Opening week was hyped at Guinness and we needed a reservation to enter. However I came back the following week and was not very impressed by the setup. It came across more like a restaurant than a brewery. We also were disappointed that they don't serve hard liquor and only have beers with a limited choice. For being the largest brewery in the city I expected a more brewery feel to it or even tours. read more

After much anticipation, the new Chicago Guinness Taproom is finally open! If you're planning on going in a group, you definitely need recommendations, especially on a weekend. If you're just going by yourself you can probably get away with just sitting at the bar or cafe area, as long as you just get beer. The space is enormous, with multiple seating areas, plus some outside as well. They have the traditional Guinness beers on tap, but also several other styles. I tried 2 pale ales, and a new porter, all very good. They don't have a huge food menu, but I got the cheeseburger and split the curds and both were very good. It's a little pricey, but to be expected for that area. Beer isn't too expensive though. They have a gift shop, where you can get apparel or cans to go. They also have a cafe that's open in the morning, with coffee and baked goods. They have valet parking, or you can try and find street parking a few blocks west. Or the green/pink line has a stop on Morgan, or the 8 bus is close on Halsted. It's definitely worth checking out, even if you're not a huge Guinness or beer fan, it's just a cool place to check out. read more

Guinness Open Gate Brewery - Cheese curds - Breweries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've been wanting to visit this bar/complex for quite a while and today I made it here! The place was packed on a Saturday at 3:15 in the afternoon and we thought getting a seat would be a breeze due to the hugeness of the place. The sky was getting dark and rain was expected and we learned they were getting ready to close the large outdoor seating area, so no seating was available there. We went to the bar and there were no open seats. We talked to the reservation folks and they said a 35-40 minute wait would be expected for a table. We just wanted to get a couple of pints (jars if you want to sound Irish) and be on our way. Luckily we finally found 2 open seats at the bar and could enjoy our pints. We tried a Saison ale, a Guinness IPA, and a couple of other lagers. This is a cool destination but very corporate. I tried to pay cash and they seemed to have never seen a Jackson before. Plastic or debit only. You enter through a gift shop and then pass through the coffee shop to get to the large bar. I did enjoy the visit but this place is CORPORATE!! Not really a homey feel. They had NASCAR on the t.v. and I asked if the Cubs game could be put on. They happily obliged but implied they didn't want it to become a local sports spot. I get that but NASCAR over the Cubs? Are we in Chicago? I'd happily come back but have no expectations of being transported back to the auld sod! read more

Guinness Open Gate Brewery - Breweries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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While it is definitely neat to have the second US Guinness brewery location in Chicago, it is admittedly, a bit of a tourist trap. Heck! You don't even have to go to Baltimore, they bring Baltimore to you, as they have options from all the breweries to choose from on the menu. Along with said tourist trap are the elevated prices and swag shop to go along with it. The food is probably good, just know that you will not be paying "brewery" prices for any meals; and that includes brunch. I opted for the curry chicken salad sandwich and it was lovely. As for location, it is a converted train station so it sits alongside the train tracks, which can make it awkward to approach if you are coming from the south. Also contributing a navigation challenge currently is the building directly east is under going a major construction and they have the entire block cordoned off so there is no sidewalk on that side yet. Know that the gift shop is east side of the building, the actual bar area is on the west side of the building. A friend advised going on their website and making a reservation so I did. I did notice on their website that they were going to stop that practice end of November 2023 and convert to walk ins. Slainte! read more

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Oh my gosh, I have been waiting to go to this place pretty much since it opened. I had made a trip to the UK and ever since, I have been a huge fan of Guinness beers! So it was a no brained to go this Open Gate location. The Ambiance inside is super cool and eclectic. The aesthetics are aestheticing let me tell you. The service was excellent and the food was also actually really good. We happened to have dinner there but we were mainly there for what they had to offer on tap, and it was all worth it. They even had us try a few samplers from what they're working on or what was freshly brewed that day as well. I'll definitely be back to try out most of what they have to offer. Cheers! read more

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Cold beers, but limited beers and food menu. Excellent service and Beautiful decor. A good place to go with friends during summer. read more

Guinness Open Gate Brewery - Breweries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We did not get food at this time. However, they have a very limited menu on food. It did look very good. The service was super fast and had great recommendations for beer. They do not serve any other liquor there. They only will serve beer. I got the Guinness 12 ounce which was very good. The waiter had really good recommendations on other drinks of Guinness. The atmosphere was very fun and it is very convenient to access. Definitely a win for the West loop. The ambience is very pretty. It's quiet enough to have a conversation. It also is a great venue for hosting a party. There's enough seating. They have merchandise available as well to purchase. I hope you get to experience this as well. I'm sure it is nothing like the one in Ireland but very close to it. read more

