Local Option

Brewpub · Sheffield Neighbors

Local Option

Brewpub · Sheffield Neighbors

3

1102 W Webster Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

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Highlights

House beers & craft brews, Creole-style pub eats, metal vibe  

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1102 W Webster Ave, Chicago, IL 60614 Get directions

localoptionbier.com
@localoption

$10–20 · Menu

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1102 W Webster Ave, Chicago, IL 60614 Get directions

+1 773 348 2008
localoptionbier.com
@localoption

$10–20 · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 13, 2025

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@onthegrid

On the Grid : Local Option

"Local Option is a heavy metal brewpub found at the base of a nondescript three flat on the north side of Webster Avenue, just west of Seminary. You won't find drink specials or a cocktail menu here, just a whole lot of taps of liquid gold. About half of them are their own and the other are some of your best seasonal craft brews from around the country. Local Option is just as serious about its brewing division as it the bar itself. They've amassed a rotating collection of extremely unique German-inspired biers, which makes their tap list the true spotlight. In the unlikely event you can’t find something you like on draft, there’s also an impressive bottle selection. Their menu offers comfort food with a focus on Creole style pub eats and as we all know, anything from the deep fryer can't miss." - Stephen Merlo

https://onthegrid.city/chicago/lincoln-park/local-option
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@eater

Chicago’s Best Beer Bars | Eater Chicago

"Local Option has delicious signature beers made offsite, but the metal music destination in Lincoln Park (yes, really) mostly specializes in corralling powerful IPAs from around the country and serving up Creole-inspired bites. Don’t be fooled by the seemingly abrasive aesthetic — you’ll fit in just fine even if you don’t love Black Sabbath (but they’ll certainly be playing some)." - Adam Rothbarth

https://chicago.eater.com/maps/chicago-best-beer-bars-taverns
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@onthegrid

"Local Option, Lincoln Park. Local Option is a heavy metal brewpub found at the base of a nondescript three flat on the north side of Webster Avenue, just west of Seminary. You won't find drink specials or a cocktail menu here, just a whole lot of taps of liquid gold. About half of them are their own and the other are some of your best seasonal craft brews from around the country. Local Option is just as serious about its brewing division as it the bar itself. They've amassed a rotating collection of extremely unique German-inspired biers, which makes their tap list the true spotlight. In the unlikely event you can’t find something you like on draft, there’s also an impressive bottle selection. Their menu offers comfort food with a focus on Creole style pub eats and as we all know, anything from the deep fryer can't miss."

Chicago
View Postcard for Local Option

Hannah Sierp

Google
Seriously loved this bar. The bartender was excellent and fun to talk to. He also made a perfect aviator cocktail. My husband loved the beers here and I very much enjoyed the decor. Would so like a bar like this in my neighbourhood - it was great.

JCam75

Google
One of the best beer bars in Chicago, hands down. They always have a great rotating selection of brews. And addition to that, the food is fantastic. The great ambiance is pretty much the cherry on top.

Josh Green

Google
Can't praise this place highly enough. The beer range was amazing and the bar tender was brilliant. Perfect bar.

Mike Bielaczyc

Google
Great beer list, perfect atmosphere for a dark and comfortable spot. Tots on point. Great playlists.

jacob kueber

Google
Great food, incredible drinks, unbeatable atmosphere. Local Option has quickly become our favorite neighborhood staple after moving to Lincoln Park a little over a year ago. It a quirky personality, creative menu, interesting history, and friendly staff. We always look forward to catching up with Tony when we stop in. Get the Wizard and you won’t regret it!

Chase Yoder

Google
This place has the best vibes ever, good beer selection, good liquor, and excellent food as well. The bartender is super cool and plays classic movies all night. I recommend checking out the handshake menu, and if you need food the wings are very good and the fries come out hot and fresh! I wish we lived within walking distance because we'd go here a lot more!

Drew Dauffenbach

Google
One of my fav places in Chicago! Beer selection is unrivaled in this heavy metal bar that reminds me 3Floyds Brewery. Awesome staff & great location. Love it here! Not great lighting, sorry for crappy pic!

B Gregory

Google
Absolutely fantastic lil place. Great beer selection, food was tasty as hell, and knowledgeable/friendly staff... A must stop!!
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Rob G.

