Visiting Evanston/Chicago -- Recommendations Please

Smylie In Evanston has great BBQ and solid beers, same with Peckish Pig. Norse Bar in Rogers Park is an excellent bar.

 

Evanston 1st Liquors and Rogers Park Wine & Spirits are the best bottle shops in the area.

Evanston now has 4 breweries, the two Vav mentioned in addition to Temperance and Sketchbook, however these two do not have food and the two Vav mentioned do.

World of Beer in Evanston should have a good taplist.

Prairie Moon & Farmhouse are good spots to check out with a good beer list and good food.

Also, I haven't been there in forever but Bat 17 always had great huge sandwiches and a good craft selection. The beer selection wont be as good as other places mentioned but should have a few good things.

 

Vav and kodt have just about nailed whats in Evanston. When I lived near, World of Beer was the easiest to grab a drink and it was opened the latest. Otherwise, Evanston sort of dies after 10/11pm. The Whole Foods near Northwestern also wasn't that bad for find craft.

I have found that a good bottle shop that seems to get a good amount of local beers is Hops & Grapes in Rogers Park.

I also found myself grabbing lunch at Hopleaf or Jerrys Sandwiches quite a number of times in Andersonville. Its a little out of the way, but not bad if you are taking the L down. Great bottle shop at the corner called Andersonville Wine & Spirits too. Should you wonder out at night in this area, I'd highly suggest taking a cab back. The interchange at Howard can take forever and the trains stop running around midnight on the purple line, I believe.

Depending on the day, I could maybe meet you for a drink at Hopleaf or Jerrys. ;-)

 

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Bangers & Lace yet. They've always got a pretty nice tap list. I'll second the nomination for a trip to Jerry's or Hopleaf. Both maintain great selections, and everything at Jerry's is available in small pours. Of course, Hopleaf is worth visiting for the duck Reuben alone.

Definitely hit up Temperance if you get a chance - plenty of bus routes go past, and it's really not that bad a walk from downtown Evanston if the weather cooperates. And they do offer some food options (sandwiches from Sauce & Bread, empanadas, and Bee's Nuts).

 

Totally forgot about that B&L location in Evanston, good call.

 

Bat 17 is a great spot with good beers, it is downtown Evanston near the "L".

you can take the purple line to the red line and get off a few blocks from the Hop leaf in Andersonville. If you take the red line farther south you can get off close to several different Binnys if you want to go to a mega liquor store. If you really want to be adventurous you can take the red line to downtown and transfer to the blue line and head north to revolution. A similar trip can be done by taking the red line south to the brown line and then going north on the brown line to half acre tap room.

there is dry hop brewery in lakeview that is an easy "L" ride and walk.