Friends of Friends
Friends of Friends lands at nineteen because a corner bar built by Chicago’s best hospitality minds — and priced for the neighborhood — is exactly what West Town needed.
The old Schlitz sign from Danny’s Tavern in Bucktown now hangs over the door at Grand and Paulina, a bit of Chicago bar archaeology that sets the tone: this place knows where it comes from. Vucekovich and partners from Heisler Hospitality and One Off Hospitality opened it in 2025 with a cocktail menu organized not by spirit but by flavor profile — “Fruity and Savory,” “Big and Spicy,” “Floral and Bubbly” — an approach that sounds gimmicky and works completely. The house handshake is a five-dollar Schlitz and a shot of Dickel rye.
The outdoor courtyard and the fireplace inside make Friends of Friends a four-season proposition. Draft natural wine and a rotating beer selection round out the drinks. The crowd is West Town neighborhood people who have read enough to know who built this and trust the pedigree, and they’re right to.
- The house handshake (Schlitz + Dickel rye, $5)
- A Fruity & Savory tequila and Korean rice wine cocktail
- A draft natural wine
