Allium lives up to the Four Seasons’ lofty standards: paneled walls, leather chairs, flawless service. At the same time, it also manages to be a convivial and cozy place—the Magnificent Mile’s clubby corner bar.
Warm red walls, a flickering fireplace, and a name that is simplicity itself. Sink into an easy chair and let the impeccable wait staff pamper you: Order a glass of wine and they’ll tote the bottle to your table and pour it there.
Find it: 108 E. Superior St., 312-573-6766, peninsula.com
Crimson Lounge at Hotel Sax
With a labyrinthine layout, dimly lit suites, lush scarlet couches, a decadent surfeit of art, and a glittering bar that makes it futile to resist overindulgence, this place will have you thinking of liaisons—dangerous or otherwise.
This splashy rooftop bar was the see-and-be-seen alfresco destination when it debuted last summer. But with a 55-seat indoor space affording sweeping sights of the ice-capped lake and sparkling skyline—not to mention seasonal craft cocktails—it has no wintertime blues.
This Gold Coast spot plays Nick Carraway to the Pump Room’s Gatsby: elegant, happening, and just far enough removed from the scene to let you enjoy the panorama. With vaulted ceilings, a fireplace, faux-fur chairs, and wood walls, everything feels like the old sport’s reading room. Mind the hotel prices.
Snare one of the 17 stools at the lobby bar and savor, along with your cocktail, scenes from Greek mythology on the frescoed ceiling and the pleasing buzz of the bustling crowd—a quintessential urban hotel experience.
Classy without being ostentatious—everything the Donald is not—this mezzanine- level lounge at the Trump serves up chic cocktails and unparalleled visual treats: the Chicago River, the DuSable Bridge, and Lake Michigan.
This 7,000-square-foot rooftop may shift from swanky postwork destination to glitzy nightclub in a matter of minutes, but the simple yet strong drinks—and unobstructed views of nearly the entire Loop—remain. Word to the wise: Get there before 10 p.m. on weekends, when the lines start forming.
