Imagine everything the Keg is not: classy, cool and not too cheap. LUXBAR, 18 E. Bellevue, is just that. It’s not the place to go if you’re looking for $2 pitchers or lax ID policies, but it is a hip sports bar worth a visit if you’re downtown for the night.
The menu is the average, if not slightly swanky, bar cuisine (don’t worry; they still have French fries and mini-burgers). It’s the drinks that are the best part. The bar features more than 20 wines and a wide selection of concoctions to choose from, like the Fresh Fruit Sling (made with lemon vodka, seasonal fruit, lemon juice and simple syrup). Bar tabs can get a little pricey, but they’re nothing out of the ordinary for a good bar in downtown Chicago. It might be loud on a game night, with people cheering (or yelling) at the few TVs on the first floor. Upstairs you’ll find a more exclusive area with a great view of Rush Street.
LUXBAR is a prime location for other downtown activities. If you’re going to be near Water Tower Place or bar-hopping along Rush, it’s definitely a place to visit.
The patrons include college students hanging out eating fries in one corner and business execs winding down after work, so everyone’s welcome here as long as you’re 21; the underage crowd is weeded out at the door.
The bar is usually crowded, so don’t expect a table right away. You may even want to call beforehand just to check on wait time.
LUXBAR is open Mon.-Thurs. 10:30 a.m. to 2 a.m., Fri. and Sun. 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Sat. 8 a.m. to 3 a.m.
-Emmet Sullivan
