Yeah, we loved Hopleaf! We had two hours to kill while Apple worked to fix a hardware issue on an…read moreiPhone, so we drove over to Hopleaf in Andersonville. So glad we did! We started with beer from an extensive list (updated daily, per our server). I had a Kwak red ale served in a creative glass with its own little supporting stand. Hubs got an IPA and I can't remember which one. Daughter ordered a ginger ale. All tasty! We started with the poutine fries. Very good!! We cleared the plate. Then I had a smash burger - it was good, but I forgot I am not a fan of American cheese which made the burger...I don't know, creamy? The burger itself was good. Hubs and daughter sampled it and loved it. Hubs had the brisket Reuben and loved it. Daughter had the sausage platter and loved the sausages -- 2 kinds -- and potatoes. No room for dessert. Server was friendly, helpful (on the beer menu especially) and efficient. Other staff made sure we had water, utensils, brought our food, etc. We were well cared for. The building itself is a multi-room plus patio affair, all in brick with hardwood floors and warm lighting. We ate in the dining room but there are two bar areas with large bars and tables, serving from the same menu. There was a pleasant doorman who explained the layout and checked our IDs (no kids allowed). Definitely on the favorite list for Chicago visits.

Hopleaf Bar is hands down one of our favorite spots for dinner and drink in all of Chicago!…read more One key to a successful dinning experience at Hopleaf is knowing the three different spaces to engage. When you first walk in, you have to show your ID since this is an adults-only bar establishment. (1) You can then choose to sit in the front bar area, if you want a full menu, but use the bar for ordering service. (2) If you keep walking through the front bar area, you reach the host stand at the top of the ramp. This is where you can put your name in to sit in the main dining room, upstairs, or outside. (3) However, you can also walk through to the left of the host stand to another bar area that has full menus, but bar service for ordering. This is our preferred spot because we can often find a seat and order with the bar. Do note that, during busy times, part of this bar area is managed by the host stand and will be labeled as such. The extensive beer menu is our favorite. We have our favorite food items, so all our decision making revolves around which beer we will get. They always have a bit of everything style-wise, from all over the world, but with a local-brewery focus. Seasonal emphasis is also taken into consideration when they curate the beer list. It is always rotating and we love it! Beers are served in the recommended glasses from the breweries. It's a great drinking experience from start to finish! Our food orders are eternally set: I get the Nueske Ham sandwich with fries and aioli. My husband gets the Reuben sandwich with fries and aioli. This meal is so perfect we'll probably never get anything different, despite the menu being delicious across the board. The wildest we get is sometimes splitting the two sandwiches. No reason to mess with a good thing! Other notable great things about Hopleaf: (1) Kind, knowledgeable, and professional staff. (2) Reasonable prices for high quality and great variety products. (3) Clean Belgian Bar decor/vibe with lots of space for folks to enjoy their time. (4) They are open late and serve food late. Thank you for being an amazing local spot, Hopleaf! We'll see you soon!

My lovely wife and I visited Is/Was Brewing on a recent Saturday afternoon. It is tucked away on…read moreRavenswood a bit south of Foster. We walked in and the facility was larger than I expected. We decided to drink in the back room, which we had all to ourselves for most of our stay. I decided to order the ominous-sounding Creepies, with bitter orange and elderflower. My love went with Midwest Pale Ale. Both of our beverages were nice and refreshing, though I'd probably try something else on a future visit. My love also enjoyed getting a couple of fun free stickers at the counter.

We found Is Was Brewing after recommendation from another brewery in the area! We were drawn to the…read moreartwork and the proximity, as it was raining! The space itself is quite large, with spots to gather with different sized groups and even some ski ball and other arcade features to entertain. The server was quite friendly and provided us a brief history of the brand, as we were the only ones in the space on a rainy Thursday right when they opened. The beer selection leans toward various types of Saisons. It's definitely an acquired taste and not for everyone, but the ones we had were delicious! I'd recommend the Rustic Brown, as it had a bit of smoke and wasn't as funky as some of the other ones I tasted.

Had lunch today at Little Bad Wolf in Andersonville and ordered the Bad Burger -- and it was…read morephenomenal! Two juicy patties, American cheese, house-made pickles and red onion mayo. Nothing overly complicated -- just a really well-executed burger. Little Bad Wolf has the accolades to back it up. Time Out ranks its larger Wolf Burger #1 in Chicago, while The Infatuation actually prefers the Bad Burger, saying the simpler version allows the meat to shine. After eating it, I understand the hype.

Have you ever heard the story of the Little Bad Wolf... who huffed, and puffed, and blew my socks…read moreaway because of HOW DELICIOUS of an exerience it was? YUP FOLKS. The Little Bad Wolf isn't just a story... it's a phenom dot com restaurant that you NEED to visit! My family and I visited after a Saturday Cubs game and luckily, there were still a handful of tables available and we were promptly seated. The staff were super friendly and provided excellent service! Almost everyone at our table ordered the Wolf Burger after hearing my sister and her husband rave about it. When our orders came to the table, we were all PLEASANTLY surprised at how beautifully stacked and dressed our burgers were. A triple stack of patties, topped with cheese, bacon, a fried egg, crispy onions, and housemade pickles?! That's a recipe for delicious success right there! The Wolf Burger was indeed SCRUMPTIOUS! My goodness, I am still thinking about it two whole days later and how I can't wait to revisit this restaurant and try some more of their menu items. An honorable mention goes out to the delicious fries on the side!! They were the perfect cut, well-seasoned, and out-of-this-world. I HIGHLY recommend Little Bad Wolf to all folks looking for a delicious experience! The burger is sensational, the environment is impeccable, and this is a great spot if you're going on a date or out with friends.