Yelp
I am shocked by all the negative reviews about the service at this establishment. I had nothing but a great experience here as the bartender (and perhaps owner), Tony, was super friendly. He made some great suggestions for beer/food and we had some very friendly conversations. Overall, I also enjoyed the ambiance of the place. While I sway to a typical watering hole like this one, it has a lot of unique characteristics with its punk decor and old-school vibes. I didn't go crazy on the food but did have the, 'Wizard Wands' (aka cheese sticks) and they were quite good. Well fried and each had a good helping of mozzarella in them. Will definitely go back and hope that others see the great service & place that this truly is!

Liz Z.

Yelp
Freshest highlife there is. Food is fresh and delicious. Excellent selection and chill atmosphere.
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Carri C.

Yelp
Disappointing experience. This place is a shell of what it used to be. They used to have great New Orleans staples like the muffuletta sandwich. They also sold their own beer. They used to play metal. Also, the prices were reasonable. Now, as of April 2023, the food menu is seriously trimmed down and no muffuletta sandwich, and the food prices are ridiculous. $16 for guacamole? $17 for chicken nuggets with no side? There is not an app or entree less than $16 that I saw. You can only sit down if you order food. Beer was also over priced and a lame selection. Telling that there were only a couple tables eating anything during prime time. I always thought this place gave the middle finger to the DePaul students as they were decidedly not a college bar. Now the place is giving the middle finger to everyone. What a disappoint. At this point, they may as well just turn into a sports bar and play top 40.

Erin R.

Yelp
Service was absolutely terrible. came in with a group of friends and the bartender was immediately rude to us and had no cranberry juice for a vodka cran or ginger beer to make a Moscow mule (both pretty standard drinks at a bar). was told we were no longer welcome there and cancelled my order of fries but wouldn't let take my friends phone back she left up at the bar. left no tip but somehow ended up for $40 of charges on my credit card when all my bill said was the $7 for a beer? would NOT recommend or ever go back.

Rachel c.

Yelp
I have never written a review before, but this place made my friends and I feel so uncomfortable. I went with my husband and two friends from out of town here to get a couple drinks and play a card game that we enjoy. The staff was not very friendly to start, but we understood the environment and kept to ourselves. Then they started playing a movie that had repetitive graphic rape scenes in it on all of the TVs. My husband politely asked the staff if they could change the TVs as it made all of us women very uncomfortable. To which the staff responded "so what it's not real". We immediately left as it was clear that this was what we were going to be surrounded by the rest of the evening. Women screaming as they are violently raped by multiple men and murdered. Also the cocktails are $16. What a bummer that this was my friends neighborhood bar experience in Chicago.
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Scott C.

Yelp
Best wings anywhere, ever. However, guys, please go back to the black wall and metal Music and stop catering to the yuppy scum. THANKS!
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Jack L.

Yelp
I really don't think I was their main audience so take that into consideration. It has a punk grunge vibe with some very interesting dark beer (chaosmonger is a dope name). Extreme local feeling - seemed like everyone there were familiar with each other. Expect prices to be a bit high though
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Taylor E.

Yelp
If you are looking for a place that will overchage you and then get mad when you question them on the bill, then this is the place for you. Tony Russomanno, the bar's owner, was such a condescending prick when I told him the bill wasn't right. Very unethical and would not fix the bill. Absolutely do not recommend and would not come back. Avoid this place at all costs!!
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Milky E.

Yelp
Amazing place. The dude who works at Big Star works here too and they don't kick me out if this place! I'm confused by the sign in the bathroom though. The sign reads "Employees must wash hands" but the big guy never came to wash them for me. I'll be back but I hate eating with dirty hands.
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Ted C.

Yelp
Came here for a beer after dinner and it wasn't that far out of the way. It was a Saturday night so I was expecting it to be pretty crowded but it was packed and unnecessarily so. The booths were closed off so everyone was crowded to the front. We swooped down on a table as soon as group left with our beers. The previous party had left their empties and with no one around we just brought them up to the bar, which seemed to annoy the staff because that's when they came in to take care of it. I ended up drinking two beers, one of them was theirs. But you ever feel judged for ordering an item at a restaurant? Like your taste is being questioned based on your drink selection? If not, then come by here and try it out. The bartender definitely didn't seem to approve of my beers, despite one of them being made in house. At this point, there are a lot of places that have good local beers, and there's definitely a lot with a metal theme, just go to those. If you want to try their beers, they package and distro now so no need to come down here to drink them.
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Patrick G.

