Hopsmith Tavern

Good service. We got our own tv when we wanted to watch Cavs v Spurs. They have a good selection of beer that is well priced, but their beer menu needs updating (out of at least 6 beers on tap). My favorite dish was the Smokey burger– medium-​well cooked juicy burger with egg, cheddar, spicy sauce and brioche bun. Their regular fries were also well cut, crisp, and moist. Would definitely repeat.

#24
So where the heck does one go at 3-​something-​AM in the Chicago area if they want a drink, fun people, amazing music and maybe food? Yeah, Hopsmith Tavern, you guessed correctly.
Now, the reason I know that they are open that late is not because I stumbled in drunk and sloppy that late in the evening, but because I stumbled in wanting to get drunk and sloppy around Happy Hour and they told us about the «open til 4AM» thing and invited us back. We will be back to check that out, do not fear sweet bartender.
Cool to know, they like to allow you to taste the beers if you are not a beer person, like myself. I am Sooooo not a beer person, but Hopsmith Tavern’s killer bartender helped me become one, even if it was just for the evening. I tried about three and finally decided on an unfiltered, citrus tasting beer.
We had a few things to eat with our drinks:
Hopnuts (you gotta try ‘em)
Sesame Chicken Salad
Cobb Salad
Fish Tacos
Sliders (both chicken and pork)
Hummus (which was really great)
They have an upstairs area too, very crowded late in the evening – yes, we came back – but filled with people who want to have a good time, so we felt right at home. There was a DJ later that night causing many people to dance (even in spots that were not ‘okay’ with the staff) and it was a great time all around.
I have been on parts of Division that are not so safe, and parts that are awesome. This is definitely on the more awesome and safe side – and that is pretty important if you are out drunk at 4AM. Plus the bouncers were hella friendly and made me feel pretty safe – thanks guys ;)
Stephani Smiles for Hopsmith Tavern ;)
#dontdanceonthetables

Great food and beer selection. Very fun atmosphere any day of the week, but especially on Michigan State game days. Highly recommend any of the wraps and appetizers.

Hopsmith closes at 4 am, however, we are kicked out of the bar at 3:45 am… We brought drink at 3:32 am and were not told that bar closes at 4 am… but yet 3:45
FRAUD

My friends and I had a very decent Sunday fun day at Hopsmith recently. We were able to hang out in the small elevated area on the second floor. The service was good (including Amber from The Bachelor!) The natural light and cool atmosphere definitely made for a great environment.
We didn’t get any food this time, but I would definitely go back to check out the menu.

Went here last night for ladies night. Half priced bottles of wine, salads, wraps. Everything was phenomenal! the southern chicken salad wrap was to die for and the wine was great quality for the deal. We had a blast.

Probably my favorite bar in the area. It’s been extremely popular lately for 20 somethings so if that’s you, you need to check it out. It’s also a low key 4 am bar that doesn’t have a cover (at least I haven’t experienced it). Upstairs gets crowded quick and a line inside will quickly form. Drinks aren’t expensive and the DJ is pretty awesome.
Also, don’t dance on the tables/​booths. The bouncers are nice and will give you a warning but then you’re gone. Can’t even bribe them haha

Let me first start off by saying that this was a pleasantly surprising experience on New Year’s day. I had anticipated the service to lag behind due to the continuous bustle, but was impressed by our bartender for the day (I believe her name was Amber). I had every intention of only having one Bloody Mary… or two; however, we all know how that goes.
Several cocktails later, the menu began to entice me with their selection of tacos.
I got the Southern Chicken tacos which were served with the most mouthwatering poblano aioli and green chili-​bacon relish. I could have easily eaten five of these in one sitting (they come with three). The wait was a little bit long but it was to be expected on a holiday with such a crowd.
After sitting in the downstairs area for quite some time, we made our way upstairs which opens up to a whole other bar area. Unfortunately, it was jam packed and trying to get a drink became a hassle. Our group had began to grow astronomically, making the wait a bit of a struggle.
Overall, our bartender the first few hours was phenomenal and was great to chat with in the midst of the busy day. The tacos were delicious, and I can go on and on about my love for Bloody Mary’s. Next time I am in Chicago, I will make sure to stop on by.

