Unique brewery where you can pour your own drinks from the beer wall! The ability to do small pours of a few different options before committing to a full glass is a huge benefit, especially for someone who is just getting into beer! I didn't see any N/A options besides water which is a bummer but I could have missed that. I believe they also had cider and some wine as well. To start you go up and receive a card that is attached to your tab. You then scan that card before pouring yourself a glass or tasting from the beer well and it automatically adds the pricing for the ounces you poured to your tab. The brewery itself is really spacious! Multiple levels, each with a different vibe which I love. When we were there there was live music on the top level and the lowest level was giving chill speakeasy vibes. They also have food options which is nice. We ordered the cookies with milk and they were warm and gooey but took quite a bit of time to come out. Definitely a place worth checking out! read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

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Really solid. It's a little different from most Minnesota microbreweries, in that it's more of a "restaurant that happens to brew beer". I really enjoyed the tap wall gimmick, bc I could craft my own flight, get a little bit more of something, etc etc. I didn't love that of course I got a lot more foam that way, but their charging system seemed to account for that. I really liked the variety of glassware available at both tapwalls to facilitate tasters, tulip-poured beers, etc. There was even ice available to pair with the tap cocktails. I did not get pizza, but I sure wanted to based on the smells. This would be a great place to hold an event, and honestly pretty reasonably priced (especially during a well timed happy hour). OK, so why four stars? Bc they do one thing that I can't agree with -- adding mandatory service charges. So you walk in, get a card, and serve yourself the whole time. But, unless you check out in person and change it, you'll be charged a 20% tip. No. I agree with living wages, but in a restaurant where I as customer literally do everything, just pay your back of house staff, price it into the per ounce, and don't sneak nonsense into my tab. I profoundly object to a service charge when there is no service involved, and doubly to requiring it unless I want to wait in line for 10 minutes. read more

We went to Bear Cave for a birthday party on a Saturday evening in the "speakeasy" (basement). Not sure why they call it a speakeasy when it has none of the characteristics of a speakeasy, but they do. The establishment was nice and clean, lighting was good, noise level was good. It is one of those bars where you have a card and you tap it to pour yourself a drink, then pay for all of it at the end. There are a bunch of taps for beer, a few have wine, and a couple have cocktails (and of course free water). There appear to be 3-4 floors, each with a row of the same taps so you don't have to take the stairs to get a drink. They said there is a full bar upstairs, but we didn't go up there. There are a variety of glasses so you can have the size or the style you want. The staff were mostly pretty nice, willing to answer questions and explain how things work. Our drinks were pretty good. I had an old fashioned and my partner had a beer called "Pretty Fly for a Wit Guy". Pretty standard old fashioned, though if I let myself be a snob, you could tell it was a pre-mix on tap, lacking the freshness you might otherwise expect. The beer was good, slight orange flavor. Now for the reason I gave it only 3 stars. We ordered a pizza. They have a handy code you scan and order online from your table, then they bring the food to you. When our pizza came it was way overcooked. The bottom of the crust was black. Our server had already left, so we grabbed another server and showed them the problem. They simply said that it was wood-fired and that is just the way they are. We said that we have had many wood-fired pizzas in our time and none of them had been this badly burned. She offered no replacement or refund, just said that's how it is and moved on. We ate the pizza because we were hungry. If you just ate the toppings it was ok. You could tell it would have been a pretty good pizza if it weren't burned, but if you ate it with the crust it tasted like charcoal pizza. To add insult to injury, later some other members of our party ordered pizza (even though we warned them) and when theirs came they were not burned! Their pizzas looked great! Very disappointed that we were so callously dismissed when we complained about a burned pizza when it was so obviously overcooked. read more

