FIB War Room

[NAD1983]

You know what, just go to the Hop Leaf. It will be a bit of a ride on the Brown Line, but you can't ask for a better food and beer selection in Chicago on a Sunday. Otherwise, closer to you are Publican, Publican Anker. Little Goat is another good one.

Walking distance I would choose The Gage or maybe Jake Melnicks.

You know what, just go to the Hop Leaf. It will be a bit of a ride on the Brown Line, but you can't ask for a better food and beer selection in Chicago on a Sunday. Otherwise, closer to you are Publican, Publican Anker. Little Goat is another good one.

Walking distance I would choose The Gage or maybe Jake Melnicks.

Good ****. I’m headed to Publican for dinner tonight so it may need to be Hop Leaf during the day....

How long are you around for? In town for business? I work by the art institute if you want to meet for lunch or an after work beverage this week.

Yep in town for work until Wednesday. I’ll be fully booked during the week, so I’m only free today unfortunately. Otherwise I would have hand delivered some of the 2018 Sonorous lineup

 

[yeahnatenelson]

I will second Hopleaf. Easily one of the best tap lists in the city, and the food is exceptional.

Publican is also great, and much closer to where you are, but the food is definitely fancier and commensurate in price.

 

[Marksy]

Monks is a great place near you but I think they're closed on Sundays. The Gage for good food and a good but kinda short beer list. Howells and Hood for a longer beer list but more average food. Jake Melnick's or Timothy O'Tooles for a sports bar.

Getting out of walking distance, Forbidden Root for a long list of good beer, good food, and a lot of local guest taps. Or you can go straight to Au Cheval and eat a burger for lunch, putz around the general area at Goose Island Fulton, On Tour, Haymarket, etc. and then grab dinner at Publican.

edit: I see now that dinner at Publican was already in the works. Good thinking there. Charcuterie plate and pork belly are musts. Get the plums if they are currently on the menu.

 

[trickytunadicky]

I will also say, I finally made it to Jolly Pumpkin Hyde Park on Friday before doing a hard hat tour of Robie House ( currently under restoration). I get why the set up there is unpopular for hanging out for hours with the whole order at the counter, take a number and stuff shows up whenever, though there is some bar seating. That being said, I was there for a quick dinner before heading to a museum tour, and the kinks seemed to have been worked out from opening, the food was on point, my cocktail was delicious. I didn't recommend it above because it's not Chicago beer, but I am happy to have it around. I actually think I prefer it to whatever the **** OG Haymarket has done to their menu. I want to go back when I have time to hang out and see if it stands up to me hanging out and having multiple drinks. I miss the old Mexican place that was in the older, smaller shopping center that was in that spot when I first moved here, but I really enjoyed my meal, and subsequent leftovers.

 

[user 306237]

I just realized that the list of bars with good food and strong IL taps is much shorter now than I remembered it being. I can think of a couple places that have a variety (Links or maybe Bangers) but the food lately is fine, at best. Even somewhere like Map Room doesn’t have the local-heavy list it once did. The bars with better food aren’t going to necessarily have a strong IL list. Anywho.

Hop leaf is likely your best bet. Google map it, though - it’s far and you may not have a lot of time depending on your dinner res. I’d suggest Piece - they have good beers brewed onsite and you’ll likely find some guests from War Pigs, FFF or Half Acre. Lone Wolf could be a nice stop close to the Publican for a heavy FFF list.

 

[NAD1983]

Damn the FIBs are pretty OK in my book. Thanks everyone for the recommendations!

Walking to Au Cheval and winging it from there. Hop Leaf sounds great but it’s damn far.

 

[user 306237]

Damn the FIBs are pretty OK in my book. Thanks everyone for the recommendations!

Walking to Au Cheval and winging it from there. Hop Leaf sounds great but it’s damn far.

When they quote you a long wait, Lone Wolf is next door - Cruz Blanca is at the end of the block, too.

 

[NAD1983]

When they quote you a long wait, Lone Wolf is next door - Cruz Blanca is at the end of the block, too.

