The Alderman
Cocktail bar · Pilsen
1163 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608
Highlights
Intimate cocktail bar crafting unique drinks with DJs and live music
Intimate cocktail bar crafting unique drinks with DJs and live music
"The Alderman is not a great place to voice your zoning complaints (though perhaps the nice bartender would be open to that conversation), but you can get great cocktails. Located behind an easily locatable door in Pilsen Yards, it may not be particularly hidden but it still carries the spirit of a speakeasy. It’s dark and intimate with only 16 seats, and though you can walk in, we recommend placing a reservation. All of the drinks are fantastic, with a rotating selection of cocktails like the Sichuan Panda made with baijiu, sesame oil, and peppercorn, or the Blind Luck with gin and chai vermouth." - adrian kane, john ringor
"Inside Pilsen Yards you’ll find lots of group dinners and a quizzical neon sign above a door that says “The Alderman.” And while that door doesn’t lead to a government official that’ll hear all of your complaints about street parking, it does lead to an excellent cocktail bar. The interior is dark and intimate with only 16 seats, and though you definitely can waltz on in, we recommend placing a reservation. All of the drinks here are fantastic, with a rotating selection of cocktails like the slightly savory Sichuan Panda made with baijiu, sesame oil, and peppercorn, or the Blind Luck with gin and chai vermouth." - john ringor, veda kilaru
"In Pilsen, there’s a bar within a bar at Pilsen Yards. The Alderman is the fancier 16-seat sibling and ideal for dates. The vivacious drink list leans into Chicago politics with names like Chopped and Screwed, and Breaking the Law." - Ashok Selvam
"No, this isn’t where we go to complain about parking or potholes—The Alderman is a great cocktail bar inside of Pilsen Yards. And even though it’s not particularly hidden (it's clearly labeled with a neon sign) it still feels like the ideal speakeasy. The inside is dark and cozy, and once you’re settled in (listening to their hip-hop playlist and sipping on a cocktail) you will immediately forget about your expired city sticker. The drinks are fantastic, with a rotating selection of creative concoctions like the Sichuan Panda made with baijiu, sesame oil, and peppercorn. Plus, the friendly bartenders will commiserate with you about your permit fees and take a shot of tequila with you at closing time." - josh barnett, sam faye, john ringor
"Inside Pilsen Yards you’ll find lots of group dinners and a quizzical neon sign above a door that says “The Alderman.” And while that door doesn’t lead to a government official that’ll hear all of your complaints about street parking, it does lead to an excellent cocktail bar. The interior is dark and intimate with only 16 seats, and though you definitely can waltz on in, we recommend placing a reservation. All of the drinks here are fantastic, with a rotating selection of cocktails like the slightly savory Sichuan Panda made with baijiu, sesame oil, and peppercorn, or the Blind Luck with gin and chai vermouth." - john ringor, veda kilaru
