In Fine Spirits Lounge

IFS has upped-​their-​game!!! After my last meal here, I am demanding that when in Andersonville, this is a must go to! Whether if it is for a cocktail (Amazing array of old and newly creative drink), a wine list like no other, or some bold bites, IFS is top notch in the fun department. There is an upstairs for private parties (with a deck) and a large patio for the summer. Plus, the service has always been excellent!
What got me to write another review is their food. It’s like fine dinning but cheaper and probably better tasting. They did a deal with
and created an unbelievably awesome tasting assortment of canapes. I… I. I. I can’t even to begin to explain it was like a taste spectacular! They also had drink parings with it, I know shut up. Forget it, I hate you IFS. No wait, I love you, I love you! And I’m spent…

I had a terribly stressful day yesterday — I had to go to the spa, get a massage, then go to In Fine Spirits for wine and dinner. Allow me to shed a single tear of self pity.
Moving on. My experience at In Fine Spirits was absolutely perfect. I sat at the bar and was greeted with sparkling mineral water (gratis) and extensive yet unintimidating wine and food menus. The bartender (Cody?) was charming and very knowledgeable, and entertaining with shaker/​stirrer/​fancy mixing tricks to boot.
I am dieting so am being very careful with menu choices — there was plenty to accommodate. I started with a beet salad paired with a winter white flight — delicious. It was light but somehow still wintery, the flavor combinations in the salad were so complimentary to each other and the wines I felt very proud of myself for my choice. When Cody took my very empty plate he grinned and said, «Ah, I see you hated it. I hate it too.» See, funny.
I moved on to a big, bold, Bordeaux blend recommended to pair with the polenta. See ya later, I’m gone, I’m toast. The wine I renamed «Sybil» because it transformed deliciously with every sip — a LOT of engaging personalities. The polenta was a nice little piece, I appreciated the small portion size esp. after the salad. It was a perfect texture of silky yet not mushy, crispy on the outside and smooth inside. It was covered with a deliciously savory heirloom tomato marmalade that complimented both the polenta and the many faces of my Bordeaux perfectly.
The atmosphere was relaxed yet sophisticated, as is much of Andersonville these days, and I love it. I read a book but it would have been easy to strike up a conversation with the guy to my left or girl to my right if I felt conversational. I’ll be back. Like, maybe tonight.

There are many reasons why I love living in A-​ville and this is high on that list!
The ambiance is so relaxing and I adore the upstairs area. I cannot help but get sucked into the comfy cushion!
Since I believe that wine is one of the best inventions ever, I always get extra giddy when a bar/​restaurant soars in that topic. In Fine knows how to choose various wines that are appealing to every palate. There are sweet, bubbly wines and deep, robust wines featured on the wine list and everything in between! The in house cocktails should not be missed either. The bartenders/​mixologists really know what they are doing. There will always be a party in your mouth and will not be stuck with an unsatisfying drink.
On to the yummy grub: What can I say?!? From the artisanal cheeses to the beet salad to the house flatbread pizza… I am in heaven every time! Not to mention, my better half and I had the pleasure to enjoy a six canapé tasting (thanks to Blackboard) before our tasty treats. The six different mouthfuls were fantastic and only hoped they were two mouthfuls of each!
I love frequenting this establishment and am so happy that it is in walking distance of our place!

The girls and I decided to go outside our usual hood and expand our horizons a bit, so we headed up north to Andersonville for some apps and wine. In Fine Spirits delivered but it didn’t blow me away. Here’s a quick list of the pros and cons:
Pros:
–Great outdoor patio in back, good lighting, ambiance
–Food was good (again it didn’t blow me away) – flatbreads were my favorite
–Good service
Cons:
–Pricey wine, not a lot of affordable options on the menu
–Pricey for the portions (this is Andersonville, no offense)
–Portions are teeny tiny (we had to order basically one of everything on the menu to get full)
Unless you live in the neighborhood, don’t go out of your way for In Fine Spirits, there are better wine bars.

