Chicago through the years has become a booming beer destination with breweries opening up in large numbers in Windy City. The city is a haven for craft beer lovers with bars serving up some sumptuous treats for everyone who loves a pint or two with their food. Craft beer taprooms have come up across the city, serving the joy of drinking a well-made sud. Among some amazing options, these are the craft beer bars that take the crown of being the best in Chicago. 

Bangers & Lace

Bangers & Lace, Source Facebook

A restaurant with the feel of a Midwestern lodge, Bangers & Lace is the place to go if you are looking to have artisanal sausages and wash them down with a glass or two of craft beer. Bangers & Lace is named by combining Bangers, the British term for sausages and Lace from Brussels Lace, the veil of foam that clings to the side as you consume beer. Bangers & Lace offers everyone who steps through their doors craft beers from all over the world. In addition to that, there’s an extensive bottle selection, delightful cocktails and boutique wines. Try their in-house drafts with the $11 sausages and have a banger outing. 

Where - 1670 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622

Timings - 
4 pm to 11 pm (Monday to Wednesday)
4 pm to 12 am (Thursday)
2 pm to 2 am (Friday)
12 pm to 3 am (Saturday)
12 pm to 11 pm (Sunday)

Hopleaf

Hopleaf, Source Facebook

Ever since its inception in 1992, Hopleaf has been a convivial Andersonville pub. Drawing inspiration from the beer and food culture of Belgium, Hopleaf has carefully created an ever-changing beer menu featuring 68 beers on tap and in bottles. Hopleaf has also stayed away from distractions like games, and live entertainment, meaning the neighborhood bar is for drinking, eating and talking with people, known and unknown. Try any of the 68 beers on tap or one of the 400 bottles and you will understand why they call themselves the Mecca of craft beers in Chicago. 

Where - 148 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640

Timings - 12 pm to 10 pm (Monday and Tuesday)
12 pm to 11 pm (Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday)
12 pm to 12 am (Friday and Saturday)

Beermiscuous

Beermiscuous, Source Facebook

A self-proclaimed “Beer Cafe”, Beermiscuous borrows from European cafes and classic American coffee shops to create this delightful craft beer haven. Like hanging out at a coffee shop, with beer. Have intriguing, fun conversations or read by the fireplace, play board games or bring along your laptop. Explore their diverse range of rare beers, seasonal options and Beermiscuous favorites. Everything on draft is available in a 4 oz pour, so you can mix and match your beer flight and then go for a full-size pour of your favorite. They also have a cooler bottle collection which you can enjoy at the cafe or take a six-pack to go. 

Where - 2812 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60657 (Lakeview)
552 Sheridan Rd, Highwood, IL 60040 (Highwood)

Timings - Lakeview
1 pm to 10 pm (Monday to Thursday)
1 pm to 12 am (Friday)
12 pm to 12 am (Saturday)
12 pm to 8 pm (Sunday)

Highwood - 4 pm to 10 pm (Tuesday to Friday)
12:30 pm to 10 pm (Saturday)
12:30 pm to 7 pm (Sunday)

The Map Room

The Map Room Chicago, Source Facebook

A travellers tavern in Chicago is what the folks at The Map Room like to call their establishment. In their 29th year of serving Chicago’s people and tourists from around the world, The Map Room’s beer selection has been built with the help of brewer Greg Browne and members of the Chicago Beer Society. The bar has 26 beers on tap including the finest beer from Belgium, Bosteel Brewery’s Tripel Karmeliet. It further has over 40 options in bottles, from IPAs to porters, wheat beers and more. Beer is everyman’s drink just like The Map Room is everyman’s pub. 

