clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Chicago’s Hottest Pour-Your-Own-Beer Bar is Coming to Lincoln Park

Plus, a taco fest slated for this weekend appears to be a fake scam and more intel

Tapster’s original location in Wicker Park
Facebook/Tapster

Tapster, the Wicker Park hotspot that was the city’s first pour-your-own-beer bar, is coming to Lincoln Park. The bar is taking over Tavern 57, the short-lived replacement for 75-year-old neighborhood bar Wrightwood Tap at 1059 W. Wrightwood Avenue, which opened in September 2017 after new ownership purchased it. Tapster owner Roman Maliszewski says he will sign a lease for the space on Friday, that the space only needs cosmetic work including installing the tap wall, and he hopes to open around Labor Day.

— A taco festival slated for this weekend appears to be a fake scam. Taco Fest Chicago has no address or city approval and is promoted by Fanoomies Entertainment, a California company which also promoted another maybe-fake festival in California earlier this year, the Tribune reports. The festival’s Facebook page has since been taken down but Fanoomies’ website still promotes it although the option to buy tickets appears to be unavailable.

The Loyalist’s cheeseburger, which a national magazine lauded as the country’s second-best, is now available for delivery via Caviar. In addition to the burger, The Loyalist also delivers mussels with escargot butter and cream, chicken wings with chicken liver mousse hot sauce, beer, wine, and more food items.

— The St. Charles City Council approved Wahlburgers to build a restaurant in the suburb and Donnie Wahlberg is excited, the Daily Herald reports with renderings. A Wahlburgers is also expected to open in River North by the end of the year.

— Beloved Bucktown French restaurant Le Bouchon turns 25 years young this month. To celebrate, it’s offering a three-course prix fixe menu for $38, which includes some of deceased chef-founder Jean-Claude Poilevey’s favorite dishes.

— Randolph Street in the West Loop is getting a pop-up retail market made of shipping containers this week which will include a bar and beer garden by Haymarket Pub & Brewery, the Tribune reports. Shops will rotate in and out of six spaces at Box Shops by Related at 725 W. Randolph Street; staying anywhere from a week to a few months.

— And finally, Sahar Sander, co-founder and chef behind burgeoning Chicagoland-based fast-casual Middle Eastern chain Naf Naf Grill, has passed away. The has chain impressively grown to include 16 local restaurants plus expand to eight more states since Sander founded it in 2009.

Naf Naf Grill

1875 K Street Northwest, , DC 20006 (202) 618-3724 Visit Website

The Loyalist

177 North Ada Street, , IL 60607 (773) 913-3774 Visit Website

Tapster

2027 West North Avenue, , IL 60647 (773) 661-2182 Visit Website

Haymarket Pub & Brewery

737 West Randolph Street, , IL 60661 (312) 638-0700 Visit Website

Le Bouchon

1958 North Damen Avenue, , IL 60647 (773) 862-6600 Visit Website

Wrightwood Tap

1059 W Wrightwood Ave, Chicago, IL 60614 (312) 549-4949

Wahlburgers River North

2 E. Ontario Street, Chicago, IL 60611 Visit Website