Whiskey Business & Fry Bar

One visit and I’m perplexed by this place. Went on a beautiful Monday evening around 7:30 to check out their rooftop. Made it up there and found the whole place bizarre. Mishmash of odd furnishings and massive TV’s, and although the place is pretty new everything looked old and shabby. The lounge type seating was all reserved so my friend and I grabbed a seat at a picnic table type spot. The menu was stuck together like something you’d find at a frat party, or at a Wrigleyville bar on game day. Cocktails were priced at $ 12, but our server informed us that they were actually all only $ 10, which is fine for a solid craft list, but I don’t think their drinks looked that great. I was also surprised that a place named after whiskey had a cocktail menu that didn’t seem to feature much whiskey. So after perusing the menu and taking in the strange Wrigleyville vibe of the place we decided that we aren’t the right folks to be hanging out there and left without ordering anything. I’ve never gone to a bar or restaurant only to walk right back out without at least getting a drink, and I wish with all my heart that I could like this place, but it was tough. One plus, all of the staff that I had contact with were very friendly, which is why I’m giving 2 stars instead of 1. I hate complaining and avoid giving bad reviews (this is my first) but I won’t be returning to Whiskey Business.

One of the best rooftop bars around wicker park, food was decent, good for groups hang out. The only thing I would be concerned is that on days when there are sports games, you might want to arrive early, because it gets very crewed, services could be a little slow.

I really liked this place. I went here with group of friends to watch the NBA finals game. They have outdoor rooftop area and have TVs all around the place. Their drinks are fairly priced too. For food, I had the fried calamari and it was okay, nothing amazing.

There was a line and they let a guy wearing a backpack in before the people waiting. Just an observation. No idea about the actual bar.

Ummmm how did I not hear sooner about the amazing rooftop this place has?!
I’ve walked past this new joint numerous times always thinking it looked pretty dead inside. Well, little did I know all of the people are upstairs on the roof enjoying the sun!
I came here for a birthday party this past weekend and was very pleased. The rooftop is large and filled with both regular tables and lounge style seating. They also have numerous large tv’s to watch games. It’s especially great, because the rooftop feels like something out of river north – but it’s in wicker! There really aren’t a lot of other places similar in the area.
Only reason I didn’t give 5 is because we didn’t try the food. Will definitely be back soon to scoop it out though!

We had an excellent time here. We decided to come here from the burbs to watch the Golden State game. I’m glad we did because the food was great just like the employees. Also excellent DJ for a rooftop bar like this. I’ll definitely see you guys again.

Servers are more interested in their phones than customers. Takes one check and won’t serve another table on their way back which for some reason takes 25 minutes before you see them at any table in the area. Will not return.

Whiskey Business patio is amazing! Andrew, our waiter, was great and the manager, Saverio, was so nice to our sometimes rowdy group. The cocktails are delicious and the food recommendations from Andrew were spot on. Great food and a fun patio made the perfect night

I’ve been very annoyed with poor service tonight when it hasn’t been busy. Our server brought the wrong beer for my friend, stood watching us for 10 minutes before asking a late friend what she’d like, then I got this «full» pour of vodka water. The specials listed in the menu haven’t started yet, so we weren’t able to order many things on the menu. Despite the fact the patio had a great atmosphere, I don’t know if I’ll be coming back.

Maybe it’s not the bar you want… but it’s the bar you deserve. Basically what I mean by that is what you get out of it is what you put into it.
What other cliches can I come up with to describe the experience here? In summary, this is a wicker park rooftop that attracts weekend revelers that want to lounge in the open air and have some fun drinks and listen to throwback tunes. If you’re a nice person, you’ll have a good time. I haven’t been any place like it in Wicker Park, especially on this stretch of Milwaukee.
Love the music (DJ Katy in the house… All 90s/​00s all the time), the sunlight (goes til 5pm), the drink list, the fries, the amazing and accommodating management (Sav = dream) the blue slushies, the friendly servers (Marcy = amazing)***
***if you’re a cheap dick and want to spend the maximum amount of time there while spending the minimum amount of money, don’t come crying to me.

