I visited Broken Shaker during a visit to Chicago a few weeks ago. I had a really bad day, and was looking for a place where I'd be comfortable on my own. I had the best experience with the bartender, Selma! She found time to listen to me while managing other customers. Her empathy and care (plus the amazing drinks) made a huge difference. She was working alone and taking care of several customers, and still found time to personalize the experience and connect with every one. I have heard from others that this place doesn't have the best management and that employees feel various degrees of dissatisfaction. However, Selma was a true professional and I would recommend visiting the bar during her shift - especially if you are having a bad day! Thank you, Selma for taking such good care of us! read more

Amazing vibes inside. The food and drinks were amazing and the bartender was so nice. Would recommend the bar but not the hotel itself.

I was really disappointed by my experience with Selma at Broken Shaker. Throughout my visit, she loudly talked about how much she hated her job, hated dealing with people, and couldn't stand being there--all within earshot of guests. Hearing that as a customer made the experience feel uncomfortable and unwelcoming. Everyone has difficult days, but when you work in hospitality, professionalism matters. If you're unhappy, it shouldn't become part of your guests' experience. The drinks were fine, but the attitude overshadowed them. Considering you've only been bartending for about five months, I hope you recognize that many people would appreciate the opportunity to work in a position where great service can also lead to great tips. A positive attitude goes a long way in this industry, and treating guests with respect is a big part of the job. read more

So I came to this bar and hung out with friends, since I was staying at the hotel upstairs (The Freehand). I didn't actually have a drink so can't comment on those but I can on the ambiance. The interior of this bar is really cozy and nice. I would definitely enjoy hanging out here had it not been for the VERY loud club music on the Saturday night that I came. In fact, the sheer number of people all crowded in here gave it a very clubby vibe, which I actually don't care for at all. The music was so loud it was hard to hear my friends talking and I was concerned it would be loud in my room, but I was up on the 14th floor so thankfully it was far enough that I could barely hear the music with the windows closed and it did not keep me up. Overall -- on nights when it isn't so loud and clubby I would enjoy it here, but that one experience I had was enough that I wouldn't seek to hang out in this spot again since it was a little over stimulating. The location within the hotel is really nice if you're staying there, though. read more

I love this spot. We continue to visit this spot when we go to Chicago because the drinks are always wonderful and it has the best chill vibes and music. You could be dressed up for a night out or in your travel clothes it truly does feel like all our welcome! There are multiple areas to sit to drink , eat or dance and staff are very kind! read more

Broken Shaker at Freehand Chicago - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I remember coming here about nine years ago when I first visited Chicago and to be honest, I was having a great night so I forgot the name of this place and I forgot I ever visited, but upon visiting again since I moved to the city, I can say this is one of the most unique bars I've ever been to. Settle inside of the freehand hotel. It is almost like walking into an old school, Miami speakeasy. Dim lighting with ample seating and bartenders are attentive and willing to make the drinks and experience. Definitely a go to just for a quick drink or taking out of town is out for a decent experience. read more

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Went here for a friend's milestone birthday. She had some space rented out for the group. Staff nice. Good food and drinks. It was super busy and not a ton of room as the area that was designated for the party kind of flowed right into the general areas for the rest of the patrons. I'd go back to see what it's like when not part of a reserved party. Oh, and they had live music! read more

Broken Shaker is listed as a speakeasy on Yelp, but it's not quite out of sight. Tucked in the back of a hotel lobby, it's easy to miss--but once inside, it's clear this is far from your typical hotel bar. The vibe is funky, with cool music, eclectic decor, and a relaxed, artsy atmosphere that feels like a tucked-away local favorite. We tried three cocktails--the Gracing the Lily, the Count of Monte Carlo, and the Glorious Bastard--and all were beautifully made and delicious. Creative, balanced, and visually stunning. The kind of drinks you remember. A huge part of what made our experience special was Butch, our bartender. He not only crafted great drinks but also brought the kind of warmth and hospitality that made us feel instantly welcome. He took our order at the table and felt more like a long-lost friend than just a bartender. His presence genuinely elevated the whole night. This place has all the marks of a hidden gem, and if we're ever back in Chicago, we'll definitely be stopping by again. read more

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Super cute little bar with great cocktails, laid back vibes, and good service. Has an intimate feel, great for dates or meeting up with a few friends. read more