Started with the Bavarian pretzels– super good dipping sauces! Also got the Barbacoa tacos, which I was able to get on lettuce cups instead too! Barbacoa was flavored well and held its own up against the avocado and salsa. Others in the group got a burger, the foot long grilled cheese and the southern chicken wrap. Everyone was happy!

This bar is a great edition to an area of Division St that most people have avoided. An outstanding selection of craft beers and a pretty relaxed atmosphere… definitely the type of bar that this neighborhood has not really had in the past.

We started out my mom’s birthday with her letting me watch the Bears game (great mom, right?). I am so glad I picked this spot near her apartment — it was nice and bright upstairs versus the dim lit bars I’ve forced her to watch games at in the past. I won daughter points for this spot and can probably convince her to go back when I need to combine mom and sports time.
We originally ordered the nachos without meat as an appetizer and then planned to split a portobello mushroom sandwich with fries. Well as soon as we saw the size of the nacho platter we knew the sandwich was going to be completely unnecessary. Thankfully the waitress hadn’t put in the sandwich yet and we were able to continue gnawing our way through the delicious platter of nachos during the first half.
Did I mention they had a $ 4 IPA on special? I didn’t even realize it was that cheap and was pleasantly surprised when I got the bill. Like I said, I’ll probably convince her to come back.

Pros: Really nice looking place with great beer selection. Great bloody mary.
Cons: We first stopped in on Thursday night and the place was pretty dead. A very friendly staff member on the floor came over and told us that we could sit anywhere but we’d have to go to the bar for drinks. No big deal, we just wanted a few drinks anyway. But that didn’t happen. We stood at the bar (which had a total of maybe 10 people at it) trying to see the taps, which was really hard because the place is pretty dark. There appeared to be 2 bartenders down at the end of the bar where there was a crowd of about 5 – 6 people squeezed together, probably regulars. We were clearly visible for anywhere in the room and clearly needing service. I get you have to take care of your regular customers, but all I would have needed was a «hey, we’ll be with you in a minute» or a glance in our direction. But that never happened, so after about maybe 7 – 8 minutes we just walked out. We weren’t fuming or anything, but in an area with 20 bars with in a stones throw, it was just easier to go somewhere else.
Saturday rolled around and we decided it to give it another go. It was a really busy, but ironically the service was better. Again, at this point we were just looking for a drink. I asked what they had on draft– at the time not knowing quite how huge the beer selection was– and the server kind of smiled and said something like «We have 64 beers on tap!» but also in the smile was «I can’t possibly list them all». Why would you not come to the table with a beer list or have one already at the table if you have that many beers? Twice now I’ve come here wanting something simple and right in your wheelhouse, and twice now it seems like you’ve made it difficult.
I ended up just getting a bloody mary which was really good and on special for $ 5 bucks. I loathe nothing more than a half-​assed bloody mary and they are always a gamble when you order them, but this place does it right. Good pour, quality pickle, olives– everything accounted for. Nice job there!
The last comment was the volume of the music. It was borderline club volume level, where I had to shout across the small table to my g/​f. There was a couple next to us and they were shouting too, so it wasn’t just us. I thought this place was supposed to be the anti-​club kind of vibe? Then why was it sound ridiculously loud. I know it sounds like I am being really picky, but it’s just not enjoyable when you want to have yell or lean in to hear.
We didn’t get food, but what was being served near us did not look at all bad.
Tough call on whether or not I’d go back. It wasn’t a bad experience or anything (well, maybe the first time was), and I get the feeling this is probably a pretty decent place on the whole, but they have a lot of competition over there.

