The Bristol

20s / 30s / Affluent / Affluent Hipsters / Alternative Music / Ambient / Bar / Blouses / Brunch / Button-downs / Cocktails / Couples / Designer Jeans / Dinner / Foodies / Friendly / Good for Groups / Jazz / Laid back / Latin / Locals / Long Lines / Lounge / Low key / Mediterranean Food / Restaurant / Skirts / Slacks / Small Plates / Smart Casual / Specialty Cocktails / Tapas / Trendy Crowd / Young Professionals
The Bristol Seasonal cocktails and a unique Mediterranean menu that changes daily have made The Bristol a popular neighborhood eatery where laid-back foodies and young professionals go for a taste of local flavor. Chicago United States 41.921071697981 -87.6778292655945
3.6 7
The Bristol - Bar | Lounge | Restaurant in Chicago.
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3 User Reviews
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Ratings:
Lucas
Adriana
Jonah
Emma

Party Earth Review Seasonal cocktails and a unique Mediterranean menu that changes daily have made The Bristol a popular neighborhood eatery where laid-back foodies and young professionals go for a taste of local flavor. Intensely dedicated... ... read full review

  • Hours:

    Dinner M–Th 5:30–10pm, F 5:30–11pm, Sa 5–11pm, Su 5–10pm,; Brunch Su 10am–2pm

  • Recommended as:

    • Night Spot

Party Earth The Bristol Review

The Scene

Seasonal cocktails and a unique Mediterranean menu that changes daily have made The Bristol a popular neighborhood eatery where laid-back foodies and young professionals go for a taste of local flavor.

Wicker Park / Bucktown, Chicago –

Seasonal cocktails and a unique Mediterranean menu that changes daily have made The Bristol a popular neighborhood eatery where laid-back foodies and young professionals go for a taste of local flavor.

Intensely dedicated to creating high-quality shareable plates, the restaurant works closely with area farms to offer the freshest dishes around – which means the menu can change from stinging nettle ricotta one day to charred dandelion hash the next.

On weeknights, low-key residents stop in to peruse the chalkboard menu before settling in at the small wooden tables to split a plate of steamed mussels or pork rillettes, while trendy couples take over the bar for some signature duck-fat fries and smoked Sicilian Manhattans.

Fridays and Saturdays bring a bustling scene as upscale hipsters and wealthy locals chill out in the upstairs lounge to snack on homemade nutter-butters as they wait for a table, or join more casual regulars at the two communal tables in the center of the dining room.

Perfect for a relaxing dinner, early-evening cocktails, or even Sunday brunch, The Bristol and its ever-changing menu keep patrons coming back for something new, every time.

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Tip from Emma:

The menu at The Bristol is designed to encourage snacking. If you’re with a group of friends, order a ton of the smaller plates and go at it tapas-style – you’re bound to find something you like. But be sure to savor whatever you get, because you might not find it on the menu tomorrow!

  • Crowd

    Laid-back young professionals, Bucktown residents, hipster couples, and groups of girlfriends, mid-20s to late 30s.

  • Entertainment / Music

    Ambient jazz, Latin, and mellow alternative beats.

  • Food / Miscellaneous

    Mediterranean fare with a focus on local farming and sustainable practices. Menu updated daily. Sunday brunch. No reservations.

  • Prices

    Appetizers $4–$12, cheese plates $16, entrées $11–$26. Beer $7–$9, wine $8–$15/glass, specialty cocktails $11.

  • What to Wear / Dress Code

    Upscale casual: skirts, blouses, slacks, dark jeans, button-downs.

  • Hot Nights / When to Go

    Weeknights for faster service, and Fridays and Saturdays for a friendly crowd, but a potentially long wait.

  • Close By

    Duchamp (2118 North Damen) offers more Continental dining and craft cocktails.

Tags:
20s30sAffluentAffluent HipstersAlternative MusicAmbientBlousesBrunchButton-downsCocktailsCouplesDesigner JeansDinnerFoodiesFriendlyGood for GroupsJazzLaid backLatinLocalsLong LinesLow keyMediterranean FoodSkirtsSlacksSmall PlatesSmart CasualSpecialty CocktailsTapasTrendy CrowdYoung Professionals

The Bristol User Reviews

Average rating:
Friendly staff, great food, cool atmosphere
Maria S.
Maria S. Apr 28, 2013
I decided to visit this place at the last minute and didn't make a reservation. While the restaurant was packed, the staff was extremely helpful in finding my group some seats at the bar. The dishes not only tasted delicious but the presentation was beautiful. You can't go wrong with the chicken, which our waiter recommended. Also loved the monkey bread, prawns, and pasta. As the menu changes, I would ask your waiter for recommendations. The staff really takes your favorite flavors into consideration and each dish seems to have a story behind it.
A conscious foodie's paradise
Craig B.
Craig B. Dec 11, 2012
First of all, the food is amazing. Everything is locally sourced, so if you're about supporting local farmers, then this place is your new go-to. But because it's locally sourced, any specific food recommendation I could make today might not be on the menu the next day. But I don't think you can go wrong, and the chefs have something for all tastes (unless you subsist on a diet of toast and macaroni and cheese, then you might as well eat somewhere cheap). And then there's the cocktails. Oh the cocktails. They are categorized by how long it will take to make (5 minutes, 10 minutes, and longer), and each one is hand crafted by the house mixologist. Obviously, this can't all come cheap. But it's worth the splurge.
Incredible food and cocktails!
Christina W.
Christina W. Dec 10, 2012
The first time I went to the Bristol, I went for the cocktails. I intended to have dinner, but I was particularly excited about the craft cocktail list, which included some really unique ingredients the likes of the Violet Hour. I started with "the last word," a lovely concoction with gin and chartreuse served in a quaint little glass. It also went perfectly with the warm spiced olives we had as an appetizer. They were the best olives I've ever eaten. That might sound insane, but it is absolutely true. Dinner was incredible. I don't remember what I ate now, but I remember enjoying every bite. The food is all fresh and local and organic, so every bite tastes like a breath of fresh air. It is absolutely wonderful. After dinner, my date and I shared the Smoked Sicilian Manhattan, which is rather strong-tasting, but if you are into whiskey you will love it. I highly recommend this place for a date, but definitely go on a weeknight. Weekends are crazy and loud and you'll wait forever for a table.
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