Drama Club opens in Chicago
Chicago hospitality team Scofflaw Group has opened an agave bar in the city called Drama Club.
Drama Club marks the latest concept from the group behind a number of other Chicago cocktail bars, including Scofflaw, Slippery Slope, Heavy Feather, Moonlighter and Outside Voices.
Scofflaw is the group’s flagship venue, which opened in 2012 with a programme centred on gin. The bar was a finalist for Best New American Cocktail Bar at the eighth annual Spirited Awards.
For Drama Club, the concept is focused around agave, with the team claiming to have one of the largest Tequila and mezcal collections in Chicago.
“We wanted to build a place where you can get a great drink at a great price in a beautiful room,” said the Scofflaw Group team. “This neighborhood is full of people who love a good bar and we want Drama Club to be theirs.”
The bar’s cocktails are priced at US$12 and are split between Drama Club signatures and takes on classics.
The Drama Club Margarita is made with Real Del Valle Tequila, Fidencio Mezcal, El Acabo Raicilla, curaçao, lime, agave and chilli salt. It also has a mini version priced at US$6.
Other highlights include the Offline Crush, which is described as a refreshing mezcal Sour made with salted cucumber juice, lime, green cardamom and mint, and an Espresso Martini-meets-Carajillo cocktail called For Funsies, which contains Tequila, rum, Licor 43, cold brew, banana oleo and a plantain chip garnish.
Elsewhere, a riff on the Gibson, called Gib’s Son, combines Skiptic Gin, Comoz Vermouth, sotol and pickled onion. A Pina Blanca is then made with mezcal, pineapple-infused Cocchi and Salers, and garnished with a torched pineapple.
The bar’s interior features orange velvet, serpentine banquettes and tropical greenery, with nightly DJs providing the sounds.
Bree Romero is Drama Club’s general manager, while Jason Basa Nemec leads the bar programme.
The bar is located at 819 N. California Ave at the border between Ukrainian Village and Humboldt Park.
For more new bars, see our roundup of the hottest openings from spring.
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