Tapster Lincoln Park

I love coming here for bachelor/bachelorette showings!! Please keep doing that on Mondays!! Great non alcoholic options like root beer and kombucha. Bonus points for yummy popcorn (thanks for always keeping the bowl full Anthony!)!

Pretty cool place that resides on the inside of what used to be a normal house. They have a place in the back you can rent. They have pretty good drink options. Great patio out back when it starts getting too stuffy inside. They only have one person working here, which is actually pretty nice because it allows them to focus on drinks and atmosphere.

Very chill neighborhood bar with games and trivia on Tuesdays. No food but they do have popcorn, I do believe they let you bring your own food as well? There are a ton of games in the back and you just get a card to pour your own beers. It's a great chance to try a ton of different options if you just do quarter pours of several beers, prob 20 on tap.

I loved it. Founded it by mistake but it was definitely a good time and definitely goosld selection. Will come back for sure to try all the beers

Loved this place. My friends had their bday party here, and they reserved an area/room for this. The best thing about this place are the self-serve drinks machines. You provide your credit card to the staff, and they give you a card that works with all the pour machines, and tracks how much your pour. Really cool! The staff was friendly as well. The only thing that didn’t make sense to me was that all the restrooms were in the reserved private area - so everyone was in our space.

Love this concept of self serve taps. More bars should try this out. Gives an opportunity to try a little of everything without committing to a full drink

This is the best happy hour deal in the city!!! Anthony was the most friendly and helpful staff member I have ever encountered — he deserves a raise. Will absolutely be coming back!

Great local bar with fun bars and excellent beer selection. Always games available and good buzz in the air without being overwhelming.

I mean, the pour your own can be a little fun if it's a first time. But I'd call the drink prices for you doing your own work as mostly insane. They rely on nobody being able to calculate the per ounce price into a standard pint of beer. Once you do... yikes. $11 beer? $16 beer? There are some nice rotating selections here, but these are not crazy rare. They are just massively overpriced, even for Lincoln Park. As a beer lover, there were 2-3 options I found interesting (a wild ale from Beglye, a wine-barrel aged beer from Maplewood). But most were more standard fare. The hazy IPA, etc. There are other bars in Chicago I'd head to for craft beer selection. And you'd pay a reasonable price, and have it poured for you correctly. Would be one star, but making it 2 because the staff I interacted with were friendly and efficient, and the vibe is comfortable and standard. Byo food can be nice (we brought charcuterie). But the gauging beer prices cancel most of it for me. Not coming back voluntarily.

We love going to tapster! Always a great variety of beers. We especially love the sour and fruited selections. We had a fruited beer and a lemonade whiskey this time. Our favorite part are the games available. Highly recommend this as the end to your night. Also noteworthy: they allow you to bring food in!

Tapster is such a cool concept! They offer all different types of beers (lagers, cider, sour) and then you serve yourself. Similar to an arcade you receive a plastic card when you first walk in and to turn the machines on you have to put the card in. As you fill your glass, the price goes up and you'll close out with the cashier at the end. I love this format because you can refill as you please. It also allows you to try a little of any beer you want. This spot is very chill with board games, jenga, and free popcorn! This is a great spot especially for groups, but really anyone.

What a fun little neighborhood bar! We were in town for a friend's birthday and she has reserved the room in the back for us. The atmosphere here is very warm and woody, but the outside patio is perfect for the summer! I love that this is a pay-by-the-oz, so you don't have to get a full drink if you don't want to. You start by checking in with a staff member to get a tapster card, then you use it to tap each drink tap to pour yourself a drink - then you check out at the end to charge your card. One suggestion I'd make is to switch the cards to something like wristbands (we have one in Minneapolis like this) - people in our party kept leaving/losing their cards. I gave this place only 4 stars because I didn't love the selection of drinks on tap. This place is definitely beer heavy, but I was hoping for some more variety. There was only one seltzer, and no sours. You could get hard drinks behind the bar which was nice. Overall, definitely a fun place to visit!

We love a good neighborhood bar. This place has unlimited options, free board games, and movie popcorn for only $2! The patio is redone, and this is a great place tucked away in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. 10/10 recommend.

Definitely give tapster a try. A great place to sample. Beers and other alcoholic beverages. A fun place to hang out. The low price popcorn is delicious and we sat and played cards for a bit and had a large variety of beverages and discovered some new things that we really really enjoy. That's the point of Tapster! Give it a try!

Fun concept. Attentive staff & service Loved variety of on tap options. Lots of tvs to watch sports!

