First Draft Reviews

What a great bar! I came here back in Nov 2015 for a quick lunch and a flight of good beer and I found both of them here. The beer selection is really great and they have a lot of dark, heavy, flavorful brews and I was quite impressed with the selection. My turkey sandwich was also very good and was a great compliment to the beer. The service was great and I would definitely recommend coming here if you like good beer!

We ended up at first draft late on a Wednesday. What a great atmosphere for a small bar that you might otherwise pass by. Friendly staff, great food, and a great draft selection. I felt like I was at home. It's the kind of place you want to come back to very soon. Highly recommended. Chris

My buddy and I wanted to stop in somewhere before a show at the Auditorium Theatre. We were pleasently surprised at the great old-school pub kinda feel, with a modern kinda casual sports bar atmosphere. Great selection of beers on tap, all the way down the length of the bar. pretty good food too! Prices were pretty reasonable for being in downtown Chicago, (but happy hour helped with that too.)

Stopped in for a beer and a bite on Christmas Eve afternoon. Oytstanding microbrew selection. The Milano style pizza was excellent and just the right size for two. Our server, Diana, was so sweet and welcoming. Will definitely visit again.. soon!

A great bar for a casual drink. There is a huge beer menu, so plenty of choice. We also had the sweet potato fries which were amazing and the portion size was great for two people. Great service, would definitely visit again on my next trip.

We were hungry when visiting this hidden gem on a Thursday evening, and found excellent burgers, attentive and friendly service, a vast and impressive selection of draft beers and an all-around warm and neighborly vibe in this busy pub - full of character and fun! We will definitely return!!!

We decided to go to First Draft for our first night in Chicago. It is a great place with good food, great selection of IPA's. The staff was very friendly. We can't wait to go back on our next trip to Chicago.

If you want a good draft and bottle/can beer menu with plenty of TVs for sports and a place to go low on the radar near downtown then this is your spot. Officially part of the Printer's Row neighborhood on South Clark (two blocks south of Congress) this place is in a quiet area with just a small sign out front in a skinny storefront. This place is just close enough to the downtown action so that you can steal away here for awhile. I enjoyed the beer selection and the good service at the bar. I ordered the chicken chipotle tacos and this is where I have to break bad a bit on this place. They weren't terrible but they were far from good. Blandish and poorly put together they had a very blah taste and I just did not enjoy my meal. But, other than that, if you can't find me in the downtown area I might be watching sports and sipping a good craft beer at this place.

In Chicago for the weekend and needed a place to watch the Packers game. Found this place just a few blocks from our hotel and had a great time. Even found a bunch of other Packer fans seated at the bar with us. Had a great lunch, burger and salmon, and found their beer selection to be very good. Seemed like a really nice bunch of people.

We stopped here before going to a White Sox game. The beer selection was awesome! They had several TVs with different games on. Good place to hang, have a few beers and watch whatever game you're looking for.

Fantastic neighborhood sports bar with food and drinks that will surprise you, (in a good way!) First Draft has a great vibe and definitely fits the south loop feel. I was amazed by the extensive beer list, especially the amount of beers on tap. There are also great selections of spirits to choose from. But don't miss out on the food, which is above average. And if you're there during a Hawks or Bulls game, it's half price pizzas and $4 beer specials. Mix all of this with a friendly, helpful staff and you've got yourself a winner.

Our visit involved a tradeshow at the McCormick, so those that have attended know how long and hard that can be on the legs and feet. This place is a block and a half from Hotel Blake, where we stayed. What a gem! 5 minute walk to a place with 64 craft beers plus amazing pub food. We actually hit it up twice! First time we each did a flight of their IPA selections (I get it, not everyones's choice) - the attendant (who was amazing) brought us 8 different IPA's on two boards so we could sample and then select a favourite! It was like IPA chess for a bit, no arm wrestling, thankfully. We settled on our favs - my hubby gravitated to the Ninja vs Unicorn, and I respectfully bowed out at the Space Booties. The food tho! One delicious Rueben and an Italian Beef with hot peppers. Do it. Do it NOW

Great selection of beers. About 80 different taps. Ordered wings and fries. Large portion. Jumbo wings! Highly recommended.