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Fun brew pub located in Hopkins. I'm personally not a fan of the "pour your own" tap model, mostly because I am so bad at pouring a beer without copious amounts of foam , but many in our group liked that feature because they could sample little amounts from a lot of different options. The drinks are all self-service, and food can be ordered through an app. They had pretty quick service considering how busy it was on a Saturday night! I especially liked the chicken lollipops but the pizza was also good (wood-fired). They didn't have many other options besides pizza, salad, and some appetizers or cheese boards, but what they did offer made sense with the drinks they served (beer, wine). We were in the basement bear cave (featuring a real[?!] bear!) and it was a cool setting for our birthday party event. read more

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We love Bearcave. This is always a great spot for a friends to meet up. They have a variety of options whether it's wine, cocktails, or THC drinks even great beer! This is a fan favorite among our group. The food here is also great we've had Pizza's, hotdogs, artichoke dip, and more! I really appreciate how kind all of the staff are and if something is wrong or out of service they are very helpful on getting it back together. Overall would recommend this place for a group event and I can't wait to visit in the summer with the upstairs open and ready for the sun! read more

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Bear Cave is so lovely! There is a huge patio and the inside is so modern and clean! Free street parking available. Lots of unique pizza options available. I love that the pizza had an ample amount of cheese on it! Very fresh and tasted great. The staff were welcoming and friendly. I'll stop in again soon! read more

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I was trying to fill some time between activities and decided to come here with a friend. It was my first time going to a brewery where you had the ability to serve yourself which was a neat concept. The whole process was very straightforward and easy to navigate. I liked how it was easy to walk around and get close with the drink(s) you wanted to try out and really control how much (or little) of something that you wanted. The staff were very friendly and were easily accessible if something wasn't working correctly. The brew hall was fairly simple but a bit tight. I saw though that they have an outdoor patio which I could see being well utilized during the nice outdoor season. read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

My friends and I came to Bear Cave for trivia and drinks. The self-serve tap system is cool and you can also order non-beer drinks at the table. To order from the table, you use a QR code and add it to your tab. In a way this is nice but because we didn't necessarily have a server we ran into some issues with our food. One of the salads we ordered was the wrong salad, but they were able to fix it, and our pizzas took a very long time as the kitchen was backed up but we had a hard time finding someone to check in with. However, when we did explain the problem to a server that walked by, she was quick to go check in on it and give us an update. The food was good and I would definitely return as there were some other things I would like to check out on the menu! We sat outside, it was really nice out but of course there were plenty of places to sit as this place is huge. You check in at the hostess stand to get your wristband and connect it to your card but then you are free to seat yourself or move about the different floors which is nice. read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Pizza with pepperoni and goat cheese - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

The vibe is modern, cozy, with tons of seating. Check in at the front desk to get your card for pours and link to order food then sit wherever it suits you. I was there for an Urban Sketching event so I headed up to the deck to see if there was something I wanted to sketch from up there. My glass of Bear Slayer beer looked too inviting so I just sketched my glass and pizza that came soon after. The hazy IPA beer was smooth and nice and hoppy. The pepperoni pizza was brick oven cooked. Love when the crust gets little burnt bubbles and when the pepperonis curl up. So good. Definitely sharable size. Staff was as great. Pizzas delivered quickly and nice and hot. Great stop. read more

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The concept is an interesting idea, but I'd rather pay to have a bartender pour my beer. The food is good, but if you go to drink good beer, go somewhere else. The place is really cool and there is lots of space, but it was a one and done for us. read more

The pizza here is great, service comes out fast and hot. They have a nice rotation of taps and 3 different levels including a speak easy and it's a unique fun vibe. read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Classic Pep - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

Met some friends here for drinks, I like the 3 levels and the process of using the tap card to pour your own drinks They have a ton of options so that is great! The rooftop is cute - would be better when much warmer out I'm not a beer drinker so had some limited beverage options which is fine I liked the dry rose but the margarita was awful The cider was ok It's a busy fun place where friends can bring their kids too and live music on weekends Unfortunately wasn't a fan of the pepperoni pizza either I would come back for drinks only and eat somewhere else read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Dry Rose Classic Pep - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

