New From Amy Morton: 1898 Speakeasy Now Open in Highland Park

Just months after opening The Barn Steakhouse Highland Park, Amy Morton is unveiling a second chapter: 1898 Speakeasy, a 25-seat cocktail hideaway and private event space tucked down a cobblestone alley just steps from the restaurant’s main dining room.

1898 takes its name from the building’s original address, a number that also marks the year the structure was completed. The concept draws on the Prohibition-era Chicago, layered with a personal thread from Morton’s own family history: her great-grandfather, affectionately known as the neighborhood’s “pharmacist,” ran a discreet bootlegging operation in 1920s Chicago. 

“1898 was conceived as a counterpoint to The Barn Steakhouse. A different tempo, a different mood, but cut from the same cloth,” says Morton. “Next door, it’s all about the energy of a full room and a great meal. Here, the focus shifts to something more intimate and more deliberate. The bar program, the scale, the alleyway entrance, all of it is designed to feel like a discovery. The kind of place you stumble upon and feel instantly lucky to have found.” 

THE BAR

Inside, the design leans into old-Chicago allure with a modern edit: soft, ambient light, tufted leather settees, a lounge-forward layout and velvet floor-to-ceiling draping. Vintage artwork and layered shelving give the space the feel of a private library, grounding the room in a sense of lived-in sophistication.

The cocktail program is tightly focused and technically driven, rooted in classic structure but imbued with unexpected ingredients and subversion. Eight signature cocktails form the concise but distinctive lineup. Savory expressions lead the way with beverages like the The Archer, laced with olive oil, Castelvetrano olives and fine sea salt, and the bourbon-based Green Mountain, washed with aged cheddar and layered with a touch of maple. 

Elsewhere, the Pistachio Martini leans unapologetically decadent, while the Midnight Service, a tequila and coffee combination built with Mr. Coffee, offers a more irreverent, digestif-style moment. The Velvet Handshake and Apricot Boulevard deliver softer, stone-fruit-driven riffs on classic forms, while Drawing Room rounds out the menu with a tea-infused cocktail that trades citrus for tannin and aromatic depth.

A domestic caviar service anchors 1898’s food offerings, featuring paddlefish ($45), hackleback ($70) and Siberian ($120) selections, served with tater tots and crème fraîche. From there, the menu unfolds as a concise collection of elevated bar fare: salted nuts and olives, mezze, butter-poached lobster rolls, rotating artisanal cheeses and small seasonal sweets. Everything here is made to complement the cocktails, not compete with them. 

PRIVATE EVENTS

A private room tucked behind the main bar is designed for everything from cocktail receptions and intimate celebrations to corporate gatherings, the space accommodates approximately 60 seated or 80 standing, and can be integrated with 1898's full bar for an immersive buyout experience. Private event bookings will be available beginning this summer.

THE DETAILS

1898 is open Thursday through Saturday. Hours are 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Thursdays, and 6:00 p.m. until late on Fridays and Saturdays. Walk-ins are encouraged, in keeping with the speakeasy spirit; guests should check in with the host at The Barn Steakhouse upon arrival before being guided down the cobblestone alley to an unmarked door revealed only by a glowing red signal light. Ring the bell, and someone will let you in. A limited number of reservations are available up to 48 hours in advance by emailing [email protected].