A beer for everyone! Fun for large groups. Great patio vibes and the BBQ was delish. However I ordered the beautiful banana pudding and it was warm. Wish they would have pulled me one from the fridge instead of from display. read more

District Brew Yards - Banana pudding - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Being from Texas I have high expectations of barbecue and the District Brew Yards delivered. The food was delicious with fast service. Our order: Pulled pork Banana pudding Fried pickles Fried chicken sandwich Flamin hot Mac n cheese There are four breweries to choose from with covid restrictions in place and at least two hard seltzer options for those who do not like beer. The atmosphere was lively and the staff were all helpful and kind. They do not take reservations, however when I arrived the line was to the end of the block and I only waited estimate 20 minutes. My group was seated indoors and it was quite loud - if this is a concern for you I recommend eating in their spacious outdoor area. read more

District Brew Yards - 1\2 Pound Pulled Pork, fried pickles, flamin hot Mac N Cheese*, banana pudding - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The perfect big group hangout spot! The idea of a self serve location with different breweries is amazing. Even better, there's great food too. You absolutely need to get the chicken tenders!! I still Think about them. There's some table games too. I would say the only downfall is the parking. It's street parking, but the sidewalks and road isn't the best (needs repairs and more lighting). There's staff around to help as needed, but sometimes it's hard to spot them. read more

Expensive but nice. I recommend the lagers. The ambiance was welcoming. Food took a bit bit worth the wait

This place was really cute for a Saturday afternoon. You get a card which allows you to pour your own beer all night! I ran into some confusion on my first pour but the staff was quickly there to help instruct on how to do this. The overall layout was very simple and sleek, most groups seemed to be sharing space amongst the long tables. They provided a variety of games for entertainment and it seemed to be a hit across the place! We did order a pretzel from their food counter. The pretzel was incredible, came with cheese and mustard. It was a great dish to share amongst the table. I did really enjoy this place. Cool experience to be your own bar tender with a variety of beers! I would fill my cup a little less than half way each fill so I got to enjoy a variety of the drafts. read more

District Brew Yards - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very good selection of beers and food is always very good and fresh!!! Amazing place on the neighborhood!

When I heard about Brew Yards opening, I was interested in checking it out, but kind of assumed it wouldn't be a regular spot. Oh, was I wrong! I know there are other pour your own spots, but we haven't made our way to them, so this was a first for us. When they first opened, they only had 3 breweries and the 4th wall was home brewers and guest beers. While I was sad to see Hop Butcher go (they were available sometimes), Casa Humilde took over that wall and I feel has since really helped diversify the clientele. ATB, Burnt City and Bold Dog are also residents and damn, where did Bold Dog come from?? They've had some really solid stuff. I don't rate places on beer, because it's subjective and some places with great beer have terrible staff and vice versa, but in general, we usually find some great options. ATB has some of the nicest and most helpful staff at the pouring stations, hands down! Now, the food here is up in the air. The chicken sandwich hit the spot, but the sides were bland and disappointing. Sometime during their Oktoberfest menu, our friend got the pretzel and sausage combo and the pretzel was dry and a waste of money. The sausage made up for it, but if I had spent money on the giant pretzel (which I was tempted to do, because I love giant pretzels), I would have been annoyed. A different time, another friend ordered the pastrami and said it was good, but he wouldn't get it again. So, when it comes to food, we usually eat before or after, because I'm not spending $12+ for bland, average food. Except for maybe the chicken sandwich, if I'm really, really hungry. Sundays are double point days, so if you've got out of town guests, put them on your tab and have them send you money later. Get those points!! Sundays also seem to be when they don't have anyone to help around the stations, which means there's no one there to grab your card ASAP if you accidentally leave it in the slot. I didn't do this, but someone else did and luckily one of the staff found it before he had a bill for beers he didn't drink! Hahaha. The staff is also really good about addressing a keg running out or a really bad pour. If something like this happens, just let one of them know! Lastly, Bold Dog seems to have events once a month or so that are dog friendly. These are in the brewery and not the tap room, so you enter on the side with your pup! We've only been able to make it to one, but I love that they're doing these. In general, Brew Yards is hosting lots of little events and they do yoga, so there's often something going on! Oh, and Casa Humilde has a different artist every month featured on their wall, which I love! I found one of my favorite sets of artists (sisters from Little Village) on a restaurant wall years ago, so I love that they do this! Brew Yards has become a favorite of ours and even when we try to "just have one", we end up there for a lot longer than one. Also, when the weather permits, the windows are open and you just can't beat sitting there and enjoying the fresh air! Really though, I love sitting in the middle at a bench and looking up. Now, one final thing, that I won't let change my rating, as this won't matter to most people, unless Brew Yards decides to do this again. The NYE party was a little chaotic. Ok, I lied. It was really chaotic. I asked once we left if it was them, or if another company handled it all, and they confirmed this was the case. Based on the other events that specific company puts on, we would have skipped it, BUT, we got the super super early bird deal (ahem, around $50 with taxes and fees), and for unlimited beer and food, I'd do it again for that price/close to that price. I wouldn't do it for pretty much most of the other price increases, which, at one point they were as much as $120 or so (without fees), but of course that was last minute stuff. Who knows how many tickets they sold at each amount, but the pricing kept being changed, which had me wondering just how many people would be there. Well, we got there early and grabbed a table without issue. It ended up pretty crowded within an hour. The "shots" station had a sticky floor surrounding it. I felt like I was at a 5am bar, bringing me back to my early 20s. The line for food was almost always as far back as ATB's wall and when you got up there, it was a gamble as to what would be available. Again, for what we paid, I'd consider doing it again, but there were definite kinks to figure out. We've been to a similar event (Brew Year's Eve), which ran amazingly both times we went, but they moved it up to Ravenswood, so we took the chance with Brew Yards because we knew there'd be beer we like and it's close enough to home. read more

