Great place with lots of parking! Very nice folks Too! brisket was fantastic! Awesome experience! Would Go back for sure! read more

We didn't order any food so this review is for the beer! I purchased a Groupon for $37, unlimited pours for two people for two hours. I had never been to a self pour beer hall so this was a unique and fun experience. I liked that they had 4 different breweries present. I was slightly disappointed with the selection of beers offered, we saw numerous taps that were out of service. They also had cocktails and THC drinks which I was not expecting at a brewery. The Groupon deal was amazing, they loaded up $200 on the card and said if we needed more to return to the counter. Without the Groupon we would have spent at least $80, the beers were really pricey. After pouring they give the price spent, I was shocked after some of the pours. I'm a sour beer girl, they had two, the berry gose was good, mango sour ehhh. Nothing really stood out beer wise but the Groupon deal made it worth it. I would not come here without it. Board game selection was pretty great! The space was clean and the food we saw smelled good. read more

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I'm going to give 5 stars with a couple of caveats. First, the reason for the 5 stars is that the food and beer is really good. It's a nice clean place, plenty of room inside, and the staff is friendly and pleasant. Now the caveats. Despite what it says on the website, there aren't 4 different breweries here. They are all different iterations of the same single brewery. And, they don't actually brew the beer here anymore, since they will close when the building sells, according to the staff I spoke with. The other thing to mention is the beer is expensive. I had two small 8-ounce pours and I bought a 4-pack to go, and was charged $29. Ouch. Still, they have good beer and good food, and no one in the substantial crowd tonight seemed to care about the caveats I mentioned. If you are in the neighborhood, stop by before they close. read more

Bummed to see that this place will probably be going out of business soon! I've stopped by with some friends a few times in the last month. It's a great place for large gatherings. They operate on the pour your own drinks model so there are lots of varieties of beer and even some cocktails! Nice open space for mingling, good for group happy hours. Wish they had some more variety in the food but everything that I've tried was pretty solid. In the summer you can have your dogs on the patio! read more

This was such a good experience! I walked in without expectations... it was amazing. The staff were so nice and patient with explaining the concept. The self-serve beer was great. You could choose the amount of beer you wanted. I loved that you could try a sip and come back for more if you want. While there, I also had Lillie Q's. That's always a winner! The bbq was the perfect balance to all the tasty beer. read more

District Brew Yards - Smoked wings and loaded fries - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

District Brew Yards in West Town was such a fun experience when I went on a Saturday evening with friends. The first thing that caught my attention was their self-serve beer setup. After grabbing a card from the cashier, you can fill your own beer at any of the numerous taps they have. It's like pumping gas, but with beer! I loved the freedom of no waiting, and the variety of options was impressive--many of which are brewed in-house. Being a fan of Mexican beers, I really enjoyed the ones they had on tap. For food, it's all about BBQ. You order through a self-service monitor, and my meal was ready in just a few minutes. I went with a half-pound of brisket with Sweet Carolina BBQ sauce, mac and cheese, and coleslaw. The brisket was outstanding--perfectly tender and melt-in-your-mouth good. The mac and cheese was also great, but the coleslaw was just okay for me, not something I'd reorder. My friend got the Cheeto-dusted mac and cheese, which was a really cool twist and super tasty. The space is huge, with plenty of seating, making it ideal for groups whether you're coming for the food or just drinks. Overall, District Brew Yards delivers amazing BBQ, a unique self-serve beer experience, and a fun atmosphere. I'll definitely be back! read more

District Brew Yards - 1/2 Pound Prime Brisket * - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My goal is to try 50 new Chicago restaurants in 2025! Restaurant: 5/50 Month tried: January Favorite dish: chicken tenders Technically the new restaurant aspect of this review is for Lillie Q's, the BBQ counter within District Brew Yards, so I'll start there. I don't eat BBQ so I ordered from the chicken shack menu. The chicken tenders were huge and pretty good! No complaints but nothing outstanding either. Some people in the group really enjoyed the fried chicken sandwich. Overall, District Brew Yards was a super cool spot. Very casual and VERY family friendly. I was baby-trapped at one point - couldn't get out of my seat because there were either strollers or kids playing on the floor on all sides of me. Lots of games you can grab and play and it was very happy vibes. I wish there had been slightly more options for non-beer drinkers. There was one hard Ginger ale, one seltzer, and some THC drinks. But I got by! read more

