Really interesting. The bar is inside of another restaurant. You walk in to a restaurant and then a bouncer let's you in and then and everything changes. The food and drinks were really good. That crab sandwich is fantastic. And the mocktail was really good. The service was great. read more

Nine Bar - Crabby patty - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The Nine Bar in Chinatown is absolutely one of the best "Dive Bars" I've been to, and I've been to dive bars all over the world! But what really made my liver quiver here at Nine Bar was: For the first time in 40 years, I got carded. Man, was that the coolest thing that has happened to me in decades. I felt like I was back in college. There I was, I could have been a poster boy for Medicare and yet they needed to see my ID. That put a smile on my face that you would need a chisel to knock that grin off. Thank you Nine Bar for elating me; plus, my Gin Martini was great. read more

Nine Bar - My Bombay Gin Martini - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came to try the limited time only krabby patty softshell crab sandwich. It's a fantastic sandwich and worth the visit. It is a bar inside so keep that in mind as it is dark inside and orders are placed with the bartenders. Great service though! I tried the lost paradise drink but it wasn't my favorite. However the lychee sour mocktail is delightful! read more

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A bit of a hole in the wall, and you do have to walk into like a kitchen bar area. There's a bouncer in the front who will ask if you're here with others. Really nice guy. The drinks are really good but the service could be better. Our waitress, in particular, was very dismissive and often just walked away. read more

I'd give this place four stars for my overall experience. When we went, it appeared to be mildly crowded. If there was more organization with how they sat each party, our experience would've been better. Right when we came in at the front door, the energy was very tense. It appeared something was happening with table arrangements and the manager was expressing frustrations to the employees. To the point to where I could visibly see it. He sternly informed us that there was only standing room before heading in. However once we walked in, he found us somewhere to sit along the wall. The place is small & the best seat in the house is at the bar! Unfortunately we didn't get to sit at the bar. Shortly after we sat down, they sat another couple at the bar. Displeased but we made the best of it nevertheless. The vibes of the place were highly aesthetic, top tier interior design. Every inch of the place felt like I was in a movie. Our waitress was very nice and accommodating. We ordered two mixed drinks. I believe mine was called Mai Thai, it was a rum drink. 8.5/10 Properly mixed very pretty to drink out of. My boyfriend got the tequila mixed drink. 9.3/10 It had a lighter taste to it very smooth drink. This is the perfect place to go to for a chill date or a nice small little get together. You will leave feeling relaxed. This is not a party place! I would recommend Nine Bar for a date. Just be clear with the front desk with where you want sit because that matters! If you're willing to wait, it will be worth it. read more

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Don't be fooled! This small speakeasy is definitely a spot you should drop by! Though the bar itself is small so there could be a wait but it's very worth it. The drinks are amazing!!!! My friend and I had a couple shots as well as this origin story (lychee three ways). I think I've had about 3 of these?? It was delicious and sweet. We also snacked on some fries. The service was also amazing. The servers were super friendly and accommodating. Loved the vibes and will be back! read more

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Great spot to grab some food and drinks. I heard good things about this spot and things are reasonably priced. It is a nice vibe inside where people are enjoying themselves. We ordered a few drinks and some Soju. I wish they had more than just plum flavor as we didn't like the flavor. The origin story drink ($15) is a must have. Their food overall was delicious! The sesame noodles and sandwiches are all great! I'd skip the crab rangoons as it was too fried and not very cheesy. I broke it apart and it didn't have the long cheese strand. We did order fries but never got them. I wanted to try it but fortunately we were very full from everything else. Overall, great spot to grab some food and drinks! Highly recommend checking it out. read more

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This spot was such a vibe. Yes, we did have to wait a bit, but the hospitality was so nice from the security to the bartenders. We got the old fashioned and lychee martini on the special menu. Definitely hit the spot, plus they have affordable and unique bar snacks. Highly recommended. read more

