Check Out This Jewelbox Of A Rum Bar, Opening Tonight
By Anthony Todd in Food on Nov 23, 2015 3:32PM
Sparrow, a rum bar in one of those antique lobby bar spaces in the Gold Coast that opens tonight, is trying to evoke an older Chicago.
"I’m born and raised in Chicago, and every apartment building had a lobby bar when I was growing up," co-owner Jason Freiman tells us.
In the midst of the tiki craze, it's easy to forget that not all rum cocktails need to come with an umbrella and five tropical flowers. Sparrow is meant to harken back to a very particular moment in cocktail history, when rum was king but the islands weren't.
"After prohibition, there was so much rum that came up from the Caribbean and Florida," explains Freiman. This led to some classic, but oft-forgotten cocktails like the Floridita, a combination of rum, lime and grapefruit, and the Air Mail, a mix of demerara rum, honey, lime and sparkling wine. These drinks are a bit calmer and a bit classier, but still have the potential to take you away from cold, wet Chicago.
Sparrow is part of Footman Hospitality, which also runs Bangers and Lace and The Betty. This is their first venture into the Gold Coast. Cocktails are designed by Peter Vestinos.
The space has been a bar since 1927, thought Freiman and his group completely gutted it to create Sparrow. There aren't many lobby bars left in apartment buildings, and they were meant as places for residents and visitors to gather after work or on the weekends. Sparrow is going for the same vibe, even though they're hoping to attract people from all over.
The goal is to keep things casual, in contrast to some of the more stuffy fancy cocktail bars in the city. "We want to make sure it is a fun, energetic place for people to gather, explains Freiman. "It’s not like you’re coming to a cocktail bar and it’s a huge commitment. That’s what was really important in designing the space." The name, Sparrow, comes from the sparrows etched into the limestone of the building. "We thought that was a good fit—it’s a reflection of the residents who nested above in the building."
The space itself is small, with approximately 60 seats in the narrow room. Cozy couches line the walls, and vintage knickknacks abound. The photos on the walls are "part vacation, and part a reflection of some of the characters that have lived in this building for the years," says Freiman.
Eater has the entire menu, but expect a strong focus on rum, with a few other drinks (notably Freiman's favorite, the Americano, a combination of campari, sweet vermouth and soda), a small draft program and a few glasses of European wine.
"We just want to have fun. It’s not a serious cocktail bar," says Freiman.
Sparrow is at 12 W. Elm St.