Chicago trip questions

Half Acre vs Revoultion is tough. I might slightly prefer the beer of Half Acre while finding the visit to Revolution to be better. Half Acre just started doing food and I can't speak to its quality

Food Network type places? For lunch do carnitas at Carnitas Uruapan in the Pilsen neighborhood. It was on Top 5 tacos in America and is sensational. Au Cheval and Kuma's are up for the best burgers around along with good taps. For a quick breakfast on the go bite, Glazed and Infused does some really creative donuts.

 

Opinions are likely to be split down the middle on this and there really is no losing combination with anything you have listed, just personal preferences. You're location will likely dictate.

1. Coin flip on beers. I haven't eaten at Half Acre since they opened their kitchen, but I'd lean Revolution for more of a traditional brewpub atmosphere.

2. Coin flip, I'd go with whichever one is easiest for you to get in an out of. GI Clybourn is across from Binny's LP so that could kill a couple things of interest in one visit.

3. Again, no loser, but I prefer Local Option's tap list.

4. Can't go wrong with Au Cheval/Small Cheval for a world class burger (which always sounds lame to say until you eat one). Honey Butter Fried Chicken and Kuma's are near Beer Temple, so those could be a good 1-2 option.

 

I just got back from a trip to Chicago, and I will say Revolution is more traditional bar atmosphere while Half Acre is more "strip mall/chill bar" feel (that's not a bad thing).
For food, we went with Lou Malnatis pizza. I didn't think we should eat anything but Chicago style pizza in Chicago. Just my 2 cents...
I can't vote on the other 2 as we only hit breweries and only went to Binnys LP.

 

For number 3, consider Crisp Korean Fried Chicken. Their Seoul Sassy sauce on wings/chicken is really good. Not sure if it's been on triple D or otherwise, but those who know will back me up.

 

1) I haven't done Rev brewpub or HA's food myself, yet, but Rev has a more traditional menu (unless you're talking about the brewery taproom, in which case, go grab some White Castle and eat it there).

2) I would do LP Binny's, but only because of how huge it is. If you want a more personal touch, go to WLV. However, you can drink beer while browsing Binny's (you grab it in their taproom), and as has been pointed out already, it's right across from Goose Island, which is a no-brainer.

3) Local Option and Hopleaf have better selections of beer than Haymarket, I'd say, but Haymarket always has a lot of their own stuff, and it's usually very solid. So this is a tossup. However, Haymarket is also right near Au Cheval, which leads me into:

4) If you want a world-class burger, check out Au Cheval. It's not my #1 pick in the city, but it's top 5, easily, and worth a try. Please get it with bacon.

If you don't want a burger, head to Lou Malnati's or Gino's for some Chicago-style pizza. Both are great, Lou's sauce is more fresh tomato sauce, Gino's leans towards a sweet marinara. Can't go wrong either way.

 

1) I prefer Revolution, but both are good. Make sure you go to the Milwaukee Ave location if you want food. Or you can stop at the Kedzie location and hit some relatively nearby (again, relatively) restaurants like L'Patron, Smoque, Kumas or Honey Butter Fried Chicken.

2) Again, both are good but I'd lean Binny's, mostly for drinking while shopping.

3) I would recommend having a beer or 5 at Haymarket during a likely lengthy wait at Au Cheval, Little Goat or one of the other good and popular places in that area. The Publican is right there too, nice beer list and food but pricey.

 

I love Half Acre, but I think Rev is better for food

Hopleaf for the tap list, but far. 2nd for me would actually be Link's Taproom over either Haymarket or Local Option

For local food, get a Chicago Beef sandwich. Al's #1 locations are all over town.

 

Everything that needs to be said about 1 and 2 has been said, so I'm gonna break the rules a bit and recommend Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder for #3. It's out of the way and has a meh beer list, but the pizza-in-a-bowl is simply out of this world and it's always packed with locals because it flies under the radar of bigger-name places. I go there every time I visit my brother in Chicago and it's just insane. You've gotta start with the Mediterranean bread, then get the half-pounder with meat. Yes, it's a variation on the traditional Chicago deep-dish, but it's definitely not what you expect.

