When Katie Renshaw started out as a bartender a decade ago, she was inspired by the molecular drinks being produced in this city. “Chicago was at the forefront of the cocktail renaissance,” she says. “I developed a unique perspective coming up in a community that was so talented.” As Renshaw worked at places like Moneygun and Billy Sunday, she honed her approach. “I wasn’t seeing the thing I thought Chicago needed: a bar that took modernist techniques and put them into a more approachable environment.”

Renshaw has done that with Bar Bambi, which she opened in West Town in February. Patrons are queuing up for cocktails that tap methods like clarification and carbonation, such as the Three Decibel Rule, a martini made with clarified lychee and bell pepper purées. “I use molecular techniques to achieve a certain flavor or texture, but the techniques happen on the back end,” she says. That means nothing looks fussy here, no matter how much it’s fussed over, whether it be a raspberry Negroni enhanced with white chocolate and wasabi or a mezcal margarita inspired by mango sticky rice.

The casual but refined food by chef Nicklus Byrns (Elske), like fancy chicken nuggets and dill-chip-topped deviled eggs, is also a draw. So is the electric vibe, established with a sinuous neon light sculpture over the bar and the cozy couches that make this feel like a house party. Says Renshaw: “We’re taking the things we do seriously, but not taking ourselves seriously.” 1703 W. Chicago Ave.