Really cool concept but very few non-alcoholic options. I understand it's mainly focused on beer and it wouldn't be fair to expect a huge number of NA drink choices, but before going there with friends this weekend I checked the website and it said they are committed to having non-alcoholic taps at all times so I was feeling hopeful. However, once I got there I was informed the only NA drink available was root beer. Better than nothing I suppose but with various types of wine and premixed cocktails in addition to beer, you'd think they could have at least one NA beer or seltzer or even kombucha. The concept of no bar or bartenders was unique and fun, but unfortunately that means you can't just go up to a bar and order a soda with lime or other go-to NA drink you can get at literally any bar. Again, I recognize this is a place that is obviously centered around alcohol and you can't expect the best NA options, but a big flaw of not having an actual bar or bartender is that you lose the few options you do have at a normal bar. Ideally you could go out with friends and be able to enjoy yourself without drinking alcohol anywhere, without having to drink 3 full-sugar sodas... I had a headache in the morning anyway! Hopefully as the world continues to become more sober-friendly Tapster considers adding at least one NA beer or seltzer to their lineup.

I will definitely be back. So how it works as you go in and you check in with the bartender and they give you a little card and they run your card for 20 bucks and then you can just pour as much beer as you want and you pay by the ounce. Plus, they have popcorn that you can pay I think a dollar for. It was a little treat on a Sunday to just have a beer and enjoy the patio.

Tapster has the best happy hour deal in the city!!! Anthony was the most friendly and helpful staff member I have ever encountered -- he deserves a raise. Will absolutely be coming back!

This was my first visit to the Lincoln Park location-- so cozy! I also love the wicker park location and the concept of being able to taste so many different things! This location so much smaller and more intimate. The lighting was low with some music playing-- overall such a great place to gather and catch up with friends or coworkers. Selection of drinks ranged from non alcoholic CBD lemonade (was very yummy!) to wine, all types of beer, and some wild card items like lychee lime hard kombucha. I appreciate the non alcoholic options so everyone can be included and comfortable. Can't forget to mention the free popcorn! One of my favorite things in a bar truthfully as i'm always snacking. Highly recommend for your next get together!

Just found out that Tapster is dog friendly so will definitely be returning with our dog! It's a smaller place, but there are several high tops to sit at if you're just drinking. Since it's bring your own food we ordered pizza and had a bit of a challenge eating it at the smaller tables. I love the idea of self service and they had some good options for everyone (wine, beer, cider) as well as big bowls of popcorn for just $2! The only thing that threw me off a bit was the express checkout that forced you to pay at minimum 18% tip when it's a self service place.

I freakin' love this spot. So fun for groups. We had a triple date hangout kinda Saturday night here, and it was a blast. I personally love serving myself as I enjoy the feeling. It's also nice to be able to get a drink the moment you want it without waiting or awkwardly flagging down a worker. Very reasonably priced in my opinion. Great TVs everywhere with fun places to sit both inside and out. Cool swinging benches inside by the giant Jenga. Awesome board games too if that's more your thing. Since they don't serve food, you can bring your own food or have a delivery person drop it off at the door. We got Nando's. Beer & chicken: what's not to love? Really great spot. Will be returning ASAP!

Really neat bar in Lincoln Park! People get a card and can pour your own beer based off a really great tap list. Bar also has board games people pick up can play. Really relaxed bar vibes. Would suggest to anyone

While this is self serve - the staff in hand are very helpful, accommodating & pleasant to deal with. Great room, fun board games & offers you the option to order food in- and lots of TV's to catch any game!

Staff very friendly and helpful. Great selection of beer and some wines. Was nice to try different drinks without committing to whole glass. Does get expensive if having to much fun though haha they have a great Yelp check in offer so worth trying!!! Nice outdoor patio with lots of fun games to chose from. Fun hangout too. Parking easy to find on street also!

I've never experienced this concept before, but I absolutely loved it. I have a feeling this style will become more and more popular. When you enter, you trade your credit card for a "Tapster Card" which you use as a credit card to swipe for your drinks. The taps are set up where a regular bar would be and it's self-serve. You can use your tapster card to sample any amount of any drink on tap and your tab racks up on your tapster card. When you're finished sampling, you bring your tapster card back to the front and pay for your tab using the card you left behind the bar. I sampled nearly half of the options on tap and it was very affordable. While sampling, they have a ton of classic games to play as well as life sized Jenga in the back room. Since they do not serve food, feel free to bring your own or order from a nearby restaurant! I'll be back soon!

