last updated 3/22/08
Brixies's Beer Bar
9526 W. Ogden
Brookfield, IL
Ph. (708) 387-0050
Well, if you like microbrewed and imported beer, and like to play
pub games, this is a good bar for you. There are usually about
two dozen taps on the wall and the selection of microbrewed beers keeps getting better. I've seen offerings from the
Kalamazoo and Founder's here. I love Michigan beer and I like bars that support
it. Locals such as Goose Island and Two Brothers can be found here, too, including Two Brothers specialities, such as the red rye ale Cane and Ebel. On a recent visit I also sampled from one of two Southern Tier taps. German beer lovers will be enthralled by beers such as Spaten Optimator and Franszikaner Weiss. Other regional craft breweries such as Sierra Nevada, Anchor and Dogfish Head, too.
More mainstream American and imported beers such as Leinenkugel, Newcastle, Guinness, Bass can be found on tap.
Of course, Miller and Coors are available and Bud products can be had in bottles.
Brixie's has pool tables, dart boards and one of
those fancy new Internet jukeboxes. Happily, it seems that live music may be returning to Brixie's (my band played there years ago.)
Bavarian Lodge
1800 Ogden Ave.
Lisle, IL
This is a fantastic place in the western Chicago suburbs that is always pretty well packed with people. Why? Because they have great German food and they have one of the best selections of beer in the Chicago suburbs. Great care is taken with the beer here; tap lines are kept clean and often the beer is served in its own glass and sometimes from a custom tap. For example, the bar has magnificent porcelain draft tower for it's Lindeman's lambics and a space-age looking draft tower with a built in glass washer for another Belgian beer, Delirium Tremens. I guess that's another great aspect of this German-themed tavern; the owner is not afraid to mix up the beer list. German lagers fit in comfortably among the Belgians along with American craft-brewed beers such as Lagunitas, North Coast and Surly. There might not be a biergarten, or an oompah band, but the quality food and beer at this fine establishment more than make up for it. See the link above for the menu, hours and frequent (almost daily) updates to the beer list.
Clark Street Ale House
742 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL
This bar is a gem! It is really everything I heard it was: a well-appointed pub/tavern with a wide selection of delectable regional beers mixed with American and European classics. Guinness and Harp for the punters and Anchor, Three Floyd's, Sierra Nevada, Summit and other great beers for the beer geeks. Aside from the beer, the atmosphere is a bit cozy, with a slight hipness to it. There is a small beer garden out back, but it was a bit too cold the other day to go al fresco. The service was good, but then again it was only a Monday night. (It better be good.) It seemed like the kind of place that would get crowded on the weekends, so I would suggest going on a weeknight if possible. Nonetheless, it was everything I had hoped it would be, and maybe a bit extra. Beers on my last visit included IPAs from Goose Island and Summit Brewing Co., of Minnesota; Kalamazoo Royal Amber Ale from Michigan; Sierra Pale Ale and Bigfoot Barleywine from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.; Anchor Liberty Ale, Two Brothers French Country Ale and Ebel Weiss, a couple Goose Island beers and a few others. Very delectable indeed.
Cork and
Kerry
10614 S. Western Ave.
Chicago (Beverly)
This is a classic Chicago pub in the most famous Irish neighborhood in the city. Driving south down Western, a large sign on the side of a building is the first invitation to come and drink inside. A very fine pint of Guinness awaits you (as well as 12 other taps), and a classic decor that makes this pub so wonderful. It is especially wonderful around Christmas, when all kinds of decorations grace every square inch of the pub, making for a beautifully cheery atmosphere. Unfortunately, this pub suffered a fire a few years ago, but has re-opened capturing the same feeling and atmosphere that it had before. Although I haven't been to this pub in over a year, I felt it should be on this list.
Delilah's
2771 N. Lincoln
Ph.(773) 472-2771
Chicago, IL
Delilah's is wonderful bar that defies any particular stereotype
or classification. It's part punk, part artistic, part you-name-it. It is definitely
eclectic; featuring 80 different beers and always half dozen excellent drafts.
