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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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

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 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

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

This is hands down my new go-to bar! I frequent Chinatown on the regular and always thought it was missing a bar, so Nine Bar is a great addition to the neighborhood! First off, the aesthetic of this place is beyond gorgeous! The exposed brick made the place feel cozy while the red backlight gave it a cyberpunk/futuristic/sci-fi feel to it. Maybe I also feel this way because when you go into the bathroom, it feels like you're walking into the Matrix. Go to the bathroom, you'll know what I'm talking about. I brought a group of 15 in this past Sunday around 7p. We all just had dinner in the area and decided to migrate to Nine Bar. It was still pretty early for a bar so it wasn't too busy yet. The service was quick with our drinks and some people ordered food to try. We had the fries and McKatsu sando. The food here is really solid and if I hadn't just had dinner, I would have loved to try everything! But I'll be back for the rest of the menu! All the cocktails I tried were really delicious and well-balanced! My favorites would have to be the Pink Cadillac and Paradise Lost! I also tried my friend's Lao-Wai high ball and loved how refreshing it was! Some of my friends don't drink and the bartender happily whipped up a mocktail for them! Our overall experience was so enjoyable! I can't wait to come back on a Friday or Saturday night when they have a dj! read more

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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

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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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

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

A pretty neat speakeasy type bar that you have to walk in through a takeout restaurant (I think they are the same owners). The drinks here are pretty good and refreshing. Our bartender was good and quick at making our drinks. The interior is cozy, but large enough to be able to have your own conversations. Overall, I enjoyed the vibes of this place. read more

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overall love this heavy music boppin, low colorful lighting ambiance speakeasy in Chinatown. I think it's the best bar in the area tbh and the best drink by far is the Paradise Lost drink!! If you love clarified milk punch, this is the go to. Even if you don't know what milk punch is, THIS IS THE GO TO!!! I've been here more than a couple times and always order it. Plus the food is pretty good too if you can make it before the kitchen closes at 11:30pm!! When I came here with a girlfriend, one of the servers got us sake bombs which actually went down so easy! Love. This. Place. Side note: Mahjong Money is tasty but a little more watered down from shaking than I would normally like! But Good Fortune is so freaking good if you like whiskey or like harder drinks with a tint of sweetness which I love. read more

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Most excellent in service and atmosphere. Certainly some sort of speak easy feel here and I'm there for it. The front is a takeout situation while the back is a classy and trendy bar (id required). Lucky for us we found a table around 5pm on Saturday. Was a tiny space but busy for sure. The tables were moveable and adorable. Server was attentive and knowledgeable. Every drink he helped us choose was unique and delicious. My friends with coconut water was amazing. I opted for the classic and loved it. Great non sweet suggestion. Clean, trendy, awesome service. Great spot. read more

Nine Bar - Cheers babes - 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.

Speak easy hidden gem in Chinatown! You wouldn't expect this place to have a pretty cool spot in the back from the street view. Once you walk pass the takeout area, it's a hip hideout not to be forgotten. The mapo fries, crispy cauliflower and chicken wings were delicious! Great snack food that went well with our drinks. Definitely a nice hangout spot to go with a group of friends. We'll be back for sure. read more

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I like it. I like the hidden feel of it. I like the vibe and mood. My mom and I met my dad, sister, and her fiance. Saturday night in China town is poppin. read more

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Love this place! It's especially perfect for a date night! Didn't realize this place was a speakeasy until we arrived at the address and were confused but that just made it even cooler! I first noticed the swanky vibes with blue lights, a beautiful bar, and a great live DJ who played awesome hip hop music that was fun but not overly loud/distracting for a Thursday night. The drinks were great and it was fun trying new things. A lot of the cocktails contained some Chinese ingredients. The food was also great! Chicken wings: loved! I think these are only available Wednesdays and Thursdays tho. Loaded fries: amazing! They use waffle fries so that they stay crispy despite being drizzled in sauce. - pro move right there chicken sandwich: it was okay but a little bit too try for me Seasonal dessert: this was a pumpkin cranberry brûlée toast. It was good but not life-changing (yes dessert does have the ability to change my life). read more

