Hopleaf Bar is hands down one of our favorite spots for dinner and drink in all of Chicago! One key to a successful dinning experience at Hopleaf is knowing the three different spaces to engage. When you first walk in, you have to show your ID since this is an adults-only bar establishment. (1) You can then choose to sit in the front bar area, if you want a full menu, but use the bar for ordering service. (2) If you keep walking through the front bar area, you reach the host stand at the top of the ramp. This is where you can put your name in to sit in the main dining room, upstairs, or outside. (3) However, you can also walk through to the left of the host stand to another bar area that has full menus, but bar service for ordering. This is our preferred spot because we can often find a seat and order with the bar. Do note that, during busy times, part of this bar area is managed by the host stand and will be labeled as such. The extensive beer menu is our favorite. We have our favorite food items, so all our decision making revolves around which beer we will get. They always have a bit of everything style-wise, from all over the world, but with a local-brewery focus. Seasonal emphasis is also taken into consideration when they curate the beer list. It is always rotating and we love it! Beers are served in the recommended glasses from the breweries. It's a great drinking experience from start to finish! Our food orders are eternally set: I get the Nueske Ham sandwich with fries and aioli. My husband gets the Reuben sandwich with fries and aioli. This meal is so perfect we'll probably never get anything different, despite the menu being delicious across the board. The wildest we get is sometimes splitting the two sandwiches. No reason to mess with a good thing! Other notable great things about Hopleaf: (1) Kind, knowledgeable, and professional staff. (2) Reasonable prices for high quality and great variety products. (3) Clean Belgian Bar decor/vibe with lots of space for folks to enjoy their time. (4) They are open late and serve food late. Thank you for being an amazing local spot, Hopleaf! We'll see you soon! read more

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Fantastic beers and cocktails. I am not a beer drinker but found one I loved. The food is higher end but wow! So tasty!! Our waitress gave us a lot of attention, made recommendations and really listened to our likes and dislikes. read more

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First the good. Ambiance. Really cool vibe happening. We were greeted when we walked in. Walk through the bar area to the back and the dining area. Back door opens up to a nice garden to hang out. Second good...frites/fries. Shoestring fries. Very good and crispy. Now the meh/par. The food. It was just, okay. Heavy on the garlic. Both our meals. Maybe I'm just tired of pub grub. Now the poor. The service, despite the host being very pleasant and chatty. Our server missed a couple of opportunities for an upsell and didn't seem pleased we were even there or eager to take care of us. The two pales we ordered tasted more like lagers. We would've ordered another round of something else but our server took forever to check in on us. We decided to cut our losses and go somewhere else for another round. With so many options in this area, doubt we'll return. read more

Such a cool vibe inside hopleaf! Came early for our reservation to sit at the bar in celebration of our 1 year anniversary. Forgot to take a picture of the mussels but we got the beer mussels and white wine mussels for one and it was more than enough food. Happily took the fries home for leftovers though. Service was a little slow but it was pretty busy in there for a Sunday. Pretty inexpensive considering the amount of food you're served so definitely will go back and try some other things. read more

Hopleaf Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place has a great seasonal rotating beer selection. I started with a sour and switched to a hazy IPA. I had the mussels in the beer broth, which I thought the broth could've used a bit more flavor. My friends both opted for the burger which seemed to be a home run bc those tiny ladies both ate their whole burgers contrary to their fear that they wouldn't be able to finish it! So now I have to go back and get the burger. Bartender was super knowledgeable of craft beers which my snooty millennial self always appreciates someone who knows their craft beer! Server was super friendly. The place is big with multiple dining areas. We sat outside in their patio which is very cute and quaint. read more

