By the time the Sixth (2200 W. Lawrence St., Lincoln Square, 773-433-5959) opened its doors at the end of December, anticipation was high. Talk about a new Benjamin Schiller (The Berkshire Room) cocktail bar had been building for months at that point, and, paired with the long-awaited expansion of Roots Handmade Pizza, the spot was bound to be the buzziest spot on the North Side.

Schiller's cocktails are showstoppers. Take the Spaceman Spiff, for one, where you lift the cup off the top of a fishbowl containing perfumed steam and a tiny ocean scene. The small, well-designed space is typically stuffed with eager drinkers, and expect it to stay this way for a while. 

Here's what else we saw when we stopped in.