Charcoal Bar

Came here twice, once just casually with a few friends and another time for a big birthday party where the space was rented out.
It’s below a restaurant so it gives the feeling of a speakeasy. I also like how it is really small and intimate with about 8 (?) seats total. This is a great place to go on a date or catch up with a few friends, as unlike most bars it doesn’t have deafening music or endless distractions like TV screens and rowdy crowds.
The mixed drinks here are wonderful too. My favorite is the rodeo girl, which is a very nice citrusy and sweet girly drink haha.

This hidden bar is inside Sumi Robata bar, and you have to take the elevator inside the restaurant to access it. When you enter it’s extremely dark and tiny. The cocktails were delicious (and bartender was friendly!), and luckily they had a few specials because the normal menu is a tad over priced. In general– this bar is trying to be sleek, trendy and edgy, but feels like a dark cave.

Large hand carved ice spheres… check. Intimate ambiance… check. Amazing bartender that really understand and demonstrate their craft… triple check. It’s a bit on the pricey side, but you’re getting for what you’re paying for.

Charcoal Bar is a really good hidden bar. It’s below the Sumi Robata Bar. Once you enter the Sumi Robata Bar, ask the hostess to take you to the Charcoal Bar, and you will enjoy your experience there.
First, I’d advise to get there when they open because it’s a small space, and it’s first come, first serve. The bartender was very helpful; she made some good suggestions for us to try. Charcoal Bar can get a little expensive, so be prepared for that if you choose to come.
Normally, I’d give an extensive review of each drink, but I don’t remember the drink names. Trust me, though, Charcoal Bar is worth a try.

First things first, if you’re looking for a bar with loud music, lots of people yelling on top of one another, and cheap unimaginative cocktails, this is NOT the place for you. Charcoal bar is a hidden gem in the city, where one can: unwind after a long day of work, have a nice conversation with a friend or significant other, make a new friend with the awesome bartender, witness the art of cocktail making, and of course have a delicious cocktail!
After months of having Charcoal Bar on my radar, I finally stopped in for an after dinner drink, and am I glad I did. As many people mentioned, the bar is small, underground and quiet. But when we went, we encountered two couples who regularly frequent the bar (as in multiple times a week), proving how a wonderfully crafted drink with a great bartender can establish a love affair without the gimmicks and despite the price.
Cameron, the artiste behind the bar, made the night enjoyable. Not only is she more than willing to strike up a conversation beyond the typical «hi how are you,» she truly knows how to make a cocktail, and has created some amazing drinks (which are yet to be named). The concept of Charcoal bar is to bring to Chicago the art of Japanese cocktail making. In doing so, a show exists behind every drink crafted. All the alcohol & ingredients are lined up on the bar in front of the patron, and a step-​by-​step demonstration unfolds as the cocktails are meticulously crafted. And when art is truly desired, a crystal clear sphere of ice is carved before your eyes for what looks like (unfortunately I’ve yet to try it) the prettiest Old-​Fashioned in the city.
Lastly, the full menu of Sumi Robata Bar can be had downstairs in the bar! There’s not many better ways to spend a night than having delicious robata, a wonderful conversation, and an amazing drink away from the stresses of the city.
Food & Drink — ⁵⁄₅ (It doesn’t seem like you can go wrong with any drink Cameron crafts, or anything lovingly grilled by Gene)
Ambiance — ⁵⁄₅ (if you don’t mind the quiet)
Service — ⁵⁄₅
Value — ⁴⁄₅ (A bit pricey, but there is quality and love in every sip/​bite)

I really wanted to like Charcoal Bar more than I did, but a few things just fell short. I love the dark and mysterious vibe of the basement, but I felt that the layout and décor made the place feel really empty and cold, not sleek and edgy as I hoped. (Also, it was really physically cold.) Perhaps I would have a more enjoyable experience at the bar where you can chat with Jessie, the bartender, but since we sat at the lounge seats closer to the elevator, we weren’t able to do that. She’s also the only person working in the whole basement, so be prepared to wait. While the drinks we ordered were pretty tasty, I didn’t feel like they were creative or special enough to merit the $ 20 price tag. I did get really great ice though– super clear, obviously not out of a mold. Maybe that’s what I was paying for.
I think coming down to grab a drink before or after dinner at Sumi Robata Bar makes sense, but I wouldn’t say that you need to make a separate trip specifically to imbibe here.

