Cute spot that I discovered from Yelp! It feels like you are almost walking into a nice home. The one thing I would say is the lighting could be a little brighter. Fun menu of spirits and cocktails. I had a vodka flight for $7 which sampled 3 vodkas. My favorite was the vanilla. They offer some snack options and we went with a cheese plate that had a nice variety. All staff that we encountered were super friendly. Plenty of seating. Come check them out for a drink or buy a bottle to go. read more

North Shore Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Green Oaks, Illinois

See all

We don't make it north much, so we took the opportunity to visit here. GPS can get confused, but the distillery is on the other side of the Harley dealer. The distillery is huge with multiple areas to sit. We sat at one of the small bars. I ordered the Nordic Mule (good), and we ordered the cheese plate (delicious). The staff was friendly. read more

Cocktails with housemade spirits. Friendly, helpful bartenders. Owners often in the house!

Located in an old cabinetry store, this spot is delivering a unique ambiance with some solid drinks. We sat at the bar and throughly enjoyed chatting with the bartender. Must try the aquavit for the unique flavor! Cabin fever (not pictured) was our favorite with this liquor. read more

North Shore Distillery - High horse and all too well - Two cocktails and a drink are on a bar counter, with menus and bowls of lemons in the background, suggesting a bar or restaurant setting. - Distilleries Near Me - Green Oaks, Illinois

See all

We checked out this distillery and are glad we did. We had been curious about it for a while. Located in a defunct cabinet showroom, it has a "model kitchen' vibe, which is always fun for me. The tour itself has you try 6 different spirits they make. The first area sees the tour leader (in this case, the co-owner, half of the married couple, and she is awesome) give you two samples of vodka. One is regular, and the other is citrus. They take a lot of pride in using the best possible ingredients instead of artificial flavors (infusing actual citrus peels, etc.). I am not much of a pure vodka drinker, but I tried it, and I liked the second better given its flavor. What I love is that she told us that she would NOT be offended if we needed to dump any of the samples out in the communal bucket for any reason. I did this for a lot of the samples, since I don't often drink alcohol on its own. They still had Christmas music playing after the holiday, and while the songs were fun, it was a bit too loud compared to her speaking, so my ears had to strain a bit. Also, I think it was from a CD, and if you have the blessing and curse of extra-good hearing, you would notice that it kept skipping. I don't think anyone else did! In the second part of the tour, you go into the actual distillery area and learn about their process We tried aquavit, a Scandinavian liquor, and gin. The former was not very good in its warm form, but people who chose the chilled version liked it more. I didn't like either (tried my husband's chilled aquavit) but the chilled version was better. The gin was well made and avoids the trap of simply being artificially flavored vodka, which other brands apparently do! Back in the main area, you try two whiskies. My husband likes a good whiskey and enjoyed both of these options. I am not a whiskey person, but tasting these, I certainly felt like they would fit the bill for anyone who is one! We tried some drinks after this at the bar. The owner who took us on the tour is so passionate about experimenting with flavors for their spirits and cocktails, and the cocktails they offer did not disappoint. There is a great selection and variety, and they put a great deal of thought into them. Oddly enough, someone working there (not one of the two owners who are a married couple, someone else) was a bit awkward with guests. At the bar, he made some off-color jokes that felt out of place in the warm, friendly environment we were in. Even so, the experience here is a terrific one, and one that deserves 5 stars and visits from anyone curious about their process! read more

I enjoyed visiting the North Shore Distillery when seeing our daughter who is attending nearby Rosalind Franklin University. The inside decor and layout is different and interesting since it used to be a kitchen showroom. It's very spacious and clean inside. The staff is friendly, helpful and so knowledgeable about their craft. I had a wonderful old fashioned here and tried the rum and a seasonal cocktail as well. If you're not sure what to get, try spinning the "Wheel of In-Decision" and let chance (or someone else) pick for you. Thd perfect stop for a light appetizer and before dinner drink, or after dinner drink and truffles. read more

North Shore Distillery - An old fashioned and dark chocolate salted caramel truffle. - Distilleries Near Me - Green Oaks, Illinois

