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Chicago is known for its thriving bar and restaurant scene, and whiskey is no exception. Whether you’re a seasoned connoisseur or curious about trying your first dram, these Chicago whiskey bars have plenty of top-shelf options to satisfy any palate. This map will take you on a journey through the city’s best whiskey venues, from coffee shops to boutique inns. The best whiskey in the city flows in unique locations.
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This Logan Square restaurant offers food and whiskey pairings to make this spot a dining and drinking destination. The restaurant received its Michelin star in 2010 and has been on the map ever since (later moved to the Michelin Bib Gourmand list in 2017). Unlike the other top whiskey destinations in the city, Longman & Eagle features a boutique inn with six rooms above the restaurant and bar to turn a visit into a stay. Here you can find barrel-aged cocktails, an exceptional whiskey list featuring vintage and ultra-high-end bottles, and a house barrel selection that includes a 21-year-old Willett Family Estate.
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If you stop in and recognize the dark wood back bar filled with whiskey, it might be because it was transported and rebuilt from the beloved Fountainhead. The owners (the same team behind the Northman & Bar on Buena) are keeping the bar and fantastic whiskey collection alive at their latest Lincoln Square venture: The Green Post. Offering a European-inspired menu that is sure to pair well with any of their many Scotch and Irish whiskey offerings (but don’t skimp on their bourbon either)!
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You may already be familiar with Big Star’s taco menu, but their whiskey menu is far more extensive. With a strong focus on bourbon and American whiskeys, the bar boasts one of the top house-selected single-barrel programs in the city. With rotating whiskey specials, there will always be a reason to stop in and keep coming back.
You literally can’t miss this bar, as it features a skeleton riding a spinning motorcycle on the roof above the entrance. A West Town staple, known for its biker theme, open rooftop bar, brunch offerings, and half-price whiskey Wednesdays, it shouldn’t be missed. With a broad and ever-changing whiskey menu, you can always find something new to try at Twisted Spoke.
Anyone in the know will tell you this is one of, if not the best, whiskey bars in Chicago. From bourbon to rye, scotch to Japanese, vintage to modern, they have it all (and more) at a fair price. Mike Miller has been running Delilah’s for almost three decades and has built excellent relationships with whiskey producers across the globe, allowing him to procure some truly exceptional releases exclusive to the bar. Beyond the whiskey, you can find DJs spinning punk, rock, and ska music all night long and an upstairs bar with a billiards table.
Sitting between River West and Fulton Market, this southern-themed bar with Chicago flair shows off an impressive curated whiskey display behind the bar right as you walk in. Featuring more than 200 bourbons and ryes, the bar delivers on its name and continues to deliver with dozens of other whiskey choices. This Last Call Tavern Group bar features a large outdoor patio, eight specialty cocktails, weekday drink specials, and a special selection of bottles behind lock and key. These select few bottles are Rebel & Rye’s favorites across all spirits categories and make for a great pour on a special occasion.
This West Loop “all-day” bar and coffee shop sits right across the street from Ogilvie Transportation Center and hosts one of the largest whiskey collections in Chicago, with over 500 selections, over 30 private barrels, and more than 100 vintage and rare bottles. Slightly Toasted keeps things interesting with its own in-house menu of barrel-aged cocktails, apps, sandwiches, and salads, on top of featuring tacos from Asadito next door (after 2 p.m.). A quick coffee stop on the way into the office and a fun happy hour stop on the way home, Slightly Toasted is the destination for any commuter. Be sure to stop in on a Wednesday for half-off all whiskies.
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This subterranean bar and restaurant in the heart of River North features an extensive whiskey menu of American and European whiskeys. If you are a local or just a big fan of whiskey, you can check out their “whiskey keep,” where patrons can purchase a sealed bottle for personal consumption on the premises and share it with friends. This is a great way to guarantee your favorite whiskey remains behind the bar.
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Untitled Supper Club’s Whiskey Library features a jaw-dropping spirits display behind the bar that takes your eyes all the way to the towering ceiling. This prohibition-era-inspired restaurant and bar has lots to offer beyond its whiskey. With burlesque, & variété shows, live music, and an impressive menu, there is something here for everyone.
The suburban Rosemont location features a lengthy and impressive whiskey list, but the River North location takes it several steps further with the complete Pappy Van Winkle lineup & Buffalo Trace Antique Collection alongside other highly sought-after whiskies and over a dozen private barrel selections. Beyond the long bar list of whiskey, this Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises restaurant serves a menu focused on authentic Southern barbecue and features some of country music’s best new talent. On the way out, make a point to check out their retail options, as you can buy bottles to take home from Pappy Van Winkle to bottles from Bub City’s own single-barrel collection.
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If you are looking for the best selection of Japanese whisky in Chicagoland, look no further than Sushi-san. Besides offering upwards of 110 Japanese whiskies from more than 11 different Japanese distilleries, you can find a long list of sake to pair with one of their many raw fish or binchotan charcoal-roasted meat dishes. Sourcing the freshest ingredients, including seafood, directly from Japan’s Toyosu fish market, you can be sure the food will be just as amazing as the whisky.
