It always amazes me how many great restaurants and bars are born out of pure serendipity. “I wasn’t really in the market for opening a bar,” laughs Nick Kokonas, when asked about his new spot, Belmont Tavern. But after a deal for a café space near his home fell through, he happened to walk by a for-lease sign at the Belmont Tavern (3405 W. Belmont Ave.). Flash forward about a year and a half, and the newly refreshed bar is opening this month.

Chicago old-timers are probably familiar with the Belmont Tavern; it’s been around on the border of Avondale and Logan Square for a long, long time. Originally opened in 1890 as a butcher shop and saloon, it operated under various owners and various identities until about 2000. At that point, the classic bar, with its Old Style sign and blue windows, shut its doors and sat just about abandoned. “It was pretty much being used as a storage unit; it was packed with things,” explains Kokonas.

Kokonas has deep roots in Chicago hospitality (and before you ask, no, he’s not that Nick Kokonas, the Tock founder who used to own Alinea). He worked at Longman & Eagle, Queen Mary, GreenRiver (a cocktail program I definitely miss), and now he has his own spot. Luckily, despite the neglect, much of Belmont Tavern’s original charm was still there, including the bar. “When I saw the amount of history that was still there, I walked in and had this moment where I realized I was opening a bar.”

As you can imagine, there was quite a bit of work to do, especially because Kokonas and his team wanted to preserve and restore as much of the historic space as possible. They color-matched paint, restored the original ceiling and wood floors, and brought back the shine of the original bar and back bar. Less visible to the public, and thanks to a city Community Development Grant, Kokonas brought the bar’s infrastructure (including the windows, HVAC, plumbing, and more) up to code after years of neglect.

The menu at Belmont Tavern reflects Kokonas’s entire career. “I took a cross section of the original cocktails I’ve made over the last 20 years in the industry,” explains Kokonas. “I wanted to revive some cocktails that I think are dialed in and pretty great, but that people haven’t had lately.” The menu has 26 cocktails arranged by base spirit. Each spirit category has two cocktails; one refreshing and light, the other spirit forward and strong. Kokonas hopes that this approach will allow for a wide selection but avoid any feelings of being overwhelmed by options.

For example, if you’re looking for a brandy drink, you could choose the lighter Lonely Spirits, mixed with Dubonnet, blueberry, lemon, and tonic water, or the stronger Supper Club, with lemongrass, orange, and cherry. Four riffs on classics, including an improved martini, an earl grey Negroni, a mint julep, and a “sazeracish” are always available on tap. In what is a new (and welcome) trend in Chicago bars, all cocktails are just $12. There are also a lot of tonic-based drinks on the list — Kokonas wrote an award-winning book on the history of tonic a few years back, so he knows his quinine.

Fancy cocktails aren’t the only thing on offer. While the sole beer on draft is Old Style (to match the newly refreshed sign and windows), Belmont Tavern will offer a carefully curated beer and wine list, as well as a pair of happy hour deals that are certain to be popular. “We’re the closest bar to the entrance to the Belmont blue line stop,” says Kokonas, who is hoping these specials will be the perfect thing for a stop between the train and bus during happy hour. The “Bus Tracker” is six ounces of Old Style and a shot for $4, and the “Ghost Bus” is the N/A equivalent, also $4.

The bar is still waiting for one last inspection, but Kokonas hopes to be open by the second week of February, Belmont Tavern will be open seven days a week, 3 p.m. to 1 a.m.