Pigtail - Chicago
Pigtail is a bar/restaurant that serves i
ncredible PIG-oriented edibles and cockTAILs. Get it?! This swank speakeasy is from José Andrés, internationally recognized chef and Nobel Prize nominee.
Cocktails at Pigtails are pig-inspired and some contain porky components, like a gin washed with Iberico ham. These are cocktails you are unlikely to find anywhere else in Chicago or perhaps the world. Here are some examples. Andres & Cooper is a tantalizing concoction of Del maguey ibérico mezcal, yzaguirre gran reserva 1884 vermouth, amontillado, Cynar, ibérico ham, and Calamata olives; Consommé Cocktail is pork consommé, palo cortado, amontillado, and egg espuma (kind of like having liquid bacon and eggs at the end of the day); and Negroni Cristal with gin mare fat washed with Ibérico ham, blanc vermouth, Luxardo, and bitters. There are also fine selections of classic cocktails (Manhattan, Sazerec, and many others), as well as few non-alcoholic options and a fine list of wines (we suggest focusing on the Spanish selections).
The food options are equally inventive. The Croqueta de Jamon Iberico de Bellota is "the ultimate croqueta made with jamón Ibérico de bellota; Bao Frito con Lechon is a fried house-made steamed bun filled with glazed pork belly, pickled apple and piquillo mayonnaise; and the Iberico Smashburger is wowing the crowds: it's an Iibérico ham patty, enhanced with alioli, romesco, caramelized onion, and cheese espuma, all set on a housemade brioche bun.
Pigtail is a fun place to go for an after-work bite and beverage or a full dinner.
Amy Cavanaugh wrote in Chicago Magazine, "Celebrity chef and humanitarian José Andrés landed here with a splash in 2021, opening locations of proven hits like Bar Mar, Bazaar Meat, and Jaleo, as well as Pigtail, a cocktail bar that’s unique to Chicago. The quietest launch of the group, Pigtail is also the best."
