10 Best Breweries in Chicago River

"Lights sit above the beer garden at the Half Acre taproom and kitchen at the Balmoral Street production brewery. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune). What was once the larger, but younger of Half Acre’s two taprooms is now the sole location, after the Chicago brewery recently sold its original Lincoln Avenue taproom to Hop Butcher for the World."

"Moody Tongue moved from Pilsen to near McCormick Place with dreams of creating a tasting-menu restaurant that could attract Michelin attention. That plan never fully developed as the pandemic halted momentum. So the brewery shifted to barbecue with Slagel Family Farms short rib, pork ribs, pulled pork, and more."

"The gist: After moving to its new brewing facility just south of the Motor Row District, Moody Tongue wisely tapped Michelin-starred chef Jared Wentworth (Longman & Eagle, Dusek’s) to help hone a culinary experience on par with the chef-driven beers they’ve been crafting for years."

"Moody Tongue Brewing offers exotic beers along with oysters & their famous 12 layer German chocolate cake at their tasting room with a fireplace. curbside pick-up or delivery by ordering online. Or dine inside and try their famous 12 Layer German Chocolate Cake!"

"Lincoln Park/Wrigleyville Most hipsters may have abandoned Goose Island since it “went mainstream” with its much-maligned sale to InBev in 2011, but the brewery that basically started the Chicago craft beer scene continues to make high-quality beers worthy of your attention. Founded in 1988 and shut out of the Great America Beer Festival for the first time last year (it is no longer considered “craft”), Goose Island continues to forge ahead by opening new brewpubs across the globe in addition to its two Chicago locations. 312 is the beer most locals know best, but Goose’s food-focused offerings like Sofia and Matilda are steadily increasing in popularity."

"When you think Chicago, you think 312, the signature, school-bus-yellow bottle of beer from Goose Island. This popular, Chicago-based brewery has since expanded its single location on Fulton Street to several brewpubs and brewhouses around the city and beyond, so make sure to stop into one of your local Goose Island locations just in time for their fall releases."

"If German-style lagers are your thing, then head straight for Metropolitan Brewing—they’ve been making this sort of beer since 2009 and they’re quite good at it. Krankshaft, the flagship brew, is made year-round and offered at Soldier Field, O’Hare and Midway International Airports, and at the home of the White Sox. Once a bit under the radar, the popularity of Metropolitan Brewing has increased since the addition of the Rockwell Taproom (listed on their website as dog, kid and freak-friendly) in Avondale, overlooking the Chicago River."

"Don’t be fooled by the warehouse aesthetic—there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes than you realize. This BYO food joint nestled up on the riverbanks in Bucktown offers outdoor seating with gorgeous views of the surrounding greenery, making you feel like you’re miles outside the city limits."

"Since 2009, Metropolitan Brewing has specialized in bringing Chicago German-style lager, like their flagship brew, Krankshaft. Krankshaft is a Kölsch style beer and uses lemon flavor to pay homage to the characteristics of beer brewed in Cologne. Krankshaft can be found year-round."

"Corridor Brewery and Provisions is a creative gastropub that features seasonal brews. It is a warehouse-style brewery with delicious meals. As a craft brewery, they regularly change their draft list."

"Food and crowlers are available for patio dining, pick-up and delivery from these Lakeview brewers!. Patio tables are seated on a first-come, first-served basis."

"A gorgeous brick warehouse with garage doors that open in the summertime, Spiteful Brewing is anything but. In fact, they’re more likely benevolent to their loyal customers, producing a delicious, new beer every season. Communal seating rounds out the welcoming atmosphere that comes with a visit to Spiteful Brewing."

"The first Latin American-inspired brewery in the U.S., 5 Rabbit infuses Hispanic culture into American beer styles. The brews, named for days on the Aztec calendar, include an avocado stout, Mexican lager, and fruit-forward styles inspired by Mexican paletas. Try them all in their cozy taproom — they’re the perfect complement to the tacos (served on Thursday evenings) and tamales (every Saturday afternoon)."

"Douglas Park While Lagunitas isn’t exactly a “Chicago brewery,” the native California craft behemoth continues to operate the largest facility in Chicago at its gigantic 300,000-square-foot Douglas Park location, which opened in 2014. Since then Lagunitas has been fully acquired by Heineken (in 2017) and Illinois’ largest brewer is planning to open a second California brewery near Los Angeles this fall in addition to the original Petaluma location, which opened in 1994. History and expansion aside, Lagunitas remains a favorite in Chicago thanks to its famously laid-back 420-friendly vibes and ever-popular ales including Lagunitas IPA and Little Sumpin’ Sumpin."

"This California-based brewing company has a sick location near Pilsen, and it should absolutely take precedence on your list of breweries to hit up. Whether you’re more intrigued by the planetary artwork lining the walls of the entry hall or the delicious beer awaiting you inside the taproom, Lagunitas offers communal seating and live music to make its guests feel all sorts of welcome."

"Entering the facility feels like walking through a Willy Wonka-style light show, but things mellow out once you reach the 300-seat tap room. California-based Lagunitas Brewing Companyserves up their classic brews, plus live music, munchies, and tree tours every day."

"Temperance Beer Co. prides itself on doing things differently. That includes offering Temperance Trikonasana, a yoga series that takes place in the brewery that gives 100% of its proceeds to a different nonprofit organization each month. Temperance’s taproom offers flights of five-ounce tasters, half and full pints, 64-ounce growlers and 32-ounce howlers."

"Temperance has never been interested in keeping up with the Joneses and has been creating a whole new neighborhood with their award-winning beers and supporting the community since 2013. The Tap Room is now fully open and the best place to quaff their approachable and delicious beers."

"Renowned for her 100% organic, vegan, and raw cuisine, Karyn Calabrese turns up the heart with her latest addition to the fold: Karyn’s Raw. Still offering a menu of organic vegan and vegetarian dishes, the restaurant serves conscious comfort raw food such as house-made empanadas, chunky nachos, peanut Asian style noodles, crêpes, mouthwatering vegan tiramisu, and more. Diners can enjoy a range of organic wines and beer with their meals and kick back on a Sunday with a long, lazy brunch."

"The Ritz-Carlton is another enduring elite hotel brand that defines posh. So, you can only imagine what their top-notch spas have to offer. Chicago’s Ritz-Carlton Spa is truly an exclusive haven of luxe pampering."

"Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago (@rcchicago) on Oct 30, 2018 at 9:00am PDT"

"The Field Museum of Natural History is one of the biggest natural history museums in the world. The Field Museum is considered a leader in its scientific and educational programming. The Field Museum's permanent collection includes more than 24 million different specimens, including fossils, meteorites, and gems."

"Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Kelly Martin used under CC BY-SA 3.0. Field Museum, officially named the Field Museum of National History, is one of the biggest natural history museums in the world. It opened in June of 1894 and boasts a Classical Revival architectural style."

"We walked to the Field Museum from the RV park we were staying at and had a couple of hours to explore. We love how the museum pass gives us the opportunity to do this!. Since we get in for free."