This place is quaint and has a huge tap list. If you're a craft beer nut, this is your deal. Tons of tvs with a local focus. Only complaint is the music was a bit loud for conversing but still it was a good 90s blend.

For a city that doesn't get the highest praises for beer, we were VERY excited to find this little gem. HUGE tap and bottles list which made our smile. Looks like decent food menu. We tried the cheese curds which were ok if a little sub par. No matter...this place is about the beer. We will be back this trip!

We walked in to First Draft not expecting too much. It was sooo crowded that we almost left, but the staff encouraged us to wait and he'd find us a table in a few minutes. True to his word, we were seated soon afterward and had their fabulous Steak Frits dinner & tasty beers. Very friendly atmosphere & good food!

We went here for dinner and visiting on a weeknight. The place is not very large and all of the tables are highboys. If you have a hard time with these types of seats there is a long bench in the back that is pretty comfortable. It’s still high but ... There is heavy construction right next door. It didn’t impact us but when it’s complete First Draft will be dark because the side windows will most likely be covered. Before we arrived, we had checked out the online menu and that was a mistake. There are more options listed online than there are available in the restaurant. We asked our server about it and she said that was a problem and we weren’t the first to ask for something and have it not available. So that was disappointing. The food was okay. The beef sandwich was outstanding as were the fries. The chicken nachos were delicious. The pizza crust was crispy(good) . The Mac n’ cheese and the chicken wrap were disappointing. The chicken wrap was so spicy and we asked for mild. Unfortunately it wasn’t eaten. I doubt we’ll come back here. There are too many great places to eat in Chicago.

I've only had amazing experiences at First Draft! The staff is always friendly, the food is out of this world, and the beer is plentiful. I ALWAYS try a new brew when I visit and love how much the team there seems to truly love what they do. Cheers!

A great koca bar that has lots of craft beer to choice from. Bar food too. At least 20 tv's in this bar with outside seating. So a great place to see the game. Staff is friendly and very helpful.

This bar has around a hundred beers from which to choose. They do flights and are very knowledgeable about the different beers. I had a local liquor which I had never heard of. It is Jeppson’s Malört, the infamous bitter liquor once only reserved for Chicago dive bars, whose popularity has spread as a sign of civic pride. I don't know that I would ever drink it, again. But, it was nice to hear about it and to try it.

I was in town for a conference and wanted to watch Game 2 of the series. We picked First Draft because of the number of screens and we hoped it would be a little less crowded than other places close to the hotel. The beer selection was voluminous and awesome. The service was spot on perfect and the bar food was tasty. This is a place that I would frequent if I lived in Chicago. I loved the fact that our waitress was standing by the jukebox as the game wound down to make sure Go Cubs Go was blasting in the joint as soon as it was final.

Great bar for watching sports and hanging out. Staff really friendly and attentive. Would definitely recommend! Cracking beer menu (which I tried my hardest to work through). Only means I'll have to try again!

Bartender pulled off a decent long Island ice tea. Had over fried nachos and two orders of Buffalo wings, first ones were so good we ordered a second, which was not as good as first order, server friendly, but spread way too thin

We heard about this place on Chicagos Best and had to try it! Amazing all around. The beer selection is great and the food menu offers a great variety. The decor is also cool and the staff was delightful. We can't wait to come back

We decided to hit up the First Draft on the way to the Bears game. Since we were staying in River North we decided it would be best to get a few drinks closer to the stadium. It is about 1.5 miles to the stadium but I wanted a good selection of craft beers and this place came up on yelp. It has an expansive list of craft beers that I have not had a chance to sample before so that made me happy and all at a good price. The food was good, but nothing spectacular as I had a fried chicken sandwich. If you are in the neighborhood and want good craft beer might as well check this place out. For more information and pictures check out our site : thegreatcubeescape.com

Walked over here from a nearby hotel...great draft beer selection, and if you can't decide what to go with, you can get a flight of four for $14. Steak sandwich was great, and at the end, I had to try the Deep Fried PB&J. It was a delicious -- and filling -- dessert.

