Chicago "Ale Trail"?

Yeah, no doubt. They will be allowed to start opening June 26th so that will give them nearly a month to actually open. Not a ton of short walks but definitely clusters of breweries. Check this thread. https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/visiting-chicagoland-resource-thread-2020.630828/

 

https://www.maltrowchicago.com/

Malt Row is walkable.

 

FBarber hit the nail on the head, for the best suggestions, let us know which styles of beer or even atmosphere you/your group likes best. Chicago is that deep beer wise imo (hell yes I’m biased).

If you’re a Lager fan, Dovetail, Begyle, and Metropolitan (taproom can’t be missed!) are excellent options.

Looking for trendy restaurants close to downtown to pair with your brewery? West Loop has Cruz Blanca, Ballast Point, and Haymarket.

 

Breweries that are able to have outdoor seating with the mandated social distancing and safety measures are functioning now in addition to curbside pickup. Inside seating is still not an option. June 26 is only a marker for the earliest date that areas of IL can possibly move to phase 4 if metrics are met. It's a wait and see game. The link that Frankinstiener gave is best for navigating breweries in general. I would advise following up closer to your arrival date and contacting breweries if necessary depending on what happens moving forward. From what I've seen some breweries have needed extra time to open up more with the easing of restrictions.

 

I screwed up a bit as Metropolitan and Dovetail are not that close based on walking, but regardless those are 2 options. Heres a shortlist, I’m sure other’s have other recommendations.

1. A. Metropolitan - you wont regret going to their taproom, B. Maplewood, and also can make it to C. Revolution (good food) with a 20-30 min walk.

2. West Loop is just fun to walk around and mingle. plenty of restaurants and bars here as i mentioned earlier. A. Haymarket, B. Cruz Blanca, C. Ballast point (Rooftop). Cruz Blanca is owned by famous chef Rick Bayless and has great food. Haymarket also has a kick ass cheeseburger and bar food.

3. North Side closer to wrigley, Dovetail and Begyle are right next door. Dovetail specializes in Euro Lagers and Begyle has a bit of everything. Neither have food tho, but Dovetail has some snacks (sausages, pretzels).

I highly recommend 1 and 2 as that’s where I personally spend a lot of time when I venture to the city coming from the burbs. Granted my rec’s based on everything being opened up late July, which i expect it will be.

 

Couple buddies and I had a LOT of fun doing this itinerary (note, buy some to-go cans/crowlers along the way):
1. Maplewood, walk or Uber down Diversey to
2. Hopewell Brewing Co., grab a quick cocktail and snack at
3. Longman & Eagle, walk down Milwaukee to
4. Revolution, head down California to the
5. Middle Brow Bungalow, walk along Armitage to get dinner at
6. 90 Miles Cuban Cafe (BYOB-drink your cans/crowlers), continue down Armitage to
7. Margie's Candies (ice cream)

Here's a map:

 

You have a Cuban mother-in-law too??? I knew I liked you.

 

90 Miles is great. I'm just upset they changed the recipe on their empanadas. I loved the old ones much more.

 

Trip looks good. The walk on Diversey is long. The route #76 Diversey bus runs westbound until 23:10. It might cost nothing if you know the trick. Transit buses have a regular sanitation pattern each night they pull in to their garages. Uber | Lyft vehicles, errr, I cannot vouch.
Anyhow, I mention a stop in between Longman & Eagle and Revolution {which is actually closed in Phase 3}: B i x i (just past the Rocking Horse). It has a 2nd floor barroom with a retractable roof which might qualify as a patio if it reduces the seating capacity. But I can see it reopening in Phase 4.
Then, there is another multi-brewery plant, Pilot Project Brewing, which is just north of Margie's Candies.

 

Yeaaaaaahhhhhh...honestly that part is a liiiiittttle fuzzy, as we may have engaged in a slight bit of pregaming. We might have walked, might have Ubered, might have clicked our heels together 3 times while saying “There’s no place like Hopewell.”

 

My suggestion is to check back a week before your trip or reach out to your preferred places to confirm their level of service.

My two favorite clusters for food and drink (within 1- 1 1/2 miles) are:

1. Revolution Brewery / DMen Bar / Kuma's Corner & The Beer Temple

2. Half Acre Balmoral Brewery / Spiteful Brewery / Hopleaf Bar

Dovetail / Begyle / Bottles & Cans / Half Acre Lincoln is another good cluster to consider, as there are several bar restaurants already open with outdoor seating to supplement the to go breweries / bottle shop (B & C) if breweries are still not open for onsite for your trip.

I usually don't send people to the suburbs, but they are much further ahead in terms of reopening (and likely will continue to be). Mikerphone / Une Annee Hubbard's Cave are both open, the later with good brisket / food. Beer on the Wall is a good bottle shop with draft service in Park Ridge, located between the two.

 

Brewpub isn't reopening until Monday, July 20 so that makes your decision a lot easier