I have been putting off going to broken shaker for the longest time and I regret taking so long to visit this place. This place looks tiny from the outside, but is huge on the inside with tons of seating. They have both table seating and bar seating. The ambience is nice and edgy, almost on the classier side if I am being honest. We were a bit dressed down and felt out of place. The cocktail menu is not very expansive but each and every cocktail that we tried was out of this world. We tried the 70s porn star, turn up and Lo Siento Papi cocktails. We also ordered the grilled cheese with a side of fries and some Al pastor tacos. Loved the food too! The goat cheese, arugula and jam in the grilled cheese were just divine. The online menu is not very up to date. Overall, I think the prices are reasonable for the area and I genuinely regret not visiting sooner. One of my new favorite cocktail bars for sure! read more

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I recently discovered Broken Shaker and have been to this place twice since then. It is a great spot to grab drinks late at night. I've tried their mezcal-based tiki drink and really enjoyed it. My friends tried an Old Fashioned and a rum-based cocktail, which were good as well. I haven't tried their food menu yet, but I would love to someday! The ambiance features dim lights and mellow music, making it a perfect spot for date nights. Check out this cute cocktail bar at the Freehand Hotel! read more

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Narrative: Work Trip to Chicago in June. I had a craving for a good burger and cocktail and this place was close to my hotel. Food: So I was intrigued by their Happiest Meal special. If you asked me to find a burger that represented what a typical American burger should be, this burger would be it. It was like a Big Mac, if a Big Mac tasted absolutely amazing. I still think about that burger. So good. Drinks: This place gives off high end tiki bar vibes but doesn't fully embrace the kitsch of one. Basically, you can get some very unique drinks while also falling back on the mainstays of any classy bar if orgeat and falernum make you nervous. They utilized a lot of house-made bitters and syrups which elevated the drinks. Aesthetic: This place was unique. It looked like visiting my grandparents house if they never updated it since 1960. Definitely a walk back into a different time. Cozy, spacious, and lots of corners to enjoy a good drink and conversations. Service: Hit or miss. The guy in the back bar had no clue about the drink of the day or food specials that the website talked about. I was about to walk out but then asked at the front bar. The lady their was much more knowledgeable about what I was looking for and served me. Price: The Happiest Meal Burger is a happy hour special and comes at a very good price, especially being found in downtown Chicago. Drinks are standard to what you will find at other bars downtown Why You Should Go: That amazing burger!!! read more

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I think there are other broken shaker locations with better ambiance and I probably wouldn't come back (then again I'm a tourist). The vibe inside was cool but a little too dark, and the drinks were very iced (hence watered down). Better places in Chicago imo. Service was nice. read more

Broken Shaker at Freehand Chicago - Some cocktails - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The drinks I got tasted fine, the Lakeside Lemonade and the Bullet Train to Belfast. Although expensive at $18 per cocktail. My friend got the Butter Old Fashioned, and a standard old fashioned and both were not good. For some reason the standard old fashioned was cloudy which means something was done wrong. Service was not great, the servers themselves were fine but the time to get a single cocktail was upwards of 10-15 minutes. For some reason just after 7:00 pm the music volume raised by a significant margin to the point of my group not being able to hear each other, and it was fluctuating the entire time we were there. I do not plan on returning If you're in the area, the Berkshire Room is a much better option and is right next door. read more

I came here and search of a happy hour, but unfortunately, they didn't have one. Because of the time of the day, I was the only one at the bar, but the bartender seemed happy to have a customer and was very friendly. The vibe inside was cozy and accommodating. Prices were pretty high and parking is tough out front. read more

So so The atmosphere and interior were good, but the food was delicious.

Great place to sit back...the "speak-easy" feel was nice. I would give 5 stars but the music was brutal...wrap style music with vulgar words just doesn't fit the environment...change it to some R&B, Jazz, etc...and they get it right! read more

Reservation for a Saturday evening. After checking in, the host pointed to an open table across the restaurant and said we could seat ourselves there. She then grouchily told us, "We have no servers tonight. If you want to order anything, you need to go to the bar." This place was obviously having major staffing issues. Nearly empty at prime time on a weekend night, with several people sitting at tables on laptops which took away from the "cocktail bar" ambience. read more

Favorite cocktail bar in Chicago. Love that you can walk in and not worry about booking a table in advance. The drinks are always top notch and servers fantastic. Whenever I have friends in town I always recommend broken shaker read more

amazing American Breakfast and coffee and even better vibes with people coming by the bar, chatting with staff, and looking out the window into downtown Chi-town! read more

Broken Shaker at Freehand Chicago - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Had some pretty mediocre cocktails and surprise extra charges on the check. Would not recommend.

