Broken Shaker

Love Broken Shaker and their cocktails! This dimly-​lit location is inside the Freehand Hostel, and they hold free music sessions (called Den Sessions). Especially would recommend going there when the band Divino Niño is playing! They are amazing.

Great atmosphere and drinks!!! Was in town visiting and found this cool spot. It is inside of a hotel in the back. The staff was great and they have some very interesting drink choices. I stepped outside of my box and tried the Winter Cobbler… I’m now addicted!

On the plus side, I like the look and tiki atmosphere of the place, on the negative side it wasn’t cheap (though not bad for the area) and it took a long time for drinks, I needed to order 2 at a time. I did try and like their chicago hot dog margarita, which may sound awful but surprisingly worked (for me at least)

It’s the perfect spot
Nice and relaxing — fun — good vibes
Great cocktail list and selection
Very friendly staff and excellent service !!
One of the best places to go in the area
Love the books and National Geographic too ;-$

Like many of the new bars in the area, they have a nice list of cocktails. But the cocktails are delicious, the service was good. a bit on the pricey side but that was only because we were not expecting it but still overall, i def want to go back.

Hands down one of the best places to grab a cocktail in Chicago. Located in the back of the first floor in the Freehand Hotel, Broken Shaker makes you feel like you’re hanging out in a beach hut on a deserted tropical island — even in the dead of Chicago winter. The wallpaper, music, and general ambiance are spot on. I loved how they had the bitters in little spice racks on the wall, made me feel like I was in the kitchen!
Now let’s get down to the good stuff — the cocktails! The menu featured quite a few culinary Chicago staples — my boyfriend and I choose the Chicago Dog Margarita and the Garrett’s Popcorn Old Fashioned to start. The margarita had a hint of mustard which gave it a nice little funk — but it wasn’t overpowering and was perfectly balanced. If you’re into margaritas, I definitely recommend this drink. A unique twist on an old (fashioned) favorite, the Garrett’s popcorn was perfectly buttery, salty, and sweet. For our second drinks, we chose the Cocoa Puff Old Fashioned and the daily rum punch special. The old fashioned was no longer on the menu but they still had the ingredients to make it. This was amazing — just a hint of chocolate to add to the bourbon. Plus it was super easy to drink! The rum punch was bomb as well, it tasted like an adult version of Hawaiian Punch. Probably could’ve had about four of those. Overall, the cocktails received an A+ in my book.
Finally, the service was perfect. Knowing when to engage customers versus leaving them alone is a talent and they did both right — it didn’t go unnoticed. Shout out to Scottie for behind awesome the whole night! I’m unsure of the other bartenders name but he made some mean cocktails as well.
Do me a favor and check this spot out, I promise you won’t be disappointed!

