This is one of my favorite speakeasys in Chicago. It's what you'd picture one would be like: hidden and in a nondescript area. The bonuses that comes with the Drifter are that it's small, there's great drinks on a unique cocktail menu (along with a separate menu with snack options) and live entertainment. The entertainment varies and can include performances from a burlesque dancer, to a singer, to even a magician. Lol. I love the quirkiness of this place. On this occasion, I met up with a friend and we both had too much to drink but oh what a fun night! Highly recommend a visit to this venue. read more

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Loved this place. Not only were the drinks great but the downstairs old timey venue is so cool. Makes you feel like you stepped back in time in the 1920s. We also were able to catch the burlesque show which made the night even better a must see if you plan on going here. When we had a couple drinks downstairs we finished up the night at the bar upstairs, green door, which was a great transition for the night. read more

It was a little confusing to find, but the bouncer saw us walking around all confused and pointed us in the right direction. "All the way to the back corner and downstairs!" We entered a dimly lit bar with a screen playing old burlesque shows on the projector and was greeted with 4 Tarot looking cards with their specialty cocktails for the night! The bartender knew what he was doing and we had some of the best drinks here. I had a paloma with mezcal and a cocktail from one of the cards. *Chef's Kiss* A hidden gem in the beautiful city of Chicago! I'll be back! read more

You've been looking for something a little different, haven't you? You bought that shirt or dress that feels like you, but a more bold and daring version of you, yeah? Well if you're feeling ready to put that on and put yourself out there, there are few better places to do so than secreted away in a tiny basement speakeasy. Here's my story- I showed up on a Friday night around 9:30, all suit-and-tied up to match my complete dream of a date. I don't mention this because there's a dress code or anything, I'm just head over heels for the girl and think she's the sweetest thing ever! Anyway! At the bottom of the steps (back left of the bar, as if you were going to the bathrooms), we were told it'd be a ~40 minute wait, so I put in my number and we took to the streets to enjoy the night air. We actually ended up a few blocks north at Griddle 24, and had just ordered a sundae when we got the text that a spot was open (you can either say you're coming or not). We bolted out and made our way down again. However big you were thinking the place is, it's probably smaller, but that only adds to the oOoOo ambience. We were seated at the bar (there are hooks, just look for them!) and commenced to enjoy our evening. Drinks were pretty varied and mostly pretty good. Unfortunately, when we reordered what had been our favorite, it was made by a different bartender and was different in appearance and flavor (enough to grumble about in person? No. Enough to knock a star off? Sure). We saw three burlesque performances (we were told that earlier in the week/night you will have more music or variety acts, but obviously late on Fri/Sat you're going to have the spiciest entertainment). Each dance was great, one performer we saw twice, so it's possible you may see alternating performers depending on how long you stay. Drinks are expensive, but that's part of the game. Go in boldly and grab your wallet boldly when it's time to pay. You're a new person, you saw booby tassels and butts. Everything that came before this is meaningless, because your new life has only just begun. read more

Terrible experience here. We took an out of town friend who had just landed at 11:30 for her first outing in Chicago - her first experience of the city. Rude waitress, bad drinks, and the worst part - as we had just started our last call drinks, they kicked everyone out at 1:35 (Google says it closes at 2). Blasted "Get Out, Right Now" by JoJo so loud in order to hurt our ears/force us to leave, and rudely said "time to get out and no you can't bring your drinks upstairs". We were just sitting there politely, not causing trouble. Never coming back here again. read more

Went to this place on a Thursday night, 10/2, will never go back. The bartender was not welcoming at all. She took a while to take our order and had a three person party in the corner between her and her two coworkers. No conversation other do you want another anything else? No personal recommendations, no small talk, just all business. read more

I went to The Drifter and had one of the worst experiences I have ever had at a bar. We waited for over an hour and once we were seated we were treated horribly. The hostess sat us at a table and then the waitress who claims to be the manager made us move twice. We politely asked to have our order taken but she refused service because of our "attitude". Due to lack of staff communication and organization we were treated very poorly and unprofessionally. The manager is names "fox", which we know to be a fake name, saying more than enough. We believe that we were also treated unfairly because of differences in language. Working in the restaurant industry, we would never cause a scene but last night was truly embarrassing for the well known speakeasy. If you want to be treated like crap, go to the Drifter. You're Welcome! read more