Simply, all around excellent! This was one of those cases where I stopped in, started a review, and then it sat in my drafts collecting dust. Thus, a return visit was a must! Primarily because I genuinely enjoyed it, and secondarily because I enjoy writing. Hopleaf boasts a tremendous and awesome beer list! It's truly hard to do it justice in a review. I will say they offer a wide variety of different kinds, origins, styles, bottle versus draft, and so on. For those who aren't beer lovers, there are cocktails, ciders, and more! For food, I was able to try both the Pork Belly and the Slagel Burger. The pork belly was much better than I expected! The exterior was delightfully roasted, and the interior was soft and savory with a good balance between meaty and fatty bits. The pork was well-sauced, and the accompanying accoutrements were similarly fantastic, helping to round out the pork, and adding freshness. On my first visit, my main memory of the burger was a very high salt level. However, this appears to have been addressed on my second visit. Now, is it the best burger in the city? No. However, it is excellent in its own right. The smashed patties have good flavor and a proper char around the edges. The vegetables are present but not so overwhelming that it becomes a hard-to-eat salad, and finally, it is delightfully cheesy! Where service is concerned, the bar staff were friendly and welcoming. They took great care of me and other patrons approaching the bar. Food came out in a reasonable timeframe, especially for items cooked to order. In terms of their vibe, I feel as though the best way I can describe it is to say it's a larger, elevated dive bar. It isn't cramped or dark, and there's plenty of space. At the same time, it isn't at all uppity and preserves that neighborhood establishment feel (though I would certainly go across town to visit on occasion). Finally, regarding value, when the bill came, I felt the amount due was more than reasonable considering the quality of food, beers, and service I received. Thus, while I am generally not a big beer drinker (I'm more of a spirits/cocktails person), I'm not totally against printing out their beer menu and crossing out items as I try them. That is to say, I look forward to coming back again and again. read more

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Let me start by saying I love hopleaf, the atmosphere and food and drinks are always awesome, I just had one weird experience I came here with a friend on Saturday wanting to sit on the patio, I was expecting a wait of course because it was a Saturday and the weather was nice. I went up to the host stand and asked the hostess if there was a wait for the patio (the inside of the restaurant was not very busy, many open tables, it was still very early in the afternoon) and she just said "yes" and stared at me. I asked if I could put my information down so she took my information and told me I'll get a text when it opens up. The host stand is in the middle of the restaurant so the next logical thing was not really to go wait outside, so I asked her if there was somewhere we could sit while we wait and she said "you can sit at either of the bars and order with them until your table is ready." We went to the back bar and ordered a drink, we sat for about an hour which was totally fine because the ambiance is so nice and we really weren't in a rush but we were getting pretty hungry. We ordered the mussels with the bar and right after putting the order in I got the text that our spot was ready. I asked the bartender if it was possible to send the mussels to our new table because we had just gotten notified, and he was very nice and said yes of course just let the hostess know. We went back to the host stand and told her that we had just ordered mussels and she said "you can't move then." My friend told her the bartender had just told us to let her know and they'd be able to switch the order and she said "no, we can't do that. You need to eat them at the bar. If you still want to sit on the patio when you're done then come back here and I'll put you on the list." ... the list we had just waited over an hour for? Lol. This was frustrating because we didn't know it'd be a problem. I don't know if I should've assumed they cant move orders around or what, but it would have been nice to know beforehand! We basically lost our spot on the patio that we had waited over an 1 hour for over this. When we sat back down at the bar, the bartender came over and asked what happened. When we told him, he seemed very surprised. He apologized and said that has not been a problem before. He was really nice throughout our whole time there, and even comped our first round of drinks which was very generous. Both interactions with the hostess were very awkward, she was cold and just very unfriendly. The bartender was awesome. Just seemed like a very nice guy. I am giving 4 stars because I love hopleaf, I've been here a few times before this and I love the atmosphere and the food. This interaction just kind of rubbed me the wrong way read more

This was a top tier burger in the city. I was told to try this place after raving about leavitt street and this burger was really good as well. Leavitt still is better in my book, but a huge burger with lots of substance for it being a smash burger. Typical bar vibes and was very cozy. They do not have table service in the front area, but you can order at the bar and it's just as good. Would recommend to try their burger. read more

Hopleaf Bar - The Slagel Burger - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is seriously one of my favorite bars in the entire city and I have only had the pleasure of coming here once. Hopleaf itself is worth a trip to Andersonville. On a sunny day this patio is unbeatable. It's what heaven probably feels like. There's shade, there's sun, there's vibes. The food was delicious. Everything I had was amazing. I have tried so hard to find a place closer to me that is even close to being as good as this place and I have failed. It's one of a kind. I had the best day ever here. I journaled about this place. read more

