BAR REVIEW: THE WRIGHTWOOD TAP in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, IL

Dog owners search no more. If you are looking for a bar where you can drink fresh beer and enjoy the company of your four-legged best friend, your bar is The Wrightwood Tap. This local Lincoln Park watering hole is a “Dog Friendly” establishment. You can bring your pet dog in and converse with the other dog owners. When I visited the Wrightwood Tap, there were 3 dogs hanging out while their owners enjoyed fresh pints of draft beer. Out of all the drinking establishments I have visited in Chicago so far, this local bar is the only one where you can experience a wet nose against your feet.

Beer wise, the Wrightwood Tap has the popular favorites. But you don’t come to this bar to drink “hard to find” beers or micro brews. No, you come here to enjoy a decent beer in the company of your neighbors and dogs. Of course if the bar becomes too packed (as is the case through out the weekend nights), dogs are not allowed.

The Wrightwood Tap is located at 1059 West Wrightwood Ave in Chicago, IL. Phone (773) 549-4949.

Rating: Raise your glass, The Wrightwood Tap gets 3 cheers!

BAR REVIEW: PLYMOUTH RESTAURANT AND BAR in the South Loop district of Chicago, IL

You will fall in love with the roof top bar at PLYMOUTH RESTAURANT AND BAR. High on the 3rd floor, nestled between classic Chicago buildings, this rooftop bar can (and should be) an ideal place for any occasion. I’ll even go as far as to say it would be a great place to propose marriage. The small but quaint roof top deck area has just enough room for those who are lucky enough to know this haven even exists. Don’t let the narrow deck space discourage you from visiting this beautiful drinking establishment. Sure the rooftop may be busy on the weekends during the summer (what roof top in Chicago isn’t?), but if you visit Plymouth Restaurant and Bar during the week, you can find a seat at the bar or amongst the tables. Of course if you are not into a beautiful setting or into enjoying a beer outside during the fantastic Chicago summer, Plymouth Restaurant and Bar does have a bar section on ground level too!

When an opportunity to enjoy a fresh pint of beer while engulfed in the beautiful Chicago Architecture that the South Loop has to offer presents itself, you should seize it. That very same opportunity is present and alive while you are at the beautiful rooftop of the Plymouth Restaurant and Bar. A definite destination if you have company from out of town!

Plymouth Restaurant and Bar is located at 327 South Plymouth Court in Chicago, IL. Phone: (312) 362-1212. Website: www.plymouthgrill.com

Rating: Raise your glass, Plymouth Restaurant and Bar gets 4 cheers!

BAR REVIEW: The Local Option in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, IL

One of the great beer bars in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, IL is THE LOCAL OPTION. Ever since a new owner purchased it in October of 2006, the bar has gone through some changes. When you walk into the bar now you may notice how it no longer has that “dive bar smell” it once had. You will also notice how the bar is a little bit brighter, not just because of the new paint job, but because of the neighborhood bar aura it now emits. The Local Option has been a Lincoln Park staple since the late 1980’s, but for the most part it was a staple of the nightlife. With the new changes, the bar now feels like a local gathering place through out the day.

I’m almost forgetting to mention the biggest change of the bar: the impressive beer list. The Local Option went from having your typical light beers on taps to having an impressive import selection on tap. From the micro brews to the Belgium ales, The Local Option has become a haven for beer drinkers. They did manage to keep their delicious food menu, which was one of the reasons to visit the tavern. So not only do they have a fantastic beer menu, they have a delicious food menu, a powerful combination for any pub.

The Local Option is located at 1102 W Webster Avenue in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, IL. Their phone number is (773) 348-2008.

Review: Raise your glass, The Local Option gets 4 cheers!

BAR REVIEW: Rockit Bar & Grill in the River North neighborhood of Chicago, IL www.rockitbarandgrill.com

No other Downtown Chicago bar mixes the hip factor of a new nightclub with the trendy factor of a new restaurant like “Rockit Bar & Grill” on Hubbard Street. This bar and grill brings everything that makes going out fun and exciting into a cool warehouse-type space in the River North neighborhood. You go to Rockit to see and be seen. The 2 floors that make up Rockit are filled with young professionals, trendsetters, established professionals and drinkers. Each floor has its own bar and vibe. The 1st floor has the restaurant vibe since you can sit down and enjoy a fantastic meal. The 2nd floor has the lounge vibe since you can play pool or crowd around the lounge seats. As far as the beer selection goes, it has your standard favorites accompanied with some unique selections. My suggestion: order a glass of Honker’s Ale and the Rockit Burger off the Entree Menu. Yes, the Rockit Burger comes with a steep price of $19, but if you had to pay around twenty dollars for a burger, the Rockit Burger gets my vote. The combination of Goose Island Honker’s Ale and a Rockit Burger makes you crave more even after you are done!

A great destination if you are in the River North area of Downtown Chicago, Rockit Bar & Grill does what a Chicago drinking establishment should do: provide you with a good time!

Rockit Bar & Grill is located at 22 West Hubbard Street in Chicago, IL. Phone: (312) 645-6000. Website: www.rockitbarandgrill.com

Review: Raise your glass, Rockit Bar & Grill gets 4 cheers!

BAR REVIEW: BREHON PUB

When you come across the northeast corner of Wells Street & Superior Street, you will notice an old fashioned Chicago building with a distinct Irish coat of arms hanging outside the building, this is the location of the River North neighborhood pub known as Brehon Pub. One of my first impressions of the pub was how it felt like I was in a “Chicago South Side Irish” pub. The decor inside is typical of a laid back pub you go to hang out in. The servers make you feel welcome and the beer keeps on flowing. I was very impressed to see that they offer Fat Tire on draft (you usually only find Fat Tire in bottles). In addition to Fat Tire, they have the Irish Trio (Guinness, Bass and Harps) and the standard beer found in Chicago bars. Brehon Pub does a great job of offering everything you would need to keep yourself occupied while hanging out: various wide screen TVs, a pool table, darts and plenty of character found through out the bar and the crowd. But do not confuse these offering as gimmicks, because as their slogan says: “Brehon Pub, serving Guinness not gimmicks since 1980.”

Brehon Pub is located at 731 N. Wells Street in the River North neighborhood of Chicago, IL. Phone: (312) 642-1071. Website: www.brehonpub.com

Rating: Raise your glass, Brehon Pub gets 3 cheers!

BAR REVIEW: JEFFERSON TAP & GRILLE

The West Loop is a fast rising neighborhood in Chicago area with not too many bars…but the few bars it has makes up for that. Jefferson Tap & Grille is fast becoming one of my favorite Chicago bars. It’s located on Jefferson St (tucked away north of Fulton St), it’s the only bar on the street. In addition to having terrific food, the servers and bartenders do a top-notch job getting you your drinks. As an extra bonus, they are open till 5am on Saturday nights and 4am on Friday nights. Make sure you make this your new late late night bar…you won’t be disappointed.

Jefferson Tap & Grille is located at 325 N. Jefferson St in Chicago, IL Phone: 312-648-1169 Website: http://www.jeffersontap.com/

Rating: Raise your glass, Jefferson Tap & Grille gets 4 cheers.