Katie Renshaw’s Bar Bambi opens in Chicago
Chicago’s West Town will welcome Bar Bambi from Katie Renshaw this weekend (14 February) after months of anticipation.
Renshaw holds titles including 2017 Speed Rack Midwest Champion, 2018 Italicus Bar Artist of the Year, and 2019 US World Class Bartender of the Year.
She first announced plans for her debut bar in October 2025.
Renshaw’s has spent 10 years in Chicago’s cocktail scene, including at bars such as Moneygun, Billy Sunday, Etta, GreenRiver, The Aviary and, most recently, Beef & Liberty Bar.
“Opening my own bar has been a big dream since the moment I started bartending,” she said. “Everything I’ve learned in the Chicago industry, including from some incredible folks who helped build the bar scene in this city, has influenced what Bar Bambi has become. I love what I do, and being able to bring that joy and love into all of the little things that make up a bar and share it with the world is an honour.”
The bar claims to serve ‘intentional cocktails with personality’, with drinks playing with flavour, texture and form. Seasonality and sustainability are a focus, with ingredients used fully across the drinks menu and in the kitchen.
Examples include the Three Decibel Rule, made with Ketel One vodka, Cocchi Americano, lychee, yellow pepper and crème fraîche, which is clarified and poured freezer-cold.
Meanwhile, the Repeat Offender is a carbonated blend of Ford’s gin, Campari, apricot, jasmine and tonka bean.
Non-alcoholic options include the Cloud 9, an alcohol-free riff on a Ramos-style Fizz featuring Aplos Ease, Seedlip Spice, tonka bean, amazake, citrus, cream and egg white.
The cocktail menu will change regularly.
The wine list focuses on female winemakers, with the beer selection spanning ‘approachable’ and local craft options.
Chef Nicklus Byrns, formerly of Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pineapple & Pearls and Elske, is behind the food offering.
Bar bites include fried spicy dill pickles and the ‘Best Fish Sandwich’, made with crispy halibut, triple pickle sauce, white Cheddar and shredded lettuce on a toasted brioche bun.
Red currants are a theme of the food menu, a nod to the opening scene of the original Bambi film.
Architecture and design firm Gensler is behind the interiors, which aim to be a ‘warm, otherworldly escape’.
The 1,200-square-foot, 50-seat space is anchored by a lighting installation by Lightology’s Pure Edge team. The light has a fully adjustable range of tones and colours, helping to shift the ambience in the bar by hour, season or mood.
The venue has floor-to-ceiling windows and a mirrored back bar.
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