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    Dorian's

    3.8 (115 reviews)
    Closed 6:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 1 month ago

    Dorian's Photos

    DORIAN'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Live music
    Classy
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Dorian's

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    Ambiance
    Vaishnavi W.

    A great speaker-easy behind a record shop. The vibes and ambience of this place were 10/10. A very cozy bar and a great place to hang out with your date or friends. There isn't a table service, you need to go the bar to order drinks. The drinks were a great hit! I guess the menu keeps changing time and again which makes you want to come back to this place.

    Live band on stage
    Shawn W.

    Great spot! Great drinks! Great music! Bartenders worked together to keep the drinks flowing! Drinks weren't ridiculously high! Check them out!

    Brianna R.

    I love this speakeasy! The vibes are super chill. It's not too big and it can get crowded. If you can snag a chair at the bar you'll have one of the best seats in the house. I bring all of my out of town guests here.

    Allison G.

    Super cute speakeasy with live music and happy hour specials! Looks like a lil record store up front and you can enter from there. Cute place (kinda limited seating, but it was just a busy night). Would go back!

    Shawn B.

    Dorians is a combination of two things in the world I love- finely crafted cocktails and vinyl records. I love the entrance masquerading as a reputable vinyl shop but on the other side of the curtain is a fancy lounge taking you back to the 20's when this had to be hidden! The cocktails were amazing in particular the "time warp". Our host was friendly and attentive. The one minus about this place was PARKING. If you live in Chi-town you know the deal about parking however if you are visiting, try to get an uber, lyft or take public transit. Parking is virtually impossible. This will definite "go to" when I come back to Chicago; excited to try new drinks and buy records!

    Record bins
    Steph G.

    I lived in Bucktown so I don't recall this location being here, but I was glad that we found it on social media. It is a performance/concert hall behind a record store, which has a small area of records and bins. Nothing too large, but there are some things to definitely look at After we paid the $10 per person cover charge. We walked in and stood to the left of the bar facing the stage. The band was on its last set and would return at 11 PM so we are lucky to catch up a few songs. The bartenders were very nice and helpful. Yes it can be hard to get their attention because they were working at a feverish pace. The drinks were reasonably priced. The sound of the overall venue was great. Good vibes. Good crowd. Street parking but I recommend taking public transportation or Uber. Just a really fun late night experience.

    Stage , 5 feet from bar
    Alyssa B.

    It was extremely loud. There needs to be a sound check for live music. The space is small enough to lower the volume of the speakers. Consider this prior to paying the cover fee to enter. I will say I didn't come here for the loud music but to check out the drinks, which were good. I would come here again for happy hour. Not worth the late night live music.

    Entrance / Record room
    Nicole B.

    I've been to Dorian's maybe 2-3 times, but this was my first visit during the warmer months, and I had a fantastic time. Which meant more livelier crowd. I met a new friend during their happy hour and enjoyed some great music. The music level was perfect - loud enough to enjoy, but still quiet enough to have a conversation at our table, which is always a plus. The bartenders had excellent recommendations and really knew their stuff. Would love to see a bigger wine selection on the menu, but what was offered was good. The vibe: think charming and intimate and great spot for a first date ::wink wink::. Highly recommend checking it out!

    Mona T.

    Overall Thoughts: Fantastic live music and good vibes (though can get really crowded on Fri/Sat nights), but I wasn't a fan of their cocktails. The bartenders are quick and efficient though, and we didn't need to wait too long to order and receive our drinks. There's no cover if you arrive before 8pm-- which is actually ideal for busy nights, to snag a seat/table before it gets busier. When I arrived at ~7:45pm on a Friday, it was packed and it only got more crowded as time went on. The band started playing around 9:15pm and they were fantastic-- super soothing and melodic. Drinks I tried: - Ooh Baby (3.5/5): This drink looks beautiful, but didn't taste like ube at all or any of the other ingredients in it. - Frondly Gayle (3/5): This one has 3 different types of alcohol in it, and I personally don't think it worked-- it just tasted strange, like the flavors didn't go together at all. Overall, at least with these 2 specific drinks, I think that they're trying to do too much with too many conflicting ingredients and flavors. -- Price (relative to peers): 4.2/5 Drinks: 3.7/5 Ambience: 4.5/5 Service: 4.5/5 Overall Value: 4.2/5

    Perpetual A.

    Dorians is a Bucktown staple! I have yet to see a live show here but all you need for a good time is one of their drinks and a fun partner! Seating can be tricky so make sure to arrive early!

    Stephon H.