The last time I was there was for strong beer tasting, but there are always at least a dozen Belgian beers
to be had in bottles. You may even see a Belgian tap or two (hence the large Duvel sign on the roof). I also
usually see some good pale ales such as one from the Summit Brewery
in Minnesota and Goose
Island of Chicago. Check the bar's website to see what music or
what movie is playing the night you want to go, but don't forget there is
always a pool table upstairs.
Duke of
Perth
2913 N. Clark
Ph. (773) 477-1741
Chicago, IL
One of the best place to get an authentic Scottish ale and some of the tastiest and cheapest fish 'n chips in Chicago. I first visited this pub on one of the coldest nights of they year. The place was packed nonetheless, and we were stuck by the back door. Fortunately the McEwans Scotch Ale took the sting of the cold out of us. If you go in winter like I did, make sure and return in the summer to check out their beer garden. McEwan's and Fullers usually on tap. (Sorry, no Miller except in the fish batter.)
Great
Beer Palace (CLOSED)
4128 N. Lincoln Ave.
Ph. (773) 525-4906
Chicago, IL
Closed a few years ago. Check out Resi's or Laschet's . Resi's has a great beer garden and Laschet's has the "boots" that the Great Beer Palace once filled. I love both places. The atmosphere is different at each. Resi's is kitschy while Laschet's is a bit more traditional in decor. Both have similarly great German beers, but only Laschet's has Jever.
Edelweiss
7650 W. Irving Park Rd.
Ph. (708) 452-6040
Norridge, IL
We visited this famous Norridge restaurant and bar this past weekend
with our some friends Jim and Ronda. Although we didn't sample the cuisine,
the beer was quite tasty. With a good selection of German and Czech beers
on tap, and a wonderful atmosphere, Edelweiss did not disappoint. Steins large
(some quite large) and small decorate the bar and restaurant helping to foster
a traditional German feel. On tap I found pilsners BBK, DAB, and Bitburger,
as well as Spaten. Warsteiner Dunkel, Pschorr Brau wheat and Weinstephaner
were also featured. The lonely Czech stand out was Pilsner Urquell. Spaten
and Warsteiner beers tasted were very fresh, but service was a bit lacking.
Parking here can also be a bit tricky. Especially when somebody's BMW is
blocking the driveway, as was the case this past Saturday night!
Hop Leaf
5148 N. Clark
Ph. (773) 334-9851
Chicago, Ill.
If you like Belgian beer like I do, and like to enjoy it in a cafe-like atmosphere, then you'll like the Hopleaf. Way north near Clark and Foster, this place is worth seeking out for both the beer and food. Always very friendly and often very packed this beer cafe is the spot for some moules et frites along with one of the many draft Belglian beers. This is a "beer cafe' decorated with art deco posters and a vintage jukebox full of vintage tunes. Featuring almost two dozen drafts representing many craft beers, the Hopleaf is a great spot for a pint. What lurks further behind the bar and in the cooler is one of best bottled beer selections in the city. Just about all of the Belgian beers mentioned on this web site (and many more) are at the Hopleaf. I could probably devote an entire site to the beers that can be found at this bar. You'll just have to be courageous and try them yourself.
John Barleycorn658 W. Belden
Chicago, IL
Ph. (773) 348-8899
I haven't been to this place in quite awhile -- last time I was there (a few years ago) -- they had around 30 beers on tap at this trendy Lincoln Park hangout that has a huge beer garden. This is Lincoln Park, so be prepared to spend around $5-$6 for a pint. Last time I was here I marveled at the dark wood walls of this place, which made me feel like I was in someone's study in a New England mansion.
John's Buffet
Winfield and Jewel Road
Winfield, IL
(630)752-2000
The name of this place is confusing. The word "buffet" is not used in the traditional sense, and doesn't describe the array of food, but rather beer. This is a good thing. This restaurant and bar has two personalities. There is the refined, almost Art Deco, bar and dining room. This is the bar that has the most impressive array of taps. It is in this room that you will find tap handles advertising beers from breweries such as Goose Island, Great Lakes, Sierra Nevada and locals Two Brothers. The back room is a little more casual or rustic with a brick wall along one side of the room. The taps at this bar include some more mainstream selections such as Miller Lite, Budweiser, Killians, etc. You can probably guess that I spend most of my time at the front bar. John's Buffet probably has the best draft beer selection at the most reasonable prices in DuPage County. I have not tried the food, but a menu is available at John's Buffet's website.
