Rebel & Rye

Rebel & Rye to feature 200 bottles of whiskey in River West | Eater Chicago

"A new River West whiskey bar from owner Alex Zupancic is designed to overwhelm guests with a prominent display of American whiskey — currently more than 200 bottles from 28 states with a goal of roughly 400 — and a members’ whiskey club offering engraved glasses and personalized bottles. The cocktail program, crafted by Tim Williams, is organized into classic whiskey cocktails, Old Fashioneds, whiskey sours, and whiskey highballs, and will introduce novices to American distillers such as Pinhook (Kentucky), Redwood Empire (California), and New England Distilling’s Gunpowder Rye while building a library of hard-to-find vintage bottles. The focus is strictly on American producers (no Japanese or Scotch), though American-produced peated whiskies will be available as alternatives to Scotch, and the atmosphere is intentionally inclusive and unpretentious — a “sneakers or suits” vibe. The dark, roughly 1,200-square-foot space (the former Funky Buddha) features bars front and back, was inspired by the 1794 Whiskey Rebellion, is part of the Last Call Tavern Group portfolio, and will keep TVs hidden behind mirrors except for select games; opening is scheduled for January 25." - Ashok Selvam