TAO Chicago Inside popular River North tiki bar Three Dots and a Dash , The Bamboo Room features extravagant rum drinks, along with tropical-inspired bites. Kumiko is an intimate Japanese cocktail bar in the West Loop from the team behind Oriole , which holds two Michelin stars. Try an omakase-style cocktail flight, along with tempura prawns and Japanese milk bread with truffles. The sexy, candlelit Gilt Bar in River North serves pitch-perfect negronis, martinis, and mules, along with great house-made pasta, steak tartare, and burgers. Z Bar on The Magnificent Mile is a hip rooftop hangout, with posh cocktails using rare spirits, as well as spirit-free drinks. Shareable small plates include Chicago-style pizza pockets, daikon frites, and Vietnamese spring rolls. Right next to McCormick Place in the South Loop, VU Rooftop Bar is the perfect rooftop gathering spot, where you can pass plates of pork belly bao and crispy Spanish octopus with cocktails, wine, and beer. Tanta Chicago , helmed by celebrity chef Gastón Acurio, has great happy hour specials and a lively River North rooftop. Pisco sours and Peruvian beers are paired with ceviches, tiraditos, and anticucho street food skewers. It’s only natural that many cocktails at Wicker Park’s Machine have a floral influence, thanks to the restaurant’s on-site florist. Signature dishes include carrot tartare and coconut milk shrimp risotto. Income Tax is worth a trip to Edgewater. The European wine bar’s menu changes often, with fresh simple dishes like roasted baby cabbage with Calabrian chilies and hazelnuts to match curated French, German, and Italian wines and brandies. Logan Square’s Asian-inspired Bixi Beer is a two-level brewpub featuring cool sci-fi murals and a sunny rooftop patio. Nibble on Vietnamese egg rolls or panang curry with a pint of Unspoken Rule golden ale spiced with jasmine tea. The massive TAO Chicago is both a nightclub and restaurant in River North offering yakitori, dim sum, and sushi alongside sweet cocktails and sake. Mediterranean influences permeate the food and drink menus at Shore Club Chicago on North Avenue Beach. Try the cucumber, lime, and jalapeño-infused Beach Party cocktail paired with burrata or salmon ceviche. Offshore Rooftop & Bar at Navy Pier is the world’s largest rooftop bar, offering a grown-up lounge at the family-friendly attraction. Oyster shooters and Maine lobster deviled eggs pair with easy-drinking cocktails and wine. ADAM ALEXANDER PHOTOGRAPHY 35
Chicago Visitors Guide 2020: Page 35
