It’s not often that a bar manages to be both restrained and over-the-top, but Prairie School manages it. The West Loop spot from Heisler Hospitality and nationally recognized bartender Jim Meehan is inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie style, which itself was inspired by the flat prairie landscapes of the midwest. Meehan built his reputation in New York with the speakeasy PDT, but he grew up in the Chicago suburbs and is making a return to his midwestern roots. Not that he’s moving back here: he currently lives in Portland, Oregon, so head bartender Kristina Magro (Pub Royale) is running things on a day-to-day basis.
Overall the cocktails are solid, if a bit pricey at $15 each. But the atmosphere of Prairie School seems to be the real point of the bar. It’s a visual feast, and the cocktails are there to enjoy while taking it all in.