Yelp
Good beer, but the food is incredibly expensive. But, still a cool vibe and worth it for drinks before or after dinner.
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Eva C.

Yelp
I had my first old fashioned here. It was so good that an old fashioned from anywhere else is just ok. The Dr. Pepper variety is my favorite! Other cocktails are also delish! And the food is great quality and always hits the spot. It's our go-to watering hole.
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Rob S.

Yelp
I watched Terminator 2 here start to finish and then came back and they bought Predator on-demand for me to watch start to finish and then watched most of The Departed. Cool bar. Good food, great pilsners.
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Troy S.

Yelp
This is my go-to beer spot. Not only do you get the best assortment of area beers in the city, but the food is fucking fire. Kitchen closes at 11 pm. An absolute must. FWIW Chicken nuggets are legendary.
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Sarah S.

Yelp
I've been to Local Option a few times now and I just love it. I've had a few of their cajun-esque dishes but let's be honest, the beer is where they shine. Local Option brews their own stuff and what they brew is potently high in percentage and deliciously good on the palate. They always have at least 5 of their owns tappings, as well as a ton of other local options...get it?! Local options! har har har. But ForRealTho, they have great options from Chicagoland breweries like Three Floyd's (yes we claim them), Revolution, Goose Island and many more. Right now, Exorcist is my favorite of their own beers they are serving up - a healthy 8.5% stout! They keep their beer list very updated on their website, so give that a look if you're interested. All the bartenders here are friendly and able to discuss beer with you so if you're not sure what you're looking for, just ask. Local Option isn't a huge place however I've always been able to grab a table or bar seat without trouble. They usually are playing heavy metal but I've never found it to be invasive to my conversations or at some outrageous level. Really it just adds to the 666 decor....there's also a giant boarhead - EEK!!! I love Local Option and I think it's such a great, non-douche-canoe option in the Lincoln Park area. Places like this are hard to find and I'll be back a million times over.
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Leslie K.

Yelp
Definitely worth stopping in. It's a heavy metal/rock/biker bar with a pretty decent dinner menu option and in-house brewed beer. Started out with the 20 piece chicken nuggets which were a delight and came with a tangy bbq sauce. Then had the cheeseburger with tator tots and jambalaya for entrees. The burger was good and the tots extra crispy. I personally didn't care for the batter on the tots but could see people liking it. The jambalaya portion was huge and came with pieces of blackened shrimp, very plump juicy shrimp, and sausage. Be sure to put some hot sauce on it. Very extensive dinner menu beyond just bar food. If you're looking for a local gem, check out local option.
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Steve L.

Yelp
I visited Local Option last Saturday during a weekend trip to Chicago. I had the lobster roll and fish tacos which came with fries/tots. The lobster was apparently fresh according to the waiter and I really liked it. Huge pieces of lobster, tasted fresh and it was on par with some of the lobster rolls I had during a Boston trip last year. The fish taco plate only included two tacos but they were huge. I believe the fish was swordfish which is a bit a bland type of fish but it's a pretty good taco nonetheless. Tots and fries are standard bar fries that pretty much every restaurant serve. The beer selection is excellent particularly if you're a craft beer nerd. They only serve brews from microbreweries and I enjoyed a couple of different 3 Floyds beers including Zombie Dust. No tasters available is the only downside to this place.
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Adam K.

Yelp
Staple in the Chicago beer world and almost as important a step back to when the 'neighborhood' was so milquetoast. Local Option gets in some great stuff and joint ventures in excellent beer. And to top that off the food is pretty good too.
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David O.

Yelp
Came here on a Monday and was bummed to hear kitchen's closed due to recently opening on Mondays again. Heard they have cajun/creole menu so it's a must try for me. Beer was great and prices were decent. Will definitely be back to try the food!
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Daniel S.

Yelp
I know it's pretty well known in the area, we went for this big beer event, so i'm not sure which beers were there regularly, or which were just for the event, but either way I'm sure they have a good list. For food we had clams and wings, both good. The downsides though are it's cash only, and there's not a lot of space. Also the prices seemed a little high for the type of place it was. Service took kinda long at times, but it was crowded so I don't blame the staff. It was more just the cash only that sucked, especially when it's so easy for your bill to get high, so be sure to bring a lot of cash
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Magdalena G.