What a great place with friendly staff & amazing selection. Overall really great vibes.

I held off going for so long because I just assumed it'd be overpriced like some other serve-yourself bars. But I was so wrong and am sad I didn't go sooner! They give you a card that you use to activate individual taps as you pour beer into your own glass. It's a great beer selection with ~20 taps or so and the taps are generally organized by type of beer - so the IPAs are grouped together, the stouts grouped together, the weizens, etc. During COVID they fortunately opened up a back patio which is very Chicagoan - neighborhoody and local. Perfect for hanging out on an afternoon. They even just added delivery to your table from 5411 which is awesome! I keep stopping by on walks to try a half beer or two. Awesome spot!

My favorite place to get casual drinks with my friends. They have great beer options that always hit and the popcorn is yummy (but $3 and $1 for refills :,( ) you can bring in food also!!!

This place is awesome and love the ambiance! So easy to get your drinks and the service was great as well. I will for sure be back!

Tapster was the absolute perfect location for my graduation party. My friends and family could enjoy the beers they liked and many were able to bring in food to enjoy. That back room was so fun with games and enough room for us to spread out and talk. The staff was so friendly for the planning beforehand and while we were there. I absolutely cant wait to go back!

Tapster is a great bar with a cool concept if you are a beer lover. You receive a Tapster Card linked to your credit card and this is how you pay for your drinks. The station is self serving with 3 drinks per screen. Each option comes with a description and price per oz. There are a few wine and mixed drink options, including one CBD infused Kombucha drink. In order get your drink, you choose your glass, insert the card, and pull the handle. The screen gives you the oz poured and how much the drink costs as you are pouring. Very interesting concept and the beers are always changing for new options. The popcorn served is also great! A yummy snack to munch on while you are drinking with friends. Great for a laidback night or even a date. There were reservations for the back room for a private party, but I believe they still had to come to the main room to get their drinks, so just keep that in mind!

This was such a fun place to hangout, try a bunch of different beers, and play some games with friends. They have a wall of beers on tap you can try. The interactive screen will tell you how much each pour costs. They have a variety of beers, as well as wine and cocktails. They said they are going to begin charging people a 10$ minimum on cc's soon. Cash has no minimum

Wow absolutely love this place, definitely dangerous though! You swap out your credit card for a Tapster card and it basically records how much you drink and you get charged at the end of the time. You can get a small sample of the drink before committing to it too, which is nice. They have the widest selection of beer, but also have a few wines and cocktails on tap. There are some non alcoholic options as well (kombucha!!) Plenty of places to sit, and their back room has a variety of board games and giant jenga. Definitely a nice place for a laidback night out, or even a date. The card does cut you off after a certain amount though, and you'd have to go to the counter (don't ask me how I know haha). I love the self service, no waiting at all. Check in for 15% off your bill!

I really enjoyed Tapster. We went on a Friday evening right before it got busy and were able to find a table for 6 of us. Once you're ready, you go to the register and give your credit or debit card over to the server and they had you a Tapster card while they hold on to your form of payment. From there, it's all up to you! Every tap station has a slot of the card and you place the card in the slot, which unlocks the taps, and you pour in your choice of glass until you've had the amount you want! They have a wide array of beers, some cocktails, and wine choices - all from taps! Dogs are allowed inside and you can bring in your own food, or get free delivery to Tapster from a great empanada spot. They have various games that you can bring to your table and even have some trivia or theme nights throughout the month. This is a great way to taste several different beers without breaking the bank but if you just wanna hang out and have beer with some friends, this can get pricey.

Used to come here with my friends all the time, genuinely sorry to say I will not be doing that anymore. The staff, really just the one woman who said she is the assistant gm is so incredibly rude every time we are there. Rolling her eyes, talking trash about customers like we cannot hear her, screaming and cussing at people (yes I have seen her do this more than once)...it just kills the vibe every time we go there. I thought maybe it was just once time thing at first but after reading past reviews on this place and talking to other people in the bar, it's not. I literally never write review, especially bad ones because I get people can have bad moments, but she's just a miserable person.