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This Logan Square restaurant offers food and whiskey pairings to make this spot a dining and drinking destination. The restaurant received its Michelin star in 2010 and has been on the map ever since (later moved to the Michelin Bib Gourmand list in 2017). Unlike the other top whiskey destinations in the city, Longman & Eagle features a boutique inn with six rooms above the restaurant and bar to turn a visit into a stay. Here you can find barrel-aged cocktails, an exceptional whiskey list featuring vintage and ultra-high-end bottles, and a house barrel selection that includes a 21-year-old Willett Family Estate.
If you stop in and recognize the dark wood back bar filled with whiskey, it might be because it was transported and rebuilt from the beloved Fountainhead. The owners (the same team behind the Northman & Bar on Buena) are keeping the bar and fantastic whiskey collection alive at their latest Lincoln Square venture: The Green Post. Offering a European-inspired menu that is sure to pair well with any of their many Scotch and Irish whiskey offerings (but don’t skimp on their bourbon either)!
You may already be familiar with Big Star’s taco menu, but their whiskey menu is far more extensive. With a strong focus on bourbon and American whiskeys, the bar boasts one of the top house-selected single-barrel programs in the city. With rotating whiskey specials, there will always be a reason to stop in and keep coming back.
You literally can’t miss this bar, as it features a skeleton riding a spinning motorcycle on the roof above the entrance. A West Town staple, known for its biker theme, open rooftop bar, brunch offerings, and half-price whiskey Wednesdays, it shouldn’t be missed. With a broad and ever-changing whiskey menu, you can always find something new to try at Twisted Spoke.
Anyone in the know will tell you this is one of, if not the best, whiskey bars in Chicago. From bourbon to rye, scotch to Japanese, vintage to modern, they have it all (and more) at a fair price. Mike Miller has been running Delilah’s for almost three decades and has built excellent relationships with whiskey producers across the globe, allowing him to procure some truly exceptional releases exclusive to the bar. Beyond the whiskey, you can find DJs spinning punk, rock, and ska music all night long and an upstairs bar with a billiards table.
Sitting between River West and Fulton Market, this southern-themed bar with Chicago flair shows off an impressive curated whiskey display behind the bar right as you walk in. Featuring more than 200 bourbons and ryes, the bar delivers on its name and continues to deliver with dozens of other whiskey choices. This Last Call Tavern Group bar features a large outdoor patio, eight specialty cocktails, weekday drink specials, and a special selection of bottles behind lock and key. These select few bottles are Rebel & Rye’s favorites across all spirits categories and make for a great pour on a special occasion.
This West Loop “all-day” bar and coffee shop sits right across the street from Ogilvie Transportation Center and hosts one of the largest whiskey collections in Chicago, with over 500 selections, over 30 private barrels, and more than 100 vintage and rare bottles. Slightly Toasted keeps things interesting with its own in-house menu of barrel-aged cocktails, apps, sandwiches, and salads, on top of featuring tacos from Asadito next door (after 2 p.m.). A quick coffee stop on the way into the office and a fun happy hour stop on the way home, Slightly Toasted is the destination for any commuter. Be sure to stop in on a Wednesday for half-off all whiskies.
This subterranean bar and restaurant in the heart of River North features an extensive whiskey menu of American and European whiskeys. If you are a local or just a big fan of whiskey, you can check out their “whiskey keep,” where patrons can purchase a sealed bottle for personal consumption on the premises and share it with friends. This is a great way to guarantee your favorite whiskey remains behind the bar.
Untitled Supper Club’s Whiskey Library features a jaw-dropping spirits display behind the bar that takes your eyes all the way to the towering ceiling. This prohibition-era-inspired restaurant and bar has lots to offer beyond its whiskey. With burlesque, & variété shows, live music, and an impressive menu, there is something here for everyone.
The suburban Rosemont location features a lengthy and impressive whiskey list, but the River North location takes it several steps further with the complete Pappy Van Winkle lineup & Buffalo Trace Antique Collection alongside other highly sought-after whiskies and over a dozen private barrel selections. Beyond the long bar list of whiskey, this Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises restaurant serves a menu focused on authentic Southern barbecue and features some of country music’s best new talent. On the way out, make a point to check out their retail options, as you can buy bottles to take home from Pappy Van Winkle to bottles from Bub City’s own single-barrel collection.
If you are looking for the best selection of Japanese whisky in Chicagoland, look no further than Sushi-san. Besides offering upwards of 110 Japanese whiskies from more than 11 different Japanese distilleries, you can find a long list of sake to pair with one of their many raw fish or binchotan charcoal-roasted meat dishes. Sourcing the freshest ingredients, including seafood, directly from Japan’s Toyosu fish market, you can be sure the food will be just as amazing as the whisky.