Restaurant

The Loyalist

Name: The Loyalist
Address: 177 N Ada St, Chicago, IL, 60607, US
Telephone: (773) 913-3774
Price range: $$$$

Cocktail Bar•Chicago•$$$$

The Loyalist is one of the best cocktail bar restaurants in Chicago for cocktail, especially if you want a strong option in Chicago.

The Loyalist lives downstairs from Smyth, one of Chicago's most acclaimed fine-dining rooms, and the relationship matters.

Editorial review updated•Jul 28, 2026

The Loyalist lives downstairs from Smyth, one of Chicago's most acclaimed fine-dining rooms, and the relationship matters. This isn't a chef moonlighting in a bar format — it's the same kitchen, the same sourcing philosophy, the same technical standards applied to a deliberately casual register. The room is reportedly dark and convivial, the kind of place where the lighting and the noise level conspire to keep things loose even as the cooking behind the pass stays disciplined. That combination — serious intent, relaxed execution — is exactly what most bar programs claim and very few actually deliver. What The Loyalist has become known for, above almost everything else, is the burger. By wide critical consensus, it ranks among the best in Chicago, which in a city with strong opinions about ground beef is not a minor claim. The kitchen works with wagyu beef, and diners and critics consistently point to the technical precision of the build: the cheese melt, the in-house special sauce calibrated to proportion rather than excess, a brioche bun that apparently supports the whole structure without overwhelming it. The fried chicken draws comparable attention — reportedly brined and fried with the kind of attention to process that shows up in the results. These are bar dishes conceived by a kitchen that approaches them the way it approaches everything else on its résumé. The Loyalist operates as a walk-in bar, which means no reservations and some patience required, particularly on weekends. It sits in the West Loop, Chicago's densest concentration of destination restaurants, so the neighborhood context alone tells you something about the competition it keeps. Go specifically for the burger — that's what the reputation is built on — and treat the rest of the menu as a reason to stay longer than you planned.

Carlos Mendez, Food & Drink Editor

Methodology•Chicago guides•Editorial team•Report outdated information

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Taste Score 7.8/10

Rating (Google) 8.8

755 reviews

Chicago

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7.8/10

Taste Score

Google 8.8 from 755 reviews

Best for

cocktail

Price and pace

Splurge territory

Neighborhood

Chicago | 177 N Ada St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA

Price

Splurge territory

Taste Score

7.8/10

Phone

(773) 913-3774

Inside the restaurant

Photos of The Loyalist

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The Loyalist on video

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Why go

What makes The Loyalist worth the move

The Loyalist is a strong cocktail bar option in Chicago when you want somewhere that already has a solid public track record. It also holds a 8.8 rating across 755 Google reviews.

What to know fast

Public rating

8.8 from 755 Google reviews

Best for

cocktail

Style

Cocktail Bar in Chicago

Spend

Splurge territory

Best for

cocktail

Know before you go

Google rating: 8.8 from 755 reviews

Website linked on this page

Phone number available

TastyPals Reviews

What diners are saying

0 diner reviews · reviewed by Carlos Mendez for The Loyalist

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Google snapshot

8.8 from 755 reviews

TastyPals notes

Editorial review by Carlos Mendez

No diner notes for The Loyalist yet.

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Address: 177 N Ada St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
Phone: (773) 913-3774
Price: $$$$
TastyPals score: 7.8/10
Google rating: 8.8 (755 reviews)
Cuisine: Cocktail Bar
Neighborhood: Chicago

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Frequently asked questions

What cuisine does The Loyalist serve?

The Loyalist is a Cocktail Bar restaurant located in Chicago, Chicago. The Loyalist lives downstairs from Smyth, one of Chicago's most acclaimed fine-dining rooms, and the relationship matters.

What is The Loyalist best for?

The Loyalist is best for cocktail. The Loyalist is a strong cocktail bar option in Chicago when you want somewhere that already has a solid public track record. It also holds a 8.8 rating across 755 Google reviews.

How much does it cost to eat at The Loyalist?

The Loyalist is in the Splurge territory price range ($$$$). Google rating: 8.8 from 755 reviews

Is The Loyalist worth visiting?

The Loyalist holds a 8.8 Google rating from 755 reviews. The Loyalist is a strong cocktail bar option in Chicago when you want somewhere that already has a solid public track record. It also holds a 8.8 rating across 755 Google reviews.