Gilt Bar

Great food.  The lighting and ambiance are cool.  Best Old Fashions in the city.  The basement bar area is kind of stupid, but I'm not taking a star off because it's easy to avoid.

Came here on a Saturday night for some drinks and had a great experience. Arrived at about 10:30pm and had no trouble ordering drinks at the bar on the main level. Ambiance is great-- lots of dark leather seating, wood, and dimly lit= great setting.

I ordered the Sazerac first-- really delicious and very strong. The bartender took her time making this drink, and I loved the orange peel for some added flavor and aesthetic. For my second drink I got the Pimm's Cup, which was very nicely done. Sometimes these are a bit too sweet for me but this one was perfectly balanced and had a smokey undertone.

My date and I saw some awesome mussels pass by us on their way to another table-- we couldn't help ourselves and ordered some. Best decision. By this point, two spots had opened up at the bar and we were able to be seated. Not bad for a Saturday night! The broth in the mussels was rich and well-spiced (albeit garlicky), and they gave us some warm, homemade bread to soak the broth up with. Only thing is that they gave us regular forks as opposed to the mini-mussel forks that are oh-so-cute. My date docked them some points on that one.

Will definitely come back here when I'm looking for an upscale drink. Good to know of a spot in River North where I'm able to get a drink/be seated at the bar without a fight. Try it out!

Ate here on a recent trip to Chicago based on some advice from a friend. I am still thinking about it 2 weeks later. This place is, not joking, other-worldly with regard to  their food and drink quality.

I try to sample many places and have done so around the U.S. I have friends who could be classified as food and drink snobs and one happened to be with me on this trip. Even he was shocked and awed at the quality of their bar and its drinks, at the quality of their food and at the general atmosphere.

It is a tappas style eating so go with a group and share. You can't order something wrong. The chicken was perfectly cooked and marinated. The rib was something not from this earth. You move to deserts and it is all made in-house and will destroy your face with deliciousness.

I am contemplating a second trip to Chicago just to eat here.