Yeah, the review is largely positive! In fact, in many ways it's the ultimate compliment to concede things that might be wrong or not up to your tastes/standards yet recommend the place anyway.

Please don't ruin this thread by going. I look forward to many months of speculation and James-like introspection over what might be.

I'm thinking more Sterne. An entire epic comic narrative anticipating a visit that never transpires. In my next installment, I will wonder whether my future opinion was unjustifiably negative or too liberally positive. Right now I'm on the fence.

I made my first trip last night and really had a nice time despite almost getting run over by Rick Bayless (not really but if there's a downside to that alley entrance it's that there isn't a whole lot of room for cars and people). I don't think it's been mentioned yet but the rum list also features a collection of classic rum cocktails (cuba libre, dark 'n stormy, Heminway daiquiri, etc.) that I will be sure to check out next time. Which isn't a knock against the Tiki drinks -- I had the Aloha, Mexico and the Jungle Bird and they were both very enjoyable. However, my usual idea of garnish is an ice cube or maybe an orange twist and so I'm not used to navigating a bouquet of flowers, leaves and herbs to get my drink.

They recently have not only introduced the rum menuw (with 150 different rums as well as the traditional non tiki rum drinks) but they made a small change to the drink menu.

Now all the drinks are married to specific mugs. If you order a Jungle Bird for exampel it will always come in the blue Easter Island mug... previously mugs were randomly used and most drinks did not have a specific parter mug.

The good side is that many folks order based on the pictures on the menu. If they want a crazy mug they order one of those drinks... otherwise they can avoid them... this avoids confusion. The bad side is that there are fewer options of mugs being used (which is a shame) and the mugs tend to be a little less interesting (perhaps lessexpensive to deal with theft issues).

Still great though... maybe the oddest thing is that the coolest mug they have... the custom sea urchin, is not on the menu at all or used in any drinks... it is almost as if you just need to know about it if you want one.

Finally went!

The good:

*The drinks we had - Mai Tai, Painkiller #3, Halekulani, Rum River Mystic - were excellent. The freshness of the ingredients was apparent, as were the more distinctive elements/flavors - two aspects typically lost in sloppy booze 'n' blender constructions - and the presentation was of course ace, with the garnishes lovingly detailed touches.

*The service was really smooth, from the knowledgeable servers (capable of conveying the flavor profile of each drink and able to describe which drinks leaned dry, which were sweet, etc.,) to the speed of preparation.

The bad:

*At the same time, the servers did seem well trained to upsell the bigger/more expensive drinks, though they were never too pushy about it.

*The decor ... we got there right around opening, and it felt a bit like seeing Space Mountain with the lights on. Tiki kitsch I think works best when it seems like casually accumulated bric a brac in just any old bar, dusty corners packed with wicker stuff and weird/exotic things that catch your eye. Three Dots, by its nature, is so clean and deliberate and brand new that it's almost distracting, falling somewhere between Vegas and Disney World, part club, part amusement park. I can imagine it passing better when it's packed with people, but that's exactly when I would not want to be there.

*The guys outside by the velvet rope lent the experience an off clubland vibe, at odds with the more affable, laid-back appeal of tiki bars and culture.

*Our companions, a gay male couple, suggested that the buxom waitstaff should be joined by a Samoan guy or two in a sarong, something so cartoonishly masculin that the straight dudes would not feel threatened while at the same time providing a balance to all the cleavage.

My wife and I, as residents, decided it was not some place we would return to on our own, though we would not veto it as a destination should someone else suggest it. Our companions, visitors to the city, liked it a lot. But then, they were tourists, and if this place can't hit that bullseye, it's doomed.

Amusing aside: our night ended a mile or so south of the bar, many hours later, but on the way back to the car I saw on a Paul McGee swizzle stick on the sidewalk!

I'm considering bringing a group of 7 or 8 coworkers here for celebration drinks (I passed the Illinois bar exam! Woo!) tomorrow after work. I'd appreciate any insight on 1) Three Dots' ability to comfortably accommodate a group of that size at 5:00 on a Thursday and 2) whether a group who may not be that sophisticated with cocktails would enjoy Three Dots nevertheless.

Obviously you don't know my coworkers, but just think of a variety of people who work in an office in the loop. If it seems too risky, I'm bringing them to Sable instead.

Teresa wrote:I'm considering bringing a group of 7 or 8 coworkers here for celebration drinks (I passed the Illinois bar exam! Woo!) tomorrow after work. I'd appreciate any insight on 1) Three Dots' ability to comfortably accommodate a group of that size at 5:00 on a Thursday and 2) whether a group who may not be that sophisticated with cocktails would enjoy Three Dots nevertheless.

