostess Maggie who took her time with us and explained how to order and made suggestions. We grabbed a booth and had excellent service from JT right away. I had a lot of questions about the cocktails and he made amazing suggestions and was right on the money with my taste. Dishes were amazing especially the open Banh Mi and the Tuna Ceviche! All dishes came out in a timely manner. Water was never empty. Logan found out about our occasion and personally came over to congratulate us and made it very special for us. My husband a former server has a high bar for service when we go out and he was very impressed! Thank you, JT, Maggie, and Logan for making our night the best it could be! read more

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TLDR: Meh. The booze, service and truffle popcorn were great but we were here on a Saturday night and the table next to us was a large group of early 20-something kids, so naturally it was super loud. Grandpa's chill basement quickly turned into a college frat party. Note: it's not quite the speakeasy people make it out to be. read more

So good!! Awesome drinks!! Super nice and helpful staff and best cocktails we've had in Chicago, or anywhere really! Super cozy basement atmosphere. read more

Watershed - Brat Girl Summer crafted cocktail - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My wife and I were wandering around the River North area and happened upon this place. A hidden gem. Wonderful cocktails, food and atmosphere. Colin and Alan were fantastic, knowledgeable, entertaining and wonderfully accommodating to two unknowns. They and the place made a great end to our day! Highly recommended for both cocktail "geeks" and foodies or those looking for an intimate place. Often reminded by my wife that "you can never go home again" but happy to stop by here in the future. read more

Cute basement high end bar. The one drink I had was yucky but that's on my taste. Minus 1 star for no music. Sad.

The service was a nightmare. I was in a party of 6 and we were celebrating a birthday. As we were indulging in lovely conversation, the glasses-wearing bearded server decided to sit next to us without asking and try to engage. Fine. We kept it cordial. He had a good knowledge of the cocktail menu and we decided to take his suggestions. Once he departed to take our drinks, that's when a roller-coaster started. The birthday girl wanted to take pictures in this aesthetically pleasing venue. She takes out her 80's Kodak camera and snaps a couple of pictures of our crew. Flash. The server, irately, shouts at us to turn off the to "turn that fucking flash off the camera!" He says that he is susceptible to seizures. The birthday girl apologizes and explains that the camera doesn't allow for no flash. He snaps back and says "There is an off button!" My friends become so disappointed that this man is yelling and cursing at the lovely birthday girl. She becomes so uncomfortable that she wants to leave. No one has even took a sip of their drinks yet because we were confused if we were welcomed. We didn't know that this man was susceptible to seizures. Had we known, we would've gladly accommodated our server to keep him in a safe space and to continue with our birthday festivities. But the language, unprofessionalism, and anger were uncalled for. So we decided to leave. As we were contemplating the decision, one of our crew wanted to make sure to try to smooth things over. He's non- confrontational guy who believes everyone is redeemable. He decided to gently explain to the server that we meant no harm and that we will explore another bar. The server, while in conservation with my friend, starts screaming and making aggressive gestures with his hands. This is when our party decided that flight is better fight. We all stand up and attempt to walk. The server uses himself as a human blockade and prevents our non-confrontational friend from leaving, saying "Someone is going to pay for these fucking drinks!" I reply no and tell him he needs to let our friend go. That's when he shouts at me "Come at me bro." Most of our party is upstairs by this time and I see my friend blocked from joining the rest of us. I go to the server, look him eye-to-eye, and seriously asked "How you want this to play out? Because I'm with whatever you're trying to do." He looks at me and says "Fine!" He moves from blocking the doorway. We went to Freehand after and had a more welcoming experience. Never again. read more

