Cruz Blanca Brewpub

We were there for their 2019 Luchador Barrel Aged Bottle Release around 12 noon on a Saturday. The place was packed and there was a wait, but we found two seats at the bar. They also have a second floor. The bar is small with about 8 seats very close to each other. The bartender was great and she answered all our questions, there were people behind us so it was pretty packed I had one of their regular beers and then 2 from barrel aged program. The Mr. had 2 barrel aged beers then a bloody mary. We also had an appetizer which came out nice and hot.

We'll definitely be back and hope to sit at an actual table. We took a few bottles home, looking forward to opening those soon.

I hosted a small dinner here before a Blackhawks game. It was a good choice!

Entering off Randolph, there is a small bar to your left. There is a mix of table seating on near the bar. There is a second, larger room upstairs that also has a bar.

Service was friendly and they gave everyone at the table a free sample of their latest beer (a Dubbel).

Lots of beer choices with a bit of an emphasis on Mexican (no surprise) and Belgian styles but still had other choices as well. I enjoyed everything I tried. Note a that they have a lot of barrel aged beers on their menu. two were on tap and probably another dozen in bottles.

As expected, the food was very good. Rick Bayless knows his way around Mexican food!!

This is a great spot for both food and beer fans.

 

 

 

 

 

This is more of a restaurant than a taproom, and it's in a super trendy part of Chicago that's crowded and a bit soulless.

Their beer is actually above average...but what was super disappointing was the food.

I'm convinced the emperor (Rick Bayless) has no clothes...any strip mall taco joint in Chicago will give you more flavorful, enjoyable food.

Stopped in shortly after opening (give or take 11:30am) on a Friday. The immediate space is surprisingly tight, with a limited amount of seating in front of the concrete bar to the left and straight ahead from the door; apparently more seating is often available upstairs, but that area was closed while I was visiting. Not a fan of the bathrooms being downstairs a la Haymarket, but I guess that's how things go with the tight real estate in the area. The décor is obviously Latin inspired, yet still semi-industrial, plenty of dark woods, bits of aluminum, and concrete dominating. Place was relatively quiet at the time, but I can see it getting pretty loud when crowded. I hit the bar and ordered a few, each pretty damn solid and interesting. The bartender was genial (if a bit quiet at times) and was certainly knowledgeable on the products (including the liqueurs behind the bar); occasionally he was a bit slow to get new suds in my glass, but it was nothing egregious. I didn't try any of the food (I know, I'm dumb), but it sure looked good from a distance. If you're in the area, this place is definitely worth a visit, but I'm not sure I would go out of my way if just out of the vicinity, as things are kinda close-quarters, but, then again, the food could likely be a pull. Tough call.

Having been a to a lot of breweries, it's hard to find one that produces quality beer AND a full menu. Cruz Blanca does this with serious quality in both. Awesome tacos, great hot chicken, and a range of beers that can satisfy every type of beer drinker. That's not to mention their barrel program has expanded in the past couple of years in a great way.

Go here with total confidence!

 

 

 

 

Loud, crowded, popular with after work crowd. I was Wednesday night at 6:30p. 1 seat at bar, tables all packed. Seems to indicate a decent place in this location.

Beer decent, lots of variety. Multiple pour size options.

Tasty Mexican food options.

definitely under the radar still, but one of my favorite breweries i have ever visited in chicago, which is really saying something with so many good ones now. this place is awesome, a really inspired mexican menu and some super creative beers in a cool part of town. they have a welcoming and relaxed patio out front, a bustling dining room inside, and a heck of a menu. we sat outside and drank through almost all of the beer they had to offer, a good mix of bottles and draft. i was blown away by their mexican lager, perfect execution, but also stoked on a corn grisette, a rum barrel aged stout, and a cool blended barleywine, but all the beer was interesting and for the most part exceptional. all very inspired and dynamic, things like candied ginger, brandy barrels, rare malted corn, and prickly pear were in the beers! a slightly upscale environment gives a little class to the place, and the unique mexican food is a cut above. i loved the salad i had here, but am already dying to go back and dive a little deeper into their food menu. service was fine, it was busy and we were low key, but maybe not as attentive as it could be, plenty friendly and informative though. i loved our time here, some of the more interesting beers i have had anywhere, and a really cool concept and awesome execution overall. ill be back here for sure. definitely check this place out when you are in the city!

 

Cruz Blanca is located in an up and coming section of Chicago's west loop. The place overall is small so seating can get tight....during summer there is outdoor seating. The quality of the food and beer is solid. The service was friendly and supportive. The beer and food menu is a tad limited...but you should find something. The food is excellent.

Been here numerous times as this is a favorite of the wife's. I find them to be one of the most underrated breweries in the city, that Luchador series is creative and uses ingredients that are not typical, highly recommend! We have done the guided tasting with the brewer and really enjoyed the experience. Food is fantastic for the most part, not your typical bar food, and it pairs with the beer well. Ask for a table upstairs or outside, not as cramped or loud.

 

Stopped in for a couple early beers this weekend, it was alright. The place was much smaller than i'd anticipated, the bar sat maybe 8-10. They had rules posted on the wall on where to order and pickup your food, which had to be explained to everyone that came in by the bartender. There is a 2nd floor with a taproom, but it wasn't open yet that day. The interior is kind of basic modern with green tile brick and windows into the brewhouse behind the bar.

Their beers are typically of good quality, though the IPA I had seemed a little bland and caramel malt forward. The table lager was very good, and the Vienna was good. The CDMX and Medianoche are both excellent.

Service was a little cut and dried, though they offered us samples. Nice enough, kinda corporate. I had a free beer card, and they used it on a half pour instead of a full beer. No big deal but worth mentioning if you have one.

I'm sure the food is excellent, though we were headed to J.P. Graziano's across the street. Superior Italian subs there if you go, it's a classic Chicago institution. Second time in, we had appetizers that were good.

Matt Morin, the beer director at Cruz Blanca is rating their beers all 5's. Guess they need the help to inflate ratings.

I thought Cruz Blanca would be good but not this good. I was coming for the food but the quality of the beer was equally good. Vegetarian offerings are limited but the portabello mushroom tacos with "grilled güero chiles, knob onions,
heirloom corn tortillas, lime. Oaxacan pasilla or roasted tomatillo salsa" are fantastic. Even the non-vegetarian servers said it was their favourite taco. Food is served at a separate walk-up counter and then you pick it up when it's ready. My advice is to first claim a seat, then order your food, and then order beer. The night I was there they had twelve in-house beers to choose from, everything from table lager to cherrywood smoked dark lager to biere de garde to imperial brown ale. I tasted 7 and the standouts for me were the smoked dark lager (excellent with the mushroom tacos!) and the blonde biere de garde. Bartenders are friendly and know their beer. Good specials: Sunday Funday: Half-priced draft beers all day - Taco Tuesday: Half-priced tacos 4-6:30 p.m. - Wednesday-Friday: $3 brewers choice drafts 4-6:30 p.m.

Great vibe on a warm Tuesday night. Consistent quality in their beers. Sat at the bar with attentive service but had to go order food separately from the walk-up section. Wide range of specialties - very few "normal" options, which I found appealing. Food was Rick Bayless... which was fantastic for a brewpub! Overall great experience.

 

Great food, vibe, beers, and very reasonably priced. Had a chance to drink their first stout the other week, and it was excellent. Always seems to have 6+ beers on tap of a wide variety.