It was freezing cold when I was in Chicago the first week of January, and when I say freezing cold, I mean cold. My coworkers and I were not actually planning on going to the Blue Line Lounge & Bar, but we were freezing and the lights were on. We went in to get warm and ended up having a few drinks.
I ordered my usual Manhattan and enjoyed some good company and the warm interior of the bar. As soon as I tasted the Manhattan I thought I recognized it. After looking at the menu, I realized they were using Redemption Bourbon, which scored a 40/100 as a sipper. When I made this Redemption Manhattan at home, the Vermouth definitely helped smooth out some of the rough edges, and the score rose to a 53/100.
I’m going to say that the Blue Line Lounge and Bar Manhattan tasted about the same as what I made, so I’m holding to that score of a 53/100. As a whiskey bar, this place doesn’t have a huge selection, and is about as good as any city bar, so I feel like it earned it place in the “If I Had Limited Choices” category.
On the plus side, they had a grilled cheese sandwich with beef brisket that was just amazing. If you are drunk (or getting drunk) I highly recommend adding the grilled cheese/beef brisket sandwich to your order. It was gooey, and the brisket had just the right amount of sweet and salty. It was perfect on a cold Chicago night to help soak up some of the alcohol.
On the price side, the Blue Line Lounge & Bar was low cost if you order a meal and a drink. Just like any restaurant, if you go nuts on the booze the price is going to rise.
| Place | Location | Score | Price Scale | Drink |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cinder Bar | Clarksboro, NJ | 96 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| Saltgrass Steakhouse | Orlando, FL | 91 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
| The Irish Whisper | National Harbor, MD | 90 | High Cost | Irish Whiskey |
| McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks | National Harbor, MD | 80 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| The Dead Rabbit | New York, NY | 75 | High Cost | Multiple |
| Iron Hill Brewery | Wilmington, DE | 71 | High Cost | Kentucky Connection |
| Cadillac Ranch | National Harbor, MD | 70 | Moderate Cost | Multiple |
| Harry’s Savoy Grill | Wilmington, DE | 67 | High Cost | Manhattan Boulevardier |
| Ted’s Montana Grill | Newark, DE | 66 | Moderate Cost | Newly Fashioned |
| Creekside Inn | Woodstown, NJ | 65 | Low to Moderate | Manhattan |
| Alewife | Richmond, VA | 63 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| roanoke | Chicago, IL | 55 | High Cost | Black Manhattan |
| Blue Line Lounge & Bar | Chicago, IL | 53 | Low Cost | Manhattan |
| Da Andrea | New York, NY | 50 | High Cost | Manhattan Negroni |
| Iguana Cafe | Chicago, IL | 45 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
| The Greene Turtle | Newark, DE | 40 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
| Restaurante Montserrat Manor | Punta Cana, DR | 35 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| Dave & Buster's | Deptford, NJ | 30 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
| Cock'n Bull | Lahaska, PA | 26 | High Cost | Manhattan Old Fashioned |
| The Brass Tap | National Harbor, MD | 25 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
| Carrol's Creek Cafe | Annapolis, MD | 21 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| Big Fish Grill | Wilmington, DE | 10 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| The Legend | New Castle, DE | 5 | Low Cost | Manhattan |
| TGI Fridays | New Castle, DE | 1 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
Cost Scale
Up to $30 per person – Low Cost
$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost
$51 and above per person – High Cost