I recently visited this South Loop bar and was impressed with the food. My friend and I shared an order of cheese curds, which were some of the best I ever had. The Draft Burger was very tasty. The steak sandwich underwhelmed. We definitely left full, and we can't wait to go back and try many of their craft beers (64 taps)!

Staying at Hilton and looked for somewhere walking distance to watch the MLB playoff game. First Draft was the perfect spot. Large variety of draft beers on tap, lots of tvs, and a really friendly staff. More of a neighborhood bar that makes you feel at home. We had pizza which was very good, but the sandwiches that came out of the kitchen looked great. We’ll be heading back there again tonight!

Overall good good but a deceiving menu. Ordered a "large plate" of chicken, prosciutto wrapped asparagus and a salad for $17. Chicken and asparagus were cooked excellently but the salad was a piece of lettuce. No dressing, no cucumber or other reference to the Rosa salad on the menu. After asking about it, the waitress said she doesn't know why the chef calls it that. It's just a type of lettuce? I expected more for a chicken breast and asparagus wrapped in one piece of prosciutto. To top it off,the waitress let us know she was leaving to make sure she got her tip. Not impressed.

Great venue close to the Congress Hotel and Grant Park (about 7-10 min walk) Great sandwiches, fried brussel sprouts, sweet potato fries and the best Marguerita I've had that wasn't homemade! (music was a little loud, but the 80's station was great!)

Great little pub with an abundance of craft beers on tap. I enjoyed multiple flights and could have gone for more if I didn't have other engagements. I recommend this location to any craft beer lover and show Kelly, the bartender some love, she was a great help in making choices based on my likes, though the menu is very comprehensive even for non-craft beer regulars.

MAKE SURE TO CHECK YOUR CREDIT CARD STATEMENT! They over-charged the tip amount on my credit card. I had to call them four different times to try to get it cleared up. Each time, I was promised a call back with an update on how they were going to resolve the matter. They kept asking me to come in to collect a cash refund, and could not seem to accept that this was not an option as I do not live in the area. On the 4th call, they finally said I needed to dispute it through my credit card, as they are not able to refund it on their end (I have never heard of a credit card company that wouldn't issue a refund for a faulty charge.) They are either shady or lazy. Either way, I am sad because this was otherwise a good sports bar, with well-located tvs, a very good draft list and decent food. I am sad that I cannot trust them with my business.

A friend found First Draft by accident, so we met there to watch the Stanley Cup and have dinner. They have lots of TV, including smaller ones by some tables, so getting a good view is pretty easy. The place is cleverly named for its location among a lot of publishers and for its pretty extensive beer list, featuring beers from all over the world and a lot of microbrews. I tasted a few different styles and kinds. The food is good but probably not in the outstanding category, but since that's probably not why you go, it was more than sufficiently tasty. Staff was friendly and attentive. They also have a pretty good list of whiskeys and whiskys, but I did not delve into those. Perhaps next time.

The food was good. The service was good. Large choice of beer. Our needs were taken care of and it was close to hotel.

Excellent beer selection. Atmosphere is appealing. Nice mix of people at this spot - students, neighborhood people. Food is tasty. Slightly upscale bar food.

Found this gem while wondering the "Loop". Amanda waited on us at the bar and she was amazing. Had a great burger and there were lots of locals in for lunch, which means it is a great place.

I finally got Zombie Dust, from Three Floyds, after three years of searching. It did not disappoint and neither did this place.

Food was excellent and great beer selection. Great place to hang out and watch a game, have great food, and a drink. Tons of TV screens.

Hands on owner and his wife run a class sport with plenty of sports screens. Watched the NBa finals here with great drinks and delicious food. Great pizza and a fun ace to come with friends.