If I had written this review a year ago I would have given In Fine Spirits four stars, but sadly I am no longer having a torrid love affair with this establishment.
Here is what I love about the place: yummy cocktails, half-​price bottles of wine on Tuesdays, a lovely outdoor patio, and a shortrib flatbread that is absolutely deelish.
That being said, I am sad that I will probably never go back. The fact is, this place is not a good value. I don’t mind paying $ 25 for a minimalist meat/​cheese platter, but to only give one piece of bread for two people and then charge a dollar for an extra piece of bread? That’s just ridiculous and, in my opinion, unforgivable. Also, the last two times I went the service was really lacking and our waitress (the most recent time I went) had absolutely NO knowledge of the wine list and therefore was not helpful in recommending anything. And the wine list itself was a bit disappointing for a wino like myself.
MAYBE I would go back for a Moscow Mule or an Old Thymer… but I will def skip the food and wine.

The cocktail menu at In Fine Spirits has its own section, which isn’t out of the ordinary when it comes to menus. The different section *means* something here, though, even though they don’t say so: Cocktails here are their own course, and are almost more important than the traditional, or food-​based courses. The care that goes into them makes every drop worth the (admittedly kind of steep) price. If your funds are unlimited I recommend spending several days ordering every cocktail on the menu. If your funds are not unlimited I recommend ordering three cocktails, by which time it is very likely you will have forgotten your funds are not unlimited.
Which will set you right up for ordering the food, which is also pretty substantially not cheap, but which IFS creates with every bit of care, and which turns out every bit as awesome. I have not had a single bite of food here I didn’t Love, with a capital L. All their ingredients come from local sources, and either you can taste the difference or the drinks are potent enough that you’ll think you can. So take heart! Your $ 15 4-​oz. sandwich is helping Farmer Trevor make his Jet-​Ski payment.
Finally, a word on kids: There is less than no good reason to take your kid or kids here. If pressed for a reason why, I would say BECAUSE IT’S A BAR. There are tons of appropriate, kid-​friendly locations mere feet from IFS. Go to one or several of them. And please don’t throw the term «Discriminated against» around when you’re among the privileged enough class to be eating at IFS. You’re not humping back to the Warsaw Ghetto, people. You’re trying to take an infant or toddler someplace where none of the chairs are short enough for a kid’s feet to touch the ground. You should take that as a hint. That’s certainly why I don’t take my kid there. That, and they don’t serve fish sticks.

Every time I’ve been here, the food, drinks and service have been fantastic. And you know what the best part is? There are no children in there. You know why? Because it’s a bar. And children should not be in a bar, no matter how cute or well-​behaved you think they are.
I love this bar and I will continue to support it and its fantastic food and drink list. And you should too. It’s a true gem on the North Side.

Nom nom nom!
I first went here about a year ago. I took a wine course with Patrick Fegan and the class was held in the room above In Fine Spirits so naturally before or after the class my cousin and I would grab a bite to eat.
Two words = House Flatbread. OMG Becky — freaking delicious. Only 5 dollars on Wednesdays (and luckily our class was on Wednesday!)
Amazing outdoor patio. You feel so relaxed and at ease out there. Umbrellas for those who stay away from the sun, lots of green. It feels like you’re stepping away from the city for a little while. Indoors is great too.
They have unique liquors and great cocktails. Their wine selection is awesome too.
Everything I’ve had on the menu is delicious including the beet salad (one of my favorites) It is so refreshing. The dates are also amazing.
One of my favorite spots in the city.

I really don’t know what there isn’t to like about In Fine Spirits. I simply adore their cocktail list. It’s a nice mix of classics (Old Fashioned, Manhattan) and creative cocktails (Chrysanthemum). The latter being one of my favorites. Their back patio is nice and secluded. We ventured back there and I noticed they grow their own herbs. Think sweet basil, parsley, etc.
One of my favorite treats I discovered was their house flatbread. It’s made with farmer’s cheese, spiced apple preserve, topped with arugula and drizzled with truffle oil. I’m also quite positive there were come caramelized onions included. Even if it wasn’t for the nice cocktail list and friendly staff, I would return for this munchie alone. Oh, I just remembered the one thing not to like. They only serve one port, a 10yr old tawny. Other than that, there really isn’t much wrong with this place.

