Moonflower, the plant-themed cocktail bar that opened in Old Irving Park in 2021, recently acquired a darker, moodier younger sibling, Nightshade. Located in the basement below Moonflower, Nightshade serves cocktails with more experimental ingredients — the Late Bloomer features purple rice-washed Ford’s gin while Son of a Gun includes salted tortilla chips and poblano peppers — plus fluffy alcoholic shave ice.

Soule owner Bridgette Flagg says it means a lot to her to move her restaurant from West Town to North Lawndale, as it’s a full-service location with a full bar. After talking with local officials, Flagg says Soule is the first full-service restaurant in the neighborhood that’s opened in 50 years. There are six signature cocktails including the Soule Punch made from Grey Goose vodka and complemented with cognac or tequila.

Same Day Cafe has been open for eight years in Logan Square, but ownership has made a few changes. They include bringing in a new chef for more composed dinner menus; don’t worry the sandwiches are still around. But in November, the cafe secured a liquor license and created spiked sodas using unique syrups made in-house. Highlights include the Paloma-inspired Unpainted Arizona (Azteca Azul Tequila Plata, Grapefruit, Jalapeño, Lime, Soda) and Inconceivable! (Redwood Empire Bourbon, Ginger Syrup, Angostura).

The final installment of Meadowlark Hospitality’s trilogy of dining and drinking spots in Logan Square, this speakeasy-style bar has quickly established itself as a moody neighborhood hang with boozy, engaging cocktails from beverage director and Violet Hour alum Abe Vucekovich. The opening drink menu, elucidated in a beautiful Audubon-esque guidebook, pays homage to native birds of the Midwest. These include a brandy-based Ruby-Throated Hummingbird and egg nog-inspired Snowy Owl.

In Bucktown, fairy tales have long inspired the tasting menu at Michelin-starred Claudia. Chef Trevor Teich has created a 10-course menu out of nostalgia, and in late 2023, the restaurant rolled out a winter cocktail menu with nods to the Brothers Grimm. Now, the Brothers Grimm have their faults, but children don’t know that, and Claudia is serving drinks like Rapunzel (Cherry Bomb Radish 8000 Generations Shochu, Viola Flower Bordiga Maraschino, green chartreuse, and sudachi). Beyond the 10 drinks, created by bartender Terence Shapcott, the menu features illustrations by Tom Keating.

Revolver’s exterior storefront, filled with pop-culture artifacts, doesn’t really give passers-by an idea of what to expect inside. It’s a dimly lit bar that’s good for dates and conversation. Unfortunately, there’s plenty of time to talk as the cocktails don’t exactly come out quickly. Be prepared to wait. This is definitely not a shot and beer type of place. It’s from the owners of Duplex.

Passport Bar Room has revitalized a long-vacant corner space with an emphasis on international sports and street fare (the menu was developed by a José Andrés alum). The bar also has a basement lounge that focuses more on cocktails, an escape from the fans’ cheers.

Travel-obsessed restaurant group Bonhomme Hospitality has supplemented its Silk Road-inspired food menus with an inventive selection of seriously boozy cocktails, including the frozen Mango and Spice (rum, arrack, mango, yogurt, yellow curry) and photogenic Cherry Blossom (gin, shochu, cocoa, plum). ABVs start around 13 percent, so imbibers would be wise to plan ahead for a designated driver.

Movie theaters are trying dynamic pricing, to charge customers more depending on what seat they select. That’s not happening yet at Alamo Drafthouse, the Austin, Texas chain that just opened its first Chicago location. But they’re trying another revenue stream: booze. The theater houses Video Vortex, a bar lined with VHS cassettes (which are available to rent), and drinks with movie themes. It could be a reason for a non-sports fan to venture to Addison and Clark, even in the summer when the Cubbies are playing.

The former home of quarter-century-old Vivo is lively again at last following the fall 2022 debut of Hide + Seek, a restaurant and bar that aims to strike a balance between comfort and elegance in Fulton Market. At the bar, patrons will find a short menu of drinks such as the tequila-based Pyro’s Negroni and the citrusy City of Lights, made with whiskey, orange curacao, and chamomile.

Nine Bar is Chinatown’s first cocktail bar, located behind the Moon Palace Express takeout counter. Owners Lily Wang (whose parents own Moon Palace) and Joe Briglio mix up “Asian-ish” takes on classic cocktails, creating Old Fashioneds, highballs, and margaritias with baiju, soju, and shochu.

This restaurant and winery from urban planner Cecilia Cuff and Silver Room owner Eric Williams is home to some of Chicago’s hardest-to-snag tables, as well as a tight cocktail list that hits on all the major spirits. Submissions include the Uncle Yams Old Fashioned, a concoction starring Black-owned whiskey brand Uncle Nearest, sweet potato syrup, and brandied cherries.