Hands down my favorite speakeasy in Chicago. From the drinks to the shows, this place is such a fun way to introduce new people to the city! They have a show every 45 mins which lasts 2-5 minutes long. The cocktails here are on tarot cards and they rotate them seasonally. Overall great ambiance if you're looking for a night out in the city! read more

Great environment, drinks were priced well, service was quick plus the show was well worth the price of admission! Wish there was more cool mysterious spots like this worldwide, truly an experience read more

The Drifter - Speakeasies Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Really fun spot with great cocktails and service! We had a great time and definitely will be coming back. We paid $7 for cover and $15 per cocktail. Loved the Kimmy Gibbler Gimlet. read more

The Drifter - Drink card - Speakeasies Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great ambiance, service and cocktails! We got there around 5:30 pm on a Friday and were able to get seated right away. Shows started at 6:30 pm so $6 cover/person was added to the check. read more

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A true piece of Prohibition culture, updated and modernized for our time with an excellent tarot-inspired menu (you can even buy a few cards to take home), nightly live performances (ranging from burlesque to magic to... bubble art?), and a delightful hidden entrance (it's obvious now, but maybe it fooled someone sometime), with a not-so-bad waiting room upstairs (The Green Door Tavern is a storied and respectable watering hole in its own right). Come here when you have a little time to kill (there will probably be a wait) and you want a unique evening of libations and entertainment your friends or date won't soon forget! read more

Beware of $2 ROCKS CHARGE!! In 20+ years of ordering scotch, whiskey, bourbon etc at all kinds of establishments this was a first. Mediocre performances every 45 minutes (cover charge $7); wished we would have stayed upstairs at the green door tavern. Giving some stars because of the vibe and waitress. read more

Super cute speakeasy behind the book shelf in the basement. I used to love this place but the bartenders were so pretentious this time around. $7 cover for 90 min - come on! Line was already 45 min long when we left at 8pm. read more

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Came here with friends while bar hopping. My buddy suggested it. I was a bit skeptical when I found out that there was a 60 person wait list. However, once we got in, it was an experience that was worth the wait. We made it for the final performance and just before last call. The burlesque performance was fun and a unique experience. I would definitely go back but I would go earlier so enjoy more performances. read more

The Drifter - Speakeasies Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cool little speakeasy! Cocktails were great and presented in a cool way - you get a deck of cards and pick from there. Awesome atmosphere and little music act. Bartenders were great read more

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The ambiance was cool, it was dark and loud so it was kind of hard to have a conversation if you're trying to converse with who you're with. The cocktails were interesting combinations, and the menu was served like tarot cards which I thought was unique. The cocktails my friend and I had were pretty good, a bit pricey for what it felt was worth. It had burlesque playing on the screen in between acts, and the acts that did play were a hoot, I did quite enjoy them. The service wasn't all too good since they do limit you on time because it is a very small space and can get quite busy, but they don't check in that often. read more

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We went to the Drifter on Saturday night at 8:30PM. It was packed and they were taking names with your cell number at the door. When someone left, they would text you and you had five minutes to come back. Because the Drifter is separate from the upstairs bar (Green Door Tavern), you could not bring drinks from upstairs in. We were the thirds ones waiting for our reservation and the girl at the door let us in for standing room after a 45 minute wait. We were able to sit after another 20 minutes. The Drifter is set up like a bar in the Prohibition Era and they have a small menu for food and drinks or you can pick a drink from the cards ($13). We ordered drinks from the cards and I took a chance with a fortune cookie. I guess I was lucky because it ended up being the best drink that I ordered all night. There is a chance that you get the famous known Chicago shot, Malort, which I heard is pretty terrible. The other drinks were okay, but the last time I was here (in 2018), the drinks from the cards were excellent. I did notice that the cards had different drinks on them this time around. The experience itself was fantastic. You are charged a $6 cover to come in, but no big deal. The shows run every 45 minutes and are 5-10 minutes long. You never know what is coming...comedian, piano player, exotic dancer, etc. We were seated next to a party of four and another party of two on the other side of us. We made friends that night and had good conversation with both tables. read more