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Get the frites. I could end my review there and it would still be the most accurate statement and all you need to know. Seriously though, best fries in Chicago. They are perfectly crisp on the outside and fluffy in the middle. You won't find a better bar snack anywhere. I was lucky enough to live walking distance to Hopleaf for a while, and it was my go to spot. It's huge inside, you don't realize how big by looking at it from the outside. Several different rooms plus an outside patio out back. Beer menu is expansive and since I don't like beer, I love the fact they have such a wide variety of ciders, which I do love. It's not fancy. They make you feel at home. Gets quite busy on Friday and Saturday nights, so be ready to share tables with strangers and get to know a new friend. One of the places I miss most in Chicago since I moved south. Don't forget, get the frites! read more

Hopleaf Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Cozy on the inside, sunny and cheery on the patio. My group agreed it should be our "go to" place. Bartender was especially helpful. Vast beer list. However, the Ruben was the worst I've ever had; nothing but gristle. Not that I wanted more of the same, but it was as thin as a ham sandwich, and for $20, pretty shameful. My friend ordered same, which came the same. Stick to drinks. read more

Step right into Europe here. It's cozy, it's warm, it's everything you want a pub to be. Thankfully, since it's popular, it's a big place! The back patio is peak summer perfection and the bar around the corner (inside) is my favorite area. They have big, tall ceilings, fun decor to liven up the space, and good food. I'll admit, I was a late adopter to the menu. It's specific. You have to find something that fits your tastebuds. I kept ordering salad and frites (they are excellent) and kind of feeling meh about it. Then, one day, I ordered THE BURGER. Why isn't anyone talking about this heavenly burger!? You get frites with the burger which completes my cholestrol for the week (I kid) but honestly it's so good. Sometimes I'm not in the mood for beer and I'm glad they have lovely wines to choose from. However, when I'm in the mood for beer, I love that they have such a well rounded list that ROTATES often. WOO HOO! The staff have always been kind if you're kind to them and I've found that this place has really grown on me. Be sure to check it out, especially on a cold winter day. You'll be happy you did. read more

Incredible place. Unparalleled beer selection including many Belgians/other imports and wide variety of local dandies. My smashed potatoes appetizer was a beaut. Can't wait for my next trip back. read more

Hopleaf Bar - A big Rev BA stout and the smashed potatoes - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Takes credit. Lots of seating. They have bar seating and table seating. Excellent service. Mussels with white wine ($18) for one- they are famous for mussels. It's actually mussels enough for 2 people. I was hoping for more flavor, but the mussels kind of didn't have taste. The soup needed more seasoning. Frites- large serving enough for 2 or 3 people. But they are like shoestring fries cut in half, so it's too small for me. Slagel burger ($20)- prob the best burger I've had in this side of Chicago. Gooey cheese on 2 slices of smashburger. It's so good. Upgraded for German potato salad - nice change from American salad. Cooked golden potatoes, grilled onions, and bacon Cider Uncle John perry- fine pear cider. Refreshing Fat orange kitten IPA- very fruity with little ipa after taste Weissbier- super good German beer Middle brow - sour beer, I'd get again. Maypop- sour beer with citrus read more

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Fun place to have a beer with snacks or dinner. Dozens of interesting beers on tap, especially if you're into Belgian styles. The outdoor patio in back looked like a lovely place to hang out, but not every table is shaded. We opted to sit indoors in the bar area, which is counter service only. Lots of vintage beer posters on the walls. Bread and butter board, consisting of two kinds of butter and hearty thick slices of toast, made for a nice snack. Sausage plate also pairs well with almost any beer. read more

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We were looking for a good lunch spot on our last day in the area and my husband had seen this place on Diners, Drive- ins and dives so we decided to give it a try. It has plenty of indoor, outdoor and bar seating. We chose indoors because of the great air conditioning. The menu has plenty of appetizers, salads and sandwiches. I opted for the burger. It was big and delicious but very sloppy. The fries were tiny, tasty and greasy. My husband had the brisket reuben and said it was really good. Service was good from our server, Joe. read more