District Brew Yards - Casa Humilde features different artists on their wall every month! - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nice ambiance street parking only, self service you can pour the brew of your choice your given a card linked to your credit card that you tap on whichever beer you want they charge you per ounce. Only hang up is that its way overpriced a typical lager was around $10 a pint(16 oz glass) read more

Fun and easy place to have a beer and food with friends! The wings are bomb, def recommend. Lots of good beer options. They do have an outdoor patio, with some fires to stay warm read more

On April 26,2019; I had the opportunity to attend the District Brew Yards Chicago Grand Opening here are my thoughts. District Brew Yards Chicago is a collective of pour-your-own beers. The operation is cashless, with chip cards tried to the credit card you use upon entry. The most welcoming person was security. The owner carving the meat needs a refresher food safety course. Meat should be carved with a knife and fork, so your hands are not touching the meat, when you're carving it. The other food service line staff members were friendly and courteous. The cleaning crew members was very helpful regarding which barbecue sauce to use. Which was helpful. The place has massive seating which was a plus. The seating area was packed with new comers. By the time I got a seat my the beef brisket was cold and dry. The greens were hot and seasoned very well (tasty). In the the ladies room, one customer commented "The water in the bathroom is colder than beer." UGH The overall experience would be a three. read more

See all

The concept is pretty cool, self serve & what not. I've had 2 beers so far, both pricey & not very good.. It's definitely a vibe in here tho, a good place to go with a group of people. But just be ready to spend a good amount of $$ on below average beer. read more

If you want to feel like you're drinking in a factory this is for you. Beers close to 2x price because it's pour your own. Stupid lines to order food because they're too cheap to pay someone to take your order and everyone is figuring out the screen system. They have no one working here and are charging a premium for it while you wait in line. Impressive read more

Great food! Great beer options! Fun atmosphere. Great place for an evening out. Not much parking, but that is to be expected.

Had a great experience there today! We have been picky about where we go the past couple weeks due to Covid, but District Brew Yards is doing an amazing job! Everyone wore masks inside, and their patio is super spread out in the back. They have an organized protocol for pouring beer and there are people enforcing. Also the beer and BBQ is great!! Super impressed!! read more

District Brew Yards - Our food platter: Mac and cheese, chicken fingers, pimento, potato salad - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food was great best fried pickles I think that I've ever had. I got the tri tip sandwich and my husband got the brisket sandwich both amazing. We wanted to try the hot Cheetos Mac n cheese but went with the regular one. It was decent. Interesting that the BBQ sauce was in packets for the sandwiches. So many beers to choose from you'll find one you'll like. Def go back. read more