Fair warning: it's cash-only, so be prepared!

 

If you're with non-beer drinkers, Revolution is the easy choice over Half Acre. They have a much better food selection, and I personally would probably prefer their beer selection as well.

I would recommend Binny's LP over WLV for sure.

I'll add a negative vote to this...DON'T go to Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder! While he is right that it is always busy, it's just not very good. The bread is OK, the pizza is not. If you want a different kind of pizza, go to Piece or Pequod's.

I would agree that you should get a beef sandwich (or combo...beef & sausage) while you're here. I'd never heard of one before I moved here 16 years ago, and I quickly loved them. Mr. Beef on Orleans is the bare bones beef experience, while Portillo's, Al's or Luke's will provide more food options as well.

If you want a burger, go to Kuma's over Au Cheval...way better IMO.

 

I understand that you said your time is limited, but Half Acre is like 2 1/2 miles from Revolution. If you choose Revolution for the food, try and swing by Half Acre to at least get some samples of their beer and buy some to bring home (growlers or cans).

I hit up both places on a recent trip and did just that. Ate at Revolution and bought a bomber and six pack, then went to Half Acre, sampled 5 beers, then filled a growler.

I was able to just take my time sampling beer. They didn't push me through and were very happy to "talk beer" with me while I sampled.

 

Other than complaints about the wait time (and aforementioned mediocre beer list), I've never met anyone who didn't like that place, and I take people there any time we can get there in Chicago. Oh well. Different strokes I guess. I'll put those other two on my list of places to try though.

Now here's something we CAN agree on.

 

1. Revolution
2. Binnys LP unless you happen to be driving within a mile of WLV or the beer temple for other reasons (beer temple is pretty close to Revolution). From time to time you might see something interesting like Jester King bottles at one of these smaller stores but odds are it isn't worth stressing over.
3. This is an impossibly hard question for a city as large as Chicago. I guess I will vote for Kuma's Corner.

 

depending on what kind of atmosphere you're looking for... local option is metal and dive-y hopleaf is... not. both are great. I'd also throw in Jerry's in andersonville. had amazing tap list and some pretty great bottles when i was there in october. food looked great as well.

 

Haymarket IS a brewery (and a very good one) by the way.

 

It's a Chicago beef sandwich. I mentioned places above, all of which are good. Portillo's, Mr. Beef and Al's.

I don't think there are really any options by the Field Museum - the museum campus is kind of separated off from a lot of stuff - I'd take an Uber somewhere else after I was done with the museum activities.

From Revolution to those stores, take an Uber. Not sure how much exactly, but I'd imagine less than $10.

 

My #1 hamburger place in Chicago is Cortland Garage. They have ordinary tap list, but you will LOVE their burger.

 

Some great feedback so far, good thread.

1. Half Acre and Rev (brewery, not tap room) actually aren't too far apart, could visit both pretty easily. Rev is within walking distance of Honey Butter Fried Chicken which would be a great option after. HA has awesome beer, some of the food can be hit or miss.

2. Binny's has an awesome selection. Like a kid in a candy store there. I go to both Lincoln Park and the Lakeview location, the Lincoln Park location has a tasting room as well so you can sip a brew while you walk around. Beer Temple is cool too!

3. Local Option has some great beers, although sometimes they get a rep for being less friendly. Hop leaf is a little far north but worth the trip. I'd actually recommend Sheffield's in Lakeview for something a little different. Not quite the amazing tap list as other places, but has good BBQ and may be a little more accessible to non-beer people you are with. Far enough from Wrigley to be sane if you are here during a Cubs game.

4. This is a fun one. Somebody said Crisp above, such a solid choice. Awesome fried chicken. My favorite place right now is probably Small Cheval (burgers) or Furious Spoon (Ramen).

 

Hell yeah - Crisp rules. Great wings, burritos are excellent as well.