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Great service and ambiance. Food was just typical for a nicer brewery. The pints were great tho and that's what we are here for read more

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New Guinness brewery is amazing!, the aesthetics in the building is to die for. The beer come out in the authentic glasses. I recommend everyone to come check it out. The service is quick and they come frequently to ask how the service was, how the taste was or if we needed anything. Their merch was also super cute for gifting or collecting! read more

Guinness Open Gate Brewery - Breweries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Obviously, the Guinness is good. The atmosphere is fine. If you do do get food, just stick to the appetizers. We got the lamb and the duck and should have just stuck to our cheese curd appetizer. The food was way too rich and overly spiced. Meat was too chewy. Staff were not very attentive I would go back for drinks but nothing more read more

Super nice and brand new brewery with many food options. We enjoyed trying the locally brewed beers, of which, one tasted like Guinness with winter mulling spices. It was very tasty. The service was very good and attentive. The whole place is very nicely designed and features a Guinness merchandise shop at the entry. read more

A bit of a disappointment. No Harp or Smithwicks on Tap ... in an Irish Bar? The pour on the Guinness was terrible , the gal never let it sit. There are better options trust me in loop for a Guinness read more

Made it to the second day they opened and had a great time. I think what some people aren't understanding is that they need a reservation otherwise they will be waiting in a long line. I had a reservation and was sat within 10 minutes of arrival, it was fun to walk around the store and bakery beforehand. The harp above the bar is stunning! I'm almost surprised the bar isn't larger for being a brewery bar but still they have plenty of seating. The food was great, my family loved the brown bread, crab and corn dip, and the wings. It's no Ireland Guinness pour but it's definitely the best glass of Guinness you'll get in Chicago and the mid-west. They definitely have some opening week kinks/growing pains to work through, but I think this will become a staple in Fulton area especially once the surrounding construction is completed. read more

Beer was meh. Food was ok. Nice ambiance, may come back when the weather gets nice for the outdoor area. The brown bread was a bit on the dry side. Cobb salad was average. Irish Fries needed more toppings. Corned beef Benedict was decent but heavy on the potatoes. Got there at 11:40am on a Sunday and our party of four was able to sit down right away. Parked on the street for free about 2 blocks away. Overpriced gift shop. Probably going to be more of a tourist spot. read more

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I brought my dad here from out of town to experience the new Guinness brewery. He's a fan of stouts and porters, so we were excited to try it out. The food menu had a variety of different things, so we decided to try a bunch of things. The oysters were good, however, the pickled bacon mignonette not to my taste, it was little too salty, but interesting. I'm from Maryland, so I've had a plethora of crab dips. The crab and corn dip was mediocre. There was ample amount of crab which is a plus, but the flavor was lackluster. The jerk spice wings were nice and spicy, however, definitely didn't taste like Caribbean jerk. I wish there were more Irish dishes. To drink my dad got the Guinness draught stout and I got the cranberry orange wheat ale. It's unfortunate that they only have the stout on draft and all the other Guinness drinks are bottled. I'd expect at the Guinness brewery they'd have a wide variety. All in all, I won't be coming back. The food was mediocre and the beer wasn't anything special. read more

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The feel of the brewery is similar to the Hard Rock Cafe - very touristy. There is a store when you walk in the front door with lots of merchandise. The lighting in the store is really neat. There is a structure above the bar that resembles a harp which is a nice tribute to the Guinness icon. You can order and pay on your phone or order through the staff. THE FOOD: the lunch menu and dinner menu are the same. If you are hoping for lunch pricing, that isn't an option. A lot of the menu is Not Irish pub food. The food was not good. We got fish and chips. The portion of fish was very small and was over cooked. One of the pieces of fish had to be torn apart by hand because it was so tough - definitely not the flaky goodness you hope to get with fish. The fries were ok. Don't come here for the food. read more

It's awesome they opened this brewery here. Make a reservation because it gets crowded in the evenings since seating is limited now with the colder weather. Our group stuck to beers and while I didn't particularly love any of them, I still had a fun time here. The Guinness here was surprisingly tasty it's that's worth ordering. We didn't have anything beside fries but hopefully they have a bigger food menu now. read more