Nine Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here on a Friday night, and almost missed the place! Once you find it and get in.... the whole place is a *vibe*. Loved the lighting, the lounge seating.. everything in there was welcoming and they really know how to set the mood. The cocktails were great, and we also ended up getting the chicken sandwich which was also top notch. The sesame seed bun was soft and the perfect pair for the fried crispy chicken. I wish we tried more though! All in all this is definitely a must stop for a good cocktail and some good tunes! I can't wait to get back here to try some more of that food though :) read more

My girlfriend and I agree - this might have been the most hospitable bar we have been to. Our bartender was extremely friendly and knowledgeable, graciously responding to my general lack of alcohol knowledge and providing very helpful guidance on what to choose. He was so approachable and we never felt like we were unsure of what we were getting. The drinks and food themselves were also great! I got the Paradise Lost which may be one of the more popular drinks. It was a strong drink with a very tropical flavor, but the coconut paired really well with the alcohol. We heard that the McKatsu (lol) was good, but ended up only trying the fries, which was also good! The music was a bit too loud (we had to shout to hear each other) but the service and food/drink more than made up for it. Would definitely recommend! read more

Nine Bar - Mapo Hot Fries - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago, and I tell pretty much anyone visiting or who recently moved here that they have to check out. It fills a gap as the first cocktail bar in Chinatown, I believe, and the drinks (cocktails and mocktails) are amazing. But don't overlook the food. The cold sesame noodles and crispy cauliflower are seriously incredible. Even my husband, who doesn't like cauliflower usually, loves it. The mapo hot fries are also really great. In fact, I've yet to try something here I haven't thought is great. The ambiance is nice - dark in a cozy way, with some red accent lighting and comfy couches, though if you're with a big group, some will have to sit on stools. It does get crowded later in the evening on Fridays and the weekends, but I understand why! read more

Through a door with a porthole style window inside of Moon Place Express you can enter a vastly different space known as the speakeasy Nine Bar. There is another clue to locating it as the is a small sign in black and purple on the building that's says bar on one side and bar in Chinese on the other. Loved the vibe. you can order small Plates(they looked amazing but we were too full after hotpot for that). But the cocktail menu is pretty glorious. I had a paper dragon with tequila, passion fruit, Chinese five spice while my mom was sipping on a Cheating Death (a spin on an old fashioned). Keep your eyes open for a server, and they all pool tips there too. read more

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Great experience throughout the night. There was an event going on there until nine pm- the bouncer was nice about it and helped get our friend in a wheelchair up the front stairs. Staff helped us get seating when the bar was already packed. Service was great, cocktails were great, food was great, the vibe was great. Highly recommended. read more

Nine Bar - Menu, cocktail, lighting - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Didn't have a chance to get food this time, but the cocktails tasted great and had a good presentation. The speakeasy atmosphere of mysterious, low lighting and a more narrow layout, like it's a hidden, hole-in-the-wall kind of place was fun and effective. read more

Nine Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Just left this great bar in Chinatown. Both my wife and I no longer drink alcohol but this place and their bartender Alex make some great NA cocktails that are really interesting and complex! They also have 5 or 6 bottle options. If you do drink the drinks I saw them make looked amazing too. Has a great speakeasy vibe and is actually behind a takeout restaurant in front. More places like this need to happen where even if you don't drink you can have a great experience with killer drinks! Alex was amazing as well explaining the ingredients in the drinks. Highly recommend! read more

Nine Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If you've come to Chinatown and looking for a nice nightcap then look no further. Nine Bar is a speakeasy style bar with the front end operating as their legacy restaurant for carry out (Moon Palace - also great food!) and once you're inside you're instantly feeling the vibe of this place. Food: Great bites to eat or snack on, get the Mckatsu sandwich and be blown away. Honorable mention to the dumplings and Dan Dan noodles. Drinks: This is what you're here for. Some of the best and most unique drinks, all mixed to perfection by the amazing bar staff. Personally like the Paper Dragon but all of them are great! Service: You are VIP here! Very attentive and always open to giving you a recommendation and won't be long before you have your food and drink in hand. Above and beyond, there's always some cool collabs (eg Kasama) and celebrations (eg Lunar NY) that offer a new spin on their food and drink menus that will keep you coming back. Highly recommend stopping by, you won't be disappointed! read more

