This week's cover story | Cocktail bars

Arsenic & Old Lace at Bernard's Bar

Here's a sneak peek at what's coming up in this week's Time Out Chicago, on newsstands tomorrow:

After the fanfare, the countless magazine articles and the breathless reviews, how do cocktail bars keep people coming back? We revisited 19 iconic spots, from old-school favorites like the Matchbox to current obsessions like the Aviary, to assess whether they're still worth your time and, most important, your money. (If you're paying $12 or more for a cocktail, it better blow your mind, right?)