I LOVED First Draft. If we were locals, this would be our go to place. Plenty of comfy seating and a bunch of TVs strategically placed so everyone had a good view. Volume was great...not to loud that you couldn't hold a conversation and not so low that you couldn't hear the music. Excellent selection of draft beers as well as a fully stocked bar with lots of variety. Bar staff was extremely friendly and knowledgeable on offerings. Food was delicious. We split a Chicago Beef sandwich and it was loaded with meat and the perfect amount of cheese and toppings. The fries were nicely cooked and perfectly seasoned. Cool Halloween decorations as well!! read more

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Visiting for game day? Fan of team a team outside area ? No worries. My friends, and I visited Chicago for the MNF game. Somehow we happened upon First Draft. Great atmosphere. Friendly staff, and good eats! Visiting for game day? Fan of team a team outside area ? No worries. They put Washington game to on. In my opinion best time to visit would be mid day. I recommend the smash burger or shrimp po boy. Next time i'am up that way, I'll definitely hit this spot up again. read more

First Draft - shrimp po boy. remoulade on side - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Smoked Pastrami Sandwich! That's it, that's the post. Go get it neow!!!!! Seriously, it's so freaking good. I've only ordered it as takeout. No complaints. Tastes like smoked beef brisket, but make it juicy corned beef. read more

We came here for an early lunch and some bottomless mimosas! They were for sure flowing! We had great drink service. For entrees we got the pretzel bites and pastrami ruben. The pretzel bites were pretty good! The pimento cheese was unique and very tasty. We ended up splitting the ruben and it was still a huge portion and a 10/10. There was a ton of meat and flavor to it. Overall this is the spot for some above average bar food! The ruben is the best and what they are mostly known for. We would come back here for some good bar food! read more

First Draft - Pretzel Bites - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Solid sports bar with good food offerings. The menu is all sandwiches and appetizers, so you won't find anything like a pasta. That said, the chicken burger is very good, as are the sweet potato and regular fries. There are tons of screens to watch games and they do a good job splitting them up/not being on the weather channel or a cooking show because someone isn't paying attention. There was not game audio on the Saturday night I went but there were no local teams playing. It's not clearly a team bar so that may not ever be a priority. Music playing was classic rock, which was great, but it was much too loud. Service was pretty good for a table seat, but again hard to hear because of the music. I didn't love that the server was taking care of a baby and passing it off to other people before making rounds. That delayed our initial contact and drink order, etc. as she wasn't as attentive to customers. It's outside my immediate neighborhood but I would definitely go back to eat, drink, and watch sports. read more

Great atmosphere! Friendly people, excellent service, chill vibes, and fantastic food!! I love their Caesar salad and I add shrimp to it. Their hummus with fresh veggies is phenomenal! I've also enjoyed the Chicago beef sandwich, chicken wings, fried pickle chips, churro bites and more. They have a fabulous beer selection and offer pairing suggestions in the menu. Spacious interior and lovely outdoor patio. It's a great place to relax, enjoy a nice meal, and watch sports. read more

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When I first walked in here, I was greeted by a bartender to take my order during the final World Cup game. It's very clear that they have a system here where we don't have to fight to get a drink from the bar. There's also a gentleman holding the door open letting us in and out from the outdoor seating and tv area. The bartender was never once annoyed or made me feel like I inconvenienced her for a drink. No eye rolling and made great drink suggestions. I'm a Guinness gal and will only tolerate stouts and she suggested a great one that I enjoyed and a great local beer for my husband. Although crowded, this place had order and structure (which I can appreciate) to enhance the experience when it was super crowded. I was still able to enjoy the game! read more

First Draft - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Usually really enjoy all the food here and the french fries are a must! The drinks are always good especially all the beers on tap and the service is great. However, last time I went I got the mac and cheese and it was unfortunately not good! It had almost a tang that left a coating in the mouth. Otherwise, this place was great read more

First Draft - mac and cheese - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food at First Draft Chicago is amazing, but you specifically need to order the Smoked Pastrami Reuben. It is loaded with a massive amount of tender, smoky brisket pastrami, Swiss, and sauerkraut on a toasted marble rye. The flavor balance is completely on point. Great atmosphere, excellent service, and a top tier sandwich. It Pairs really good with a local IPA!! 100% recommend!! read more

