Friday 4th of June 2010 07:50:45 PM

link
Not a typical hangout for me, but i'll usually end up here with a group, or for the annual Night of the Living Ales cask fest they hold in their garage. I prefer Guthrie's, Murphy's, or Uncommon Ground around here.

Atmosphere is ok, loud music and patrons on a Saturday night, but hey you're in Wrigleyville. Expect a few popped collar bros high fiving over blue BL baby bottles. Why does a brewpub even serve Bud? Service at the bar was fairly quick, tables were less frequented by staff, but again it was busy. A bottle of Sofie was served with proper glassware, and water came in a plastic cup.

Selection is the standard Goose range with a few specialties. The only exclusive here is Cubby Blue, a blueberry wheat. If you're from out of town, hit Clybourn, they have almost twice the selection. Didn't try the food, but saw a couple favorites from the Clybourn menu. Selection here overall is less adventurous, catering more to the Wrigley scene. A worthy stop if you're in the area, also of note is Murphy's, Uncommon Ground, and Sheffields if you're pub crawling.

Wednesday 24th of June 2009 11:29:07 PM

link
Like beerinator, I usually am only here during Chicago Beer Society events. For me, the location is a little off the beaten path for more frequent visits but I do manage to stop in a couple of times a year.

As with the Clybourn location, beer and food is quite good. I usually find myself hanging out either at the bar or in the back dining room.

Parking is difficult but can be found on side streets during the day or when the Cubs aren't playing. It's a little more difficult after dark or during home games due to permit zones being in effect at night. Public transit is convenient with the Red Line Addison stop nearby, the Clark & Addison buses running late and a plethora of taxis.

Monday 22nd of June 2009 11:09:43 PM

link
Located right in the same area as all the Wrigleyville bars, about a block from Wrigley Field. There are three general bar areas - front main bar, back room dining room and an outside patio.

They serve all the generally available selections - 312, hex nut, matilda,etc, as well as a few other good selections. Tried an IPA and Naughty Goose which are not generally available in bottles and was not disappointed.

Place wasn't crazy busy considering I was there just prior to a weekend Cubs game, went right in and was able to get a table.

I thought the menu generally normal bar food, nothing of too great excitement.

Thursday 26th of June 2008 03:28:37 PM

link
I attend a bunch of Cub games each year. Some are with friends and some with clients and business associates. Often, I need a place to entertain with decent food (and for me at least) good beer and I find Goose Wrigley to be a very dependable and fun option.

They have a nice long bar and a ton of seating on the main level. They also have a room on the 2nd floor for private groups/functions. They also offer a large but slightly barren beer garden tucked away on the back/north side of the bar. As usual in Chicago, a ton of TVs tuned to sports.

Even on game days, the bar tenders will take good care of you. Be nice and it will be returned to you in spades. They are good with samples and in describing the specials.

The food menu has evolved with some old friends gone, but some tastly new additions to chose from. I would rate the food as better than average with a few outstanding items (Stilton burger anyone??).

The offer the standard Goose line-up, the reserve line, plus a cask option and 2 to 3 specials. Some of these specials are unique to this location (Cubbie Blue, Ryno 23, Dead Goat Porter, etc.). I’ve never had an off or bad beer here. They also offer some macros at the same price as the Goose goodies.

Can it crowded, yes you bet. However they do a great job keeping things moving and I think you will find this a nice pre or post game destination. Heck its good even with out a game!

Tuesday 13th of March 2007 08:11:03 AM

link
My experiences at Goose Island Wrigleyville usually occur on days when I'm attending Chicago Beer Society events. We've come to enjoy checking out Wrigleyville because they have a slightly different menu than the GI-Clybourn menu that we're very familiar with.

The beer selection here seems slightly worse than Clybourn. I believe that they have 9 or 10 beers on tap (I could be short changing them a bit). But they are mostly made up of standards and a few seasonals. There is usually one or two beers throughout the year that are brewed for this facility alone (meaning you will not see them on tap at Clybourn).

The atmosphere here is nice. But it changes quite a bit as expected during game time. During a Cubs game they switch to plastic cups for serving all beers and they seem to go into crowd control mode. I would avoid this area all together during a game day unless you are headed to the game or unless you are there to experience some of the excitement of a Cubs game.

The food and service is good. The beer selection is good. But unless I'm in the neighborhood I always seem to make it down to Clybourn for my Goose Island Experience.