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    Local Option

    3.7 (399 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

    Local Option Photos

    LOCAL OPTION ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Loud
    Good for groups

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    My go-to spot for beer/grub in the Chi.
    Troy S.

    This is my go-to beer spot. Not only do you get the best assortment of area beers in the city, but the food is fucking fire. Kitchen closes at 11 pm. An absolute must. FWIW Chicken nuggets are legendary.

    Cool taps
    Sarah S.

    I've been to Local Option a few times now and I just love it. I've had a few of their cajun-esque dishes but let's be honest, the beer is where they shine. Local Option brews their own stuff and what they brew is potently high in percentage and deliciously good on the palate. They always have at least 5 of their owns tappings, as well as a ton of other local options...get it?! Local options! har har har. But ForRealTho, they have great options from Chicagoland breweries like Three Floyd's (yes we claim them), Revolution, Goose Island and many more. Right now, Exorcist is my favorite of their own beers they are serving up - a healthy 8.5% stout! They keep their beer list very updated on their website, so give that a look if you're interested. All the bartenders here are friendly and able to discuss beer with you so if you're not sure what you're looking for, just ask. Local Option isn't a huge place however I've always been able to grab a table or bar seat without trouble. They usually are playing heavy metal but I've never found it to be invasive to my conversations or at some outrageous level. Really it just adds to the 666 decor....there's also a giant boarhead - EEK!!! I love Local Option and I think it's such a great, non-douche-canoe option in the Lincoln Park area. Places like this are hard to find and I'll be back a million times over.

    Jambalaya in the front, burger in the back. Both delicious
    Leslie K.

    Definitely worth stopping in. It's a heavy metal/rock/biker bar with a pretty decent dinner menu option and in-house brewed beer. Started out with the 20 piece chicken nuggets which were a delight and came with a tangy bbq sauce. Then had the cheeseburger with tator tots and jambalaya for entrees. The burger was good and the tots extra crispy. I personally didn't care for the batter on the tots but could see people liking it. The jambalaya portion was huge and came with pieces of blackened shrimp, very plump juicy shrimp, and sausage. Be sure to put some hot sauce on it. Very extensive dinner menu beyond just bar food. If you're looking for a local gem, check out local option.

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    7 years ago

    First rate everything . . . Drinks, food, company. The crab cake is excellent. Burritos and tacos, too. Just a great place to wander into.

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    Monk's Pub - Wangz

    Monk's Pub

    3.7(586 reviews)
    2.8 miThe Loop
    $$

    Such a treat to return to beloved Monk's to find it still the perfect pub tavern resisting Chicago…read morerestaurant modernity! In the 90's this was the spot for us young lawyers to have top 5 burger and beers to unwind after court. My return 30 years later and burgers still tops for a true beef monster, not some wimpy Small Cheval garbage but a man's burger, lol. The ONLY beef I have is no more peanuts. We'd hang for hours eating peanuts, shells on the floor. I have to be this old Gen X guy and also say they have TOO many beers now. There was a great simple charm to have the darks and lights they had and now that the microbrew boom is over and people are drinking less - this old dawg attorney wants you to bring back peanuts and pair down that beer list to 10. Otherwise such a gem and grateful the owner resisted and fought selling and modernizing!!

    I still love this place, but mostly for the beer selection. I went there for a real dinner on my…read moremost recent trip to Chicago and the food was just ok. The extensive beer selection made for the bland veggie wrap. My friend loved her turkey burger and fries, and the Mediterranean Quinoa Salad that we split as an appetizer was also very good. I was just disappointed that the vegan entree lacked flavor. The waiter who served us was a fun kind of sassy--which I thought was charming. I look forward to coming back for the beer and company.