North Shore is nothing short of exceptional. I've been several times over the summer when they had their outdoor seating available and most recently indoors before the rollback of indoor dining. I enjoyed sitting in their library area with comfy chairs in a very laid back atmosphere. Parking is a breeze and service was exceptional. My significant other and I tried a few of their fall cocktails most recently, one of which my significant other truly enjoyed, so we bought their liquor (Doublewood Rum & Aquavit along with bitters) to take home and make our rendition of it. They provided their recipes to us and we enjoyed their Tiki cocktail the other night with dinner. We will definitely be back again in the future and again, have enjoyed spending our time at the distillery. read more

North Shore Distillery - Fall Drinks - Distilleries Near Me - Green Oaks, Illinois

See all

I love this place! Definitely going to return soon. Genuinely one of the best cocktails I've ever had and great service as well. read more

North Shore Distillery - Patio and Cocktail! - A cocktail with a cucumber slice garnish is placed on a patio table with a fire feature, and a person is visible in the background. - Distilleries Near Me - Green Oaks, Illinois

This is a hidden gem in Libertyville. Amazing cocktails made with their various distilled spirits. I highly recommend their gin #11.

They host such wonderful events! The "summer dance" cocktail makes you want to dance all summer. Jenna and Dave are the best servers-- humorous and quick. A truly wonderful environment, amazing owners and staff, and the highest quality drinks in the Midwest. If you want a good time, skip the bars and clubs. This is where it's at! It's a preeminence cocktail restaurant (or so I call it). I highly recommend this place to everyone. read more

North Shore Distillery - A heavenly sweet event! - A person with brown hair wears a floral crown composed of pink roses, purple asters, and green foliage, with a plain wall and a small abstract painting in the background. - Distilleries Near Me - Green Oaks, Illinois

Such an amazing place! Great house made cocktails, awesome space and decor, friendly proprietors. I had no idea such a great place was so close to Libertyville. Highly recommend. read more

Great friendly service. The craft drinks were top notch. They explained the differences between their whiskeys.

This place is a hidden (well hidden to me) gem in the suburbs. I came with some girlfriends on a Thursday for their flight night. This place is like IKEA or any furniture showroom but with a bar inside. Every suburban mom's dream...or I assume so lol There are different rooms, one that looks like a living room, another that is a study or conference room, a marble kitchen, etc. We were told we could sit anywhere and so we chose to sit in the living room room near the mantle with a fake fireplace. All of us ordered the $10 mini flight special and oh my goodness it is the cutest thing ever! The cocktails are adorably tiny but still pack a good punch. It is the perfect way to try out different cocktails before you make a commitment to one which I think is awesome. Since I am writing this review so many weeks after I went, I can't remember the names of the cocktails...but I know they were delicious and refreshing and I can't wait to come back and try more of them! One of the best parts of our visit here was the service. Our server was so friendly and funny. Our water glasses were constantly filled and he checked on us throughout our evening to see if we need more drinks or snacks. NSD doesn't have real food besides little snacks but they let you bring in your own food which is awesome. I will probably take advantage of that next time. I will be back soon! read more

North Shore Distillery - Thursday Flight Night, 3 mini cocktails for $10 - Distilleries Near Me - Green Oaks, Illinois

This ambience and all the bartenders and waiters and waitresses are so friendly. They have amazing flights and events on some nights. It seems like you stepped behind a book case hidden door, the drinks are good and the atmosphere is complimented by a nice distillery museum and Americana history. You get to "meet" The owners by reading their story on the walls and it is so great! read more

See all

Great place for fun cocktails and conversation. Bring your own food and sample the fun drinks. They also sell some snacks. Buy a bottle or three on your way home read more

This is one of the best bars/tasting rooms around. The drinks are made with fresh ingredients and their own liquor. The place is next to a Harley dealership that was having a special night - customer appreciation. So the place was pretty slow. Good for us, we had the run of the place and the undivided attention of the bartender. The drinks menu mixes classics in fresh ways. So, great drinks and great atmosphere what could be better? Only longer open hours. read more

So excited to have found this place! We couldn't have felt more welcomed - I was genuinely comforted by the kindness of the staff and owners - such personal connection and passion. The cocktails were fantastic!!! read more

