2025 Chicago. Dinner review. Taproom + Kitchen. Pop's Double Smashburger Two smashpatties Comes with Courage Lager caramelized onions, American cheese, Honeyu dijonnaise, and house made pickles on the side. +Fries +Beer selection Overall, I'm a fan. read more

Bitter Pops - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

TL; DR: Great spot to play table games, work on your computer, or hang out with a friend. You can do so many activities here while also have a beverage. Recommend this to those who just want to hang out and have a chill time. They have indoor and outdoor seating in addition to a liquor store if you need anything. read more

I think this is a great community hangout spot. It has a cafe, bar, and food. But it was confusing for a first timer because there are three places to order and the food is behind the corner. Service was fine. The food wasn't great. The fish was good, chicken sandwich was passable, but the fries are so soggy. I think the chili fries would have been better as cheese fries. read more

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A decent smash burger and bar, this place has a dining area for drinks, the outdoors, and an easy area to get takeout quickly when needed. This place pretty well achieves everything you need in terms of a casual hangout or vibe spot with some friends. The smash burger itself is pretty flavorful and slightly pricy (but in line with all the other burgers at restaurants like this). While I think this place ticks the boxes for a nice casual hangout spot, I think you'd have better value getting a burger from Red Hot Ranch if you're strictly seeking something to fill your burger cravings. read more

Bitter Pops - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Bitter Pops is so festive right now for the holidays!! This was my first visit, and I love the small town bar vibes. It's much cozier inside than I expected, as there are smaller rooms scattered rather than a big open concept. It feels kind of fast casual where you order drinks and food separately. I enjoyed my Christmas Pine festive cocktail! But the food really stole the show... Burgers are amazing. The cheese is perfectly gooey and overall, just a great burger! Fries were only okay, but the soft pretzel was also remarkable! It comes with great cheese, too. We added the cookie cup on a whim and now can't go without - truly perfect. A little salty, crisp edge, gooey middle, warm!! 10/10 recommend. read more

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I came here with some friends on a Sunday afternoon because they have board games and we felt like having a couple drinks. As far as food goes, the burger was fantastic. The meat was cooked perfectly and the caramelized onions added another layer of flavor. I got it with fries, which were pretty meh and I probably could've gone without. I washed that down with the Courage Lager which was a good beer. The real star though was their cider which was perfect for a chilly winter day. I would highly recommend everyone order that. read more

Bitter Pops - Burger - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great neighborhood spot! I came here for drinks and a bite and loved the casual vibes. My wife and I shared the double smash burger and a spice bag. The smash burger was awesome; crispy edges and a great meat /condiment ratio. The spice bag on the other hand was a little disappointing due to the portion size. A lot of seasoned fries, but very little chicken. We will solely return for the smash burger read more

Unfortunately, after the last few months of diminished service, a few key personnel changes, and outrageously increased prices, it's time to update my previous review. For the past couple years, we've more or less been regulars at BP, holding up at the bar or patio once a week or for a happy hour with coworkers. Several of the folks behind the bar knew our faces, if not always our names, and we never had any issues with service despite what others had indicated in some of these reviews. Over the past few months, however, particularly since the former bar manager moved on, that's no longer the case. Someone in a recent review mentioned feeling invisible while waiting to order at the bar, and that has definitely been a feeling I've experienced recently. Some of the bartenders seem pretty unhappy to be back there - the friendly vibe we've felt for years just isn't there anymore. Maybe you could get past that if that was the only change in the past year. But, unfortunately, prices have absolutely skyrocketed in the past several months to a point where it's cost prohibitive to have a drink. And, look, it's cool that you're bringing in kegs on draft from places like Trillium and Other Half, but upwards of $12 for 10oz of an IPA? Especially when you're often selling cans of the exact same beer in the retail shop at $26-28 for a 4 pack? I feel like it was only a second ago when they were doing 6oz pours of 15% stouts for $10, now hazy IPAs are almost the price of a decent cheeseburger?? (Their decent double cheeseburger with fries will run you $20+, which brings me to...) We still enjoy the pretzel and beer cheese, and have nothing but great things to say about the guys that staff the food counter, especially the gentleman in the Orioles hat. Really nice guy, friendly, often goes the extra mile. But, even that's $8 for a 6" pretzel. Which means a light snack around lunchtime for two plus a 10oz beer each can now end up running you $50 before tip. Two beers and two pretzels close to $100!! We just had an appetizer and two full meals with two drinks down the street for same price. It's insane. It sucks writing this, it really does. It's hard saying goodbye to a friend, y'know? Maybe we'll give it a shot one snowy day in the winter and I'll be happy to say I've changed my mind; but at this point, It's no longer in the regular rotation. read more