    Photos
    Monk's Pub - Inside

    Inside

    Monk's Pub - Pickle fries

    Pickle fries

    Monk's Pub

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    Centennial Crafted Beer & Eatery - BRATWURST  beer-braised, veal + pork bratwurst, bacon sauerkraut, bavarian mustard, on a pretzel roll |

    Centennial Crafted Beer & Eatery

    4.5(357 reviews)
    2.2 miRiver North, Near North Side
    $$

    My friend (shoutout to Hunter) has been grilling me to check this place out, and now I totally get…read morethe hype. The service was genuinely friendly, and the ambiance gives off such a welcoming, cozy vibe. There's even a fireplace you can sit by during cold Chicago winters, which is a really nice touch. I sat at the bar, and the bartenders -- honestly, the entire staff -- were super personable. You can crack jokes and they'll play right along with you, which makes the whole experience feel relaxed and fun. I ordered the pulled pork skillet and it did not miss. They make your eggs however you want (within reason), and everything came out perfectly. While not the cheapest in town, the value is absolutely there given the quality of the beers and food -- prices feel totally reasonable for River North. Shoutout to Tessa, Tony, and the whole crew -- they really make you feel like a regular. As Tessa would say: Go Birds!

    Bavarian Pretzel was incredible. Happy Hour beers are a bit of a sham. They have $6 pints, but out…read moreof the ~50 beers on the menu, only 3 of them are pints.... the rest are odd sizes that you'd need to pay full price for. Great ambience for some bar food and an evening of trying unique beers. They have a great hosting space upstairs too for grad parties, work events, etc. Main reason for my lower rating was our waitress was insanely slow for a light Thursday crowd. Waited 20 minutes before seeing anyone after being sat, waited 30 minutes for the check, waited another 20 minutes for her to run the check so we could leave. I've never experience service quite that bad... would recommend sitting at the bar if you have a small party.

    Photos
    Centennial Crafted Beer & Eatery - Bar shot

    Bar shot

    Centennial Crafted Beer & Eatery - Bombest fries

    Bombest fries

    Centennial Crafted Beer & Eatery - Westmalle Trappist Dubbel (Brouwerij Westmalle) - Belgian

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    Westmalle Trappist Dubbel (Brouwerij Westmalle) - Belgian

    Bar Sotto

    Bar Sotto

    4.4(28 reviews)
    3.2 miThe Loop

    We visited Bar Sotto during Chicago Restaurant Week and had a really enjoyable overall experience…read more The space has a cozy, dimly lit, intimate vibe perfect for a date night or a relaxed dinner with friends. It feels upscale but still comfortable. Service was attentive and paced well, especially considering it was Restaurant Week and fairly busy. The Restaurant Week menu offered a great variety. We started with the crispy arancini, which were perfectly golden on the outside and creamy inside with a rich glaze that added a nice depth of flavor. The wild mushroom risotto had great earthy flavor and was very rich, definitely a heavier dish but satisfying if you are in the mood for something indulgent. The gnocchi were soft and pillowy with fresh basil and roasted tomatoes that brightened the dish nicely. For entrées, the filet mignon was cooked beautifully, tender and medium rare with a flavorful sauce that complemented it well. The chicken parmesan had a solid crisp and good seasoning, though it leaned more classic than standout. Portions overall felt fair for the prix fixe price. Dessert was a sweet finish. The tiramisu was light, creamy, and not overly heavy, which we appreciated. Overall, 4 stars. Great ambiance and solid execution across the board. While nothing completely blew us away, it was a well done Restaurant Week experience and I would definitely come back to try more from their regular menu.

    It's a really cool place as you walk in. The ambiance is dark and sultry. We were only stopping…read morein for a few drinks so we sat at the bar. The bartenders were friendly. Why a lower rating? We ordered a cocktail off of their menu and asked for it without one ingredient (simple syrup). They said they might be able to do it, but they would have to make it from scratch. Wait, does this mean their cocktails are all premade sitting in a jar under the bar? If I'm ordering a cocktail from a bar downtown & paying downtown prices, I'd like to think they're all going to be made from scratch by my bartender. The drink turned out pretty weak. We also had a smoked bourbon cocktail that was really nice, smoked in the glass at the bar with you.