A M A Z I N G ! ! ! Seriously, one of the coolest spots to hang out with friends/family in Chicago. It has something on draft for everyone! - tons of beers! (Majority are craft and local! Yippee!!) - wine - cocktails - kombuchas (even boozy one!!) - sodas - cold brew Thanks to their PourMyBeer self-serving technology, you can try anything you want in whichever quantity you want, because everything is priced per ounce. You see the price of everything on the touchscreen above the taps (and you are also seeing how much you are spending everytime you pour). Besides the price, it has other information about the drink such as ABV, where the drink is made etc. It is truly AWESOME, because you are never stuck with a full glass of something you don't like! On top of that, PourMyBeer technology concept completely eliminates the lines! NO LINES even when it is busy. Couple things to keep in mind: - Tapster is BYOF = Bring Your Own Food (or order in) - it is dog-friendly! Bring your furry friends along! Totally recommend visiting! If you are new to self-serving, here is a cool and funny video made by the owner of Tapster explaining how it works youtube.com/watch?v=E2UV... ! Cheers!

Trivia Tuesday is the best but arrive at least by 7:00 if you want a seat for the 7:30 games. Do it yourself taps mean you can sample beers by the ounce. Try it, you'll like it.

It's fine. Underwhelming beer selection and staff is bad, but you can taste beers by the ounce.

We had a group gathering at Tapster and it was great! The concept is fun and exciting to self serve your beer, and they have all different size cups so you can just get tasters of everything/essentially build your own flight which is what I did! We went on a Sunday and easily got a table for 7. The ambiance is great, the staff and other guests were friendly and helpful. I will definitely be coming back soon to this neighborhood spot!

Discovered this bar on a bar crawl and wish we could've spent more time here! The idea isn't new (you link your debit card to their card and swipe it on whatever beer tap you want) but it's still so fun! They even have cocktail and wine tappers that you can swipe! The only downsides are that the tables are all way too close together and they practically force you to tip between 18-25#m% because you have to put your card in their "express checkout" boxes on your way out.

Been coming to Tapsters ever since I moved into the neighborhood over a year ago. I love the vibe here, great for lowkey hanging out and playing cards with friends or catching a sports game. The patio is nice during the summer as well and they are super dog friendly. The beer selection is solid and rotates frequently but the prices are a bit on the higher side when filling up some speciality beers. Love the popcorn as well. Only thing I wish was different was they offered a few other types of small bar snacks or something to eat. A happy hour would be awesome too. Like 20% off tab during 4-5 PM or something like that. This is a go to and will stay in the rotation for some time

Perfect little empanadas--each one it's own delicious flavor palette. Banana Nutella is not to be missed!

Came here on a last minute decision and was extremely happy with our choice. Tuesday nights host trivia with Pheobe who was helpful and super nice. Love that we can fill our own cups with so many choices to drink from wine, several beers, stouts, etc. Staff was extremely kind and environment was leveled and laid back. Back room has a bunch of games should you bring a group. Will definitely be bringing more people.

The owner said I should of approached him when I came in I thought it should of been the other way around. Also I was the only colored person in there when I came. I was asked to leave because it was a private event but I was asked to come back. I wasn't there for the whole time so I don't know if others had got rejected. I also told him I was part of media. P.S. I called the wicker park location also in the afternoon a day prior and I couldn't leave a message.

Great spot for beers. Cider and cocktail options available too. Outdoor seating is nice when warm out.

OBSESSED. Crazy cool idea, fun events throughout the week, you buy what you pour. This is one of the coolest bars I have been to. They have multiple different tabs that you go up to with a card (credit card already attached) and you pour yourself drinks. You put the card in, pour, and then when you are finished a price is added to the card for your check out at the end. They have mixed drinks, cocktails, wines, so many beers. They have popcorn and empanadas that you can purchase. They have fun games and quirky events like trivia throughout the week. Their seating is normal in the front with a lot of televisions, and they have an area in the back with hanging benches and more exclusive for parties. Absolutely love.

I recently visited Tapster after not having been there for a while and forgot exactly how much fun it is here! The staff seems to be the best part. They are amazingly aware and there when you need them (re-explaining how to pour a beer without foam and not charging me for my first foam laden attempt) but awesomely not bugging the table when you just want to watch the game. It's a great combination of service and self service. Pro-tip, the swings and two person love seats in the back are amazing for date night.

Tapster in LP is awesome. Smaller than the one in Wicker Park, this location still has swings in the back and board games. The major difference than this location is that the Wicker Park location has about double the options- including pre made cocktails, kombucha, and more beer. This location has more a modern vibe to the atmosphere, but is still great if you are from the area!! They offer popcorn for your socials and always great service.

