Bianca James (left) and Co(horts) after the all-important introductory whiskey lesson.

Named for the “original femme fatale” in 1993, Delilah’s was later deemed “the most important bar in America” by British beer and whiskey expert Michael Jackson, won a Best of Chicago award in 2008 from the Reader, and, most importantly, owns the honorable distinction of being the first bar I visited in Chicago. The lower level features over 700 spirits (including more than 350 whiskies), bar stools decorated with pop-art eyeballs, a Galaga machine, and one of Chicago’s top jukeboxes. Ascend the spray-painted and wire-strewn staircase and you’ll find a mellow upper level adorned with funky artwork and cozy booths. Delilah’s may be one of the city’s best punk bars, but don’t call it a dive—“It’s too clean and the bottles all face the right way,” says owner Mike Miller.

I’m somewhat ashamed to admit that for a long time I was oblivious to Delilah’s status as one of the world’s best whiskey bars (Miller is a major player in Chicago’s annual Whisky Fest). I’ve never been much of a whiskey drinker, but that’s something I intend to change in coming months, and I’ve certainly found the right place to so; Delilah’s is known for having the country’s highest consumption of Maker’s Mark. The current tally? 7,060 bottles and counting.

Still, Miller is less interested in collecting accolades or records than he is in “throwing a better party,” getting people out of their houses to connect with each other over drinks. His clientele ranges from punk kids downing $1 PBR on Punk Rock Mondays to sophisticated whiskey connoisseurs out for a Thursday nightcap. Many of the latter started as the former and evolved with the bar over the last 15 years, with good reason. There’s a party at Delilah’s every night of the week—local DJs take over Sunday through Thursday, spinning everything from “Greazy & Sleazy” Country and Western to Britpop, while customers call the shots on the famous jukebox on Friday and Saturday nights. The bar also hosts craft beer and whiskey tastings, free screenings of rock n’ roll and monster flicks, and special events to celebrate the birthdays of icons like Mick Jagger and Desmond Dekker. One of my most memorable nights at Delilah’s was David Bowie’s birthday party in 2007, when one of the customers leapt onto a barstool for an impromptu pole dance as the DJ played “Cat People (Putting Out Fire).”

The guy later confessed that “he didn’t know what came over him”—Delilah’s tends to have that sort of effect on people.

Delilah’s, 2771 N Lincoln Ave, 773-472-2771, 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Sun.-Fri., 4 p.m.-4 a.m. Sat.

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