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    Bar Sotto - Lounge

    Lounge

    Bar Sotto
    Bar Sotto

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    Clark Street Ale House - Spooky Halloween vibes

    Clark Street Ale House

    4.0(344 reviews)
    2.2 miNear North Side, River North
    $$

    Had my first date with my wife here 25 years ago. At least this was part one of my three part…read moredating strategy then. Went here for the beer flights, it allowed for conversation and each person had an easy exit after finishing the five little beer tastes. Off to sushi was part 2 because while Clark St. showed we could click talking I was looking for someone non vanilla food wise. Then at the time we finished at the 3rd coast wine bar down the street on rush street(gone now). This was while Daley was in charge and 9/11 had hit and the city was beautiful, almost no gatherings of homeless, just the regulars. The viagra triangle was in full steam. Maggie had beautified the city with plants and flowers. It was such a good first date I left her a message afterwards telling her so, so she could get it when she got home.

    Really nice combination of dive bar and haut beer destination. There's dirty hipsters and vested…read morefinance bros in the same place, and the best part is they seem fine enjoying each others company. Right on. Actually the best part is the beer selection. There are some very choice finds that all the untappd and beer advocate faithful are seeking out. I was pleased and then some, even getting some nice recs from the bartender based on some newer brewery offerings and my taste profile. The place was easy to get in and find a good spot on a Tuesday night at prime time. Easy to order, easy to settle up. Did I say it was easy?! Some Tool was playing when I drank my stout. Appropriate. Other 90s nu metal and grunge followed. The free popcorn wasn't bad either. Prices are appropriate depending upon the beer you get. I shall return!

    Photos
    Clark Street Ale House - Bar

    Bar

    Clark Street Ale House
    Clark Street Ale House

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    The Dearborn

    The Dearborn

    4.4(2.8k reviews)
    2.9 miThe Loop
    $$

    New favorite! Came downtown from the 'burbs for a show - my sweetie called ahead and we got a GREAT…read moretable just inside the door, perfect for people watching. Tasty drinks - the grapefruit pilsner was a perfect choice for a warm spring evening, and our server was funny and sweet. Sticky ribs appetizer was spot on, with just enough heat to keep it interesting. We shared the fish and chips - perfectly cooked, crunch and sweet, great fries! House made slaw and tartar sauce was out of this world! Gotta make one comment on something we didn't have. The next table over, two middle aged women order cheeseburgers. When they came out I almost regretted ordering the fish. They were huge, juicy, and looked incredible. This two ladies, drinking their Chardonnays polished them off, that's how good they were. Next time... Dessert? Why not? Sticky toffee cake please. Perfect with a cup of black coffee. Out the door and on our way - we'll be back! Thanks!

    We dined at the Dearborn on a Saturday afternoon with my family. Our reservation was strategic we…read morearrived hours before we assumed it would become very crowded. The seating was tight. Overall I was having a good experience. The food was OK. The menu was limited. Oh btw, the special that day was a $70 wag goo burger. That interaction between me and the server reminded me of a car salesman trying to sale me undercoating for the car i just purchased. REALLY I can't make it up. The experience dropped to a single star as our dining experience was nearing an end. The manager of the front of the house. Made a conscious effort to make it clear that the table we were dining was needed by waiting customers. I've never ever experienced this before in any restaurant in the Loop. I can't and will not recommend dining here. This is why I'm giving 1 star. I my opinion The Dearborn maybe they need to be in a different location. Maybe located far west of the Loop. I would suggest instead of Dearborn maybe Halsted St. and probably change their name to The Halsted. Im not going back. OH btw good luck in your new location.

    Photos
    The Dearborn - $12 Martinis for Martini Mondays

    $12 Martinis for Martini Mondays

    The Dearborn - New Spring Menu

    New Spring Menu

    The Dearborn - Spring desserts

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    Spring desserts

    Local Option - seafood - Updated May 2026

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