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Delicious bar in Andersonville! They have so many great beers and really cool industrial vibe. Their menu was SO diverse with a lot of vegetarian and vegan options. We had the best service too! read more

Hopleaf Bar - Mustard cheese toast, Cheese Board and salad - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is just a fantastic German style neighborhood bar. Lots of space, a very cute patio, excellent food, wine and beer, generous portions and reasonable prices. Love it here! Service was excellent and there are definitely good vibes in here. We had a sparkling rose which was perfect, and we each got sandwiches. I had the schnitzel sandwich and MAN was it good. Perfectly crisp with yummy sauce and slaw and awesome homemade fries. If I lived near here, it would be a go-to for sure, and I will return every time I'm in town. If you're looking for quality food without the pretentiousness of some other restaurants, this is your vibe. read more

New favorite restaurant? Maybe!! It's a good thing I live quite far away or it'd be so dangerous for me (because I'd go every day). Food and Drinks: The fries were so delicious. The burger was the best I've had in Chicago (really really). The meat in the Reuben was delicious but I didn't love the bread as much (just not a fan of the seeds that were in it but the quality of the bread was undeniably phenomenal). They have an entire menu of all their draft beers, all with a note of origin location and a quick description, which made choosing so much fun. Vibes: We went on a weekend right at opening, so it was pretty quiet. You can choose either table service or bar service, each table is clearly marked so no confusion there. We went with bar service and chose a small booth in the back - such cozy vibes! By the time we left most of the table service tables were full. Service was prompt and super kind! Cannot wait to come again. read more

Hopleaf Bar - Brisket Reuben, The Slagel Burger - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Hopleaf is more than a local bar and restaurant! It's an institution in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago. It's a place where you come for good food, drinks, and memories! read more

Hopleaf Bar - Poutine was amazing! Yes, I ate it all! - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Hop Leaf is located on one of the main strips of Andersonville. We walked in and the ID checked said he needed to see our IDs and then said "Oh, actually just yours," doing my companion dirty. But he asked he we'd been he before and said how there is two bars and a patio. We stayed inside and had a helpful bartenders with a nice mustache. I asked about a beer and he gave me a sample. The one was somewhat dark, both were "Belgium" memorabilia and posters. While the bar has 20 Belgium draft beers it also has about 40 non Belgium craft beers, including two house beers made by Art History Brewing. I got the Jester King West Coast IPA; it was almost a nutty malt, very unique but not my favorite. We also had Revolution's Deth By Cherries, still Revolution's good typical bourbon barrel style with sweetness, sour, and chocolate in this beer. read more

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Great beer menu, food is delicious and portions are large, bartenders are very friendly and just a great place to go with friends or a date!

The beer AND food selection at this bar are very impressive! If you come here def get the mussels - they are known for their mussels! The vibe is pretty chill and laid back. A good place to kick it with friends. read more

Hopleaf Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'd love to say we had a great experience, but unfortunately the service at Hopleaf was absolutely awful and destroyed our work luncheon. Specifically our server was extremely disappointing, unpleasant and blatantly rude to us. The main server was immediately rude from the moment we walked in, when we requested the tables to be put together (considering we had already made the large reservation, it shouldn't have been a surprise). We must have accidentally requested the reservation for 12, when it should have been 14. Regardless there was no seating for 12 put together anyways. Another couple near us also experienced the rude and unpleasant behavior from our server (short blonde hair, maybe in her late 20s), and left quickly (before being seated) after she barked at him for leaving the area to check out the other side of the restaurant. The food was great, the atmosphere is lovely, and they have a great beer selection. The other servers and restaurant employees were friendly. But that lady needs a reality check. We will not be returning. read more

Closer to 3.5 as it can get pricey Great service with attentive staff, a charming patio. They serve wonderful mussels & frites and feature an extensive beer list (one of few places that carry authentic Belgian beers like Duvel). read more

