Chicagoist: Apparently Beer Goes Well With More Than French Fries

Dave

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 09:59:34 -0600

Gaslight on Racine may be my favorite restaurant in Chicago, and it's a good bar too. Get the pretzels.

m500

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 10:54:39 -0600

We understand all of that, we're just having fun telling each other where to get some good food and beer.

Attrill

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 00:46:52 -0600

I think it's stupid to bring the term gastropub to the US. Number one, it's really old - very 90's, like Chicagoist renaming itself iChicago or eChicago. Why does anyone feel the need to bring the term to the US now? Number two, the culture of pubs doesn't exist in the US in the same way it does in the UK. The way drinking establishments are part of the community in the US and UK is so different that the real meaning of pub is completely lost in the US. The british gastropubs are all old neighborhood pubs that not only have a great menu and beer selection but are also "pubs", with all the history and character that comes with it. It is not a restaurant with a good beer selection, it is not a bar with good food - it is so much more. Finally, gastropub was a pretty stupid term to begin with. The British made it up to avoid calling places Brasseries, which is what the 90's gastropubs were. Brasserie is just too French for the British.

jon

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 21:33:43 -0600

i'll second/third/whatever both the Hopleaf and Kuma's recommendation. i'll also throw out there Resi's Bierstube! German bar, with excellent food. Also, I gotta say, while it's not really as "gastropubby", Crew has some darn good food as well. Finally, Mystic Celt has actually impressed me several times with how good the food is there!

Rob Christopher

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 19:48:29 -0600

Feed The Beast at 4300 North Lincoln is awfully good ... very respectable beer selection, awesome nachos, scrumptious entrees. Cute servers too.

Gretchen

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 18:45:45 -0600

Cleo's by far. It has those delicious Penn-Station style fries and those day-of-the-week specials are pretty nice.

m500

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 18:22:16 -0600

SKYLARK! Bells Octoberfest on tap (the supposed Chicagoist beer of the bonth), as well as several other very nice beers, and a nice stable menu. The skylark burger, a pint of beer and a basket of their famous tater tots with three dipping sauces is a meal to rival any "gastropub". MAPROOM! Free food in Sunday, random homemade foods (I never see who actually brings it in), we've eaten well there and the beer menu is the best in the city (by leaps and bounds). HOPLEAF! More expensive, terribly rude service, but great menu and great selection of Belgian beers. I won't go back until I receive an apology for the terrible mistreatment I got the last two times we were there. GOOSE ISLAND So REAL brewpubs must not count as "gastropubs, huh? A fresh pint and the Paulina Market Sausage Sampler platter is the way to go! EDGEWATER! Really good food, really great owner, really great beer. I really should get up there again, soon! Vegetarian dishes for all of you that gasped in horror at my sausage platter suggestion at G.I. CLEOS Chicago ave joint has great food, mediocre beer choices, super friendly staff, not exactly looking to wow gastropubbers but very welcoming...if that counts!

ReverendMartaSqueeze

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 17:55:34 -0600

I third the nomination of Kuma's and agree the Mussels are Fucking Delicious. I've never had a bad meal there and the beer selection is great.

LCF

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 17:20:27 -0600

The Beer Bistro in the West Loop! The menu even suggests which beers to pair with your meal. I highly recommend it.

drinker

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 16:53:27 -0600

Matilda has got some excellent food. get there, eat it. the assortment of appetizers are top notch.

beerinator

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 16:16:51 -0600

I could eat Kuma's Korner's Kaijo Burger for every single meal for a month and I think I would still be happy. But to answer the question, I really don't think there is any place in town that could compete with the beer selection and food at Hopleaf. Personally for me, the Map Room has a better beer selection, but no food. As for better food than Hopleaf, you could easily find some high dollar joints with big name chefs in town. But you'd likely be pairing the meal with a Sam Adams.

gordy

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 15:59:42 -0600

Kuma's Korner on Belmont has some friggin good food along with a great beer selection. Probably cant find a better deal on the mussels which also happen to be FUCKING DELICIOUS.

navin

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 15:58:30 -0600

"It sounds like some kind of unpleasant condition one might find themselves in." Yeah no kidding why on earth would they come up with a name like that. The Handlebar's got a good beer selection with pretty decent chow.

kt

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 15:51:49 -0600

$2 pbr's and 6 cheese tamales for $5 at the bottle count?

MAF

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 15:46:35 -0600

A new joint on Belmont and Lakewood called Cooper's has really excellent food, but the best part of the place is the beer selection.

Kenny Williams

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 15:43:44 -0600

Hopleaf owner Michael Roper says he has been doing for years what the new gastropubs in town are claiming to do for the first time, adding that he doesn't want to be known as a gastropub anyway: "It sounds like some kind of unpleasant condition one might find themselves in." The last few times I've eaten at the Hopleaf, it has been pretty crummy--I had some stew thing that was too salty to eat. I also remember the place not being that affordable. Edgewater Lounge might be a better example.

jk

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 15:40:35 -0600

Does Darwin's count as delicious?