Yelp
We come here every year after the Chicago Craft Beer Fest down the street. I love metal and they play some sweet stuff inside. Their food is always outstanding and beer is great. Love coming here. Wish I lived closer to visit more often.
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Amanda M.

Yelp
I had a great experience here Friday evening and would definitely return, even though I am a gal who knows nothing about metal music. Trust me, this place was different for me, but I'm quite open-minded, and it helped that I felt rather welcomed there. Came for a later dinner and drinks around 9:30pm. The place was half occupied and it was more spacious than anticipated. Right away, I noticed the crowd was quite diverse, which was nice. Definitely no young college kids which was great. There were a few TV screens behind the bar, which I enjoyed to catch up on some SportsCenter. I got the jambalaya and boo got the steak tacos. These were quite tasty. Obviously, not super authentic but yummy in their own way. There were only two tacos, but these were quite massive, each being like a mini burrito. The steak was very flavorful and everything was cooked well and seasoned properly. Even the accompanied tots were above average. I was very satisfied with the meal. We tried quite a few beers, mostly of Local Option, as we have never tried them before. While most didn't suit my style, they were good beers. Very deep in flavor. I do recommend doing a bit of research on the beers beforehand, as they do offer a lot and the beer list on the giant chalkboard may be a bit hard to read. As a newbie to the place, I asked our waitress a bunch of questions, but I never felt dumb for asking, as she was very friendly and helpful. Even though she likely was judging me on the inside (as I was myself), I didn't sense any judgment for when I wanted a lighter beer. I enjoyed their pilsner (Outlawger). Overall service was quite prompt and efficient. This was a nice change of pace from standard burgers and wings and a generic local sports bar that frequent the DePaul area. Contrary to other Yelpers, I felt comfortable there and service was great. Décor is quite gnarly! Thought it was actually fun discovering all the 6's. For metal fans like my boo, he thought they played a good selection of music, so I do think this place can be suitable for various people. If you want good food & good beer & good service, then this place already surpasses many other bars.
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Ellen V.

Yelp
Beer was fine, food was fine, but the service was laughable. Any question of ours was a huge inconvenience. Our waiter was miserable and disrespectful. My friend has a dietary restriction and when she asked what her best options were, they looked at her like she was crazy and gave her a curt response. I asked for a refill on water and noted that the cups were small and he said "It's not a cup. It's a glass." When it was time to pay, I asked if they took Discover and he replied "Absolutely not." I get you hate your job, fine, but don't take it out on me. I've had better service at lemonade stands. Get it together.
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Juan V.

Yelp
Not much to say, I was told this was a heavy metal bar but my head wasn't banging. The bar itself looked so but the music didn't impress me.
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Zach S.

Yelp
Local Option is all about perspective, and my perspective is that their beer selection is the best in Chicago and the heavy metal theme only makes that experience even better. If you like Three Floyd's beer then you'll be in good company - they always have Zombie Dust flowing and a few other to accompany it. The few others range in hard to find Three Floyd's beers that you typically only see at their brewery. They also have a large variety of international beers which the bartender usually will tell me "we're the only bar in the US that currently has this beer on tap". I don't know what type of beer network they've built, but they are killing the game! The food here is also pretty tasty. I will be honest, my 5 stars stems directly from the beer and metal environment, but I have enjoyed a decent po boy here as well as the cajun wings. On Mondays they have in house hot dogs where you get one free hot dog for each beer you have. One of my favorite memories at Local Option is when they played the entire Dark Side of the Moon album while my friends and I enjoyed a night of many beers there. It brought back many psychedelic memories to say the least.... Pro Tip - go with the expectation of getting amazing beer and meeting new people, put your social norms aside and embrace new cultures.
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Mike R.

Yelp
This place definitely lives up to the name. I've been here four times now while visiting Chicago and they already treat me like a local/regular. Excellent mixture of metal, dive, and beer. The bartenders know their stuff when it comes to beer. Dave is the man and is always professional and friendly. The list always includes a nice mixture of beers they brew supplemented by a generous selection of tough to find midwestern guest beers. I've only eaten here once - I had chicken nuggets which lived up to the promise of being better than the ones Ronald makes. Imagine freshly made, small batch, McNuggets paired with some great beer. I now look forward to stopping in here every time I visit Chicago.
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Angelina M.