Apps and Zerts, baby. Mussels for two was incredibly heavily portioned. It was good in terms of value but does lack in flavor (the broth was very watery, sadly). You will NOT finish the shoeateing fries which stole the show and we're lovely to dip into the mussel broth with. Get the poutine. Get their desserts. Service was aight, they're just trying to do their job and through their shifts, it's vibes. read more

I've been to Hopleaf many times over the years and have generally enjoyed it, which is why this experience was disappointing. On New Year's evening around 8:00 pm, my friend and I stopped in to ask if the kitchen was still open. We had had a fantastic martini at Marty's down the street so were a tiny bit tipsy, which is why we were looking for food. We were told yes by the bouncer at the door, took a booth, and intended to order food only. We were not disruptive in any way. Just laughing and having a good time on a holiday. And not loudly (my vocal cords were damaged years ago and I physically cannot be loud) Shortly after sitting down, the bouncer was talking to the bartender at the bar and then came over to us. My friend asked him what his favorite things are on the menu. He told us a couple items and then said to order food at the bar, but "I'm gonna ask you not to have any more drinks. I told the bartender not to serve you alcohol." The interaction felt unnecessarily paternalistic and made us uncomfortable, especially since we had not done anything to warrant concern. Honestly, it was shockingly sexist as there were many drunk men in the bar. Because of how we were treated, we chose to leave immediately. I hope management reflects on how situations like this are handled, as the tone and assumptions made can significantly affect guests' experiences. read more

Mussel was great, wide selection of beer and drinks. Would stop by again if I'm in town. read more

Hopleaf Bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

As a lover of Belgian beers, there is no better bar in Chicago for beer and I definitely don't come here enough. The front of the establishment feels very much like a Belgian pub. Tables easily split between two smaller groups or a larger group with bar service and full menu without needing reservations or waiting a long time vs the rear which has an amazing patio and second floor with great two-seaters for romantic dates. Hopleaf has it all! The food is good too, plenty of Belgian-focused menu options and everything is well-executed, reasonably priced, and flavorful. But the beers are the stars here, they have a dedicated selection of taps for trappist ales, for non-trappist but Belgian beers, and local beers (generally with a European style). So great to see all these non-IPA options! What is perhaps even more impressive is how all the beers come in the appropriate glassware and the consistency of having incredible beers on tap. read more

Hopleaf Bar - Always great beer options and always in the proper glassware - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I remember when this was just a small bar with an excellent Belgium beer selection and a super cool jukebox. I applaud them for their growth and keeping the quality in every aspect of their business! read more

Great place to spot in and grab a bite and don't worry there's plenty of seating in the back away from the bar. Support this business when you have a visitor and want a real Belgian/German experience. Feels like I've traveled just waiting on my food read more

Hopleaf Bar - Beer on draft - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Husband found Hopleaf Bar on Yelp while we were searching for bars to check out during our Chicago trip. I was super excited when looking at the menus for the place. My husband and I visited Belgium back in 2017 and I miss the mussels and frites so much! I also LOVE Belgian beers! But maybe because of my high expectations, Hopleaf fell a little short for me. We were staying in downtown and Hopleaf was a bit out of the way so we ended up taking an Uber there. It was super crowded when we got there. They have two areas -- they have a bar area and to the back, there's the full service restaurant. There was about an hour wait for the full service restaurant side so my husband and I just decided to stay at the bar area. You can order food at the bar, you just need to find a place to sit! We ended up trying three different beers and also got a mussel for one, which comes with frites. I enjoyed trying the different Belgian drafts, especially the "De Halve Maan"! We actually went to the brewery that makes De Halve Maan in Bruge, Belgium and thoroughly enjoyed their unfiltered draft beers. Even though the one at Hopleaf is filtered, it is still very delicious but it is strong. I did wish that they had more witbiers on rotation though. As for the mussels and frites, it wasn't my favorite. The flavor was disappointing and almost bland. The frites? Overcooked and not as thick as I had hoped. Don't get me wrong, I love thin fries but even for regular fries, I didn't like these very much due to them being overcooked. Overall, come for the beers -- skip the food. Not sure if it's worth visiting if you're not a local and/or staying nearby though. read more