Arrived late to Chicago and was hungry. Restaurants were already closed and I wanted to eat something. First draft was open with crowd for a baseball match. I made a mistake and ordered chicken wings (is finger food for me and it was kinda messy). It was tasty and staff is really helpful..

Delish food and extensive beer menu. Odd neighborhood in financial district. Cool crowd of local looking students and professionals. Would go back! Cuban sandwich and grilled cheese were awesome and service was attentive and friendly!

Nice place for casual beer and the food is also delicious. I went solo at the time of a match, however did not have to wait much. The atmosphere was very lively. It seems that have daily specials. they have 64 craft beers. Great beer and the server Emma was very helpful and friendly.

Fifty draft beers and a beer menu explaining each one. They also serve samplers if you are not sure. The ambiance is very good, the bartenders are really into the Chicago game. There are many TVs for people to watch other games. The calamari was good the menu offers other bar food.and

We were told they had fried chicken but the did not. The food selections were limited and the food was just average.

My husband & I recalled enjoying the craft beers here during our 2017 vacation stop, so we made it a point to return and this time add lunch. Natalie was really nice & patient, letting us try a couple different sips before we settled on an amber, then giving us advice on their sandwiches. She was SPOT ON about the reuben and the charred brussel sprouts, an unusual offering as a side without any upcharge. My husband chose the Cubano with fries, also super delish. We took half our sandwiches back to our room for later, as portions are quite generous. We stopped a 2nd time that week & visited with co-owner Shea about being Packers fans in a Bears bar. I stuck with my reuben, yummy again, while my husband tried the Chicago beef, a bit dry, so they gave him extra au jus.

This place was recommended by the doorman of hotel after we told him we like craft beer. Very large beer list and good food as well. We only tried a couple appetizers but they were very good. On the down side, we were there late afternoon on a Friday, it was very busy and there was only one bartender so the service was a little slow.

Great downtown Chicago bar with more TV’s on the wall than you could imagine! Good selection of craft beer and the burger was really tasty. They do lunchtime specials for less than $10 which was a bonus. Friendly place would come again.

I visited here with family and friends to grab some food and watch some Football- the beer selection here is pretty expansive and offers some great craft beers, but the food here wasn't the best in the world. I had a bar staple- burger and fries... The fries were pretty good but the burger was barely edible. Not only was the bread hard enough to play frisbee with but this is the first place I've eaten in 30 years where the bread was actually bigger than the meat. Our server was prompt friendly and attentive. I would definitely visit here again for drinks but will avoid the food ( at least the burger... The pizza actually looked pretty good!)

Excellent craft beer bar. They try to serve each beer in the style of glass that it was brewed for. Didn't eat there but later after a very bad meal at another restaurant, we wished we had eaten at First Draft. Everything looked delicious. Would differently go back.

First Draft is my favorite South Loop/Printers Row bar, and my go-to spot anytime I have friends visiting; it's a true crowd pleaser. They have an extensive drink menu, and the food is great. Plenty of TVs and a super fun atmosphere if you're looking for a good place to watch a game. The staff is friendly and service always reliable. Nothing but great things to say about this place and would recommend it to anyone!

We picked this place after we went to the Bears' game as it was close to the hotel. It was very busy, but they handled the rush very well. We only had to wait a little bit to get a couple of seats at the bar. They have a large selection of beers and a decent menu. Even though they were busy, you wouldn't know it based on the excellent service.

Was in Chicago on business with colleagues and we decided to do a craft beer night.... this place came up in the search that was within walking distance of W Monroe and S Lasalle. We all thought the beer selection was good and had a variety of foods. My burger was enjoyable and the quantity of fries generous. Service was fine, would come back.

We stopped in here after experiencing lengthy delays getting to our hotel from the airport. The beer selection is great and the staff really know their beers. To go along with the beer, we had their charcuterie platter (all 9 items), which I thought was great value. The meat and cheeses were just what we needed. My only minor complaint is that it needs to come with more pretzel bread. As other reviewers have noted, it is a small place, so getting a seat can be tricky at times, but I think it's well worth it.

