photo: courtesy of Kit Kat
You only get a couple weekends per year to guzzle down all the emerald beer that catches your eye. But this St. Patrick's Day, why waste all your drinking powers on food-coloring-altered suds alone? Indeed, many local bars offer green cocktails year-round, but, trust me, they taste better this time of year. Just don't slug too many—or your face will match your kelly green shirt.
Green tea martini at Tamarind
Sip this light, refreshing, lime-green martini inside Tamarind, a newish Asian restaurant in the South Loop, when you need a break from the downtown parade on March 15. Heavy on Skky Vodka, the drink ($8), which comes mixed with Zen Green Tea Liqueur and Ozeki sake, makes a delicious (but dangerous) St. Paddy's Day elixir. Soak it up with sushi, dumplings or even pad Thai. Or, go all out and match your foods to your drink by ordering the seaweed salad, green curry and green tea ice cream for dessert.
Grasshopper at BIG Bar
Hyatt Regency Chicago's BIG Bar wins the prize for the most-scrumptious green drink in town. What could taste better than multiple scoops of ice cream blended with creme de menthe and creme de cocoa? Plus, the drink isn't just big—it clocks in at a mega 48-ounces. Bring your party here, and stake out a spot away from all the tourists taking over the downtown hotel. Order the Grasshopper and shove as many straws as you can muster into the gigantic martini glass of goodness. Or have it all to yourself. At $26, this sweet drink is actually a bargain, since it's as big as at least four normal-sized cocktails combined.
Chu-Cucumber at SushiSamba Rio
Between the downtown parade and the South Side parade, we're sure the two weeks leading up to the holiday will have your social calendar chockfull of celebratory fanfare. But too busy for drinking? That's crazy. So if you only have time for one drink, you should order the strongest one out there. That would be the Chu-Cucumber ($10) from SushiSamba, a wildly theatrical Brazilian-Peruvian-Japanese fusion restaurant. The Japanese liquor shochu, which is stronger than wine and sake (score!), makes up most of the cocktail, which comes stocked with green goodies like muddled cucumber and fresh lime juice. We realize that it seems counter-intuitive to celebrate St. Patty's Day at a restaurant that feels more like Rio than Dublin, but both cultures have one thing in common: They know how to party.
Melon Ball Martini at Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club
In Ireland, folks celebrate St. Patrick's Day at pubs, drinking Guinness and eating chips and some good-old boiled potatoes. (I'm not making this up; I lived there for two years.) But here in Chicago, you can go the complete opposite route: Instead of the grungy stale beer smell, you'll inhale the sweet odor of ladies perfume at Kit Kat, which boasts a cast of drag queens. Cheer for all things Irish as you feast your eyes on the beautiful ladies—er, men—and take in tunes from the likes of Madonna and Cher. As you watch the divas perform, sip on the Melon Ball Martini ($10), a colorful combo of vodka and orange and melon liquors.
Dirty Girl Scout at Rockit Bar & Grill
If you want to spend St. Pat's grinding the night away in a two-story, sleek space, head over to Rockit Bar & Grill, where you can indulge in a Dirty Girl Scout (the drink, not the girl), made of Kahlua, cream and creme de menthe ($9). The decadently rich cocktail, which tastes similar to a Thin Mint cookie only better, packs a hefty dose of liqueurs that'll leave you confidently racing for the dance floor. Be warned, though, that you'll have to dodge a slew of college-age party-goers and older fellas who don't want to give up that totally rad lifestyle; both of which will no doubt be out in full force for the holiday.
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