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Very delicious! I could go on and on about the two sandwiches I tried. #1: CB&J - try this at least once! It's a fig and cashew take on a PB&J and it was heavenly alongside a salad. #2: Toasted Nueske Ham Sandwich - Very savory and full of flavor. Not for the faint of heart. Note that the food comes with an insane amount of fries (and aioli). I definitely felt like all of the food together was too greasy for my taste. I loved the atmosphere and design inside the building. The staff was very busy but still attentive. If you're coming for drinks, the menu is really great! I went for mead for the fun of it, but unfortunately it just ended up tasting like champagne. - AT read more

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This is a beer lover's paradise. Prepare to be wowed and try some hard-to-find beers that are absolutely delicious. Their food is excellent too, but the real draw is the beer menu. read more

Food is good here but there no children/baby policy is ridiculous. First of all It is not a law in Illinois that children can't be in an establishment that serves alcohol- so that was just a bold face lie the bouncer tried to argue. Second, the place is dead during the weekdays around lunch so they are just stupid for not allowing families. And third it's 2025 people, aren't we tired of discriminating against each other? I get that the owners probably don't care for kids but this neighborhood has changed so much- families are everywhere here. Maybe just let kids in till like 7? Editing to respond to the owner.... I stopped reading after the first paragraph cause anyone that needs to write that much is full of gas. Most restaurants in chicago operate on a tavern license, very few have a cop license. Again- it's fine to have your very strict no children policy but let's just call a horse a horse and not try to make it about anything other than just not wanting children in your establishment. I'm not offended- but I think it's silly in this economy. I wish you nothing but continued success. read more

I love Hopleaf! This is such a reliable spot. I live quite close and this is a spot I can come to for any reason, a drink, a bite to eat, a celebration, a date - you name it. All servers and bartenders are working hard and are usually quite slammed- I've never been here on a "slow" day, they're always busy, and it's easy to understand why. Their extensive selection of beverages has something unique for everyone. Food favorites include the mussels, Brussel sprouts, and CB&J sandwich. I've been here many times and will continue to come back. read more

Hopleaf! That is the word! If you have not been please make your way over to this Andersonville #Chicago gem which consistently is named as one of the top beer bars in America for very good reason. Not only is the beer selection on of the best in the city, it is one of the few places where the food excels if not even surpasses the beer. The mussels and frites are the main attraction with a delicious broth , hearty mussels and delicious frites and aoli. The service is always fantastic here and the food comes out prompt and the staff is so friendly. Cool atmosphere that is good for hanging out, eating with your family, or even a date. This is a can't miss place. #beer #mussels #frites read more

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We got the muscles for two in the wine broth. It was amazing and you get so much food for the price. Definitely will be back! read more

Hopleaf Bar - Mussels - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Hopleaf has relatively amazing bar food. Not the most gourmet restaurant ever. Just amazing bar food with many interesting options. The fiancée's and I ordered two entrees. Nothing to write home about - this spot is all about the beer - but really good food. Pork shoulder Wine-braised, but with a nice touch of smoke from the grill and sitting on a bed of parsnip purée. Came with a tasty goat cheese gnocchi in pork jus, charred garlic-butter carrots, and a delicious, small fennel and herb salad. Mussels and fries Good dish. Fragrant but mild-flavored broth. Thin, slightly over-salted fries, but good for dipping in the broth. Comes with rolls too. All the other reviews can tell you about the dozens and dozens of beers. It's completely impressive. I'm a dark man who likes dark beer. So I got the Sierra Nevada narwhal stout, which was excellent . Followed by the Chimay blue, a featured classic. Oh so good. You could come every week of the year and not have the same beer twice. Belgian Ales for days! They have a decent, little wine list. Cocktails too. Even a robust list of zero-proof options. My gf had a nice mocktail, the Orange Spritz. A sophisticated, but alcohol-free, cousin to an Aperol Spritz - made with Lyre's NA Italian Orange Aperitivo, Fairstate Hop Water, and orange peel. This place would be a hit in hop-crazed NorCal. But it feels so very Chicago. read more

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Never eaten here but want to! I've heard their fries are really good. Love the wide variety of drinks and that there's multiple rooms to sit in. read more