With more than 16 years of hospitality experience under her belt, Kelsey Kasper has worked in just about every type of venue in the Chicago area, from suburban sports bars and high-volume restaurants to breweries and cocktail lounges, rising through the ranks from hosting and serving to running beverage programs. Over the past ten years she’s been at Chicago bars like Federales Tequila & Taco and Maplewood Brewery & Distillery, as well as popular cocktail lounges Dorian’s Through The Record Shop, Spilt Milk, and Moneygun. Today, she’s founding partner of Milkhorse Hospitality alongside fellow industry veterans Jason Turley, Felipe Hernandez, and Mark Steuer. The group’s debut concept, Common Decency, opened in the city’s Logan Square neighborhood last year.

“We started talking about opening Common Decency in the summer of 2022, and when the space became available we jumped on it, getting the keys in October 2022 and opening our doors in April 2024,” Kasper says. “We wanted to open a cocktail bar that was unique aesthetically, particularly for the neighborhood, with fun, playful cocktails and chef-driven food. A lot of the bars in the neighborhood have the dive bar feel—think dark wood walls, ‘grandpa’s basement’ if you will—and we wanted to provide a comfortable space too, but with an almost kitschy, campy vibe.” With its ’80s-inspired décor, including neon signage, glass block bar, flashy wallpaper, and a disco ball, Common Decency definitely has the playful, nostalgic vibe the team was going for.

As beverage director and co-owner, Kasper manages the expansive bar program, which in addition to rotating non-alcoholic options, beer, and wine, also includes 12 classic cocktails and 18 house cocktails (drinks are $12-$18), such as Kasper’s tropical Girl With The Dragon Thigh Tattoo ($16), featuring Lalo Blanco Tequila, Casa D’Aristi Huana guanabana liqueur, Fruitful Dragonfruit liqueur, St. Agrestis Paradiso aperitif, John D. Taylor’s velvet falernum, Ancho Reyes chile liqueur, lime and pineapple juices, and saline, and her vegetal Silk Teddy ($15), comprising Citadelle gin, Gamle Ode Dill aquavit, Apologue Celery Root liqueur, Cocchi Americano aperitif, saline, and dill oil. “I like creating unexpected drinks, using flavors you don’t typically see, and meshing savory and sweet,” Kasper adds. “But my favorite part of the job is cultivating an atmosphere and community within the space. I also get to wake up and go to work with my best friends each day—really can’t complain about that.”