I wanted to love this place. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Wicker Park, so a group of friends stopped by to check out the rooftop deck. The rooftop was packed so after ordering drinks, we decided to head downstairs instead so we could sit down. We waited for the server to stop by the table to order another round of drinks, but she never stopped by. Eventually, we asked the bartender to send her over so we could order drinks, he talked to her, and she still never came. After waiting another 15 minutes for her to stop by to take our drink orders we gave up and ordered the next 3 rounds of drinks and food by instead going up to the bar directly. We were there for 2.5 hours and were never approached by the server during our time. Our food was good, drinks were good, but the lack of service made the me want to skip this place next time.

Any of you guys remember the movie called «Risky Business» with Tom Cruise from the 1980s? Well, this spot is the riff of that movie. Whiskey Business has been opened since January 2016, so it’s fairly new. You will see condiments tucked into metal Ninja Turtles lunchboxes and «Wannabe» playing on the sound system, Saved by the Wall pictures, and Star Wars pictures throughout the place. A nice, square push of our generation’s nostalgia button. Of course, they also boast an extensive whiskey list as well as fun 80’s and 90’s themed cocktails.
Definitely one of my favorite PUB during my visit while I was in Chicago this past weekend. I would recommend any of you guys to stop by this spot if you want to re-​live your childhood.
I also love the fact that this has 2 levels to the bar and also can’t forget about their rooftop with 2 TVs!

The rooftop deck is absolutely great and one of the best outdoor spaces in wicker park! The «your my boy blu» vodka drink is also great. That’s where the greatness ends.
The food is just not good. They should just let you order from cheesies (or Taco Bell). I had the chicken tacos and my boyfriend had chicken tenders, both were tasteless and didn’t seem fresh.
The drink list seems confused. As a whiskey bar, you would expect more whiskey cocktails on their cocktail list.
Then there is the service. Our waitress was just not friendly at all and was really slow. We were there at 6:00 on a Monday night, the rooftop was about 40% full and we waited at least 15 mins for our 1^st drink.
I wanted to like this bar, but I’m just not impressed!

This rating may seem a little bit harsh, but this place has really turned into a wrigleyville bar. It’s far too crowded on prime nights and they desperately need another bar and 2 – 3 more bartenders on shift. It can take upwards of 15 minutes to get a drink and claustrophobics better beware; The walkway from the front door to the stairs is difficult to navigate when the bar is busy.
This bar needs to make some adjustments that can accommodate for the large crowds it draws on weekends.

Now don’t get me wrong… when it comes to bars in the neighborhood, this is still one of the most fun places, especially when the rooftop is open. Unfortunately, I had to decrease my rating of the place due to the decrease in food taste quality. Recently, the bar changed their menu and I can’t say for the better.
In my prior review, I raved about the juicy chicken and about the freshness. That did not appear to the case this time around. The size of the tenders not only decreased significantly but they were so dry. The buffalo sauce was underwhelming and slightly salty. They also added tacos to their menu. We ordered the smoked chicken tacos and were pretty disappointed. They were extremely dry. They come with a bacon crema, but that sauce did not provide any «moisture.» Even their fry bar has fallen in quality. I used to love that they had choices in fries. Now they have regular skinny fries that are nothing special.
I will still come to drink here because the drinks and staff are pretty awesome, but am not dying to eat here anytime soon.

First time here and I tell you I must have a thing for picking winners when it comes to spots to grab a drink in Chicago (Wish I could have that great at the lottery ha!) Whiskey Business in Wicker Park gets my 5 Stars of May rating because this place is the place to be. Almost like going back in time prior to the 00s, 90s, and 80s with the retro music they would play and songs you haven’t heard in a minute.
There bullet shots and drinks are my favorite when it comes to the bourbon. They have a huge selection of whiskeys to choose from and they have a patio which I plan on going back next time and checking out when its not raining of course because it looked awesome from the lounge upstairs where I was at.
I recommend checking this spot out if you haven’t had the chance to or if you are traveling here. I can guarantee you’ll enjoy it here and being the Chicagorican Richlatino that Speaks Spanglish not Spanish this spot just got my 5 star rating so there!