Obviously you don't know my coworkers, but just think of a variety of people who work in an office in the loop. If it seems too risky, I'm bringing them to Sable instead.

I think they'd have fun, even though they might not appreciate every little aspect of it. I'm sure you could walk in at 5 without much issue but with a group that size, I'd probably check with 3 Dots to see what, if anything, they could/would do for a group that size. Iirc, most of the tables are 4 or 5-tops but there are some booths in the corner where larger groups could probably sit. I doubt you'd want to be 8 across at the bar.

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Congratulations:

First off if you get there at 5:00 you will be one if the first in which is perfect. Three Dots gets a big after work crowd Thursdays but it will not get crowded until 6:30 or so.

I think it is a perfect spot for what you describe. It is inherently fun and people enjoy it even if they don't drink a ton. The drinks are all tropical with lots of juice etc. so most people like that. They will have fun just picking a drink by its mug. They also have wine and beer etc. should someone want that but I would encourage them to try a tropical drink.

The food is all small plate snacks easy to share.

Your only issue is the group size. The normal booths fit 4-6. The tables are 2-4 however there are 4 extra large corner booths that can probably fit you. There is also a section with low banquette seating sett off a bit that can fit you for sure.
In an extreme case you can get the private "Johnny Depp" room though you will not need that (fits maybe 25).

So yes. You should be in great shape... Have fun.

But get there early and don't let the door guy throw you... Which is a little odd... The staff is super friendly.

We had a similar size group on a Friday and had a great time - we arrived in two batches and they seated the four of us who arrived first in one of the round banquettes - the other three arrived and pulled up two chairs close in and that seemed ok with everyone. Our group ranged from really into tiki to no clue what the whole idea was but everyone enjoyed their drinks and loved the snack food. (Get the Thai Fried Chicken, the ribs and the papaya salad! all tasty and went over really well with the crew). The staff are super friendly and take good care of you - I was bit worried it would be too trendy or something but it was wonderful.

We arrived at 5ish and were fine - there was a line outside when we left around 7:30. Do make sure everyone knows how to find the door - it is not obvious from the address .... alley behind Bub's!

Enjoy!

From the second I had to say, "Hang a right into the alley," everyone had a great time. It really couldn't have been a more perfect setting for a small after work get-together. Like Siun's group, they seated us at one of the regular-sized booths in the main room and pulled up additional chairs as the rest of our party arrived. It was a tight fit for seven people, but cozy enough. We ordered a variety of drinks with expert guidance from our server, and marveled at the elaborate glassware and garnishes. Only one person didn't like her drink (a mai tai, which was too boozy for her taste, but to put it into perspective, she also had never tried a crab rangoon before). After a quick shuffle of drinks, all was well.

I aimed for the modern side of the menu to sample some of McGee's handiwork, trying a Poipu Beach Boogie Board and a Rum River Mystic. I liked the Boogie Board, but it seems that whenever I order a tropical drink anywhere that has pineapple in it, the pineapple flavor overwhelms everything else. Maybe it is a personal issue I have with pineapple drinks, though I love the fruit itself. It was still a wonderfully crafted drink, standing up well among the pantheon of tiki drinks, however. The Rum River Mystic was more up my alley, probably because it was further from a traditional "tiki" drink.

Thanks for the congrats and the advice! Now my coworkers think I have all these hip friends who are in the know about the trendiest places. I guess in a way that's true!

Teresa

Cool Teresa.... I'm relly glad to hear you enjoyed it!

Just a little pineapple related trivia for you since you mentioned it... I was told that they have a fresh pineapple juicer there and that it is some huge machine taller than the waitress who told me... pretty impressive!

And I forgot to say Congratulations Teresa!

Rhum

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More Rhum

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In my rhum-induced haze the other night I really managed to bury (hell, omit) the lead: Paul McGee is now behind the bar at 3 Dots on Sundays and Mondays.

Needless to say, we had a great session over there on Monday night. We started with a round of Tiki drinks, followed that up with a couple of rounds from the Rum Classics menu -- I cannot get enough of that awesome Ti Punch -- and finished up by sharing the sippers pictured above (and a few others). After that, we stumbled over to Bavette's for a delicious dinner. A great 1-2 punch.

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Feeling Flighty About Rum

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For you folks who have been more than once, just curious: how high have your tabs run? Do you find it more or less comparable to similar cocktail sessions or, well, more or less? Also, how many of these drinks can you generally put away? One of the things that's kept me from going back is the investment (in both senses) of sitting here a spell. The drinks are good, come from the bar quickly and go down easy, which could be, ironically, a problem for a lightweight like me! I'd be afraid to commit to more than a couple of these things, max, afraid I'd wake up the next morning with an empty wallet, conscripted into working a ship floating across the Pacific.

