Neighborhood Nightcap
Complex beverages in an intimate inky room
We love a good cocktail bar or speakeasy: the atmosphere and chef-fy drinks that make you strike up conversations with people nearby as you peer across the table—or room—at their interestingly colored or smoking beverage. With the recent demise of the 18-year old Violet Hour in Wicker Park (RIP) we were happy to see that a new neighborhood spot, Nightcap, was willing to pick up the mantle of artisan cocktails and mocktails.
Connected to the recently-opened tasting menu restaurant Class Act, that bills itself as a "revelrous dinner party meets avant-garde cuisine," both the speakeasy and restaurant are great additions to the neighborhood. We haven’t yet eaten at Class Act, but since they are willing to accommodate dietary restrictions with 72-hours’ notice, we hope to try it sometime soonish.
But back to the bar.
Like the trailblazing Violet Hour, and other newly heralded cocktail bars across the country, such as Papercut in Austin, TX, the room needs to be dark, in fact, nowadays, that means inky, sometimes black walls. Nightcap complies. A glowing white quartzite bar anchors the small space that seats about 24, and the smart money says you should make a reservation.
When we were there last Friday, the crowd consisted of a number of couples, including us, seated at tiny tables against a banquette, as well as a party of five friends. It’s unclear if there is a limit to party size, but six feels like the max. Pro tip: next time we are going to request a seat at the bar to watch the mixologists in action.
There are pricier, really complex “centerpiece” cocktails at the front of the menu, and then only slightly less-complex, but still unique, “house” cocktails. One of the centerpiece cocktails, which I didn’t try, is a take on pho, the popular Vietnamese soup. Like its soup sister, this cocktail is served hot (pho broth, gin, orange liqueur, and herbs) and the mixologist pours it between two stainless steel tankards with on-fire liquid to get the mix just right.
Beyond the cocktails, there are equally, albeit more limited, complex mocktails available. Among the non-alcoholic listings on the menu, it expressly says you can “ask me anything” of the mixologists. So, Dan asked for a non-alcoholic drink that was infused with smoke, and they delivered a delicious ruby red libation, that arrived at the table under a glass cloche.
It's fun to add another unusual and elevated spot to the neighborhood. And if you cannot get squeezed in at Nightcap, definitely try Valedor, another speakeasy neighbor with elevated bites and beverages where “Mexico City meets Japan.” And don’t worry, they’re right on trend too; it’s pretty dark in there.