Bitter Pops - a pint glass on a wooden table - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I love Bitter Pops! They always have a rotating beer menu, so every time I come back there's a bunch of new stuff to try. They also have some amazing cocktails, including Pop's Old Fashioned and a limited-time clarified milk punch. The food is also delicious. The single and double burgers are both amazing, and you can sub Impossible meat. You also have to try the original spice bag! read more

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Bitter pops is a fun spot to grab a drink. I stopped by on a nice summer night and they had the walls totally open to outside. They also have a patio on one side. Everyone working was friendly overall. It was a nice vibe! It's pretty bright inside, so not a super intimate place. It is very chill. They have board games and a limited food menu. I had a watermelon spritz which was delish and I want another! It was the perfect refreshing summer drink! I'll be back to try more fun cocktails on the menu, but might sit outside next time! read more

Bitter Pops - Watermelon spritz - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Lowkey space that's half taproom, half shop. Patio is lovely in nice weather; dog and kid friendly. You generally order at the bar for both food and drinks and pick a seat in or outside. Smashburger is simple but good and comes with a side of homemade pickles that are very tasty. Summer shandies are huge and a bang for your buck. Frozen lemonade is good alone or with an added floater of your alcohol of choice! read more

I love the food and concept of Bitter Pops, but the service has gone downhill so much over the past several months (and it was never great to begin with) that I have to knock off two stars. During my most recent visit, I stood waiting at the food counter for almost 10 minutes to place an order. No one was ahead of me; no staff were anywhere around. There was a sign posted that said something to the effect of, "Order coffee and breakfast at the bar before 10:30 a.m." It was about 12:45 p.m. when I was trying to place my order. Finally I made eye contact with the bartender across the taproom, who waved me up to the bar to place my order. I thanked him and said I was confused because of the sign. He gave me a rather unpleasant look and said, "The sign says to order at the bar." I said, "Yeah, but it also says to do so before 10:30 a.m." He was all, "The SIGN IS POSTED and says order at the bar." I said, "I read the sign, and it's way past 10:30 a.m.!" And he just eye-rolled me. What?! Is it that hard to get a new sign or just add a note to the existing one? And is that how you talk to customers? Flash forward to 15 minutes later (the food took longer than usual). I got the text that my food was ready and went to the counter to get it. There was a different guy there. The food order was incorrect, even though the bartender had read my order back to me when I placed it. Still, four orders of fries were missing. I had ordered five different sauces, which they had ready and waiting for me, but no one thought that maybe it was weird to have five sauces with only one order of fries? Okay, whatever. I was questioning all this and pulled out my receipt. The guy double-checked my order on his screen and was all, "Wait, now I see more items from your order. They aren't ready yet; they were put in as separate items, see? SEE?" And he's pointing at the screen. I'm like, dude, I see my name on the screen, I see my order, and I did not enter anything into the system incorrectly, your bartender did. I don't type food orders into the cash register myself; why are you all angry AND POINTING AT ME?! Just super crabby and not customer friendly at all, all around. I finally got my food, which was great, but instead of putting every burger on a separate tray, they put everything on one tray and then gave me another stack of trays so that everyone in my group basically had to plate their own food. It was weird and not how I usually see things done here. Please, management, do something about service in the taproom to improve the overall experience in what otherwise would be a place I'd give a five-star rating to. read more

