The best bars in River North

What is it? A ‘20s-era speakeasy in the basement of the Green Door Tavern.

Why we love it: Bartenders like to pretend their cocktail bars are speakeasies, but Liz Pearce's cool bar underneath Green Door Tavern actually is one. The secret door is still visible, and the decor consists of objects that have been there for decades, like a painting of FDR and a bullet-riddled Mobil sign. The drink list includes more than 100 rotating cocktails and is presented on tarot cards, with a fresh batch of offerings plucked from the deck each night. Expect everything from classics, such as the espresso martini and old fashioned, alongside creative concoctions like the Malört-based Around the World. There’s also live entertainment curated by FV Everleigh. The Drifter is a bar that seems like it’s around forever, but every experience feels unique and different.

Time Out tip: If your favorite isn’t on the night’s cards, you can still ask for it to be made.

Address: 676-8 N Orleans St, Chicago, IL 60654

Opening hours: Wed-Fri 5pm-2am, Sat 5pm-3am

Expect to pay: Cocktails are all priced at $15.50.

What is it? An affordable cocktail bar from Lettuce Entertain You and beverage director Kevin Beary.

Why we love it: With a few exceptions, going out for a night of drinking in River North is usually an expensive affair. That’s why Lettuce Entertain You has positioned this new tavern as a place that locals can visit frequently for good drinks that won’t break the bank. The menu features 30 reimagined classic cocktails, all priced at $12, with options for a variety of spirits—vodka, tequila, gin, cognac, rum and whiskey. The food offerings include an addictive crab rangoon dip served with wonton crisps, a killer wagyu beef dip sandwich, a thick-cut burger with five-year-aged Wisconsin cheddar, and more. Reservations aren’t accepted so arrive early or expect a wait.

Time Out tip: Drop in between 4-5pm Monday through Friday, when one cocktail (rotates daily) is offered for just $6.

Address: 51 W Hubbard St Suite 100, Chicago, IL 60654

Opening hours: Sun-Thu 4pm-midnight, Fri-Sat 4pm-1am

Expect to pay: All cocktails are $12.

What is it? A bar-within-a-bar concept that offers an elevated tropical experience.

Why we love it: If you’re a fan of Three Dots and a Dash or tropical drinks in general, you need to check out the Bamboo Room. Housed in a separate space inside Three Dots, the tiny bar is an ode to rum and rhum agricoles. The menu offers an ever-changing selection of refined and innovative cocktails served in unique and fascinating vessels. From the refreshing Clairvoyant Missionary, a milk punch topped with mint chartreuse pineapple foam, to the boozy Navy Grog, the drinks are all well-balanced and easy to drink. And you can order bites from Three Dots, so pair your sip with spring rolls and crab rangoons.

Time Out tip: The rum flights are a great way to learn more about the spirit or sample some limited releases.

Address: 435 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654

Opening hours: Wed-Sat 4pm-midnight, Sun 4-11pm

Expect to pay: Highly dependent on what you order as cocktails range from $18-$45.

What is it? A globe-trotting bar from the team behind Peruvian standout Tanta.

Why we love it: Take your tastebuds on a world tour at Arbella, a chic and unpretentious River North cocktail bar where locally-sourced ingredients like honey and kombucha are used to create cocktails that focus on bright, bold flavors (lots of fruit, lots of spice). If you’re an old fashioned lover, you absolutely need to come here for the Traveling Old Fashioned Menu. Inspired by places around the globe, the offerings include the Manila, made with ube whiskey, and the Istanbul, which blends bourbon with apple-cinnamon syrup and saffron bitters. There’s a handy scale that informs you how strong each cocktail is, so you can wander out of your comfort zone without worry. The space also plays host to DJ sets most nights.

Time Out tip: Arbella isn’t only a place for a nightcap—the food is seriously good. You can, and should, have dinner while enjoying the cocktails. Just like the drinks, the dishes draw influences from all over. Our personal favorites are the crab rangoons, the Korean-style chicken tenders in a sweet and spicy glaze, and the confit octopus.

Address: 112 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60654

Opening hours: Mon 5pm-midnight, Tue-Fri 5pm-2am, Sat 5pm-3am

Expect to pay: Most cocktails are around $17.

What is it? A cocktail bar in the lobby of the ACME Hotel.

Why we love it: The Berkshire Room doesn't just name-check the Berkshire Hotel, the ACME’s former name from the 1920s–1950s. Side rooms, off the main bar, include whiskey lockers for rare spirits, barrel-stave wall paneling, copper light fixtures and plush seating. For drinks, choose from seasonal cocktails that range from bright and refreshing to spirit-forward to premium concoctions made with top-chef spirits. We recommend the V.E.P. Chartreuse Swizzle, a herbal riff on the classic Caribbean cocktail that blends El Dorado Single Barrel Rum with V.E.P. Green Chartreuse. 

Time Out tip: If nothing on the menu calls out to you, go for the dealer’s choice and let the bartenders craft something for you based on your choice of flavor profile, spirit and glassware. The possibilities are endless!

Address: 15 E Ohio St, Chicago, IL 60611

Opening hours: Sun-Mon 7pm-midnight, Tue-Thu 5pm-midnight, Fri 5pm-2am, Sat 4pm-2am

Expect to pay: Most cocktails are around $18.

What is it? A cocktail bar inside the Freehand Chicago hotel.

