Wave’s Ice Bar
A bevy of handcrafted cocktails and a new raw bar menu are the core of the W Hotel-Lakeshore’s Ice Bar. Technically not new–management has simply added a new loungy flavor and focus to Wave’s former bar area–Ice pours on the spice in signature drinks made with a housemade syrup flavored with cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla beans and bay leaves. Try the Fresh, featuring Lichiko, a Japanese vodka; or the Linie aquavit on the rocks with orange syrup and pink peppercorns. 644 N. Lake Shore Drive, 312-255-4460.
SYN
Nope, it’s not an acronym. It’s just a fancy way of spelling “sin,” the theme of most late-night debauchery. A trio of first-time owners (between them they’ve managed Ditka’s, McCormick & Schmick’s and others) has rehabbed the old Jilly’s Retro space, giving it a futuristic interior courtesy of Slick Design and Manufacturing, the team behind the otherworldly look of Sound-bar (the club best known for never having opened, due to continued wrangling with the city over licensing). Expect DJs spinning club tracks, a cover charge on weekends and a minimalist lounge, complete with glass-partitioned VIP champagne room featuring bubbly by the glass and bottle. Owners also plan a cocktail list called (you guessed it) Seven Deadly SYNs. Set to open mid-December. 1009 N. Rush St. 312-664-1001.
Poag Mahone’s
Legendary Chicago architect Daniel Burnham’s Insurance Exchange Building is undergoing a massive rehab, and this new Irish pub and restaurant is getting in on the ground floor–literally. The bar’s name, of course, is Gaelic for “kiss my ass.” In keeping with the theme, a wall of fame will feature caricatures of “strong personalities”–folks who likely make frequent requests that someone pucker up for derriere smooching. The interior aims for a classic Irish pub feel and includes a turn-of-the-century bar trucked in from out of state. The menu features meat, meat and more meat, including prime rib, burgers and steaks. Set to open Dec. 11. 175 W. Jackson Ave. 312-566-9100.
Salud
Should you expect to only drink tequila at Salud, a new lounge that specializes in pure agave tequilas? Of course not, in the same way that folks don’t only gulp canned beer at Cans, another Wicker Park bar from the same owners. If you embrace the theme, however, you’ll have about 50 different tequilas to choose from, available straight, in a 2-ounce pour; in flights; or in the house margarita, the Tequila Mockingbird. The new spot has taken over the original Holiday Club (the Holiday Club in Uptown is still going strong), adding low-slung couches, a stucco interior and a metal tree sculpture with tequila bottles dangling from its branches. Set to open mid-December. 1471 N. Milwaukee Ave. 773-486-0686.
Also: Keep your eyes open for the December opening of Ontourage (157 W. Ontario Ave. 312-719-5200), a two-story club in the former Mystique location.
