Tony Bennet and Frank Sinatra both sang that "Chicago was their kind of town" and I agree with both crooners; the friendly folks, the awesome skyscrapers, Da Bears, the storied history, Sammy Sosa, Al Capone, the loveable Cubs and above all, the food! Chicago is also famous for their hotdogs, tender mid-west steaks and according to a good friend of mine the best 'ZA' (A Chicago native's term for pizza) on planet earth. But don't worry my Chi-town friends because there's a piece of Chicago right here in Vegas at Chicago Brewing Company, 2201 South Fort Apache at Sahara in the Village Square Shopping Plaza.
The outside of Chicago Brewing Company is a solid red-brick facade reminding me of a warehouse you'd find in Chicago and inside the walls are filled with plenty of Chicago land-marks to create that Windy City ambiance. The staff is one of the friendliest in town, so with a great atmosphere and staff, you'd think life would be simple at the Chicago Brewing Company? Nope. Now come the hard decisions.
What are you going to eat and drink! There are so many delicious food selections and award-winning beers that it's hard to decide what to order. I opened the menu and the bar manager Don Bartakian laughed at me because I kept turning page after page with each choice sounding more delicious than the other. I'm not exaggerating either. The Chicago Brewing Company has the War & Peace of menus. Appetizers include an awe-some spinach and artichoke dip, filet mignon sliders, homemade chicken tenders, southwest chicken egg rolls, pot stickers, onion rings and Michigan Avenue Cheese Knots which are garlic and cheese laced knots served with marinara sauce and perfect with a freshly brewed cold beer. There's also delicious homemade soups, fresh salads, piled-high genuine Chicago sandwiches and don't forget the authentic specialty: deep-dish pizzas (ZA's) and calzones! Other pasta and entrée selections include old style lasagna, west end raviolis, shrimp milano, bbq ribs and chicken, grilled or blackened salmon, ahi tuna, pot roast and a juicy filet mignon all cooked to perfection. I had no choice but to omit loads of other mouth-watering dining selections because I feared running out of room in this article!
"We're not your typical 'bar food' restaurant," said Craig Tribus, General Manager. "We deliver the unexpected and take a great deal of pride to carefully prepare some of the best quality and variety of food served by some of the friendliest people in town at because most of our customers are repeat customers and regulars," concluded Tribus.
Don't forget about the hand crafted award-winning brews. Most recently, the Chicago Brewing Company was awarded 2 Silver Medals at the Great American Beer Festival. There is a wide range of tastes, styles and varieties for every palate and they only use the best ingredients imported from all over the country. My favorite is the "All Nighter" which had a light, but full-flavor. Other selections include Pale Rider, Black Star, Red Rocker and Old Town Brown. The Chicago Brewing Company has one of the best happy hours in town Sunday thru Thursday from 3pm-6pm and 12am-3am. Their doors are open 24/7.
The bottom-line at the Chicago Brewing Company is that the food and drink is so good that even the Cubs could win here! Man oh man, are my Chicago buddies going to get me for that jab at the Cubs!