Went for a late lunch/snack when we got in town on a Thursday. Great beer menu. Very nice atmosphere. The pulled pork poutine was awesome! Also tried the cornbread which was fantastic too! Would def go back!!

Nice small pub in Downtown Chicago with good prices. The chilli was perfect. Good variety of beers. Good for watching sports.

It is obvious that this is a neighborhood bar. We stood out and that was clear, but it wasn't unfriendly. We fell in love with their beer collection. It was obvious that they had beer connoisseurs picking the menu. From Framboise to hoppy IPAs, they had a wide selection. We did not taste the food, but we watched the Blackhawks game and cheered with the crowd. If you are not a beer drinker like me, order the Framboise. The flavors remind you of raspberry and has more sweetness than your typical beer. Overall, great customer service and excellent beer selection.

I'm not a beer drinker but I'm told that the choice of craft brews at First Draft is second to none, 200 choices with 64 beers on draft. And they keep rotating the list so you'll always find something to satisfy your thirsty taste, even the hard-to-find brews. Located at 649 South Clark Street in the South Loop/Printer's Row neighborhood, First Draft caters to sports fans who can't get enough sports. The 2,500-square-foot space features TVs in every booth and 25 TVs around the bar. If you look hard enough, you might even see cricket from Thailand or rugby from New Zealand. But I prefer my sports with food, not beer. And First Draft's menu features a lot of tasty options, including meatloaf, open-faced turkey sandwich, salmon and my personal favorite, chicken pot pie with chicken, peas, carrots, potatoes, onions and celery in a light, puffy pastry. It is rated among the best chicken pot pies in the city and I won't argue the point. While I enjoyed my chicken pot pie, my wife munched on a BBQ pulled pork sandwich. We both tried something new, beer cheese soup, and we shared the chocolate chip cookie sundae with vanilla ice cream, caramel and whipped cream. And how about those Bavarian pretzel sticks? It's good pub food in a pleasant, friendly surrounding. Isn't that was a good sports bar is all about?

After checking out a number of bars in the City, I was was very happy to find First Draw near our hotel. A great selection of taps from all over but obviously a majority from nearby brewers. The four beer flight allowed trying a number of excellent beers. Wings are deliciously smoked. We finished many beers and apps with a highly recommended deep fried peanut butter and jam sandwich. Overall great place.

I can see about 20 TVs from my seat. The cheese curds are amazing and menu seems great - didn’t eat more here. Great beer selection plus full bar. Great, friendly, staff. Definitely recommend!

Very nice atmosphere, friendly employees, prices seemed reasonable. The bar was pretty busy so we had to sit at a table. The place was very nice and clean. It would been more fun with a group of people rather than just 2, but glad we stopped.

They have a huge beer menu. Also ordered cheese curds and chicken wings they were both good. Service was also good!

Place was great, a lot of TVs to watch the games. Food was good but the waitress was very rude and I don't know why. Great location.

Spent some time here on a Wednesday night. We arrived just before 6pm so were able to take advantage of their 1/2 price appetizer offer - good between 4pm - 6pm on a limited selection of their apps. Grabbed the "loaded fries" with melted cheese, carmelized onions, and bacon...eating healthy :-). Waitress mentioned there's a fried egg on it as well though that is not listed on the menu. It's hard to go wrong with cheese and bacon, but the fries themselves were great. We also had a classic burger (comes with those great fries) and order of cheese curds, since our hearts weren't beating hard enough from the loaded fries. Both dishes were really good. As mentioned, they have a lot of beers on tap, the menu (conveniently tucked under each table in a hidden shelf) has 5 pages at least. We stuck with a very nice hefeweizen from Germany. Also as mentioned, flat screen TVs cover much of the wall space all around the bar, so this would be a very solid choice for football Sunday. Service was very good, waitress at first seemed a little uninterested but warmed up considerably. The bathrooms leave something to be desired, however. All in all, a solid bar with good food and great beer selection.