What We Ordered: IPA and old fashioned Highlights: * Service: self serve however you wait in line to get a key card and pay your bill at the end. There can be a wait to obtain the key card. * Food/Drinks: surprisingly enjoyed their tap old fashioned and hazy beers * Ambiance: LOVE the ambience. There are 3 4 levels of seating (main floor, downstairs speakeasy, second floor and third floor with rooftop patio) with an outdoor main level patio. Sooo many places to sit and enjoy on a nice day. Plenty of seats for bigger groups as well but they do get busy! Tap stations on the main level and second floor. However they have fun seasonal patio cocktails on the rooftop during the warmer months. * Cleanliness: very clean, always restocking glassware for the self serve bar. * Price: reasonable prices for beer and cocktails. Beware of not knowing the tab until you pay at the end so watch your pours! Would I Return? Yes to try the food! The pizza and bbq looked so good when we were there. Will update ranking when I've tried their food as well. Pro Tip: Can get cocktails in their downstairs speakeasy or upstairs rooftop patio during certain months! read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

What a great place! Had a gathering of friends and Bear Cave Brewing was the locale. Great layout across multiple floors. Indoor and outdoor seating. Featuring a pour your own beverage system and a broad selection of options that were well received by our group. There is something for every taste and preference. The FOOD!! We had pizzas, salads, chips n dips, fish spread, hot dog, pretzels and more. Everything was great, really great. Fresh, flavorful and attractively presented on the plate. The crackers for the dips, the cheese sauce for the pretzels - really good. You can tell a lot of thought went into every detail from design, beverages and food. This is definitely a place to visit, comeback to and plan an event at. Check it out and thank me later. read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Logo and pour card - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

Great idea and concept- but not executed the best. The place itself is huge. Multiple areas to sit. A small basement with a lounge feel, the main floor with their pizza kiln as well as a large outdoor patio. They then have another floor with a large tv and then a rooftop deck We've been there a handful of times and consistently had the same problem...the beers pour just straight foam and you're charged for a half a beer with all foam. We even asked one of the workers each time to help pour them and they had difficulty as well. The idea of a self serve beer tap is cool, but it ends up being a waste. read more

The beer wall is great it included so many different choices so all the guest will find something they like. There are patio spots, a main floor, upstairs, and a speak easy vibe down stairs. I personally like the roof top patio the best. Service is good as well, they usually have a live band read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Ruffcake Ruffcake - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

No one in my group drinks alcohol, what a waste, such a cool concept. You get a card and it measures how much beer you drink by the ounce. Sample whatever you want. Sweet! My group got a free carafe of water and settled down to the app to try some food. Two of us got meatballs, which were tasty and came with sort of pizza bread. Mine was pork belly with an apple slaw. I asked for extra apple slaw because I need more vegetables, butbut was it vinegar-y. Just designed to work well with the pork belly. I took off a point because I like dealing with waiters and waitresses versus having to stand up and walk over and try to find somebody to explain what I want or ask questions, because I'm supposed to only order on the app. And an 18 entrée turned into $24 magically on the app. But maybe I'm just a Karen? Overall, a sweet little spot! read more

Staff absolutely great... owners.. are the death of a good brewery... WHY?! Would you take your craft and trust it to self pour to gas out your lines to trash. Self pour is a horrible cash grab concept that leaves the next patron WANTING... of a good beer. Capitalism to a rotten concept. The average person will drop two quarters to a head and try and imagine it's a good beer... take that crap to Eastern Europe... Not a single TV sporting the local game... probably because the owners won't shell out a dime for a sports package... let alone wages for a good beer. Death to this self pour model... you spend $6 on 4 spouts trying to find a single good beer... Beautiful venue... This place could be great with a quick remodel to what works for the customer vs the owner. Bags are a great addition. read more

Great fun during Monday night Trivia. Family friendly with choices of TV viewing, questions for all ages, beverages that pleased all ages - especially the adults, and super fast food delivery. The waitstaff was helpful and always picking up the used glasses since there were so many tasting options. Good time. read more

