Chicago has had its fair share of villains over the years: Al Capone, Richard J. Daley, any Bears quarterback between Jim McMahon and Jay Cutler, but few villains are as loved as Villains Bar and Grill in the South Loop. The place is appropriately themed after many of Chicago’s famous prohibition-era gangsters of the 1920s like Capone, and it has the dark, divey feel of a classic speakeasy. But its impressive selection of craft beers — more than 10 on tap and 50+ bottles — and tasty all-natural burgers are far from dive bar fare. Villains sources its beef semi-locally from a farm just north of Chicago, which is free of antibiotics and steroids.
And though I write often about the seemingly endless supply of places to get a tasty craft beer and burger — something I am certainly not complaining about having an abundance of — a new type of craft beer and [insert trendy food here] place recently opened this month in Chicago, Bangers and Lace, which specializes in pairing beers with various sausages. Another winning combo of beer and meat! I have yet to go but read from a friend who is a bartender at Bar Deville — the owners of which are behind Bangers — from his Facebook status that the place is incredible. I can’t wait to try it.
Move over Abe Froman, there might be a new Sausage King in Chicago.
Bangers and Lace image via bangersandlacechicago.com