Lost Lake

I came here on a Saturday night and this place was SLAM packed. I spent the whole evening standing sipping on my WAY overpriced drink that rated as a solid «meh» in my book. 2 stars because at least the drinks were pretty!

The cocktails here are great and it is truly worth the wait because once you enter this magical place you do not want to leave.
The bartenders really make sure that every drink is made to perfection and are very knowledgable about their rum selection and are always very friendly.

I dislike Three Dots and a Dash, but really enjoyed Lost Lake! Chill environment with nice staff members, stiff drinks, and delicious food! The food menu just looks like bar type Asian food, but it’s elevated and affordable. Oh and ask for the Whisper Menu for tons more drink options!

I just assumed I didn’t like tiki drinks cause I seriously disliked Three Dots and a Dash. Now that I’ve been to Lost Lake, I realize that tiki drinks are actually not the issue. Same drinks (or really really similar), different atmosphere with a much more relaxed younger crowd. I do really like this bar despite the fact that the copious amounts of sugar in the drinks sometimes gives me some issues the next day.
This place is usually not my first choice for bars when I want to get a drink for myself, but it is definitely my first choice when I’m hanging out with friends that can’t tolerate spirit forward cocktails.
BTW, the Chinese food is pretty mediocre.

Wanted to love this place, but the drinks are just way too sweet. I know it’s a tiki bar with fruity drinks, but too sugary and tart! Super cute drinks and good price, just not for my palet.
The Chinese food looks amazing! Would come back but just get something not on their fixed menu.

The drinks here are delicious and served in very cool tiki cups. Be careful though the drinks are extremly potent. While you don’t taste how strong they are before you know it you will be White girl wasted!
Lost Lake also plays a great variety of reggae and Hawaiian music which is a super plus in my book.
A few things I wish I had known before my arrival: You will be waiting, waiting, waiting even is the bar is empty, and they chare tax on their drinks.
We arrived on Saturday night at 6:30pm. The bar was pretty full so it was understandable that we would have to wait. The organized line moved quickly so no biggie. We were ushered behind the curtain and into the bar fairly quickly, and we were able to order our drinks from the pleasant server who brought us our drinks in just a few minutes. We stood near the bar and and hour later we were able to find seats. We were expecting friends to meet us so we put our names on a list for a table. The table wasn’t free until about 8:30, which is totally okay. I wouldn’t want to leave this place either.
Things got strange around 10pm. The bar emptied out quite a bit but the host still kept a line waiting outside (it was a very cold night). Our late friends arrived at this point and were made to wait in line for 30 minutes. Clearly there was enough room at this point but still the host would not budge on letting the line move into the bar. Well ok lesson learned.
All in all a fun place. Go early and if it’s cold outside be prepared to wait in the cold

It’s taken me waayy to long to get here but I made it just in time to wash away my winter blues.
This is the perfect escape from the winter cold with a small cozy space to get comfy with your neighbor and the bartender. The drinks are amazing and deceiving from their pretty colorful exterior! Stronger than you can imagine… made for even a manly man to drink!
I tried the Lost Lake namesake and it was a great way to start with a punch in the face! You tasted the passion fruit but not overly tart. The aged rum definitely shined through.
Next I tried the Tic-​Tac Taxi. This was definitely a drink to take down slowly! I enjoyed the hints of coconut and passion fruit in this one as well. Glad that it didn’t taste like coconut oil!
I also tried the Zulu as Kono– Rhum Agricole Blanc, Batavia Arrack, Swedish Punsch, Guava, Lime, Maraschino, Angostura. This drink had a lot going on and cannot complain. I love guava and the combination was refreshing and delish! Overall my favorite rum from the others I tried.
Lastly I tried the A Lonely Island Lost In The Middle of A Foggy Sea — Blackstrap Rum, Aged Trinidadian Rum, Rhum Agricole Blanc, Coffee, Pineapple, Lime, Demerara. I felt I needed the coffee to keep me from knocking out from all my other cocktails! This drink had a dark flavor that I really enjoyed on a cold night! I could have sipped glass after glass of this next to the fireplace!
Overall, this place is phenomenal!!! I felt so transformed to another place the minute I walked in. I enjoyed watching the bartenders make one fresh drink after another and I definitely felt like I was on a min vacation away from reality!
I have friends that live in the area and I can’t believe I haven’t been here sooner. No excuses… will be back as soon as the winter blues hit me again!