It's a fun open ended pour it yourself brewery cafeteria setup. There's a few walls of taps from different breweries with all different kinds of beer. They also have some food options and a bunch of tables too so it's just a great place to hang out. Pro tip: if you've never poured beer before.... angle your glass so that the liquid hits the side not the bottom. Or else you'll get a lot of foam lol ... except if it's a porter/stout in which case hard pour that baby read more

District Brew Yards - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Visited District Brew Yards recently for a friend's birthday party. You fill your own drink and pay by the oz, so take advantage to sample some sips and find what you like. I loved how this place accommodates a bunch of different palates and needs- there is BBQ and fried chicken and vegetarian sides, some gluten free seltzers, some THC infused brews, and a huge range of craft beers. I got a pulled pork platter and it was tender and juicy, highly recommend. read more

This is a self service beer bar that usually has 3-4 breweries. You get a card up front that's tied to your credit card and you can use it to try any amount of any of their beers. I like to try a couple ozs of each of the ones that intrigue me before I get a pint of my favorite. This time I really enjoyed the pineapple hazy ipa and the grapefruit seltzer. My friend really enjoyed the cherry THC seltzer as well. They have a great patio section that has some covered and some uncovered areas with picnic and other tables. Overall a pretty cool place. read more

This was one of the first places I visited when I first moved to Chicago and just revisited. It is a very fun, laid-back place with creative beers and decent food. It's perfect for big groups or whenever you want to do something more "interactive" read more

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Such a cool place with a fun vibe. We've been a few times. Love the outside patio. It's self serve beer that you put your card in & pour. Many choices from several different breweries made in house. You can purchase beer & coffee beans & cute merch too. read more

This place was solid. The kitchen is very good and they have a wonderful selection of crafts on tap. Would definitely come back with friends or even by myself for a chill hang. read more

I love these self-pour beer bars. It allows you to sample many different beers in a short time (you're not waiting for a bartender to see you). They also l have a bunch of board games to play while you sit at the picnic tables drinking your chosen beer (and eating food from the attached BBQ restaurant). read more

District Brew Yards - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Cool place. Came here when I was in town for the holidays. Pour your own beers and a dedicated kitchen concept. Super kid friendly as we had little ones tagging along, but there are plenty of communal board games to keep them entertained. Overall the experience was great, except for one snarky staffer that proceeded to tell me I was operating the station incorrectly when she herself was not there to show us how to do it when we first arrived and the hostess said "someone will show you how to operate the taps." Look, I get it, nobody wants to work over the holidays, but maybe if you had been at your post, you should not have taken it out on me with your sarcasm. The one interaction with the staffer aside, every other staffer was super nice... including the kitchen staff that politely told me that all the ordering is done through the kiosk (again... fallout from the previously mentioned staffer not being there to tell us how everything worked). We tried the loaded fries (brisket was great!), fried pickles, fried chicken, mac and cheese, and pimento dip. Everything was piping hot and crispy. I've never seen fried pickle (full spears!!). Pickles also came with dipping ranch! We would come back.... so many beers to try from different breweries. Probably a win-win for breweries since they don't have to have a dedicated tap room and can rent space as needed. Win for patrons with a lot more beer variety in one location. read more

District Brew Yards - Food! - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Really enjoyable time here. Casual vibe, open seating, seems good for big groups with available board games to play. Large variety of beers, seltzers etc. We absolutely loved the food, most notably the fried pickles. Will definitely recommend this spot to others and looking forward to enjoying the patio area when it warms up! read more

District Brew Yards - Mac and cheese, fried pickles - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I haven't been to DBY in a while and since my first few visits a couple of breweries have left and a few more have found their new home here. A favorite of mine, Twisted Hippo is now in residency here since their home was sadly lost. Around the Bend is a stalwart brewery here and I've found their beers to have gotten better, sours have always been pretty tasty and they've seemed to improve on that. I had a couple of good beers at Casa Humilde as well. The front staff too have shifted too. I think at first it was a lot of educating about the card, but it was pretty heavy-handed; I recall the 'losing your card is just like losing your debit card' approach didn't make relaxing over some beers easy. The process has changed so that it's not as nerve wracking and while I still keep close tabs on it but can relax over a mug or two of beer. read more

