Old Irving Brewing’s burger of the week

We asked craft beer enthusiasts and industry veterans for the best meal they’ve had at an Illinois brewery recently

Hands down, Old Irving Brewing. Everything on the menu is fantastic, from their award-winning wings and burgers to their cheese curds, which stand out as some of the best I’ve ever had. My recent fave from OIB is their wood-fired hangar steak and shrimp skewers.

— Charolette Converse

My wife and I would always go to Rock Bottom in downtown Chicago for happy hour, but after they closed down, it was an easy choice to switch to Crushed by Giants. Great wings and beer, and we kicked it up a notch with the Chicago classic pizza. Who couldn’t love a pizza with giardiniera!? Now that’s how you turn happy hour into a date night.

— Mark Duchow, co-brewer at Adams Street Brewery in the historic Berghoff in Chicago

Haymarket Brewery in Chicago’s West Loop always has good food and a large, versatile space. I always favor one of their five burgers (dry-aged brisket, chuck and ribeye patties) when I stop in for a beer, but you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.

— Fred Sanchez

Uné Année’s cave monster sandwich

My brother recommended Uné Année in Niles and their barbecue options, and I had their unique Cave Monster sandwich this spring. It’s the best of their homemade BBQ options rolled into one sandwich. Loads of pulled pork and chopped brisket, then topped with melted pepper jack cheese, grilled onions, giardiniera, crispy onions and jalapeños on a soft roll with a tasty cave monster sauce. Pace yourself and don’t feel embarrassed taking some of it home. It’s a gluttonous monstrosity and so, so tasty.

— Jerry O’Donnelley

Definitely recommend Homewood Brewing Company. The beers were excellent, and the food really blew me away (try the crispy chicken sandwich with pepper relish and garlic aioli). I can’t wait to check out their full menu next time I’m in the neighborhood.

We went to Homewood Brewing Company for a recent Illinois Craft Brewers Guild meeting, and it’s incredible. Definitely recommend checking it out. The beers were excellent, and the food really blew me away (try the crispy chicken sandwich with pepper relish and garlic aioli). I can’t wait to check out their full menu next time I’m in the neighborhood.

— Kyle Wenzel, Owner at Harbor Brewing Company in Lake Villa

I went to the new Tangled Roots Brewing Company taproom in South Barrington and had the bowl of the bison chili. It was sublime! The sides of cornbread were fantastic as well. I have eaten bison before, but in their chili it was the perfect food to pair up with their craft beers.

— Larry Wojciechowski

Black Lung’s smash burger

A build-your-own smash burger featuring two crisp, juicy patties covered in American cheese and topped with crisp bacon from Black Lung Brewing’s Fox Lake location hit the spot. Pair that burger with a side of rich, cheesy and salty garlic parmesan fries and you’ve got the perfect excuse to grab another Lung Light to wash it all down.

— Ben Ault

It would be the duck and dumplings at either of the Forbidden Root locations in Chicago. It reminds me of our Duck Your Face sausage and beyond. They give you a spoon to eat them, and the dumplings are very obviously housemade and always on point.

— Mike Quinlan, owner of Links Taproom & Brewery in Chicago

Old Irving Brewing’s mac ’n’ cheese of the month a few months back was fantastic. The blend of the egg, sausage, bacon, waffle pieces and mac ’n’ cheese was perfect. I so wish it was on the regular menu.

— Waylan Simpson

Miskatonic Craft Kitchen’s butcher’s board

I’ve had several remarkable meals at breweries lately! The first was at Industry Ales Brewpub during Chicago Restaurant Week, where we got to sample a bunch of excellent small bites — the XO beef skewer was a jam, as was the pizza samosa. They paired beautifully with the Loveland West Coast IPA. I also had the chance to hit up Hardware Gastropub for the first time the other night, home of BBGB Brewing. Everything we ate was excellent, with dessert being particularly memorable: whiskey-braised pork belly with Luxardo cherry ice cream.

And just in case it’s not clear that I dine at breweries frequently, I also swung by Miskatonic Brewing Craft Kitchen for their Belobog Czech lager and indulged in their fantastic butcher’s board, which includes a smattering of really beautiful housemade charcuterie. The mettwurst is *chef’s kiss*.

— Emily Slayton, Skeleton Key Brewery

I had the chance to hit up Hardware Gastropub for the first time the other night, home of BBGB Brewing. Everything we ate was excellent, with dessert being particularly memorable: whiskey-braised pork belly with Luxardo cherry ice cream.

Old Irving Brewing‘s wings were fantastic. The bartender recommended the Tokyo hot and spicy honey mustard sauces. These paired great with the Krampus flight we headed there for. Went for the barrel-aged beer and found some of best wings I have ever had.

— Steve Overton

The lumpia (fried egg rolls) and charred shishito peppers as an appetizer, along with and the burger with pork belly added on from Alulu Brewery in Chicago.

— Nader Kardoush, owner of Beer Bazaar in Grayslake

The Tokyo hot chicken sandwich from Old Irving Brewing. It’s a fun and flavorful take on a Nashville hot chicken but with some Japanese influence.

— Ted Constan

Crust Brewing’s fish tacos

While it’s difficult to steer away from Crust Brewing’s Neopolitan-style pizzas, I went with the beer-battered fish tacos at a lunch meeting this winter and found yet another favorite here. Crispy fish topped with pico de gallo, purple slaw and some cilantro lime crema hit the spot and then some.

— Kerry C.

I had a reuben sandwich from Old Irving Brewing that I still dream about nearly a year later. Such thoughtful food in general, and a pleasant surprise from a brewpub.

— Melissa Lardner

More Brewing in Huntley has a really versatile menu full of some Indian specialties like their chicken tikka masala platter with vegetable biryani and garlic naan. All kinds of flavors happening here, and it’s a nice change of pace, especially when matched with one of their hazy IPAs.

— Melissa G.