Cocktail Bar · River North · Chicago
Gus' Sip & Dip
Thirty reimagined classics at 12 dollars each, dipped sandwiches on the side, on the corner that fed Chicago from 1906 to 1966.
The Pitch
Thirty Classics at Twelve Dollars
Gus' Sip and Dip puts 30 reimagined classic cocktails at 12 dollars each on one menu at 51 W Hubbard Street in River North. Kevin Beary of Three Dots and a Dash builds the drinks; Bob Broskey of RPM runs the dipped sandwich kitchen.
VinePair handed it the 2025 Next Wave Award for Food and Beverage Program of the Year, and Time Out Chicago flagged it among the best new bars in North America.
The name honors Gus' Good Food, the diner that held this address from 1906 to 1966.
The Room
Tavern Booth Energy
A Lettuce Entertain You room that plays warm and low lit rather than flashy, with booths along the wall and a working bar rail. It feels closer to a neighborhood tavern than a River North showpiece.
Walk in only, first come first served, so the rail is the realistic seat on weekends.
The Drinks
The Twelve Dollar Rulebook
Every cocktail on the list, Martini through Old Fashioned, lands at 12 dollars, a deliberate flag in a neighborhood where 20 dollar drinks are standard. Beary's tiki pedigree shows in the precision more than the garnish.
Order a dipped sandwich alongside; the dips and the burger anchor the food menu per the official site.
The Crowd
Industry Respect, Neighborhood Prices
After work drinkers take the booths early, and the rail fills with cocktail trade regulars later. Weekends bring a wait by 8pm.
What regulars say:
- VinePair named its program Food and Beverage Program of the Year in the 2025 Next Wave Awards.
- Time Out Chicago counted it among North America's best new bars.
- Yelp reviewers, 162 strong, keep returning to the value line: 12 dollar drinks made with 20 dollar care.
Who it is for:
- Cocktail nerds who resent cocktail prices
- A pre dinner stop before River North reservations
- Avoid if you need a guaranteed table; it is walk in only
The Verdict
Where It Lands
Chicago's smartest value play in cocktails right now. Twelve dollars buys the same technique other rooms charge double for.
Good to Know
Visit Information
Getting there: 51 W Hubbard Street, River North; the Grand Red Line stop is a three minute walk.
Timing: Sunday to Thursday 4pm to midnight, Friday and Saturday 4pm to 1am. Go before 7pm for a booth.
Cost: Cocktails 12 dollars flat; sandwiches and the burger keep the bill tavern shaped.
Make a night of it: Start here, then go deep at Kumiko in the West Loop or tropical at Lost Lake in Logan Square.
Pair This Bar With
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