This spot is great for large groups or even small group hangouts. The space is large and their private parking lot is a bonus! The staff at the front were friendly and helpful, walking us through the process of how everything works. You get a card that gets connected to your debit/credit card - you utilize this to pour your own brews on tap. There are so many offerings from beer, seltzers, cider and THC beverages. There is also a BBQ spot which offers a few great options from wings, chicken tenders, sandwiches and ribs. There are plenty of seats inside and outside and great board game offerings. Would definitely recommend this place! read more

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This is an awesome spot with a great vibe, but I will say the prices are a bit steep. You'll definitely pay more for drinks here but they are self serve so you can control it a bit. Great food though--literally the best mac n cheese I've ever had. read more

District Brew Yards - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Super fun place to host your next party for friends or event for work! I've had the pleasure of hosting an event here as well as attending a birthday party here. The fact that everyone has their own card for getting drinks makes things so easy and convenient. You don't need to worry about splitting the bill or anything like that. Also, it's nice to not have to flag down the server to get another round or to grab the check. Plenty of drinks on tap ensure that there is something for everyone. Food options have really gotten good as well. Fantastic place to entertain! read more

If you love beer you'd love this place. They give you a card in the front, and all around the room there's beers (and very few seltzers) on tap. You put the little card in front and pull the handle to pour it yourself. My only complaint is sometimes there's a lot of foam that forms but you still get charged for all that foam. Food wise we got the brisket nachos. The brisket was so well cooked, just wish they layered the nachos a little more. Over all a great place to come and hangout and play games with friends! read more

Very cool big space - perfect for big groups. Also fun to pour your own beers and get to try a bunch. My only complaint is that I wish there were more non-beer options! There was one hard seltzer which was actually pretty tasty. As for food, the brisket fries were delicious and a perfect shareable (huge portion!). The chicken tenders were a delight as well. Definitely recommend checking out this tucked away spot near the west loop! Patio is perfect for a nice day. read more

District Brew Yards - a glass of beer on a table - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My love and I visited District Brew Yards earlier this year to attend a mural festival, and it was quite a fun experience. District Brew Yards is a "pour-your-own" beer hall that charges by the ounce. That's a dangerous concept! The place features Around the Bend, Burnt City Brewing, and (possibly my fave) Casa Humilde. They have since added Twisted Hippo too, so we might need to re-visit sometime. You get a plastic card that you use that will keep tabs on how many ounces of beer you are tapping and the running cost of the entire tab too. I like to try a variety of beers as I have a complicated palate, so to me it became an amusing game to pour as little as possible (and therefore get a smaller charge per pour) so that I could sample as many beers as possible. If you'd rather just pour yourself one or two tall glasses of beer, then this may not be the place for you. There are plenty of beer selections you can get to go as well, so have a look around before you leave. read more

Super cool place. They give you a white card that connects to your name. You use the card to pour whatever beer you want. They have multiple beer stations. And it's self pour. They charge per ounce. Some are 60 cents/ounce to 80 cents/ounce. You control how much you pour. If it's your birthday, you spin a wheel. You get a free drink. Lots of open space which is great for large parties. There's indoor and outdoor seating. Board games are available. Food: Fried pickles were a hit. The batter they use is really good. I suspect it's the same batter as their fried chicken Brisket sandwich - average. The brioche bun was nice. Popular are Brisket Fries. I didn't get them, but will get them next time. read more

This place is highway robbery! You're paying for convenience & they're reaping the profits. I love the concept but the beer selections & the pricing were terrible. At sixty cents an ounce or more, your definitely being taken advantage of. They also serve food in this huge hall & have limited patio seating. It was my first visit & will certainly be my last as I tried 4 beers equaling less than a full pour in total & had to pay $12! read more