That’s what I was worried about but a single at 3 PM shouldn’t be too bad, right? (Said the tourist naively)

 

[trickytunadicky]

I just realized that the list of bars with good food and strong IL taps is much shorter now than I remembered it being. I can think of a couple places that have a variety (Links or maybe Bangers) but the food lately is fine, at best. Even somewhere like Map Room doesn’t have the local-heavy list it once did. The bars with better food aren’t going to necessarily have a strong IL list. Anywho.

Hop leaf is likely your best bet. Google map it, though - it’s far and you may not have a lot of time depending on your dinner res. I’d suggest Piece - they have good beers brewed onsite and you’ll likely find some guests from War Pigs, FFF or Half Acre. Lone Wolf could be a nice stop close to the Publican for a heavy FFF list.

It's harder to come up with stuff because it is Sunday and some places are closed or have abbreviated hours. Half the loop is shut down on the weekend, Burger Antics only has brunch hours... But there are still some gems if you know where to look. Millers has a decent tap list, okay food. Little Goat and the Gage have great food, but short tap lists. Don't let that stop you from doing some damage.

 

[trickytunadicky]

That’s what I was worried about but a single at 3 PM shouldn’t be too bad, right? (Said the tourist naively)

Try Small Cheval?

 

[Marksy]

Try Small Cheval?

I would think Au Cheval should be ok for a single at this time but if it's packed, Small Cheval > Links Taproom would make for a nice consolation.

 

[user 306237]

It's harder to come up with stuff because it is Sunday and some places are closed or have abbreviated hours. Half the loop is shut down on the weekend, Burger Antics only has brunch hours... But there are still some gems if you know where to look. Millers has a decent tap list, okay food. Little Goat and the Gage have great food, but short tap lists. Don't let that stop you from doing some damage.

Oh for sure. I don’t know if this a recent trend or I just never was good at paying attention but it seems most places with great food have a tap list from lots of places. Anker, for example. But I don’t think that was always the case. Like, there was a time when seeing an emphasis on local was routine. Now, though, not so much.

Whole Foods locations probably have more local beers on tap at any one time than other places in the city.

 

[kodt]

Single should be able to find a bar spot at Au Cheval.

 

[NAD1983]

Try Small Cheval?

Too late. I’m a fast walker.

I would think Au Cheval should be ok for a single at this time but if it's packed, Small Cheval > Links Taproom would make for a nice consolation.

Single should be able to find a bar spot at Au Cheval.

Ehhhh

When they quote you a long wait, Lone Wolf is next door - Cruz Blanca is at the end of the block, too.

Truth. One hour quoted but potentially shorter according to the hostess. There’s a parade on Randolph today so it’s ******* packed over here. Waiting it out with Gumballhead and cheese sticks at Lone Wolf....

Dat sun tho

 

[yeahnatenelson]

I just realized that the list of bars with good food and strong IL taps is much shorter now than I remembered it being. I can think of a couple places that have a variety (Links or maybe Bangers) but the food lately is fine, at best. Even somewhere like Map Room doesn’t have the local-heavy list it once did. The bars with better food aren’t going to necessarily have a strong IL list. Anywho.

I would extend that to pretty much all notable beer bars in Chicago, tbh. Visiting other cities in the Great Lakes region (Minneapolis/St. Paul, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo), you do not see nearly as many import or out-of-state draft lines.

Unsure if that's due to our local consumer expectations ("local or not, I want the best"), influence of distributors or what. I also wonder if this will become more pronounced as local producers lean harder into taproom/"own-premise" business.

 

[NAD1983]

Well this is pretty damn good. I’d say a gumballhead and cheese stick filled 45 min was worth the wait.

 

[lb304854]

Virgin Hotel right by Millenium Park.

I will second The Gage for brunch specifically. The chilaquiles specifically is great. Add chorizo.

 

[DiscountMegaMall4ever]

I'd like to commend FIBs on getting this guy suggestions. And I'd like to commend NAD1983 for taking them.

Once we've got this guy set, back to complaining.

 

[trickytunadicky]

I will second The Gage for brunch specifically. The chilaquiles specifically is great. Add chorizo.

Cherry Circle Room does brunch 7 days a week. Unsure about chorizo options.

 

[NAD1983]

this guy

this guy

Peep the notable members list guy

Now back at my hotel room watching Arsenal get destroyed. This beer is helping to ease the pain though.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions today! Heading out to The Publican for dinner and that my commence my non-corporate adventures this trip.