Yelp
Chill, metal atmosphere. Good beer selection. Had the blue crab quesadilla. Really good in taste and presentation.
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MJ M.

Yelp
Stopped in after the DePaul Christmas concert for late dinner and beers. The prime rib Friday night special was outstanding, as is their beer selection. Waitstaff is extremely knowledgable, helpful, and attentive, and made exceptional recommendations. The food was reasonable and delicious. New favorite for us!

Peter D.

Yelp
I can't believe I never reviewed this place. Best local bar in Depaul area. Best beer bar I know of. Best bar food in the city. Best wings at any bar in Chicago. This place is always squared away. The guys running this place are pros. This is my go to and all my friends know where to find me. Don't be an idiot when you come. See you there.
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Michael S.

Yelp
Awesome selection, really neat atmosphere and the bar tender we interacted with had great taste in music and beer. This was one of the highlights of my time in Chicago. So why 4 stars? Because they were selling an infected batch of Green Flashes Silva Stout. When my friend asked for the Silva Stout, the bar tender said "it's not a typical stout, it has butterscotch notes." Yeah, that means infection. Diacetyl is not supposed to be in that, or most, beers. I have had an uninfected batch before and it was excellent. They should have returned that keg to the distributor. I find this to be an unacceptable practice and almost left after he said that, but I was too impressed with the remaining selections to not stick around for a while. I suppose this is just something to be wary of and this issue aside, you can have yourself a great time.
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Danny W.

Yelp
A beardy beer bar in a non-beardy neighborhood. Local Option is located in the brometown of about every Michigan transplant in Chicago, which is pretty out of place considering how hipster it is. They've got good food, a great beer list and some super freaky art on the walls that reminds me of a Tim Burton movie. My only wish is that they'd print some tangible beer lists every once in awhile. Right now they only write in on a chalkboard in the front which is a little annoying if you're sitting in the back of the restaurant. Other than that one tidbit I'd say this is one of the better Lincoln Park bars if you're more of a Wicker Park type of person.

Joe S.

Yelp
To start, the beer is great - thank you three floyds. Now, as for the place that serves the beer, just an awful experience. Bartenders are drunk. Very rude about asking for tables at a bar. Their comment was "do you have reservations?" Seeing as that it's a bar, nobody has reservations and they were super rude about it. I also presented an ID and the guy thought I was an idiot. Again, it's a bar, so common logic makes that fair. Do not go here. If you want good beer, there's other options - State, Derby or honestly Google something better than this satanic themed 666 place. First yelp review from me, but worth it. Zero stars.
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Emily K.

Yelp
We went here on my friend's birthday for some beers, and I was incredibly torn about how I feel regarding the service. First, we walked in and the bartender asked for our ids. He looks at me and asks if I have something not expired with a very rude attitude. I know for a fact my license is not expired, and said so. No apology from him, just an "oh well, guess I was in the wrong year." Dude. My friend was in town from California and knows a LOT about beers, and they treated us like we were completely incompetent until my friend started talking beer with him. They talked over some beers and breweries in California, but the whole time the guy seemed kind of pompous. He showed us the inner workings of a leaking tap, though, which was pretty cool. Even then, when we asked about other beer spots in the area, he scoffed and said "COME ON, you REALLY think I'd tell you? No bartender is going to do that, dude." Okay. Look. I get that but come on. My friend is here from California, so he's obviously going to want to hit up some other places. He ended up just randomly throwing in a recommendation here and there in conversation. It was an extremely stressful experience because I never knew if he was going to respond in a helpful, respectful way, or be completely disrespectful. No one should feel like they have to walk around on tiptoes for someone serving them. And if they didn't have beers we wanted to try, I would've left after the first rude remark. Otherwise, they have an amazing beer selection and I'm not a beer drinker whatsoever, but he managed to find me a few new favorites. I guess he has the knowledge to be arrogant, but I still won't be back unless someone I'm with wants to try something exclusively on tap there. Also, cash only!
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Katrina S.

Yelp
This is a great neighborhood spot. It's got a rock and roll atmosphere - which I love and the service is excellent and casual. I've had better lobster rolls or it would be 5 stars. Next time I'm going for the shrimp tacos as I've heard from a couple of reliable sources that they are fantastic. I'm not really a beer girl, but I enjoyed a stellar pilsner so much that I had 2 instead of trying something different. They have a killer beer selection! Great place to hang out and enjoy a pint or 3.....
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Greig M.