Busy for a Tuesday night but plenty of space to sit. If a storm wasn't brewing, would have loved to sit out on the beautiful patio! Pizza was so good, and plenty leftover! read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Village pizza - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

Perfect atmosphere. Clean, modern, many many seating styles/areas (high tops, tables, seating around fire tables, couches, rooftop, basement). I love the ability to pour my own beer immediately without waiting, and getting a food order in pronto without having to wait. Salad very good, pizza good (wheat crust) but sadly got too wet with pepperoni, hot honey and apples. Dealers choice kind of problem? Could be. Many interesting toppings to choose from! Zucchini pesto, grilled artichoke hearts, asparagus slaw.... tasty, and a strong neighborhood choice. Yum! read more

Bear Cave Brewing - TONs of choices. Loved hazy passionfruit ipa. - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

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I went here with some girl friends and the pizzas looked so good coming out we had to get three! We each had a different favorite. The Margie was your basic margarita pizza, but the sauce tasted very fresh. The market was so good with all the fun fixings on top. They had me at truffle honey, honestly. It had a nice sweet, earthy flavor profile going. The trolley was beautiful and had the perfect kick to it. This place is self service, so you pour your own bars and order from a QR code. Normally, my friends and I prefer a cocktail place, but this place, luckily, had a bar too! You can't find many breweries that have a full bar! Overall, great experience, will come back for the many patio/roof top options alone. read more

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Bear Cave Brewery is such an adorable spot in downtown Hopkins! It's super easy to get to, especially if you're coming off the Minnetonka Regional Trail, and there's decent parking nearby in the surrounding neighborhoods. I love how many seating options there are--you can choose from the upstairs patio, downstairs, or the spacious indoor area. One of the coolest parts is that you can actually dispense your own beer, which makes it a fun and unique experience. For those who aren't into beer, they also have a few cocktail options. We tried the wood-fired pizza, and while it took a little time to come out, it was absolutely delicious and worth the wait. Definitely a great place to hang out with friends, grab drinks, and enjoy good food! Service was very easy since you are able to pour your own drinks. read more

We visited only once but I can't imagine ever being disappointed in future visits. Great concept if you like to sample a variety of beers at a reasonable price. Many tasty options, and very friendly staff. We shared a margarita pizza and it was very good. Chewy crust made with whole wheat flour. Looking forward to going back soon. read more

Nice little brewery in downtown Hopkins! We poured ourselves a couple beer flights and got to enjoy the dog friendly patio with some friends. Although we came on a Saturday night, it wasn't really busy and had no issues with finding parking compared to other breweries we have been to which was nice- I think it's probably because it's further out from the heart of the Twin Cities. The staff were friendly and helped gave us some pointers on how to get the best pour. Most of the beers I tried were ok, there was a mango one I wanted to try but it wasn't available on tap that day. My favorite one that I ended up getting a second glass for was the Main Street- a light and smooth lager. We got a couple of pizzas that were just ok- I didn't feel like it was very special or had much flavoring to justify the price but I know not all breweries offer food so it was still nice to have food options. Next time, we'll probably skip out on the food but we'll have to check out the 2nd floor and rooftop space. read more

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Bear Cave is always top notch and has been a place I frequent since they opened. The beer is really good and I love the self pour concept that is unique. Beer is good, food is phenomenal! The pizza is literally one of my top 5 favorite pizzas in the cities. The interior is eloquently designed with three separate floors to enjoy, each with a beer wall, as well as spacious patios on ground level and the roof top. The service is top notch and I can't recommend this place enough!! Cheers! read more

