GreenRiver’s perch on the 18th floor of a medical building may put you off. But with one of Julia Momose’s intricate yet effortless cocktails in hand, you’ll forget all about the odd location. Leaning on the bar alongside a tie-loosened after-work crowd, you’ll realize that high-end cocktailing doesn’t have to be fussy to draw a following. All it takes is fancy spirits, offbeat accents (mascarpone, maybe, or carrots), and drink names alluding to Chicago history (Hinky Dink, Comiskey Park). 259 E. Erie St., 312-337-0101

Crowd High achievers and tastemakers of a certain age
Food Contemporary American; full dinner menu
Top Tipple Firefox (whiskey, Falernum, fennel, bay leaf, black peppercorn, Peychaud’s bitters), $13