Chicago’s cocktail scene has never been short on swagger, but Beef & Liberty Chicago brings something distinctly transatlantic to the mix. Located inside the London-inspired steakhouse Hawksmoor, the newly opened River North bar, helmed by bar director Liam Davy and lead bartender Katie Renshaw, channels London’s late’90s/early2000s cocktail renaissance.
Head of Bars for Hawksmoor, Davy oversees acclaimed programs across the UK, US, and Ireland. Under his leadership, Hawksmoor has twice won the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award for Best International Restaurant Bar and was a 2025 semifinalist for the James Beard Awards in the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program category.
Serving up exciting food and beverages, Beef & Liberty nods to an era when martinis became an act of rebellion and basement bars in Soho buzzed with “rockstars, supermodels, and bartenders hellbent on serving something new, something glamorous.” “Ordering a proper martini felt like defiance,” says Davy.
At Beef & Liberty, that energy has been transplanted to River North with a menu that marries London’s mythology with Chicago’s boldness. “The food menu of British bar staples reimagined with Chicago ingredients, and you get something you can’t find anywhere else in the city,” adds Davy.
Sub-Zero martinis, Duke’s-style pours, and unapologetically fun drinks like the Park Lane Cosmo set the tone here. The space itself is moody and vibey — think Soho swagger — but grounded in Chicago’s famously no-nonsense hospitality. “It’s designed around a London style, but custom fit for Chicago’s down-to-earth culture,” says Renshaw.
The sweet spot, the duo insists, lies in balance. “London’s ritual, like the disciplined Duke’s Martini, give us structure,” explains Davy. “Chicago’s boldness and love of straightforward, well-made drinks keep us from overcomplicating things.” That philosophy shows up across the menu, where heritage and irreverence play side by side.
The food, too, channels Britain with a Chicago twist. Yorkshire Sloppy Joes and mini-Yorkshire puddings cradling rich beef and horseradish cream — mash up two traditions. Welsh Rarebit, made with Publican Quality Bread, ties London’s pub heritage to Chicago’s craft bread culture. Cocktails mirror that duality: the Old Fashioned comes sweetened with miso-apple caramel, while the Cosmo is given new life with lychee, yuzu and white cranberry.
Drinks like the ‘Ello Treacle draw on London’s cult classics but never get stuck in nostalgia. “We look backward with respect and forward with playfulness,” says Renshaw. “We’ll offer a nod to icons but incorporate modern ingredients and playful interpretations, like using Cocoa Puff cream instead of chocolate liqueur in the Silk Stockings. By keeping flavour at the center and not taking ourselves too seriously, we can honour the past while making drinks that feel fun and relevant,” share Davy & Renshaw.
The martini culture in Chicago is already strong, and Beef & Liberty embraces both classic and creative riffs. “The martini is timeless because it’s both simple and endlessly customizable,” says Davy. “In Chicago, people love both the stripped-down classic and the playful riff, and in London it’s become ritual. At Beef & Liberty, we’re leaning into that duality: the martini as both a serious benchmark of bartending and a canvas for creativity.”
That duality also extends to the bar’s global collaborations. Beef & Liberty regularly hosts international pop-ups, bringing in friends from world-class spots like Vesper in Bangkok or Satan’s Whiskers in London. “These exchanges keep the high energy of the bar program going,” says Renshaw. “It’s about cross-collaboration, where we can share techniques, stories, and flavours with the best in the industry. It keeps everyone inspired and ensures the program is always evolving.”
In a city where cocktail culture often swings between craft seriousness and unfiltered fun, Beef & Liberty manages to capture both. It’s part martini temple, part neighborhood haunt — and quickly becoming one of the best cocktail bars in Chicago. Or as Davy succinctly puts it: “The drinks are rooted in heritage but poured with a wink.”
Coordinates: 500 N La Salle Dr, Chicago, IL, USA
