Cocktails get a twist at new Mira Social  

Mira Social is a swanky cocktail-forward bar on the ground floor of the new, upscale Porter apartment building at the corner of Marion and Pleasant Streets. Doors opened in early December and the owners plan to evoke the Roaring 20s with a family-friendly, community-focused vibe. 

Gabe Nuñez and Victor Vazquez moved from Andersonville three and a half years ago. They loved living in Oak Park and the established restaurants, but they found themselves returning to the city on occasion for a certain type of establishment. Doing that with or without their young daughter was a challenge. 

“A lot of people in Oak Park have families and to basically get away to go out for dinner to the city, you feel like you’re leaving your kids behind,” Vazquez said. “You’re always on a time crunch.” 

Reflecting that dilemma, they created Mira Social to address what they saw as a missing piece in the area’s offerings.  

“You could come in beautiful attire and for a night out, for a celebration of some sort, but you could always come cozy,” Nuñez said.  

The interior décor is a swell of soft whites, blue and green plaids on a dark blue ocean. Classy cocktail lounge music, described as Frank Sinatra/Nora Jones, fills the air. 

A coastal feel extends to the pan-Mediterranean menu. Ceviches from Mexico, Peru, Italy; oysters from several regions; gluten-free dishes; charcuterie boards are available. Small, medium and large dishes make it easy to have a snack, a meal or share with friends. 

But handcrafted cocktails are the raison d’etre.  

“We’ll definitely have the classics, and the classics with a twist,” Nuñez said. “You could come and get a regular old fashioned, but then you could also have a Mira old fashioned. We have a Mira Mai Tai. It’s gonna be pistachio; it’s gonna be green; it’s gonna be frothy; it’s gonna be completely different.” 

A full bar will also offer beer selections from locals Casa Humilde and Kinslagher. 

Part of the menu and cocktails will rotate with the seasons. In warmer months patio seating will be added. Monday through Friday, there is a happy hour from 3:30 – 6 p.m. 

“Also, we’re going to have customer interactive events, whether it’s making cocktails, learning to make charcuterie boards, or it might be a martini night,” Nuñez said. “Mira Social, our goal here is to kind of create a community gathering place. That’s where that ‘social’ comes in. It’s a place that you could feel free to bring in your family, your kids, whatever. It’s not exclusive at all. It’s very inclusive.”