In a Bank Vault at the Bedford

From the title, you might think I have been out robbing a bank. Well, you would be wrong – although I do have a Bonnie and Clyde fantasy that has yet to be fulfilled. The bank vault that I visited is actually part of a restaurant in Wicker Park, Chicago called The Bedford. Located underground, The Bedford features a bar, dining room, and lounge, all inside a historic landmark building from the 1920s.

The doors to the bank vault lounge Photo: The Bedford

I found a deal courtesy of YouandMe Concierge, a website with date ideas for couples, that included two desserts, a bottle of champagne, and reserved seating in The Bedford's bank vault lounge. When my boyfriend and I arrived, a set of stairs led us down from the street level to the bar. The hostess then led us through a set of massive steel doors and into the lounge area. It was apparent that the lounge was converted from a bank vault from the old-school copper safety deposit boxes that lined the walls. To my delight, we stopped at one of these boxes to retrieve our menus for the evening before sitting down.

The lounge interior Photo: The Bedford

The lounge was dimly lit, quite romantic, and felt exclusive without actually being so. There were a few other parties enjoying the intimate ambiance but we had enough space to really feel like we had stepped through time into our own little world. We sipped our champagne, nibbled at our desserts, and admired the view of the vault.

All good things, sadly, must come to an end. All too soon, we stepped back through the doors of the vault, climbed the stairs, and returned to modern Chicago. The Bedford offered us a unique experience though and, for a few hours, we could almost forget what year it was. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend checking it out.

The Deal

I Spent: $70 FREE!
I Got: Two desserts, a bottle of Prosecco, reserved seating in The Vault

Restaurant Info:

The Bedford

1612 W Division St

Chicago, IL 0622

(773) 235-8800

Date night with @yusefmillz #VIP in the #vault at The Bedford – converted bank vault into a bar/restaurant #hisandhers #champagne

A photo posted by Stellaaaaa (@bellastella617) on Dec 12, 2013 at 7:43pm PST