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...
Details
- Type
- Bar & Restaurant
- Phone
- +1 312-610-4220
- Address
- Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Closed?
- No
- Links
Gallery
41 Tiki Mugs
14 Swizzle Sticks
30 Visits
The Tiki Barber – Date: Unknown
My wife and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary here, In the famous Bamboo Room. The wait staff, cocktails, and food were all superb.
Trader Tom – 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.
Jay Robinson – 19 Sept 2023
This was my 2nd visit. Everyone raves about this bar but I gotta say I've found it a disappointment.
The entrance is in an alley and then you have to go down a stairway to get to the bar. So far so good. Turn the corner into the bar and it's pretty dark. Still good. The decor is good but not great. Just a bunch of bamboo and a few tikis, with appropriate lighting. The music is just all wrong. Modern electro crap.
I sat at the bar. The bartenders are friendly and very competent. They just don't have a good menu to work with. Their drink menu isn't very long, and is mostly just strange takes on classic tiki drinks. For instance, I ordered a 2044 Mai Tai. Overproof Jamaican Rum, 55 degree Martinique Rhum Agricole Blanc, Brazilian Cachaca, Yellow Chartreuse, lime, and orgeat. Sounds like it might be an interesting take on the Mai Tai. Unfortunately it really is not at all reminiscent of a Mai Tai. Way too sweet, and the Cachaca just ruins it.
I hate to be so critical, but both visits were big disappointments. It just isn't a very "Tiki" experience.
Clay de Santa Fe – 21 June 2023
GREAT drinks, decent food - and cool merch.
Samantha – Date: Unknown
Nick Hummer – 13 Oct 2023
Nick - Three dots and a dash, cheif lapu lapu Al-Intro to agricole
Crab rangoon, thai fried chicken, coconit shrimp
Pooch and Star – Date: Unknown
Pooch Visited on business trip
TikiJosh – Date: Unknown
aloha.taboo – Date: Unknown
Tomcat0011 – 12 Aug 2023
Chuckbob – Date: Unknown
Tiki Mon – Date: Unknown
Old Captain Taylor – Date: Unknown
Cactus32 – Date: Unknown
swizzle – Date: Unknown
vinniebarone7 – Date: Unknown
Sarah – Date: Unknown
Sarah – Date: Unknown
leftuvcenter – Date: Unknown
Cap’n Jimmy – Date: Unknown
LostLagoon – Date: Unknown
gluttonette – Date: Unknown
DrThundr – Date: Unknown
Tikihellcat – Date: Unknown
TikiDiego – Date: Unknown
Chuck P – Date: Unknown
collinjohnson – Date: Unknown
MoodySaucer91 – Date: Unknown
Sukielau – Date: Unknown