Lost Lake is Chicago's finest tiki bar, owned by Paul McGee, one of America's most respected rum authorities. This is serious tropical drinking for people who understand that tiki is not kitschy but rather a genuine culinary movement with roots in Caribbean and Polynesian tradition.
The rum collection runs to over 300 bottles. The cocktail list rotates seasonally with a mix of original recipes and meticulously researched tropical classics. The decor is immersive without being overwrought, all bamboo panels, candlelight, and carefully curated details. This feels like a genuine escape.
We recommend visiting on weekend afternoons when the bar is quieter and you can actually converse with the bartender about rum varieties. The frozen drinks are exceptional, and the entire menu rewards exploration. This is the place for anyone serious about spirits. Chicago's other great tiki destination is Three Dots and a Dash in River North — a deeper, more theatrical room with 200+ rum labels and a spectacular communal punch bowl programme. For something completely different, the Green Mill in Uptown is the city's historic jazz anchor, open since 1907 with live music seven nights a week.
Weekend afternoons when it is quieter. The banana foster dessert shot is a Logan Square tradition and a must try.
Tiki fans. Rum enthusiasts. Neighbourhood regulars. Casual drinkers who want something better than average cocktails.