Double A

Tad Carducci and Paul Tanguay—better known as the Tippling Bros.—have made a name for themselves as cocktail consultants on the East Coast. And with the opening of Mercadito earlier this fall, the pair gave the Chicago cocktail scene a little shot in the arm, assembling a team of highly qualified bartenders to mix hundreds of margaritas a night. Now the two have turned their attention to the space beneath Mercadito, where they’ve created a clubby bar with a small cocktail list and bottle service. Except one thing’s missing: “There’s no bar!” Tanguay exclaims. Instead, there’s a long work table that extends from one wall into the center of the room, with bar stations on the outside. The result, Carducci explains, is that “every person that’s in the lounge has a very intimate relationship with the bartender.” The pair concede this open setup poses some risks. “There was a lot of going back and forth, like, ‘Are we out of our minds? Is this going to work?’ says Carducci, fearing patrons might grab a bottle or inappropriately touch a bartender. “What we’ll need to do is very quickly establish the culture,” he concludes. “Anybody who tries to interfere will be frowned upon.” 108 W Kinzie St (lower level), 312-329-2444.

Click here to read our interview Tad Carducci and Paul Tanguay.

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