Saturday 25th of August 2012 10:09:14 AM

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I have been here only twice, both times I had a great time.. staff knows a lot about beer and menu as well as expected at any brew pub

Parking was pretty nice, rite in front were I like.. food pricing was a little high, but was worth the money (to me)

Extensive beer selection and offer food pairings with almost everything I tried to order or just asked for fun.
I really enjoy coming here ill be making another visit very soon!

Friday 31st of December 2010 09:20:54 AM

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I went on 12/30/10 for the first time in about 3 years or so and couldn't believe I haven't written a review prior to today. I'm not sure if these points have changed since 2004 but here are two things I noticed that could have been enhanced over the years:

1. The beer selection is expansive. The number of different beers offered seems more numerous than I remember (but I could be remembering incorrectly). Also, the beers they offer from other brewers are truly unique, even if you've heard of those brewers before.

2. The food seems a lot better. I don't remember it being memorable 6-7 years ago, but I had a lamb burger with pears and brie last night. Let me repeat, LAMB BURGER / PEARS / BRIE. I've never seen that combo before. So I think the food, while burgers and small plates are the focus of the menu, is upscale and pretty high quality.

They were crowded last night and possibly under staffed. We waited 20-30 minutes for a table and when we were seated we were in an area that had a number of open tables. Not sure why we had to wait unless they were short on staff and didn't want to fill more tables than they could service.

But like I said: food was much better and the beer selection that they brew was very expansive. I also saw a sign that said they unveil a new beer every Thursday. All in all, I was pretty happy to go back. It improved my perception from when I used to go from 2003-2005.

Sunday 29th of August 2010 05:28:58 PM

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What can I say? Goose-Cly IS Chicago! They always have something new to try, always a great selection. The beers are true to style and and their decriptions usually spot on. They have a creative side as well, so there is something cask or out of the ordinary to try.

Their food menu has changed over the past couple years. I miss the classic pub fare for a classic pub price. They are slowly improving and adding more options, but I tend to have a beer after work and eat somewhere else.

Check out Goose-Cly for the beer! Go back often- the beer list always changes (with exception of their year-rounds).

Friday 4th of June 2010 07:49:21 PM

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2009 edit: With the revamped menu and renovations, Clybourn is more of a destination now than ever. 3 casks rotating, small plate menu featuring locally sourced edibles, and some damn fine food. Cuban sandwich, sweetbreads, crab po' boy, pork sliders, it's all good. New cask tapped every monday, new beers debut on thursdays, also the local BA gathering is hosted here the 1st thursday of the month.

10-17-2007

Always have a good time when I visit Goose Clybourn. Here's a tip, sit in the bar area, especially if you are here for the beer. Frankly I don't care about the atmosphere, but if that's your thing, it feels less like a TGI's in the bar.

Bartender answers questions and offers samples if you need it. There are TV's in the bar area, usually with some type of sports on. Taps are located on the west side of the bar, but taplists are placed throughout the area. You can see the brewing equipment in the back, which is a plus. Drafts are always fresh and spot on.

Fairly standard pub food, with several specialties. The Stilton burger is recommended. Some Tuesday evenings they host tappings of new beers, oftentimes pub-only brews. They are also involved in local beer fests and events, which makes them invaluable to the local craft beer scene.

Wednesday 2nd of June 2010 09:01:40 PM

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Another place I have been to so many times and have not submitted a review for....

Goose Cly is staple on the Chicago beer scene and a favorite place of mine.. Even tho I am out in the burbs I will make a trip into the city for this place.. Regular Goose beers on tap fresh thats good enough IMO but for some of the "pub only beers" they have make the trip even more special.

The bartenders are always up to the task and offer samples for you to try anything you may have not had in the past...

The food menu has improved year after year and hase some great light fare and full meals as well... It truly is a must stop for the Chicago beer scene...

The Belgian beers they offer are a must try, Norie, Fleur, Matilda, Sofie, Juliet are just some of the offerings I have enjoyed...