Yelp
I can imagine this bar not being everyone's cup of tea (or pint of ale perhaps), but it did it for me. It's a bit of a metal bar, so if you're not into loud, aggressive music while you drink excellent beer, this place may not be for you. If you are OK with that, the place is a gold mine for the beer lover with a great tap selection and an expertly curated and properly stored bottle list that will have something for all tastes in beer. Well, perhaps excepting Bud Light drinkers. :) The staff are knowledgable and really enjoy talking beer and metal. We were well looked after and had a great time. I can't comment on the food as their kitchen was closed, but I was only there for the beers anyway! My only criticism is that they put all the tap beers on a blackboard as you walk in, and there are no printed beer lists for the tap selection. This is easily solved by snapping a quick photo as you pass the board. Voila! Instant beer list. :) Check the place out for sure.
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Michael B.

Yelp
This place is one of my absolute favorite in the city, and discovering that they are a half mile walk down Webster from my new office... is scary good to say the least. I've been here countless times and just the very last time tried their food. I've always come here because they have one of the best beer selections in the whole city, (always have Zombie Dust flowing.) But I have to say their food is surprisingly amazing. The wings and the lobster roll really stood out as favorites among everyone I was with. The heavy metal playing just adds to the greatness of this place. I'm happy they open at 12:00 on Fridays because I now have a new end of week lunch spot!
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Josh F.

Yelp
The muffuletta was bad. Hardly any juice in the olive salad and the bread wasn't toasted (as indicated) basically just got a dry bread olive and salami sandwich. Its laughable to suggest this is like Central Grocery. Fries were good so it wasn't a total waste of a meal.
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Laura S.

Yelp
Amazing beer! The beer list is one of the better we fhave run into in Chicago. We walked in to complete silence and Jeopardy! Game sound on. What a sweet find! jeaopardy! And beer! We were greeted by a super friendly bartender from Detroit. He made sure that he explained the beer offerings appropriately upon arrival. We enjoyed plenty of Three Floyds, Pipeworks, and just to make us feel at home Maine Beer Company - Lunch. We were eventually coaxed into some noms. Had some great guacamole which is "made to order" - I didn't see it made, but it was awfully delicious. Definitely home made pita chips with it. So good. Local option also boasts of some west coasts treats on tap, and some east noms (blue crab and lobster roll? Where are we!) When you walk in, it's a metal bar. I'm not a big "metal" fan, but don't be discouraged, music is at a good level for ambiance. It's a good thing we live in Boston, we would come here and spend all of our money.
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Mandy J.

Yelp
WOW. The people are SO rude. They're incredibly unhelpful and do not give you information about the beers, the food or anything else. I will never again come back to this place due to how disrespectful they were to us.
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Vivian H.

Yelp
Was in the neighborhood and dropped in for lunch. It's like a fancy dive bar... clean dark metal-band decor, impressive list of beers I've never heard of, serving Cajun food what? Catfish poboy -- big hunks of catfish, though under-seasoned. yummy fries. Jambalaya -- few pieces of chicken, shrimp (de-veined, so not dive bar), sausage in a big bowl of saucy rice, filling but not as flavorful or substantial as I'd hoped. came with cheese bread but unfortunately it was rye and that's the ONLY bread I don't like Service is relaxed though I guess not very friendly, takes credit, lots of regulars.
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Greg S.

Yelp
First rate everything . . . Drinks, food, company. The crab cake is excellent. Burritos and tacos, too. Just a great place to wander into.
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Amit B.

Yelp
It has great beer options, but it tries way too hard to confound you from understanding what you're ordering. When you walk in, there's a list of beers, but they decline to tell you what type of beers are or how much they cost. Have you ordered a twelve dollar beer or a four dollar beer? Find out when you pay your bill. Oh, and you didn't know that the Local Option Pink Lady was a german ale or that the Three Floyds Berserker is an IPA? Congratulations. You get a nasty smirk from the bartender. Oh, and want to sit at a table with your four friends and not at the bar? You have to order food or get kicked out. Appetizers start at ten dollars and sandwiches start at fourteen. Good luck. There are better, friendlier, and cheaper bars literally anywhere in Chicago with as many good beers on tap. Pass. Better luck next time.
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Karthik N.