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what an AMAZING experience. this bar is actually a speakeasy under green door tavern and is really small. wait is usually crazy (around a couple hours) so it's best to go in a small group. I went in a group of 2 and the wait was about 30-35 min so we just grabbed a drink at clutch. the vibes of this place were really fun, there are performances every 45 minutes! we got to see guitar, a burlesque show and at the end an acrobatic show. drinks were fire, we each got 2 tarot card cocktails where there were an interesting mix of liquors. also very reasonably priced I loved this experience - it's kinda loud so not a proper catch up place but I'm so glad I went and definitely want to go again read more

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This is a fun spot. My friend and I got there around 515 and were able to be sat within 15 minutes or so. We each were able to have 2 drinks before we had to head towards our dinner reservation. I would definitely come back here another time! read more

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Such a cool spot! They have burlesque shows and really yummy craft cocktails. A super fun environment. I highly recommend if you're looking for a unique cocktail bar or have friends in town. Their cocktails are listed on tarot cards- very creative! read more

The Drifter - Cocktails are on these cards- so cool! - Speakeasies Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Super cool speakeasy in the basement of green door tavern (straight back to the left and down the stairs once you enter green door, follow signs to the bathroom). They had burlesque shows every 45 min when we came (Friday night), and it was super busy--expect to wait over an hour. We put our names on the waitlist then went to grab a few drinks at a different bar. You get a text notification when you're table is ready and have 5 min to get there so stay close! read more

The atmosphere is awesome, love that it is a classic speakeasy. The drinks are a random selection on tarot cards. The shows are always entertaining (though short). The bartenders are amazing and have great personalities when the bar is a little slow. Only issue I have is the strictness on seating and time limits, though I kind of understand. read more

Great place to get a drink in secret great entertainment also. We definitely have to visit this place when we come back to Chicago read more

The Drifter - Great place to get a drink in secret great entertainment also. If I ever come back to Chicago I will definitely stop here again - Speakeasies Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was able to visit a bit before last call. They were nice enough to let me and my friend in. They have a menu, but the cards are a pretty nifty menu item. If you go you'll see what I mean. I had a great time, the videos playing added to the feel of the bar. Would visit again read more

The Drifter - Stairs down - Speakeasies Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very cool place with a dark, but cozy vibe. They have an interesting menu concept with their cocktails. Once seated, your server gives you a set of tarot cards that have the cocktails being served for the night. They have a full bar if those specific cocktails aren't your thing. There are also performance acts every hour. There are no reservations so be sure to get your name on the waitlist! For a party of 4 on a Friday night, we put our name on the waitlist at 6pm and got seated a little after 9pm. read more

The Drifter - Speakeasies Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Disgusting. I have taken visiting family and friends to The Drifter for years for a surprising nigh of kitsch and fun after a burger at The Green Door. Always a great time with a historical flare. The Drifter entertainment has been prohibition-era acts like a jazz singer in lingerie, and slap stick comedy routine, and cello quartet, etc. NEVER have I seen a trash show like this "person" who is nearly naked and frantically twerking and gyrating onstage with zero talent or class. A clip was posted on the "performers" X account, and 5 hours before was a post involving GRAPHIC PORN. I mean GRAPHIC. Tito Bonito is the "acts" name, and I will NEVER patronize The Drifter again. You never know the acts you will see at the Drifter, and that is part of its charm, but this is beyond the bottom of the barrel, trashy and clearly not vetted. read more

On Wednesday, July 31st I was scheduled to perform 1 burlesque act The Drifter. While waiting to begin my set, a white man sitting in the first row, looked me up & down, then proceeded to call me "Aunt Jemima", in reference to my hair being hidden in a glam headwrap. For clarity; I had a hair reveal chorographed into this act. Apparently, someone sitting near him heard & agreed because a (seemingly masculine) voice yelled "I was thinking the same thing!" This was followed by chuckles, all before I could even BEGIN MY ACT! I instantly tensed up & flight or fight response activated. I ended up performing, however the racist comments got worse as I continued to dance, to the point that l left the stage after being called a "sexy monkey", followed up with giggles. The final straw was hearing derogatory comments about my body size, being called "big mamma" and being heckled for literally existing in my body, while performing my art to a 90% white room. For the Ist time EVER in the 2 years I've been professionally performing, l REFUSED to come down to pasties. To be quite honest, I didn't want to finish the act, but got through it. Once I was back upstairs, the stage manager asked if something was wrong & I explained the situation. As I was speaking, I began to cry & the beginning stages of a panic attack began to develop. I was able to calm myself down, and after roughly 5-10 minutes, a different manger came to check in & apologize. I was also informed that the table where the original comments came from we asked to leave. Shortly after the conversation, the stage manager came back & spoke to me and though seemingly unintentional, proceeded to deflect and gaslight my experience, telling me that she asked a table nearby if they heard anything (of course thier answer was no), and then telling me that the "rest of the crowd" seemed to be enjoying my performance. I spent roughly 15 more min in the dressing room speaking to my mother on the phone about the ordeal & once in my car, immediately reached out to the ower of the talent booking company via email. read more

