Entry No. 81 — the Chicago file — filed under: speakeasy-bar
Nine Bar
Chinatown's first dedicated cocktail bar is concealed inside Moon Palace Express, the neighborhood's oldest restaurant, occupying what used to be its formal dining room — neon and exposed brick styled after small alley bars in Tokyo and Hong Kong, with cocktails built on baijiu, soju, and shochu.
The story
Moon Palace has been a Chinatown anchor on Cermak Road for over 50 years, operated since 1995 by Jones and Jennifer Wang. In 2022, their daughter Lily Wang—a veteran of Chicago bars like Moneygun and Estereo—partnered with bartender Joe Briglio to split the restaurant's footprint. They downsized the front of the space into Moon Palace Express for counter-service takeout and carved out the former formal dining room in the back to create Chinatown's first dedicated craft cocktail lounge.
The bar's name leans on a linguistic homophone: the Chinese character for bar (jiǔ) is pronounced identically to the word for the number nine, a figure long associated with longevity and good fortune. Designed by Siren Betty Design, the interior mirrors the moody, neon-lit alley bars of Tokyo and Hong Kong. Behind the bar, liquor bottles sit on backlit shelves set against exposed Chicago brick and black ceramic tile, framed by an illuminated fan-shaped mirror. In the back corner, a DJ booth operates beneath floating ceiling parasols.
The beverage program skips standard specs to feature Asian spirits—baijiu, soju, and shochu—paired with ingredients like Calpico, Sichuan peppercorns, barley tea, and an almond cookie orgeat syrup made using cookies from a nearby Chinese bakery. Kitchen orders come directly from Moon Palace's line, offering items like cold sesame noodles alongside the McKatsu, a fried pork sandwich served on a sesame seed bun.
What it's like
Walk into Moon Palace Express, bypass the takeout counter, and push through the door at the back into a dim, neon-lit room filled with low couches, exposed brick, and metal chain curtains. On Thursday through Saturday nights, DJs play vinyl and hip-hop while the tight space fills up fast—get there early in the evening if you want to avoid waiting outside on Cermak Road. You can sit at the bar for a quick drink like a Sichuan-peppercorn cocktail or grab a table and order fried pork sandos and noodles straight from the kitchen.
The move: Eat noodles up front at Moon Palace Express, then slip back into Nine Bar for a Sichuan-peppercorn or Calpico cocktail while a DJ plays Thursday through Saturday.
- 📍 Chinatown
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 216 W Cermak Rd, Chicago, IL 60616
Hours: Added 2026-07-19 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Punch House — Trade Nine Bar's neon Hong Kong alley aesthetic for a retro 1970s basement rec room with fish tanks and bowls of punch just 1.3 miles west in Pilsen.
- Monument to the Great Northern Migration — Visit Bronzeville's 15-foot bronze statue built entirely from cast shoe soles before crossing the river into Chinatown for evening drinks.
- Blind Barber — Compare Nine Bar with the Fulton Market speakeasy hidden behind a working barbershop where co-owner Joe Briglio previously worked.
- ChiTown Drive-In — Pair a round of Calpico cocktails and pork katsu sandos with an outdoor late-night movie in a Pilsen parking lot under two miles away.
Good to know
Where is the entrance to Nine Bar?
It is hidden inside Moon Palace Express at 216 W Cermak Rd. Go into the restaurant and walk past the order counter to the unmarked door in the back.
What kind of drinks do they specialize in?
Cocktails built on Asian spirits such as baijiu, soju, and shochu, combined with ingredients like Calpico, Sichuan peppercorns, barley tea, and cookie-infused orgeat.
Do I need a reservation, or can I just walk in?
Seating is strictly walk-in and space is limited, so arrive early on weekend nights to avoid a line.
Is there food available inside the bar?
Yes, you can order food directly inside Nine Bar, including Moon Palace's cold sesame noodles and the McKatsu pork sandwich.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · secretchicago.com · theinfatuation.com · sirenbetty.com · moonpalacechicago.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-19