Shrine On
Soul Music and Dictator Cocktails in the South Loop

This weekend is the start of summer, so needless to say you're just itching for something hot and funky. 

Here to scratch that itch: The Shrine, a glamorous temple to the very best of funk, soul and a few overpowering libations, soft-opening Friday.

From the outside, it's just another nondescript gray South Wabash building (directly across from this place). But walk in and you'll discover a vibrant Africa-inspired adventureland, giving you two paths for your evening expedition.

You can forge straight ahead past the heroes-of-funk collage to the main room, with an unobstructed view of the stage, lots of space for you to groove, a VIP section for bottles—and mixologist Myong Park whipping up cocktails named after dictators, like the Noriega, Qaddafi and Sadat. Owner Joe Russo (that genius behind Funky Buddha) promises an eclectic entertainment palette, from jazz-funk trios to poetry slams to the in-house dance crew, the Shrine Dancers.

But for a more intimate evening, turn left after you enter and head to Coup d'État, the mellower lounge. Outfitted with reclaimed wood and a concrete floor cast to look like planks, it has the feel of a Kenyan hunting lodge circa 1970.

So maybe leave your Noriega in the other room…