5 Best Cocktail Bars in Chicago

The Aviary

The most recommended and best cocktail bar in Chicago, The Aviary is everything you are looking for in a cocktail bar. It was opened by Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas, while Micah Melton remains the Beverage Director. Significantly, the bar received a Spirited Award for the World’s Best Cocktail Menu and has been featured in the World’s 50 Best Bars list. Now, who wouldn’t want to try their drinks, right? 

Additionally, the cocktails at The Aviary are made with locally-sourced ingredients and a fine selection of drinks. Here are a few signature cocktails and drinks that you can try

• The 7-course kitchen table experience comes with a 7-course cocktail and food-tasting menu
• 5-course cocktail tasting menu with paired food and best-selling cocktails 
• 3-course cocktail progression with 3 cocktails of your choice 

Address: 955 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607

Website: https://www.theaviary.com/

Sportsman’s Club – Sophisticated Cocktail Bar in Chicago 

Chicago’s most sophisticated and amazing cocktail bar is a treat for those in the city. The bar is owned and operated by Jeff Donaheu and Wade Mcelroy who is also the Beverage Director of the establishment. Furthermore, the drinks are served with a rustic sophistication, making it the perfect attraction for people visiting or residing in Chicago. They offer spirit-forward cocktails with a touch of history. Back in the day, the tavern served as a local pub for Polish immigrants and it still maintains some fragments of the past in the modern framework. 

If you find yourself in the city, you can try the signature cocktails of one of the best cocktail bars in Chicago. Here are a few options to explore: 

• The Signature Sportsman Cocktail
• Bourbon Gran Classico Cynar
• Amaro Machine
• Rum Curacao Lime
• Gin Grenadine Ginger
• Lowlife
• Toronto

Address: 948 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

Website: https://drinkingandgathering.com/ 

Gilt Bar – One of The Best Cocktail Bar Chicago

The Gilt Bar has a spectacular collection of American classics including some of the most historic cocktails and global wines. You will not only find the best drinks here but can also enjoy the sultry space and intriguing ambience. Brendan Sodikoff and chef Jason Vaughn are the co-owners of the establishment and aim to deliver the best of drinks to serve the appetite of cocktail admirers. 

The Gilt Bar is not only the trendiest spot in Chicago or one of the best cocktail bars Chicago has to offer, but it also aims to serve the best of cocktails. Check out these delicious blends from the top cocktail bar in Chicago:

• Airmail with ron matusalem, prosecco, honey, lime
• Pegu Club, enriched with hendrick’s gin, cointreau, lime, bitters
• Hemingway Daiquiri – the best of flor de caña 4 yr, maraschino, grapefruit, lime
• 100 Year Old Cigar with a classic ron zacapa 23 year rum, cynar, laphroaig
• Gold Rush with Evan Williams bourbon, lemon, honey
• Monte Carlo, a perfect blend of rye whisky, benedictine, bitters
• Daisy with nuit blanche vodka, aperol, st germain, lemon
• Boulevardier, with a dash of wild turkey rye, campari, sweet vermouth

Address: 230 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654

Website: https://www.giltbarchicago.com/about/

Coq D’Or – One of the Best Cocktail Bars in Chicago

Coq D’Or is one of the most historic and best cocktail bars in Chicago. Furthermore, it was established in the 1930s in the Drake Hotel. The iconic cocktails served at the bar are shaken, stirred and mixed by professional bartenders to satisfy your tastebuds. Coq D’Or has a timeless aesthetic and will surely enhance your love for the classic rye whiskey and cocktails. Significantly, you can also customise your martini by requesting ‘Executive Style’ at the bar. 

Check out these special cocktails from one of the best bars in Chicago: 

• The Drake infused with Drake FEW rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters, simple syrup
• Cranapple Sparkle with Ketel One orange vodka, apricot, cranberry, Lemon, honey, prosecco
• GOLD COAST – Woodford reserve bourbon, rich sugar syrup, angostura bitters, orange bitters, citrus oils
• The French, dashed in Tito’s vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup, prosecco
• ANEJO Old Fashioned  with Casamigos Anejo, agave nectar, orange bitters 

Address: 140 E Walton Pl, Chicago, IL 60611

The Sixth

One of the most sophisticated bars in Chicago, The Sixth is a modern hangout bar offering the best from the city. It is one of the award winning and best cocktail bars Chicago has in store, and is part of the Fifty/50 Group. In short, you will find a blend of quality and fancy with seasonal cocktails and a variety of drinks. 

Additionally, if you are a fan of playful cocktails, you will not be disappointed with their creative craft cocktails. Furthermore, these drinks are made with specialty ice served for a spectacular experience. Interestingly, some of the drinks are based on the Trix cereal rabbit and other comic strips for a breathtaking experience. 

Let’s have a look at their amazing drink menu:

• J’Adore Midori – Pineau des Charentes, Midori, sauvignon blanc, lemon juice, Thai bitters, grapefruit bitters.
• Sherry Baby with Sherry, spiced pear, blueberry, lemon juice, mole bitters. 
• Old Friend served with Vodka, Peychaud’s Bitters, Pimm’s, lime juice, and cucumber. 
• Margarita Remix – Reposado tequila, blood orange, lime juice, agave. 
• Trust Fall – Gin, sherry, aperitif wine, mezcal, mango, lemon juice, orange bitters
• Old Money with Bourbon, Aperol, walnut lique
• Rum Away With Me – White rum, L’Aperitivo Nonino, clementine, lime juice, Bittermens Transatlantic Bitters, anise.
•  Hidden Gem – Rye, vermouth, Bigallet China China, maraschino, hibiscus, orange bitters. 
• New Sour – Bourbon, lemon juice, demerara, cabernet, egg white.

Address: 2202 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60625

Website: https://www.thesixthbar.com/