Totally Funday Sunday place to hang out at, if you want to continue a lost bubbles weekend Watershed is a downstairs bar, underneath Pops for Champagne. Definitely a cool place to have drinks, chill out and catch up with friends. Of course they have bubbles, so this is a win win for me. Service was great. Our server was attentive and on top of things. My favorite part of the night was being able to make requests for songs I wanted to hear. The whole appeal of this place is the fact that they play vinyl records, but the turntable was out of service. No matter, they had Spotify, which worked for me. I got to hear everything I request with the exception of one song (due to lyrics, Sucker for Pain from the soundtrack of Suicide Squad...respect that), but no worries. We are frequent patrons of Pops, but this is the first time we have done Watershed. Gotta say I enjoyed it more just for the chilled vibe. Don't get me wrong, I love Pops for the variety of bubbles. But for a place to just chat and drink bubbles, Watershed is it for me. You are probably wondering why I can't do that in Pops....I can. However for me, Pops is my church for bubbles. Watershed is just a cool hangout to drink, listen to good music and chat. read more

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Cool spot in the basement of Pops. We only had drinks but good times were had by all. I noticed a lot of couples and could definitely see it as a great place for a date or small groups. I like that there are all types of seating too. Luckily, it wasn't very busy on a Sunday night so we had no issues with service. The menu is pretty extensive, with tons of cocktail options plus beer and wine. I had a gimlet but also tried the moscow mule. Both were good but nothing special. Prices were comparable to other places around River North but atmosphere was more laid back. I was into it! read more

Watershed - Moscow mule & gimlet :) - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Nice cocktails. Great speakeasy vibe. Good service. Can always go to pops upstairs for a second drink.

Amazing creative cocktails in a relaxing and cozy environment. The staff were fantastic, knowledgeable and friendly even though the place was packed. Would definitely visit again on future trips to Chicago. read more

Had the most amazing experience at Watershed! The servers worked together very well and were happy to get something even though they weren't "our server". The drinks were great and the staff was happy to answer any menu questions, almost seemed like they encouraged questions. We were really impressed and have already made reservations to go back with some family next month! read more

One of the best hidden gems yo'll uncover here in DTC. Keeping a lounge tucked inside another popular restaurant seems to be the way to go nowadays with trendy and chic spots like Watershed. I came here with a few friends after a long day of Pokemon Go Fest hunting, and needed to knock back some whiskeys to get my mind off the hellish lag that plagued the game. When my friend took me here, I was in awe. This dark, ambient lounge with open seating really made me rethink the spots I had gone before in Chicago. We stayed here for some delicious drinks and appetizers. Their cheese curds were sensational and are a must try in my book! Every drink we had was refreshing and stiff, so don't be shy and try a couple. Service was attentive and always looking out for us even as the lounge was looking a bit dim. Great snacks and beverages make this a spot I'd like to come back again and again. read more

Watershed - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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On the night we went, the prohibition style speakeasy downstairs had a menu that was created to play off the show "The Good Place." I watched enough of this show with my wife to know it's about people trapped in an afterlife they initially think is heaven, but turns out to be hell. I could not think of a more appropriate metaphor for our experience at The Watershed. From the immediate and pungent smell of urinal cakes, the rude staff, the overpriced (and terrible champagne), to signature cocktails so disgusting we thought we were just as likely to be on Ashton Kutcher's "Punk'd" as we were in The Good Place. The experience was so bad it was good, if only because we were laughing about the absurdity of it all the entire time. Fork this place. read more

I'm always looking for a good speakeasy and I found another one! Watershed is a perfectly dark, swanky, comfortable night spot located in the basement below Pops For Champagne, on the corner of State and Ohio. We were greeted and escorted downstairs by cheerful staff and met with the question, "chess or scrabble"? Well...scrabble of course! We were led to a lush leather seating area surrounding a large swivel scrabble board! How fun and unexpected! The cocktail menu was fun and features seasonal drinks, classics, beer and wine that our group thoroughly enjoyed! What a great little find! Oh....and I won Scrabble read more

The drinks and staff were amazing! Great space for a late evening sip with your boo!,

