Entry No. 81 — the Chicago file — filed under: speakeasy-bar

Nine Bar

Chinatown's first dedicated cocktail bar is concealed inside Moon Palace Express, the neighborhood's oldest restaurant, occupying what used to be its formal dining room — neon and exposed brick styled after small alley bars in Tokyo and Hong Kong, with cocktails built on baijiu, soju, and shochu.

The move: Eat noodles up front at Moon Palace Express, then slip back into Nine Bar for a Sichuan-peppercorn or Calpico cocktail while a DJ plays Thursday through Saturday.

📍 Chinatown
💸 $$
⚡ Up for anything
🌗 Indoors

Where: 216 W Cermak Rd, Chicago, IL 60616

Hours: Added 2026-07-19 — confirm current hours before you go.

#speakeasy-bar #chinatown #hidden-entrance #asian-spirits #live-dj

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Official site · secretchicago.com · theinfatuation.com

last checked: 2026-07-19