Cocktail bar
Unclaimed profileDorian's
Chicago, IL · $$$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Dorian's runs eight named house cocktails with full ingredient and flavor detail, priced $13 to $17, plus a 'For Sharing' section at $60 for 2-3 and $99 for 4-5. The wine list is four bottles, all poured by the glass, and any of them becomes a spritz for $2 more. Beer runs $5 to $9, including a High Life with bitters. A dedicated Spirit Free Beverages section covers three zero-proof cocktails and four packaged options, and happy hour brings $10 classics multiple days a week.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Cruisin' Susan, a Zubrowka vodka drink with chamomile, turmeric, ginger, honey, lemon, pineapple, and soda. The Boyfriend layers tequila, mezcal, tamarind, caraway, cumin, and mole bitters. For a group, Como La Flor is the cachaça, hibiscus, guava, and prosecco sharing pour.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Drinkers who want cocktail menus with ingredient-level detail and a clear non-alcoholic counterpart. Groups can use the sharing formats; anyone avoiding spirits has three crafted zero-proof cocktails and four packaged options. Wine drinkers are served by four by-the-glass pours, and beer drinkers by a short list anchored in Miller High Life and Pacifico.
- When should I go?
- Happy hour is the value window, with $10 select classic cocktails multiple days per week. Large-format sharing cocktails suit a group table rather than a solo visit.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Cocktails run $13 to $17; sharing formats are $60 for 2-3 and $99 for 4-5. Wine by the glass is $12 to $16, bottles $50 to $60, with $2 to spritz any wine. Beer and cider run $5 to $9. Spirit-free cocktails are $12, packaged non-alcoholic options $6 to $12.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- A cocktail bar hidden behind a record shop in Wicker Park, with live performances and vinyl DJ sets over Hi-Fi Italian sound. The drink list pairs eight detailed house cocktails with large-format sharing pours and a Spirit Free Beverages section that includes both crafted zero-proof cocktails and packaged options.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
Eight named house cocktails carry full ingredient and flavor descriptors, priced $13 to $17. A 'For Sharing' section adds large-format pours at $60 and $99, and happy hour brings $10 classics multiple days per week. The room hosts live performances and vinyl DJ sets over Hi-Fi Italian sound behind a record shop.
Menu strengths
- — Happy hour pricing includes $10 classic cocktails multiple days per week.
Standout selections
- — Cruisin' Susan: Zubrowka vodka, chamomile, turmeric, ginger, honey, lemon, pineapple, soda; floral, fruity, crisp at $14.
- — Arch Nemesis: mezcal, cacao, Malort, amaro, aperitivo, grapefruit; funky, bitter, chocolatey at $17.
- — Como La Flor: cachaça, hibiscus, guava, melon, lime, macadamia, prosecco; sharing pour at $60.
Pricing: $13-$17; sharing formats $60 (serves 2-3) and $99 (serves 4-5)
Wine
Four wines, each available by the glass and by the bottle, spanning prosecco, a chardonnay/riesling blend, an orange blend, and a cabernet sauvignon/syrah blend. Glasses run $12 to $16 and bottles $50 to $60. Any wine can be made into a spritz for $2 more.
Menu strengths
- — Every one of the four wines is poured by the glass and available by the bottle.
- — The $2 spritz modifier applies to any wine on the list.
Standout selections
- — Ca' dei Zago Prosecco Col Fondo 2022: mostly Glera from Veneto; fresh, toasty, textured at $14 glass / $50 bottle.
- — Day Wines 'Vin de Days L'Orange' 2022: Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris from Willamette Valley; vibrant and pithy at $16 glass / $60 bottle.
Pricing: $12-$16 by the glass; $50-$60 by the bottle; $2 to spritz
Beer
A short beer and cider list running $5 to $9: Miller High Life, Pacifico, and rotating local IPA, sour, stout, and cider. A 'Chef's Special' option serves High Life with bitters. It covers the bases without reaching far beyond them.
Menu strengths
- — Rotating local IPA, sour, stout, and cider give the list four moving local options.
Standout selections
- — Chef's Special // High Life with Bitters: Miller High Life with bitters at $5.
- — Rotating Local IPA at $9, alongside rotating local sour, stout, and cider.
Pricing: $5-$9
Nonalcoholic
A dedicated Spirit Free Beverages section lists three crafted zero-proof cocktails at $12 and four packaged options from $6 to $12. Happy hour includes spirit-free options among the $10 select classic cocktails. The section is built out rather than tacked on.
Menu strengths
- — Three named zero-proof cocktails with full ingredient descriptions, all priced at $12.
- — Four packaged non-alcoholic options, including Lapo's Aperitivo and a non-alcoholic negroni.
- — Happy hour includes spirit-free options among the $10 select classic cocktails.
Standout selections
- — Zipgun Boogie: Lapo's aperitivo, tangerine, lemon, vanilla, honey, macadamia, grenadine; fruity, bittersweet, smooth at $12.
- — Le Freak: espresso, Pathfinder hemp & root amaro, honey, turmeric, ginger; funky, savory at $12.
- — Herb Your Enthusiasm: tamarind, parsley, lime, soda; herbaceous, bright, bubbly at $12.
Pricing: $12 for spirit-free cocktails; $6-$12 packaged
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