Nine Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came for the Christmas pop up back in December. My cousin had really wanted to come by and since we were eating dinner in Chinatown we just walked over. They have a max capacity so we waited a bit until another group came out for us to walk in. It's small and kinda tight. Most of the seats were taken but we had no problem standing. They had a DJ at the back. And mirrors so the space looked bigger than it was. It took a min to flag down a bartender but they were attentive and aware of the customers. Really nice staff. Not sure what we ordered but the seasonal cocktails were good. It's a cute space! I'd come back. read more

Nine Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food menu sounds so good but we didn't eat there since we just came from dinner. I have to come by another time with the intention of dining in. The service is great! They really make you feel like VIP the moment you walk into the bar. The vibe is buzzing with the dj set in the back and lounging seats to the side in front of the bar. I really enjoyed my time here. read more

Nine Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Very friendly service, nice and clean atmosphere, and delicious drinks! Highly recommended! read more

Nine Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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So my friend loves a speakeasy...that's how I would categorize Nine Bar. It's a sleek, cozy cocktail bar hidden in the back of Moon Palace a Chinese restaurant. Vibrant, chill vibe, with good drinks. Service was quick. We hung out here for a while, before heading to the next stop. Good time! read more

Nine Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Speakeasy anyone? How bout one in the middle of China town? One with a small nondescript entrance and a sign you can almost miss it. Once inside you get this John wick vibe we're goons can come out any time while you're having your drink with the flying lotus adjacent sound. Is it cool yes, did I like my paradise lost cocktail- no. But don't let that take you away from the experience. One more thing - it doesn't feel Asian in there. Being in Chinatown and all. Unlike some bars, this one had food. Such as The Mikatsu, a juicy pork cutlet - I like it. The brûlée toast was weird. Nine bar is a Cool spot though, come check it out. read more

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loved this cute and non-pretentious speak easy. It was hidden, my sister had seen so many reviews about this place and wanted to visit after dinner, it was centrally located in Chinatown and I love that they don't pack this place to the brim. The crowd was eclectic and welcoming. the drinks sounded yummy and the food looked delicious. I had a sensitive stomach and wasn't drinking and so I was there as an observer. The service was quick, the music was great, it felt inclusive and exclusive at the same time. I would come back in a heartbeat. read more

This place was such a vibe on a Thursday night. You come in and seat yourself and then go up to the bar to order food and drinks. This place had such a great option for food and sharing it between three people. We all enjoyed their crab Rangoon and cold noodles. The cauliflower with chili was really good. The drinks were also good and had such great options. There's also a bar you can sit at. Our bartender was really nice and gave us some of his recommendations and it was a hit. Definitely recommend checking this place out it's just under moon palace. read more

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Normally don't leave reviews but last night left a particularly sour taste in my mouth (and it was not the drinks lol.) Frequented here many times over the past couple years and I would say overall it is truly a gem. This bar delivers unique drinks, a sultry ambiance, and welcoming/ knowledgeable bartenders. Last evening I was met with a stand offish waitress who was not familiar with the liquor list of the establishment. I ordered a drink I am certain they can make and she immediately said it was not possible because they do not carry the ingredients. Not an offer to double check or inform me if there had been a change since my last visit. I double checked with the bartender as I could see the liquors necessary for my cocktail displayed right in front of me and he said it was possible. Once she came around I asked for the drink again and she still seemed incredibly reluctant about my request. She claimed she would check to see if it was possible but why not state that initially? I got my drink after her resistance. From there, her service became even more disengaged. I watched as she treated the surrounding tables with a much lighter demeanor, meanwhile she would leave my tables drinks on the edge and run off. I felt uncomfortable enough I contemplated leaving altogether. It's a high compliment when people choose an establishment over all the wonderful bars in Chicago and to be met with such hostility set an awful tone for the evening. Definitely better off sitting at the bar with the friendly bartenders or going somewhere else completely. read more

Nine Bar has a really fun menu with Asian inspired drinks, all of the ones I've had, including a lychee drink and the MSG martini, are excellent. However, I was there with a large group and our waitress was very standoffish and rude. We were in way before closing, all ordering drinks, and tipped well, but were treated very rudely. read more

