Twisted Spoke features more than 400 whiskeys. — Photo courtesy of Twisted Spoke
Twisted Spoke on Chicago’s west side does a lot of things well: Whiskey Wednesdays, Bloody Marys, brunch and atmosphere are among them.
A skeleton on a giant spinning motorcycle on the roof of the building greets hungry diners. It’s biker-friendly (Think bikes from the '40s.), but the diverse crowd doesn't make anyone feel excluded. Motorcycle parts are strewn throughout the joint as décor.
Pony up to the ridiculously long metal bar backed with more bottles of booze than you realized existed (It stocks more than 400 whiskeys alone.). Choose from one of the several options of Bloody Marys, which may feel like a meal in and of itself. If you don’t like the heat, ask the bartender to go easy on the spices. Its famous Bloody Mary mix is bottled and makes a great gift for Bloody Mary lovers or as a sauce for sloppy Joes.
Twisted Spoke is one of the best places in the city for whiskey. Arrange for cab service to pick you up after you’re done, but make sure to visit during Whiskey Wednesdays, where full-size pours of every whiskey it carries are half price, all day and night.
It has a separate brunch menu that features shrimp po-boys and amazing burgers. The burgers here are loaded with toppings, including an egg if you want to add some traditional breakfast staples to the dish. Or, try the Mexican eggs with spicy chorizo, eggs, vegetables and cilantro served with breakfast potatoes and bread and jam. If you have room for anything else, order the fried cheese curds for the table. Or the deep-fried bacon dipped in tempura batter.
Twisted Spoke is known for its FatBoy burger. — Photo courtesy of Twisted Spoke
Heading here for lunch or dinner? Add grilled onions, barbecue, lettuce, tomato, bacon, cheese, a fried egg and avocado to your FatBoy Burger after you choose your bun. Ten dollars during the week gets you a fully loaded FatBoy, crispy handcut fries and a frosty beer or soda.
Hungry after midnight on a Saturday night? The Spoke offers "Smut 'n' Egg.” Translated, that means brunch and '70s stag movies playing on the televisions.
When Chicago’s weather cooperates, the rooftop patio is one of the hottest spots to have a cocktail with the city’s beautiful skyline as the backdrop. Individual tables with umbrellas keep the sun’s warm rays at bay, while letting you sit back, relax and enjoy your company. If you’re in a hurry, this isn’t the place to hit up.
Street parking is the only option (if you drive or ride your motorcycle), and usually it’s not a problem since there really isn’t ,much else near Twisted Spoke. But when the place gets busy, as it does during weekend brunch and gorgeous days, you may have to park a few blocks away. Still, it’s worth it.