Came to Lost Lake on a Wednesday night around 9 – 9:30. We had come to see my friend’s coworker DJ and it also turned out to be Lost Lake’s 1 year birthday party! They had a cool deal where you could get the daiquiri of the day and a special tshirt that the entire staff was wearing.
This place is really cool! It has a more fun loving, easy going tiki atmosphere than the more industrial Three Dots and a Dash. The giant leaf shaped menu says it all haha. There’s not a ton of space so I imagine waits are pretty long on a weekend. We tried 5 or 6 drinks collectively, and everything was great! Each drink was painstakingly crafted at the bar and presented extremely well. Drinks are pretty dang strong too! Tim the DJ had me really feeling like I was chilling on my own personal island with friends. And the parrot I was drinking out of. And the dolphin shaped banana peel.
I don’t give many bars 5 stars but this place deserves it. Even had a Paul McGee (the founder) sighting while we were there. Really enjoyed Lost Lake! Definitely will come back!

Pure Tiki Heaven, cozy, friendly, good munchies, great staff and most importantly kick-​ass drinks !

I walked in and fully expected a Scorsese tracking shot introducing a slew of Logan Square insufferables.
«There was Robby and Dusty and me (that’s us in the accompanying photo, what a bunch of assholes). And there was Bearded Andy, Franky the Fedora, Nicki Nose Job, Pete the Eccentric, Apple Blanda, Moonbeam Franzese, and Huntley Two Times, who got that nickname because she always orders her fair trade, organic produce like this: ‘I’ll take a red pepper, red pepper.’ «
Of course, the tracking shot of the Humboldt Park Hipster Mafia never happened, so I settled on bellying up to the bar and got a delicious drink with like six goddamn umbrellas crammed inside, causing me to take full advantage of the bendy straw to ensure every last drop of rum was devoured.
The helpful and skilled bartender of this awesomely lit, meticulously detailed place even whipped us up a strong Singapore Sling that would’ve put me on my ass had it not been for my alcohol absorbing, and damn tasty, order of vegetarian fried rice from the restaurant next door.
There is nothing funny or clown-​like about this wonderful throwback. It is amazing.

The comparisons to Three Dots are inevitable but in my opinion Lost Lake is a more genuine experience than its River North cousin. The drinks, atmosphere, and staff are more refined and devoid of the theatrics that people either love or hate about Three Dots.
The only downside to Lost Lake is perhaps the wait to get in. Obviously it’s better than standing outside, but being bunched-​up in Thank You for 20 mins isn’t much fun, though it does create a literal barrier to entry. How badly do you want that cocktail? On the plus side you can enjoy a beer while you wait!
The bar staff is fantastic and they take their craft seriously as witnessed by the meticulously constructed cocktails.
All in all, a highly recommended stop for those who want Chicago’s best tiki experience.