Enter through Pops for Champagne, find the W, walk down the stairs and you will discover Watershed. Boyfriend and I were able to get a seat on a comfortable couch. House cocktails were $11 each so we decided to try the Fresh Hell, Why Don't You Like Me?, Soup to Nuts and You Never Know. I definitely liked the cocktails here better than Pops but none of them blew my mind. The one downside to this place is that it can get LOUD, they could really benefit from sound absorbers. read more

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A very rustic, upscale lounge yet it is meant for casual gatherings. I have visited once and it has immediately became my go-to spot for late night drinking. It's most likely the only place where I do not have to blush while asking, "Why don't you like me?" If you don't understand what that meant, just go take a look at their cocktail list. It's a mix of hum botanical spirit, garmer's gin, Leopold tart cherry, lemon, and soda. And as you drink away, it would not hurt to nibble on something. Go for the truffle fries! read more

Watershed - Why Don't You Like Me cocktail - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My wife and I came here for a night cap. We found the place on Yelp(obviously). I'm not sure what to think of the ambiance, it was a little off. That aside the old fashions were delicious. read more

I LOVE THIS PLACE! I came here with friends for a fun night out, and Watershed DELIVERED. First green flag was that the owner complimented my friend's Taylor Swift hoodie. He then let us queue some songs to listen to, like the juke box king he is. My other friend got a life-changing cinnamon toast crunch martini. Mike the bartender was so sweet, fun, and attentive. The fried pickles and cheese curds were also chef's kiss I can't wait to come back to Chicago and visit again!! read more

I was so excited to try this place, but the space was just a bit awkward and service subpar. We came in a group of 8 or so on a weekday. There were maybe two other small groups there, so the place was pretty empty. Some of the chairs and sofas looked super comfy but spaced far apart. We wanted to move them closer together but were told not to. That's fine coz we still found a nook that worked for us. Still the lighting was a bit bright and there was not much music in the background. For a group of 8, we were a bit concerned that we might be too loud. Drinks wise - I personally loved my drink, the Manhattan no. 6.9. A friend of mine didn't love hers and wanted a different drink. Our server appeared pretty offended and unwilling to help her find something she would like. She eventually said they could just make my friend a drink with ingredients she would like, but in a pretty annoyed way. The drink turned out to be decent, but the experience wasn't the greatest. With so many awesome lounges and speakeasies in the city, Watershed won't be getting a return visit from us. read more

Watershed - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We were visiting from out of town and stumbled across the place. It was super easy to find with reasonably priced drinks. But honestly, I think the best part was getting to meet and chat with Logan, one of the owners. He was very personable and kind. I highly recommend! read more

I love this place. It's downstairs under Pop. Came here a couple of times for a quick drink with friends. Great service. Great drinks. Good vibes! What more can you ask for? I will be back for sure! read more

Fantastic cocktails and even better bartenders. A must go in Chicago, whether you're a local or from out of town

My friend recommended this restaurant and I'm so happy I got a chance to try it! It was one of the best meals I had while I was in Chicago. I went on a weekday night and the restaurant was pretty empty and the ambiance was nice and relaxing. It is located in the basement of Pops for Champagne. I went with some coworkers after work and we ordered the French Fries, Cheese Curds, Duck Confit, Shrimp, and Wings to share. Everything was delicious but the French Fries and Cheese Curds were my favorite! The French Fries were the best French Fries I've ever had! They were super crispy and came with yummy dipping sauce. It was my first time having Cheese Curds and I'm so glad we ordered it! They were like mozzarella sticks but the batter surrounding the cheese was crunchy and so much tastier! The Shrimp was small considering that it was around $15 and the wings were comparable to Buffalo Wild Wings. The Duck Confit was good and tasted like Chinese Roast Duck to me. My friend recommended the Risotto and Pain Perdu. I never got to try these dishes but if you ever try them, let me know how they are! I went back on a Friday night and the bar was crowded and there was a wait. I ordered the You Never Know cocktail per the waitress' recommendation for a sweet drink and a side of fries to share. The fries a little too hot but I still enjoyed them. The You Never Know cocktail was good and I would recommend it if you prefer sweet drinks. read more

