A large part of my life has to be spent by my parents dragging me to Chinatown, whether it’s for weekly shopping or to meet family. It wasn’t until I became an adult that I began to more fully appreciate the neighborhood. From the bustling shops to the best restaurants in the city, there are many interesting places to visit. But until the opening of Nine Bar this summer, there was no bar in Chicago that combined sleek Asian style with cocktails.
This lounge is hidden behind Moon Palace Express, a restaurant run by co-owner Lily Wong’s parents. It can be missed without being noticed, as the only indications of its existence are a sign with Chinese characters “Nine Bar” and a sparkling sign near the door. The first thing that catches your eye when you enter is the bar itself. Bottles are neatly displayed on shelves in front of exposed brick, and there is space on top for trinkets such as a Kaws BFF figurine and a lucky cat statue. Next to the bar is a lounge with comfortable sofas and a couple of low tables with stools. There is also a DJ booth, which, at least during my visit, was not in use.
Since we arrived at 7pm on a Saturday, all the tables were already taken. This led to a bit of confusion, as Nine Bar, although it offers waiter service, does not have a host and does not take reservations. So we, along with the other guests, were looking for free seats, despite our determined stare. And although we thought we had already coped with this task, we were still ahead of a couple who instantly took an empty table.
When we finally found a place in the salon after a little confusion, I immediately wanted to try something. The menu is presented in Asian style and includes sections with highballs and sake. I decided to start with the classic Mai Tai, which was well made and strong. If you’re looking for something fresh and spicy, I recommend trying the Paper Dragon, based on tequila and passion fruit. But if you prefer good old-fashioned drinks, there are two old-fashioned options: Cheating Death and Good Fortune.
As for food, Nine Bar offers a small but tasty selection of Asian dishes. The crab dumplings had a perfectly crispy crust and were a real treat. For my main course, I chose McKatsu – a fried pork cutlet on a bun with sesame seeds. I can’t help but mention the Banana Milk Bread, which was a great dessert at the end of the evening.
The atmosphere in the bar is attractive with its Blade Runner-style gloom. The music here is played at a reasonable level, so you can enjoy conversations without having to shout.