Kerry Piper Irish Pub
A bit different than the Cork and Kerry pub mentioned above, but
just as good in a different way. The Kerry Piper Irish Pub has a great atmosphere
that is enhanced by country bric-a-brac and a sometimes raucous crowd. An
excellent pint of Guinness can be found here, served in a 20 oz. glass. The
food also is excellent. Try the corned beef sandwich! It is as good as any
that I've had anywhere. In winter, there is a cozy fireplace, we sat right
next to it during our recent visit. If you're a bit unfamiliar with the Chicago
area, the Kerry Piper is just off Interstate 55. Take Route 83 north to Joliet
Road and follow the street around the Holiday Inn. You can't miss it. It
actually looks a bit like an Irish cottage! Laschet's Inn This place is just down the street from another German beer bar
and restaurant, Resi's Bier Stube, and both places are
on Irving Park Road on the Northwest side of Chicago. We set for this place
(having passed it many times) in search of Jever, a German pilsner beer that
is new to the Chicago market, and hyped as a very dry, hoppy beer.(See my
review of Jever.) Laschet's is a very cozy place that is actually
on two levels. The first, lower-level is in the front, which is also where
the bar is located. A good selection of about 10 mostly German taps are usually
present. The drafts on my most recent visit included BBK, Spaten, Jever, Warsteiner, Paulaner and other great
German beers. Full of knick-knacks and German regalia, this place makes you
feel like your in Germany! We sat on the upper level in back and ordered
some soup (which came with rye bread) to fill our empty tummies before filling
them up with beer. The soup (a tomato based barley soup) was excellent and
other dishes flying out of the kitchen looked very appetizing. Mac's American This is a small-ish place situated on the southwest corner of
Division and Wood on the near north side of Chicago. There's beer (of course)
and food on a lunch and late night menu. You can dine outside on the sidewalk
or inside in one of two rooms. The bar area is somewhat sparse, there are
a couple of TVs and some tables. A low key place to grab a bite and/or watch
a game. What makes the place unique is the two handpulled ales on tap. Map Room
This is a great Wicker Park bar that features incredible,
outstanding beer. Their web site says it best. So check it out.
Maple Tree Inn By far my personal favorite for cajun food (try the crawfish pie
or barbecue shrimp) and great draft beer! Boasting more then 20 drafts and
outstanding food, this place is out of the way, but worth the effort. Set
in what appears to be an old saloon (complete with swinging doors) this restaurant
and bar presents the best of New Orleans and the best of Midwestern beers.
This may seem like an odd combination, but it works! Originally known as the
Lion's Head Ale House, this establishment is very proud of the fact that
it serves some of the best beers in the world; many of them from the Midwest.
My favorite beer tasted at a recent stop the Tree was the Arcadia London
Porter. If you like porters and stouts and like them a bit smoky, this is
your beer! This place really seeks out good regional beers and put thems
on tap over other products whenever they can. The taps often include tasty
products from the Flossmoor Station a fantastic and award-winning brewpub much further down Western Avenue. The owner, Charlie, also likes to feature a few other American
micros such as Anchor Brewing
(which really isn't so micro anymore) of San Francisco and Abita beer from Louisiana to match the
cuisine. Also look for select imports and a few other English or German beers.
Palmer
Place Not really a beer bar in so much as it is a restaurant, Palmer
Place nonetheless has a good number of draft beers. The tap list is a bit
crowded with macro brews such as Miller and Coors, but some mainstay microbrews
such Sierra Nevada and some of the best imported lagers such as Pilsner Urquell
can be had at this longtime LaGrange establishment. The extensive bottled
selection makes up for the plethora of big name beers on tap. Among the stranger
offerings I've tried is Neuzoller Bath
Beer, an unusual beer made at a German monastery, and praised for its
herbal qualities. The warmer months are the best time to visit Palmer Place,
which has a multi-level beer garden that is part patio and part rooftop.
The bulk of the business has to do with the food, which is mostly standard
pub grub, affable American-style fare that pleases most palates and makes
this spot very popular. Those visiting on hot summer night will most often
find themselves waiting in line several minutes for a table, but that shouldn't
deter you for making this your place. Poor Phil's Shell Bar
Poor Phil's, a nice respite from the intensity of the Lake Street shopping district in Oak Park, IL., is a great little corner pub to hang out, drink real ale (and other assorted domestic and imported goodies), and nosh on above-average pub grub.