Wednesday 2nd of June 2010 02:38:23 PM

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This is my all-time favorite brewpub. I started drinking craft beers and homebrewing my own after learning the ropes here at Clybourn. This was wayyy back in the late 90's. Even back then, the beers were very good and the food excellent. Oh, and a free parking lot...in Chicago!

My most recent visit back, showed few changes cosmetically over the years, but boy has the beer improved! The line-up was extensive, almost more than I could handle at one sitting. They had great tasting notes and beer style education material for those not used to such unusual beers. The belgians and barrel aged beers are without peer in the Midwest.

Thursday 1st of October 2009 04:15:41 PM

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Goose Island - Clybourn has two of my favorite things: 1. Cask ales and 2. Pig Roasts. Need I say more?

The beers have been consistently good for years, but the new chef has taken this place to the next level.

Every Thursday they host a "Recycled" Pig Roast. The pig is from the local farmer who uses Goose Island's spent grain as feed, and each week is roasted in a different fashion and served with seasonal sides. (Examples: BBQ pig w/ black beans & creamy corn, Tomatillo roasted pig w/ smoked mozzarella & eggplant ratatouille, Bourbon brined & smoked pig w/ baked beans & ginger slaw.) It's freakin' delicious! Pair that w/ a cask ale (preferably the Midway IPA) and it's heaven. Food, otherwise, is solid. The cuban sandwich ranks as one of the best in the city.

If you have room after beers and food, be brave and try the Nightstalker for dessert. It's a well-balanced, ass-kicking imperial stout. (Much better and not as strong as the Bourbon County Stout.)

I highly recommend giving Goose Island - Clybourn a visit.

Thursday 2nd of July 2009 08:54:57 PM

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Cannot argue with any of the positive reviews already contributed for this Goose location. The quality of the beer selection is far and away superior to most others I've visited. On the March night I was there, the blustery winds made the beer that much more fulfilling. I tried both the Midway and Imperial IPAs -- they were phenomenal and I'd recommend them to anyone who appreciates their hops.

Liked the beer-nostalgia decorative touch and thought the aesthetics of the giant bar in the middle of the restaurant really contributed to the community feel of the establishment.

Had the hanger steak, which was decent. Service suffered a little because it was busy, but did not alter the experience overall.

Wednesday 24th of June 2009 11:19:19 PM

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I've been stopping in at Goose Island for many years now. Things looked a little shaky last year with lease issues but the stars aligned just right.

Beer selection between the house brews, the production Goose Island offerings, and newly-added guest beers is always diverse. I'm particularly fond of Wil's single hop and sessions beers. Glassware changed recently replacing the standard sleeve glass with more appropriate styles. Beer prices, in my opinion, are a little on the high side but it looks like consumers think they're OK given the amount of business I see there.

Food has also changed over the last year or so. The menu now features high quality and/or organic fare. While an interesting direction, I think it's a little posh for pub fare and am a little disappointed that some of my long-time favorites are no longer offered.

The different seating areas from the Bierstube to the hop cellar made for some nice spaces. Recent remodeling has opened up the hop cellar and upstairs pool room area to integrate them more with the bar. Not necessarily a bad thing but it will take some getting used to.

Wednesday 11th of February 2009 02:16:37 PM

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WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAD NOT YET REVIEWED HERE?

Oh dear. Another cataclysmic error on my part.
I'll begin with the exhortation in the lead paragraph. This venue got a reprieve, bunky, thanks to the real estate and banking _crash_, which combined to prevent Goose Island's money-grubbing landlord from selling the space to a Chili's, or an Outback Steakhouse.
Get here. Today.
There will always be a good beer here which you shall enjoy. That is, unless you're one of the deluded dunderheads who think that beer begins and ends with allusions to "less filling". You should definitely adhere to your 'making-love-in-a-canoe' concoctions *and never darken this venue's doorstep*.
Beer premieres are now on Thursdays at 6:00 pm. (This is why I checked the box for 'Thursday'.) When I last visited, I most enjoyed the 'Extremely Naughty Goose'. It is a strong beer, coming in a goblet, and commanding a higher price [but it was one of the two beers on special on that Thursday]. I had planned ahead and arrived here from Mr. Beef on Orleans. Eating one (or two) italian beef sandwiches there will definitely stave off any problems from consuming high-alcohol beers on draft here.