Needed a cold pint after jury duty. Completely confidential, but... that guy's not getting away with it. These guys, however, got away with serving me an excellent smash burger. Nan would have loved it. Side of fries? Guilty as charged! read more

My lovely wife and I were looking for a special beer that was brewed in honor of a certain retiring meteorologist. Sure enough, we were able to pre-order a 4-pack of this beer online on the Bitter Pops website. This also allowed us the opportunity to visit Bitter Pops for the first time. They offer a decent number of local beers in the taproom, so we each enjoyed some pours while sitting at the central bar. They have a limited food menu with noted items like burgers and fries, but we did not partake. Before we picked up our online beer order, we ogled the tantalizing takeout offerings in the emporium that featured wall-to-wall craft beers. We stuck with our original order, but it was not an easy decision to pass up getting another fun beer purchase. read more

Unique tap room, bar, eatery, coffee house and market. So much good stuff under one roof. Craft brew list was extensive, food was delish and market offered a nice selection of beverages to go. read more

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Bitter Pops is an interesting concept. They are part liquor store, part bar, part coffee shop, and part dining experience. I stopped by to grab a coffee while waiting for a workout class to end and it wasn't bad. I believe they have several providers of coffee and my cold brew was from Hexe Coffee Co. It is a cold brew so it's bitter but not so overpowering I needed cream or sugar. The place has a cool vibe, in the bar area there are a few tables with benches and along the window a high top to hang out. read more

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Sometimes it's hard for me to try the relatively new places. I'm decidedly old school when it comes to burger joints or any joint for that matter. All the bells and whistles and n many of the new spots just don't add up to good grub meat ch less great grub. Not the case with Bitter Pops by a long shot. Sure they are kinda new and are a good looking joint with all the bells and whistles, great decor, nice bar, etc. etc. you just assume the burgers are gonna be just meh. The smash burger here is pretty bomb is all I can say. A very righteous burger in a land of too many average burgers. The double smash patties are cooked just right and crispy on the edges. Topped with the bare minimum you get to actually taste meat and not a slather of toppings. They ration of smash burger to toppings is on time. Accompanied by a side of house chips is the right move. You don't even need to add anything on this smash burger. I'm be if those guys who always adds ketchup mayo whatever. Not so with Bitter Pops burger. The service is excellent as well. We sat at the bar with a really cool and pretty female bartender. I wish I recall her name but I'll get it next time. She was knowledgeable about the offerings and super friendly. That's half of the experience and she hit it outta the park. Try these folks at Bitter Pops you won't regret it. read more

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It's just ok. The food is mediocre and the place has a college campus vibe. Not for me read more

The perfect neighborhood spot for beer and gathering with friends. They are scooping up their chili right now and it makes my heart happy. I only wish they sold it in bulk! We love coming here, especially on nicer days when their patio is popping. We are hoping to check out their breakfast sammies soon. read more

Bitter Pops - Chili season! - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came here by recommendation and were supposed to meet friends. Immediately when we arrived, we called our friends not to come. The music was obnoxiously loud, and they were bringing a baby. Since we were already there, we decided to stay, but if you tried to have a conversation, you can see everyone screaming in each other's ears. I would've rather be at a club if I wanted music blasting. As for the food, we came to try the Original Spice Bag- we liked the spices and curry sauce, but I would've wanted the fries a tad crispier. Pop's Double Smashburger was good, too, but overall, nothing stood out or was that amazing. We ate a few bites and packed up to leave. read more

Bitter Pops - Pop's Double Smashburger, Original Spice Bag - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cool concept and place. I want to go back to eat and hang out. Huge beer selection in the cooler - You can purchase and take with You. One side is a bar restaurant, the otherside: packaging house cafe. Morning or evening this place radiates fun. Three stars because my carry out coffee - too damn strong. I'm a Maxwell house - not a curated blend. Go see these people for breakfast, carry out beer, or lunch. Heck, just go see 'em. read more

Bitterpops is a great place to come in solo or with a small group (2-6). Only a few larger tables hence why I recommend not a huge group or you could stand/be by the bar. Love the small 5oz pours of beer you can get and I have consistently been impressed with the cocktails. They also have a nice NA selection that I drank when pregnant. Great spot to bring your kids too. Staff is always knowledgeable of the beer on tap and friendly. read more

