Nobody's Darling

Nobody's Darling is such a nice changeup from much of the other Andersonville watering holes. Tucked away in a mostly residential street, the bar is slightly out of the way of Andersonville's main drag on Clark St, and feels almost like a hidden oasis. This cozy, LGBT POC owned cocktail lounge is a must try.No matter your taste in libations, Nobody's Darling has something on offer to slake any thirst. I was blown away by the balance of flavor combinations. Every single drink went down so smoothly. I love how many of the cocktails are named after prominent people in the LGBT and African American communities. Lots of literary inspiration, as well, right down to the poem from which the bar gets its name from.Looking forward to a return trip. Thanks, Nobody's Darling!

Two enterprising entrepreneurs have established a popular and stylish bar in the LGBTQ+ neighborhood of Andersonville. The fact that Renauda Riddle and Angela Barnes are black lesbians only adds to the unique personality of their bar. Away from the commercial Clark Street corridor on residential Balmoral Avenue, this spot has a stylish vibe dedicated to black and lesbian icons.Jamie W. and I took the bus from Lakeview and was immediately struck by the distinctive artwork and modern retro-vintage decor. The main bar was fully occupied, so we sat ourselves at the second bar in the adjacent area where intimate tables were set up. Jamie went for the $13 Kahlo Margarita, which had a distinctively spicy-sweet kick with its use of passionfruit liqueur and habanero bitters (photo: https://yelp.to/9iBy2Ze0ZI).I ordered the $13 Bessie Smith, a sassy cocktail made with peach and orange vodka, peach, walnut, orgeat, rosemary, and orange (photo: https://yelp.to/qDfjQN5zyG). I could see her downing a couple of these before launching into a lively take on "Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do". So if I need libations inspired by the likes of Langston Hughes or the Harlem Renaissance, here I shall be...'cause if I should take the notion to jump in to the ocean, tain't nobody's business if I do.COCKTAILS - 4 stars...creative craft cocktails with personalityAMBIANCE - 4.5 stars...stylish vintage with Afro-inspired artSERVICE - 4 stars...responsive mixologists with flairTOTAL - 4 stars...the two ladies have a good thing going in AndersonvilleRELATED - Exploring Chicago? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/44c4CZO

This spot was on my must-see list while I was in Chicago this past Super Bowl weekend. It's rare to find a queer bar with an actual cocktail program and with it also being owned by two Black women, I made the trek from River North to the Andersonville neighborhood -- it was well worth it. I happened to sit next to one of the owners, Renauda, who was quite welcoming and gave me plenty of great information about Chicago and the queer scene there. The bartender who initially took my order wasn't familiar with my cocktail choice (a black Manhattan made with a high quality dark rum instead of rye whiskey). The other bartender on duty, however, was familiar and while he went to get the ingredients Renauda offered me one of the drinks on the menu (The Harlem Renaissance) while I waited. It was the perfect choice because it was spirit forward as I usually prefer my cocktails. I'm typically a rum or mezcal drinker so I was a bit hesitant at first because "The Harlem Renaissance" is a cognac cocktail. Fortunately, my hesitation was turned into a pleasant surprise with a well-balanced, flavorful cocktail.The night I was Super Bowl Sunday and there was a DJ playing an R&B set with plenty of Usher hits mixed in. The energy was lively but still felt more like a lounge than a loud nightclub. The bar's Instagram page lists a variety of weekly and monthly events so there's something for everyone.

Local neighborhood gay bar. The lychee martini is a must try. Very chill vibe without any loud music. It's a good place to just hang out by the bar or to chill outside in the front. Bar tenders makes you feel welcomed and will whip any drinks!

Great drinks. Nice staff. Patio is comfortable with a lot of seating. Thank you, Holly!

I have been wanting to go to Nobody's Darling for SO long now! They had a happy hour deal that was $2 off woman or POC owned liquor. I tried the kahlo margarita and the ma rainey. I absolutely loved the margarita. Passion fruit is probably one of my favorite fruits and combined with the habanero bitters was perfect. I love that they have chips for purchase as well because I love a crunchy snack with my cocktail! With the opening of the second room, it's a pretty big space now. I'm excited to come back!

I heard so many good things about this black-woman-owned LGBTQ bar (yassss‍) we just had to check it out! We went to this bar on a Sunday evening and had the best time. They only had the bar and outdoor area open, there's another side (think a lounge area) which was closed for the evening. The drinks were bomb and strong! And you can bring your own food to this bar which is great! You can download an app and play music u want to hear- u put your request in on the app and your song gets placed in the queue. We loved that! The service was great, we had some good convos with the bartenders. The crowd was cool, there was a good mix of different people. We'll definitely be back!

This bar has been around for a few years and I finally just made my first visit! It's a small but beautiful bar; great ambience as well as great drinks. They usually have a DJ as well as drink specials. Only downfall is, when is crowded, it's really hard to move or great drinks but that is to be expected when going to a smaller bar. I do love that the bar is owned by women of color!!

Fantastic joint! Love the ambiance and vibe - we were here for Pride weekend and the place was popping! Can't wait to return the next time we are in the Chi! A++ Open one in southern California! Service was top notch and the drinks looked delicious. My only suggestion is to offer some non-alcoholic concoctions for those of us who still want to chill but are on that sober tip. Otherwise, highly recommend!

I love this place! It has the homey, comfortable vibe of a pub but it doesn't feel exclusionary at all. I have been there and had a blast with my gay friends and I later returned with my sisters and their husband/fiance and had an equally great time. -