The Vig Experience: Chicago Origins, Menu Highlights, and What to Expect at the Couture

A detailed look at The Vig Experience: Chicago Origins, Menu Highlights, and What to Expect at the Couture, featuring expert perspectives.

Old Town has never suffered from a shortage of bars. For decades, the strip along Wells Street favored high-volume party spots and traditional Irish pubs. When hospitality collective Footman Hospitality launched The Vig in October 2015, they bet on a different aesthetic: a tailored, 1950s-themed sports parlor. The design opted for tufted leather banquettes, dark walnut paneling, brass light fixtures, and vintage typography inspired by mid-century bookmaking culture.

The term "vig", short for vigorish, the cut collected by a bookmaker, hinted at the underlying sports focus. Yet the interior carried the polish of a Downtown hotel lounge. Televisions were recessed into custom shelving rather than mounted as visual focal points. The strategy allowed the room to function as an upscale sports bar at noon on Sunday, a date-night dinner retreat by 7:00 PM, and a bustling cocktail lounge after dark.