We ordered a couple beers and the "chips and house made giardiniera dip". Sounds good, right? Chicagoans beware: it is neither giardiniera nor dip. Gasp. The 'giardiniera' is minced cabbage and carrots with an Asian flavor (rice wine vinegar? mirin?). They have a spicy cabbage slaw on the menu, and I asked whether we received that by mistake. Nope. That's "their recipe". If you're a giardiniera fan, you'll understand my confusion and heartbreak. I had to go home and scoop JP Graziano's out of the jar to get myself right again. The staff is very nice. read more

Guinness Open Gate Brewery - Cabbage? - Breweries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent food, service and atmosphere. ToTook family and friends there after the Chicago marathon. Everyone enjoyed their meal. As a non drinker I was impressed with the non alcalcoholic beer too btw. Good size portions made for lunch the next day also. Would definitely return. read more

Cool place. Food is decent; a little on the pricey side. Good selections of beers and couple non-alcoholic drinks for the people who dont drink. We came on a Sunday afternoon - made advanced reservation to get us a table. Service was quick - they came around to check up on us often and also took away foods when they thought we were finished but we weren't. They dont have a coffee menu but they make the usual latte, mocha, etc. Parking can be a bit challenging. read more

Catching up on Yelp reviews and I visited here twice back in November. I love Guinness and it's one of my favorite beers. I just visited the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin back in October, which was fun, but it's a tourist trap and it felt like Disney World. Definitely worth experiencing though! Well, Guinness Open Gate Brewery is yet another tourist trap IMO. I highly dislike the business tactic of how right when you walk into the place, you are forced to walk through their gift shop entering/exiting before getting to the brewery/restaurant. That is a major pet peeve of mine. You walk through the gift shop, then coffee bar, restrooms, and then finally the hostess stand. I will admit that it is a clever way to cross-sell, but I don't like it. However, the ambiance is extremely nice, clean, fresh, contemporary, and well-lit with natural lighting. They have a bigger back room, which I haven't been to and it looks like they will have patio seating for summer, which will be nice. The Chicago skyline walking from the west to the Brewery is pretty fire. The first time I came was on a Thursday around 5:30pm and we had a party of four. I made a reservation on OpenTable a few weeks out, which is pretty much a must, unless you want to wait. We ordered the chicken skewers and wings as starters. Both were flavorful and pretty good and I liked these better than the burger. For my entree, I ordered the 1910 Burger. Bun was like a King's Hawaiian bun, but it was hard if not stale, which was the worst part of the burger. The burger patty was very juicy so I see why the hard bun was needed to soak up all of the juice. LTP was very fresh, but the sauce was very watered down and needed to be thicker. Overall, it was an above average burger with potential, but it needs some work. For beers, I had Guinness and the Corn Maize Cream Ale, which is very popular I heard from the Bartender. I enjoyed this beer quite a bit and liked it a lot better than the Kinzie Pale Ale. Bun: 4 Burger: 8 Toppings: 7 Overall: 6.33 The second time I visited was just for beer around noon on a Friday as I put our name on the waitlist for Au Cheval (10 minute walk away from Guinness). It was actually semi-crowded, but you could find a spot at the bar or standing room. I had a Guinness and the Kinzie Pale Ale. Guinness was good as always, but I didn't like the Kinzie Pale Ale. Another con that I have is I think their restrooms are small unless there is another one. The one located next to the coffee bar and hostess stand is pretty small for how crowded this place can get. Also, I think the bar area is somewhat small in comparison to how crowded it gets. There was a standing room, but I didn't see many tables around there. You pretty much have to snag a reservation or get there early to find a spot. If not, be prepared to wait. Overall, the Guinness Open Gate Brewery is a cool addition to Chicago. Service was good and the people at the hostess stand are extremely welcoming and friendly. Prices are fair for Chicago. The Brewery has solid food and beer. However, I think it is a big tourist trap and as a local I won't be coming here often because of that fact. Definitely a cool addition to Chicago and definitely a place to check out! read more

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Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown Mercy. Our server Mercy was fantastic. She helped us navigate the menu for we were so overwhelmed and had to clue how to proceed with all the choices. She provided us with suggestions and explained the menu and concepts like she came up with it all. We never felt neglected. She was attentive and patient. Been wanting to check this place out for sometime and glad we did. read more