The venue has DirecTV® and (I believe) the NFL and Major League B**eball out-of-market packages. There are eight TV sets in total, sprinkled amongst the area (and there is also at least one dining room which has no TVs if you prefer that).
The beers are the reason to come here. I have eaten food here a number of times. The food is merely OK; and its pricing is average ~ albeit leaning to above average. Last year at this time, it tried to increase the *size* of its pub burger and the price it correspondingly charged for it. This caused as much of a brouhaha on the Chicago Beer Society's listserv as I can ever recall. It recanted on the size and price a few weeks thereafter. [*Then* came the announcement that its landlord didn't want to renew the lease.]
Goose Island Clybourn earns a very-high rating based on the quality of its beers, its historical significance to the culinary scene of the City of Chicago, and its catalyst for reviving a hum-drum neighborhood [in 1988] into one which puts revenue into the city's coffers.

Transit options: The *best* Winter route here is the Brown or Purple Line "L" to _Armitage_; and walking south along Sheffield Ave. Sheffield is residential. Its sidewalks are generally swept. If you otherwise ride the Red Line "L" to North & Clybourn [venturing here from Rock Bottom Chicago?], Clybourn Ave. is mostly business, and it has several splotches where *no one* has made an effort to clear the snow and ice from its walkway.
The #72 North Ave. bus is two blocks south at Sheffield. If you want to venture from here to Piece, the last westbound #72 bus is at 1:00 am.

Sunday 30th of November 2008 03:09:42 PM

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My first visit in 16 years or so! Back in the day, the building used to house a funky mall, and there was a theatre company there that showed bizarre plays. We'd go to Goose Island pre-play... and usually that was the highlight of the night.

No longer in danger of imminent closing, friends and I visited the brewpub on Sat. afternoon. Busy, but not crowded. I think they had 14 brews on tap, including a cask-conditioned stout. All the beer tried was good, and served in proper glassware. Most of the food was good, with a couple of exceptions... but the kids eating the exceptions liked them, so... Service was friendly, but filled with a mix of long periods of being forgotten mixed with hovering servers -- if you average it out, great! Atmosphere is dark colors and beer paraphernalia, and we got a window table, and the daylight was nice as well.

The mild winter ale was very nice, with bread-like flavours. The stout was enjoyable. The aviator doppelbock and the reserve Pere Jacques were fantastic. The Old Aberration barleywine was a good meal-ender.

All in all, I hope to not go another 16 years between visits, and am glad the place will stick around a while longer.

Sunday 9th of November 2008 05:41:12 PM

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[Update 12-31-2010]
Spent the day here enjoying the full selection of beers. Since I cannot make it to my favorite brew pub as frequently as I would like, I appreciated that they provide the "flight" option to get smaller sizes of any beers, 4 at a time. My wife and I worked our way through the whole menu today and it was delicious as usual.



[Update 01-20-2010: This review makes reference to an impending closing, but they ended up working something out after I wrote it, so no worries!]

The last days of Goose Island - Clybourn are upon us. Since this location is closing, we wanted to make one last trip to one of our favorite brewpubs. We decided to make a day out of it. So on 10-18-2008 we hopped on the Metra train out in the burbs and made our way into the city. After a short cab ride from Union Station, we were soon ready to drink some beer. It was 11:40AM as we staked out a corner of the bar...

So let's talk about the beer. Our goal was to try everything, so this is given in the order that we drank them.

Schwarzbier - smooth, mellow, "still tingles the tongue a lil' bit" with mild carbonation

Liquid Inspiration Stout - very flavorful, low carbonation, very tasty, nice dark flavor

Blueberry Ale - very mild, but delightful. The blueberry taste was very subtle, but definitely detectable.

Naught Goose (cask conditioned) - very dark flavor, very smooth. The relatively warm serving temperature really let the flavor of this beer come out. At first the smell of this beer turned me off, but it oddly it tastes much better than it smells.

