The Chicago craft beer scene is starting to resemble great beer towns like Portland, Ore. and Brooklyn, N.Y.
These welcoming Windy City spots vary in their food offerings, from basic bar food to sophisticated menus, and even a few that let you order in. Either way, they’re sprouting up to great public fanfare. Here’s an overview of some of those worth a sip—or a growler.
Owners Ben and John Sallers named their brew pub after the old classic Atlas Brewery which was around from 1896 through Prohibition. The pub grub is pumped up a notch; the burger might be made of short ribs and the panini filled with mushrooms, and the brews work well with the fare. Join them on Wednesdays for a free 7 p.m. brewery tour, and don’t miss the whiskey barrel-aged Obfuscation Imperial Stout. 2747 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, 773-295-1270 (Top right photo via Facebook.)
Brewmaster Brant Dubovick’s brews are a balance of acidity, bitterness, aroma and mouth feel at this Lakeview gem. His hop-centric ales inspire not only the beer but the menu, where the thick-cut pork chop and green curry mussels are made precisely for the drink. 3155 N. Broadway, Chicago, 773- 857-3155
Photo via Facebook.
Just north of Lake Forest, this 5-year-old brew house is doing it the local way, brewing an array of approachable beers using local ingredients and keeping distribution close. The fare tends toward more standard bar food while the focus stays on quality brew techniques. A kid’s menu keeps it family friendly, too. 16 E. Scranton, Lake Bluff, 224-544-5179
As Howard Street morphs into a new restaurant row, this contemporary American gastropub stands out. Dishes like a slow-roasted pork shoulder, rosemary-skewered shrimp or a quinoa and kale salad are washed down brilliantly with India’s Panic Attack IPA or the lighter Curly Tail Golden Ale. Their global wine list and extensive cocktail menu don’t hurt, either. 623 Howard Street, Evanston, 847-491-6778
Photo via Facebook.
One of the earliest brewery and restaurant chains to spread from Washington to the Chicago area, this gastropub (three locations in the area, 30 total nationwide) is more polished than most. Still family owned, the ambitious menu values local ingredients, includes a kids menu, and works to highlight the Belgian White Ale and the Big Red beers, to name a few. 700 N. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling, 847-520-1222
Photo via Facebook.
This stretch of Logan Square’s Milwaukee Avenue bustles even more since the launch of this brewpub. They produce up to 50 styles of beer, so you’re sure to find one suitable to wash down an array of menu options, from mussels and fish’n’chips to hand-tossed pizzas. Fill up your kegs and can at the Kedzie Avenue brewery, which you can tour as well. Brewpub: 2323 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, 773-227-2739; Brewery: 3340 N. Kedzie Ave., Chicago, 773-588-CANS
Slated to open by September, this newcomer is a community-supported “nanobrewery” funded through Kickstarter. Brewing partners Cesar Marron and Shawn Decker are passionate home brewers that will now make enough to share via tastings and growler fillings for walk-ins. Sign up starting August 15 to subscribe to their CSA-like beer program. 825 Chicago Ave., Evanston, 847-859-9051
Smylie Brothers Brewing Company
This Evanston newcomer brews up its own interpretations of classic beers with great success. Taste through the entire lineup for under $15; it’s just the right foil for their smokehouse options, including pulled chicken or ribs, or a fresh hand-tossed pizza straight out of the wood-burning stove. 1615 Oak Ave., Evanston, 224-999-7320
This casual tap room, situated in back of an industrial space, offers 4-ounce tasters, half pints and pints. The fun part: it’s BYOF, where the F is Food. Although they do offer tasty empanadas from local favorite Tomate Fresh Kitchen, you can also order in or bring in your own grub and enjoy and taste through their line-up of craft beers like the Gatecrasher, Restless Years or a Freedive. 2000 Dempster St., Evanston, 847-864-1000
Like Temperance, you can tour and taste beer at this quaint north suburban tap house, but you’ll need to order food in from a local restaurant. Named for Master Brewer and owner Bruce Dir’s rugby playing days (his position), the beers go from blonde and red ales all the way to Czech-style Pilsners, along with additional seasonal and special beers to their pleasing. Take a tour to get the story and a taste. 161 N. Archer Ave., Mundelein, 847-970-9174