Great concept!!! Love the open atmosphere! They make it quite easy to hang out and drink for hours! All the beers I tried from all four breweries were great! Shame the kitchen closes earlier than beer though so was sad to miss it. 4 stars because sometimes the beers didn't pour when charged or had excessive head occasionally so that was slightly frustrating. Will definitely keep coming though! read more

District Brew Yards - Always a good time! - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great ambiance and lots of great beer and seltzer choices. Lots of available street parking. Nice to be able to pour what you want, try as much as you'd like and keep track of what's being spent along the way. The food lines were long but everything is pretty good. read more

District Brew Yards - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The "Pour Your Own" concept at play at West Loop's District Brew Yards is a great way to try several beers from their featured breweries. With four breweries and many taps, the selection is outstanding. There is plenty of seating, even when busy. We were there during the Titan Walls mural festival, which was a really nice time. Paying per ounce can get rather costly, but it's pretty great that one can keep track of how things are adding up with every pour. Everyone being issued their own key card to swipe is an awesome setup when going out as a group since everyone is paying their own way, and there is no stress over splitting the check. This is something I really favor. A solid curation of board games is on hand for those who want to enjoy some recreation with their liquids. I witnessed some pre-teens/teens with their parents really enjoying the games while their parents chatted away. That was pretty cool because despite the fact the focus is beer, DBY lacks the bar vibe and is definitely a place where a parent wouldn't feel off for having their offspring in tow. We did not order food, but they do have eats, of the BBQ variety. There is also a grab-and-go section for taking beer home if you find something you really enjoy. Their outdoor area has seating as well, so I could see this being a great stop in the summer with a friend group. It was only my husband and me this time, but we will be back, especially to support Twisted Hippo, as they were days away from opening their taps there when we visited. read more

District Brew Yards - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We loved the Brew Yards. This is the first pour-your-own-beer place I have ever been to. It is also the first brewery collective I have visited. Add a retail shop up front for grab-and-go canned beer, a great food menu, and a great indoor/outdoor taproom and this spot is close to perfect. Met up with a friend, sampled more beer than I can name, played some games and had some solid BBQ from the kitchen. I would go back right now if it wasn't 9am on a Monday. read more

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great brewery in Chicago west loop. features beers from different producers along with their own signature beer. it's a serve yourself style place. also has great bbq! plenty of seating inside and out as well. read more

District Brew Yards - Babybask ribs n coleslaw - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Even more impressed than I had anticipated. My husband and I collectively ordered the pulled pork sandwich, the half slab of ribs and the fried pickles. Everything was delicious. The concept is really cool because you only pay for what you drink and you can try a bunch with a smaller glass. There is an outdoor patio as well. We are super excited, and we will be back. This might be our new go to spot! read more

Breweries are popping up all over the place and there's limited space to go around, and in many cases these aren't large enough to have their own buildings and equipment. District Brew Yards has a solution to these brewing issues. It's like a gathering place of a few small breweries which share a space. A few recently have started business. There's others who like to keep it small and this makes the perfect kind of place. An important thing is this place isn't a brewery. It's actually a collection of a few breweries, and there's the ability to try something from each. This is more like a taproom. Also the customers pour their own beer. They give you a card at the beginning to use to activate taps. It's about 60 cents an ounce, which is about $9 for a typical pint of beer. Prices aren't great so be careful pouring. Burnt City Brewing is one of the breweries. They had a few to choose from, including the Flanagan's Extra Fancy. It was an Irish cold stout, and was a smooth beer. Of course you also need food, but there's just a few snacks like chips and such. It's kind of a ripoff at $2 a bag. The better idea is to bring something to eat here. Good place for getting some local beers. It also has a patio which is dog friendly. They also have entertainment like board games and trivia. read more

District Brew Yards - Burnt City Flanagan's Extra Fancy With Kettle Chips - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I dream about these loaded brisket fries weekly. You simply must have them when you venture to this delightful establishment. DBY is one of my friends fave hang spots for the weekend when we're looking to catch up with friends and play some games. One of the best breweries in the city read more