Chris was really friendly and hospitalble along with the other staff. Highly recommend this place if with friends or alone. read more

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I really love Nine Bar! It has become one of my favorite stops when I am visiting the area. This bar always seems to be very packed. The only time I didn't have to wait for a table was when I came closer to when they opened for the evening. You seat yourself at Nine Bar, but there is a server that comes to your table to take your order. Their Mai Tai is incredible! I've also had whiskey and other rum-based cocktails here that I've enjoyed. I still haven't tried their food yet, but I am hoping to in the future. read more

Nine bar is a speakeasy located in Chinatown. The front is a Chinese takeout where you can actually order food! We came here to get a drink and some food on our last day in Chicago. The interior is dark and moody. We were the only ones there when they opened at 5pm. Unfortunately, they didn't have a waiter available, so we had to order our drinks and food at the bar. We ordered crab rangoons, general jones' wings, and cold sesame noodles. I enjoyed the wings the most since it was crispy with a flavorful sticky sauce. I ordered a hibiscus seedlip gimlet and it was delicious. This a great place for a date night and/or hanging out with friends. The bartender told us that the Chinese restaurant let Nine bar take part of their space which I think is a win for both parties. They are also really strict about not allowing outside food/drink inside. read more

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I've had this place on my list for awhile and was very excited to check it out. Went on a Saturday evening with my significant other and it wasn't very crowd so we were able to get a table right away. You walk into a restaurant store front and the bouncer checks your ID and then leads you to the back, very speakeasy! I have heard good things about the food but we had dinner plans so we stuck with the cocktails. They were delicious and strong! I had the Paper Dragon which was tequila based. It was sweet but not too much, light and very tasty. The ambiance is great; intimate, relaxing, really a vibe. I knocked down a star for service. Our waitress was not very friendly. She never even introduced herself, was almost bothered/annoyed when we asked her questions about the drinks and recommendations. That was a bummer. read more

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A very cool n swanky speakeasy in Chinatown! Love the neon lighting and creative cocktail menu. I ordered the snake eyes - it was surprisingly smoky tasting, which I liked. There is also a great food menu featuring mostly small bites with Chinese and Korean flavors. Everything is reasonably priced. I want to return to try the food! read more

Nine Bar - Snake eyes cocktail - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

9 Bar is a fun speakeasy in Chinatown, probably the only actual bar in the neighborhood except karaoke places. The bouncer is always hilarious, make sure you hold the door for your friends and you'll be sure to impress him. After going through the non descript stainless steel door you enter a dark cocktail lounge with a nice long bar. The drink list has some fun Asian fusion cocktails, several beers on tap and many more bottled options. Also have a good assortment of Asian spirits including Saki. Great place to grab a drink after dinner and before getting a late treat at one of the many great tea or sweets shops around the area. read more

Nine Bar - At the bar with friends - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A cool speakeasy tucked behind a Chinese restaurant. The cocktails were really good & it was a great end to our evening.

Nine Bar is a speakeasy situated in Chinatown. The front is a take out place while the back door leads you into a dark moody bar with great music. My favorite drink was the paper dragon. read more

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Came here for Valentines Day this year and had a great experience! Our server was knowledgeable about the drinks and made great recommendations. I would also really recommend the mapo fries! The drinks are fun but are also super super strong so I would keep that in mind. My boyfriend and I weee both definitely quite tipsy after only 2 cocktails! read more

Nine Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Nine Bar is a swanky cocktail bar in Chinatown with fun cocktails and amazing food! Technically, the bar is a speakeasy, so the outside of the bar says "Moon Palace" and when you walk through the doors, it's Nine Bar. The cocktails were strong and yet all those interesting flavors still came through. I had the Paper Dragon and the Pink Cadillac - both were great! The food was so good, especially for a bar, and they had so many vegan options!! We ordered the vegan dumplings, crispy cauliflower, and cold sesame noodles. The cauliflower had the perfect light crispy coating. The dumplings were spicy! The sauce on the noodles was great. The bar was easy to get to, as it's a 3 minute walk from the red line. It was very busy but we still managed to get a couple seats at the bar. They have some low tables that were cute if you can manage to snag one. They had a DJ playing upbeat music. Overall great vibes. I highly recommend checking this place out! read more