-- reviewed by Ryan
Quenchers
I've toured this place before with the owner, Earle, who does
a wonderful job keeping this bar vibrant. The perfect place at the corner
of Western and Fullerton for a beer trip around the world. This place has
a few hundred bottles of beer in its mammoth-sized cooler. Check out the
taps, too, there are usually a good lot of microbrews that change with the
season. Enjoy a cigar in a comfy couch, watch a Cubs game (or any game) and
have some popcorn! If you're really hungry try some of Earle's chili. It's
damn good! My favorite tap is the St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout. A beautiful
collection of breweriana and World War II propaganda also covers the walls.
I've had some beautiful moments at this bar. It's just down right friendly!
Red Lion
Pub This is Chicago's most British pub. Purists will says the place
doesn't have any hand-pumped or cask conditioned ales, so it can't be an
authentic English pub. I disagree and say that the swagger of the place is
perfect. Maps of the "tube" around London and various pictures, articles
and a real London telephone booth provide the ambiance for this pub. The
beer menu includes mainstays such as Bass
and Boddington's while the food
is a mix of American and Old English. Don't forget about the upstairs and
the seasonal deck. This is a fun place for groups of your friends.
Resi's Bierstube A German neighborhood tap right down the street and around the
corner from the Beer Palace. The kitsch of this place is what makes it great!
I always feel like I'm in someone's basement or rec room when I'm in this
place. Tacky decorations such as year-round Christmas lights and postcards
featuring scantilly-clad women in foreign countries nowhere near Germany
cover the walls. A fine selection of German beers and good food to boot.
Try the beer sausage with a Paulaner weisse beer. Yeeeow! (Don't get your
heart checked the next day.) A curious thing about this place is that it
has one of best selections of non-alcoholic beer around. (Must be a lot of
recovering alcoholics in the area.) Sheffield's
This place claims to have one of the best beer gardens in the
city and it's tough to argue with them. It's also tough to navigate the post
collegiate crowd in order to get a beer, but it can often be worth the wait,
and the two dollar cover. I've heard that All About Beer magazine named this
place one of the best pubs in Chicago and a recent visit was definitely up to par, as I enjoyed a $3.50 pint of Beer of the Month Rogue Kell's Irish Lager and a pint of Surly Furious ($6). Other breweries represented on tap included Founder's of Michigan, Three Floyds, Goose Island, New Holland, Sprecher, Great Lakes and Redhook. A different brewery is featured as a special Monday through Thursday. Great pub that's not too far from Wrigley. Ten Cat
Tavern A cool little place to play pool on a really nice table and enjoy
some good beers. This is a long place with a beautiful mosaic tile wall near
the pool tables, a skylight and small secluded lounge in the back. If your
up this way make sure and stop in this place, but look hard, because
their sign does not stick out. Look for the paintings in the storefront and
a wooden "Ten Cat" sign above and you've found it. Free pool on Sundays make
this place a great way to finish the weekend. Somewhat close to the Neo-futurarium known for Too Much
Light Makes the Baby Go Blind a long running piece of drama that features
"30 plays in 60 minutes." Worth checking out -- although they don't
have beer -- but that's why you stop at Ten Cat. (The Hop Leaf is actually
closer to the theater but I stopped here for my first time seeing Too
Much Light. The Edgewater Lounge An inviting and sort of groovy place on Ashland between Bryn Mawr and Hollywood. The first detail that you may notice is the Rogue neon sign in the front window. The other thing you may notice is the sidewalk beer garden decked out with lots of twinkling colored lights. Once inside this bar you'll notice more lighting, interesting little decorative lamps along with wall, but more interesting lights in the ceiling that best resemble the tops of mushrooms. Yup, groovy, man. I'd been wanting to get The Edgewater for quit awhile, I had heard real good things about the food (which I didn't get to try) but more importantly (for the purposes of this web site) I'd heard about the presence of Rogue beer -- and not just any beer -- but a different one released on the 15th of each month. On this occasion, we (myself, Carol and Ryan) found not just the anniversary beer, but three other Rogue beers on tap. I selected the anniversary beer, a Black Soba Ale, Carol selected Saint Rogue Red and Ryan had try have a Shakespeare Stout. Other taps included Anchor Steam, Jever, Rogue Dead Guy Ale and Three Floyd's Pride and Joy. Aside from these great taps, there were a couple dozen choice bottles, among them. If this was not great enough, the jukebox was definitely one of the best in the city, and was fed by our group on a regular basis through the night. We were there on a Friday and Paul (who used to bartend at J.T. Collins and the defunct Hopcats brewpub) was our bartender and did a great job. I need to get back for the food and another one of those Rogue anniversary beers!