Brought to you from before the Tiki bar was popular, comes the concept surrounding the bar called Lost Lake. Of course Paul McGee didn’t want his bar to be mainstream like Three Dots and A Dash. Hipsters flood this venue, and it makes you take a second look at the man underneath the beard. Well done! Or should I say, well thought out! What you’re witnessing here is a moment in history. During the WWII era, Americans were traveling the world and becoming exposed to different cultures. Big surprise that the young people had a little bit of Polynesian in them when they got back.
Turns out Donn Beach and Trader Vic were the parents behind what evolved into the Tiki bar. What’s even better is that it looks like they had their moments when their bromance got on the fritz over who created the Mai Tai first. These two people really coined the term «Beach Bar.» Enter Bruce Muir, another WWII veteran, brought on the Bamboo Bar, called Big Bamboo Lounge, in Florida. Basically Māori Mythology was the theme all the way around. This is where Tiki comes in. Tiki is supposedly the first man birthed by a Goddess, Tāné, ruler of the forests and birds. I think digesting this culture through the midst of WWII made tolerating the violence much easier on the men. A mental break. Not to mention the booze. There are variations, but all involve spitting in mud, or mixing water with mud in order to begin the human race. I like the one where Tiki is the penis of Tāné; and the fact that the word Tiki is often associated with the act of, «Let’s get it on!»
Word on the street is that Lost Lake has a «whisper menu,» which will serve the drinks that rolled out on the first day the bar opened. I have also heard the menu is always changing. Judging by the grade of hangover I had from going through 5 of these concoctions, I might question that. It is entirely possible that people are just forgetting the creative names of these drinks. I saved the receipt, but I cannot remember which of these I had. I remember the Lost Lake, and Zulu as Kono. Both were delicious, strong, fruity, and ornately decorated with fruit and flowers. I absolutely love how nice our waitress was; and how the entire staff manages to dress to keep the theme of the bar flowing. There was a Peacock chair from the early ‘70s; and wicker lampshades illuminated the area above the tables. It’s really tropical inside, warm and cozy. After awhile, it all swims together. Trust me. The place got very crowded for a Monday night. I specifically went early to claim some elbow room at a table, but I was shocked that it got as packed as it did. It’s a toss up over what you need to be more careful about, your sobriety or your wallet. Perhaps both. I left having paid just over $ 50 on drinks. Well worth the adventure.

It was already getting cold early October. I thought maybe it was me since Im from the West Coast but my friend/​local resident agreed.
It was a gloomy day outside, but inside the Lost Lake tiki bar you would never know.
The windows are covered up so that light can come in, but you can not see how it looks outside.
Inside is warm and inviting, with awesome tiki vibe music and decorations/​wooden interiors.
The drinks are great, they all come in their unique glasses. They pack a punch and are full of flavor.
I bet this place is a hit during winter. A few strong drinks in this warm atmosphere you might forget in the middle of Chicago and not some sunny beach.

Is this a tiki bar? Don’t worry, you don’t need to dress like you’re jetting off to Hawaii anytime soon, but be prepared to drink colorful drinks with loads of fruit in your cup.
The space is tight, but you can find a table if you’re patient. I wish this place had themed activities so I could pretend I was at the beach and not preparing for a long winter ahead…

Lost Lake is a great time. My friend and I sat at the bar and enjoyed several cocktails and the outstanding service of the proprietor. The lines are excessive, but it’s a fun, laid back place. I also enjoyed our food from the place next door, though the kung pao could be spicier.
Also, BANANA DOLPHINS!

It’s not exactly a startling revelation that Paul McGee knows a thing or two about tiki cocktails. Lost Lake is the James Beard Award-​winning bartender’s Logan Square tiki-​theme bar. The space is considerably smaller than 3 Dots And A Dash, McGee’s well-​regarded downtown «luau» effort. But the drinks at Lost Lake are no less impressive.
Featuring a variety of tiki cocktails, some individually portioned and some to be shared, the drink menu is pure fun. Each cocktail is expertly mixed and comes served in a unique cup of some kind, such as a ceramic coconut or mini parrot vase. The garnishes, which range from fresh flower heads to paper pineapple-​topped picks, are as much fun to look at as the cocktails are to drink. And that’s saying something, because these libations are wonderful.
As an added bonus, visitors to Lost Lake can order food from the adjacent Chinese restaurant. The menu is short, but good Chinese food makes for an excellent companion to the drinks.
If you’re in the Logan Square neighborhood, Lost Lake should be part of your bar rotation. And if you’re not from Logan Square, do yourself a favor and make the trip.

