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    Esmeralda's Lounge

    4.0 (29 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    Esmeralda's Lounge Photos

    ESMERALDA'S LOUNGE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    DJ
    Romantic
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Esmeralda's Lounge

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    Malort
    Super L.

    I think they remember me from the first visit where after **a few** AMAZING banana old fashioneds, I spontaneously combusted into a hot mess, and stayed all night. I'm a little basic, obviously, after all here I am on Yelp. I brought in friends from out of town this time around and they not only immediately took in stride my doubly obnoxious request for 1. A mojito and 2. FIRE!!!; but they also went out of their way to impress my guests and even gave them a Chicago welcome with malort shots. Which I totally warned them not to do it but they did anyways. Esmeralda's is the coolest little joint. I do not live nearby thank goodness. But I come whenever I'm in the area.

    Birthday celebration
    Phyllis C.

    Drinks service and ambiance NICE! Definitely will go back!! So glad social media introduced me to this place!

    a cocktail in a glass
    Bessy T.

    THEY CALL IT *THE FIRE" - @esmeraldaschicago Humboldt Park, Chicago So freaking LIT - got shots of rum on the house, and got to see this incredible show filled with fragrance, sparks of cinnamon, and blue + red flames Definitely recommending coming here, the music is awesome too with a nice chill house vibe on the weekday and more party on the weekends Drinks are on the more expensive side but quite good with a Caribbean flare - eg I got the Banana Oaxacan . Alcohol forward which I enjoy banana mezcal, tequila, bitters, chocolate flavor. Really good mix for $16 (without tip)

    Old fashion 7/10
    Torwah N.

    This is the king of all happy hours...old fashion $5 out of this world margarita $5. Listen between the hours of 5-7 this is where you need to be. Easily the best value for drinks in the city. The place is small and the bartenders are usually always on top of what you need. You need something that's not on the menu just ask. See you guys Fridays between 5-7 for happy hour. Old fashion 7/10 and margarita 10/10.

    Flaming drink fun.
    Merrill O.

    Fun little spot for tiki drinks without the tourist crowds. Nice sized patio. Cute decor. Drinks were a bit hit or miss. I ordered the same drink twice, and it tasted totally different the second time. Lol. As a bonus, a tarot card reader was there doing readings!

    Lizzy F.

    Beautiful patio bar well situated on paseo boricua. We heard Salsa and followed the music Esmeralda's No food....Delicious drinks. Got me a Grand Poobah. Tajin rimmed vodka mango elixir. Wanted to stay longer Next time for sure.

    Espresso martini
    Sara J.

    Awesome ambiance and GREAT happy hour. 5 dollar mojitos were my go to. The customer service was probably my favorite. They were super social, cool, and helpful. I already can't wait to go back.

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    1 month ago

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    2 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    4 months ago

    Really good cocktails! Great house music night and ran into a live band outside! So much fun!!! Always love coming here!!!

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    10 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Brendan and kitten bear (dj), including all dj's had great hospitality with music taste. Had fun great drinkssss:) girl comes through :)

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    I had a beautifully presented Mango Tree that was delicious. The atmosphere is super fun and Josie is an absolute delight!

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Yo, change your dj. He sucks. Can't mix salsa music right. Also, get more Latin music. It's the community you are in.

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    Ask the Community - Esmeralda's Lounge

    Review Highlights - Esmeralda's Lounge

    Love this place and Javi is the world's best mixologist!

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Nettare

    Nettare

    4.3(71 reviews)
    0.9 miUkrainian Village, West Town

    Cafe in the front, party in the back!…read more Beautiful surroundings. Beautifully and thoughtfully decorated. We stopped in early (1pm) for the tail end of lunch service. We had a great time. We were welcomed nicely. Service was really nice. The menu though-- drinks and food are on another level. Everything is just elevated a little bit more. We started with coffee drinks, shared the ham hash, and ended with their mimosa which is better than any other place. Thoughtful, elevated, approachable and wonderful experience. Boom that's my review 10/10 recommend.

