During a short and sweet 10 month stint, Bitter Blossom’s business shriveled as they closed their doors in 2024. The one-of-a-kind bar was under the same ownership as Evanston Games & Cafe and served a variety of craft cocktails and local brews.
Located at 1707 Maple Ave. on the first floor of the Church Street Plaza, the local bar opened in September 2023. The space held 23 seats for patrons to enjoy drinks and socialize until 1 a.m. or 2 a.m., which is unusually late for the Evanston community since it lacks late night spots compared to other Chicagoland areas.
Themed nights and vinyl music sessions filled a huge gap in Evanston’s nightlife scene: a place to hang out with friends, grab a drink and indulge in the local culture that doesn’t close early. The staff, known for their friendliness, provided drink suggestions and recommendations for where to hit in town.
When the bar opened, Former General Manager Lo McGrath said that Bitter Blossom was “going to get to play a big role in how bar culture and nightlife culture comes back into Evanston.”
Unfortunately, that opportunity is no longer available due to their closure.
Business mistakes and a pay cut that led to the team walking out of the business contributed to the demise of Evanston’s latest attempt of bringing nightlife back.
While Bitter Blossom’s fate left a bitter taste in many patrons’ mouths, we can only hope for a new location that provides nourishment to the dry nightlife scene that Evanston has been known for years.
