4 Best Bars in Lincoln Park and Wicker Park, with Bucktown and Logan Square, Chicago

Bungalow by Middlebrow wears a lot of hats---brewery, natural winemaker, sourdough bread bakery, pizzaiolo, all-day neighborhood third place---and looks darned good in all of them. There’s a relaxed, come-one-come-all feeling to the dining room and patio here; indie folk types play mellow sets while friends sip wild ales and families linger over pizza. Fun one-off events, like block parties and collaborative pop-up dinners, are frequent; check in with the house Instagram account ( instagram.com/middle_brow) to find out what's upcoming.

You know a taproom takes beer seriously when they specify exactly what temperature their drafts are served at. That's the Beer Temple, an inviting space with around 20 ever-changing handles and lots of seating for the requisite beard-and-flannel types. Do pay a visit to the fantastic bottle shop, which precedes the taproom by several years. It specializes in super-limited-release local drops and brews from Belgium and France, and the staff's knowledge of obscure brewers and beer styles is mind-boggling.

Local beer geeks flock to this minimalist taproom, stationed along a rather unassuming stretch of repurposed industrial buildings, to sample the latest pours from Off Color Brewing. Traditional European styles with a twist (Berliner weiss brewed with Chardonnay grapes, for instance) are the order of the day here. 

Chicago has evolved one of the country’s best craft-brewing scenes, but back when the pickings were slim, Revolution was here, satisfying drinkers thirsty for something more interesting than watery macro brews. The Milwaukee Avenue location is a good place to work your way through a flight of the house beers---the offerings skew toward classic German styles and hop-forward IPAs---while lining your stomach with unfussy pub grub like burgers and fried cheese curds. (There’s also a taproom in nearby Avondale with a less-polished vibe and a limited menu of nibble-y things.)