    I would highly recommend Nettare to friends and family when they are looking for a cute cafe to…read morevisit in the neighborhood. We were able to be seated within ten minutes without a reservation on a Sunday around noon. The service was helpful, but not annoying so we felt relaxed and not rushed. The ambience was moody cocktail lounge but well lit thanks to the skylight. It was perfect for brunch. The latte flight was fun to experience, but two of three drinks were lukewarm. I would order a full size latter next time. The breakfast sandwich was phenomenal and a must try. We also enjoyed the short rib "poutine". It was massive and we brought home half the dish. I recommend sharing it and not getting an extra order of potatoes. The tip is included as a 20% service charge and I really like knowing that the staff are getting "tipped" well. I'd definitely come back again!

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    Nettare - Gorgeous front area

    Gorgeous front area

    Nettare
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    Friends of Friends - Bar area

    Friends of Friends

    4.3(23 reviews)
    1.1 miWest Town, Near West Side

    This is one of my favorite happy hour spots in the city. Great spot to go after work with…read morecoworkers, friends, and of course, friends of friends! The drink menu is creative, with something for everyone. The mini martinis are so fun and always a hit! They offer some light snacks on the menu, but you can order food in -- last time we went, we ordered a few pizzas from a place a few blocks away. The space itself has a great relaxing ambience and the option to sit indoors or outside. In the colder months, there's an enclosed patio. When it's nicer, the outdoor space opens up and there's a fire pit. All of the staff have been kind and attentive. My only very minor complaint is that the bathroom, while nicely decorated, is SO dark. It took a while for my eyes to adjust and may be difficult for those with impaired vision. I'd suggest increasing the light, or adding a few fake candles/small lamps!

    Friends of Friends just opened in West Town almost a year ago (in May). We came on a Sunday evening…read moreand it felt like a Saturday because of how crowded it was. There was a DJ as well. I loved how lively it felt in there. Their cocktail menu is on the wall and they have plenty of inventive options. I guess I forgot to take a photo of my drink, but I got the alpine and tropical one and it was really good. They have a dimly lit indoor area that feels romantic, and they also have a patio outside that's more casual.

    Photos
    Friends of Friends
    Friends of Friends
    Friends of Friends

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    Star Bar Chicago - Drinks

    Star Bar Chicago

    3.6(7 reviews)
    0.4 miUkrainian Village, West Town

    Nice little Dive bar on Western. They have some chips behind the bar if you need a pick me up from…read moredrinking. I have gotten bourbon here, they do not have Dickle if you're looking, but they have a nice selection. For beer they have a lot of local options on draft. The inside of the bar is very red, and there are always dogs sitting at the bar which is cute. Definitely recommend if you are in the neighborhood.

    Came here with a friend a few months ago after a show at empty bottle for a couple beers. This…read moreplace uses touch tunes which allows you play whatever music you want through the app. We were playing some early 2000's hip hop and couldn't help to notice the bartender giving us dirty looks. Made us feel uncomfortable, so we left. Fast forward to a couple nights ago . We were in the area and gave it another chance. Couldn't help to notice that all hip hop, rap, Latin music are completely blocked off. Politely asked the bartender what was up with that? He seemed very uncomfortable with my question and gave us a very sarcastic response. "Well, I guess that's a racist juke box." We immediately felt the bad energy. We proceed to finish our beers and play a jazz song by a black female singer. Immediately the bartender and some older biker looking dudes next to us start talking smack about the song. They asked if we put the song on? We said yes, and tell us to read the room. So I respond in a very sarcastic tone. "oh, you want us to read the room, would you like us to play some Toby Keith or Kid rock for you?" They smirked and had no response. I strongly believe the place is owned and operated by white supremacist maga brothren's. I would strongly encourage people In the neighborhood to stop supporting this business.