Dunkleweizenbock - very fragrant; this was quite a change from the flavors of the beers we had earlier. Nice, very strong flavor with just a hint of banana. Reminds us of a liqueur.

Harvest Ale - another good beer. Smells and tastes nice with a little hoppiness for character. An interesting and complex beer that is hard to describe. This was served pretty cold, so I actually enjoyed it more as it warmed up a little.

Octoberfest - bitter, but not in an overwhelming way. This was an interesting beer.

Bourbon County Brand Stout - DELICIOUS! I waited for just the right time to try this beer. I didn't want to have it too early in the day because I was afraid it would set the bar too high. It was very good and had a nice strong bourbon flavor that made every sip a pleasure.

Saison '08 - This beer had a pleasant bouquet that reaches your nose before you can take a sip. It has that raw, unfiltered flavor that is characterized by this style. We were getting a little tipsy by this point, so our notes say "It tastes Belgian and shit." If I know my drunk self, that is a compliment.

Autumn Ale - another good beer, but nothing really stood out about this one

Matilda - I have had this beer in bottles before and it is even better from the source. Unfortunately, I feel that they served it too cold. Fortunately, this can be remedied by simply waiting a little while. Maybe it was a good thing for me to slow down a little at this point.

IPA - a respectable example of the style with plenty of hops. This was my last beer of the evening and frankly things were a little fuzzy.

So we finished at 8PM. We didn't try everything, but we were darn close. I can say that I did not have a bad beer out of the 12 that we tried. I purposely skipped the 312 because I am not that fond of it from the bottle. I have had plenty of Honkers over the years too, so while it is a good beer, I took a pass this time.

In between all that beer, we did eat some food.
Our brunch selection was the Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde, which were delicious. The spiciness was done perfectly and gave a nice flavor to the chicken and eggs. When I told the bartender that we would be sharing, he took the initiative to have it served on two plates.
We later had a large slice of carrot cake. It was yummy! I love to eat sweets with my dark beers.
For dinner we shared a Stilton Burger with garlic fries. The pumpernickel was a fun difference to the usual burger scene. The meat was cooked perfectly and the strong cheese complimented it nicely. This was a good burger, and I don't usually order burgers. The garlic fries were very good too, but they got cold too fast.
Finally we snacked on the veggie chili. It was very good, with a great spicy and cilantro flavor. No meat needed in this!

The bar was pretty busy all day long and we talked to several groups of people as they came and went throughout the day. Everyone that we talked to was a big fan of the beer. We didn't chat with the bartenders much because they were very busy taking good care of everyone.

I would definitely recommend this place and I would love to go back. Unfortunately, their last day will be 12-21-2008. I guess we will have to go to the Wrigleyville location instead.

Wednesday 2nd of July 2008 12:24:02 PM

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Goose Island is the place that got me hooked on craft beer! The beer selection is great, with 4 or 5 regular and 2-3 premium beers from their bottle collection always on tap, along with 6-8 pub-only beers, brewed on premises.
The menu appears short at first, but many sandwiches are available as either 100% prime beef, chicken or vegetarian. The daily specials are generally recommendable, but my all-time favorite is the Brewer's Stilton Burger, served with roasted garlic and melted stilton cheese.
Parking is usually easy, either in the street or in the shared lot just east of the brewpub.

Thursday 24th of April 2008 10:52:34 AM

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Well, the evening we ended up a Goose Island Clybourn, our original plan was to go to the Two Brothers tap room [brewpub] for a few original beers and dinner but when we turned up in Warrenville on a Monday night we were sad to find out that the Two Brothers tap room is closed on Monday nights. Earlier that evening on our way to Warrenville, my beer loving companion mentioned that he heard wind that Goose Island Clybourn was to close. After being let down on Monday's closing at Two Brothers we headed down I-88 to the big City. We ended up at Goose Island and found ourself at the bar. The service was awesome as soon as we sat down we were offered some tasting glasses of 3 different ales recommended by the bartender. I tried them all still wanting something else and tried most of their beers settling on a Nut brown ale. I also had a pint of the stout which was good. Dinner was fabulous and the service couldn't have been more helpful. We finished our spread off with a huge piece of chocolate cake which I shouldn't have finished it all but I did. We asked more about the closing rumors and the bartended did confirm that they had lost their lease as the price of the location had gone way up and they didn't want to keep paying the new lease price (or something like that). Anyway, this location does have wireless, no smoking and seems like it would be a great place to bring the kids.