 

[vav1]

Peep the notable members list guy

Now back at my hotel room watching Arsenal get destroyed. This beer is helping to ease the pain though.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions today! Heading out to The Publican for dinner and that my commence my non-corporate adventures this trip.

I just landed at O’Hare so I’m sorry I’ll miss you, hopefully the kids tapped the Koustka 10 Czech pils while I’ve been away.

 

[ClCardinal84]

Good ****. I’m headed to Publican for dinner tonight so it may need to be Hop Leaf during the day....


Yep in town for work until Wednesday. I’ll be fully booked during the week, so I’m only free today unfortunately. Otherwise I would have hand delivered some of the 2018 Sonorous lineup

Cruz Blanca for beers. Drink them all.

 

[middlebrow]

how does haymarket survive in what has to be some of the highest rent in the city with that menu? i guess by virtue of folks getting drinks while waiting for their table somewhere else on that street.

also hilarious, NAD1983 drops in to meet FIB snark with west coast snark and what does a typical FIB do...offer friendly advice with a side of sarcasm. ever try illinois/chicago sarcasm and snark in other cities and watch it fall flat, and people get angry?

and my final larry king thought -i dont know if this qualifies as it aint exactly nashville or whateve but pub royale's india hot chicken is my fav, also killer taplist most of the time.

 

[NAD1983]

also hilarious, NAD1983 drops in to meet FIB snark with west coast snark and what does a typical FIB do...offer friendly advice with a side of sarcasm. ever try illinois/chicago sarcasm and snark in other cities and watch it fall flat, and people get angry?

I honestly don’t know anything other than snark/sarcasm. I appreciate the reciprosity.

Imagine my original post in the HF thread Endless iterations of “have you ever heard of the search function?” would ensue.

BTW the chicken of all things was the stand out at The Publican last night. Those frites were amazing too. Just an all around great dish.

 

[kodt]

"FIBs Brewing Company will become the first brewery in Des Plaines" ... are you kidding me?

 

[capnmike]

"FIBs Brewing Company will become the first brewery in Des Plaines" ... are you kidding me?

Couple of random thoughts...

I wish them success and hope they don't become the wrong half of "ISO: FIB beer....not the brewery, but other stuff from IL"

From the article: For the past 10 years, the partners have also run LifeGem out of the corporate center/industrial park, where they make lab-created memorial diamonds. From LifeGem's website:

"LifeGem... an authentic diamond created from the ashes of your loved one as a memorial to their unique & wonderful life."

Not ISO: those adjuncts in the beer.

Then again, I saw on google that LifeGem's annual revenues are in excess of $250M, so...respect to that and good luck with the brew operation!

 

[capnmike]

Question: anyone recently seen a show at the World/Tweeter Center/whateverthehellelseitsbeencalled/Hollywood Casino Amphitheater?

Many shows coming there that I would be interested in/interested in taking the 8-year-old to, but that place has been terrible the times I've been - parking, sound (especially back of the PAV/lawn).

Gotta be 15+ years since I've been there, and I know things change/improve, but...

 

[lb304854]

Question: anyone recently seen a show at the World/Tweeter Center/whateverthehellelseitsbeencalled/Hollywood Casino Amphitheater?

Many shows coming there that I would be interested in/interested in taking the 8-year-old to, but that place has been terrible the times I've been - parking, sound (especially back of the PAV/lawn).

Gotta be 15+ years since I've been there, and I know things change/improve, but...

Nothing has improved. Actually, I think the sound got worse in the pavilion.

 

[lb304854]

"FIBs Brewing Company will become the first brewery in Des Plaines" ... are you kidding me?

"The team is currently brewing small batch samples of original recipes, including an IPA, double IPA, porter, Imperial ale, Belgian ale and lager."

What is this, 2011?

This sounds like the perfect moneymaker in the far suburbs.

 

[DiscountMegaMall4ever]

"The team is currently brewing small batch samples of original recipes, including an IPA, double IPA, porter, Imperial ale, Belgian ale and lager."

What is this, 2011?

This sounds like the perfect moneymaker in the far suburbs.

Mmmm...Willamette hops.