Bloody good cocktails

A bloody mary, rich in tomato and spices, can be a wake-up call, a hangover cure and sometimes a meal in and of itself.  We scattered the suburbs to find the tastiest , tangiest and most tremendously topped versions of this classic morning cocktail.

Nobel House 305 W. State Street, Geneva Noho Bloody Mary: House Bloody Mary, which includes olives, lemon, lime celery and pickle, served with a meat and cheese stick, crab claw, shrimp, bacon, pickle, celery, olive and a beer back.

Bulldog’s Alehouse 1501 S. RT. 31, MCHENRY The base of this restaurant’s bloody mary is Longbranch Bloody Mary mix, a splash of Guinness, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, as well as a dash of Tabasco. It’s finished off with a sprinkle of celery salt.

Brick House Tavern and Tap 1461 Butterfield Road, Downers Grove The Brick House Tavern and Tap offers its signature “Bloody Good Mary” featuring Tito’s Handmade Vokda, Zing Zang, Guinness and pickle juice, and tops it with a deviled egg, salami, smoked cheddar and an olive skewer. Available anytime, not just on Sundays, it pairs perfectly with any one of the Tavern’s appetizers, which include pork meatballs with a whiskey barbecue glaze, handmade potato ships with blue cheese and queso, and crispy duck wings with sriracha sauce.

Ortmann's Red Iron Tavern 101 E. CHURCH ST., WOODSTOCK Ortmann's bloody mary begins with a house-made, vegetable-infused vodka with four types of bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, onions and garlic, all mixed with tomato juice, horseradish, Worchestershire sauce, hot sauce and pickle juice. It comes served with a pickle, olives, lemon lime and a cheese stick.

Route 12 Bar and Grill 37540 N. US HWY. 12, FOX LAKE You won’t need to order lunch when this cocktail comes to the table! The Mega Bloody Mary is made with house-made mix and a choice of vodka, and then it’s topped with a mini-burger, mini-brat, chicken wing, piece of shrimp, a beef straw, pepperoni slice, bacon, celery, green onion, cheese cube, a pickle, green olive, and more. It’s served Friday through Sunday before 4 p.m.

Main Street Pour House 214 MAIN ST., WOODSTOCK The Epic Bloody Mary comes in a 32-ounce mason jar rimmed with salt from the local farmer’s market, is topped off with a chicken wing, chicken fingers, slider, fried pickles, two grilled shrimp, and two deep-fried hardboiled eggs.

Wild Monk 88 S La Grange Road, La Grange At Wild Monk, weekends are extra special with a Bloody Mary bar that’s homemade, all the way. Owner Demetri Kopley offers up several flavorful concoctions each week, each mixer made from scratch by Kopley himself, complete with any combination of fixings you desire: from lemon, lime and olives to several cheeses, ham, bacon, house made beef jerky, pepperoncini, cherry tomato, and even grilled shrimp, for a slight added charge. Can’t get enough? Enjoy one any day of the week at your table, with lemon, lime and olives.

BBQ’d Productions 34121 N US 45, Third Lake You’ll never go hungry on Saturday or Sunday at this place! The Sam Admas Mega Bloody Mary is a mix of Zing Zang and Sam Adams Boston Lager, a sprinkle of house-made rub and your choice of vodka and spices. Then it’s loaded up with a pulled pork slider, a brisket slider, a homemade pizza roll, smoked gouda cheese and two boned ribs. Did we mention there’s a pickle? Available 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays and all day Sundays.