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    Star Bar Chicago - Lounge area

    Lounge area

    Star Bar Chicago - Pool

    Pool

    Star Bar Chicago - Bar

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    Bar

    Homestead on the Roof - Hope you're hungry! ⁠Celebrate the vibrant flavors of Portugal, al fresco. ⁠

    Homestead on the Roof

    3.8(399 reviews)
    0.9 miUkrainian Village, West Town
    $$$

    Things are very different here than they onxe were. It's now featuring a Portuguese/ Latin menu…read morewhich is far more casual (sandwiches and tacos). It's not a upscale as it once felt, and the poor service did not help that impression. My BF was lamenting Roots in Lincoln Square closing, but mentioned the one in West Town and Homestead. Neither of us had been since before the pandemic, so we made a reservation for the next week. We arrived a few minutes early and were seated promptly. The roof is cute-- what you'd expect of a rooftop. It took 5-10 minutes for our server to make it over. We ordered drinks and asked for 2 more minutes for the food. That was a mistake. It took him at least 10 minutes to come back. We still had not received our drinks, but he said the bar was backed up. I strongly suspect he forgot to enter them, but maybe not because it took 35 minutes! During most of that time, he seemed to avoid our table so he wouldn't have to field any questions. We ordered the broccolini, which was cooked perfectly. BF thought it needed a little salt, but I liked it. He got the mussels as an entrée and thought they were good, but nothing to write home about. I got the potato tacos, which were excellent. Overall, it was fine. Not quite the nice date night we expected, especially with the service being what it was. 35 minutes for a cocktail is pretty outrageous. They comped them, which I appreciated, but I don't know that I'll be back any time soon.

    The rooftop is lovely and this was our second time dining. The food that we got was good both…read moretimes. Very tasty and a bit creative. The first time the service was poor but not so bad that we didn't give another try. Last Thursday it was my mom's birthday and I thought she would enjoy the rooftop. The service was unforgivably bad. I tipped the guy only because I have no idea what kind of support he does or doesn't have. However, we never got a dish, and I ordered a second glass of wine part way through the meal and we then finished all our food and waited a bit. The glass of wine never came. I finally called him over, canceled the wine and asked for the bill. I really can't see how this place is still in business. Don't go there. If they can't bring you your food and drinks, why bother?

    Photos
    Homestead on the Roof - Venue? Check. Dinner? Check. Cake? Check. Champagne? Check. We'll take care of it all.

    Venue? Check. Dinner? Check. Cake? Check. Champagne? Check. We'll take care of it all.

    Homestead on the Roof - Homestead On The Roof | Chicago Rooftop Wedding Venue | West Town Chicago

Credit: Melody Joy Co Photography

    Homestead On The Roof | Chicago Rooftop Wedding Venue | West Town Chicago Credit: Melody Joy Co Photography

    Homestead on the Roof - Host your next event in West Town at this intimate rooftop!

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    Clara - E Major

    Clara

    4.7(31 reviews)
    0.8 miWicker Park, West Town

    This place knows what's up! It's beautiful, easy to get to, their service is always phenomenal and…read moretheir drinks are delicious. Their snacks are totally worth getting, and the staff are so friendly and knowledgeable. Every time I've asked for a recommendation, they do not disappoint! It's become a regular spot for a night out with the gals. PS - Their live music is so good!

    Cute-enough spot with small plates and cocktails. However, when we visited last night, we waited 15…read moreminutes for our one wine and one cocktail, despite the restaurant being less than a quarter full. We watched our waitress make multiple attempts to pick up my husband's drink from the bar, spill, set it down, pick it back up and spill more, and finally give up and run it to us. As she set down this sticky, wet, under-filled mess, I asked her exactly how much of my husband's $16 cocktail she had just spilled. She said, "Yeah, the bartender over-poured," and walked off. We then watched her do the exact same thing to every mixed drink she ran. Way, way too expensive to be delivering messy, dripping, quarter-empty cocktails. Skip Clara and go to Le Midi, where the service, ambience, and wine list were perfect.

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    The drummer and bassist of Solomon lindenberg trio

    Clara - Two Smooth Sailing cocktails. Featuring Whiskey, Lemon Juice, Maple Syrup, and Benedictine.

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    Clara - Festive Lion -- mezcal, tequila, grapefruit syrup, and cardamom bitters.

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    Esmeralda's Lounge - bars - Updated May 2026

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