Really enjoyed the ambiance and idea of self-pour here. The ability to try a variety of beers (40+) using a price per ounce method that allowed for small 1 oz tasting or full pours. The price of the pour ranged from $0.50 per oz to $0.80 per oz depending on the beer you get. There were at least 10 different IPAs that I was able to try as well as sours, scotch ales, pilsners, saisons, and hefeweizens. Between two people we spent about $60 which was very reasonable. The atmosphere is nice as there is a lot of seating, food, and games that can be played. Although it can get loud, we were still able to converse with our group just fine. I would definitely recommend heading here for a drink or five! read more

District Brew Yards - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Loved the idea and concept. Pour your own beer and charge by the ounce! Everything is priced right in front of you. Essentially you could make your own flights and tastings. Very casual atmosphere with a bunch of games to play with your group or date. The food is top notch as well. Only drawback is zero tv's so watching any games will not happen. We will absolutely recommend and come back. read more

It's really fun to drink here, try new beers, enjoy the atmosphere with the board games, string lights etc. I'm not giving 5 stars because the food is just okay. This place has the potential to be the new Green Street Smoked Meats, which we all know is ALWAYS hoppin. But the food is very mediocre barbecue while Green Street's barbecue is AMAZING. It's also kinda hard to hear people. Loud music and awkwardly big tables. Would definitely recommend but just maybe eat somewhere else? read more

I love this place. One of my new favorite spots in Chicago easily. There are a couple other places in Chicago that do the pour your own drink thing, but I think it's really amazing that all the beer you pour here is made in house. Additionally, it's pretty affordable compared to a lot of those other pour your own drink places. What a lot of people don't realize is that beer is a food product. The closer to the source you have it, the better. I like the wide variety they offer here too and the glass recommendations on how to enjoy the beer as well. It literally makes it easy enough to keep drinking beer the right way even when your get pretty trashed. Lastly the food here is delicious but also makes you hate yourself cause it's so rich. I'm a fan of salty meat so the pastrami they had almost made me cry. All of their bbq is honestly really good and just as good as green street meats to me. The different brewery options let me experience a lot of different flavors but also is an effective way for me to support 3 Chicago breweries at once! read more

District Brew Yards - All the bbq - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

No non-alcoholic options. Called ahead multiple times without an answer. They told me I was not allowed to bring in any N/A option, even asked about a corking-fee. read more

Steve & company do a wonderful job. Beers are fresh & fantastic. Bbq is authentic & delicious. Nice outdoor patio seating. Cant wait to come back soon. read more

I want to like it so much but the food selection just didn't hit the spot. We popped in and some of the beers were out, mainly the ones I was looking at. They should really strike a deal with the parking lot owners next door. Don't park there of you will be towed. Regardless, worth a shot with a group. read more

See all

The beers were great and the atmosphere was perfect... But I had the worst customer experience I've had in a very long time. Everyone was extremely rude to us, would consider not returning. Edit- Manager reached out to clarify details and had a conversation with the employee. Very impressed with the timely response, I will absolutely return. Thanks Steve for taking feedback seriously! read more

First time at District Brew Yards The good- great selection, nice space, feels good with the windows open. The front desk was helpful in explaining how things work, most importantly of the beers I tried (2) wife had (2) they were good. (beer that tastes good is almost a given...) The not great for me- I personally am not a fan of the pour my own concept. If I wanted to pour my own beer I would do something amazing and stay home on the balcony. It reminds me of the "convenience"... of checking myself out at the grocery store, or like the restaurants that are so "convenient" now that no one waits on you... place your order at the table with an app. In the service industry, not having someone wait on me is not convenient at all. I actually go out to eat or to drink because I enjoy being waited on. Call me old fashioned, and I like to be served. At the bar, at a brewery in a restaurant. I am actually paying a premium to be waited on, that's why I pay more for a beer at an establishment then at Jewel to take home and drink. The other piece for me that I don't love, not sure that this is a concept thing as much as a trend is that when I go to a brewery I expect to get a good price for my beer. I am after all at the brewery, the place it's made. The prices are not good here (again this may be more of a brewery thing lately as I have noticed rising prices in the brewery district.) I am not only pouring my own beer but paying a premium for it too = not a fan. It's different when I am in the heart of the west loop and am staring out into a sea of bros and interesting sights and I expect to pay a premium. I am staring at a particularly sad piece of Ashland right here. The no kids thing, while I understand and respect the owners decision to make this 21 and over and I don't necessarily disagree with it. It does limit me from bringing my beer friends with little ones. If someone invites me out to get a drink here I would go (this is low hanging fruit as whenever I get invited out for a drink, I go) I won't be back because I think oh, that place is a great place to get a beer. I did not try the food. I hope they do well, I love breweries and want them to succeed, and I think it's great for a business to open in the neighborhood. read more