Went to Tapster for the grand opening this weekend! I think what they have going is actually pretty great. You serve yourself your own drinks and they have everything from wine to gin and tonics. How do they do it? I have no idea but each tap has just about whatever you want. No food served here folks just drinks. They let you bring in any kind of food that you want though which is great! They have popcorn too. Love it

Definitely one of my go-to bars in the city (both locations). Bring your own food and play some games on a rainy day. The wide selection of drinks pleases everyone in your party, even if you're avoiding alcohol for the day. The staff is always really helpful and genuinely fun to be around. They have a surprising amount of tv's so it's also a great atmosphere to watch a game or two. Can't say enough good things about it.

I visited here on a Saturday afternoon, and enjoyed 3 beers from the self serve drafts. Very cool concept! Here is how I would break down my rating: Concept and Location - 5 Stars! Very cool that you can pour your own beers to try different things and not spend $8 on a beer you might not enjoy. They also had some cocktails and wine and very cheap popcorn for $5! Although they don't serve food it is close to restaurants and you can order your own. Beer Selection - 3.5 or 4 stars - I say this more as an avid craft beer drinker. I think they try to have something so everyone can be pleased (they even have Miller Lite/High Life). I totally understand and respect this but also as this is a a place that I would think would try to bring in avid craft beer drinkers based on the number of taps, I wonder if they could just offer one light beer and try to focus some of the taps on seasonal beers from some local Chicago breweries. I know there are some, but I would have liked to see Maplewood, Half Acre, Marz, etc. but I could have just come at the wrong time as they change often. Service - 3 stars - I was a little bit disappointed. I wanted to give the feedback that I poured a taster of the Lo Rez Imperial Stout which may have just been tapped. It poured out 100% foam into the glass for a $3.25 pour and so I went to the host asking if I could dump this out and they waive it off my bill. The host looked at me like I was crazy and said go back to your table and wait for the foam to settle. I waited my 10 minutes for a 1/4 full taster of stout for $3.25. Not a huge deal but hopefully an easy correction if someone reads this! If I had been served by a bartender at a bar, no way they give someone a glass of foam. Also, beware they don't take bills over $20, I tried to pay with a $50 bill but it wasn't accepted. I would definitely come again!

Visited Napster for a friends birthday party. Really unique bar. All beers and cocktails are self pour. You ate charged based on amount you pour. You can take a full glass or pour a little for a test. Great selections of beer. Also the ambiance is really nice. Best part of this bar is that it is bring your own food.

Our friends favorite spot for trivia night! This place is super unique. You trade your credit card for a store card and at each tap you approach you choose what you want and how much you want. There's a spot for you to load the card and they have you cash out at the end. They have wines, beers, ciders and cocktails on draft. They have a fun game room in the back with large swings and other seating. The giant jenga is a great time! Also, don't miss out on the popcorn because that was ON POINT!!!

Good vibes, and well priced drinks. The Tapster has its high and lows. High: great selection on drinks, excellent customer service. Low: no food but popcorn, some drinks are okay. However, free board games! It's a great spot to hang with friends.

So where do I start?!?! Walking into Tapster on a Friday night I was greeted by a pleasant Doorman that was well dressed. Checked my I.D and welcomed me to the "Tapster". Walked in and instantly smelled the crisp smell of fresh popcorn. Being greeted by the lady at the desk. She walked me over to the wall with such high energy and explained to me how the concept worked. After the thorough walk threw I was in HEAVEN. To be able to pour my own drinks, sit in a very chill environment and to exchange a conversation with a random person about the different type of IPAs, Ciders, etc.. It was very pleasant to walk into a bar and to automatically be able to engage with a random stranger about a beverage. I will defiantly be back with some friends

We stopped in on Saturday night after dinner in Lincoln Park. The idea of the place is good in theory, but we didn't have a great experience. We stopped by the hostess stand and got our cards for the taps linked to our credit cards. They explained how to use them and let us know when we're done we can do an express checkout by dropping it in a 18%, 20%, or 25% tip box. They completely failed to mention a card minimum if one existed. So, you can understand how surprised I was when I only spent about $3.50 on my card for a couple tiny Miller Lite pours, put my card in the 18% tip box when leaving, yet got charged $10 and some cents. Not sure if the hostesses just decided to enter their own tips on my card or what. Not even really sure why there is tipping when you literally serve yourself. And of course, there is no receipt or anything so I'm not even sure contesting the charge with my credit card company would be fruitful. The only pro was board games you can borrow, so we did have fun with that. Overall, displeased. Check your credit card charges after going.

Yay for a Tapster in LP! I dig this place as I'm not a beer drinker, but they have wine and cocktail options. It's a chill spot, and I'll be back!