My mom’s friend who runs a pretty popular restaurant down in Miami is a true cocktail connesieur and knows a good beverage when she sees one. She told me the Broken Shaker down in SoFlo is an absolute must-​try but since I don’t get down there that often due to me moving to the best city in the world (hey, Chicago, heyyyy), it was music to my ears to learn that there was another location right in my stomping grounds!
The Broken Shaker Chicago, is located inside the Freehand Hotel, which I learned is actually a hostel. Located at the very back of the hotel, you will find a dark room with décor that’ll make you wonder if you forgot that you smoked a doobie before coming here. A true wtf visual experience is what you are in store for. A giant octopus on the wall stares at you as you drink out of metal straws and steel pineapples. Yes, you read that right. The décor is something out of a grandma’s house that you wish had shopped @ Z Gallerie instead but, at the same time, you strangely dig it because it’s so damn different you gotta high five her for putting forth her best efforts. The décor alone is worth a visit to this place!
Now on to the most important details — the drinks. Oh, the drinks (insert heart emoji here). First, I tried the banana swizzle. It was tasty, fruity, and lit on fire. A piece of banana, with the peel still on (strangely enticing), and coated in what I think tasted like the burnt sugar on top of crème brûlée is added as a garnish. This drink is a solid 3.5 stars out of 5. If you’re a basic bitch who likes fruity beverages, this one is for you (holla). However, this was weak sauce for my sophisticated, whiskey-​loving palette. I needed something stronger and more creative.
I then chose the Garrett’s Old Fashioned. If you know anything about Chi, you will know Garrett’s is the absolute sh*t; the best popcorn your inner fattie will ever put in its mouth. Old Fashioned’s are my thing — I literally order them everywhere. When I saw an OF with corn whiskey and bourbon with a touch of Garrett’s I thought to myself, «wtf, why not?»
It came out looking mighty fine with a toothpick that had one lonely kernel of popcorn on it. I took a sip and instantly said, nope! No, thank you! I like to eat popcorn but apparently I do not enjoy drinking it. I was NOT a fan of this creation and really hope they omit this from their future menu.
However, my bad ass mixologist of the night, Trevor, saved the day. He created a cinnamon old fashioned for me that used to be on the Miami menu but cannot be found on Chicago’s. How would he know a Broken Shaker Miami drink recipe, you ask? He used to bartend at that location and like me, also left the lame sunshine state for windy nights! Wuuut? Bonus points.
The cinnamon old fashioned literally made me yell «I love you» to the bartender! My last drink on earth, if I am given the opportunity to pick, will be this cinnamon old fashioned made by Trevor. FML. I wanted to make sweet love to this libation. I loved this cocktail so much I refused to leave until I had four more.
Hands down, the best cocktail I’ve had since I moved to Chicago. Come to think of it, this too is the best bar I’ve been to as well! Bravo, Broken Shaker, Bravo.
To all you debating out there, go! A true adventure for your boozie buds.

This is my absolute favorite place for cocktails. Everything from the décor, to the setup, to the drinks were all amazing & yet very different from anywhere else. Between my two friends & I we tried a wide variety of the drinks on the menu. There was not one that any of us were disappointed with. The price is beyond fair for the location & the craft cocktails. I will definitely keep coming back here.

Just go… it’s awesome!
My husband and I came for a quick pre dinner drink on a Wednesday night and let me tell you, it was crowded at 6:30 pm! The vibe is tiki bar without being too cheesy. Drinks are amazingly yummy! Daily punch is $ 10, cocktails started at $ 13.
I cannot wait to go back!

This is the BEST place for drinks in the city. They change their drink menu seasonally and I have never been disappointed. The drinks are different than what you will get somewhere else and they are strong, making them worth the price. If I could go here everyday, I would.

The food: ⁵⁄₅. We only tried their pork kofte, which we liked so much we ordered a second round. The grilled pineapple that came with it was great and they sprinkled the meat with fresh mint which made it taste a lot lighter.
The drinks:1/5. It appears a common problem among a lot of the «mixology» places and it’s the fact they try too hard to be creative. You’d find all kinds of «exotic» sounding ingredients in their cocktails such as asparagus something in an old fashioned or lavender infusion in a gin&tonic. In reality though, most of those ingredients don’t work, which makes their cocktails very poorly balanced. I wonder if the bartenders like these cocktails when they create them, because the lavender gin&tonic was so unpalatable I had to send it back. I recommend ordering old school drinks off the menu rather then trying theirs. I tried a whiskey sour, which was on the sweeter side, but not as bad as the cocktails on the menu.
The service: ⁵⁄₅. The service was great, no complaints here. Our waitress had a lot of suggestions and was able to explain the menu. The drink I didn’t like got comped and we got an extra pineapple skewer free off charge.
Overall: ⁴⁄₅. I was debating between a 3 or a 4, because I really loved the vibe and the service there, although drinks were disappointing.

Visited this bar on a Monday night. They dont have any happy hour specials :(Great atmosphere with friendly and knowledgeable bartender. The drinks are excellent and unique! Next time we are in town we will definitely be back.

Cozy atmosphere, great music and good cocktails. What more can you want? The bar is in the Freehand hotel. Lots of seating area and friendly bartenders.

