Chef's Special Cocktail Bar - Chicago
Bucktown's Chef's Special Cocktail Bar is a Chinese American throwback, serving up excellent renditions of American-influenced Chinese food and some truly excpetional cocktails.
If you're looking for a place to enjoy some top-shelf cocktails, as well as a few tantalizing nibbles or even a full meal, Jason Vincent's Chef's Special Cocktail Bar is the place you want to go.
According to the 2021 Michelin Guide, which just recognized Chef's Special Cocktail Bar with their Bib Gourmand award, "Nostalgia is at the forefront of this concise menu. Classics like shrimp chips and crab Rangoon make an appearance, but diners shouldn't miss out on those luscious dan dan noodles or 'Special Combo' fried rice, studded with cubes of pork, shrimp, and so much more. String beans with broad bean purée and a bone-in pork shank with black bean sauce along with charred cabbage are termed 'specials' for good reason."
The drinks, too, are something special. There are tightly curated selections of beers and wine, but the cocktails are where this bar shines. Big fans of PeeWee Herman, we like Cowboy Curtis (tequila, cardamom, creme de banane, yellow chartreuse and lemon) and the Psychic Ranger (rye, amaro, sherry and marashino).
For a few drinks and bites, Chef's Special Cocktail Bar is a good time.