Vitesse98 wrote:I'd be afraid to commit to more than a couple of these things, max, afraid I'd wake up the next morning with an empty wallet, conscripted into working a ship floating across the Pacific.

And the problem with that is .... what????

It's not cheap.

I tend to do three rounds and I also eat a lot. It becomes dinner for us.
So 2 people, 6 drinks probably 4 orders of food. We are looking at $140 or so pre tip and tax.

I've spent as little as $70 and as much as $500 but you can do it more reasonably if you like.

2 drinks will set you back $26.

Finally made it here last night (Tuesday). Loud and crowded at the bar around 7, steady stream of people coming in and out until 8:30 or so, then it seemed to die down a little. Most tables and booths were taken. It was loud but not loud enough I needed to scream to be heard. Eventually grabbed a free bar stool. Our bartender was efficient, friendly, and seemed to be having fun. Love the care that goes into garnishes.

People around us seemed to be cocktail aficionados or at least interested in tiki. Overheard some conversations about distillery tours and the Aviary. Music was twangy guitar, surfer style. No DJ or nzzt nzzt nzzt club music. Only saw one vodka drink the whole time. Everybody else was ordering off the menu and trying each other's drinks. Didn't experience any up selling or see a velvet rope.

Bought 3 urchin mugs, one coconut mug, one pineapple mug, one onigawara mug, they threw in a bunch of swizzle sticks, and I left with a big smile on my face. Lots of fun!

Ronna and I had a very enjoyable first visit (finally!) to •••— this weekend. We sat at the bar, tried a bunch of cocktails, a few bites, and had excellent service. Notable drinks were the Lonely Island Lost in the Middle of a Foggy Sea (aged rhum agricole, blackstrap rum, Indian rum, cold-brew coffee, pineapple, lime) and the Rum River Mystic (aged Puerto Rican rum, Bourbon, Quinquina, Benedictine, 'Elemakule bitters). I didn't love the Lonely Island. I was intrigued by the inclusion of coffee, but felt that the ingredient got lost in the tropical juiciness of it all. The Rum River Mystic, however, was terrific. It was basically a tiki'ed up rum Manhattan. Not too sweet, and the spice notes from the bitters were perfect.

The food was OK. There wasn't really anything Thai about the Thai fried chicken, as it was much closer to General Tso in style. The papaya salad was very Thai, very fresh, and generally a decent rendition, but nothing you can't get at just about any Thai restaurant anywhere. I'm glad it was available to soak up some booze, but this is a place to drink, not eat. I also think that not having a pu pu platter on the menu is a missed bet, as I definitely would have ordered it once I was a few drinks in. (Also, no rumaki, wtf?)

It was busy, but relatively easy to find a seat and comfortable for the couple hours we spent. Overall, a fun place that I'd like to return to to explore the extensive rum menu a bit.

--Rich

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.

My first visit to Three Dots got off to as rocky a start as you could imagine probably. I had a reservation for 6 people last night at 8:30, though it turned out to be only 5 as 1 person in our group was sick and could not attend. With 3 of us there, the hostess asked us to wait for the other 2 to arrive before we were seated - fine, not an issue. 1 came in, then we got a call from the last who said the bouncer would not let him in, saying that the maximum number of people had already arrived under that name and that he would have to wait on line (we had to send someone up to convince them this was wrong, particularly since he was the 5th to arrive on a 6-person reservation).

We then went to the hostess stand and the hostess advised me that there was no reservation under my name. Huh? 5 minutes earlier the same woman had advised me that our table was ready and 1 person in our party had already arrived. After I explained this to her, she then suggested that "oh, we must have already seated someone in your group and that erased the reservation." Me: We're all here - no one has been seated. Fine, a few minutes later she walks us towards the table, but stops about 25 feet short, points at the table, and says "that's your table back there." Am I on Candid Camera?

But of course, she had led us to a table where a large group (also with a reservation) had about 6 people waiting and advised us that they were a group of 20, waiting for more people, and that the table was theirs. So I went back to the hostess, explained this, and she told me she'll text me when a table is available. I was seriously ready to punch someone. That's when one of the managers and Paul McGee walked up to us, realized there was an issue, immediately sat us and apologized profusely. But this front of house experience was disgraceful and easily the worst I've ever experienced.

