Three Dots and a Dash
26 Apr 2015
I visited several bars for the CATT (Chicago Area Tiki Tour) in 2015. This was one of them. I've been here on more than one occasion, though. I've flown in from Los Angeles and walked from my hotel, often taking the train downstate to visit family in Southern Illinois. The drinks here were good and I enjoyed talking to the bartenders. Also, great mugs and swizzles. However, the crowd is often just young 20-somethings that don't seem to really be there for the theme. It was nice to go there during the CATT event with fellow tikiphiles.
Photo Gallery
Tiki Bar
Three Dots and a Dash
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Opened in August 2013.
Three Dots and a Dash was the creation of star bartender Paul McGee, in partnership with Lettuce Entertain You, a Chicago area restaurant group. The bar is named for the classic Don the Beachcomber drink, itself a WWII call for victory using the Morse code for "V." The focus at Three Dots and a Dash is on cocktails, but it also delivers on the special Polynesian Pop details we've come to expect... most notably on the beautifully detailed souvenir mugs. There is a small menu of food, including a flaming Pu-Pu Platter.
In November 2014, Paul McGee left Three Dots and a Dash, and in January 2015 opened Lost Lake (However, Lost Lake is closed since January 2022).
The Three Dots and a Dash space is divided up into several sections, including The Bamboo Room (an exclusive 22-seat bar-within-a-bar opened in 2019). Led by Beverage Director Kevin Beary, The Bamboo Room was recognized as one of Esquire’s “Best Bars in America” in 2022. An ode to rum and rhum agricoles, the menu is composed of refined and focused rum drinks presented across multiple cocktail styles. Separate menu shown below...