We loved this bar! It was a great date spot for us. Cameron was a spectacular bartender! She was super helpful when I came to making a decision. We usually like to try out different cocktails and she created such a delicious and creative cocktail that was off the menu. I appreciated her patience and liquor knowledge. We moved to the neighborhood about 3 months ago and I believe we have finally found a bar that we absolutely love! We plan on returning back tonight and many more nights to come.

Cameron was the best bartender ever! She knows her stuff! They put so much effort into every drink (they carve ice cubes from a HUGE block of high quality ice that they actually purchase!!). Super friendly and great service, Thomas was the bomb too!

Love atmosphere and soundtrack. Bar tender, Jessie, was spacey and not attentive. Old fashioned was a little off from Normal. We sat at the bar and watched Jessie make it. She used a cheap whisky instead of the one listed in the menu. Would have been okay with it but she still charged us $ 20 and tried to hide the fact that it wasn’t the correct whisky. Make sure you get what you are paying for here.

Jessie was an amazing mixologist! She made 6 old fashioneds for our group, her record, and they were awesome. And she made me an awesome personalized drink. And she’s got a great, friendly personality too!

Great atmosphere, mediocre cocktails, but awful awful service. Saturday night, valentines day, they had 1 bartender. It took 15 minutes to get a menu, 20 minutes to get my first cocktail, 10 minutes more for my date to get her first cocktail. Also, 3 of their 4 Japanese whiskies listed were unavailable. Apparently they have been for many months. Can’t understand why they haven’t reprinted their paper drink menus. Overall, lots of potential that’s unfortunately not being met.

Place was dark & intimate, and the bartender is super friendly. If you get a chance to watch him make the drinks, you’re in for an awesome show. He does it with such care and passion. He even use a big sword/​saw thing to shave off the perfect ice cube. The drinks are unique and tasty. Worth a try!

Really nice atmosphere, cozy but hip with a great soundtrack.
Drink list was nice and has some interesting choices.
Jessie was an amazing bartender, attentive and a great conversationalist. She also mixed a fantastic old fashioned. Would come back again just for her.

Best old fashioned I’ve ever had.
But be warned, there are no sweet drinks on the menu.

This is THE definition of a hidden gem!
Tiny little bar beneath Sumo Robata, with 7 or 8 seats at the bar and a few more in a little seating area around the corner.
Delicious cocktails made with lots of care and you can order dishes from the restaurant upstairs. We had a lovely time sitting at the bar chatting amongst ourselves and with the really friendly bartender.
We also enjoyed watching her carve up the ridiculous ice balls that go into old fashioneds. I actually cringed a bit out of fear she might hack off a finger, but alas, she was OK.
I loved the Smoking Gun cocktail made with mezcal. Very nice smoky, slightly sweet cocktail. Food dishes were also great!

Charcoal Bar is my favorite bar in Chicago. I’ve been here many times and the mixologist always made the best cocktails. I try not to tell too many people of this place; It can only fit up to 11 people. It’s very intimate and chic.
Danielle is the genius behind the cocktails. I just tell her what I’m in the mood for and she’ll come up with delicious and unique concoctions. I don’t drink much, so I appreciate her ability and enthusiasm to make drinks that are very «smooth». She’s an absolute sweetheart too.
You can have food brought down from upstairs too if you’re feeling a little famished. Get the grilled asparagus. It’s simple, inexpensive ($ 4), but so, so good. The onions are delightful as well.

