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!

Cute place but generally the beers were too similar to one another. Ordered at the bar.read more

This dog (and kid)-friendly neighborhood bar/brewery allows your pup to be inside which is great…read morewhen it's cold and/or wet. This is possible because no food is prepared on-site. Whole pizzas (from Pequod's) are available for purchase as well as sausage bites (from Paulina's) and soft pretzels.

Our self-guided brewery tour through Chicago's North side landed us at Hop Butcher, and it was…read moreprobably our favorite spot of the trip! Paid street parking available directly outside this establishment! The interior is laid back, with bar or table seating, and a huge mural that gives you a glimpse into the amazing artwork used throughout the brand. Our server was helpful at deciphering which of their many IPA to try and also where to go for our next stop on the journey. The beer itself was AWESOME!! They focus heavily on IPAs, which gives us hop lovers so many nuances to choose from. I love that they focus on one thing and do it incredibly well! Our favorite was the Cold Pizza, which we picked up in their attached store for our home collection. Great space, tasty IPA, and perfect spot for a sip and a board game!

Have been here a few times in the past few years based on their high reviews. Each time it gets…read moreharder to find a beer without lactose. 90-100% of their beers use lactose. Great if you don't mind animal products in your beer. Not my thing. So many other local breweries who don't do this. Other than that, paid street parking is easy and service is friendly.

Really great experience from a friendly neighborhood place!…read more Came on a colder spring day where they were still willing to serve us outside with our dog. So thankfully they were willing to do that! Servers were so friendly to us and our pupper. They even turned the patio heater on for us! This place is a must for anyone out with their dog! All the food was delicious and brought out quick. Loved the Mac and cheese squares! The drinks were well balanced and I had a delightful Bloody Mary! All the portions were generous and well worth the price. Excellent quality all around! The location is amazing in the heart of Ravenswood. It's perfect for a date, catching up with friends, or an impromptu late lunch in early spring! Can't wait for another visit after warmer weather sets in!

Came here for the first time this Friday and loved the vibe. Great service and great French dip!…read moreHorse radish isn't my favorite but good thing they bring it out on the side. Will definitely return.

The Getaway is a bona fide gem if ever I've seen one! With fantastic drinks at great prices, this…read moreis a spot you don't want to miss. It's pretty unassuming on the outside and easy to miss if you're not looking for it. The vibe kind of sits somewhere in between a dive bar and cocktail lounge. Definitely unique and a great lowkey spot to unwind either with friends or solo. They have a fantastic happy hour on weekdays with half off all drinks. The menu is a quality over quantity situation, featuring a pretty small but super interesting and unique selection. On this visit, I tried the cocorococonut cocktail, which had a very interesting blend of coconut, lemongrass, and lychee. It was super refreshing, not at all too sweet, and aesthetically very pretty. I wish I could've tried more of the menu, but I'll just say that the pours are generous! Overall, I had a great experience and highly recommend paying a stop!

Attended a private party in the back of the bar! Enjoyed the cozy vibe with the twinkly lights and…read morecomfy seating! The drinks were really tasty with a nice variety. I ordered the Honey Bee & my husband had the getaway. We found parking across the street in a paid lot for $10. I also luved the 80s music playing in the background. Definitely will be back @ this Lincoln square neighborhood place!!!

Me and my BBFs were looking for a place to have a drink before going to The Davis Theater to see…read moreParis is Burning (totally iconic movie!). We thought that Sojourn would be open, but there were not, so I pulled out my trusty Yelp app to locate something nearby we could walk to and stumbled across this joint. So I was not aware that this is a sister location to the Uptown Taproom. Totally different vibe in terms of decor: Uptown is light and airy and this joint is semi-dark, kinda reminds me of a bar you would see in a rural college town. There is a small bar and several high top tables inside and a cute outside area. There is a set of four leather (I assume) chairs in the back of the bar that we sat at, which were comfortable. My BFFs got cocktails and seemed to be happy with them. While they did not have bubbles in a bottles, they did have Underwood, which was ok for me. For a quick drink on a Monday before a movie at The Davis, I would consider coming back here. The place was clean and the bartender was friendly and nice, with a nice smile. And they have bubbles.

My go to bar! I live close by , and on Mondays they have. $16 burger,fries and beer special…read more Needless to say, I come on Mondays religiously. It's a great deal! We have a favorite bartender and she's awesome! She knows to surprise me with any non alcoholic beer and I'm fine with that. There are tons of board games for anyone to use, they also have a dart board and a few TVs playing sports. Super casual and chill, loud music playing and just a great neighborhood bar. Love it here!

We loved and enjoyed this place we drove here after having a craving at midnight and it was one of…read morethe best experiences in the city. The seating was great service was great and food was even better at 1am !!

The Chronicles of Ragebaiting My Brother continue…read more My brother is a die hard Chicago fan. He visited once during a college internship in 08 and decided he would move to this city. Shout out to him for doing the damn thing. Although I would like to mention it was I who named it and claimed it for myself way back in 2001 after a visit to the city for a college conference. However me and my bestie couldn't figure out how to make it happen on a 20,000 labor organizer salary lmao. So we remain on the east coast while my swagger jacking little brother paints the Windy City red. Anyway because he's so in love with this city and knows its in and outs, I often send him dubious "influencer content" of recent transplants that act like just because THEY just Columbus'd a new spot it must be new to EVERYONE. And the recommendations are often awful and likely paid for (extorted). It sends him into a rage which again - we love. My fave kind of terrible content to send him is Top 10 burger spots in Chicago. The lists are often wrong, outdated, and criminally under seasoned. Every once in a while though there is a fleeting moment of alignment and Little Bad Wolf is it. This truly may be the best burger in Chicago. Food: -Wolf burger - egg fried HARD for me -Bad burger - add egg for my brother -Bad burger - as is for my mom -crab cakes - for SIL -mashed potato- for the toddler -Brussels sprouts for the table The patties were well seasoned and melted in my mouth. I adore crispy onion straws. Beer was crisp and refreshing. Service was outstanding Perfect vibe on a midday Monday Bench and chair seating for all bodies. 100% worth the hype! The menu description is also a good way to annoy your loved ones. See pics for my friend's visceral reaction lmaooo

This is for the bar, Leland Tap, which ajoins the store( which is also worth 5 stars)…read more I rarely come here. I used to live in the neighborhood and would buy my liquor here. But each time I do visit, I am repeatedly met with good, regular old hospitality and a good drink. Nicolas, who coincidentally does not often work there is the owners son and is friendly and make a great Gin n Tonic. There is a new gin there too that I got to taste ( I normally order Hendricks) its called SkePtic Gin. I am now, unabashedly a fan of it, and as it turns out, is made by Nicolas himself. Dim the lights, come in for a chill evening and enjoy. Its another bar right off of the brown line at Western and is so convenient, you have no excuse. See you soon!

I bought a bottle of Tincup Whiskey in this liquor store today, 1.75l for $49.99. When it came time…read moreto open the bottle, the little tin cup on top of the cap was stuck. We couldn't get it off and ultimately tried to do so with pliers and the glass broke. Whiskey spilled everywhere and the entire part of the glass bottle under the tin cup was still stuck up there. I brought it back to the store right away, thinking they would replace it, but the owner wouldn't even let me tell him what happened. He kept talking over me and saying it was my fault I broke it. As far as I'm concerned, he owes me $50 + tax. This is the closest liquor store to me, and I promise you, I will NEVER ENTER THIS STORE AGAIN!