Where - 1949 N Hoyne Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Timings - 6:30 am to 2 am (Monday to Friday)
7:30 am to 3 am (Saturday)
11 am to 2 am (Sunday)

Tapster

Tapster, Source Website

Roman Maliszewski and Sean Selvin are the brains behind Tapster, the first-ever self-serve tasting bar in Chicago. The two native Chicagoans weren’t too keen on the idea of standing in a queue to get a beer, so they decided to put a different spin on it. They also wanted people to imbibe the finest craft beers available, and so started Tapster. It has 38 beers on kegged taps with regularly rotating options available as well, all of which can be sipped by the ounce. Roman and Sean also have kombuchas on their self-pour taps as non-alcoholic options. 

Where - 2027 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Timings - 5 pm to 12 am (Thursday)
5 pm to 1 am (Friday and Saturday)
2 pm to 10 pm (Sunday)

Centennial Crafted Beer & Eatery

Centennial Crafted Beer & Eatery, Source Facebook

Centennial exists for one purpose and one purpose only, to celebrate craft beers. They believe that beer isn’t just a drink but a culture, and it unites people. Their selection of 56 beers on tap and 36 rotating craft beers has been created with the idea to create a local gathering spot for all those who love to celebrate outstanding craft beers. Pairing with this exquisite list of craft beers is a chef-driven food menu that focuses on smoked, char-grilled and wood-fired ingredients. The bar is housed in an 1888 building which the team has given new life to with their new age bar to celebrate the love of a great sud.

The Centennial Crafted Beer & Eatery also houses an extensive selection of wines and spirits from craft producers and distillers. 

Where - 733 N LaSalle Dr, Chicago, IL 60654

Timings - 5 pm to 10 pm (Wednesday and Thursday)
4 pm to 11 pm (Friday)
12 pm to 11 pm (Saturday)
12 pm to 9 pm (Sunday)

Sheffield’s Beer and Wine Garden

Sheffield’s Beer & Wine Garden, Source Facebook

For close to thirty years now, Sheffield’s Beer and Wine Garden has served up craft beer and wines to Chicagoans. The garden offers many craft beers on draft, over 100 bottle options, and a huge vintage beer collection. Their vast menu and outstanding service have seen Sheffield’s Beer and Wine Garden rub shoulders with other amazing establishments in Esquire Magazine’s “Best 100 Bars in America” and Food and Wine’s “America’s Best Beer Gardens” list through the years. Strollers and children aren’t allowed post 7 pm and their website is updated daily with drink and food options. 

Where - 3258 N Sheffield Ave, Chicago, IL 60657

Timings - 11 am to 9:30 pm (Everyday)

Small Bar

Small Bar Logan Square, Source Facebook

Sitting in a quiet neighborhood in Albany, if you aren’t a pub enthusiast and a born and bred Chicagoan, chances are you haven’t heard of the Small Bar. The craft beer spot opened up in 2002 and is quite different from the names that sit above it on this list. It isn’t a bar where you will get lots of options on tap, but the beers that are poured are rare and amazing. Small Bar serves up delicious treats with their beers, like the hellfire cheeseburger or the pulled pork nachos amongst other appetizers. Its laid back vibe is perfect for enjoying a craft beer in peace. 

Where - 2956 N Albany Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

Timings - 4 pm to 1 am (Monday to Friday)
12 pm to closing call (Saturday and Sunday)

Old Town Pour House

Old Town Pour House, Source Twitter

The Old Town Pour House is a beer hotspot for all beer geeks. The spacious and upscale bar and restaurant is the perfect place in Chicago to satiate your thirst for uncommon beers. The Old Town Pour House features 90 plus beers on tap which are paired well with their modern American cuisine. It is a place where you can grab a drink after work, bite into some pub fare with your friends or come down to watch a big game. Self-proclaimed beer geeks, the folks at the bar highlight local favorites, and also have a good variety of rotating regional and national beers to choose from.

Where - 1419 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610

Timings - 4 pm to 11 pm (Monday to Wednesday)
4 pm to 12 am (Thursday)
11 am to 2 am (Friday)
10 am to 3 am (Saturday)
10 am to 11 pm (Sunday)

Header Image- Bangers & Lace, Source Facebook