I visited the NSD tasting room once about 10 years ago. I was passing through the area again and was in need of a quick gift so I thought I would drop by, do a tasting, and purchase a bottle. I put the address in my GPS and when I pulled up, I thought I had the address wrong. I didn't know that they had just moved to a new location (not far from the old tasting room). Now they are right off the main road (next to the Harley Davidson dealer) and have a huge sign out front (the old place was difficult to find). When I stepped inside, I thought I had the wrong address again. Why is that? Because I thought I had just stepped into a furniture store. Little did I know that their new location had a previous life as a cabinet showroom. It still retains that feeling with compartmentalized areas that are meant to replicate rooms. Eventually that will change as NSD modifies the layout to their liking. They're also going to change the lights as it is ridiculously bright in there (good for selling cabinets, bad for spirit-sipping ambiance). If you walk all the way to the back (it's a long walk) that's where the bar is. You can taste 3 of their spirits for $5 or you can order cocktails off their menu. They have about 8 spirits available, but only 6 were for sale at this time. So I did 2 tastings and tried only the ones available for carryout. The #6 gin was my favorite as it is their modern interpretation of gin (not so many botanicals with a fruitier character). For a more classic gin, they have the #11. They also make absinthe, which has a reputation for being hallucinogenic. I learned from my bartender the history behind that (long story short: it's not true). She was the same bartender I had 10 years ago and has an encyclopedic knowledge of spirits. I could have sat there for hours picking her brain, but I had to be moving on. NSD is a real gem and I foresee this being a destination spot for early evening drinks for locals. There's plenty of seating inside and out and room to grow. read more

Hubby and I tried something different the day before new years eve. We came here for cocktails and found a place on yelp nearby for dinner. (see my review on Rita's). It was a perfect evening that we will recreate again. We got here about 5pm. The best spirits and some fun cocktails. Hubby had a gin and tonic with their #6 gin, and I had a special cocktail with rum and absinthe. Both were top notch and only $8 each. The owners serve and visit with the guests. They are such a cool couple and are passionate about what they do. It was a nice quaint atmosphere to have a few cocktails, then head less than a half a mile away to Rita's for dinner! read more

I adore this place. For unknown reasons, we missed out on North Shore Distillery for years, even after friends and colleagues told us of its charms. On a recent quiet Friday night when we were sitting around the house lamenting our lack of social life, I suggested that we journey to North Shore Distillery at long last for a cocktail. We managed serendipitously to land at their new location after a recent move. The space is nice, though still smells heavily of wood (it was previously a cabinet show room). It's not unpleasant but if you don't know what the location was in its former life, it's a bit confusing. It also explains the many, many cabinets throughout. We were greeted warmly and shown our seating options -- lounge style soft seating in clusters, high top tables, or the bar area. We opted for the bar, where we were served by the owner. My husband ordered a gin flight and I ordered a cocktail. I appreciated the medley of flavors in my drink -- a tangerine fizz made with homemade tangerine syrup -- but more so I appreciated the explanations we received of the spirits and the differences between them. We ordered a second round of drinks. I had the Duke of Earl and my husband opted for another flight of different spirits. We had such a pleasant experience that I brought a small group of co-workers here a few weeks later for a spontaneous happy hour. I'm aiming to make myself a regular here... read more

Best Absinthe Ever!!! This is the only Absinthe I can drink neat. Please start distributing in the NYC market. :) read more

North Shore Distillery - Best Absinthe Ever!!! - Distilleries Near Me - Green Oaks, Illinois

North Shore Distillery is a long time supporter of the nonprofit I work for, Greenhouse Scholars. They have made custom cocktails for a number of events for YEARS and I don't think we've had the same thing twice. The innovation and creativity is off the charts, and the flavors always exceed expectations. Sonja always brings farm-fresh ingredients from their garden to mix into their one of a kind drinks, and the riders from our annual cycling event always flock to the North Shore Distillery tent knowing they're mixing up something special and delicious. These spirits are world class and taste like it! Don't miss the chance to visit and try for yourself. read more

