The Alley Cat, a new drinks-first bar from the team behind Paulie Gee’s, is set to open May 11 at 2013 W. Division Street on the Ukrainian Village-Wicker Park border. The narrow, roughly 120 person space centers on a long wooden bar and a three-room layout, and owners say most cocktails will be poured on draft instead of mixed to order. Renovations turned the former Takito Kitchen storefront into a neighborhood bar with a rentable back room and a compact snack menu.
The project is the first from Tung & Cheek Hospitality, partners Derrick Tung, William Ravert and Paulie Gee’s chef Tony Dezutter, who have been running Paulie Gee’s outposts in Wicker Park and Logan Square. “I finally get a chance to dive back into things outside of pizza,” Dezutter told Eater Chicago. The group says Alley Cat is meant to feel like a comfortable neighborhood “third space” where the drinks clearly lead the way.
Drinks first
According to Block Club Chicago, the Alley Cat will pour most of its cocktails from taps and batch many recipes to keep prices approachable. The program will also include spirit free options and several THC cocktails made with an infused syrup, the reporting says. Owners say batching lets them control costs, keep flavors consistent and move quickly when the bar is packed.
What to order
Guests can expect bottled and batched classics like a bottled Negroni and a “Girl Dinner” pairing, alongside punchy signatures such as the “Blue Moon Over Wicker,” a rum punch with banana liqueur and blueberry lime cordial that the team has previewed for early visitors. Eater Chicago highlighted several of those drinks, while The Alley Cat lists snacks built to share with cocktails. Many cocktails are set at $14 or less, and some bottled or canned options are planned for takeout.
Food and the room
The food lineup stays intentionally tight, more bar snacks than full dinner. Think crispy tater wedges with black walnut aioli, deep fried fish sticks with herby remoulade, and soy garlic pork skewers, all designed to play well with what is in your glass. The Alley Cat lists those snacks along with a bread program, while neighborhood coverage from The Infatuation notes a lounge beneath a 250 pound chandelier that once hung in the Chopin Theatre and a back "Green Room" for private gatherings. Renovations gutted the old Takito Kitchen space and rebuilt it with wood shelving and a long bar to emphasize counter service.
Hours, extras and the small print
Local reporting lists Alley Cat’s hours as 5 p.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, with capacity at about 120 people. Block Club Chicago also notes a 16 bottle wine selection available by the glass or bottle and Miller High Life “handshake” combos starting at $7. The team plans a happy hour and rotating pop ups with other restaurants and chefs once the bar is up and running.
Why it matters
Serving cocktails on draft is a growing tactic for bars that want consistent pours and faster service without losing quality, an approach industry guides say can help manage labor and reduce waste. Industry resources such as Difford's Guide outline how kegged cocktails and batching have become a practical option for busy programs. On the Wicker Park and Ukrainian Village border, Alley Cat is the latest example of a local team turning neighborhood familiarity into a new, drinks forward hangout.
The Alley Cat is slated to open May 11, and neighbors can expect a lean food menu, a tap heavy drink program and a run of early pop ups and happy hour offerings as the team settles in.
