Rogers Park Social; a new destination for cocktails up north

Living in Edgewater and working in Evanston, for years I was upset that there wasn't anywhere to drink between the two after a hard day's work. Then, a little less than 2 years ago, Ward Eight opened up and I finally had my wish. Now, Rogers Park Social has thrown their hat in the ring.

RPS is located a block south of the Morse red line stop on a one-way, brick-laid street in the former Sidecar space.

My work had an office outing, and we were released a bit early. I arrived at RPS a littler after their 3pm opening







Hot Ginge Redemption Rye Whiskey, Pickett’s Ginger Beer Syrup, Lemon Juice, Sugar Syrup, Angostura Bitters


Tequila Lemonade Olmeca Altos Silver Tequila, Pickett’s Ginger Beer, Lemon Juice, Sugar Syrup

tall and refreshing. A really nice summer cocktail.

Mezcal Mule Mezcales de Leyenda Mezcal, Lime Juice, Sugar Syrup, Ginger Beer, Angostura Bitters

This actually worked very nicely.

Double Dragon New Holland Beer Barrel Bourbon, New Holland Dragon’s Milk Imperial Stout

Belongs on a fall/winter menu, as this is a bit too heavy for summer.

Day at the Beach Brinley Gold Coconut Rum, Pineapple Juice, Soda

Very sweet, and an overwhelming amount of pineapple juice.

Rum Punch Brinley Gold Spiced Rum, Blackwell Jamaican Rum, Lime Juice, Grapefruit Juice, Orange Juice, Bittermens Tiki Bitters


Zombie Brinley Gold Spiced Rum, Blackwell Rum, Bacardi 151, Pineapple Juice, Orange Juice, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup

almost cloyingly sweet

Hot N Stormy off specials board

Wasn't my drink, don't remember exactly what was put in to differentiate this from a dark and stormy, but it had some nice heat to it.

Pisco Sour Control Pisco, Lemon Juce, Sugar Syrup, Egg White, Angostura Bitters

I don't see a lot of pisco sours on drink menus, and I've always enjoyed them. RPS' was a nice version.

Manhattan

A nice Manhattan, despite not being on the menu. Why did we order it?...

RPS has a lot of ambition, and it's a nice addition to the northside of Chicago. That being said, it definitely has some work to do:

Our bartender told us that they get extremely busy at night, and we saw that first hand when trying to pay our bill. Once the bar gets crowded, the people behind the bar become a little less attentive.

The drinks all skew to the sweet. Having only been open less than 3 months, I'm not sure if this is only a summer issue (who doesn't love a sweet, fruity drink in the summer?), so only time will tell with this one.

Dogs are welcome and there are A LOT of dogs. I like dogs, but they were everywhere!

Still, RPS gets a passing grade. The drinks are still above average, CHEAP (7 cocktails totaled 51 dollars), and the neighborhood needs it.

I'll be back.

Rogers Park Social
6920 N Glenwood Ave
Chicago, IL 60626

Monday - Friday 3:00 pm – 2:00 am
Saturday & Sunday 12:00 pm – 3:00 am

incite-

Thanks for your report on this. I'm still mourning the loss of Duke's, which was in that location prior to Sidecar. Mr. X and I peered in the windows of RPS after a recent lunch at Noon Hour Grill. I'm now more anxious to try it out.

Thank you for the insightful and well-researched review. We very much appreciate the time and effort that you've spent to take a deep dive into our menu. We look forward to welcoming you back, so that you may stay abreast of our ever-rotating seasonal offerings! Please don't hesitate to contact us directly at [email protected] or drop by any time. We are excited to be part of the neighborhood, and wholeheartedly appreciate the welcome we've been given thus far. Cheers! William -co owner Rogers Park Social