10 Best Breweries and Beer Places in Lincoln Park

"Somewhere between Dovetail and Marz is Half Acre, a relative OG by craft beer standards (it was founded by Gabriel Magliaro in 2006). While you may have heard of packaged brewery staples like Daisy Cutter West Coast Pale Ale or Pony Pilsner, the brewery also makes several draft-only offerings that are best experienced at one of their two taprooms. For the original location, check out their space at Lincoln Avenue; for a beer garden vibe, visit the expanded facility on Balmoral."

"Lights sit above the beer garden at the Half Acre taproom and kitchen at the Balmoral Street production brewery. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune). What was once the larger, but younger of Half Acre’s two taprooms is now the sole location, after the Chicago brewery recently sold its original Lincoln Avenue taproom to Hop Butcher for the World."

"Go to Moody Tongue for an elevated brewery experience|Courtesy of Moody Tongue. The Moody Tongue philosophy is all about culinary brewing: applying a chef’s mindset, with the most creative flavors and highest quality ingredients, to creating beer. (Brewmaster Jared Rouben has a background in Michelin-star dining.) Visit the tasting room, housed inside a former glass factory, and you’ll get an elevated brewery experience in every regard, from the impeccable service to the flavorful beers and a small, thoughtfully curated food menu including oysters flown in daily, baguettes and sausages, and a 12-layer German chocolate cake."

"This acclaimed Chicago brewery has a sleek black-and-wood tap room that’s both comforting and refined, with mid-century furniture, a historic library of brewing books, and an eye-catching fireplace. The beers at Moody Tongue evoke the same vibe, with a specialty beer program that includes whiskey and wine barrel-aged brews and their renowned Farmers Market Series and Sour Series offerings."

"It’s not often that you find a fine-dining tasting menu inside of a brewery. But everything about Moody Tongue will subvert your expectations. The kitchen at their intimate South Loop space is helmed by nine-time Michelin star chef Jared Wentworth, who has crafted a menu designed to thoughtfully elevate the intersection of food and beer."

"Lincoln Park/Wrigleyville Most hipsters may have abandoned Goose Island since it “went mainstream” with its much-maligned sale to InBev in 2011, but the brewery that basically started the Chicago craft beer scene continues to make high-quality beers worthy of your attention. Founded in 1988 and shut out of the Great America Beer Festival for the first time last year (it is no longer considered “craft”), Goose Island continues to forge ahead by opening new brewpubs across the globe in addition to its two Chicago locations. 312 is the beer most locals know best, but Goose’s food-focused offerings like Sofia and Matilda are steadily increasing in popularity."

"You don’t need to be a beer snob to have heard of Goose Island, probably the most recognizable Chicago beer to the general public across the country. Their Clybourn taproom is a spacious and central location that you can easily integrate into your Chicago itinerary. If you get the chance to visit in person, you’ll have access to their bottled lineup of bourbon barrel aged stouts, but their year-round and seasonal offerings are just as enticing."

"When you think Chicago, you think 312, the signature, school-bus-yellow bottle of beer from Goose Island. This popular, Chicago-based brewery has since expanded its single location on Fulton Street to several brewpubs and brewhouses around the city and beyond, so make sure to stop into one of your local Goose Island locations just in time for their fall releases."

"If German-style lagers are your thing, then head straight for Metropolitan Brewing—they’ve been making this sort of beer since 2009 and they’re quite good at it. Krankshaft, the flagship brew, is made year-round and offered at Soldier Field, O’Hare and Midway International Airports, and at the home of the White Sox. Once a bit under the radar, the popularity of Metropolitan Brewing has increased since the addition of the Rockwell Taproom (listed on their website as dog, kid and freak-friendly) in Avondale, overlooking the Chicago River."

"Serving up German-style lagers, Metropolitan Brewing is located in a converted 125-year-old warehouse with tranquil river views. Their popular beers — such as Dynamo and Krankshaft — are named for the industrial history of Chicago. In the taproom, you can get a pint, a growler, a six pack, a case of bottles, even a keg of their lager."

"Don’t be fooled by the warehouse aesthetic—there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes than you realize. This BYO food joint nestled up on the riverbanks in Bucktown offers outdoor seating with gorgeous views of the surrounding greenery, making you feel like you’re miles outside the city limits."

"Farmhouse-style ales go hand in hand with a rustic farmhouse kitchen at Corridor Brewery & Provisions. Pair one of their hop-forward brews with a Midwest bar snacks or an artisan pizza made with local ingredients. The always-changing draft list ranges from double IPAs to fruity sours to funky saisons."

"Corridor Brewery and Provisions is a creative gastropub that features seasonal brews. It is a warehouse-style brewery with delicious meals. As a craft brewery, they regularly change their draft list."

