Many Chicago watering holes tout the city’s sudsy past, by calling themselves speakeasies. Yet River North is home to one authentic Prohibition-era bar with a secret act downstairs. The Drifter is a modern speakeasy in a Prohibition-era tavern. Learn the history of Chicago’s authentic speakeasy and how to find the entrance to the Drifter.
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Chicago’s Oldest Tavern
The Green Door Tavern is a classic Chicago saloon. The two-story balloon frame wooden structure was built in 1872, one year after the Great Chicago Fire put wooden buildings out of fashion. Chicago soon outlawed the construction of wooden commercial buildings in the Central Business District, making this remaining building a rarity. It began as a grocery store and then turned into a restaurant, eventually becoming known as the Green Door.
The Green Door bills itself as “Chicago’s oldest tavern.” Its name refers to the Prohibition-era practice of painting a door green to indicate the presence of a speakeasy. It denoted that you paid the proper authorities “the green” to keep operating. The six-foot-tall illuminated sign on the tavern’s roof isn’t hiding anything, but what’s downstairs might surprise you.
A tavern destination in itself, the Green Door offers many items to drink in while you sip a cold beverage including a soap box derby car, jackalope, vintage wooden icebox, and antique cash register. If you’re feeling adventurous, spin the shot wheel for a surprise drink.
If you feel the building leaning, your beers might not be to blame. The building began leaning shortly after it settled. The Green Door’s famous tilt has been disorienting drinkers for nearly 150 years!
How to Find the Drifter Speakeasy Entrance
Head to the back of the Green Door Tavern’s main room and down the stairs. You’ll see signs for the restrooms, but keep an eye out for a tchotchke cabinet. What looks like a solid wall is actually the entrance to The Drifter, a modern speakeasy in a Prohibition basement.
A Historic Speakeasy
Behind the secret entrance, the Drifter is a sideshow jewel box draped in circus tapestries. The original bar and wall hangings remain from the space’s time as a speakeasy on gangster Dean O’Banion’s circuit.
After decades of serving as a storage room, the basement is a saloon once more. The owners used the vintage tapestries and glass bottles they found in the space to decorate the Drifter. When they removed some drywall to move a water heater they also uncovered a trap door that was once used to covertly transport alcohol deliveries from the alley down to the basement.
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Cocktails and a Show
The tiny lounge seats forty people in an intimate setting. Select a cocktail from the list printed on tarot cards and enjoy the night’s entertainment. Once an hour, a performer will take the stage for a brief and mesmerizing act. As you take in the burlesque, magic, or sword-swallowing acts, you feel a world away from the streets above. I enjoyed the Drifter so much that I held my Secret Chicago book launch party here!
The Green Door has watched the surrounding neighborhood change from the industrial Smokey Hollow one hundred years ago to the trendy high-rise mecca it is today. As a sign in the bar proclaims, “You are now entering another era. Enjoy it now.”
How to Get to This Chicago Speakeasy in River North
The Drifter is open Wednesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. until 2 a.m. Since the speakeasy is small, you may have to wait in line if you visit during peak hours. The building it’s located in, the Green Door Tavern, is conveniently located in the Loop near several train stops including the Washington/Wabash Brown Line and Chicago Red Line stops. There are many bus stops nearby.
If you book a flight to O’Hare or Midway Airports and need a taxi or car service, you can also book an airport transfer. If you’re driving from O’Hare airport on I-90 E (the Kennedy Expressway), exit at E. Ohio St. There is paid street parking available in the vicinity. Alternatively, you can self-park at a nearby garage using SpotHero or a similar service.
Where to Stay in Chicago’s River North
If you want to research hotels and vacation rentals for your Chicago visit, this map can help you compare the available options. It’s set to show hotels and rentals near the hidden speakeasy in River North, but you can view any neighborhood where you’d like to stay.
The Drifter
678 N. Orleans St.
Chicago, IL 60654
Sources
- “About Us.” The Drifter.
- “History.” Green Door Tavern.
- “Interview with Allison Dincecco, Co-Owner.” 17 Aug. 2017.
- Todd, Anthony. “Diner’s Notebook: The Drifter Speakeasy to Open underneath Green Door Tavern.” Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Sun-Times Media, Inc., 16 Jan. 2015.
Jessica Mlinaric founded Urban Explorer in 2010 to inspire curious travelers by highlighting history, culture, and hidden gems in Chicago and beyond. She is the author of ‘Secret Chicago’ and ‘Chicago Scavenger,’ and she has contributed to several travel guidebooks. Jessica has visited 20+ countries and 30+ U.S. states. She has more than 16 years of experience as a marketing strategist and works as a freelance writer and photographer.