We tasted several of the spirits, then had a couple cocktails. The North Shore Vodka was exquisite. I really loved the Sol Chamomile Citrus Vodka. A winner I could drink no matter the season. The Tahitian Vanilla Vodka will make a guest appearance in my dessert baking. I'm not a gin person usually, but I really liked the Distiller's Gin No 6. Complex and delicious. We also had the Aquavit and the Absinthe. Every one was a winner! These people know what they are doing. Cocktails were Nordic Mule -- a Moscow Mule made with Aquavit - ordered for my husband since it wasn't sweet. He also had a Spring Blush, which was The No 6 Gin, lemon, green tea syrup,and bitters. I had a Cherry Fizz -- the signature vodka, cherry thyme syrup, lemon and fizzy water; a Sol Cosmo with the Sol Chamomile Citrus Vodka, cranberry, orange liqueur and lime; and a Sol Sister with the Sol Chamomile Citrus Vodka, orange liqueur, lemon, and fizzy water. Everything was SO GOOD. Perfectly balanced, and they take great care in the tasting room experience. Chilled items were perfectly chilled, including chilled glasses. Room temp was room temp, not sub zero. Brought home a bottle of the Sol Chamomile Citrus Vodka and the Tahitian Vanilla Vodka. AND they have a spit bucket on the bar. A thoughtful addition since *someone* has to drive home. VERY personable owners and staff. Do stop in if you are in the area. We had a great day! read more

See all

What a find! Are you looking for quality cocktails? This is the place! Not watered down, not sugary, just wonderful craft spirits and yummy cocktails. Arrive when they open, and you have the whole place to yourself (located in a former kitchen showroom). The bartendresses are all really nice. A great place to go after dinner or even before. read more

The staff and owners are wonderful. They go above and beyond everytime you visit. I stop by once a week while my daughter is at dance nextdoor. Due to COVID and the temperature they were only doing take out/to go orders. When I came in they went out of their way to drag a table and heater out (and of course make a killer Old Fashioned) for me while I was waiting. Whether you need a premium drink or bottle, North Shore Distillery is a must. Support local business that support their residents. read more

North Shore Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Green Oaks, Illinois

Awesome place! Very clean and interesting interior. It used to be a kitchen/cabinet showroom so there are some fun decorative touches. I really liked the different spirits I tried, even though I'm not the biggest expert. I thought I hated gin but theirs was delicious! Best part hands down was the service. Most knowledgeable bartender I've talked to in awhile. They really know their stuff! Not a lot of food options FYI, just some snacks and a weekly flatbread. Will definitely be back to try more from their cocktail menu. read more

Excellent cocktails and knowledgeable staff and bartenders. Definitely a must try, and venture off your comfort zone and try a spirit you don't usually try. You'll be impressed read more

I went there for a date night with my wife. Grate ambiance, great service. I was surprised how nice the place is. The mixed drinks are one of the best I've ever had. I strongly recommend this place to everyone read more

North Shore Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Green Oaks, Illinois

We had heard that, somewhere in the odd little industrial patch of unincorporated areas/Lake Bluff/unincorporated areas was a craft distillery, but, much like any good speakeasy, it was a little bit hard to find. Just when you think you've gone past a few too many warehouses and machine shops, you will see some unassuming signage that leads you to an unassuming storefront-ish area in a corrugated metal building. From the exterior, you might wonder what you'll find when you step inside, but the small, stylish tasting room and cocktail bar that doubles as a store was pretty neat. They specialize in small batches of distilled spirits, mostly white spirits (although we were told that they do bust out some test batches of a single malt that's done in an Irish style, as well as poitin (Irish moonshine) for their St. Pat's celebration). They do a nice tasting...for five bucks, you can sample any three spirits. My husband chose the more herb-infused of their gin offerings, their aquavit, and their absinthe. The nicely handlebar-moustachioed barman seemed like the kind of guy who enjoyed mixing cocktails, so I had their Swedish Mary, which involved the aquavit and a locally-produced bloody mary mix...quite tasty! Since we randomly wandered in at like 1 p.m. on a Saturday, we were the only ones bellied up, but they are open into the evening on Saturdays, and the tasting room/cocktail lounge seems like it would be a neat place to bring booze-nerd pals and socialize. My husband is a Scotch guy, and he and the very knowledgeable bartender were able to compare notes on a whole lot of different spirits. We swung by on a whim once we figured out where it was, not sure what to expect, and it was just delightful. It's not a big operation, but it's obvious they're really into what they do, and it seems like a fun place. They also do Saturday distillery tours, so we'll probably hit that up at some point. read more