My favorite bar in Chicago. The constantly changing seasonal drink menu I know I will never get through, even though I find myself there once a month now! Each drink is perfectly crafted — my favorite classics they create are the Moscow Mule and the Sezerac — but also their new concoctions for the spring and summer are wonderful.
Natalie — you are my girl. She’s the kind of bartender that you can say: «So…i’m feeling like gin tonight — something light, not too sweet — what you got?»
I’ve also had their flatbreads, which are overpriced, but hey, you are going for the drinks. Stay focused!

Much like official government reports re: camel suicides in Afghanistan, my last review had many glaring holes.
Mainly, the food.
But I’m happy to report that — like my own personal WikiLeaks — the truth is finally ready to come out. Mostly, because I finally got the chance to stop by for dinner.
You all know my undying love of IFS’s craft cocktails (mmm, Sazerac) — and I was DELIGHTED to find out that Mondays offer $ 5 specialty pours of some of select wines, beers and tipples. Oh yeah! But I added a big piece to the glutinous puzzle when we came by for dinner last Monday.
Like others have said, the food was absolutely tops. We had a delicious red cabbage and duck confit salad (like Anne Hathaway — perfectly dressed), white bean flatbread (almost an ode to pita and hummus), the crispy gnocchi and pork cheek ragout (mmm… just, mMMMm) and the Tartfellete (an ungodly good French version of ‘beer cheese soup’ with potatoes).
Absolutely. Tops. So here’s the kicker: they say it up front, but these really are «small plates». When I usually get a ‘flatbread’, I tend to expect a small pizza… this was more like four pieces of pita. Even the more expensive, main-​dish type orders (like the gnocchi) were very small. The good news is, everything is so delicious and rich that you end up filling up, despite the small size.
The small plates are actually perfect for a place centered on the drinks. Everything just serves as a perfect nibbling accompaniment to the cocktails. So, in context, the menu is perfect. I would just advise against anyone who’s looking to come here for a big meal.
This review will now self-​destruct.

This is one of the nicest outdoor patios in Andersonville — maybe second only to Frida’s. A longtime friend, a.k.a. «The Smartest Woman I Know» and I were here last Friday to end the week, toast my birthday AND the arrival of fall’s gorgeous cool temps.
Their wine is the best. Really delicious, dry reds. Yum. And the best thing? Next door at the shop, you can buy a bottle of the same wine you loved on the patio and take it to two other friends’ place for dinner!
Still have not ordered food here again, but the wine is tops.

I finally went to dinner here & we had the good fortune of being waited on by our bartender from the bachelorette party.
I loved all of my cocktails (Seahorse, Moscow Mule, & Pimm’s cup) & my husband was happy to see they carried his favorite brew: Tripel Karmeliet. The food was lovely. It’s small plate style, which I love, though some items are expensive. The presentation was really nice. Everythng was put together beautifully.
We started with the house flat bread, which had a wonderful flavor! It was very fresh as well. The only drawback is that the flatbread itself was as hard as a rock. It could not be cut or cracked by the butterknife, even when sawing at it! It was difficult to break by hand, too, and was therefore a bit of a mess to eat & share.
Next we had the roasted vegetables with goat cheese. These were fantastic. My husband really enjoyed it a lot – used all sorts of adjectives I don’t normally hear from his mouth! The charred tomato vinaigrette drizzled over it was wonderful.
Then, I had the gnocchi which was so fresh it could only have been homemade. It was some of the best gnocchi I’ve ever had, & the ratatouille was lovely as well. My husband had the chicken sausage flat bread (hey, it was $ 5 flatbread day, so why not?), which he loved. He solved the impossible-​to-​cut dilemma by picking the whole thng up to eat. Luckily, it’s pretty small (maybe 5″) so it wasn’t too unweildy.
We finished up our evening with a cheese plate & that was fabulous. We love our cheese, and that was a terrific way to end our meal. They don’t have a huge cheese menu, but the selections they did have were very nice.
Great place to spend an evening!