Friday 4th of April 2008 04:40:07 PM

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I had originally had Goose Island's Honkers Ale in 2006 and, frankly, really disliked it. I brought a bottle back, but never ended up drinking it.
I returned in 2007 with a friend, and, staying in the Loop but having a car for one night, we ended up hauling up here that evening. First thing that impressed me was that there was actually parking. For the density of the neighborhood and its location in the city, I expected to have to scout something on the street.
The place was fairly empty that night, but we still ended up away from the bar. Not sure why.
I had two beers that night: Imperial IPA and the Stout. Both were pretty good, although the stout was a little weak.
The food was very good as well. I was eating off of my friend's expense account, so we got an appetizer and large entree (turkey burger) to split. Both were quite good, and probably of higher quality than I'd expect from a brewpub. We had dessert too, but I don't recall what it was except that it was very good.
All in all, it was a really good experience.

Thursday 8th of November 2007 01:18:41 PM

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This place is easily accessible from the red line at the North and Clybourn stop with a few block walk north.

I really enjoy this as a spot to grab a bite to eat and a few beers. The bar is situated in the middle of a seating area with seating around 3 of the 4 sides and with booths and tables on all 4 sides away from the bar. There are other seating areas outside of the bar, and smoking is only allowed within 15 feet of the bar.

The tap list here is excellent for a brewpub. I would estimate that they have anywhere from 12-18 beers on at a given time, with at least 4 of them being stronger/reserve beers. I have never had an issue with service at the bar or when seated, and some of the bartenders have taken the time to get to know me and my wife, bringing us a sample of a new beer as we are getting settled. This place has a nice relaxed atmosphere. It is casual and comfortable, and I just feel very welcomed here. The menu is very diverse, and I have yet to find something that I don't like. As far as beer and a meal go, this is my #1 in Chicago.

Saturday 28th of July 2007 08:46:47 PM

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Goose Island Clybourn is a place I always enjoy. I have been here after work with friends and I have been here as a stop on pub crawls. My favorite time to stop in is always early on the weekends, right around opening time.
At this time the place only has a few patrons and I can truly enjoy a couple of pints and ask the bartender all of my beer geek questions.
The interior is nicely done with old brick and wood. The bar is a massive square island with seating along all four sides and booths along the walls. They do allow indoor smoking (for now), but there is a lower level non-smoking section as well. There is a small loft-like section that has pool tables as well.
All of their regular beers are here as well as a good selection of their seasonals. There is always something good on cask.
The food here is pretty good compared to some of the other brewpubs I have been to. The food is reasonably priced and the portions are generous. I recommend the nachos, chicken and steak versions are both awesome.
On this visit I did not eat here because this is my first stop on my mini crawl.
I have been to Goose Island Wrigleyville as well, but this place seems to have a less rushed and more layed back feel to it.
If you get here early enough parking should be available in the lot, if you get here later in the day or evening parking could get a little dicey.
If you’re here at Clybourn a quick run across the street to Sam’s Wine & Spirits is pretty much a must.

Thursday 24th of May 2007 06:23:49 AM

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My tuesday visit to goose clybourn was just as exciting as the day before... I hadn't been to clybourn for a while and it was funny that from monday to tuesday.... there were new beers...

Gooses beer selection is NOT just the bottles, the pub brewer, wil, does a fantastic job with hustling out the new beer every week... you gotta give the guy props that he can bust ass every week and get the stuff out... This week was a bourbon aged winter brown called maduro, delishous... There's usually from 10ish beers on and the beer engine beer, and potentially some bottles making the selection vast and powerful... If you're from outta town, you'll walk in suprised and out fairly happy as goose does a great job at clybourn with quantity and quality...

