The Best Beer at Chicago’s Best Restaurants

 

We are living in a Golden Age of Beer, when every region, large or small, in town or country, is producing their own local brews. Chicago is no exception, and every year a bunch of new breweries throw open their doors to serve a nation of beer drinkers.

 

Beer is always an easy beverage to enjoy with food, and fortunately for us, there are a lot of excellent Chicago restaurants that serve an interesting selection of beers.

 

Here are seven of Chicago’s best restaurants that serve some of the best selections of beer from international, national and hometown breweries.

 

Long Room.. The Long Room in Ravenswood is one of the leaders in the Chicago craft beer movement. It’s a neighborhood bar without television monitors, the better to encourage friendly conversation. Food truck-style chow is provided by The Biscuit Man, and the regularly rotating list of beers includes many local favorites from Midwestern breweries like Three Floyds and Bell’s Brewery.

 

avec. An undeniably sophisticated yet casual minimalist space, avec is another restaurant from Paul Kahan whose landmark Blackbird is next door. To complement a full range of cheese and charcuterie, avec serves to communal tables carefully curated beers including some harder-to-find brews from Greece, Lebanon and Emilia-Romagna, all of which pair well with the Mediterranean foods served here.

 

Funkenhausen. A place where old, soulful South and hearty Germanic traditions come together, Funkenhausen serves a unique collection of beers that beautifully complement their food. Predictably, many German beers are on draft, include weizen, gose, and kellerbier, any of which would pair beautifully with one of Funkenhausen’s schnitzels or big platters of choucroute (pro tip: if you like sauerkraut, ask for a little extra).

 

Gilt Bar. With low light and plush banquettes, Gilt Bar is one of the coziest places in Chicago to enjoy a brew. There’s a good range of draft and bottle beers, with an emphasis on those of American origin, many familiar labels and a few you’ve probably never had before. To pair, there’s a better-than-expected (for a bar) selection of dishes including meat and seafood, a large selection of pastas, and a good number of vegetarian options.

 

Found Kitchen & Social House. An eccentric space specializing in farm-to-table food, Found Kitchen & Social House showcases a collection of beers equally eccentric, including Hamm’s American lager and Ballast Point Victory at Sea Imperial Porter…as well as lots in-between. The food is homey and satisfying, with dishes like grilled farm steak, roasted marrow bones, many veggie bites…and caviar (Eccentric!)

 

Le Bouchon. A tightly packed and beautiful little French place, Le Bouchon features traditional cuisine, including foie gras au torchon, tarte a L’oignon Alsacienne, and steak frites. To pair with such classics, there are beers you may have seen before in the streets of Paris, like Kronenbourg 1664, as well as the streets of Warrenville, like Two Brothers’ Domaine DuPage.

 

Pops for Champagne. You expect outstanding bubbly but probably not a good selection of beers at Pops for Champagne. You would be surprised. There’s a rotating selection of draft beers and many favorites by the bottle, including Off Color Apex Predator, Three Floyds Alpha King APA, and our personal favorite, Duchess de Bourgogne. To pair, charcuterie, cheese and caviar. Perfection.