"With walls covered in blonde wood and decor accented in forest green, Hopewell Brewing’s taproom is lighter, airier and less industrial-feeling than most craft breweries. Long tables fit for communal sipping fill up quickly with large groups of friends and family (kids and dogs are welcome), so get there early. On tap, you’ll always find Hopewell’s Swift IPA (a citrus-y ale) and the crisp, refreshing First Lager."

"The Hopewell Brewing Co. brews, sells and self-distributes all their own beer. In doing so, they can connect with beer drinkers on a more personal level than some brewing companies. This fuels their mission to provide accessible, high-quality beer for all."

"Empirical Brewing‘s taproom is a bit like walking into the lab of a mad (or at least buzzed) scientist. This experimental microbrewer is always texting new recipes with their signature one-barrel system — which means small quantities and lots of creativity. The brewers are known to collect feedback from taproom patrons and use it to further tweak their brews."

"A self-described "bunch of nerds" (even their logo is an ancient historical reference!), you can literally watch the Empirical brewers' expertise in action. They are open for limited indoor seating, patio seating or to-go orders!"

"There’s something a little wacky about Off Color’s chosen mascot, a charming cartoon mouse that appears in all sorts of adventures through their label artwork, whether it’s Sibling Rivalry, Little Friend, or Dino S’mores. Other characters make their debuts as well, giving each bottle a captivating aesthetic that makes it even tastier to consume."

"Next up is Goose Island's Off Color Brewing, situated at 1460 N. Kingsbury St. With 4.5 stars out of 120 reviews on Yelp, the brewery, beer bar and beer tour spot has proved to be a local favorite."

"A selection of seven cans in the "Beer for" series is seen at Off Color Brewing's Mousetrap taproom. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)"

"The founders, former tech co-workers turned brewers, rehabbed much of the 19th-century industrial building themselves. The result is a soaring but cozy space that features brick walls, a 40-foot-long oak bar, a patio, and picnic tables that encourage mingling. They also encourage you to bring your everything, including food, games, darts, kids, and dogs — but they’re got the beer covered."

"Lo Rez has spent the last year posting snapshots of their great events so we're so excited that they have reopened their space (with precautions!). They are also offering cheap home delivery throughout the Chicago area."

"Zanies has been a premiere location in Chicago for standup comedy since 1978. Local favorites, big stars, and newcomers all share the same stage for the purpose of making at least one of your two-drink minimum come shooting out of your nose. They have three locations to serve the Chicago area, and they provide standup shows on a nightly basis."

"Zanies has been a Chi-Town comedy staple since 1978 and have been the stage of many famous comedians throughout the years. It has excellent service, good grub, good drinks, and of course, some of Chi-Town’s finest comedians each evening. If you’re looking to get a good laugh, Zanies is among the better bars and clubs in Chicago."

"A post shared by Mandy & Morgan (@bacon_wrappeddates) on Oct 16, 2018 at 7:44pm PDT. Zanies Comedy Night Club might be small (patrons literally sit beside each other), but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in humor. Do note that there’s a minimum two-drink and food policy here."

"Goosefoot puts the pairings for its French-inspired tasting menus in your hands with its BYOB option, but you can visit Goosefoot Food & Wine nextdoor for excellent wine opions. The dining room is open and accepting reservations."

"According to La Boulangerie owner Vincent Colombet, the canelé is in his blood. After all, it's one of the most celebrated traditional sweets of his home region of Bordeaux, where, he says, it's not an everyday staple, but rather a special-occasion treat. Though he believes his background gives his version (which is prepared in his central cooking facility on Elston) an edge over those of his peers, still he finds it challenging to produce an exact replica of the canelé of his youth, largely because the rum commonly used in Bordeaux is difficult to source in his adopted city."

"La Boulangerie found on W Logan Blvd boasts a whole range of baking specialties. There are usually 11 staple macaron flavors on offer, with others coming and going based on the season. Currently, flavors include mint chocolate, dark chocolate hazelnut, lemon poppy seed, raspberry, and lavender chocolate."

"Fortunately, you don’t have to take a 10-hour flight to get a French croissant. Bonjour Café Bakery is the perfect place to grab a chocolate croissant on the go or sit, relax, and enjoy a warm quiche. This cafe has both indoor and outdoor seating, making this the perfect place to enjoy warm weather with fresh pastries."

"For when you want a pastry to go with your coffee, the Bonjour Cafe should be your top pick. Unsurprisingly from the shop’s name, this French-style bakery has a changing seasonal selection of fresh baked goods. They range from rose-flavored macarons, eclairs, and croissants."

"It was very popular during the ‘80s and locals are still loyal to it. It is easy on the eye, with lawns and trees, and brick walls. Nowadays, it still attracts people and offers plenty of parking space, with security, and convenient shopping."