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Bear cave is a hidden gem in the heart of Hopkins. No stop to Hopkins is complete without bear cave. I've come here on numerous occasions and loved my experience each time. There are multiple levels of fun here -- all with self serve beverages via taps on the wall. As you come in, you check in up front with the host and you get a card that keeps track of your tab. Weave your way through each level -- don't miss the bear in the basement, and make sure if it's a sunny day to try out one of their outdoor spaces, either the rooftop or the patio. They also have fireplaces which make for a cozy night spot. I love the self serve aspect because it makes it easy to try a bunch of different things and really figure out your favorite before committing to a full drink. I also like the flexibility to be able to get just half a drink if you want. I've yet to try the food here, but what better excuse to have to return! read more

Pizza crust was super soggy. Service is average for the things that you don't have to do yourself. Prices are sky high. Location is great. Much better places in the area. read more

We loved the self-serve tap options so we could try what we wanted, when we wanted, in the size we wanted. The outdoor ground level has jenga and cornhole for games, as well as heaters if it is a chilly day. The views on the upper level (whether indoors or outdoors) were stellar and it was a very relaxing vibe. Ordering right from your table over your phone was so convenient and we adored the lobster pizza and pork belly meals. read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Lobster Pizza - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

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Bright, open space with tons of pour your own beer, wine and cocktail options located at the west end of downtown Hopkins. Popular spot for hosting events, there's something for everyone. Parking can be a challenge, given restrictions on the neighborhood streets that surround it. read more

Such a cool spot! Great brews and pizza. The roof is awesome, live music sometimes. Good vibes, great drinks, we can't wait to come back!

The beer is quite good But nowhere to belly up Food could use some work I work a couple blocks away from this fairly new brewery. Lot of anticipation for me in its opening. As luck would have it, I was the first customer on their official opening day. It is a pour your own system which doesn't do much for me either way. They are kind of on the spendy side when you are pouring your own beer. You get a wristband when you enter which will tally your purchases. You can drop it off in a box on your way out and they will add a 20 percent tip. I think you can also close out with an employee if you want to pay less (or more) than the 20 percent. The beer is solid second quartile for me. The head brewer came over from Falling Knife so pretty good pedigree there. No complaints whatsoever on any of the IPA's I've had there. They had a Belgian Tripel when they first opened that was probably my favorite so far. However, they seem to rotate a ton so you might not be able to find the one that you liked from last time. They also have a couple guest taps in the mix. So lots of variety which I really like. What I do not like is that there is no bar area to sit at. It is all tables. Lots of patio space, though and the place is quite large altogether with multiple floors. They need to put in a bar with a beertender on one of these floors for the more traditional experience. I have not seen any TV's there so I'm not sure that it would be a good place for watching the big games. Lastly, most of the food offerings are not for my tastes. They have one basic meat and cheese pizza which is decent. The rest of the stuff is on the exotic (ie bone marrow and octopus) and spendy side. read more

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This place is huge! Holy seating areas and beer options. A great addition to the Hopkins Main Street area. We enjoyed stopping in and can't wait to go back when I'm not pregnant so I can try everything. Although the NA option was a good sipper to be able to try and partake in. The pizzas come out quick and are delicious. We enjoyed the classic pepperoni which was filling in itself. The crust was perfect and great for filling in balsamic or oil or vinegar! A hoppin atmosphere with a friendly staff that is willing to teach you all about the brew options. They have wine too! read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

Bear Cave is my go to hangout spot in Hopkins when family or friends visit. The self pour option is so convenient when you're wanting to try new/different beers. Each table has a QR code that you can scan and order food right from your phone which is super convenient. I've only checked out their patio and basement but look forward to checking out their rooftop this summer. You can also rent out certain spaces of the brewery for private parties! read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

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My wife and I were out for our weekly "Try a new restaurant" Saturday for lunch. I sat down after a quick exchange between the hostess and ourselves. They have a pour your own beer wall, not a fan, I like interacting with people, but this is why it is a 4 instead of a five star. I ordered the octopus and my wife got a pizza with no cheese and some spinach, The octopus was amazing, super flavorful when dipped in the sauce and the corn salsa and potatoes were great accouterments. The sauce gave it a nice creamy bite. My wife gave me 3 slices of her pizza, and it was great. The sauce had just enough of a bite and the crust was done perfectly in their Italian oven. Just the lack of a waitress knocked it down a star, and the beer wasn't cheap for a place you serve yourself. Your credit card thing said "Add a tip?" Are you insane? read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Octopus and cheeseless pizza. India Pale Lager. All really good. - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