What a wonderful neighborhood spot! So I believe this place is a brewery, which you would think would be obvious, but they have such a fun and varied cocktail menu that it's kinda like a very fun and lively gastropub. The food was a mixed bag though. I ordered the fish and chips. The batter to fish ratio was too heavy on the batter side. Also, the batter was a little sweet for some reason. The worst part was that the fish, the chips and the tartar sauce were all very undersalted. A friend had a salad that looked very good though and she enjoyed. I also had the passionfruit margarita which was pretty good. read more

Was in the neighborhood and really craving a michelada so I decided to try Bitter Pops as it was the closest bar that sold this particular drink. I am so glad I stumbled upon this neighborhood bar. The employees are really nice and I love that it is self service but there is still a host that seats you. There is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. I decided to sit outdoors as it was a beautiful day. Now for the micheladas... OMG. I have officially found my go to place for micheladas. They use their house made pickle juice and I have to say the flavors are divine. It has a unique taste and I absolutely loved it. Highly recommend this bar for people watching and catching up with friends! read more

Bitter Pops - michelada - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We LOVE Bitter Pops and come here often! Definitely a neighborhood favorite! They have a bunch of interesting beers on tap - I always find something I like. They also have a wide array of cocktails if you're not a beer drinker. Also love my Topo Chico sparkling water in a glass bottle for a reasonable $3 per between beers. The bartenders are always really friendly here! It's serve yourself for water and you'll pick up your food at the kitchen, so not a lot of frills but that's part of the charm. The food is DELICIOUS!!! I love their burgers and they always have a rotating one that's only available on Thursdays. Honestly haven't had anything there that I haven't liked. When the weather is nice, you can bring your pup and sit outside on their patio. Since they serve food, no dogs inside. Regardless, it's nice to be able to walk the dog and grab a beer, especially in the summer. Overall my husband and I LOVE Bitter Pops and will desperately miss it if we ever move away from the neighborhood! read more

Bitter Pops - $12 burger and beer Wednesdays - we go every week! - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Last time I was here came through on the Warmest day in February because I knew they have a patio. And I could get a certain stout. Funkin' for Jamaica. I was delighted to learn there is also a song by that name from the bartender. After that I got Everyday sheeple; a sour. Decent selection of beer and they also do coffee, beer to go and food. They are cashless though. It was a lovely day!! read more

Bitter Pops - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place is amazing. I go here with my family a lot and they love it. The food is amazing and service is on point.

I liked that you could add your food to your tab from the food counter, felt the ambiance was fun and comfortable, and the passion fruit and hibiscus margaritas were delish! read more

To preface, I struggled between a three and a four star review of Bitter Pops. If you're looking for the typical beers, burgers, and games Chicago bar than you may really love this spot! For me, it is a loud and crowded bar. The food and beverages are all counter / bar service (no waitstaff). When checking in the staff seemed overwhelmed but friendly, however, it was very busy. The bar was very loud, people stood next to our table yelling at each other to make conversation while we ate. The restaurant did seem clean, however. I had the double cheeseburger- it was exceptionally good! The fries needed more seasoning. To me Bitter Pops, underscores the problem of Yelp in that what I consider "okay" other people may love. Personally, it's not a place I will go out of my way to eat at but if I happen back there I'll order a burger and have a good enough time. read more

Love how you can find anything and everything here. A good burger? Check. Variety of handcrafted lattes? Check. Local beers? Check. Board games? Check. Space to do work? Check. They also have a larger private space in the back for parties and events. Just email them, they are so nice and accommodating. I always take friends visiting the city here! read more

My local watering hole. Excellent friendly staff, great rotating selection of beers, great selection of other alcoholic drinks for the non beer drinker. Seems family friendly, and they have a great selection of food I need to sample more. The prices are reasonable for the city and location and the atmosphere is welcoming, clean and relaxed while refined. Glad to see something finally really taking a foothold in this space and providing somewhere I enjoy returning to frequently. I only wish it was a smidge larger as it's often quite full when I come in. But that's a good sign. read more