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Place was decent. Not sure if they're worthy of best new bars in the country as & is this place new,? Nonetheless I ordered a single cocktail & while ok the midrange of the price spectrum I was convinced not indulge further. I also inquired about shots of premium Japanese whisky namely Hibiki & Yamazaki 12 but at $22 & $30 a shot I decided to just order a sandwich & go home. Chicken sandwich was ok, a huge portion & it was piping hot which I loved. read more

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This speakeasy has been on my list forever. While my mom was in town, I decided to bring her in on a Friday afternoon. Upon entering, our IDs were checked and then we were let in. All seats were taken and we were able to snag 2 seats at the bar. I started off with the paper dragon, which was described similar to a Margarita. It was very yummy and had my fave, passion fruit. We ordered some snacks to share, the crab Rangoon, Mapo hot fries and crispy cauliflower. Bar tender also offered my mom a non alcoholic bev (their gimlet) and it was very refreshing. Over all everything was delicious and a vibe. It did start to get a bit noisy once a large group came in and there were not enough seats. I wonder what this looks like at night! read more

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I'm already planning my trip back here. Definitely almost passed it as I do with most speakeasy's lol. It was a nice ambiance, low light, plenty of seating. It wasn't crowded at all when I went so I loved that! A bartender immediately greeted us and showed us how to access the menu. The food, crab rangoons. Star of the show!! Soooooo good!!! Literally the perfect consistency inside and out. My mouth is watering thinking about it. I'm a cucumber addict and I loved the cucumbers with the chili oil vinaigrette! My friends had the wings and cleaned the bones, so I'd say they were also fantastic. As for drinks, I got the space cowboy and it was really tasty. They have a Monday special that comes with the wings, a beer, and a shot. One of my friends got this and said whatever tequila they use was really really smooth which is surprising because it's such a good deal. Bartender showed us the bottle but I forgot the name Overall, such a great experience and can't wait to go back! read more

Nine Bar - Crab Rangoon, cucumbers, and dumplings - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Don't go here. There are very few tables and very limited space. They promise you a table but pressure you to order drinks first while you awkwardly wait in the standing area near the entrance. Then, they leave you waiting with no updates for a long time. The guy with tattoos and a beard was extremely rude when we asked for an update, which completely killed our desire to stay--so we left. Be more professional and keep your customers informed instead of just saying "wait." read more

Came here to celebrate a birthday, the bouncer was really nice and welcoming. It was really crowded due to it being Saturday night. Waited a bit to get in, the bartenders are very attentive, very surprised at the fast service. The blonde server however left us feeling super uncomfortable and unwelcome, she was extremely rude, like we were a bother. It felt like walking on eggshells. She had an issue with us standing anywhere, where we put our drinks down, where we placed our bags. Kept looking over at us Everytime she passed by, and she wasn't even our server, we were ordering directly from the bar. We left immediately read more

Came here around 9:30pm for drinks with 5 others. We walked in and it was more crowded than I anticipated it being! All of the tables were full, and we ended up snagging 1 chair at the bar. The server at the bar wasn't the friendliest...he was quick but also acted like us ordering was an inconvenience. Since I got my drinks quickly I didn't mind this too much. I ordered 2 of the Mahjong Money ($14) - which were nice and I tasted the matcha. I thought the drink prices were fairly reasonable and closer to downtown prices. I would order this drink again. FYI no outside food or drink so finish your boba before you try to come in. The atmosphere is moody and darker, with loud hip hop music playing. Good for the vibes, but a little challenging if you want a conversation so it depends on what you're going for. The decor is trendy and a classier vibe than I was expecting for Chinatown, although we saw people ranging from casual to date night clothing. Overall I was pleasantly surprised and would come back again! Next time I plan to bring my girl friends. read more