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I think we've found another go-to spot! Especially if you're looking for a big patio/ lots of outdoor seating- bear cave has both a large street level patio and a rooftop deck. When you walk in you get set up with a card for self pour service. I'm not a beer drinker but they had a wide selection of beers as well as some ciders, seltzers and even an old fashioned on tap. All the food our table tried was delicious for the most part- with just the pork belly being not the greatest especially for the price. I do wish they had a couple more menu options. Pizza was amazing and so was the chips and dip, the trout spread, and the salad! I also loved their house made canned Arnold Palmer- the price may seem steep but we shared it and the jumbo can was two full glasses- it wasn't overly sweet which is why I usually don't like Arnold palmers. Service was friendly but really all they did was explain how their system worked- ordering at the table with a QR code and then self pour for drinks. They they brought it out to your table, but don't know how to feel about tipping here with this concept... Loved the ambiance here, clean, casual yet modern. There were people of all ages including groups with babies and groups with dogs out on the patio. Bathrooms were well kept and smelled nice. Free street parking in downtown Hopkins, no designated lot. read more

It's pour your own beer and has a good selection of seasonal taps. It's got an even better food menu of crowd pleasers; pizza, small plates, and more. I was able to try a bit of everything, it was all delicious. I got the pork belly and it blew me away, salty, crispy, fatty, perfect. It hit the spot especially when there's a cold beer on the side. Take an adventure around, there's a roof top on the third floor. It's an unsuspecting find in a small town. My only con is that it's street parking only, right across from the Hopkins Legion so it can be tough to find. read more

We went to see a friend's band play on a Friday. Loved it all. Fun beverages, easy ordering, and fast service.

Loved this place! There are two floors plus a heated outdoor tent - the basement is more of a speak-easy vibe which was really simple but well done. Did seem to get a little crowded by the time we left (around 7), but we had no trouble getting seated around 6pm. You get a swipe card and fill beer yourself at the taps on both floors. There's a variety, so if you don't see what you want downstairs, check upstairs. The food is ordered via QR code, which is good and bad. We ordered the smoked trout dip and two pizzas (the trolley and the market) - it was all delicious! And the pizza was done pretty quickly. The only issue was we were hoping to get the smoke trout first, but it didn't come out until we were finished with the pizzas. So just make sure you time food if you want things at certain times. Looking forward to going back though! read more

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Every time I visit the Twin Cities area for work, I try to find a different brewery or two to visit. Minnesota has some fantastic breweries (I live in Wisconsin). And so, as I planned my trip, I set up a happy hour with some colleagues at Bear Cave Brewing. Even though I checked out their website and did some cursory research, it wasn't at all what I expected. I was the first to arrive and when I walked in, I have to admit I was a little intimidated. It looked, for lack of a better word, "fancy". For one, it's new. Secondly, there were well-dressed staff and really nice-looking tables around. There was an entire wall of taps with some sort of way of interacting with them. Because it had just opened for the day, I didn't see people in action so I wasn't sure how the place worked. So I talked to someone and it all became clear. You buy a wristband with a token type thing on it. You go to the tapper you're interested in, swipe your wristband and pour your beer. It keeps track of what you're drinking and you pay at the end. Pretty efficient. There were multiple floors, including a really nice rooftop patio. The place is pretty amazing. We were there for an hour or so and it progressively got busier and busier, so I'd say business is good so far. The staff was really friendly and explained things well - and were there when you needed it but not pushy. I'm told Chicago, among other places, have this concept of a bar. It's really rather practical and clever. Definitely worth checking out if you're a beer snob like me. read more

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