Wait. Did I fall asleep and somehow end up in 1975 in the basement of my neighbor’s house?
The pine tree wallpaper. The giant octopus painted on the wall (with the little ones hidden in the pine needles around the room…can you find them?) The kitschy nick nacks on the walls and shelves. Is that a macramé wall hanging? Another one? Huh. I think my mom had one of those owl wall hangings. And how about that picture that is really a needlepoint? And the purple crystal rock. All so familiar and yet unfamiliar today. It’s like someone went through my parent’s basement pulling out things that have been packed away forever, but that strike a chord from long ago.
Welcome to the Broken Shaker.
Those who are less «seasoned» than me will probably not recognize half of the things in this place. But for me, this was a trip down memory lane.
But let’s get to the drinks. Also very fun, as we had the «Chicago Dog Margarita» (the fav of the night), their take on a Moscow Mule (quite tasty) as well as a «Pistachio Mai Tai».
The bartenders do a great job of getting it done even when the line to get to the bar is 5 deep and people are clamoring from all sides. If you want a little quieter space, opt for out front where the dim lighting and seating clusters offer a little more space. Seats open up as the night goes on so you might be able to snag a seat but we were having so much fun just standing in the crowd that we didn’t want to sit down.
And know if you go, that signage on this place is limited to a hand painted sign in the window so if you are looking to find this place, go to the Freehand hotel, walk in and just go to the back. Chances are you will find the bar. It’s where all the fun and noise is coming from.

4.5 Came here on a Friday night. Packed. We had to wait for a table but we didn’t wait too long. I really enjoyed the vibe and the music. The bathrooms are unisex. The drinks were fancy and strong.

Great bar. Small and unique. Mixologists at their finest. Exceptional service from Scotty and the others. We will be back very soon

There were about two or three bars that would earn high praise from me during my short stay in Chicago. Broken Shaker happens to be one of those bars, a reason why I visited twice.
The irony of this bar is that it puts out a feel that I would associate with the Pacific Northwest. It’s hard to put my finger on why I feel that is, but the scene is definitely eclectic. The music played also contributes to the atmosphere; you’ll hear a mixture of jazz and raggae. The setting is definitely relaxed, and that’s a good thing. It’s not one of those pretentious cocktail bars.
The bar staff is friendly and are absolutely well trained in their craft. I had two types of Old Fashioneds’ there, but their signature Cocoa Puff Old Fashioned was exquisite. I read a review mentioning that Chicago Politics was their specialty, though I have not tried it, I would have to respectfully argue that the Cocoa Puff Old Fashioned is the drink of choice at Broken Shaker.
Located in the lobby if the Acme Hotel, this is one of three businesses you’ll find. So just walk on past the coffee shop and eatery that you’ll first see upon entering the hotel. I have to mention that the availability of food and coffee is just another reason why this bar is so enticing. So if you’re ever in the area and are looking to grab a bite and a drink, this is great choice.

Eclectic cocktail menu, excellent drinks and service.
We had a few cocktails and some scotch, would definitely go back next time I’m in Chicago. The bar also has a games area with jenga and other favourites.

The Chicago Politics cocktail is hands down the best cocktail I’ve ever had. It wins on all fronts. It’s unique (sichuan peppercorns and coconut!), it’s beautiful (comes in this HEAVY pineapple cup… thing), and best of all… it’s really really ridiculously good-​tasting (slightly spicy but also really cooling with the coconut).
I also had the cocoa puff old fashioned (also excellent — just enough chocolate without overwhelming the drink!). And the Devonshire Fizz, which was great but was my husband’s order — less of my speed than his.
Super awesome bar. Wish it were in SF so that I could try all the drinks.

This place was great. I’ve been to the one in Miami a few times, but this location is much better. It’s indoor, in a really fantastic lobby area with nice seating. great for large groups, The bar itself has nice stools and (every girl’s favorite) purse hooks under the bar (thank you!!).
The drinks were great, we all ordered different things and loved them all. Just as you’d expect for a Miami girl, I ordered the most tropical drink on the menu. Drink name you ask? «B#ich don’t kill my vibe» which somehow is a great name for this drink.
We stayed at the bar to chat. The bartenders were really nice and talkative, and the people that hung out there were too. We had a great time.