Baby-on-Board Review: Goose Island Brew Pub

By Elizabeth Shapiro in Food on Aug 15, 2007 3:00PM

Chicagoist has long been a fan of Goose Island beers. Not only have they long been a staple Beer of the Week, but we're pretty sure our names are on a plaque somewhere on the pub walls as "Masters of Beer Appreciation," a feat accomplished in the hazy years before our baby. What we didn't know then was that we could have our kid and our beer, too.

Turns out, Goose Island Brew Pub is a great place to go for dinner with the whole family. If you head out to their Clybourn location, sit in the restaurant itself (and not the atrium-type room) for the most sound-absorbing and sturdy, child-proofed booths and tables. Our waiter was friendly and efficient, and our buss-person played a quick, impromptu peek-a-boo with our toddler while we savored our drinks.

Their kids' menu has several great choices, all under $3. We were impressed with their veggie and turkey dinner, a plate with a variety of foods (peas, corn, celery, turkey and animal crackers) that kept our picky eater engaged while we chowed down our own food. The best part was that everything on the dish was already cut into bite-sized pieces, ready for our hungry kiddo.

The main menu hasn’t changed much over the years, although we feel that the quality of the entrees has dipped a bit, and it is no longer one of our favorite burgers in the city. Their appetizers, however, are solid snacking food, and their weekday happy hour special means they’re half off. Try combining a few for a cheap night out. We recommend the chicken tenders, massive cuts of chicken that put McNuggets to shame, with their 312-mustard-BBQ sauce. The beers do live up to expectation. The dozen or more described on the menu include information about their alcohol content, a helpful tidbit for mamas who might be a little less tolerant to the strong stuff post-partum. We enjoyed the Fulton Wood Bitter (5.6% ABV), an amber-colored, full-bodied and rare brew.

Chicagoland parents, take back your bars! When you’re hankering for a decent brew, take the family out for dinner at Goose Island.

The Goose Island we visited is located on 1800 N. Clybourn. Check their website for their hours and Wrigleyville location.