Beer Bistro, a West Loop Craft Beer Pioneer, Is Closing After 13 Years

The Beer Bistro, a craft beer bar pioneer for the last 13 years in the West Loop, has announced it will close. Customers have 11 days to grab a few sliders and a pint, as the bar plans to shutter on Saturday, May 12, according to a Facebook post. The beer bar at 1061 W. Madison Street has been a pillar for the neighborhood that thrived, giving Bulls and Blackhawks fans a reliable spot for a quality brew near the United Center before much of the area — including Randolph Restaurant Row (a few blocks north) — carried buzz.

“As all good runs, though, this one has come to its end. It is with some sorrow we must now part ways. Regrettably, we will be closing our doors for good as of May 12, 2018,” the Facebook post, in part, read.

Owners Bob and Heidi McDermott opened The Beer Bistro in 2005 and served bar food and a huge beer list with more than 200 selections. They eventually opened a second bar in the Lincoln Park/DePaul area, taking over the Small Bar spot at 1415 W. Fullerton Avenue. That spot closed in 2016.

As real estate prices in the West Loop escalate, many long-time tenants have struggled to reach agreements with landlords. Wishbone, a restaurant located just a block north from Beer Bistro, recently announced it’s leaving its home of 26 years due to a rent dispute. The McDermotts weren’t immediately reached, however one of the bar’s employees said a lease issue led to the shutter announcement.