If patio season seems like a distant memory, you’re in luck. You don’t have to wait til temps rise to enjoy a drink with your doggo! Chicago is home to several pup-friendly craft breweries. Share a cold one with your good boy (or girl) at these dog-friendly breweries in Chicago.
Note: Most breweries require that your dog remains leashed. Some prefer that you keep your dog off the furniture, so be sure to ask before your dog saddles up to the bar like she owns the place.
1. Alarmist Brewing
Featuring a number of politically-charged beers like Very Stable Genius (a bigly Belgian-style beer) and Bigger Button (an American Blonde Ale), the North Side brewery aims to bring drinkers and dogs together for conversation. The extra Milk-Bone on top? There’s plenty of parking.
2. Blue Island Beer Company
Unpretentious and highly revered by locals, Blue Island Beer Co. is a great place for a pup to relax and enjoy art and live music. Underground Communique (Imperial Stout/liquid time machine) packs a full-bodied punch at 10% ABV, so make sure your dog is game to be DD. Hop in for live acoustic bluegrass the first Wednesday of the month.
3. Church Street Brewing
Itasca’s Church Street Brewing boasts an intimate atmosphere with welcoming staff, delicious brews, and very good dogs. And with Itasca’s very own dog park, we think a car ride (did someone say car ride?!) is in order.
4. Empirical Brewing
The crew at Empirical Brewing are just like us: they love beer, and they love animals. A feral colony of working (and tweeting) cats from Treehouse Humane Society keeps things running smoothly on the brew side of things so dogs and their humans can enjoy the fruits of their labor in the taproom. Bonus: there’s an actual parking lot, and it’s free.
5. Flesk Brewing Company
Chill and inviting, Barrington’s Flesk Brewing is a great place to unwind with your best friend. They also offer a cider and wine program for the humans who prefer a little somethin’ different. Just make sure you stay sober enough to drive your dog to Baker Lake for some bird watching and a trail walk after or you’ll never hear the end of it.
6. Hickory Creek Brewing
Uniquely crafted in a 7-barrel brewing system, Hickory Creek Brewing beer is made from locally grown ingredients; and welcomes well-behaved pups in their taproom! Woof about a win-win. Live music keeps the atmosphere fun and weekly food trucks are there to keep you and Fido well fed.
7. Kings & Convicts Brewing Company
Highwood’s Kings & Convicts has reviewers driving in regularly from Wisconsin, and fur good reason: their juicy King’s Bitch IPA has both a buxom nose and a cute but *very tough* bulldog on the can. Luckily for the bike-loving dog, this brewery’s just a few minutes down the road from the Robert McClory Bike Path, a pretty trail that is part of the Rails to Trails program, which converts old railroads for recreational use.
8. Lo Rez
Hailed online as a great place to pet other people’s dogs, Lo Rez keeps its loyal canine following wagging their tails. Known for kind, knowledgeable staff and creative beers with names lovingly selected by its tech-expat owners, Lo Rez is a thoughtful, fun staple of Pilsen’s growing brew scene.
9. Metal Monkey Brewing
One reviewer describes Metal Monkey’s patrons as exuding “the soft glow of pure bliss,” and she wasn’t just talking about the look you’ll catch on your dog’s face once she sees all the plush monkeys inside. The popular Romeoville brewery posts its weekend food truck schedule inside and online and has to be among the most generous brew crew in all of Chicagoland: teachers get 20% off on Fridays from 3-7, and military, law enforcement, first responders, and K9s get 20% off on Mondays.
10. Metropolitan Brewing
Is Metropolitan Brewing dog-friendly? Well yes, but if you ask them, that’s not nearly a strong enough way to say it. They prefer dog-obsessed. These are our kind of people. Plus they have delish beers, a super cool patio, and partner with Arigato Market to fulfill your taco-related needs. What are you waiting for?
11. Midwest Coast Brewing Company
The saying goes Midwest is best, and Midwest Coast Brewing Company is here to show you why. This West Town spot has an extensive taproom menu and even serves their flights in dog bowls, so you know they really love their canine clientele. We know beer is good, but beer with snackies is better. There are often food trucks scheduled to help keep you well fed. They regularly host fundraisers and adoption events for local animal rescues, so maybe you’ll come for a pint and leave with a pup!
12. Miskatonic Brewing Company
Galvanized by beer glitches and decked out in street art (and dart boards), Darien’s Miskatonic is a top pick for experimental, unexpected brews. Stop in for a delicious beer after bringing your dog to explore nearby Waterfall Glen, which is one of our fave dog friendly hikes near Chicago. Heads up: there’s a no-cash policy, so bring your card.
13. Solemn Oath Brewery
Point your paws towards Logan Square to visit Solemn Oath Brewery‘s Still Life taproom. If Bingo is your dog’s name-o, make sure he comes along cuz he’s gonna wanna play BANG-O. It’s a tastier take on the common game, featuring treats from Bang Bang Pie + Biscuits.
14. Whiner Beer Co.
Located in a former meatpacking plant turned vertical garden and net-zero business incubator, The Plant, Whiner’s progressive practices and dog-friendly reputation have been winning hearts since they opened in 2016. A Back of the Yards diamond in the rough dripping in globe lights, the brewery can wow human and canine fans on looks alone.
What Are Your Favorite Dog-Friendly Breweries?
Let us know which dog-friendly breweries in Chicago you and pup like in the comments below or in our Dog-Friendly Chicago Facebook Group. We love hearing about (and seeing pics of) your brewery adventures.
Featured photo: KME Photography
Sidewalk Dog’s mission is to help dog parents spend more time with their puppers by discovering and sharing activities they can do and places they can go—together! Sniff out our award-winning newsletter and Instagram, and join our Dog-Friendly Chicago Facebook Group.