We were in Chicago for a week and we were so happy with the staff, beer & food that we came back 3 times during our trip. I tried a new beer and a different dish each visit and was always pleasantly surprised.Will definitely drop by on my next trip to Chicago.

If you are a beer snob this place should be on your list of places to visit. Nice place, good burgers, good service. They had a Bloody Mary bar if that is your thing but had a lot of ingredient choices. Lots of TVs and a juke box for music. Large menu. I would return.

Local bar with good food and lots of beer options. All four of us built our own flight! My only two complaints are 1) the air wasn't on (on a 85 degree day) so it was a bit stuffy, and 2) the beer wasn't very cold... not sure if it was an issue with their keg/refrigerator systems or what, but it was a bit of a let down.

SO many beers to choose from!! We had the pretzels as an appetizer, they were super tasty! I had the maple bacon Mac and cheese and it was delicious! My husband went a healthier route and got the salmon. It was super tasty as well. The crunchy quinoa was so good! Overall, great beer and great food! Service was great too!

A great selection on on tap beers plus Danny the knowledgeable bartender to skillfully navigate you to your delictable destination. Meet locals who have just moved into the neighbourhood and enjoy the good food. Numerous big screens for sports. Should you be in the area, this local is a must.

My sister-in-law was in town from California so we decided to go to Chicago. We happened across First Draft while in the Printers Row district, which is just south of Congress on Clark. What a great place!! 26 TV's for all sporting events. 64 craft beers on tap with bottles of other beer as well as a fully stocked liquor selection. The beers and Old Fashion I had were great, but the food was something special. Everything on the menu is pretty much beer infused. The Wisconsin Squeakers (fried cheese curds) are a must have for an appetizer. I had their First Draft Burger which was delicious. My Son had the Cuban sandwich which he raved about. Other items that our group had included Fried Calamari and the Beer/Cheese soup. Everything was spot on. The staff there are very friendly. Absolutely a perfect place to enjoy for an afternoon or evening. And for those headed back out to the NW suburbs, it about the quickest trip out of Chicago and back home you could ever ask for.

Easily one of the 5 best craft beer joints in the Loop. Add to that top notch pub food (including top notch fried Wisconsin curds) and friendly service. Been there twice and I'll be back.

Went before a game to Soldier Field. Craft beers , freindly service , we were a large group being served good to very good pub grub like warm bar pretzel, wings , pizza etc... went back after game...place was still hoppin with a good Chicago based crowd.

My wife and I are in town for St Paddys Day and stopped in for a late lunch. The appetizers, chili cheese fries are wonderful and the buffalo chicken sandwich is the best I have ever had. They have several (seventy) draft beers, including some of our favorites from New England. The staff was attentive and responsive on a crowded day. We were able to watch some college hoops and Black Hawks hockey.

We started our Saturday evening bar hop at First Draft and it was awesome. Its a total Chicago bar with good atmosphere and their service was awesome! She definitely took care of us and recommended a few things on the menu. Stiff drinks if you ask for them "Wisconsin" style. The 4 of us really enjoyed the food and friendly conversation with our server.

Small Popular Downtown bar not far from our Hotel. Recommended as a go to spot for Football watching and fun, trouble was the place was packed which is not a bad thing for the owner, however after a few hours of promises that we were next on the list while others behind us were being seated we moved on. Lots of other places in Chicago.

Arrived for a visit to Chicago After a long journey getting here, arrived at my hotel and was in the mood for a burger. Got two recommendations, one of them was "first draft" Few minutes walk and I have found the place. Place was packed. Walked in and set on the bar. Huge TVs everywhere.. People watching the live games ( baseball, hockey, you name it, I am not into sports) Went for the First Draft burger (nothing like the house name dish), ordered it medium well, with fries. As I was totally off, and was not in the mood for alcohol, went for coke ( that kept on refilling itself for no extra charge ) Burger was good, a bit burned, with a strong taste of Oregano ( ?! ) Fries were amazing... And I thought it would be a great idea to have them with mayo... ( for an extra charge ) All in all, a great place. A bit noisy, but seems like that kind of place you can hang out with friends or make new ones.