First Draft - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was excited to come back to this place for an amazing vegan pulled pork Sammie only to find out that they no longer had it. I made the best of it, though, and tried out their Brussels sprouts and pretzel bites. Both were good, although the sprouts had a slight edge. The bartender was attentive and there was ample opportunity for people watching if you weren't into any of the games showing on the wall to wall tvs. I look forward to stopping in again sometime. read more

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At this point, I consider myself an authentic First Drafter!!! I love the wings and Macdaddy burger so much that I'd invest in them commercially. There's something about their fries that intrigue me as well. The service has always been great for me, whether it was busy or not. It's a great place to catch a sporting game and vibe with some good tunes as well. read more

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This place has a great happy hour. Cheep drink and 10 buck cheese curds and pretzel bites, both are amazing! Rest of the food options and quite good as well, with a cool bar and nice atmosphere. Only thing keeping it from a 5 is the service we had that night, or lack there of I should say. Took forever for our waitress to come back, I would usually have to flag her down and she was walking by past our empty bottles and plates. She did seem a little busy but can at least acknowledge us. Will definitely be back tho. Will update next trip! read more

First Draft - Cheese curds and pretzel bites. 10 bucks fitting happy hour! - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I checked out First Draft while visiting Chicago. Great place to watch sports if you are interested. I went with a group just to eat dinner. I was debating between the Slammin Salmon Sammie and the Cowboy Brisket Burger. The cowboy brisket burger was huge. I couldn't even make a dent in it. I kind of wish I had gone with the Salmon sandwich. The entrees are served with options of fries, salt and vinegar chips, potato salad, cole slaw or a side salad. I got fries with my burger. The fries were the hand cut potatoe fries. They were soft and a little crunchy but lacked the saltiness. Again great place to check out if you are interested in watching sports. read more

First Draft - Cowboy Brisket Burger - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We went to First Draft with a large party. The waitress was super kind and patient. We all rolled in over the course of a half hour. Some of us wanted to just drink others wanted finger food and others were famished. Eventually all of us were able to order drinks and food. The waitress forgot to put in a burger so when everyone got their meal one of us was left to salivate. We flagged the bus boy down and he was able to correct the situation in about 10 minutes. This is a cozy bar in the heart of downtown. I'm sure it's super busy when things are going on but on a normal week night, there was still a few empty spots and a good stop to just chill and absorb a Chicago pub! read more

Stopped in for lunch on New Years day after checking into our nearby hotel. Atmosphere is typical Chicago bar with lots of TVs and seating. We were greeted right away and drink orders taken while we looked over the menu. Menu had a lot of great options, we chose the kids cheese quesadilla, grilled chicken caesar wrap and burger. I am not normally a fry lover, but these fires were hand cut and had the perfect seasoning; they were the best I've had in a long time. The burger and wrap were very tasty, good amount of sauce in the wrap. Overall this was a great find and we'd return in the future. read more

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I've been here a few times, and unfortunately, every visit has been overshadowed by the same bartender. I believe his name is Ryan or Brian? He has red hair and arm tattoos. He worked on a Wednesday, when we were there but I remember him telling us he works weekends too. Every time my friends and I have been there, he has made us incredibly uncomfortable. He's repeatedly hit on us, given us free shots, and then made it feel as though those drinks came with some sort of expectation attached. What initially seems like harmless flirting consistently gets pushed a step too far, to the point where I leave feeling genuinely gross about the interaction. Free drinks don't feel like a perk when they're being used to make women feel like they owe a bartender their attention. I'm newer to the neighborhood and would love to have more local spots I feel comfortable being a regular at, but this isn't one of them. It's especially disappointing when the person making you feel unsafe is a member of the bar staff... it's the very people you should be able to trust if someone is making you uncomfortable. As a woman, I won't ever recommend this place based on my experiences here. I shouldn't have to mentally prepare myself to fend off a bartender's advances just to have a drink with my friends. read more

Great brew pub in the printer's row part of downtown. They have a wide variety of brews on tap with a nice selection of appetizers and pub grub. The staff is very friendly and the atmosphere is laid back bar style. It's also a great place to pre-game before a show at the Auditorium Theater. read more

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We ordered the Chicago Beef and Honey Mustard Chicken sandwiches to go. Both were incredible. Although it was very busy, I was helped within one minute of arriving. While we didn't dine in, the dining room and bar felt very comfortable and welcoming. read more