District Brew Yards - Sad view out the open windows. - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is awesome, I love the concept! It really gives you the chance to try whatever beer you want without committing to a full pour, or bugging the bartender for a taste. How it works; you check in when you arrive they give you a beer card which is tied to whatever card you gave them at the time of check in (to pay with) and this is basically your beer pass that allows you to pour whatever you desire and how ever much you want. As you fill up at the beer tap of your choice, you can see the balance on your card and how much you filled up in price and amount each time. Also, I really like how there is no tipping, I get it, you are doing all the work yourself (self service) but you don't have to worry about the staff who are there helping you and giving you recommendations they will proudly tell you they are paid hourly and no tips are necessary, so you don't feel any guilt. I did not try the food here, so I can't speak to that, but the beer experience was great and I will definitely be back in the near future to try some more brews. read more

New pour yourself tap room that just opened up last Friday, conveniently located next to the Chicago Brewery District on the near west side (which features On Tour, Great Central, and Goose Island breweries) While most pour yourself taprooms I've seen feature several breweries, and 1-2 taps from each, DBY has just 3, and soon a 4th, breweries, so you have around 8-10 beers from each brewery to sample, so it's essentially as if you're visiting 3 brewery tap rooms in one. The 3 currently there are Burnt City, Around the Bend and Bold Dog. I got to try several beers, without having to spend a lot of money as I poured however much I wanted. They have food, but I'd just ate and didn't get to try. It looked good though. Lots of table space, and high tops to stand at. It was opening weekend and of course packed, but not too bad, we all got our beer pretty fast. Each station had a brewer at their station to help explain the beers on tap, which was useful. No parking lot, but street parking is pretty easy, and it's right by the Ashland L stop. I'm sure I will be back much more taking other friends here. read more

This review is coming from a cocktail drinker, not a beer person. Great concept and wonderful place to gather a group a friends to eat, drink beer, and play random games. Really great to have your own pay cards and not worry about tabs and bills, etc. Casual/modern place with a warm feel. The beers were okay (again, coming from a cocktail drinker). They could use a new selection of ciders...only three kinds and all not desirable (at least to me). The food was delicious. I had brisket, pretzel, and elote to share with my guy. They have sauces on the side to choose and they are really great with allowing you to sample different things on their menu. I had a great time with a group of friends for a bday celebration. They also have events going on that seem really fun as well. You like having beer and a bite with your friends, check this place out. :) read more

This was our first visit here, and right off the bat we were very pleased. One of the employees, Juan, was exceedingly helpful and went above and beyond to really make sure our experience was good. We will certainly be back and cant wait for our next visit! **Also, we felt very safe and everything was SUPER clean!!! Thank you for making us feel so comfortable! read more

District Brew Yards - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love the concept, and have enjoyed ourselves each time we've been there. Having four breweries in one place (they just added the 4th) is a great way to try different things while still getting a good feel for the individual breweries. The food is excellent: Great BBQ, tasty sauces, and a good selection of options to soak up the beer. (We miss the Burnt City baked beans, though! Those were phenomenal!) The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is because we've tried about a dozen Around the Bend beers and almost every single one has been awful. Today, for example, we tried an orange and chocolate stout. It somehow managed to not taste of orange, chocolate, or stout. Every time we come we say "okay, we're done with ATB" and every time we come back we get lured in with some yummy sounding description. Every time it's terrible. But everything else is good. I especially like Casa Humilde. They do some solid beer. read more

Really love this concept. I like beer but can't drink much without getting full, so to be able to try many different types in small amounts is fantastic. The space is gigantic and airy, and wasn't overly crowded on a weekend. My only quibble is the detergent they use for washing the glasses have a strong chlorine smell that really does no favors for their beers. We also tried the food, which is a very limited menu of bbq meats. While standing in line, we saw the guy behind the counter take out this gigantic piece of jiggly brisket to slice. Thinking that's what goes o to the brisket sandwich, we ordered that and watched in dismay as he dug his hands beneath the counter and pile mounds of gray mystery shredded meat onto the buns. My husband went back to get the brisket by the pound and got the really thing, so don't get the sandwiches (which were not bad but can't compare with the fatty tender brisket slices). The potato salad was weird, guess they tried to make it different by using purple potatoes but the texture wasn't creamy enough and the flavor wasn't that delicious either. Wish they had a more extensive food menu to pair with the beers, then they'd really take off! Parking is super easy in the area. The only service is people coming around to collect food trays and used glasses, which was very efficient. We'll be back for sure! read more

See all

Fun place to bring a group and try a bunch of beers. Play games, sit on the patio, and you can get food!