The Blake hotel recommended this place and it is spot on. I arrived late off a flight and fancied some food and a beer and this is the place to find both. As a solo traveller I am always weary of being alone among people but this proved to be far from it. A classic American bar style parked myself at the bar and the barmen suggested their version of a Big Mac and fires and then we discussed craft beers and I just went with his suggestions. (there are 30 odd craft beers) Before long I was chatting to the locals and watching the sport. So good I went back the next night.

We popped in midweek for a beer. Friendly service and a nice place to take a break when hiking the South Loop area. We'll be back.

This was our first visit and based on our experience we will be back! If you're into craft beers, the selection is great. We came for dinner and had a hard time deciding on a dish because everything sounded great. I settled on the Poutine and was amazed. The fries steal the show but the pulled pork and cheese sauce round out the dish perfectly.

Waitress seemed stressed and not having fun but food was OK , I would consider it basic bar food. Great beer selection and fun atmosphere. I’d go back and try it again. I’m picky so that says a lot

Well I saw this place on Chicago's Best and it did not disappoint! First of all, from the bartender to Chef Joe, the staff could not get any better! If you are in the South Loop find this place.(just North of Roosevelt on Clark Street) The beer selection is so wide and diverse, you could drink here for a year! The food was awesome and the pizza delicious(we had the Swine) The chili was different and had a pleasant "kick" at the end. For a night out whether business or a date, you can't go wrong with this place.

Try the Mojito Shrimp Salad and Kung Fu Chicken Wings! Unique and delicious. The staff makes a visit here relaxing and fun. We'll be back next time we're in Chicago!

This could be a really fun place to hang out if the staff wasn't RUDE. lots of beer choices and full bar. Food looked really good. The bartender was rude

A substantial selection of beers and foods. Service was outstanding and food was delicious. We were able to get a seat during happy hour and the food came out quickly. Drink service was almost instantaneous. A wonderful experience.

We ate at the First Draft on a Friday night and I thought the Reuben sandwich was among the best I’ve ever had! The service was good and we enjoyed our meal there.

The choice of beer on offer is second to none. You can find all sorts of local treasures and other hard to find beers of all varieties here. It's slightly more expensive than the average craft beer place in Chicago but only a little. The food is down to earth and tasty; we enjoyed the pizza and the pot pie. One thing I didn't really like was the sports bar atmosphere. There are TV screens everywhere. I was expecting somewhere a bit more focused on the beers than on the entertainment, and I felt it wasn't really in keeping with the age and decor of the building. That said, I'd definitely go back just for the amazing beers to be had.

We wondered into First Draft only seeking libation. They did not disappoint. The beer selection was excellent with very good descriptions. Surely there is a beer for every taste. The wait staff was very nice. Small bar with tons of big screens. We were there on a Tuesday late afternoon. The place was busy, we had no problem finding a table. Very clean with nicely space tables so you don't feel you are right on the table next to you.

While we were in Chicago to see Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds at Northerly island, we needed a place not too far away to grab a bite after the concert - the first night landed us here after looking for some place that served food late and was within walking distance. When we walked in they were busy and a gentleman at the end of the bar waved us over to a table and got us some water (it was HOT out and he could probably tell I needed it after that walk!) and let us know our server would be over. Our server was friendly and helpful with menu recommendations, and our food and beer were delicious!! Lots of craft beers to choose from and not too pricey. Beers were as cheap as $5, which is a lot better than I've seen at some other places. So after our great experience on night one we decided to try it again after the concert the next night! So two out of our three nights in Chicago we went to this establishment and were very pleased with the service, quality and value both times. Highly recommend.

Love this little sports bar on South Clark Ave. Plenty of beer choices, TVs, and fantastic buffalo wings! If you're in the Columbia College neighborhood, check this place out.