I've been going here on and off for several years and the level of hospitality is really terrible now and disappointing. The first thing they say when "greeting" you is it's a $7 per person cover and a 90min limit. Like I get it, but that's not how you start someone's experience. Then they keep asking you to shift seats so they can bring more bodies in. Yes it's a cool space with ambient lighting and on and off shows, but the service/cocktails are subpar and underwhelming. At 90 min they were quick to tell us to leave after having spent $$$+ on drinks and plenty of other spots still open. The things that made this place special is gone now and it's just another bar. No longer on my recommendations list for Chicago visitors. (No pics/not worth it) read more

We waited about 2 hours at the Green Door Tavern upstairs for our turn to enter this bar, and I think it was worth it! It's really small, so it makes sense that you're not able to enter until someone leaves their seats. The girl working the front door was so sweet and exceptionally nice to everyone trying to get on the waitlist (she said it was her first day!) and we loved her. The bar has a 10-minute burlesque show once every hour, and it was scandy af. There's a standard menu to look at at the bar for beers but they show you what cocktails they offer on tarot cards! It was such a cool and interesting way to display their drinks. When the burlesque show wasn't happening, they played some rap and r&b music that we were vibing to. The bartender told us this used to be an actual speakeasy during the Prohibition and that they would smuggle alcohol through the door near the ceiling with the painting in front of it. And apparently this place is haunted as hell but how cool is that? read more

The Drifter - Speakeasies Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a hard review to write but I've ultimately decided on 2 stars vs 1... I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. So we arrived at the bar where Drifter is located, around 1am on a Sat/Sun night. We had a group of 8 and our leader had researched Drifter and they said they didn't take reservations. We got down to the basement area where the speakeasy is located and the hostess coolly asked us if we had a text with a reservation confirmation. Strike one. She said she'd add us to the list. By 145am, some of our party had left and we were down to 5, and she was able to seat us though we had to split up into one table of 3 and one table of 2, farther in to the restaurant. I ordered the Bols drink because it sounded interesting. When it was delivered, I tasted it and it tasted like cough syrup - I prefer sweeter drinks. I asked if they could make me a different drink, and they said yes, but I'd have to pay another $12 for the second drink (vs just swapping the two out since I hated this one so much). That's extremely poor customer service to me. I'm a paying customer and really disliked this drink - surely there's something you can do for me? Even if they offered me a different cocktail or to make a new one at half price, I would have accepted that offer. Instead, I sat for a bit longer and only drank water. The only reason this place gets 2 stars from me and not 1 is that the atmosphere was great. We didn't get to see a burlesque show (and thus the $6 cover fee was waived) and that might have been fun. That being said, due to the poor customer service by both the hostess and the bartender (she asked him if I could swap out drinks) I don't see myself coming back here ever. There are other bars in Chicago that have better service and just as good drinks. read more

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Pre-made cocktails, sub-par performances, staff that is ready to get you out the door once you sit down. Bought a bottle of wine instead to hold court because the first cocktail wasn't worth it. Chicago has magic in town and it ain't here. read more

Came here on a Friday night, got here early (which is very recommended). The room is cozy (AKA super small). They do have a cover charge (which was specifically explained to us upon entering). You do need to wait to be seated as it's so small. They have "shows" every hour that last for 5-10 each. There is food available as well as a full bar. The cocktails are a little on the smaller side but the quality is nice. Their cocktails are on tarot cards which is an interesting play on a menu. This is a fun place to check out, not necessarily for a long stay though. read more

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There's something mysterious about The Drifter. In a sense it's like a post apocalyptic bar secluded for those willing and daring to enjoy a new world. This isn't for the faint of heart and the performances are unique and artistic. I don't want to give away too many details but you have to be open minded. They have a clown cookie jar with cocktail fortune cookies where it's the luck of the draw for $10. The drinks vary but it's a super fun game! read more