Very chill vibe, great ambiance, drinks were delicious! Food was tasty and also one of the only places with late night food near our hotel. They were out of chips and guacamole and the fish tacos so we got Al pastor chicken tacos and the cheese quesadillas. Quesadillas were very tasty with a crispy cheese outer layer and the tacos were good too but will probably order with the salsa and hot sauce on the side next time as it was a little overwhelming for me at one time. Colin was our bartender and was wonderful. He made a delicious dealers choice drink and made us feel welcome and comfortable in this cozy spot. Will definitely be back! read more

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Whew I'm hesitant to leave a review because I don't want to share how much of a gem this is! I've been coming since 2020, and I'll keep coming back. Fantastic gorgeous ambiance, lots of seating variety (get here on the early side if you really want your pick). Staff is always so nice and bartenders will happily give you insight to the drinks. Last time I stayed at the attached hotel, also very nice. It's a very old building, so there's lots of charm and history (check out the old postal slots built into the walls by the elevator!). I haven't had the food, but the house punch is always delightful if they have a batch mixed up. My partner had an old fashioned (he approved) and I had a cocktail since they didn't have the punch mixed up yet (we got there super early). read more

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What a cute hotel bar! Located inside the Freehand, this doubles as a coffee bar by day and a stylish bar in the evening! The bartenders were attentive and creative, making me a drink that was according to my happy mood! This was such a great find on a nice day trip to Chicago. Definitely recommend ;-) read more

Broken Shaker at Freehand Chicago - Mood drink ;-) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Loved the ambiance here! The drink pictured was really tasty too and the bartender was nice! read more

Young female bartender closing tonight [Sep 21, 2025] was terrible. Insanely rude for no reason. Three of us, ordered two martinis and a skinny marg; she rolled her eyes for asking her to put ice chips in it. read more

The Broken Shaker is one of the better cocktail bars downtown despite being a chain. It doesn't have that cheesy corporate feel chains often have. Most of my favorites restaurants and bars are in the neighborhoods. I strongly encourage visitors to not limit their Chicago experience to downtown and Wrigleyville. There's so much more to our city. There's a tiki theme to the bar and cocktails, but the bartenders are pros. They can whip up just about anything you'd like. They're also really good about making sure you enjoy your drink. They'll gladly fix, remake or prepare a new cocktail if you're not completely satisfied. The food menu is limited. I suggest ordering a burger. It's underrated. You won't find it in the list of Chicago's best burgers, but it's well above average. The service is non-pretentious and the crowd diverse. Great place to study, catch up with friends or meet new friends. The tab will add up quickly, but prices are on par with other cocktail bars downtown. read more

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A fun spot to come to after drinks. We had a large group and the lower level was perfect for us. We had a variety of cocktails, mixed drinks and even a round of shots. Highly recommend for good vibes and good drinks. read more

Broken Shaker at Freehand Chicago - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place was amazing! The service was great and the space was even better. The cocktails are carefully curated and we didn't have a bad drink out of the four! When you walk in your greeted by the bar right away and as you walk further back their are amazing lounge areas to sit with your group. We were only a party of two but I feel like this would be a great space for a larger group to be able to mingle! read more

Broken Shaker at Freehand Chicago - Seaweed drink - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Another trip. So glad this bar has remained consistent. The cocktails are trendy but delicious. They do a good Old Fashioned too. The staff friendly and fun. The atmosphere cool old school couches and club lighting. This is an awesome place to chill for a break before dinner. read more

My partner and I stayed at the Freehand for one night, so we made it a point to check out the Broken Shaker and I'm glad we did! The bar and lounge was our favorite part of our stay at the hotel. It was a really cool spot and the staff were all so friendly and attentive. We sat at the bar which is in the non-reservation half of the location. We each tried one cocktail from the drink menu: the Flores Guava Old Fashioned and the 70's Porn Star. We loved both of them and would definitely go back again to try other drinks or have these ones again! Even if you aren't staying in the hotel I would recommend stopping by for a drink. It felt like the perfect spot for couples or small groups to enjoy drinks and a seated conversation. read more

