The Alderman

TLDR: Best cocktail bar in Chicago that I kinda wanna keep a secret...Pilsen is a little out of the way for us, but The Alderman alone was totally worth the trip. Every cocktail here iso playful and imaginative. Lance and Charlie are two of the most knowledgeable people who aren't pretentious about it. They're also not afraid to try new flavor combos and fail miserably! But thru their trial and error, they've curated an incredible list of amazing cocktails at The Alderman. Put all your prejudices and judgments aside, and just give everything a try with a fresh heart bc I guarantee you this is not your average cocktail bar! See something that makes you go, "wait, what?"? Order it. It's gonna be good. Sichuan Panda with its baiju, yuzu sake, lime, honey, and sichuan pepper corn?...Sesame oil? GET IT. You'll learn the secret of why all of it just goes together. That cocktail alone will fuck with your nose and brain--but in a good way. Indienne with its curried passion fruit? It just goes together deliciously with the rest of the cocktail. Don't be afraid to ask questions bc the geniuses behind the bar are super friendly and wise. This is the hidden gem that is twice as good as the Violet Hour and Aviary with NONE percent of the pretentiousness.

Really enjoyed the space. The bartender/server was good. Made some great recommendations. I love a good craft cocktail. It's a very small and quaint space.

I had previously tried getting reservations here in the past, but had been unsuccessful. This bar has limited seating and you ideally should try to book a reservation here at least a few days in advance if possible. My husband and I had planned to be in the area for dinner, so we decided to also book a reservation here for an after-dinner drink. Soon after we arrived, we were brought to our seats at the bar. The welcome drink was a nice way to start the experience. We both enjoyed the opportunity to speak directly to the owner of the bar and another bartender. Several cocktails caught my eye, but I stuck with whiskey focused cocktails during my visit. The Whimsy Old Fashioned, Private Label Old Fashioned, Trifecta, and Raised by Wolves were all outstanding. The menu also includes several other cocktails that feature rum, gin, sake, cognac, etc. Most cocktails were priced around $16 and felt fairly priced.

This was such a fun bar! It's definitely a sexy, date bar inside of Pilsen Yards. The host walked us in and gave us a run through the bar and the menu. The bar tender then came with complimentary welcome drinks and guided us through the menu again, letting us know he can also go off script. I went with the Indienne and my friend got the Paul's Walls. However, they were low on ingredients for his drink so they gave him a complimentary bit which he did not enjoy. He then Went with their interpretation of a gin a tonic which was interesting and tasty!My cocktail was also delicious and not what I expected. I would definitely return and try more.

Very cool spot tucked away inside of Pilsen Yards. Was surprised to see a place like this in Pilsen. The drinks were awesome and honesty, appropriately priced. Very cool place to stop by for a special occasion. It's small and intimate, and I believe you need a reservation. Highly recommend.

Place is hidden within another restaurant which gives off that unique experience. As you can see from the interior it is a very sort of intimate close setting where you can really interact with the bartender. Let me say that the bartender we had provided top notch service, giving the best recommendations (he literally created the menu).Every drink we had was completely incomparable to a normal bar. One drink was the sichuan panda which had Sichuan peppercorn and sesame oil in it. Now at first that did not sound right to me but it actually works! For the purple pisco sour, there was a nice foam on top that added to the sweetness.Near the end the bartender gave us complimentary tequila shots and felt like I was conversing with a long life friend even though we only just met. A plus is the music as well. Felt that the tunes really matched the environment of the place!

Came here on cinco de mayo and if you're not aware already - The Alderman is inside of Pilsen Yards which is (in my opinion) one of the busiest restaurants in Pilsen. This night of course it was very busy so when we got in we did wait for about 10min before being seated- I do believe they forgot to check us in as well which may have been why we waited, but nonetheless this was on the host, not the alderman.We got taken in... it takes a minute for your eyes to adjust to the darkness within the space so be careful haha. It is very quaint but classy and chic. There's a smell in there that is some what overwhelming but we got used to it.The bartender was super nice and attentive. I asked him what was the sweetest and he told me the Elvis one, but that one had rum and pineapple and I wasn't in the Piña Colada mood but my friend went with it (with the red topping, pictured). I went with another (the name slips my mind) but he told me it wasn't that sweet, but he'd personally make it sweeter for me. Now THAT I appreciated. I knew that it was specifically made for me and that he uses separate ingredients rather than having things premade which a lot of bars are doing nowadays. He checked on us a couple times to make sure everything was good! Service 10/10!My drink had a foam and a surprise tasty boba at the end which I highly enjoyed! I would come here again so that my other friends can experience it!

In the hypo-era of the speakeasy, I think The Alderman stands out as a chill version that still has that super-cool and fun vibe. Lance, the bartender, definitely makes it so. When the four of us were greeted by him, he ran down the menu for us, then went away to prepare our amuse bouche cocktail. He returned with them & they were delicious, and then I tried to order a drink he had told us he was out of. Typical me. My listening skills are muddled at best. But Lance stepped up and decided to concoct it with a substitute or two. That, my friend, is eloquent service. The drinks were good, the small space filled up yet wasn't too loud, and I would have returned each night I was in Chicago if I could, just for a kick-off cocktail to start each evening. Definitely go!

Came here with my girlfriend and a friend from work and were lucky enough to get reservations at the bar. I was absolutely blown away by the experience. The Beverage Director Lance's cocktails are incredibly flavorful, round, and evolve while you sip them. The only way to describe Lance's style is a creative genius with a touch of madman. Had a great time and will definitely be back again soon.

A must visit speakeasy. The cocktails are all custom crafted and delicious. Not too sweet, and just the right amount of boozy that you expect in a cocktail. The space is intimate and inviting. The service was great and because we sat at the counter we got our own 1x1 experience with the bartender. Can't wait to go back later and see what the new menu has to offer. Highly recommend for a date night or small group. Not really the best option for large groups. Make sure you make a reservation in advance.