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Home›Featured Post›Brewery Focus›Brewery Spotlights›Brewery spotlight: Hidden gems for great craft beer near Wrigley Field

Brewery spotlight: Hidden gems for great craft beer near Wrigley Field

By Trent Modglin
July 31, 2025
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Corridor Brewing & Provisions

Heading to Wrigley Field to watch the Cubs before summer comes to a close? We’ve got a few great craft breweries nearby you should know about

Corridor Brewery & Provisions
3446 N. Southport Ave.
CorridorChicago.com

The basics: From the same brewery group that owns Crushed by Giants in the Loop) and DryHop (East Lakeview), this is a beautiful venue along the popular Southport Corridor with lots of exposed brick and a flower-lined sidewalk patio.

Take note: Selfishly, we’re kinda glad Corridor doesn’t get the Cubs’ traffic you’d assume it would given its proximity just a few blocks away. Why? Because they have some of the best food anywhere around the stadium. Try the buffalo fried cauliflower and cheese curd combination as an appetizer, and the double steak patty burger or curry chicken salad wrap are tough to beat.

What we’re drinking: They make some stellar hazy IPAs here. Always have. So why not try the Van Hazen, with hints one pineapple, tangerine and peach?

Burning Bush Brewery
4014 N. Rockwell St.
BurningBushBrewery.com

The basics: Owned by Brent Raska, a former Presbyterian pastor, this is a cool spot tucked away just off Irving Park Road. While the interior is eye-catching, make the most of summer by snagging a spot on the back patio that overlooks the north branch of the Chicago River.

A remote Cubs parking lot is located just across Irving Park Road, making Burning Bush an ideal spot for a little pre-gaming before hopping on the bus and avoiding the stress of driving and parking in Wrigleyville.

Take note: A remote Cubs parking lot is located just across Irving Park Road in Revere Park, making Burning Bush an ideal spot for a little pre-gaming before hopping on the bus and avoiding the stress of driving and parking in Wrigleyville.

What we’re drinking: This is routinely a quality draft list, but hey, it’s Chicago, so how can we not go with Da Pope, an easy-drinking, malty American mild ale that has toasted and caramel notes?

Greenstar happens to be the first certified organic brewery in the state of Illinois, and its serving tanks feed directly into the tap system, making your beer about as fresh as it gets.

Greenstar Brewery
3800 N. Clark Street
UncommonGround.com

The basics: Greenstar, located just steps from Wrigley, happens to be the first certified organic brewery in the state of Illinois, and is part of the Uncommon Ground restaurant. The seven-barrel brewhouse has serving tanks that feed directly into Uncommon Ground’s tap system, making your beer about as fresh as it gets.

Take note: Greenstar’s head brewer, Brandon Stern, took home a gold medal from the 2024 Great American Beer Festival for his amber lager called Bateman Bier. The food at Uncommon Ground is legit (try the Korean-spiced calamari or Mac & cheese with a crispy potato crumble), and there’s regular live music and a sidewalk patio perfect for people watching before and after baseball games.

What we’re drinking: The Flippin’ Bats Mexican-style lager seems to fit, no? It’s a refreshing and crisp lager made with all organic ingredients. Ask for a lime wedge for the pint glass and you’re good to go.

GoodTimes Brewery
3827 N. Broadway Ave.
GTBChicago.com

The basics: Having just opened in 2023, Good Times Brewery is a bit of a hidden gem in the East Lakeview neighborhood, just a few blocks east of Wrigley near the lake. There is no denying this is a beautiful venue with three distinctly different rooms, all with their own the bars.

Take note: Under the same ownership as Pat’s Pizza in the South Loop (yum!), Good Times may be known for their pizza, but it’s worth noting they also smoke their own wings, ribs, brisket and pulled pork.

What we’re drinking: A Lakeview Sound Machine blonde ale will hit the spot on a hot summer day after a Cubs game, but don’t sleep on an impressive cocktail and spirits list.

TagsBurning Bush BreweryCorridor Brewing & ProvisionsGood Times BreweryGreenstar BreweryIllinois BrewingUncommon GroundWrigley FieldWrigleyvilleWrigleyville breweries
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About us

Sponsored by the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild, Illinois Brewing is printed and distributed quarterly (early January, April, July and October) to more than 250 breweries across the state as well as more than 100 craft beer-focused bars, restaurants and stores. Each member of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild’s IMBIBE club also receives the magazine in the mail. 

Publisher/owner: Trent Modglin
Trent@IllinoisBrewing.com

Art director: Brian Hertel
Brian@IllinoisBrewing.com

Illinois Brewing's magazine, website and email newsletter are property of Venture Forth Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Copyright 2023.

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Replenishing our fall issue through the north burbs and a downpour "forced" us to stop in to @macushlabeer in Glenview for a Cowboy Shoes hazy IPA and Broken Shovel schwarzbier ... and continue working on our new events/promotions calendar app that's launching in a few days. Get ready, beer fans.

Replenishing our fall issue through the north burbs and a downpour "forced" us to stop in to @macushlabeer in Glenview for a Cowboy Shoes hazy IPA and Broken Shovel schwarzbier ... and continue working on our new events/promotions calendar app that`s launching in a few days. Get ready, beer fans.

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Brewer’s Choice: Larry Bolton from @blindpigbrewery on developing a California connection, settling in for a @cruzblancachi farmhouse corn-brewed ale after @fobab and the release of four unique holiday beers at his @blindpigbrewpub 

Read the spotlight here: IllinoisBrewing.com

From our current fall issue...

Brewer’s Choice: Larry Bolton from @blindpigbrewery on developing a California connection, settling in for a @cruzblancachi farmhouse corn-brewed ale after @fobab and the release of four unique holiday beers at his @blindpigbrewpub

Read the spotlight here: IllinoisBrewing.com

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Read more insight from Marty here: https://illinoisbrewing.com/2026/08/22/illinois-brewing-insider-marty-nachel-founder-of-the-american-craft-beer-hall-of-fame/

From the Illinois Brewing Insider archives...

Favorite breweries: "Breweries don’t become my favorites simply because they make good beer in a variety of styles (although those are two of the most important criteria), but because the people are fun and they make me feel welcome and comfortable there. My “home base” is @hailstormbrewing in Tinley Park, but other favorites in the general vicinity are @flipsidebrewing @imperialoakbrewing and @pollyannabrewingcompany

Farther afield, I’m a big fan of @dovetailbrewery (because I’m a big fan of smoked beers), and you just can’t go wrong with @revbrewchicago

I’m also unceasingly impressed by the @goldfingerbeer dedication to brewing world-class lager beer styles. And I wish @hopdistrictbrewing was closer to home."

— @martynachel the founder and president of the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame

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Read the spotlight now at illinoisbrewing.com

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