We were told of this speakeasy by a friend who'd visited many years before. We entered the Green Door restaurant and told the hostess we'd heard of a secret speakeasy here. She winked and gave us instructions to go downstairs and which way to go. We found a wall that looked like a bookcase and when you opened it, there is was. Sensual music playing, really amazing choice of original cocktails available that were on the back of tarot cards. Interesting snack menu. We tried the bacon wrapped dates. Really delicious! At 8pm a short live performance takes place and every hour after that for approximately 10 minutes, each one is different each hour each night. Sometimes magic, variety, burlesque, you never know. Totally worth going! read more

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*Update I emailed them about my experience and they answered right away and handled with grace. Adding a star for great customer service follow up* I have been dying to come to this place and unfortunately it was super underwhelming. I made a reservation for the Valentine's Day event which included a "snack" (small plate of cheese, salami and olives) and 3 drinks each and the show. I was first in line, second to be seated. I didn't get to order drinks until everyone around me did. Strange being that I was the second seated. My first drink was really good, thus the two stars. I finished it, they grabbed my empty glass and never came back to let me order another drink, I had to flag them down. My second drink wasn't good. I finally got the servers attention, told him I didn't like it, come to find out it wasn't even made right. Missing strawberry purée. He asked me if I wanted him to add it and I said no I'll just take what I had before. Well that drink never came, I sat and waited, and ended up leaving. I definitely coulda enjoyed my 3 drinks that were included, I'm the two hours. Had I had better service. We had two sliders and chicken tenders which came out in paper plates. Really guys? Paper? Come on... I ended up paying $213 (including $20 tip for bogus service) for 2 sliders, chicken tenders and 2 drinks (supposed to get 6 total). I do not feel like I got my moneys worth. The shows were cute, but honestly, this is the kind of place you come at random, have a drink, chill and leave. Maybe just walking in on a random day for a drink might be cool, but this experience just wasn't it. Left a bad taste in my mouth. Felt like a waste of money and because of this experience I wouldn't go back. I feel like at best, I should have spent $75-$100 tops. Since it was a "valentines" event with reservations, I forked out almost 3 times that amount for nada. read more

Great short shows. Cool little basement speakeasy. Line gets long so go early. Great for a date.

Really cool concept, but left a little disappointed and wanting more! I'm a sucker for a good speakeasy, and The Drifter had been on my list to check out for awhile. I've been to Green Door Tavern dozens of times and always had a blast, so I was really excited to head downstairs to the Drifter. We came on a Tuesday night around 9 or so and were seated quickly at a table near the stage. Our server was super nice and attentive. They had some Halloween beverages on special, and I tried one with mezcal. No complaints there. The drinks all night were terrific. Also enjoyed the fortune cookie option! For $10 you get to choose a random fortune cookie and you get what you open. The drinks range from upscale cocktails to Malort and Jager shots. Try your luck! While drinks, service, and ambiance were great, I was disappointed there was only one short five minute performance every hour. I had heard from friends who'd previously gone that there were back-to-back performances ranging from magic shows to burlesque. Maybe we chose to go on the wrong night, but I left feeling a bit underwhelmed. read more

We were looking for hidden cocktail lounges all night and ran across the Drifter during our night out. When we first walked in, we were in an Irish pub and were so confused since we were looking for craft cocktails. We walked down the back stairs and were greeted by a hostess that let us in through a hidden cabinet door. The lounge had a very interesting dynamic. It was like an old American dIvey speakeasy. There was a projector playing videos from the 20s and a broad music selection between oldies and newer hits. The craft cocktails were all displayed on tarot cards, which was very unique. We ended up ordering the spruce Jennifer (an aviation gin cocktail) and the Brah (an old fashion spinoff similar to a lions tail). Both drinks were excellent and I really enjoyed the old fashion. On our way out, we saw a man that had way too much to drink. The security took care of him really well and helped him through his hour of need lol. Overall, the ambiance was very different but still entertaining. Hopefully next time we can catch one of the live shows earlier on in the night. read more

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Cool drinks Real speakeasy vibe & pop down when if you happen to be in the area. The entertainment was a pleasant surprise! read more