Some of the best cocktails in the city can be found in this tiny 11 seater bar that is located in the basement below Sumi Robata Grill.
I came here for drinks just before 6:00 on a Tuesday night, and it was empty— but that left plenty of time to chat with the bartender, whose husband is a chef at Embeya. She was very patient and knowledgable and explained everything to us about sake and how to choose it– the differences between junmai, ginjo and daiginjo.
I asked to see the cocktail menu, but there wasn’t one. She said she was working on a few different cocktails, and asked if she could make one if I trusted her. I usually don’t trust what bartenders say when they recommend drinks, and am weary of letting people concoct drinks for me without seeing beforehand what ingredients are going into it, but she said I could swap it out for something else if I didn’t like it, so I figured I had nothing to do.
It was AMAZING. The name of the drink was Rodeo Girls– sake, honey, lemon– very sweet and refreshing at the same time. Even with three ounces of sake, I downed that shit! The next drink she made me was shochu and citrus based– good but I definitely like the first drink best. Seemed like something you would find at Violet Hour— which is one of my other favorite bars! She also had me try a smoky drink she was working on— too smoky, but true to her word, she just made me a different cocktail after I said it didn’t suit my palette.
Great service, great ambiance, and an overall great experience! I want to try the food items next time!
Oh, apparently they get really busy on the weekends. Better go on a week night if you don’t want to wait!

My ‘cool’ aunt, who had just visited Chicago somehow found out about this place and told me about it, and after hearing her description, I just had to try it out for myself. So, I grabbed one of my friends, dragged him from the library, and made him come with me to check it out, despite his objections that surely its 11 seats would be full on a Thursday night. They don’t take reservations, so these seats go out on a first-​come, first-​serve basis.
It’s secretly located underneath Sumi Robata Bar, unmarked in any way. When we arrived, we told the hostess that we were there for Charcoal Bar, and she told us to wait a few minutes while she checked if they had room for us. She disappeared down a side hallway, and resurfaced 2 minutes later in an elevator directly in front of us saying that we were in luck because there were two spots open. We were pretty excited.
When we got to the basement, I was immediately impressed by its feel — it was definitely decorated in the style of a Japanese Lounge (or at least what I imagine a Japanese Lounge would feel like). We were seated at a table next to the bar, and the mixologist quickly came over to explain to us the style of the lounge. The bar is limited to 11 people because that is how many people that it’s possible for him to attend to at one time.
The current special was a Game of Thrones themed cocktail menu, with each unique cocktail invented by the mixologist. We each ordered a drink off of that, and later, asked him to whip us up a drink of his choice. Both drinks that I had were absolutely incredible, cooled with the most beautifully hand-​crafted ice sphere. Definitely some of the best cocktails that I’ve had in my life.
I tried to come back here with more of my friends, but apparently they are closed for renovations :(. Can’t wait to bring more people in the future.

I love hidden gems like this. It’s tucked away underneath Robata Grill, without any signs or placards letting you know it’s there. You have to take the elevator down to discover the tucked-​away, 11 person bar. There’s a lounge area with a couch to fit 4, the bar sits 5, and a small table near the bar fits 2. It’s dark and has a mysterious vibe to it, the only real lights are from small candles littered around and the lit-​up «Charcoal Bar» sign when you walk in.
The small drink menu is currently Game of Thrones-​themed. I didn’t really see the concept visually, or through the taste, but the cocktails were delicious. They’re deceptively simple-​looking, but they pack a lot of flavor. My friend said it was the best cocktail he’d ever had. You can also have the single bartender/​mixologist whip you up something completely original.
If you’re looking for a unique and private bar experience, you should definitely have this place on your list.

After a great meal at Sumi Robata Bar upstairs, our waitress informed us of this hidden away gem which is only accessible via an elevator inside Sumi Robata! I felt like we were going down into the bat cave hehe. It was a Wednesday night so it was pretty quiet, even for a place that only fits 11 people at a time, however we enjoyed how it was very dim and just intimate and sexy. Our bartender (pardon for forgetting your name!) was excellent.
Everything from his technique, to his explanations, to the actual drinks was precise and refined. My girlfriend went for the Red Wedding, and I opted for the Mother Of Dragons, which I’m going to be sad to see go once the menu refreshes within the month (possibly already has) … Yes it’s a $ 20 drink which is super expensive but I still highly recommend it! The Japanese whiskey they use is unlike anything I’ve had and the drink was delicious but still quite strong and masculine. I also appreciated that within such a refined place they found a way to be playful by having a Game of Thrones themed menu.
The drinks can hang with the best of the mixology places sprinkled around Chicago so have no doubts there. Overall I’d definitely return for a drink sometime and it’s kind of nice that it’s hidden away and fairly unheard of, for a nice change of pace!