I have met Sonia (one of the owners) on several occasions at wine and/or spirt tastings in the past. They make all of their spirts in Lake Bluff Illinois. I love supporting local businesses. I find their North Shore Vodka to be outstanding. It is wonderfully smooth and a pleasure to drink. I had the opportunity to taste their Aquavit last evening. It has amazing herbal notes with the expected caraway. I was able to try it in a Bloody Mary, it was wonderful. They have a terrific herbaceous gin (North Shore Gin #6) it makes the best gin martini I have every had. read more

Very hard to find but so worth finding! Tucked away in an industrial park.... Looked for the decorative lights. Well appointed tasting room coupled with immensely informative owner and..... Hhmmm... Insulting to call her a bartender since she was so much more that that... Professional, intelligent and very well versed on all things "cocktails". All drinks are ten bucks: tip and taxes included. I tried three different cocktails and throughly enjoyed them all. Plus you get an explanation of the cocktails ingredients and history. My husband had the gin tasting which was remarkable. All three were markedly different. This place every is well worth a visit or two. We enjoyed our visit and will be back. It's set up like a private club so you could easily grab some friends and spend some time there. No food but pretzels but can easily bring some in or have food delivered once you realize you don't want to leave!! read more

I have not even been there but was browsing the website. I will make that a destination. I will be there maybe on May 9th my birthday. Congratulations to small businesses that produce excellent and innovative products! read more

North Shore Distillery has some of the best spirits you'll ever taste. My personal favorites are the Sol Chamomile Citrus Vodka and the Gin #11, but every spirit there is a delight. They're smooth but still full of robust flavor. If you're north of Chicago and you haven't been here, you're missing out. read more

This place is awesome! Such a chill vibe inside. Bartender recommended the Lavender G&T and its my new favorite drink. They have extremely talented bartenders who hand craft these drinks to perfection! Can't want to come back read more

We came here on a whim. What a great experience. The bar tender walked us through so many different kinds of drinks. I tried a traditional absinthe service for the first time. Very unique. We're coming back. read more

North Shore Distillery - Traditional Absinthe Service - Distilleries Near Me - Green Oaks, Illinois

I came here with people that I work with for a private tour and tasting. It's hidden far back in an industrial park- don't be alarmed. You're going the right way. It's such a cute little hidden gem in this park. They have a small herb garden out front that they use for garnishes in their drinks. They also have a composter- love that! We walked in to see an adorable little bar area. Very modern looking. There were three high top tables with chips and pretzels on them for munching. No TVs in sight - just mingling! I love that. They made us cocktails while we settled in. I had a mule, which was divine. I only sometimes like mules. 1) the vodka must be good. And 2) the ginger beer must be good. And let me tell you- both were! We then had a tour. The distillery is very small. The tour was very detailed, though. They taught us a lot about the whole process. Very interesting. And they are VERY passionate about what they do. We made our way back into the bar area (which is open to the public, by the way), where we did our tasting. They chilled booze for us to try. I'm not one to drink straight up booze, unless it's a shot, but their liquor is so smooth. My favorite was their gin #6 and the absinthe. Like I said, I work in a bar. So when people order gin/tonic, I now ALWAYS recommend northshore gin #6, and they always love it! Score. I love supporting local small businesses and had a lovely time at this place. They were all so nice and welcoming. read more

See all

Awesome classy place. Will come again. Told my friends about this place. Ambiance great drinks, awesome service

This place is great. The people who work there are very friendly and very helpful and knowledgeable about what they sell and do. We go there whenever we can and highly recommend this place. If you have thought about going here but haven't stop in I promise you will go back. read more

The vodka is so smooth, first time I can drink without any mixer or soda. Bring in your own food and have a drink. Cool layout with semi-private books and seating. read more

Had a holiday party for our trade association here. New location is a major upgrade. Shop is small, but has something for everyone on your gift list. Derek's craft liquors are amazing. Cocktails are to die for. Distillery tour is fun. We brought in our own trays, and had pizza delivered. A wonderful time was had by all. read more