First Draft - Honey mustard chicken sandwich and Brussels sprouts - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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64 craft beers including Weihenstephan. Great place to stop on the way to or from the boat tours for anything from the full bar or beyond basic bar menu. I'm not from around here, but Chevy welcomed me just the same as the true locals. Stop by and hang around, you won't regret it. read more

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I like this spot for a good beer in south loop. They have a great selection, a good happy hour, and varied food menu. The service is great and the ambiance is sports bar meets Chicago. A little historical, but with newer TVs to see your favorite team play. read more

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Was looking at this place online was excited pets are "welcome" and they have a pet menu WELL upon arriving we were stoked about trying a new "pet friendly" place we tried to get seating outside & right as I was picking up my 8Lb pup a short chubby bald white man in a condescending tone tells us "DOGS CANT BE IN HERE" we'll sir I was simply trying to get seating outside you could have welcomed us & simply said "I'm sorry pets aren't allowed in here" but instead you were extremely rude & condescending not the kind of place I would want to patronize! Safe to say we WONT be trying this place & maybe hire friendlier staff! read more

I like this place. The Reuben sandwich was solid with nice thick and tender meat with toppings you'll typically get for others. The Pretzel bites are pretty tasty and the cheese curds are too. It's a nice place to hit up after work or to catch some games and has a nice amount of different beers on tap. It has a longer bar and plenty of other seating options. Service has been good each time I've went. I'll be back to try some more food for sure. read more

a great selection of craft beers. If you want to hang out and watch the big game.. This is the perfect place to be. Our food was delicious. I had the half roasted chicken and it was amazing. service was friendly. read more

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We were in town for a family celebration and were looking for a place to watch the Indiana Fever game. We called First Draft and he said come on in we can set you up. It was so fun and friendly the first night we went back the second night. Great food, great atmosphere and very nice wait staff. If ever back in the area will be sure to stop in. read more

First Draft - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is great for a bar--food was outstanding as was the service and beer selection (if that's what you are into). Excellent ambiance and atmosphere and good music selection. This spot's fun, friendly atmosphere, a wonderful food selection and a ton of televisions make for a great place to relax and unwind, and have a great time. read more

Delicious bar/pub in Chicago that had Americana food and a musicbox for anyone willing to splurge on coin, First Draft offers a wide variety of burgers and sandwiches as well as every drink you can offer. This place definitely feels like it'd be more lively during a game day or a weekend but due to the fact that we had a festival and this was next to our hotel, we went with it for lunch in which it was not busy at all. And we are kinda glad because the food here was on point. It's nothing special and more simplistic and most but everyone had a burger in one form or another and some often for sweet potato fries or fried pickles. They were well seasoned and were filling. Overall I could see this place as more of a drinking spot than a food place but given that we had a complete meal here I'd got to give props. read more

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Looking for a place to watch the Ravens/Chiefs game, I found First Draft down the street from my hotel. It just happened to be on at the same time as the Bears game so I did not get a table nor did I get a good viewing spot for the one TV showing the Ravens game. I stood at the back of the room and enjoyed some beer on tap while shaking my head at the Ravens pitiful attempt at a win. Bartender Haley was great. Fun sports bar with good selection of beer on tap. Energetic crowd for Da Bears. read more

Good ole fashion bar with slightly elevated food. Bartender was super nice and helped out pick in beers out. No frills spot. would go back read more

I am giving them a 1 star review for feeling disappointed almost every time I am there. Thieves! Added a zero to my tip to steal $180 for me. Not the first time I've been disappointed neither. 1st experience: bartended lied about late night menu. I had to ask another server just to get an order of sweet potato fries at 8PM. 2nd experience: smelled like urine and diarrhea at 2PM in the afternoon as I walked in so I just walked out after a minute. 3rd experience: okay but not great 4th experience: woke up with a sore throat and nasal congestion (only 2 drinks, appetizers, and sandwich so I wasn't hung over). Lasted more than 2 weeks. 5th experience: ordered a variety of food items and drinks for me and my friend and some people I met at the bar. After a few days, I checked my credit card and they stole $180 by adding a zero to the $20 tip. My tab went from $225 to $425 for no reason a few days later. THIEVES! read more

Absolutely get the Ruben!! Probably the best I've ever had. Meaty, Cheesy, Smokey and huge! ... hmm sounds like I'm describing myself!! LOL. The wings were absolute winners as well. Definitely adding First Draft to places to go anytime I'm in town. Be prepared for a wait for a table tho! P.S. Skip the Italian Beef and stick with the RUBEN!! read more

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A fun spot to watch a game or hang out with friends. It is a bit loud for talking but has a lively atmosphere and a varied menu. They have amazing fries and a lot of vegan as well as meat options. Our group opted for mainly meats but after eating the fries I was full! Such a large portion of perfectly cooked and not overly fried potatoes. Yum! If you are in the area this is a great spot to check out for hanging out and good. They have an extensive bar as well so you can get a bit of anything and everything! read more

First Draft - Cider - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The service was great! It was my fault for choosing to go during a big game. And the burger was super tasty.