Edit: They changed the play list. Updated 1 star to 4 star. Like this place, but they play freaking awful freaking music. Sounds like a jock jams album read more

Cutest place! Great food. Nice outdoor patio. Friendly bartenders and a selection of N.A. beers too!! Had a great time! read more

Bitter Pops - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It would be nice if they decided what they wanted to be. They have a good selection of beer for a pub, but just okay for a taproom - almost half of their taps are not beer. They have a convenience store with a larger selection of beer attached. The food is ordered from a separate stand inside. They have one TV which was thankfully playing the game I wanted, but there is not a seat in the place with a good, unobstructed view. At that point, why even have a TV? The decorations are minimal and just way too generic. The saving grace is the service from the bartenders (and ONLY from the bartenders). The two working tonight, November 12, were so delightful and welcoming. One even got creative and made a child a mocktail at her father's request. She was so excited. They were both knowledgeable and willing to look up whatever they didn't know. Just amazing couple of bartenders/beertenders. read more

Nice bar/restaurant just north of Belmont and Lincoln. It's got a nice craft beer list and bar inside, plus a full food menu. The food you order at a separate window. And then they call your number once its ready, so not traditional waiter service. I got the fried chicken sandwich which was really good. Plenty of seating both indoors and out. I liked the vibe, I'd definitely come back and try some new beers and get some different food options off the menu. read more

Bitter Pops - Fried chicken sandwich with fries - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love this place. We've been buying beer here for a long time. The selection is great with tons of good local stuff. Decent organization as well by style but it doesn't always work as they kinda group by brewery too, but someone is always around to help out. The taproom is good too - they'll get some really good releases from Maplewood and other local breweries so it's always often worth going. And I'm glad they're on untapped so I can check beforehand. 18 taps though so there's always something to your liking. I keep meaning to eat there. One of these times I'll try it out. Loving the patio though and the huge new private room too. read more

Bitter Pops - beer flight - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love this place! The burger. The Michigan salad. The selection of beers available by the taster size or pint. It's all fantastic! They recently hosted a tap takeover with Rhinegeist which was great. I enjoyed having an opportunity to try more than a brewery's top 3 (they did 16 different beers I think). So fun! Sit out on the patio or inside at the bar. Either way you'll enjoy yourself! read more

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This was a neat little place, a liquor store on one side and a bar/restaurant on the other. We perused the liquor store then went next door for dinner and a beer. I got the fish and chips, my friend got a burger. She said her burger was delicious, my fish a chips were pretty good too. The bartender was a little sassy but nothing we couldn't handle. They seem like they've got some cool events on the restaurant side, def a place to keep on the radar. We ended up buying a couple things at the liquor store after dinner and were on our way! read more

Bitter Pops - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Bitter Pops is a local Lakeview drinking establishment near Lincoln and Paulina--there's a convenient store attached to the bar. Every time I've been it's usually packed and so challenging to get a table or seating area for a group bigger than 3. In the warmer months, there's outdoor seating. I am not a craft beer drinker (or any sort of beer drinker) and so only visit when my group of friends come, which is usually Thursday evenings. I usually only get the food items and so will base my rating on that primarily. Last evening, I got the double smash burger and the french fries (not a la carte). One orders food at the food counter located past the bar but before you reach the restrooms. There is a private space in the back. The burger was pretty decent, but was a bit salty. This was probably due to the cheese, which was really liquidity (almost like a cheese dip). The fries, which were thicker cut, were amazing. There was definitely enough to share the fries. I've also had the fish and chips, which I remember being decent. read more

Bitter Pops - Double slam burger - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place has a great beer selection but the food was just ok. I would not pay extra for the fries. We had the fish and chips, a smash burger, and a chicken sandwich, and the pickled buffalo cauliflower. The cauliflower was good. The fries were the low point of the meal. Everything else was pretty ok. Giving 4 stars because of the well above average beer selection in the bar and the shop. read more