About Us

Tucked away beneath the floorboards of the historic Green Door Tavern, just down the street from the iconic Merchandise Mart and the energy of the Chicago Riverwalk, you’ll find The Drifter. Located in the heart of River North at the corner of Orleans and Huron, we aren’t just another basement speakeasy bar; we are a legitimate relic of Chicago’s original grit and glamour, operating in a space that served as a real-deal speakeasy during Prohibition.

Entering our doors feels like a sharp contrast from the modern skyline into a world of velvet, dim lights, and organized chaos. We don’t do things by the book here—mostly because we don’t have one. Instead, we have a deck of over 100 custom-designed tarot cards. Each card details a unique, craft cocktail, and every night our bartenders pull a handful of cards at random to determine the evening’s menu. It means you could visit us every week for a year and never sip the same drink twice.

But the spirits aren’t the only things providing entertainment. The Drifter is a stage for the strange and the beautiful. A few nights a week, the room comes alive with many of Chicago’s best burlesque performers, sideshow acts, magicians, and musicians. It’s an intimate, unpredictable spectacle where the line between the performers and the patrons tends to blur.

If you find yourself needing a bit of snack between tarot-inspired cocktails, you’re in luck. We offer a variety of small bites including Bacon-wrapped dates, fried chickpeas and pork belly sliders. Whether you’re a local looking to escape the Michigan Avenue tourist traps or a traveler seeking the “real” Chicago underground, come find the door. We’re waiting in the dark.