We thought our problems were solved. Our waitress came over, eventually took our order (drinks and food) and we waited . . . and waited . . . and waited . . . Twice, our waitress came by to tell us that there was a big backup at the bar and apologized. That's when one of my friends explained that we had arrived nearly an hour earlier, waited a long time to be seated, and now had waited nearly 30 minutes for our drinks, and asked that she bring a manager over.

And that's where the evening took a turn for the better. More apologies from the manager, and much more importantly remedies that made up for the situation, and shortly thereafter food and liquor started to flow. In fairness to our waitress, none of this appeared to be her fault - she was plenty charming but perhaps they were understaffed because she appeared to be competing in a triathlon running all around.

Once we started eating and drinking, all was good. We ate just about everything on the menu, and I liked most of the food. My favorite item was probably the ribs (reminded me of the sticky, sweet ribs you used to find at American-Chinese/Polynesian-type places, though perhaps not as good as my favorite nuclear red-style ribs. The coconut shrimp were perfectly fried and tasty. I loved the chips served with the guacamole (almost like funyuns?). And the papaya salad was a nice contrast to all of the fried food and a perfectly respectable version. The pork belly buns were really good, but I would have liked a little more kimchi. The tuna crisp was decent enough too. The only item we didn't order was the chicken skewers.

The only food item I didn't like was the spring rolls. They were perfectly fried and crisp, but I found the filling to be boring. My second least favorite item was the fried chicken - tiny, little bits of chicken and a little too sweet for my liking. I could probably have done without the crab rangoon too - I've just had better versions, though there was nothing wrong with these. I would have preferred more crisp edges but these were shaped like miniature purses.

As for cocktails, I'm a big fan of tiki drinks so this was definitely to my liking. But I thought these cocktails were so much better and so much more complex than tiki drinks I've enjoyed in the past. Some of my favorites included the Saturn - a gin based drink which contained passionfruit (a favorite of mine), Painkiller No. 3 - pina colada-esque but not as sweet and I thought it was exceptional, Poipu Beach Boogie Board - whiskey, overproof rum, guava, pineapple . . . as the night dragged on, I realized there's more to the name overproof rum . . . let's just say I found myself spinning in bed at about 2am, and Tropical Itch - more overproof rum (just what I needed), along with bourbon, more rum, Curacao and more passionfruit. We ordered several more, including a planter's punch to share, and I didn't think there was a clunker in the bunch.

While I'd love to return, I don't know that I'm willing to experience the service gaffes that began our evening, and to me, this is a place I'd prefer to visit on a weekend (when I assume it's busiest). I haven't noticed many similar complaints in the thread so maybe this was just a rare problem? The only things I'm sure of is that the hostess was probably the worst I've encountered in years of dining, and that I liked just about everything else about the place.

I haven't had similar issues with hosts - but each time I've gone, there was a guy handling the host stand and he was wonderful twice and ok twice. I've always gone a bit earlier though so perhaps that helps?

Staff has been consistently excellent on my visits, which have almost always been on weeknights. And like Siun, I tend to go early (usually, right at the open) when it's not very busy. I really don't know any bars that are at their best on weekends.

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On the plus side, whatever problems were caused by a prime time reservation on a weekend did not seem to at all affect the quality of the food (which all came out piping hot) or drinks.

I was here recently and found that this visit, compared to my previous two, was far less enjoyable (I loved my first two visits and raved to any who would listen). I may be mistaken but I don't think they had machines doing the cocktail shaking my first two visits like they did on my last. Drinks were off balance, service not as attentive, and the crowd much too douchey this time around.

Drinks are made the same way they've always been made -- shaken and stirred by hand. Even drinks served to customers at the tables away from the bar are made in this manner but done so in the kitchen-bar, which is not visible to customers. The only thing that gets (pre) batched are some blends of rums, with none of the other ingredients. There are some upright blenders used to buzz certain drinks (e.g. banana daiquiri) but they've been there and in use since Day 1. If you experienced inconsistency, it's more than likely a function of natural human variation. After all, a machine would probably be less variable.

As for the crowd, sometimes it's fine, sometimes it's less fine.

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I can confirm that the drinks we ordered were buzzed with said machine. We ordered the Three Dots, Mai Tai, Jet Pilot, and Poipu Beach - any idea if it is typical for those drinks to get buzzed, as you say? I certainly don't want to be irritated by something that has happened all along, but that I just was too inattentive to notice the first 2 times.

I liked the drinks too much the first 2 times to NOT go back, so I hope this was just an off night.

jordanhojo wrote:. . . any idea if it is typical for those drinks to get buzzed, as you say?

Yes, same as it ever was over there.

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