COST:
$ 4 – 7 Various Draft and Bottled Beers
$ 10 Various Whiskey Based Cocktails
Ever since falling in love with whiskey, I became a little bit more adventurous with my drinks. When I heard a very punny place called Whiskey Business was opening up in Wicker Park, I knew I just had to visit!
Came by here over the weekend and though the weather was absolutely atrocious, the company and the venue worked out! The cocktails are very generously poured and priced just right for the venue and location.
The stairs flooring was decorated with Star Wars memorabilia! A definite plus! Upon walking to the place, I asked where the bathroom was and I was told it was directly ahead of me and that I’ll recognize it when I see it.
I thought to myself, hmmm, weird! Then I saw the door was adorned with none other than Zack Morris! Wasn’t even joking! I’ll be back when the weather is warmer and the patio is actually open!

Decided to stop in this joint on a rainy saturday nite… basically a good time to turn up some whiskey. The idea was to meetup with a group in the upstairs bar area where it seemed to be pretty loud and maybe me and my friend wanted something a bit more subtle. We went back downstairs to the bar and ordered some drinks. I got the Milli Vanilli which is Old Forester Bourbon, Root beer and bourbon crème. Its not a sweet as it sounds, but it is good as it sounds. They also make a nice manhattan here as they should hence the name of the place. Nice beers on tap as I got to have some Goose Island Bourbon County Stout which is always pretty good!
The food menu looks pretty good here, but we had already eaten. A bit of an appetite got worked up from all the alcohol consumption so we ordered a plate of Buffalo Chicken Fries (this is a whiskey and fry bar after all) recommended by the hostess. They were spicy as fuck, but I could not stop eating them. This big ass tray of fries was delicious and burned my mouth but it was all good and worth the butt flames that will come later. The actual place itself is really cool as the music went from metal to 90s hip hop & R&B to current pop so music for everyone. They also have 80s nostalgia memorabilia here like a goonies lunch box and the marshmallow man from the Ghostbusters. They have a rooftop in which I am sure will be awesome once the weather finally gets warm. I am a fan of this place!

I would say the food is about a 3-​star, ambiance is a 4-​star. The food is not totally special, and I overheard the waitress tell another table that the fry section was not available yet as the equipment hadn’t been received. I had a standard burger, and I enjoyed it, however, I ordered it without the bun and got a bun anyway. It was a standard burger bar that you could get at any bar in the neighborhood.
My husband had a stuffed burger, and although the flavor was nice, it was super thick (not our preference). We shared a tomato/​cucumber salad which I thought was very fresh and served perfectly chilled.
The atmosphere was SO fun with danceable 90s music. I just need more from the burger if Whiskey Business wants to be a burger bar. Wicker Park is quickly becoming a burger hub, and I’m afraid that the food here does not set it apart from the rest.
I will be back now that it’s been opened longer to try the other menu items as well as the cocktail list. More to come!

Oh how I love this new bar! First of all, it’s 90s themed (hence, WHISKEY Business haha) and all of the cocktails were named as such (the Drew Berries-​n-​more for example). Upon arrival, this place had my heart.
I love whiskey already, so to see 100+ whiskeys on the menu was great! I ordered the Whiskey Business (much like an Old Fashioned) and thought it was delish. My friends ordered various other cocktails and there were no complaints.
Then, we got a little hungry. Now, this place is a «fry bar» so ya know, when in Rome! Whiskey Business has several French fry dishes, and we really had a hard time deciding which to try. There were Southwest-​type toppings, traditional poutine, etc. We opted for the poutine since the folks I was with have different tastes (the spicier the better for me, not so much for my friends). Whoa mama – what arrived at our table was a mountain of fries topped with the most delicious pulled pork, cheese, and gravy. If it weren’t uncouth, I would have licked the plate:)
I’ll definitely be back to Whiskey Business, hopefully sooner rather than later! YUM!!!