Stroll Through Fat Rice's Red Light District-Style Cocktail Bar

Nearly 18 months in the making, Fat Rice's expansion and transformation into Fat Rice 2.0 will be complete on Friday. The Bakery at Fat Rice and its evening Petisco bar opened yesterday, while tomorrow the nationally-renowned Macau-inspired restaurant is finally unveiling its adjoining cocktail lounge, dubbed The Ladies' Room.

The lounge is inspired by Chinese gambling halls and Macau's red light district circa the mid-19th and 20th centuries, which is evident as soon as you enter due to its dim red lighting. Its decorations also harken back to that period, with many sourced from partner Adrienne Lo's grandparents' house as well as 1920s-era Chinese pinups. The space holds very few seats, which combined with a reservation-only policy, should make it an exclusive destination in Logan Square. Take a virtual tour in the photos below.

Chef/partner Abraham Conlon is the mastermind behind the creative cocktail program. It includes two large format options (such as the "Grand Royale" which is meant for eight to 10 people and costs a cool $280), one hot and one cold boozy tea for two, three reimagined classics (including a fascinating Manhattan with Dr Pepper spices aged in a Fernet barrel), and five original cocktails. There's also a very focused beer, cider, spirits and wine list—featuring nine bottles of very expensive reserve wines that start at $160 and top out at $595. Read through both menus below.

The Ladies' Room at Fat Rice, 2957 W. Diversey Ave., open 5:30 until 11 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.