Goose Island Brewpub - Worth it??

You want us to talk you into going? Either you want to check it out or you don't, and based on you not being big on their regular beers, what more is there to debate?

 

You're not going to find Cherry Rye on the menu, but they have a lot different brewery only beers on their menu.

http://www.gooseisland.com/pages/clybourn_beer_menu/128.php

 

They have good brewpub only stuff on draft. And Fulton and Wood stuff. It is worth going.

The brewpubs brew a lot of stuff independently of the main brewery.

 

Go to Revolution instead. You're welcome.

 

The GI brewpub and brewery are separate entities. That being said the brewpub does carry some regular GI lineup but more than half the draft list is always brewpub only and Fulton & Wood series. Plus I really enjoy the food.

 

To be fair, it is only worth going to brewpubs when they have "rare stuff".

 

Go here instead:
http://gooseisland25.eventbrite.com/

 

food is meh, tap list can be hit or miss

if you're only here for a few days, I'd hit up revolution instead

 

Revolution is a shit show. Amazing food, great beer, but going there during the weekend is usually a nightmare. I live in that neighborhood and I rarely go. I live in the area of Rev and I go to Goose more regularly, if that's any indication.

 

Goose is still my favorite brewpub in Chicago since they always have a wide variety of styles available and do them all well. Clybourn will be better than Wrigleyville selection wise, but Wrigley is the best good beer drinking round there.

Agree w/ yeahnatenelson on Revolution being a shitshow w/ the crowds, plus I'm not as fond of their specialties as I am Goose's.

 

Well, one could ask why Revolution is so popular whereas Goose isn't. You said it, though - amazing food, great beer. If it's just one person going to Revolution, even at a peak time, getting a seat at the bar isn't bad at all. But otherwise, fair point - it can be a clusterfuck and good beer and food can only mitigate the insane crowds so much.

Once upon a time, I would have told anyone and everyone to visit the Goose Island brewpub, regardless of the regulars or rarities on tap (though this was back when BCS was nearly always on tap). Food was always solid and the beer interesting. But then Jared took over and I don't think his beers were quite as successful or consistent as Will's. After John Manion left, the food steadily and slowly declined to the point where I avoid the food entirely (I've found that the more interesting the dish reads on the menu, the less successful it will be). Having said that, if I stay away from Revolution for a month, the beer list will be ~80% the same as when I last saw it when I come back - and it's all good, but it's not necessarily compelling. Goose Island's taplist has a much higher turnover rate but I think the hit/miss ratio is higher than I'd like.

So for someone who hasn't had anything from Revolution? Go there and work your way down the menu. But better yet, hit up both if you have the time - just eat elsewhere when it comes to Goose Island. Or, just follow doogie71628's advice and go to the block party - plenty of rarities there.

 

Without a doubt Revolution has the best food of any Chicago beer bar. That said, I think their beers are as hit-or-miss as Clybourn, if not moreso, and I've never had to struggle to find a place to sit there. Rev is great if you have the time to wait, but I'd rather go somewhere else than wait 40min for a spot at the bar to open up, like Clybourn, or Bad Apple, or Small Bar Logan Square.

OP: I would definitely suggest going, but maybe go on the Monday that you will be in town.

 

GI Clybourn's got a pretty good food selection (loved the lamb burger the lsat time I went), and the tap list is pretty good- lots of interesting brews to try, plus the stuff they have on cask. Good atmosphere too, really enjoyed it.

 

Goose Clybourn is FOR SURE worth the stop. . . . ALWAYS find something good that I have not had yet, usually some sort of stout or IPA. They always have some beers, usually 4 or 5, that are brewpub only and are almost always SOLID.

Revolution. . . . . . I've been meaning to go here for months now, but everytime I plan on going, I double check the tap list and see that 99% of the shit they have on tap is what they release year round or seasonally.....Revolution has almost nothing brewpub only to offer. . . . .It sucks ! !
Why would I stop at your pub, which is not close to many destinations, when I've already drank all the beer your offering, at my local bar (for free) ??

Plus, Goose Clybourn is within walking distance of Ogilvie....I prefer to take the train in. . . .It's pretty hard to pass up anytime I go to the city.

 

And who goes to a brewpub for food?? ? ?
That is a HUGE BONUS if you can get some decent food, but I would never expect a brewpub to serve top notch food or food service.....I would rather them focus on making me AWESOME BEER; and I'll stop at a RESTAURANT before I go to the brewpub.

Leave the beer to the brewpubs and the food to restaurants.

 

It's certainly within walking distance of North/Clybourn. Within walking distance of Ogilvie? If a two-hour round trip is your preferred method of burning beer calories, maybe.

I like the food I've had at GI Clybourn. For example their club sandwich and german potato salad is pretty damn tasty, as are the wings (ask for buffalo sauce which is off-menu.) Haven't had the food at Rev so can't compare.

 

Maybe it's because I'm not in Chicago proper and don't get out to revolution as regularly as I would like, but I always find something new and tasty on their beer menu. They always seem to have a ba variety or three and also have interesting cask offerings. That plus good food and decent to great service makes it my number one option (with bad apple as a close 2nd) when I'm in Chicago. I pass on the gi brewpub more often then not due to their steep prices.

 

You're insane. The black earth burger is one of chicago's best outside of Kumas. Blows away any Rev Brew sandwich, and I'm just about the biggest Rev Brew homer there is.

 

No love for the food at Sheffields? Owen & Engine? Gaslight? Publican (Ok, it's a restaurant, but it has an awesome beer selection)