The Meadowlark

Note: It's hard to write a review for a venue where surprise and delight are part of the allure, so I'll try to avoid spoilers here.Mysterious and hard to find in the rain, you'll be glad you went through the effort to enter Meadowlark speakeasy-style. Reservations suggested, but walk-ins welcomed.While waiting, resist the urge to try to sneak a peek inside the main area -- you'll be stymied with a large door and possibly feel foolish for trying.Once seated, expect to be invited to revisit fond memories, taste nuance, and experience exceptionally personalized service. From the menu to the garnish to the glass, every detail is curated for your delight.It's clear why they have a 2-hour maximum; I'd have stayed much longer!

The Meadowlark Bar in Logan Square has this lovely and unique setting; you enter this large wooden door that brings you into a dark foyer where you announce yourself and then go through another door to reach "The Inner Sanctum" or bowels of this place. It reminded me of a smaller version of The Magic Castle in Hollywood which I loved the theatrics of this admittance - it is very entertaining.Once inside this dark "library" of a bar, you are handed a book / menu of drinks named after or themed to the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair. It is pure glitz and rather interesting.The cocktails being made here are clever:My #2 son visiting from New York and myself had a refreshing Fernet-Branca which is this complicated "Bitter Amaro" with 27 herbs and other ingredients.My #4 son had a tequila cocktail with more ingredients than a bowl of Cioppino.His girlfriend had a this rather picturesque whiskey concoction that I tasted and loved and of course my wife had some beautifully curated Mezcal cocktail she loved.This place is charming, hard to find, hospitable and a whole lot of other adjectives and adverbs. Whatever these nice people at the Meadowlark Bar are doing, they're sure doing it right!I will definitely bring our out of town guests here to The Meadowlark!

We stopped in after eating at Union around the corner which is part of the same hospitality group and Meadowlark. My husband and I love speakeasy's because we enjoy the time and creativity that the bartenders spend on each drink. They are always so unique and we have rarely been disappointed.We were also not disappointed at The Meadowlark. We ordered a few drink and a charcuterie board as well. The only thing we were disappointed with is that the specialty menu was sold out! We really wanted one, but they are limited and were super cool. We loved the vibes of the bar and would love to come back another time to see what other kinds of drinks they come up with!

Fantastic place. Loved the vibe of the bar, the friendly bartenders and the amazing cocktails. I tried 2 cocktails, the daydream, it was divine with the pineapple foam on top and another off menu drink which was the bartenders creation. The cocktails and the changing menus remind me so much of the cocktails and menus at HNT in Austin..iykyk.

The place: seats 16 or so. It's sexy. Dimly lit. It's possible I'm getting a little too old or cynical for some of the night outs that still present themselves to me, but more on that later. Service was helpful. We did have to wait about 30 mins to get in at 5:45pm on a Saturday night. Several couples came after us and were told they may have to wait three to four hours. The taste: we got Streets of Cairo, Yerkes Telescope, an off menu Old Fashioned, the caviar and the pimento dip. My streets of Cairo was a well done cocktail - actually all the cocktails were very solid. Balanced, with depth. Interesting ingredients. They all are $16 a piece and I can appreciate the craftsmanship, I'm just not sure I'm personally that interested in spending $100 on drinks and apps at this point in my life, but if you're good with that, and you're able to get in here, would definitely encourage trial. There was a small dollop of caviar on a generous spoonful of creme fraiche, though the proportions of creme fraiche to the chips was a little off. My face: a sort of indifferent expression plastered on my face. $117 with tax and tip for 3 drinks and 2 apps. Probably won't be back any time soon but had a nice date night out with my love.

The 2nd establishment I rushed to after watching the "world's 50 best North America bars ceremony". Place is small & not easy to find from the outside. I had no idea it was from the same people as next dorr Lardon. Meadowlark won #32 on best bars list. Tall order imho because Chicago has some of the best cocktails in the country elsewhere. Highlights include the balance of the cocktails & the sticky toffee pudding. Nothing was bad about my visit but after going to other establishments & places featured on the best list I disagree with their new accolade. I inquired about a bottle behind the bar to no avail. I wasn't asked if my cocktail was up to par either which is necessary when dealing with a cocktail snob such as myself. Walk ins are possible but patience should be excercised. All in all nice place but not ready to dance alongside the best. Paid $60 for two cocktails & a dessert.

True speakeasy. You might miss the entrance like I did. Once inside the host greeted us and we came right in with out a reservation. We were seated at the bar which was a bit crowded. After a quick skim through the menu I went with the Ferris wheel. It's such a pretty and tasty drink. It was sprayed with something that added to the experience. The host then moved us to a couch which was cozy. Music got progressively better as the night went on. This is a cool date night spot or a nice place to catch up with a friend.

Walked in on a Friday night. We had to wait around an hour for our seats, so I recommend making a reservation ahead of time if you are set on coming here for drinks.I loved the interior, it was super cozy and warm. My favorite thing was how the menu was themed; this time, it was themed for the Chicago World Fair. It was really nice flipping through the menu and learning more about different attractions. I also liked how some drinks had proceeds going to different non-profits/organizations. We ordered the Streets of Cairo and the Windmills. The Streets of Cairo was refreshing and the watermelon + pepper flavor came through. The cocoa flavor on the Windmills drink was also pretty pleasant.The bartender was nice and friendly, and had great drink recommendations.

Don't ask me how we ended up here as tourists in a new city but I'll be the first to tell you as someone who's not from here that this is one of the coolest places in Chicago. We weren't sure what to expect when we arrived but tbh it surpassed any expectations. From the thoughtfully crafted menu design to the unique cocktails to the multiple non alcoholic versions of said cocktails, this place is truly worth a visit. As a speakeasy, this place was not easy to find but once you're in you're met with a library/lounge feel and a cool but not pretentious vibe. Our bartender, Sven, was phenomenal. Very nice, engaging, and eager to introduce us to the manager who was also from Philly! Honestly, I'm trying to figure out ways to visit this place again before we leave; it was that cool. I won't give away too much more because that first time experience makes it all the more enjoyable.

This may be my favorite speakeasy in the city. So cozy with excellent drinks. I was super impressed by the amount of detail that went into the drink "book" menu and the concept (drinks named after certain buildings, items of attraction from the Chicago World's Fair) of the cocktail bar. The drinks are sophisticated (who could except anything less from Abe Vucekovich, beverage director at Violet Hour?) and I especially enjoyed the Ferris Wheel. Will definitely be back in the future to try the other drinks on the menu!