Congratulations to Paul McGee, barkeep extraordinaire.
I have to say, I am SO excited for Paul McGee’s new venture with Lettuce Entertain You, and equally as stoked for the continued evolution of the Whistler under the capable hands of owners Rob Brenner and Billy Helmkamp (and bartender Eric Henry)!
The truth is, Chicago changed 3 1/2 years ago when the Whistler opened its doors on a desolated stretch of Milwaukee Avenue in Logan Square, when there was no where but Lula Cafe, The Whirlaway, and The Burlington to imbibe. And that was just on beer and mixed drinks, really. You could hit the Violet Hour if you were willing to take the CTA a few stops in the dead of winter, but at $12/cocktail, it was an investment.
If it wasn’t for the relentless three-year struggle of Rob Brenner and Billy Helmkamp to get the Milwaukee Avenue liquor license moratorium lifted, we never would have had the emergence of a true, late night cocktail scene in the Square. Without the popularity of the affordable, well crafted cocktails created by Paul, Logan Square certainly would not have evolved into what it is today, at least not for another few years. I lived on that block, and I watched it change within months under the influence of The Whistler. There have been competitors and impostors, but none to match the caliber of the Boys Behind the Bar.
The combination of the bar and Paul’s prowess behind it had a direct influence in my own appreciation and love of spirits and cocktails, and definitly motivated me to go further with my own career in this industry. Paul McGee doesn’t simply make a cocktail, he teaches about the ingredients and the history of its uses. He leads classes on the dynamics of flavor building. He lets you sample sips of liquors he’s excited about. Paul is a teacher and he has one lesson for us all: drink better.
Paul McGee is a true innovator, an invaluable educator, and flavor savant.
Best of Luck to him, Lettuce Entertain You and the Melman Bros, and The Whistler’s continued success evolving the neighborhood of Logan Square!
Cheers from some of us happy patrons (from 2009). So many memories and photos from the Whistler, all because of Paul McGee. Memories!