Bright space with a large bar and tables. A long diverse beer list. Food menu is not long but they put their twists on the usual choices. Staff was friendly and knowledgable.

This is a great place all around. We do not usually come to this part of Chicago when we visit, and I am glad we did. First Draft has a great atmosphere and character if you want a good bar to just sit and socialize or watch sports. We came to also try some of the food, which looked very interesting (thank you reviewers!). We had the Poutine among other things. The food was fantastic but the Poutine was to die for, so that is what I remember most (and I eat mostly veggies). The manager and bartenders are very friendly, great draft beer with a good selection. I highly recommend if you are in the area.

I went for beer and food on a Thursday evening, it was a specials night with a pizza for $10, that sounded good so I ordered. The beer was good and you had a great choice, the food arrived very quickly and was outstanding. The service was perfect and the atmosphere thrilling. Thank you,,

We got recommended this bar as somewhere less touristy and it didn't disappoint. The service was perfect, the beer menu (50+ craft beers) epic and the food fantastic. We had a sampler of the home-made jerky which I was still raving about the next day. If you don't like sports or beer, this isn't the place for you.

nice centrally located gastorobar to grab a beer or a few along with appetizers after work. Large beer selection, and food, although not the imaginative is high quality and fresh.

Great hangout in Chicago - busy bar- food was absolutely delicious and service was Great!!!! We ate at the Bar and the bartender served us - he was really good and both bartenders had great personalities and their service and attention to all patrons was wonderful!!! Would definitely go again if in Chicago

I was in Chicago with a group of colleagues, all of us from out of town. We had selected this restaurant due to its proximity to our hotel and it sounded like a nice casual place. The restaurant was much as we expected, except it didn't have air conditioning. Normally this might not be a big deal, but it was a particularly warm evening so we were definitely uncomfortable. Aside from that, the food and drink were really good. The burgers come with fries, which isn't mentioned in the menu. The fries are excellent, but had I known I would have asked to substitute a lo-cal alternative. They were great with accommodating our group, which came and left at different times and gave us separate checks with a smile. Were the temperature more comfortable it would have been an excellent, so I definitely recommend, just not when it is hot. We had 10 people and 10 checks, they handled it great

Late dinner after work. Like a sports bar but with excellent pub food and pizza. Really excellent beer selections. I had a burger that was very good, surprising portions and an excellent value. Fun place.

The servers, the food, the drinks, and the atmosphere, were all terrific! If I lived in the area, First Draft would be my "go to" place!

Came here to check out the food fare and ended up trying a beer on the recommendation of the waitress. I am definitely not a beer drinker (only tried it twice and not to my taste) but this beer was actually quite nice so kudos to the waitress. The poutine was nice but the chips a bit undercooked. Burgers were great. Servings are good and filing.

Very cool bar, definitely a beer drinkers dream. There were plenty of tvs with every game you could think of. However the food was mediocre at best and the wait staff was very sub par.....the bus boy was more attentive than our waitress....would go back for drinks but never again for food.

Checked out this spot with my husband for dinner during happy hour on a weekday. It was a cool night and all the doors were open, a nice ambiance. Spacious bar, with big screens for sports. The noise wasn't overwhelming, which can sometimes happen at Kasey's just a few blocks over. Good beer selection. I had a kale salad while my husband had the turkey burger with coleslaw. The food wasn't bad, it was just tasteless, except for the turkey burger which tasted like a brat. Service was fast, a bit unenthusiastic, but it kind of went with the laid back vibe. There were dozens and dozens of men, of all ages, just hanging around. I suppose that is a plus for some.

My husband brews beer for a living and we decided to check this place out, since it was close to the hotel. I'm so glad we did! The beer and cocktails were delicious and the food was amazing. Our server, Sam, was such a sweetheart and she had some recommendations for food. We ended up ordering the porkcicles and fried pickles for a snack. So good! When we visit Chicago again, we'll definitely be back!