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First off I want to say I've always had a good time at Nine bar, and will keep going whenever I'm waiting for a table at a nearby restaurant. I want to follow that up by saying I think it's over rated and especially lately, VERY busy. I've never tried their food, but their cocktails have always been quality and while expensive to some, reasonably priced for what they are. It's a cute little speak easy cocktail bar concept, but at least during the last couple times, it's been so busy that it kinda ruins the vibe of that. There's the circular booths and the long bar top, and lately there's also been a ton of people standing in the middle aisle waiting to try and jump into an opening whenever somebody leaves, and at least to me it kind of makes the vibe a little chaotic instead of a very chill sipping on a $15 cocktail vibe. Definitely recommend going if you're in the area and looking for a drink, but I also secretly hope you don't so it's less busy. They should probably just institute a lower capacity limit to help with that. read more

Came here with a big group of 10 ppl around 10pm on a Saturday. It's a smaller, slightly intimate setting, but we were still able to get two tables/ booths. Good music (DJ). Fun, interesting, delicious cocktails. Nice staff. Cool vibes. What else do you need?! It was our first time at a bar in Chinatown and it definitely was worth the trip! Looking forward to going back! read more

I have been waiting to go here go so long and it disappoint. I wanted to try everything on their extensive menu. The mahjong money drink was delicious but my favorite food item was the Ma Po Hot Fries! They were soooooo good. Everything was delicious. This was such a cool bar not much room to sit so it can get backed easily. But it's definitely a cool bar with the best bar food. read more

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This bar has a "hidden" entrance inside a restaurant. Very cool vibes! We had a group of 5 and we had no trouble finding a spot to sit since we arrived shortly after opening time. I highly recommend the Paradise Lost. read more

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Hi, I've been to your bar every time I stop by China Town. Today I was there with some of my buddies celebrating someone's birthday. Being St. Patricks day, some from our group were wearing green hats and sequins ties. Our outfits were in no way obnoxious - nor were we (as this was our first stop). The bouncer who greeted us to check our IDs became increasingly aggressive and disrespectful about removing our St. Patricks day attire insisting "my boss hates that shit - we don't do that fucking green shit here". Everyone from our group was taken back by his behavior and decided to leave the establishment. read more

AMAAAAZZINNGG!! quick service, amazing drinks, perfect ambiance is so nice and the servers are so polite. overall super good vibes all around i would recommend this bar to anyone! read more

Nine Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We were treated so rudely by the staff. Drinks are good but would never come back. Not sure what we did to receive this treatment. They clearly did not want us there. read more

didn't even make it inside because it of how rude the security guard was. management has to check the security guard working November 14th because he was so disrespectful that my friend and i walked out. read more

Love this quant place! Brian is an awesome bartender. He goes mile for his patrons. Also a very cool doorman- Frank. This is my favorite Chicago!!! read more

Nine Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My friends and I stopped by here for a drink prior dinner on St. Patty's Day celebrations on March 16th. Two security guys up front informed us that they could not allow us in because we were wearing green; that they were instructed not to allow the "St. Patty's Day crowd" to enter. Just for context, there were three of us and we are all over 40. As mentioned, we were on our way to meet friends at dinner so we just thought to stop in. Side note, some other friends who were NOT in green were allowed in later. They informed us that the place was not busy, so this was not because they had no room that evening. I'm not saying more,....except that the last time I was at Best Bar, which is just a half a block down (on Wentworth), the owner bought us a free round of drinks so.....where do you think I'll be bringing my and my friends' business from now on? read more

This bar isolated behind the entrance of Moon Palace and not visible to the street. If you're really into the speakeasy experience this has been a great addition to Chinatown and we no longer have to go to wicker or up north for similar vibes. The interior has cool low lighting and more intimate seating areas. We had a group of 6 so we were a bit cozier but overall was a different space than we were used to which was appreciated. Our cocktails had a number of really cool ingredients we were super familiar with and the matcha based drink I ordered was delicious. We ordered some of the small bites and everything was really great. Overall would love to come back and sit at the bar and try more drinks on their expansive menu read more

Nine Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stopped by on NYE with my girlfriend, did not realize it was a "speakeasy" design. Got there right at open. The bartenders were great. Big shout out to Joe, very cool guy. Drinks were great, I enjoyed Paradise Lost the most, highly recommend. The Bartenders and the atmosphere of the place made it very easy to be lost in the time, even more so with great company as I had my girlfriend with me. Definitely a place to go back to. Anyone who isn't a native speaker of Chinese should ask the bartender the reason behind the name. read more

Cocktails, location, friendly service. Limited but tasty menu. A great bar in an area that really needed it.