District Brew Yards - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Each time I come to DBY I love it more and more especially since the patio is open and dog friendly! What is better than beer and dogs? Well one thing could be adding some super tasty food! Lillie's Q Barbeque and Chicken Shack has some of the best loaded brisket fries and fried pickles - and I may be overly obsessed with them and order them every time I come. My dog, Rosie, loves to come here too - we have met so many other pet parents and have had such a wonderful time on the patio. And don't forget, you can bring some of the games out to the patio to enjoy in the sun and fresh air. DYB is a 10/10 in my book. And you bet your I'll be back many times! read more

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A very cool, unique brewery experience just a stone's throw from the craft beer giant that started it all nearly 35 years ago. District Brew Yards combines four smaller Chicago breweries (Around the Bend, Burnt City, Bold Dog, and Casa Humilde) under one roof, with self-service pours, seating, and bbq in the front of house, and the production facility behind. The layout and concept are great; Chicago has had Navigator and Tapster for a while, but brewery-exclusive self-pours is a pretty cool idea. Love the decor and the feel, spacious yet homey, almost like a lodge feel on those colder days. The pours are definitely on the expensive side ($.75 per ounce for a hazy IPA for example), which can make it difficult to sample several beers, even in 2-3oz pours. Think about it, a 16oz, sub-7% IPA would end up being about $12, fairly outrageous pricing. The quality of the beers are average. While these aren't considered the top breweries in the area, they are each capable of some pretty cool things. ATB's Juice Trials, Bold Dog's Hazy Boi series, solid options. What truly stood out was Burnt City's Raptor Snacks, a west coast IPA build upon a balanced clover and citrus flavor profile that is unlike anything I've ever had before. Despite some of the negatives, DBY is definitely a cool hang, and worth a trip for any beer lover. read more

District Brew Yards - a glass of beer on a bar counter - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We have been to District Brew Yards a couple of times now and we absolutely love it every time. Between the four brewery options to choose from and the scrumptious Lillie's Q barbecue, it has everything that you could want for an evening out! The brewery options are Around the Bend, Burnt City, Bold Dog, and Casa Humilde Cervecería Artesanal. With over 40 different taps that you pour from with your pay-at-the-end card, there is something for everyone! I tried a few beers from each brewery and loved them all. However the ginger beer from Burnt City and the Pistachio Cream Ale from Around the Bend were my favorites. My husband loved the juicy IPA from Around the Bend. We got a few four packs at the end to go because they have a market where you can get almost every beer to go. So cool! We also loved the food from Lillie's Q barbecue. I got the brisket taco special and it was divine. Tender, juicy, and drizzled with a cream salsa verde...I'd get it every time if it was added to the menu! My husband got the pulled pork sandwich and loved it. We shared the coleslaw and potato salad and it was the perfect addition to our meals! Another fantastic part of District Brew Yards is all the space to spread out with friends: inside and out on the patio. You can really social distance FOR COVID safety AND have groups together. We held my husbands birthday here pre-COVID and it was the perfect gathering spot: spacious! We loved the outdoor patio with covered cabanas that you can reserve and wood fire pits to stay warm. It is wonderfully dog friendly, too! Staff were friendly. Logistics were easy to figure out with the pay-at-the-end card. Prices are solidly okay...a bit pricey but worth it. And everything is clean, artistically decorated, and inviting. We love District Brew Yards and cannot wait for our next visit! read more

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We stopped here as part of a brewery tour. My eldest is really into trying new beers (and brewing). This is a really cool and unique model, with 4 smaller breweries sharing a building and a 'pay by ounce' you-pour experience. They had games available and it was a pretty cool vibe. read more

District Brew Yards - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cool spot. Very nice open atmosphere. Plenty of seating inside and out. Clean. Good food. Good beer selection. Self serve is cool for a change. Staff is friendly. Dogs are not allowed inside because they serve food but there is a decent outdoor area where they are allowed. There is room for improvement with the music they are playing. They could use touch tunes in here. Overall, a good experience. Will recommend, will return. read more

I stopped by around 3 one day after work to have a couple beers. The beers came out foamy and I had to try a couple times to get a glass, you get charged for that. That was my only issue, I would go again but NOT right when they open. read more

Great time in the west loop hanging out in a big open space with 5 local breweries on self pour taps. Grab some games from the wall while you work your way through a great beer selection and enjoy some solid BBQ while you're at it. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, don't forget some pictures from the a cool little Photo Booth. read more

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