By Erica Bethe Levin —
One of the hottest bars to hit Chicago in the past year is most definitely Bull & Bear. Equidistant from both the Financial District and downtown (where shopping, dining, and tourism run rampant), B&B (as we’ll affectionately refer to it) has become a fan favorite with stockbrokers, business professionals, publicists, D-list celebrities, frat boys, and bachelorette parties alike.
The reason for Bull & Bear’s success is that there’s something for everyone. It’s unpretentious, but high-end; it has television screens (and lots of ’em) for the sports lovers and “sounds of today and yesterday” playing on the juke for the non-spectators; it has bar food, but it’s super upscale (think Kobe beef burgers, bison, and Mediterranean hummus platters); it’s affordable, but won’t be offering any $1 Kamikaze shots. (Ew.)
David Rekhson, co-owner of Bull & Bear and a general nightlife guru, states that, “we wanted to fill a void in the market and bring a concept to people that we felt was missing from the nightlife/restaurant scene. It’s an upscale, yet comfortable environment. Bull & Bear is clever, witty and unintimidating – it’s what we thought the city needed.” Rekhson is a founding member of Twilight Traffic Control (TTC), one of Chicago’s youngest and most influential nightlife and restaurant ownership groups, and the creators of Bull & Bear. Teamed with partners Luke A. Stoioff and Brandon S. Zisman, Rekhson is responsible for all operational development, including controlling liquor costs and spearheading financial issues. Bull & Bear is the second grand slam from TTC, which also opened the country’s first and only liquor “spa,” Stone Lotus, here in Chicago. These young guns have a mission to elevate Chicago’s social scene to be “on par” with the high-profile clubs of the East and West Coast-and they’re doing just that.
“Offering a premium bar selection and a state-of-the-art kitchen, Bull & Bear will become the place to be when the markets close,” says PR firm, Empower. As a “go-to destination where business professionals and stockbrokers flock to grab a drink and unwind following the closing bell,” there is no time limit on how long you can hang out at this bar. Located on the desirable corner of Wells and Illinois, post-work happy hours are clearly enjoyed (aim to arrive by 4:30 on TGIF, otherwise you may be up the creek without a cocktail), and one can follow that five o’clock drink with an amazing dinner. And, if you’re still craving some action and/or drinks and/or dancing after your dinner of high-end bar cuisine, stick around and dance in the aisle to some DJ-spun tunes. There’s something for everyone.
One of the most unique aspects of Bull & Bear is its table taps. The first of its kind in Chicago, select tables contain their own high-end tap system, featuring eight beers ranging from mainstream favorites to local microbreweries. These nouveau tapping systems are housed in the circular booth banquettes, allowing you to literally pour your own beer. Of course, there is a pretty stringent tracking system that knows exactly how many times you pull that handle. The price actually balances out as well (it’s no more expensive than ordering at the bar), and you don’t have to wait until your beer gets warm or you’re just plain sick of it before immediately pouring another.
Bull & Bear boasts a pretty extensive and very diverse beer list, including 312 (a Chicago brewery) and Island Seasonal (another Chicago brewery that actually produces the aforementioned 312 beer) on tap. And if pouring your own beer isn’t your thing, order one of B&B’s 15 wines-by-the-glass. It’s rare to find 15 glass pours at a bar-let alone a sports bar-so try the Halua Meritage or the Flying Fish Riesling. If you’re feeling effervescent and craving a few bubbles, don’t miss out on the Mionette Prosecco, the Veuve Cliquot Brut, or the Veuve Cliquot Rosé. After all, Oscar Wilde said it best: “Only the unimaginative can fail to find a reason for drinking Champagne.” If all that thirst quenching makes you hungry (and it should), order some food. No one wants to see a bachelorette with too much drink and not enough food in her stomach.
We can’t forget about one of Bull & Bear’s biggest attractions-the television screens and projectors it operates at all times. If watching [sports] on the big screen isn’t enough for you, B&B boasts their own WiFi network – not only perfect for checking sports stats and up-to-the-minute play-by-plays, but also stock market quotes, weather updates, and e-mail.
Click here to get the full coverage of Chicago’s Bull & Bear in the July/August 2009 issue of Bar Business Magazine
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Bar Owners: Check in With Cheeky
Bar, club, and restaurant owners in the metropolitan Chicago area should make a point of visiting www.cheekychicago.com as soon and as often as possible. Why? Because every profitable bar or club has one thing in common: women. And Cheeky Chicago knows women. Bar Business could think of no better source on the Chicago bar scene than Erica Bethe Levin, co-founder of Cheeky Chicago. It’s her job to know this city inside and out, and to relay all of its lifestyle information to the site’s legions of female readers. “We came up with the idea of Cheeky – to be perfectly honest – because we both love to eat,” explains Levin, who, along with Jessica Zweig, launched the site in October 2008.
What area bar and club owners should find interesting is this: according to Levin, the bulk of Cheeky Chicago’s readership consists of women who are looking for something fun to do. 56% of them are between the ages of 21 and 30, while 44% are between 31 and 40, and these groups substantially utilize their disposable income. That translates to the ideal patron demographic, and all you have to do as a bar owner is send information about your venue’s nightly specials, events, promotions, etc., and Cheeky Chicago can relay it to thousands of women who rely on the Web site for filling their social calendars.
Then, of course, there’s that smaller portion of Cheeky Chicago’s readership that is made up of local guys who check the site to find out where all the girls are going to be. Shouldn’t that be your bar? Visit the site (www.cheekychicago.com) and send your venue information and updates to Levin at [email protected].