Why we love it: This branch of the renowned Miami hotspot is unique in its own right. The tropical-meets-Midwest vibe combines palm tree wallpaper and octopus decor with dark wood panels and tall bookshelves filled with trinkets. Such a hybrid produces balanced yet inventive drinks like the Lakeside Lemonade (Empress Indigo Gin, Chambord, lemon juice, lavender syrup, Fever-Tree Sicilian lemonade) and 70’s Porn Star (Plantation Pineapple Rum, Chinola Mango, lime juice, Peychaud's Bitters, float of sparkling Brut). Broken Shaker isn’t just a place for drinks at night, though—there’s also an all-day cafe that serves grab-and-go pastries and morning plates such as smashed avocado toast and chilaquiles, plus all-day cocktails.

Time Out tip: Stop by Monday-Thursday between 4-6pm for happy hour deals like $8 punch.

Address: 19 E Ohio St, Chicago, IL 60611

Opening hours: Mon-Thu 4pm-1am, Fri-Sat 4pm-2am, Sun 6pm-midnight

Expect to pay: Cocktails are around $18.

What is it? An intimate speakeasy hidden underneath one of the neighborhood’s most popular restaurants, Gilt Bar.

Why we love it: It’s rare for any place in River North to feel like a hidden secret, but that’s exactly what the Library at Gilt Bar is. When you need to keep the night going after Gilt Bar, make your way down to the restaurant’s basement, where you’ll walk down a hallway lined with photobooth pictures and enter through an inconspicuous door. Though still Sodikoff-trademark dim, the space has a warmer glow and is furnished with velvet booths, vintage artwork and fringed chandeliers. Enjoy first-rate cocktails such as the Hemingway Daiquiri and the Cucumber Martini. The best part: Gilt Bar’s full menu, including ideal snacks like truffle mozzarella sticks and burrata with aged balsamic, is available to accompany them.

Time Out tip: While walk-ins are accepted, you’ll want to make a reservation for the small bar. Reservations are released at 9am each Wednesday for the following seven days.

Address: 230 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654

Opening hours: Sun-Thu 5-10:30pm, Fri-Sat 5-11pm

Expect to pay: Cocktails range from $15-$19.

What is it? A tropical hideaway from Lettuce Entertain You.

Why we love it: At first glance, Three Dots and a Dash appears to be all flash—the smoking punches, servers bedecked in long Hawaiian dresses and the clubby soundtrack can distract from the very good drinks from beverage director Kevin Beary. The cocktails are beautifully garnished and potent. Try the Trader Vic Mai Tai, a refreshing drink with a range of different rums, topped with curacao and lime. Or venture off into group drinks like the giant tequila-based Sippopotamus that serves three people. The food menu is concise but gets the job done, featuring island fare like kalua pulled pork sliders and coconut shrimp. Can’t decide? Order the pu pu platter to sample all of the bites.

Time Out tip: Three Dots and a Dash’s address is on Clark Street, but the entrance is actually in an alleyway behind the building. Once you’re past the bouncer, you’ll descend some steps before arriving at the underground bar.

Address: 435 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654

Opening hours: Sun-Wed 4pm-midnight, Thu-Fri 4pm-1am, Sat 2pm-1am

Expect to pay: Most cocktails range from $15-$20.

What is it? An unpretentious dive bar that sits in stark contrast to the rest of River North.

Why we love it: Like a secret chamber of debauchery, the red door to this State Street bar reveals no sign of what’s inside. Turns out it’s a small, dark, no-frills space that serves cheap beers in cans and bottles out of a refrigerated case. If you’re looking for somewhere to grab a quick drink or on a tight budget, there’s no better spot in the neighborhood. Oh and did we mention it opens as early as 9am?

Time Out tip: Bring bills because it’s cash only.

Address: 412 N State St, Chicago, IL 60654

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9am-2am, Sat 9am-3am, Sun 11am-2am

Expect to pay: Virtually every drink is less than $10.

What is it? A sprawling, 18,000-square-foot restaurant and lounge inspired by the Prohibition era.

Why we love it: This underground venue is enormous, broken up into a labyrinthine set of handsomely designed rooms designated for cocktailing. The drink list boasts classic concoctions like the Manhattan and espresso martini, as well as originals such as the Chicago Lightning (Stranahan’s American Single Malt Whiskey, lemon, root beer, tobacco bitters), while  the dinner menu features elevated dining options (think seafood towers, caviar service and tomahawk steaks). Whiskey lovers absolutely owe it to themselves to check out Untitled—it claims to have the largest selection of American whiskeys in the world and its shelves are stacked with hundreds of bottles.

Time Out tip: In keeping with the Prohibition theme, there’s live entertainment most evenings, ranging from jazz and soul artists to Unbridled—a weekly burlesque show.

Address: 111 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654

Opening hours: Tue-Wed 5pm-midnight, Thu-Fri 5pm-2am, Sat 5pm-3am

Expect to pay: Cocktails are $16.

What is it? An unassuming River North bar that’s also one of the oldest in the city.

Why we love it: In a neighborhood filled to the brim with new openings, Green Door is a low-key escape. Around since 1921, the tavern is the type of place you drop into any night of the week to watch a game while enjoying a few beers. There’s a decent whiskey list and selection of classic cocktails, plus craft beers from local breweries like 3 Floyds and Maplewood. The food menu offers all of the standard bar staples, including wings, salads, sandwiches and burgers, alongside elevated options such as Scotch eggs and Chicago-style poutine with Italian beef gravy, cheese curds and giardiniera.

Time Out tip: We love Green Door for what it is, but if you’re looking for a more cocktail-focused program, head downstairs to the Drifter.

Address: 678 N Orleans St, Chicago, IL 60654

Opening hours: Mon 5-10pm, Tue 4pm-midnight, Wed-Thu 4pm-2am, Fri 11:30am-2am, Sat 11:30am-3am, Sun 11:30am-9pm

Expect to pay: Craft beers are around $7-$10.