Yelp
Decent brews available at an affordable price. It is near the university (De Paul) so expect young crowd. The place tends to get too loud (esp the music) later in the evening

Patrick M.

Yelp
Perpetually frustrating. This review is based around pricing transparency. Atmosphere and food are decent if you are into a metal-ish scene. Solid food and beer selection with two key points to know. 1. Food is slightly over priced for pub grub, but decent. 2. Beer list is written on a chalk board only visually accessible just past entrance. It does NOT list beer type, price, or the serving size you receive. Beware of running up costly tap on small pours without warning until you receive the bill. No draft list for any reference, so if you enjoy surprise expenses this THE joint. Writing this out of love. Please make beer prices and serving sizes available. I have lived nearby for 5 years and this is infuriating.
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Jonathan W.

Yelp
My friend and I had an impromptu lunch here on a random Saturday. Picked it purely on the basis of the four-star Yelp review. They have a nice beer selection and the server / bartender was very friendly and also very helpful. The food was mediocre at best. Very generic, not much flavor. We ordered the blue crab quesadillas as an app but the waiter had forgotten to put the order in. After our disappointing food we reminded the waiter of the quesadillas. Unfortunately, the blue crab quesadillas blew. The other food was OK I guess - freshly prepared but not inspired at all.
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Alan F.

Yelp
I made a return visit today to what I still consider one of the three or four best multi-taps in Chicago. I don't get here often enough, perhaps because it's a bit inconvenient (by Chicago standards) to transit, about a 3/8 mile walk through the genteel DePaul neighborhood from the Fullerton station on the Red, Brown, and Purple Express lines. Also, I find the goth ambience sort of offputting. But oh, that beer selection: a few dozen quality drafts (including some house-label lines), and about 84 bottles, many rare and correspondingly pricey, $7 to $80, averaging about $25. I tried two draft items this visit: - Pipeworks Mango Guppy. ABV not stated. Clear gold, light head. I noted a slight greenish cast, which, however, may have been an artifact of LO's odd lighting. Strong aromatic hop nose, with a hint of green mango. Taste likewise hops and tart green mango, nothing sweet or fruity about it. - Dieu du Ciel Peche Mortel. 9.5%. Opaque black, medium head. Nose suggesting dark chocolate. Complex, dark, dare I say brooding taste of roast malt, bittersweet chocolate, dried fruit, and some hop bitterness, and a definite ethanol warmth. A superior winter warmer, happily encountered on an atypically cool August afternoon.
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Jordan G.

Yelp
I asked for a beer list and the bartender called me a retard, and then slammed two miller lights in front of me and said "That'll be $8". Pretty much sums this place up.
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Kelli B.

Yelp
We've heard about The Local Option before but for some reason hadn't made it in. We just so happened to be walking past it one day and decided to stop. Why did we take so long to come in??! If you're looking to drink Miller Lite keep walking. As a matter of fact, the only "Macrobrew domestic lager" beer they have here is The Champagne (pronounced "sham - pag - nee"). If you like good beer you may be overwhelmed but delighted by the huge selection. We spent a few hours there and had the pleasure of meeting the owner, Tony. He's very personable with a great laid back no frills attitude. He knows a lot about beer and I couldn't believe that the owner of such a cool place was so young! We didn't eat but I've heard the food is fabulous. I'd definitely go back to The Local Option, next time I'm going hungry.
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David N.

Yelp
Our first time here! Great bar, despite my first impression. I had to use the bathroom when I first walked in. The bathroom was gross. Really dark, two open urinals, and the only light? A ceiling bulb that is red. The bar has a '666' sort of vibe going on throughout, and there's writing on the walls of the bathroom. It all left me feeling creepy. After the bathroom, though, all was great. We only drank their house-made brews and all were really good. The vibe is really cool -- we loved all the stickers, the logo, and the boar's head. The bartender was doing 1,000,000 things and was still incredibly attentive to everyone. He was bussing tables, making drinks and taking orders. The food was also great. Very unhealthy, but delicious. We had the chicken sandwich w/slaw and the Italian sausage w/green salad. The green salad was skip-worthy, and I love salads. The cole slaw was "creole" and ended up tasting weird a couple of bits in. The main proteins were great! The Italian sausage was sort of baked into a role, and then it had a thick layer of cheese baked on top of it.