Six New Restaurants to Try in Chicago | Bon Appétit
"Since opening in 2022 this neon drinking den tucked behind one of the oldest family-run restaurants in Chinatown quickly became one of Chicago’s top destinations. While Nine Bar is not exactly new, we liked it so much from our first trip that we had to visit again this year. When owners Lily Wang and Joe Briglio opened the bar, it was the first cocktail bar, let alone speakeasy in the neighborhood. Nods to the space’s former life as the Moon Palace dining room abound—think lucky cat statues greeting you on the shelves between liquor bottles and a giant silver iridescent fan behind the bar—but Nine Bar pushes past its origins with a menu that goes beyond Chinese classics. Even if you came from dinner, the tight but very good snack menu is worth exploring, with highlights like mapo hot fries, General Jones’ wings, and a McKatsu sandwich. Sip on drinks like the Paradise Lost with ube, pineapple, and coconut milk, the Cheating Death (their riff on an old-fashioned) with five-spice and umami bitters, or a non-alcoholic option like a matcha ginger swizzle." - ByKate Kassin
