Customer Reviews

A Barfly's Guide to Chicago's Drinking Establishments

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I found the greatest bar in the world through this book, Resi's Bierstube. It has 150 different bottled beers, a ton of imported German beers on draft, and the best bratwurst this side of Sheboygan.

It's getting a little dated, but the nice thing about Barfly (I think that they went under) is that they reviewed a lot of neighborhood bars along with the popular places which everyone knows. Some of the reviews were a little off (like the one of Rossi's Pub, best dive in Chicago), but they generally gave you a pretty good idea of what to expect and would have you going to places that you normally wouldn't have thought of. Even if you don't drink, it's a fascinating snapshot of Chicago that will be of interest for generations to come.

Here's my partial list of bars you should go to in Chicago:

1. Berghoff (classic standup bar, liquor license #1)
2. Weeds (latino bomenian blue-collar)
3. Old Town Ale House (beatnik)
4. Billy Goat's (Lower Michigan) (journalists, tourists)
5. Goose Island (brew pub)
6. Quenchers (beer bar)
7. Clark Street Ale House (another one)
8. Rossi's (dive, bike messengers)
9. Laschet's Inn (German)
10. Empty Bottle (live music)