Village Tap
My good friend and Marcobrau correspondent Ryan lived in the
Roscoe Village neighborhood of Chicago. Since then, myself and the Marcofrau have wanted
to visit some of the pubs in the area, especially the Village Tap. I must
say the experience was rewarding! With nearly two dozen taps, we quaffed
pints such as Sierra Nevada Harvest
Ale and Three Floyd's
Alpha King. All very fresh tasty pints,
but what really made this place extra special was the laid-back neighborhood
feel to the place. Paintings of what I believed to be local artists hang
on the walls, a Ms. PacMan arcade is along one wall, and a kitchen is in
back. There is even a year-round outdoor beer garden! The food was not tasted
but included quesadillas, burritos, and sandwiches that looked tasty. I also
saw a huge plate of nachos topped with Jalapenos go by at one point in the
evening. I have to reiterate that the beer here is outstanding and worth
the trip.
I don't get out quite as often as I used to when I started this site. So this list leaves off some great places that I haven't been to yet. Some additional information can be found at the links below, or at Beer Advocate's Beerfly section for Chicago. Links to get you there (or even somewhere else): Bars and Pubs | Brewpubs | Breweries | Belgian Beer Send comments and suggestions
to: marc@marcobrau.com
7900 Joliet Road
Ph. (630)325-3732
Willowbrook, IL
2119 W. Irving Road
Chicago, Illinois
Phone: (773) 478-7915
1801 W. Division
Ph. (773)782-4400
Chicago, IL
1949 N. Hoyne
Ph. (773)252-7636
Chicago, IL
13301 S. Old Western Ave.
Ph. (708) 338-3461
Chicago, IL
56 S. LaGrange Road
LaGrange, IL 60525
Ph. (708)482-7127
139 S. Marion St.
Oak Park, Ill. 60302
708-848-0871
This place is festooned with brewerania, particularly Guinness signs, and also pays homage to the town's two biggest former residents-Frank Lloyd Wright, and Ernest Hemingway. For anyone interested in hanging out in such wonderfully decorated pub, with a lively crowd and friendly bar staff, and if you're a lover of good beer, this is just the place for you.
Although my drink choice was limited to one pint on my first trip here, I made it count: a cask-conditioned pint of Three Floyd's Alpha King. This highly-hopped, citrusy pale ale, was properly served by the folks who maintain the cask lines (hey, Brewin' Beagle: nice job!), and this quaffable brew sated my thirst and worked up my hunger sufficiently to enjoy an appetizer of chipotle cheese poppers, and a shrimp 'Po boy. The other cask-conditioned ale they had on draught was Two Brothers' Bitter End (I've had this on standard draught before, found it to be very good, and I can imagine that the crew at Poor Phil's pour a mean version of this, as well). Poor Phil's also carries a nice selection of bottle imports (a few Belgians peppered in for good measure), and a nice selection of micros, too (Sierra Nevada, etc.).
The other thing the pub is noted for is seafood in general, and oysters in particular. Although I didn't try the oysters when I visited, they really pitch the lovely and historic marriage of oysters and stout here. I can't wait to get back there and fall in love again!
2401 N. Western
Ph. (773) 276-9730
Chicago, IL
2446 N. Lincoln
Ph. (773) 348-2695
Chicago, IL
2034 W. Irving Park
Ph. (773) 472-1749
Chicago, IL
3258 N. Sheffield
Ph. (773) 281-4989
Chicago, IL
3931 N. Ashland
Ph. (773) 935-5377
Chicago, IL
5600 N. Ashland
Ph. (773)878-3343
Chicago, IL
2055 W. Roscoe
Ph. (773)883-0817
Chicago, IL
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