Hidden bar. It may be hard to find from the street because it's actually inside the restaurant Moon Palace, so just go in. Nine Bar is on the other side of the door next to the bar in the restaurant. A doorman is always there checking IDs so there's no way to miss this actually. The prices of drinks are expensive and the food isn't much cheaper but these are high quality. After getting some dinner in Chinatown we came here. It was a good nightcap. This is actually located in the Moon Palace restaurant. It's on Cermak. Just to the west of Wentworth. First time coming and we didn't know it was inside. We walked past the restaurant a few times. Checked Yelp and learned to come inside. We started with cocktails and then got a little food too. It's about $12 for cocktails. Kind of a lot but these are good. I had the Snake Eyes. This was made with Knob Creek with ginger and peach. Shareable bites are about $9 and more. We got the Crispy Cauliflower, which is vegan. Good stuff and non dairy. This had Chinese orange sauce and confit scallion aioli, and the cauliflower actually had a crispiness but was still kind of soft. Good place for cocktails and small bites. It's just a little bit expensive. This still isn't too bad though. read more

Nine Bar - Snake Eyes And Crispy Cauliflower - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a really cool and fun place to visit! I was in the area and searching for a cocktail bar and I was pleasantly delighted to find this secret speakeasy in Chinatown. When you walk in, it's very unassuming it's sort of looks like an old cleaners, or small business space , but once you get behind the door you are immersed in a really cool dark and moody cocktail bar. The bar is pretty small and it seem to be really popular so this is a place that you want to get to pretty early. The cocktails all had fun names, and a bit of fun to them, they were really really good! If you are a fan of unique cocktails, this is a place you should go to read more

I love this secret little gem of a bar SO MUCH. Location is secretish. LOVE IT. read more

Nine Bar - Secret - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Beautiful space that was added here, and awesome to see the redevelopment and growth of Chinatown in different ways. According to an article I read recently, Chinatown in Chicago is one of the few Chinatowns nation-wide that is actually continuously growing compared to others that are declining. I think this place used to be a full on restaurant, but now it's converted to a swanky bar which is pretty awesome. They have DJs in there on most nights playing so good beats, and the overall vibe here is chill. I like the dim lights, and the different color scheme they have going on. Even in the bathrooms, there is a red light instead of a typical light. They did a great job with the little touches. They had a beer and shot special for $8 which I definitely took advantage of (Tecate & Tequila). I was debating on whether or not I wanted to give this place 4 stars because I didn't feel the most friendly energy from the bartender (who I believe may be the owner). The lady was slightly nicer, but overall I guess don't expect that kind of friendliness energy when you come in. Maybe it was just an off night for him, but either way I'd still come back if I'm in the area. Glad to see this in this space! read more

Nine Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'm coming back for the fries alone! Seriously though it's always nice to have something to munch on while you're drinking and especially when it's a craft cocktail. The bartenders all really know what they are doing my wife and I had 4 cocktails between the two of us and not a single one missed the mark. The vibes inside are impeccable mood lighting and music that isn't too loud that you can't have a conversation. I'll definitely be coming back here often! read more

Nine Bar - Mapo fries - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Got the opportunity over the weekend to check out Nine Bar at its super secret location in Moon Palace. No problems finding the "hidden entrance" and getting in. We showed up at just the right time on Friday night and grabbed two seats at the bar. Within 10 minutes there was a medium sized line waiting for seats. The space is not big. It's pretty hip and was playing some good music. The bartender was kind of snooty, but I feel that kind of goes with the vibe and places like this so I didn't really care. We ordered the Mahjong Money and Smoke & Mirrors. The cocktail name was really ironic, because "Mahjong Money" was my prison nickname for 12 years when I was doing time in a Shanghai prison. Anyways the cocktails were decent and fairly priced compared to other similar style cocktail joints. I'll be back. read more

Nine Bar - Swanky Nine-Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Drinks are good, bartenders are friendly. Not a super big place but it's a cute spot to grab drinks at.