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Solemn Oath Still Life is heating up Logan Square.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Chicago's Best Brewery Tasting Rooms

Where to drink craft beer straight from the source

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Solemn Oath Still Life is heating up Logan Square.
| Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Chicago’s craft beer industry continues to grow, even in the face of hard seltzer, and many local breweries offer spacious taprooms that provide the ideal backdrop for group hangs, a friendly space for families with young children, and a place to offer experimental brews.

This list is limited to breweries within the city limits without full kitchens and food menus. Customers at these taprooms rely on delivery, carryout, or a food truck parked outside. For breweries with kitchens, also known as brewpubs, check out this map.

For updated information on coronavirus cases, please visit the city of Chicago’s COVID-19 dashboard. Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.

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Illuminated Brew Works

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IBW in Norwood Park has adopted a cult theme: the taproom is styled as a “secret” lodge and drinking IBW beer will make customers members of an illuminati. There’s a variety of beers on tap and a 10 percent discount to customers who ride their bikes to the taproom.

Alarmist Brewing & Taproom

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This dog- and kid-friendly taproom has a 18-seat courtyard that’s open seasonally. Find a good variety of lagers, ales, and sours on draft.

Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Hopewell Brewing Company

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One of the hipper taprooms in the city, Hopewell stands along Milwaukee Avenue in Logan Square. Find pale ales, lagers, sours, and board games here.

Revolution Brewing

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Revolution is the state’s largest independent craft brewer, and it recently purchased a new Avondale brewery with a cavernous taproom up a short flight of stairs. The space is ideal for large gatherings and the bar usually has a special draft offering — say a variant of Deth’s Tar, the brewery’s barrel-aged stout. There’s the occasional pop-up, but delivery is the best bet for food.

Revolution
Revolution Brewing
Revolution Brewing/Facebook

Solemn Oath Brewery Still Life

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Solemn Oath finally opened its Chicago location with a unique design that uses a ’70s rec room aesthetic. One of the more popular bars in Logan Square in 2021, the brewery is a good place for a date.

Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Pilot Project Brewing

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Pilot Project is a newish concept in Logan Square, one that serves as a business incubator for several breweries, allowing them to serve their beer as they hammer out production concerns and figure if they want their own locations. The space is beautiful and airy, though it tends to get jammed on weekends. There’s also a patio space next door. For folks who don’t want booze, there’s also a full espresso bar. There are currently six breweries on tap, including Indian-influenced Azadi and Brewer’s Kitchen which takes a culinary approach to beer making.

Metropolitan Brewing

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One of Chicago’s local favorites recently opened this picturesque taproom right on the Chicago River on the Northwest Side to showcase its popular lagers. Metropolitan’s space is open and minimalist with a riverside deck to sip brews during the warmer months. This is great place to sip a lager and get some fresh air.

Maplewood Brewery & Distillery

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This dimly lit Logan Square pub hidden on a residential block is a tribute to Chicago dive bars. Find a good variety of styles and boozy slushies. Maplewood also makes its own spirits.

Maplewood Lounge Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Life on Marz Community Club

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The Bucktown spinoff of the South Side brewery, Life on Marz gives the beer maker a footprint on the North Side and a place to sell packaged goods like beer and CBD sodas. The space is tidy and good for small groups. It comes with Marz’s signature quirks, including an LED banner that greets people in the vestibule.

An empty bar. Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Midwest Coast Brewing Company

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West Town’s Midwest Coast Brewing sports a cozy taproom that allows customers to construct custom flights with IPAs and lagers. Customers are welcome to bring in their own food or order delivery.

Spiteful Brewing Tap Room

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A few steps away from Half Acre, Spiteful is a smaller operation with a great kid-friendly space that soaks up a lot of sunlight. It’s not a massive room, but it’s good for small groups, and it offers a decent variety of delicious beers.

Spiteful Brewing Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Empirical Brewery Taproom

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A relaxed and popular taproom on the Ravenswood brewery corridor, Empirical packs in neighborhood crowds for all types for fun, no-frills vibes and creative beers. Styles run from a drinkable cream ale to an imperial IPA to a pale ale with passion fruit. There’s also a beer garden.

Empirical Empirical Brewing Company/Facebook

Dovetail Brewery

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Another brewery along the Malt Row corridor in Ravenswood, Dovetail specializes in modern interpretations of German-style lagers. The beer is refreshing and the space is friendly.

Begyle Brewing

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Begyle’s taproom is tidy and comfy, a good place to hang out for a point or a tasting. Brewery tours are also available. Begyle is known for its award-winning Imperial Pajamas.

Begyle Brewing [Official Photo]

Goose Island Beer Co.

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It only took 20 years after Goose Island opened its Fulton and Wood facility for it to debut this gem of a tasting room that offers taproom specials as well as tours of the brewing facility. There’s also a huge depot of vintage bottles, some available for takeout. The tap list differs from the original Goose Island Clybourn brewpub in Lincoln Park.

Goose Island Beer Co. [Official Photo]

On Tour Brewing Company

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On Tour packs in crowds for crushable pilsners, weisses, and saisons as well as nitro selections and growlers to go. Food trucks and pop-ups sometimes make appearances. This is one of the more beloved taprooms among beer fans in Chicago, and makes an ideal venue for a private event.

Vanessa Buholzer

Whiner Beer Company

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Whiner Beer broke into the mainstream with Le Tub, which it proclaimed the first beer designed for drinking while in a bathtub. What happens in the privacy of a drinker’s own home isn’t up for discussion, but in public, Whiner is known for its barrel-age brews, and it’s not just about the stouts. Find fruit beers, sours, and more.