I’ve had my up’s and downs at this place, but overall I will continue to come back. The food is good, and it is the only sports bar in the neighborhood, and if you like a large selection of beers, it is amazing!
I am a big fan of nachos, and the portion of nachos here is huge, think cookie sheet full of nachos, absolutely delicious! Also the sweet potato fries are good, as are the waffle chicken dish. My nephew still talks about the bacon pancake dippers as his favorite pancakes in the city. (well done).
My only con would be during large sporting events they tend to be a little unorganized, overall not a big deal, great weekly specials and a great place to watch a game!

This is an excellent bar with very good food and wide variety of seating arrangements. They offered a very impressive beer selection both draft and bottle. I also love the overall décor and vibe of the place. Just an all around cool bar. I ordered their beef nachos. This is a huge amount of food and they are generous with all the toppings. If I lived in Chicago and was downtown this would be a frequent haunt of mine. Check it out!

I have been wanting to go here since they opened except on a Friday or Saturday… its too packed. I really wanted to go upstairs to the glass bar and sit on the balcony… we were able to do that! I was immediately impressed by the number of different draft beers they had on tap. Then the waitress said that they had Boneless wings that were mild with maple syrup for $ 10…and sugar covered bacon for $ 5…absolutely delicious!!! The bar is nice and clean and TV’s everywhere to watch any game. I am really excited about this place and plan to return except on a Friday or Saturday…

Really cool place to grab a drink! Tons of beers– I’m no expert so our server made recommendations and they were spot on! We stuck with appetizers and they were really good. The black bean hummus was really good and my friend order the hornets which were surprisingly addicting but a little strange. I’ve walked by at night and it looks a little rowdy so I think I am going to stick to the calmer hours during the day for a drink and a quick bite.

Great service, great food, great beer! While we were there later in the evening, the food was terrific. My husband will not stop raving about the mac ‘n cheese with fried buffalo chicken and bacon. And my soft pretzels with dipping sauces was terrific. Service was great — attentive without hovering and excellent recommendations.

Craft beer enthusiast? Yes? Then go here!!!
This place is awesome! We had such a great time! We stopped in after dinner, just to have drink before calling it a night, and one drink turned into a few! They have really extensive beer list, so if you’re into trying new beers, you may want to stop in and give this place a shot. It has two bars, one upstairs and one downstairs. We didn’t have anything to eat, but, everything that was coming out of the kitchen looked really good! If you order the appetizer sampler, it comes out in a replica Stanley Cup (Blackhawks just won the Cup), they ring a bell and they set off this like sparkler type of thingy! Its pretty fun and everyone cheers! Its awesome!
Go ahead and give it a shot!
Enjoy!

Great addition to the area. It’s the same company that owns Woodie’s on Wells st.
The 5 of us sat upstairs by the open balcony area. We were crowded around a small table.
Note that going during major game nights means they don’t take reservations or have daily specials. This is the same practice with some other bars.
The menu has some similarities to Woodie’s. Like the pretzels, nachos, and chicken and waffle bites.
Service was rather attentive for a busy night as we were able to order more drinks and food sporadically. The Stanley Cup sampler seems quite appropriate as we were watching the playoffs :). This came with some yummy candied bacon in the cup.

My boyfriend and I were in the area for lunch, so we decided to give this place a try based on the reviews. It was busy but not too crowded, so we were able to get seated right away at one of the window-​side tables. Since it was still considered brunch time (their brunch goes until 2), we had to ask to see a regular menu, but our server brought a pair right away after getting our drink order.
I had no idea what I wanted to eat, but had finally narrowed my choices down between the sliders and the grilled cheese. Our server, without missing a beat, recommended the grilled cheese over anything else, and I was not disappointed.
Their grilled cheese measures 12″ long and is filled with crisp bacon, two different cheeses, some spicy mayo and two fried eggs. In my opinion, if you’re going savory, an egg always makes it taste better. Always (it should be noted that I also love eggs — that might have something to do with it)
The service was great, the food and drinks were spectacular, and our window seat provided for excellent people watching. I can’t wait until I’m in the area again to sample more of the menu.