Broken Shaker at Freehand Chicago - Flores Guava Old Fashioned (left) and 70's Porn Star (right) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I can't speak to the drinks because we left before having the chance to try them. Let me preface this by saying I rarely leave negative reviews and have never walked out of a bar or restaurant without giving it a fair chance first. When my boyfriend and I walked in, we waited near the door, expecting to be seated. The bartenders were busy with something but made eye contact with us at least 10 times without saying a word or acknowledging our presence. It wasn't busy, so the lack of communication felt extremely awkward and off-putting. If it's a self-seating situation, a simple "Feel free to seat yourselves" would've gone a long way, or even a "We'll be with you in a minute" would have made all the difference. Instead, the prolonged, silent eye contact left us feeling uncomfortable and unwelcome. After five minutes of waiting without a single acknowledgment--aside from the awkward stares--we decided to leave. By that point, staying would've felt even more uncomfortable. I was genuinely excited to try this spot, but as others have mentioned, the ambiance and vibe were completely off. Unfortunately, it wasn't the experience we were hoping for. read more

Great vibe, 70's Pornstar was delicious. Def come back and we're staying above the bar in the hotel. read more

Broken Shaker at Freehand Chicago - 70's Pornstar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Edited 12/29/2021: woohoo! Broken Shaker is back in business and it shows. Wednesday and Thursday night are comfortably busy: you can find a seat or two, among couples, friends and solo travelers. A healthy mix of chicagoans and tourists alike, the main attraction here is the mixologists and their world wonder cocktails, The mucho mucho amor transcends space and time and transports you to a dreamy Caribbean island. Or is that what happens after 4 of them . At any rate, the conversations flow effortlessly from the bartenders - the scene is trendy and casual, and the drinks are memorable. I've been coming here since 2016 and it's true: Broken Shaker makes world class cocktails. The first time I saw this was in an American Airlines magazine that rated the brand one of the best in the world, If you like this place, visit its sister locations on Miami Beach and in LA. Visit Broken Shaker for an unforgettable cocktail experience, ---- Broken Shaker is closed for holiday until 12/28/2021. read more

Broken Shaker at Freehand Chicago - Closed until 12/28/2021. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Are you kidding me ???? This place is so chill and the drinks are 10/10! The service the bar tenders are so beyond great! Def recommend if you're looking for a fun and chill night read more

Broken Shaker at Freehand Chicago - Space Jam - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love, love, love this little cocktail bar... has a tiki theme, cute as hell bartenders who really know what they're mixing up. So many great little private areas with couches and pillows! Had a great time and can't wait to go back!! read more

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This cozy, speak-easy-like bar can be found in the back of the Freehand Hotel. Once you walk in the lobby, walk straight through and you'll en up this cave of cocktails. There's not a ton of seating, but if you go during the week, you'll be able to find a comfortable corner of sofas and chairs to overtake. Books line the walls and candles keep the place glowing. We sat in a little alcove and I ordered the Land Line: a vodka cocktail with strawberry and other fruity ingredients. It was super delicious and our friends enjoyed their mango margaritas with salted rims. Even the waters were cute and each had a cucumber floating on top. Our server was nice, but seemed a little rushed despite there not being much of a crowd. I definitely felt cool for having found this spot (let's be honest- my Chicago friend brought us here) and would definitely go back again. It wasn't loud, so it allowed for great conversation in addition to the drinks. read more

Broken Shaker at Freehand Chicago - Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Holy freaking crap this place is a double threat. Innovative, delicious cocktails and delicious food. Went there on Cinco de Mayo and was lucky enough to experience their special menu, plus they were still able to let me try the cocoa puffs old fashion which delivered exactly as you would expect. Note that the DJ is absolutely going to do their thing, so it can get a little loud. read more

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5 star atmosphere. 5 star bar service and 5 star food! We came to Chicago for a weekend visit and stayed at this fancy hotel but some how ended up at this one. Glad it was recommended. I had a super strong delish drink and a cheese quesadilla enough to keep me going for a long night. This place is a total vibe. read more

This place is located in a hostel, the Freehand, and is super cute. You're surrounded by plants and it has an intimate and chill vibe. We took advantage of the happy hour specials and had the punch. The drinks are a tad light, but if you order 2 you'll be okay :-). The price is $8. They serve water in cute little canning jars with a cucumber on top. Def a place I would go too again! read more

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