Atmosphere is nice... there's the bar area, square dark wood bar with table seating surrounding... the inside patio area, that's more for non smokers... the pool table area (as you walk in to your right, and up the stairs.... down the stairs is the party room...) I recommend hanging out down in the party room if you can. it's usually quiet and comfy down on the couches. Off in the far section of the bar is another seating area off the official "tasting room" where tasting is done after the sunday tours... Tours are at 3 every sunday with a goose brewer.... the siebel room is ajacent to the other seating area and is for the learning people doing the brewing stuffs.... Classes are held upon occasion and it's usually a pretty interesting crowd as people come from all over the country to attend the siebel classes.

Service here is one of the best in town only to the fact that, once they know your face... they're good to ya... the bartenders at goose are awesome... tho talking the reservations chick is a bit annoying. This is one of the best places sans the maproom where the staff'll get higher than a 3.5.... Goose Clybourn is good to the peoples.

I love the mini pulled pork sandwiches.... Mini sandwiches are good, during the 4-6 half price apps, they are awesome.... stilton burger is recommended as well.

Thursday 22nd of March 2007 02:31:17 PM

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This person needs 3 or more reviews on the site for their scores to start counting.

Gotta agree that the atmosphere is wonderful. I had a little bit of trouble finding the place (since I'm from out of town), but when we finally made it inside they were playing the Magnetic Fields and it just felt like I was at home. The music was probably the best I've ever heard in a bar, the service was friendly, and all of the beers were solid.

I have two complaints, though: a lack of brewpub exclusive beers, and a lack of any guest taps. 3 Floyds makes much better beer than GI, but they still offer up half of a dozen guest taps, so why can't GI do the same?

Still, the exclusive beers that I tried were wonderful, and the fact that they would put anything in a growler was beyond awesome. That and the food was pretty good, too.

Wednesday 14th of March 2007 10:32:55 AM

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When people ask for a must hit spot while on a business trip or vacation, this place is always among my top three.

There is an average of 11 beers on tap, usually more. They always have the core Goose beers; 312, Honkers, IPA, Nut Brown. But the real winners here are the brews created by pub brewer Will Turner (who also brews for the Wrigley location, but different crowd means slightly different beers there). Every Tuesday Will releases a new beer and at 6pm he will introduce it to the bar area personally, giving an overview of the beer, it characteristics, and what he wanted to accomplish by brewing it. There is always at least one beer on cask and most times that same beer is on tap, allowing the patron to compare the two serving styles. You can really tell the difference.

99% of the time I sit at the bar and the bar staff is fabulous. They are extremely friendly and are always available to answer any questions about the beers. I have not had a bad experience with the restaurant staff either. And you will be greated by a friendly host/hostess if you enter from the parking lot side of the building.

This location also houses the Siebel Institute and Goose hosts different events in the Siebel Room when class is not in session. One that always sells out is the monthly Beer Academy. On the last Wednesday of every month, you can "study" a specific style of beer from a range of breweries.

The food is typical pub fare, but I do like the buffalo burger a lot. And tend to alternate between it and the boneless wings.

This is one of my regular haunts in the city and will continue to be.

Sunday 11th of March 2007 06:20:41 PM

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Updated: June 2009

The bar atmosphere here is nice. There's a nice square bar that has comfortable stools and a rail for you to put your feet on (bar owners: this rail is important!).

The service we received is always great here, the bartenders are very attentive.

The quality of the beers is very solid. They have somewhere between 15 and 20 of their own beers on draft (some are available in bottles now). Ranging in style from a German Style Hefe to a Barleywine. Roggenbocks and Small Beer are also two styles that you just don't expect to see on a brewpub menu. The selection is outstanding. They now have 2 or 3 hand pump draft selections available as well. Any beer drinker should be able to find a style they would enjoy.

The food here is good pub fare. I would guess I eat here at least once a month. The menu is varied. Try the Stilton Burger if you don't have a sensitive stomach.

This place has parking!

The brewpub is also right next to a great beer store (with more parking!). I find no reason for you to skip Goose Island Clybourn. This is easily what I would consider to be my "home brewpub".

Goose Island Clybourn is close to both the Red Line - North/Clybourn stop and the Brown Line - Armitage stop.