Lo Rez Brewing and Taproom

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Located in Pilsen, Lo Rez’s philosophy is to offer modern takes on traditional styles. Inside the taproom, find ales, sours, Belgians, and more.

Off Color Brewing Taproom The Mousetrap

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This space has become a sanctuary in a quiet stretch of Lincoln Park. This taproom also has a full bar and cocktails, a rarity. The space tends to get loud as weekend nights go on, so get here early.

Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

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Illuminated Brew Works

IBW in Norwood Park has adopted a cult theme: the taproom is styled as a “secret” lodge and drinking IBW beer will make customers members of an illuminati. There’s a variety of beers on tap and a 10 percent discount to customers who ride their bikes to the taproom.

Alarmist Brewing & Taproom

This dog- and kid-friendly taproom has a 18-seat courtyard that’s open seasonally. Find a good variety of lagers, ales, and sours on draft.

Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Hopewell Brewing Company

One of the hipper taprooms in the city, Hopewell stands along Milwaukee Avenue in Logan Square. Find pale ales, lagers, sours, and board games here.

Revolution Brewing

Revolution is the state’s largest independent craft brewer, and it recently purchased a new Avondale brewery with a cavernous taproom up a short flight of stairs. The space is ideal for large gatherings and the bar usually has a special draft offering — say a variant of Deth’s Tar, the brewery’s barrel-aged stout. There’s the occasional pop-up, but delivery is the best bet for food.

Revolution
Revolution Brewing
Revolution Brewing/Facebook

Solemn Oath Brewery Still Life

Solemn Oath finally opened its Chicago location with a unique design that uses a ’70s rec room aesthetic. One of the more popular bars in Logan Square in 2021, the brewery is a good place for a date.

Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Pilot Project Brewing

Pilot Project is a newish concept in Logan Square, one that serves as a business incubator for several breweries, allowing them to serve their beer as they hammer out production concerns and figure if they want their own locations. The space is beautiful and airy, though it tends to get jammed on weekends. There’s also a patio space next door. For folks who don’t want booze, there’s also a full espresso bar. There are currently six breweries on tap, including Indian-influenced Azadi and Brewer’s Kitchen which takes a culinary approach to beer making.

Metropolitan Brewing

One of Chicago’s local favorites recently opened this picturesque taproom right on the Chicago River on the Northwest Side to showcase its popular lagers. Metropolitan’s space is open and minimalist with a riverside deck to sip brews during the warmer months. This is great place to sip a lager and get some fresh air.

Maplewood Brewery & Distillery

This dimly lit Logan Square pub hidden on a residential block is a tribute to Chicago dive bars. Find a good variety of styles and boozy slushies. Maplewood also makes its own spirits.

Maplewood Lounge Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Life on Marz Community Club

The Bucktown spinoff of the South Side brewery, Life on Marz gives the beer maker a footprint on the North Side and a place to sell packaged goods like beer and CBD sodas. The space is tidy and good for small groups. It comes with Marz’s signature quirks, including an LED banner that greets people in the vestibule.

An empty bar. Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Midwest Coast Brewing Company

West Town’s Midwest Coast Brewing sports a cozy taproom that allows customers to construct custom flights with IPAs and lagers. Customers are welcome to bring in their own food or order delivery.

Spiteful Brewing Tap Room

A few steps away from Half Acre, Spiteful is a smaller operation with a great kid-friendly space that soaks up a lot of sunlight. It’s not a massive room, but it’s good for small groups, and it offers a decent variety of delicious beers.

Spiteful Brewing Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Empirical Brewery Taproom

A relaxed and popular taproom on the Ravenswood brewery corridor, Empirical packs in neighborhood crowds for all types for fun, no-frills vibes and creative beers. Styles run from a drinkable cream ale to an imperial IPA to a pale ale with passion fruit. There’s also a beer garden.

Empirical Empirical Brewing Company/Facebook

Dovetail Brewery

Another brewery along the Malt Row corridor in Ravenswood, Dovetail specializes in modern interpretations of German-style lagers. The beer is refreshing and the space is friendly.

Begyle Brewing

Begyle’s taproom is tidy and comfy, a good place to hang out for a point or a tasting. Brewery tours are also available. Begyle is known for its award-winning Imperial Pajamas.

Begyle Brewing [Official Photo]

Goose Island Beer Co.

It only took 20 years after Goose Island opened its Fulton and Wood facility for it to debut this gem of a tasting room that offers taproom specials as well as tours of the brewing facility. There’s also a huge depot of vintage bottles, some available for takeout. The tap list differs from the original Goose Island Clybourn brewpub in Lincoln Park.

Goose Island Beer Co. [Official Photo]

Related Maps

On Tour Brewing Company

On Tour packs in crowds for crushable pilsners, weisses, and saisons as well as nitro selections and growlers to go. Food trucks and pop-ups sometimes make appearances. This is one of the more beloved taprooms among beer fans in Chicago, and makes an ideal venue for a private event.

Vanessa Buholzer

Whiner Beer Company

Whiner Beer broke into the mainstream with Le Tub, which it proclaimed the first beer designed for drinking while in a bathtub. What happens in the privacy of a drinker’s own home isn’t up for discussion, but in public, Whiner is known for its barrel-age brews, and it’s not just about the stouts. Find fruit beers, sours, and more.

Lo Rez Brewing and Taproom

Located in Pilsen, Lo Rez’s philosophy is to offer modern takes on traditional styles. Inside the taproom, find ales, sours, Belgians, and more.

Off Color Brewing Taproom The Mousetrap

This space has become a sanctuary in a quiet stretch of Lincoln Park. This taproom also has a full bar and cocktails, a rarity. The space tends to get loud as weekend nights go on, so get here early.

Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Related Maps