We stopped in last night and promptly smacked ourselves for letting so much time go by without a visit to Bar DeVille. The cocktails coming out of this bar are terrific and it amazes me that the place was as empty as it was at 9pm. I love the comfortable and laid-back vibe - there's no pretension or cocktail snobbery here. And the bartenders have quite a knack for recommending the right drinks with even just the smallest hint from you about your preferences.

Two cocktails that were new to me were the Simca and the Loretto Flower. Eric, our bartender, mentioned that both were from Duchamp's beverage menu, which he developed. The Loretto Flower was outstanding - Maker's Mark, Aperol, St. Germain, and lemon juice. All the flavors were really well-balanced and the drink helped me to remember that summer is not that far away! The Simca was also quite good - Hendricks gin, Aperol, green chartreuse, demerara, cherry bitters, and grapefruit essence.

I also had a taste of the Brass and the Second Squadron. The Second Squadron was a play on the Aviation - some relatively new gin (made w/ingredients including grapefruit peel), creme yvette, ruby red grapefruit juice, grapefruit oil, and something else. It was very grapefruity, but in a very good way. The Brass is on the menu at Bangers & Lace, which Eric is also involved with - it includes Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Luxardo Amaro, Cynar, lemon juice, demerara syrup, and old fashioned bitters.

Eric was an awesome bartender and we plan on making it a point to return on another Wednesday to see what else he can come up with.

shyne

I'm here once or twice a month and enjoy it as much as ever. Drinks are consistently terrific, the vibe remains incredibly friendly and this time of year, it's great to have a non-sports bar venue to watch Blackhawks playoff games. Since they don't serve food and I tend to order pretty much the same things every time I go in, there's not much to post but if someone asks me for a bar recommendation, DeVille is on a very short list of places I mention to them.

=R=

Sad news...though they plan on opening in a different location, it won't be the same. BDV has been host to many an LTH event--GNR awards, various exchanges (the Bitters exchange was epic-I still have many of them) and more. It will be missed. Thanks to Brad and crew for creating such a great place and looking forward to what's next for you.

From Brad's and BDV's FB pages:

"It’s the end, and the beginning, of an era for all of us at Bar DeVille. We will be serving up our final round of cocktails on Saturday, July 29, following an epic nine year run. BUT WAIT, plans for Bar DeVille to re-open at a new location are underway.
When we sat down earlier this summer to talk about some building improvements and plans for the future, we started reflecting on all we’ve accomplished the past nine years and what we might do differently a second time around if given the chance. Have we reached a point where it’s time to move on? Yes and No. We feel good about the brand we’ve built and we’re excited to see what Bar DeVille can become in a new setting.
We like to think that our corner bar offering serious cocktails in a casual, neighborhood setting was the first of its kind in Chicago and that the core of what makes Bar DeVille special remains. This is a chance for us to double down on a great bar.
We’re actively working on breaking ground at a new location that will allow us to move in different directions and create new experiences. You’ll see the same familiar faces behind the bar when we open our doors in the coming months, but until then, stay tuned to @bardeville on Instagram for information on closing events, future pop up events and details on the upcoming opening.
Thank you to everyone who has come through the doors, abided by our “no request” DJ policy and shared a shot of Malort with us. There’s still 3 weeks left to come by and I hope to see all of you as much as possible at the bar in that time. I will be there every single night from July 20th until we are done. Come share a beer and a hug with us. We love you all."

The first bar I ever truly loved. And Brad's Old Fashioned still remains my personal benchmark. It will be sorely missed.

=R=