First time here and the restaurant ambience is nice. While we waited to be seated my husband and I got some coffee, it was decent. The girl we spoke to, don't remember her name but she has purple hair. She was very helpful when I asked her what to try and she gave me a few recommendations, which I appreciated. Our server was meh, he seemed not to care too much about our table. In my past experiences when dining at restaurants, I am offered water a few minutes after sitting down. I understand we were there on a Friday night and it can get busy. However, that's the food industry for you especially during the weekend in a busy city. I'm not sure if having a big group causes a server to not be as proficient because the tip is already included with bigger groups, but that shouldn't be a reason to be a lousy server. I asked if something can be added to my order that wasn't part of the meal, I understand if this is a policy they have to follow but dang he legit was rude about it like "nope can't do that". When I have asked servers in the past they would politely tell me they couldn't do it or they would offer another option. The food was mid, nothing to rave about. Got corn crab dip (too salty), the burger (eh I'd rather go to small cheval or loyalist) and the beef stew (it was okay). Despite my one star review, maybe the other items on the menu is better. It is a pretty cool spot to take pictures and buy some merch. I hope you'll get a better server. But as for me, I shall not be returning. read more

Great spot to grab a beer and catch up with friends. Must make reservations ahead of time as it's a new brewery and very popular. Loved the beers. They are only open from 8-11am on Monday and Tuesdays. So it gets packed on weekends when they are open late. read more

Guinness Open Gate Brewery - Breweries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'm honestly surprised to see the lower reviews because we really loved it. The beers are reasonably priced and with the 8 ounces you can try a bunch. Then we got the beef stew which we thought was really good and unique with having Guinness in it. The service was excellent too even on a busy Saturday night. They have a cute bakery and shop near the entrance and we got chocolate and the signature bread. The latter is really the only thing I don't recommend, quite dry. But I'm sure better fresh with butter. read more

Guinness Open Gate Brewery - Beef stew - Breweries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I want to like this place, but I can't actually articulate anything good about it. Parking is hard. Public transportation isn't a great option. The food is very mediocre and not at all Irish. The prices aren't obscene, but they're not great either. I guess $25 for the "traditional" Irish breakfast borders on obscene - one egg, two pieces of bacon, American baked beans, a few tomatoes, and some mushrooms. The Guinness is good, but that's true at 100 other places in the city. I don't really understand what the argument for this place is. I don't think I'd go back. read more

Opening day to the public and as you would expect, crowded. Reservations work well and got a table. The menu is pretty limited and not cheap. As it is a brewery, they only have beer. They ran out of Harp by 3pm. Large tap room and cool bar area. Friendly service. read more

Guinness Open Gate Brewery - The burger - Breweries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We were in the city and had to check this place out. Opened at 9am Sunday so it was our first stop. Had a great brunch with some great beers too. Service was great and atmosphere matched. Tons of merch when you walked in and we wanted it all! So glad we made the stop! read more

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Cool ambiance and good beer, food was decent but not my favorite. Willing to go back to try other options. Mac n cheese had a very beer cheese quality, not unexpected but not my favorite. read more

We were really looking forward to trying this new spot but left thinking it was just ok. The food was not great (we ordered one of every small plate to try it) but I thought the selections of beer were good. This is the type of place where you would go for quick drinks before dinner but need to do a lot of improvement to the menu. read more

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I really enjoyed visiting this new brewery. The interior design and details were lovely and they have some nice merch for sale. The service was also great. The one thing that was kind of disappointing was the food.... especially the Brussels sprout salad. Hopefully they take another look at their menu and then it would be a 10/10 place. Definitely worth a visit though ! read more

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Went on a Friday night following a reservation that was booked about 2 weeks in advance. The brewery is huge! It even has a coffee lounge with the most delicious cookies. They do close earlier than the bar/restaurant so if you want to try their coffees, make sure you have them early. We had the oysters, soda bread and chicken skewers. All very good, except the portions, especially the skewers, were so small for the price. The beers can speak for themselves, delicious! It is super busy and crowded. If you want to be at the bar, you'll probably have to stand as there's limited bar seating. They have TVs with the games so it's a nice touch. My biggest con I would say is the parking! Street parking is so limited. They offer valet for 20$ except they really need to put signs or make it in someway apparent because we couldn't find it. Overall recommend just look out for parking and make a reservation. read more

The space is beautiful and the service is great, but the food and drink options are disappointing. There were no gluten free beverage options and the menu included "udon noodles" but the noodles were pad Thai. I also found it interesting that they offered Asian food, but didn't offer chili oil for the dish. Our group also ordered the fried chicken sandwich, but it was very plain and needed more spice, seasoning, and sauce. Hopefully the team reads this and makes some menu changes! read more