Thursday 5th of August 2010 05:32:59 PM

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I went to Bad Apple today for lunch and was impressed with the bar. Their beer selection is ridiculously good, with many many draft beers (mainly small and unique types) and backed up with a large bottle selection. Their variety, as well as the moderate prices, really won me over for their beer selection.

I selected their flight of beers, which consisted of 5 4oz drafts from a set pairing for $18. You couldn't swap any of the beers out, but the bartender said they try to select high end and unique beers to sample in the flight to give everyone a taste of the variety. The selection seems like it will rotate through time, but the offering they had today was:

Bocker Cuvee des Jacobins Rouge
Goose Island Sofie
Dogfish Head Sah'tea (my favorite, very unique)
Stone/Dogfish Head/Victory Saison Du B.U.F.F.
New Holland Dragon's Milk

All were high end, high ACV, and had a ton of flavor. Like I mentioned above, the Sah'tea was really unique and had a ton of flavor. I was really impressed with it.

There lunch food consisted of burgers, sandwiches, and salads, but all were good quality and unique. I tried the Pig and Pint sandwich and was happy.

The outdoor seating area was also open located on Cullom.

Monday 29th of March 2010 09:41:30 AM

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I was finally able to make it out to the Bad Apple. It has created quite the buzz and I was anxious to check it out.

The barroom is in the front room. There are several tables to share and some nice rail seating along the Lincoln street side windows. The dinning room is in the back area. The bar is tastefully decorated and has some cool lighting fixtures.

Side note, this place used to be a German restaurant and they had a statue in the outside niche over the door. I wondered what happed to the statue, as it was really cool. They still have two of the stained glass windows that show Bavarian pastoral scenes in the dinning room, so it is cool that they left a bit of the history in the place.

They have a nice balanced tap list with very reasonable prices. They were offering an Arcadia Pale Ale for only $3.50 and fresh Daisy Cutter is only $4.50. I liked that they had options from Flossmoor, Goose, Founders, etc. Beers were fresh and the tap lines seemed to be in tip-top shape. The bottle list is also great and there are plenty of choices for any beer lover. While I mainly stuck to the draughts, we did split a bomber of Great Divide.

The food is tasty with a big emphasis on burgers. I always order mine medium rare and the arrived at the perfect amount of doneness. Great to see a restaurant that does not overcook everything. I like their appetizers and really recommend the olives & pickled garlic assortment.

Service was spot on. Our waitress was always there when we needed her and was quick with recommendations. Note that we had a very leisurely dinner and they did not try and hurry us up which is appreciated.

This is a great addition to one of my favorite neighborhoods. I will be back soon!

Sunday 28th of February 2010 07:00:37 PM

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I have been to the Bad Apple twice now.. The Beer list is always good and the prices are reasonable IMO. The burgers are good! Usually have Half Acre products on tap as they are across the street.

I have sat at the bar both times and the service was good both times and the bar tenders are knowledgeable about the beers they are offering. "hangover burger" is very nice!

Certainly worth a stop while in the that area which is full of good beer bars.

Monday 22nd of February 2010 09:57:04 AM

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The angular bar seats about 20, and had a view of bustling Lincoln Ave. Red globe lamps hung above long tables to one side, and curtains partially obscured the dining room in the back. A hidden game room off to the side past the bar held a pinball machine, foosball table, an old school Galaga Ms. Pac-Man table, and a display of board games. The walls were painted with a tree silhouette mural, and a few interesting stained glass panels in the back. We sat at the bar and had a couple beers.

The selection was solid, with taps that were varied and interesting. Half Acre Daisy Cutter (brewed right across the street) was $4, and GLBC Dortmunder was only $3.50. On the high end was Tripel Karmeleit for $7.50. There were taps from Founders, Surly, Arcadia, also limited ones like New Belgium Dandelion, Goose Fleur, and New Holland Imp. Mad Hatter. Allagash White, Flying Dog Gonzo, 2 Bros. Ebel Weiss, Lindemans Framboise, and Matilda rounded out the list. Bottles were equally solid and varied, nothing too obscure, but they did have La Trappe Isid'or, which i've never heard of. Staples from DFH, Weihenstephaner (including Vitus), GLBC, Founders, maybe 15 Belgians and a handful of UK & German. US Micros were broken down by state of origin.

Service was quick and friendly, they offered tap samples, and water was served in elegant stemmed glassware. There were maybe 15 or more unique branded beer glasses behind the bar too. The owner mentioned the possibility of expanding their tap selection in the future. Joe's burger looked killer, and i'll definitely be returning for some beer-infused cuisine soon. With the opening of Half Acre's tap room on the horizon, this would be a no-brainer stop for dinner and relaxation.

edit: Steak Frites burger was good, the Hangover burger was AWESOME. They are proud of their Pat LaFrieda beef!

Friday 27th of November 2009 08:45:59 PM

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Fantastic craft beer selection, tasty food! Service is knowledgeable and friendly. I don’t dig the red & black atmosphere, but can overlook it for the food and brews. Definitely the best option of all the bars in the North Center/Lincoln Square area. The cheese curds have to be had to be believed, so fresh. And they have poutine! The burger was great - cooked perfectly, exactly how we asked. Friendly patrons, and with Half Acre a block away, you know you're getting good beer!