    I had a blast here due to the music. The. Dj played an array of genres and the mixing was well done. There was a transition of Djs about a hour or so into us being there. And the vibes stayed consistent. The bartender was a bit overwhelmed with the amount of drinks ordered and i had to wait a bit, but im not losing sleep over it.

    Riley A.

    My girlfriend and I ended our date here at Dorian's. We had a great time as the drinks were good and the live jazz performance was great. The vibes were nice as the building itself was very aesthetic. The only thing we have to say about our experience is that the place is very small and there were lots of people. It can make finding a spot or viewing the performance difficult and uncomfortable. We were lucky and found a great spot to post up, but it was a bit annoying with the people passing in front of us continuously and how overcrowded it was. Get there early to avoid the cover fee and find a nice seated spot at the bar or towards the back wall. Nonetheless, we had a great time and highly recommend if you don't mind being shoulder to shoulder with other people.

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    2 years ago

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    8 months ago

    Great spot with lowkey vibes, and good live music! Will most definitely be back again

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    3 years ago

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    9 months ago

    Really cool spot. Definitely go when they have live music. The drinks were good but expensive

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    2 years ago

    really cool bar with live music and DJ. the drinks were solid, get there early if you want a seat. but good laidback atmosphere

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    Page 1 of 3

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    Bisous - interior

    Bisous

    4.4(124 reviews)
    2.1 miFulton Market, West Loop, Near West Side

    One of my favorite cocktail bars in the city, I just learned a secret-- visit on Sunday afternoon…read morewhen there isn't a line out the door and it isn't slammed inside. Really creative cocktails, unusual wines, great snack list (and the complimentary olives and cheese made us able to stay longer add have another round!). If you sit at the bar, one of the very talented, friendly mixologists will guide you to your perfect drink progression-- that's right-- you're not just have one thing. Too hard to choose so why should you? There are low and no ABV options as well to balance out the martinis and other spirit forward offerings. I love the decor and overall vibe--classy, French-y, fun not stuffy. Great on your own, with a date, a small group. Special shout out to Hannah but everyone we interacted with was great.

    Of course when in Chicago, I had to check out Bisous, ranked #30 on North America's 50 Best Bars…read more2026, climbing from #39 in 2025. With an intimate ambiance, in Chicago's Fulton Market, Bisous brings the vibe of a 1960s Parisian cocktail lounge. Since they don't take reservations, I had a short wait at the door. Somehow, they knew exactly what I wanted, which was a seat at the bar. My favorite place to sip, exhaole, and chat with the bartenders. The cocktails were delicious, and the service was warm, attentive, and welcoming. My tongue-clicking sips for the evening: PASTRY WAR Pistachio Cream, Agricole & Jamaican Rums, Grappa, Almond, Egg White, Lemon, Nutmeg BAIT & SWITCH Blueberry Cordial, Mezcal, Blanche Armagnac, Baking Spices COUNTERPOINT Fig Leaf, Armagnac Duffau Napoléon, Yellow Chartreuse, Oscar.697 Rosso Vermouth Mmmm... #BonAppetit! Cheers! Enjoy!

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    Sparrow - Bar area Hotel Nacional

    Sparrow

    4.3(348 reviews)
    2.5 miNear North Side
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    Right before starting writing this one, I wrote a review for Kibbitznest, another phenomenal…read moreChicago bar with a totally different theme and vibe. That is to say: I am not throwing words of praise like "one of a kind" and "phenomenal" around lightly. Both are different and still amazing. Sparrow has a vibe straight out of the 1920s. The decor, signage, use of color, and absence of screens or TV's all contribute to the theme. The music is also appropriate and plays at the perfect volume to be pleasant without forcing one to raise their voice. I tried the Green Daisy and a House Old Fashioned. The Green Daisy was boozy and had some herbaceous notes. A little tartness and a little sweetness helped balance the drink out and make for a phenomenal sipper. I loved the creativity with this one! The House Old Fashioned was also well done, assembled with quality ingredients in balance with one another. Nothing wrong with a well-executed classic. The prices are more or less reasonable considering the location and overall market, with bevies costing around $16. The bar staff is excellent! Very friendly and welcoming! Final verdict: A spot where I can say come for the drinks and stay for the vibe. It's the kind of place where walking in you are transported a century into the past. Everything about the experience, including the atmosphere, drinks, service, and prices, is calling me to return and bring some people with me.

    This might be my favorite rum bar in the country. If you want intimate spaces, moody lighting,…read moreextensive rum selections, and drink specials come here. Monday nights are my favorite because they offer a different specialty rum in special. It's a great way to try different kinds. They also serve beer, wine, and every other spirit you can imagine. Cocktails are on point. Seating options are varied: bar seats, small tables in back, bench seating with tiny tables up front. Quiet and comfortable.

