8 Best Bars in Illinois, USA

Bungalow by Middlebrow wears a lot of hats---brewery, natural winemaker, sourdough bread bakery, pizzaiolo, all-day neighborhood third place---and looks darned good in all of them. There’s a relaxed, come-one-come-all feeling to the dining room and patio here; indie folk types play mellow sets while friends sip wild ales and families linger over pizza. Fun one-off events, like block parties and collaborative pop-up dinners, are frequent; check in with the house Instagram account ( instagram.com/middle_brow) to find out what's upcoming.

You know a taproom takes beer seriously when they specify exactly what temperature their drafts are served at. That's the Beer Temple, an inviting space with around 20 ever-changing handles and lots of seating for the requisite beard-and-flannel types. Do pay a visit to the fantastic bottle shop, which precedes the taproom by several years. It specializes in super-limited-release local drops and brews from Belgium and France, and the staff's knowledge of obscure brewers and beer styles is mind-boggling.

Tucked into a residential spot of North Center between two rail lines is this friendly neighborhood craft brewery. Begyle's beers are often more approachable than other breweries, with blonde ales, pale ales, and kölsches taking center stage alongside IPAs and stouts. 

Delicious lagers, smoked beers, and funky barrel-aged beers are specialties of this Eurocentric craft brewery. The rustic taproom offers snacks and easier-drinking shandies, and the brewery tours go deep into the interesting processes Dovetail uses to create their beers.

There aren't many reasons to make a special trip to the Bowmanville neighborhood, but Half Acre is certainly one of them. Head to their taproom to see where their legendary Daisy Cutter pale ale is produced, and while you're there, you can sip a pint in their beer garden or enjoy a plate of fish-and-chips or a katsu sandwich from their kitchen. 

Home to the haziest IPAs and biggest barrel-aged stouts, Hop Butcher is the place to be for a look at the cutting edge of American craft beer. Stop by the taproom for a flight or a pint or hit the retail store for some merch or a four-pack of cans to go.

Local beer geeks flock to this minimalist taproom, stationed along a rather unassuming stretch of repurposed industrial buildings, to sample the latest pours from Off Color Brewing. Traditional European styles with a twist (Berliner weiss brewed with Chardonnay grapes, for instance) are the order of the day here. 

Chicago has evolved one of the country’s best craft-brewing scenes, but back when the pickings were slim, Revolution was here, satisfying drinkers thirsty for something more interesting than watery macro brews. The Milwaukee Avenue location is a good place to work your way through a flight of the house beers---the offerings skew toward classic German styles and hop-forward IPAs---while lining your stomach with unfussy pub grub like burgers and fried cheese curds. (There’s also a taproom in nearby Avondale with a less-polished vibe and a limited menu of nibble-y things.)