Have never met a bartender so mean…read more The Temu Ed Harris made sure we knew we weren't welcome. Go for the stale Schlitz on draft, stay to be glared and sneered at. Oh, and don't be paranoid and think it's just you. He hates all of us.

They don't serve Absolut...?! In a Swedish bar, in a gay neighborhood?!…read more Bad business misunderstanding reality, and rude service. I wish I could support a local place like this, but suggest going anywhere else. Wil's and Atmosphere are nearby!

Cool, it rhymes, always worth a few stars when you rhyme the name of your business. Drink And Ink…read moreis a place, which as you can guess, is a bar and tattoo parlor. It's not like they're actually tattooing people while they're doing shots. Honestly it's like two separate businesses run by the same owner, with just a little separation between each. They maintain standards like not tattooing those who are intoxicated. As for the bar side of the business, it has some pretty good drinks. It's really not that expensive for around here. They could charge a lot more. It's about $8 for one of their seasonal cocktails. Last time in here I got the Cider House Mule. Besides the clever name, it was also a pretty strong and tasty cocktail. This was apple infused Four Roses with cinnamon, with a soaked apple slice. Good shit for autumn. The apple slice was all loaded and had quite a kick. Get a drink, and get ink. It has both, just not both at once. The bar has a security camera where you can watch the customers get tattooed, oh yes voyeuristic fun is a treat.

As bizarre as it is, my friend and I went into Drink and Ink just to sit and talk at a bar! We…read moredidn't order any alcohol but our barista was kind enough to offer us alternative options to drink (this amazing sparkling water and pineapple juice) it was great! It can get pretty rowdy but not too overwhelming, this bar is amazing! I will have to come back.

Great host, locally owned neighborhood tavern with solid service. Good spot for a pub crawl or…read morebeing George's pizza on over.

I can't believe this is my first visit. Vibes are immaculate. Pool table, darts, TouchTunes. What…read moremore can you ask for! Owners are awesome and welcoming. Will absolutely be back.

Love a Chicago bar with great food!!!…read more We went to Big Chicks for dinner after a conference. We had the French Burger and fries and nachos. The burger was fantastic. Butter bun with a crispy fried onion ring and brie cheese. Fries were super crispy. Nachos were so big - they were definitely meant for 2 people!!! Drinks delish! Fun environment! Will definitely will return when back in Chicago!

Best breakfast in Chicago. The people are a bit better than the food…read more My fav is their Country Benedict is AMAZBALLS!

I needed a spot for Sunday brunch in Uptown for a dozen family members coming to Chicago from…read morearound the country, and Fat Cat's Uptown Room fit the bill perfectly. The staff was super attentive and yet not overbearing, adjusting the lighting and music for the atmosphere we wanted. The menu was delicious and varied enough to satisfy everyone - traditional, vegetarian, more adventurous. Fat Cat is a real neighborhood asset!

I've been anticipating coming here for whiskey Wednesday-of course I'm a whiskey girl haha. I love…read morea good old-fashioned. for $7 That's practically free. From 4pm until 7pm Wednesday only !! highly recommend giving fat cat a chance So far so good. No complaints

Update! Came back for the rueben and it was really good! I will say I am biased towards corned beef…read moreruebens but this one was good with the spicy remoulade, which was not too spicy. Their fries are always good and the buttery bread also made this sandwich so good.

I usually plan the places that I go to prior to visiting them. I came here last minute since a…read moreplace up the street was closed even thought I had a reservation. I decided to come to Beard & Belly since I had it bookmarked and it was close to where I was. We were able to get seated right away and received outstanding service. My wife ordered their Chicken & Waffles which I don't see on the menu anymore. This dish was really delicious. The chicken was seasoned and fried perfectly. It came with hot honey so it added a little bit of heat and sweetness. I ordered their Red Eye Pastrami. It came with pastrami, a fried egg, cheddar cheese, Dijon and greens. All in a ciabatta bread. I will admit though, "coffee & hot sauce" were in parentheses. I didn't taste neither in this sandwich. Did I not understand the assignment? Was I supposed to order coffee and then put hot sauce in this sandwich. Regardless, the sandwich definitely hit the spot. Don't think I've ever had a sandwich with pastrami and eggs before. I've been missing out. The ciabatta bread was also very soft. Such a perfect bread for this sandwich. It also came with hash browns. They had a tasty seasoning on them. Salty, but tasty. They offered garlic aioli or ketchup with these. Ketchup is probably the way to go. Really difficult to earn with the aioli, the hash browns fall apart if you try to dip them in the aioli. I can't wait to come back.

We've been longtime fans of Cultivate-- the food, drinks, and ambiance are always amazing. We…read morerecently hosted our engagement party at Cultivate in their private taproom, and we could not be more happy with how everything went! Brian, Logan, and Nico made the entire process incredibly easy from start to finish. Coordinating the menu was super straightforward, communication was excellent, and pricing and logistics were all very clear and organized. We heard from so many of our 60 guests about how impressed they were with the drinks, bar snacks, and beautiful space. We're so grateful to the Cultivate team and would highly recommend them for private events!

Great menu and vibe but overpriced. Ordered the octopus and it was super chewy. The sandwich was…read moreexpensive for having little meat and flavor. We enjoyed trying new beers!