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    Valedor - Bar area

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    4.5(93 reviews)
    0.1 miWicker Park, West Town

    Cute little vibe with an intimate setting and good drinks. Service was attentive and seating was…read morecozy. We made a reservation but we didn't even need it, we were able to sit anywhere we wanted. I tried the We Love Lychee & Midnight Espresso. Both were delicious!

    I came here on my own to check out their happy hour because I have heard good things but I was a…read morebit disappointed. I came in right around 5pm so it wasnt very busy yet. I ordered the horchata 2 ways cocktail which was $12 for haply hour and is typically $16. $12 is the highest amount for a happy hour cocktail that I have ever paid and I dont think it was worth it. The 1st sip was good but it was a very sweet drink and I was over it by the end. The drink also was half a very heavy cream so when you drank it you were drinking the liquid but not getting much of the cream. So you either had to lick the cream off the top or drink on the liquid and then either leave the cream or somehow scoop it out with your tongue so not really a well conceived cocktail. One of the fun and unique things about the bar is they bring out free tapas every once in a while similar to bars in Spain. They brought out edamame to the people at the bar right around 5pm and a group next to me asked at around 530pm if more tapas would come out and the bar person said the come out every 45 mins. I was there til around 630pm and another round of tapas never came out so do not expect that if you go. They did not give you water unless you specific ask for it which I though was odd, I heard 3 groups besides myself at the bar who had to ask for water, especially since this is supposed to be a nice cocktail bar and this is just one of my pet peeves but the water did not contain ice and was closer to room temperature which is not how I enjoy my water. Despite not being super crowded I had to ask for the check from 2 different people and it took 15 mins for them to bring it so if it is crowded I expect they will have pretty slow service. They do bring you a fortune cookie woth your check where you can potentially win a discount on your check or other prizes which is fun. Unfortunately the fortune cookie tastes a bit stale. I would say that this place is not worth it for happy hour but it had a cool but very dark vibe in there so it might be good for a romantic date depending on how good the food is.

    Photos
    Valedor - Strip Steak Katsu Sandwich

    Strip Steak Katsu Sandwich

    Valedor - Crispy Cilantro Lime Rice with spicy salmon

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    Truce - The cocktails are legit

    Truce

    4.8(53 reviews)
    0.5 miBucktown

    Coffee and cocktails. Do we really need anything else? With standard hours ranging from 8 AM to…read moreMidnight most days, Truce has got you covered, whatever the mood. Very clever drink list. With mixology being all the rage for the last 20+ years, I almost feel like it's hard to come up with a new drink concept these days. Truce shows that creativity in the world of booze is alive and well, and I count myself lucky to have had a taste. The 'Peas + Carrots' was a surprise win. Scotch, blanco tequila, sochu, carrot, snap pea, ginger, and kukicha. Sounds bizarre as hell, but it absolutely works. I also had a 'Final Say,' a spin on a classic featuring gin, clementine, fino, galliano, turmeric, black pepper, and lemon. The 'I Can't Believe It's Beer' has everything from mezcal and rooibos tea to guava and an aperitivo. I could ramble on about their menu, but I'd say just check Truce out yourself. You get what I'm saying. Their creative juices are clearly flowing, and they switch the menu up seasonally. They have some light bites too, but I really recommend them for cocktails and coffee. I wouldn't come here for dinner. They do drinks, so come here to drink. Plenty of very savvy-sounding N/A options, too. It's sleek, intimate, sexy, relaxed, and fun. Come through at 8 AM for a cocktail, roll through at 11 PM for a coffee, there's no judgment here. I'll be keeping an eye on Truce.

    Wow, Truce is my ideal concept of a space. It's a coffeeshop by day and cocktail bar by night. I…read morecame in during the day on a Thursday to get some work done, and it was such a cool environment. The ambiance is dark and moody inside, but I liked the music they had playing, and there was plenty of seating. They also had free Wi-Fi and outlets! Everything on their menu looked insanely good. I went with the B-A-N-A-N-A-S--it was very tasty, and the banana taste was very strong. It was definitely on the sweeter side so more of a dessert drink, but I enjoyed it. Everything on their menu looked so delicious and well thought out, so I definitely hope to try their other drinks! The service was very fast and friendly. I recommend this spot--will need to be back to try out their drinks in the future! FYI, they become 21+ after 5pm.

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    Truce - Cortado

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    Dorian's - cocktailbars - Updated September 2026

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