I was looking for a cozy spot near my lodging to catch a major game and support my team. Although I ended up being the minority fan there, the atmosphere was simply incredible loud, fun, and yet completely respectful from the opposing fans. The service was very fast, and the food was excellent. This is a genuinely great venue with real soul. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an awesome place to catch sports! read more

Generally a pit stop when I visit Chicago, especially since it is easy to find downtown. Lots of great domestic and craft beers with a friendly environment. Very much a slightly above a dive bar bar. Which I appreciate! Dive bars or dive bars-ish are lots of fun. I generally sit at the bar, because it's usually just me or one or two friends. It's also interesting to chat with the bartenders about other Chicago spots to hit up. When I've been, it has been relatively quiet. I imagine it get quite busy later in the afternoon and evening. The bartenders who have served me in the past are generally talkative and happy to answer questions. It's a good spot if you just want to stop for a beer, be around some locals, or watch a game. read more

My husband and I have lived in the area for a couple years now that our kids have left the nest and when we moved in... we really thought this would become our go to regular spot. Unfortunately, our experiences have been all over the map. The food is always pretty good and the atmosphere is lively. Feels like it should be a great corner bar. Unfortunately - the service is all over the place. The head bartender, possibly owner?, with the dark hair is occasionally nice but more often he is incredibly surly. We generally avoid the bar for this reason. Table service is 50/50. We've had more luck lately when we ask for Alex. She is pretty attentive and very friendly, which prompted me to write this review. If all the staff took a page out of that book, we'd visit a lot more frequently. ETA - my husband remembered the name of the grumpy bartender/owner. Danny! read more

Food was great. Service was great. We were here for a New Years holiday and wanted to drop in to see some football. The beer was cold and the portions were large. read more

Staff was so friendly. The happy hour was super cheap, everything being around 5$. We ordered the wings which came out pipping hot. The sauce was a little vinegary but I didn't mind. The wings were very big and juicy. read more

First Draft - Buffalo Chicken Wings - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I recently went to a Christmas at First Draft party and we were cramped into the corner tables by the kitchen and restrooms. There is very little room between the tables and the tables cannot be moved, they are bolted. We were likes sardines in a can. The food was ok, chicken wings and I don't remember the other finger foods, because it was very uncomfortable being cramped up like that. First of all, they should not overbook parties and secondly they should space the tables farther apart. The servers were very nice, but I suggested to the organizers that they book a less crowded location for next year's party. read more

I loved this place! We went after the Chicago marathon and it's a small place which was packed with runners but they accommodated our party of 4 at a small table and even moved us to a larger table after it became available. The server was friendly and fast. We came for the great beer list and I had a delicious stout I'd never had and I loved how the menu linked to Untappd. Ever enjoyed their food we had pretzel bites and fried pickles for aps. Then we got the bbq burnt ends brisket sandwich and fries- so yummy!!! Friends got the turkey wrap and Reuben and loved those too. It was a great vibe with yummy food and beer. We really enjoyed ourselves and got to hang out, watch Sunday night football, and recover from the race. (We were so hungry I didn't get photos of the sandwiches and wrap ) read more

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I stopped by for dinner last night with a friend as we were looking for something casual in the South Loop area. We weren't exactly expecting a quiet dinner spot, but we also didn't expect to have to yell at each other over our table to have a conversation. Ambiance aside, the food was unfortunately pretty subpar. I had the G.O.A.T. sandwich with a side of chili and my friend had the Burnt Ends sandwich with a side of brussel sprouts. The goat on my sandwich was marinated too heavily in my opinion and some pieces were burnt to a crisp. Some bites were extremely sour that I could not finish a third of it. The chili was decent. My friend seemed to have enjoyed her sandwich, but her brussel sprouts were also really burnt. First Draft is a great spot for liquor and appetizers, but I'm not sure that I would come back for a full meal. read more