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It's not really a hidden bar. When you arrive and show your ID, the hostess points the way to the staircase entrance. But we did come on a Friday night, so perhaps that's not the norm. It didn't seem very handicap-friendly although I didn't make a full effort to search for an elevator. I had sprained my knee before the trip, and had to limp up and down the stairs. When we arrived, it was around 5:30pm so it wasn't packed. We grabbed a table, and immediately someone came with water. Super friendly staff, very attentive, and didn't make us feel rushed even though we were just two people hogging a booth meant for four. Husband ordered the tequila mule, and I had the sparkling rose. Both were good. Unfortunately we had just eaten at Eatly so we didn't get the chance to try out their food, but the prices looked affordable and portions seemed large (in comparison to everything else in the area). I liked how relaxing this place felt. It was like being in someone's downstairs living room. No one here was really dressed up, so I felt a little better about the fact I was only in yoga stretch pants, tshirt, and hoodie. read more

Watershed - Tequila mule instead of Moscow mule - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Extremely overpriced drinks. For 15 dollars I expected a bigger glass, heck or even just a drink in a glass! The cocktails were in plastic wine glasses and the waitress couldn't even remember our order of 3 drinks. The waiter kept trying to kick us out even though it was only 8pm and we weren't being loud and haven't been sitting around for longer than an hour (we didn't even finish our drinks yet). Two stars because the cocktails were decent and pretty strong and the bgm quite solid. read more

Very chill spot downstairs from Pops For Champagne. My friend and her colleagues wanted to go somewhere after dinner and I looked across the street and thought hmmm...I've never been to Watershed. Walked across the street and into Pops and then proceeded downstairs. Very nice crowd and luckily we were able get seating that accommodated our group of 7. We all liked the dim, intimate setting with comfy seating and exposed brick, fancy bar decor. We had lots of bubbly at dinner so I decided to stay close to that so I got a sparkling rose which was good. I figured since I was in a cocktail bar, that I would order an old fashioned...was ok, but probably would have been better if I hadn't drank a total of 2 bottles of bubble beforehand lol! Good date spot or good spot to bring a group of friends that enjoy cocktails. I like! read more

Watershed is a cute place below Pops for Champagne. Use the same entrance as Pops, then head towards the back then down the stairs. On a lovely Saturday night, we got the last table in the spot so it does fill up around 9pmish. Watershed has a very lounge like atmosphere - dim lighting, a bunch of tables around for groups or pairs or cushy couches, and some low chill music playing. They have a variety of cocktails, hard liquors and bottled/canned beers with a page of wines and just 2 beers on tap. Though I was sad there wasn't more on draft (and I wish they had told me what was on draft, I thought all was bottled), they had a good bottled selection. They divided up their beer selection by state and all of it was from the Midwest, mostly Illinois, so that was nice to see. I had drank everything they offered from Illinois but found a couple from other states to try. Prices are decent-ish...ranging from $6-8 for most bottles. Service was okay though nothing overly friendly. We'd sometimes sit with empty drinks for quite some time before being checked up on and able to order another. Overall, decent place for a couple drinks before heading to dinner or a night out on the town! I'd make it more of a stopover though than a destination spot. read more

Increíble food. Try their shakshuka. Drinks are amazing. Best bartenders in the city.

Speakeasy. Down the stairs at pops for champagne. I've always found a place to sit every time I've been here so it never seems too busy to me. Dimly lit, wooden accents, booths against the wall, large sofas and chairs. Makes it feel cozy, intimate, and old-timey. Good strong cocktails. I think they were $15 each. Their old-fashioned here is quite good. It's definitely less loud and flashy than your other river north places, so it's a nice respite to grab a drink and chill read more

Watershed - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois