Charis and Parachute HiFi are jumping on the trend of vinyl-centric listening bars.
Listening bars, which are hot these days, draw inspiration from Japanese jazz kissas, 1920s-era cafés where guests sipped drinks while listening to vinyl. Modern versions feature fancy speaker systems, records that reflect owners’ tastes, and drinks worthy of any top cocktail bar. Here’s how two local newbies, Charis Listening Bar and Parachute HiFi, stack up.
Liner notes Owner Alex Jandernoa had been sketching out plans for Charis — his mother’s middle name — in notebooks for seven years. The result is a 35-seat no-reservations bar that looks like your coolest friend’s well-curated Chicago basement but serves suave drinks inspired by Jandernoa’s global travels as a former brand director for a boutique spirits producer.
The beats Most of Charis’s vinyl is Jandernoa’s own, though Andrew Mitchell of 606 Records in Pilsen adds to the collection each month. Jandernoa’s staff also splices in personalized picks. Expect an eclectic soundtrack, which shuffles among jazz, ’70s soul, funk, and under-the-radar independent finds, all pumped through expertly calibrated Klipsch speakers.
Sweetest decor element Every photograph and bookshelf curio, from wooden ducks to sports trophies, tells a story. But the stained glass centerpiece by Bridgeport artist Ben Houtkamp is special. Designed in consultation with Jandernoa and his mother, it leverages Japanese color theory to capture the way dappled sunlight filters through the green foliage onto the beaches in Michigan, where Jandernoa grew up.
The sips Beverage director Gina Hoover, formerly of Cure in New Orleans, honors our city’s multiethnic neighborhoods as only a transplant could. Their Green Street Emerald — Chinatown meets Bridgeport — blends baijiu and green curry. The Faye Geau, their playful take on Michigan’s favorite pop, Faygo, mixes Faccia Brutto Amaro Alpino with a housemade berry cordial and tastes like a Midwestern play on an Aperol spritz.
The grub Strictly BYO, but once you claim a seat, the staff will reserve it so you can then grab takeout from local eateries, including Antique Taco and Kimski.
Bonus track Spirit-free drinkers, fear not: There are alcohol-free alternatives for every cocktail on the menu.
Liner notes When James Beard Award winners Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark decided to flip their Michelin-starred Parachute into something more casual and vinyl friendly, they channeled the gonzo spirit of Gopchang Jeongol, their all-time favorite listening room in Seoul, South Korea. The vibe stayed laid-back, but the cocktails grew more sophisticated and the food more affordable.
The beats Most often it’s guest DJs manning the decks, but Clark takes the helm one or two nights a week, playing ’70s favorites, soul tracks, and Korean disco hits from the couple’s personal playlist. Often showcased are cuts from a collection of 400 records bequeathed to Clark by Richard Wang, the late UIC jazz historian.
Sweetest decor element The vintage speakers — most ornamental, two slightly functional — that span the room’s accent wall were sourced by friends and family. The real workhorses are the oversize ’70s-era Altec Lansing Model 19 speakers behind the bar. They were hauled out of a collector’s garage in Peoria and hand-wired by Clark.
The sips Think wickedly subversive. Rye whiskeys get fat-washed with cookie butter and mixed with allspice dram so they taste like a liquefied Biscoff cookie. And classic New York sours become Korean sours by pairing Buffalo Trace with Sannaewool Bokbunjaju (a Korean raspberry wine) and a ghost-pepper tincture, which mimics the sweet heat of Korean barbecue.
The grub A culinary mixtape that riffs on staples from Japanese izakayas, Thai noodle shops, and Korean pubs. Parachute’s pad thai comes carb-loaded with tteokbokki rice cakes. The nigiri is brushed with a fruity umami glaze. And the two-napkin burger arrives face-planted in a rich beer cheese sauce made with Budweiser and bordelaise.
Bonus track A special section of sool (Korean for “alcohol”) allows the curious to sample a wide range of Korean rice beers, soju, and plum liquors.
Listen to songs you might hear at Charis Listening Bar, from a set by Andrew Mitchell of 606 Records:
Tags: Dining & Drinking
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