After a few drinks, you might forget you’re in Chicago…
Blink and you’ll miss the low-​key storefront. I got there on my day off right around when they opened at 4 pm. The décor is awesome. It feels lush and totally transports you. The staff all buy into it by dressing the part.
The bartenders are attentive yet chill. They won’t talk your ear off but would probably be into a convo, if you want it. The clientele was pretty mixed: an older group of four recovering from the marathon, a young couple who ordered some wings from the Chinese spot next door and a middle aged guy by himself.
The only downside: you can pretty quickly drop $ 75. At $ 13 a drink (and, come on, you probably need three), between two of you, you’re dropping some big coin on boat drinks.

Beautiful drinks, long ass lines.
About a month after opening, I ventured Chiberia to check out the new tiki hot-​spot. I got there old-​people early to ensure I wouldn’t have to stand out in the cold. We still waited about 15 min but at 6pm, cmon. This is kinda cray.
Once we got in, I saw how freaking small the space is and the need for the line. We waited for a table for our group and just hovered in a corner sipping our drinks. We had the pool rules and tic tac taxi. Man, are they gorgeously crafted and strong. I was seriously buzzed after one so that’s a plus. I felt like I was drinking tiki art. Very cool but a bit pricey.
The space can get a little clastro especially since we had coats but I don’t see a time this place will ever be dead. If you can handle losing a little oxygen space for some really cool drinks and décor, you should def pass by.

Lost Lake is a departure from Three Dots below Bub City. At Three Dots you feel like you’re in a expensive hotel tiki bar. It can be nice and maybe more impressive but also more expensive. At Lost Lake you feel you could be anywhere, which is a plus for the feeling. It’s lower key in décor meaning simpler and is comfortable.
I’ve been here a couple times, once at the bar and once at a table. Both nights were busy. The other evening is did feel warn in there. AC not strong enough and the front door always seems to be open with people going in and out. They do monitor the crowd and even though it was busy it was not wall to wall people, more like comfortable crowded. Makes for a better evening as a customer and better service from the staff.
The drinks are as good or better than anywhere else because the owners & bartenders know what they’re mixing, top end liquor, ingredients, & garnishes. The waitstaff is nice and will help you out with anything you need. As far as a tiki bar to hang out at I prefer Lost Lake. This is why it gets the 4 Stars.
The food from next door is another story. Overall everything is salty (Drink Up!!). Fried rice, good but salty, Dumplings good but in a salt broth, Chinese hand pie (LOL) is NOT a bao as may be described but a deep fried meat pie with a thin breaded layer, served with some salty soy. The only thing I had that was not that salty were the peanut snacks (spicy peanuts in a sweet sugar log) not bad. And egg rolls served with a watery beer mustard flavored sauce (flavor is fine but it doesn’t stick to the egg roll because it’s watery, there’s salty soy served with this as well)… I didn’t try the Chow Fun but I can only guess how this will be… maybe next time. IMO I’d eat before you get there but I know many people that think salty food is the way it should be… YMMV
Also if you’re «Old» like me and are ordering fruity tiki drinks bring the Tums… I mean they use real fruit juices here so something to nuke that acid will help you drink all night! This rule goes for any tiki bar you may visit!

Three of us came here on a Monday evening Aron d 6:30. We got in a and got a table right away. We left around 8:30 and it was never too crowded. We each for two cocktails, I can’t remember what they were but they were very tasty! They show you a picture of the glass your drink comes in on the menu as well; good to note if you’re looking for a certain glass to drink out of!
We tried the New menu with two different wings — the chili lime ones were my absolute favorite. Just thinking about them now makes me want them! The homemade ranch was also really good. the other wings were my boyfriends favorite.
Super cute place in a weird location with fun drinks and a fun atmosphere. Come here!