The Ten Best Hotel Bars in Chicago

Chicago's hotel bars run a quieter, more disciplined kind of drinking. They're rooms designed for travellers who want a precise martini and an unhurried hour, not whoever happens to walk in off the street. This is barsforKings's editor-curated guide to the 10 best hotel bars in Chicago — picked for craft, atmosphere, and the rare quality of being equally good at 6pm and 1am.

Hotel bars solve specific problems. You need a bar near your room. You need somewhere quiet to take a meeting. You want the drink right the first time and you don't want to negotiate a wait. Every recommendation below clears those three bars. Most are open to non-guests; we've flagged any that aren't.

Best for: business travellers, late-checkout drinks, hotel-room negotiations made civilised, anniversaries that deserve a hotel jacket. Pricing skews higher than the city average — that's the trade. The rooms below justify it.