We went on a Monday a few weeks ago. The place was empty, just the way I like it.
The staff was friendly and asked if we wanted still or sparkling water. Well, thinking they meant tap or bottled, we ordered Still. Only later when we read the menu that both are complimentary and tripled filtered.
Onto the drinks, where In Fine Sprits shines. I had their bartender special. Aged Bourbon with Cava (Spanish sparkling wine) and a orange peel. I can’t find the right word — it was not refreshing as so much as it was «clean.» It felt just right. Didn’t soak in the mouth, didn’t feel heavy. It was a tap dancer with boxing gloves on my tongue.
Both of their other drinks I sampled were well made:
Cloister (north shore gin 11, chartreuse, grapefruit and lemon juice) and the Old Fashioned (the classic, their version)
Go here, well, not all at once. Its a great atmosphere and extremely well made drinks and all without the pretension (you know which bars/​speakeasy I’m talking about).
FYI — Mondays is half price on Bartender’s choice cocktails.
Tuesday is half price wine bottles and Wednesday I believe is half price imported beer.

March was a good month. April has been a good month. I went to In Fine Spirits during both months… Coincidence?
Highlights:
Red cabbage salad: I hope this stays on the summer menu because I really, really like it. Red cabbage, Brussels sprouts, apple slices, legumes, pecans and sweetness — literally. Delish.
Service: The first time, our server actually returned to the table unheeded to replace my friend’s glass of wine because they’d opened a new bottle of what she was having and it was better fresh, according to him (and subsequently, according to her too). The tag-​team servers we had the second time were helpful and friendly too.
Ambiance: Inside, it’s chic and clean, and I remember hearing both Fleetwood Mac and the Kinks during our dinner. Awesome. Outside, it’s spacious and green and you almost forget you’re a fencepost away from an alley.
Wine: Call me «whitey.» I liked the NZ chardonnay and sauvignon blanc but would skip the reisling next time. Two out of three is not bad, and in case you were wondering, is equal to ~67%.
Five for $ 22 cheese & chartucerie: Quite a deal depending on the number of people involved. Not crazy about the ricotta with honey, but that’s me.
Suggestions:
A flatbread with more vegetables: I had the cheese one and it was actually too rich. The house flatbread has some greens but the preserves were a turnoff so I’d love a pure veg one.
Seriously cool though, overall.

They have outdoor seating!
We were on the prowl for some patio drinking and headed here. The seating is out back – I promise it’s there! I was skeptical but it was a lovely patio with about 30 seats. It was a popular place on an early (5:30pm) Saturday evening. I think we snagged some of the last seats.
I had a glass of sauvignon blanc and my generous companion let me have a sip of his Moscow Mule (verrrry gingery). Looking for a light dish to nibble on, we decided to split the short rib flatbread. The meat was incredibly tender and flavorful. I didn’t like the crust being so crackery crunchy, but it was fine.
Service was… eh. Could be improved a bit. However, I didn’t really care. I was too busy soaking up this unusually warm spring weather and making googly eyes across the table. Overall, this is a good option for anyone looking for superior drinks and food in Andersonville.

You know, normally I’d use this space to notify all my noble boozer friends that In Fine Spirits has their own barrel of Buffalo Trace Bourbon straight from the distillery. But you are obviously aware of that because when I arrived last Saturday y’all had already DRANK ALL OF IT.
No phone call? Text? Tweet? C’MON!
Fortunately, I have been advised that another is on the way. Its not as though I lacked other options, from Templeton Rye to an excellent selection of small batch bourbons. Try a bourbon flight, or run through the whiskey cocktails, one by one.
This visit was strictly liquid, but I look forward to returning to sample the extensive cheese and charcuterie selection, and report back on the wine list. In Fine Spirits has the potential to be a great place for a long slow afternoon or evening of drinking and eating, but personally I find the tall tables and high banquette to hinder the bistro vibe in favor of hip lounge. But I’m quibbling.
IFS is also a victim of their own success — the space is quite popular and always crowded. However, I hear they are expanding upstairs, which may provide good opportunities for lazy lounging on top of schmoozing and boozing.
Talk about truth in advertising — In Fine Spirits has it.