Super chill place. Great food if you like BBQ, which I do! It's a pretty cool setup. You basically get a credit card and charge it as your pour beer from four different breweries. Easily try 20 different kinds of beer for less than $40. read more

Yum so may delicious beers. Amazing ambiance....relaxed environment with amazing beer garden. Christmas in October! read more

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

Visited the Wheeling location on what I believe was their first day open (Yelp doesn't recognize that location yet). Super clean and well-designed place! Staff was incredibly courteous and helpful, from management to the buss staff as well as the smiling young lady with the "staff" shirt on who stopped by our table and asked us if we had any questions. Nice touch! -Love the concept. You receive an open-ended card upon arrival by providing your credit card for a staff member to scan (you get it back immediately). Several breweries under one roof, using their card at each tap, you pour your own beer, pay as you go (priced by the ounce, totals are displayed as you pour plus the balance on your card) and drink as little (If you want a teaspoon-sized taster you can do that!) or as much as you want. Various types of glasses are provided near each brewery station. No cash transacted, no servers, bartenders or tipping. -Food is offered from 3 different providers. Order at a kiosk, pick up a few minutes later. Paper menus are also available to browse before ordering. We had fantastic Lillie Qs BBQ (had it before at their Bucktown location), a bit pricey, but what isn't these days? -Love the fact that no little kids/babies (actually sign says "no one under 21") are allowed in the rather large area where beers are poured and consumed (actually saw this enforced!). Kids are allowed in the food ordering and eating area (beer can be consumed here too). -Beer is a bit pricey, averaging about $.60 cents per ounce, or $9 per pint, but there is no tipping, and since my wife is unable to finish any 16 oz beer without me chugging it before we leave, neither of us drank more than we should have or wasted any beer. If you are a slow drinker, you can pour a half glass, then go back for more keeping your draft fresh and cold. Need to think about this for a second in terms of value: How many times at a regular bar do you find yourself chugging a half glass of warm swill just so you can be served a new cold beer? The selection is awesome with several different freshly brewed pilsners, IPAs, stouts, ales and specialty beers to choose from between the various breweries. -Only suggestion I have is to install a couple of big flat screen TVs in strategic areas for gameday viewing. I realize that the attraction of this place is the great beer and social environment, but I would say that this would only enhance the atmosphere and attract fans of various sports while keeping them there longer drinking your beers! read more

District Brew Yards - From dining area looking into the beer tap pouring area. - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What an awesome new addition to West Towns brewery district! The BBQ from burnt city was excellent and the pour your own beer concept made for a super fun and engaging cashless experience. Oh, and don't forget to grab a 4 pack on your way out! read more

See all

Been to 25+ breweries across Chicagoland. All kid friendly. That's the perk of most breweries. My wife called before we left home to ask if they have high chairs. It was a yes. We arrive, and told it's no kids unless you want to sit outside. No context for reason. Staff extremely rude. So many families in west town, think you would allow kids. Great concept, poor execution. read more

Love the pour-your-own concept and they do it very well here! When you first arrive, you check in and are given a card that works for all of the beer and the food. There are taps on all of the walls for four of their in-house breweries, and the entire selection was great when we went. You scan your card at the tap for the beer you want, and then pour the amount you want. It'll show you how much you've poured and how much you've spent. Really affordable way to sample all the different beers! They have plenty of tables and a lot of board games as well. We also tried their food (barbecue) and enjoyed that too. read more

Cute interior! It's a pour your own brewery with a huge selection. They have a kitchen (BBQ food it appears that smells delicious) to grab a bite at while sipping on some of the different beers. They also have board games for entertainment. Definitely will be back. read more

District Brew Yards - Beer - Brewpubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It was okay. Food was a bit pricey (like, $23 for nachos) and they only had beers on tap. That surprised me that they had no wines, ciders, or cocktails on tap for the size of the place. Plenty of space for you to connect and meet up with friends. If you love beers and have no budget, this is the place for you. read more

offensively expensive. Think $12+ for a pint. No idea what's going on here. Be warned