Finding innovative cocktails in Chicago is a cinch. Stumble into any ol' downtown lounge and you're sure to get a menu full of drink names you'll need to twist your tongue just to pronounce. The real challenge today lies in tradition.
Scouring Chicago's local watering holes for drinks that channel the speakeasies of prohibition and historic Hollywood glam is no easy feat. Fortunately, there are still a few bars that are mixing history.
Rusty Nail at California Clipper
If the Cosmopolitan is a signature lady's cocktail, then the Rusty Nail is the epitome of manhood. Forget freshly squeezed juices and sugary syrups, this hardcore cocktail is nothing but scotch and Drambuie (a honey-infused liqueur). This California Clipper, classy little joint it is, also shakes up a traditional Singapore sling, a Tom Collins and a Manhattan.
Milk Rum Punch at Wilde Bar and Restaurant
Spiking the punch at birthday parties and family reunions is nothing new. This rum-based cocktail dates back to the early 1700s, and get this: a woman invented it. Aphra Behn, the first female to earn a living by writing, is famed not just for her prose, but her palate-pleasing libation as well. And this potent mix isn't just for the gals. It's a popular tipple with the brunching crowd at Wilde's, who like to soak it up with the restaurant's pancakes and omelets. If you're more of an orange juice person in the mornings, the bar also shakes up a classic screwdriver.
Knickerbocker at Weegee's Lounge
This popular 1850s drink takes its name from pants. Or at least that's one theory. Knickers (knee-length pants worn by stuffy old English men) were quite the fashion during this time, but no one knows for certain how the rum-based cocktail got its moniker. But the focus at Weegee's Lounge in Humboldt Park is more on the artful preparation of the Knickerbocker, as opposed to its mysterious name.
Sidecar or Classic Martini at Brasserie Ruhlmann
You can turn an evening of classic cocktails into a whole event at this 1920s style River North restaurant. Curl up in one of the restaurant's lavish banquettes and then choose a drink from Brasserie Ruhlmann's "Les Classiques." Not sure where to start? Try the sidecar; dating back to the early 1900s, this cocktail brings together cognac, orange liqeuer and lemon juice. Pair it up with something from Chef Christian Delouvrier's French-fueled menu for a true Parisian experience. And don't forget to try one of the bar’s classic martinis. The menu offers a choice of vodka or gin, but we don't have to tell you how it should be done.
Manhattan at Signature Room at the 95th
It doesn't take much to figure out where this one originated. But would you have guessed that it dates all the way back to the 1800s? Rumor has it that the drink was conjured up at New York City's Manhattan Club as a special tipple for a party thrown by Winston Churchill's mother. One thing is certain; the lady must've liked her drinks stiff because this one gets a serious dose of whiskey.
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