That previous review was bogus; I don’t remember being that ambivalent. I generally like this place for cocktails and have used it as such on several occasions after dinners in Andersonville. But I have yet to eat a meal here… maybe someday.
What I love about their extensive drink list is that they obviously speak cocktail here. From elegant classics to inventive moderns, the menu communicates a sense of knowledge and craft which I appreciate.
The other night I stopped in because I had recently read about a seasonal cocktail involving apple cider and bourbon – a combination which I frequently imbibe at home, but which I wanted to experience through the hand of an professional mixologist. It turns out that the waitress had no idea what I was talking about, but she practically insisted on letting the head bartender ad-​hoc something together for me. The resulting drink was merely good but not great, but I really appreciated the willingness to do something special for a customer.
APE-​ricot (not APP-​ricot) syrup made the Germania Club a little too sweet for me, but very good otherwise. I tried two other drinks but none were as good as my beloved Sazerac. However, I feel as if I could try almost every drink on the menu, or maybe someday the absinthe service. The place balances classy and fun, and serves a great product. That’s pretty much all you need, right?
Oh, and the staff here is generally very attractive, especially the other night. In fact, our lovely dark-​eyed server and the female bartender were definitely giving me the eye. I know – I find it hard to believe too. But it’s true. (By the way, someone recently pointed out that my reviews often mention the cuteness of the staff, but I feel that this is definitely Useful and possibly even Cool information, so I’m going to embrace it. Here’s to a joint with attractive employees.)

Stopped by In Fine Spirits on a Thursday and was really taken by their dedication to craft brews, an extensive wine list with tasting flights, and local ingredients for their menu. I did not partake in their Eat Local/​Drink Local Thursday menu that uses fresh ingredients from the local Farmer’s Market, but I love the idea! They have Monday-​Thursday specials through September 30.
I loved my server’s recommendation for craft brews, including the Metropolitan Copper Lager. Service was excellent for our medium-​sized group all night, kudos!
The atmosphere is casual sexy, so you can come here with a date, or crush on how hot your friends look in the low lighting against slate gray walls. I hear In Fine Spirits has some dedicated Mixologists and I plan to come back soon to belly up to the bar, chat about drinks my grandparents favored, and test them out!

I’m always on the lookout for a great place to have drinks. And if you throw in some cheese, I’m a very happy camper. I have to admit, though, I’m a little hesitant when I see a beautiful list of cocktails. Maybe because I’ve been duped with sour mix too many times. Maybe people like sour mix? Hey, I guess beauty is in the eye of the imbiber.
The weather was great so we settled in at a table on the patio, expecting to have some wine and maybe a few snacks. But then it happened, our server handed me a very delicious looking list of cocktails. OK, that was a game changer. As I mentioned, though, I’m a little cautious. So I started asking questions. Our server indulged me for a few minutes and then finally just told me that the bartender is awesome and to trust her. So I started with a Spice of Life. And it didn’t disappoint. Delightfully spicy, yet well balanced. Next thing I knew, it was gone and I moved on to a heavier hitter, my favorite, a manhattan. Perfect. Yum.
Now on to the food. We ordered the chef’s favorite cheese & charcuterie selection. None of the items were hard to find or exotic, but delicious nonetheless and served with warm bread. We felt like we needed at least a little health to our dinner so we went with some beets and asparagus… and some scallops too. Everything came with ricotta, which as I mentioned, everything is better with cheese, but interesting that it was on everything. Our selections were tasty, especially the scallops that were salty goodness prepared perfectly.
Now that I know this place is so much more than a liquor store, I won’t be passing it by. So excited to have have found another great cocktail place!