Revolution Brewing By: Daniel

Daniel Goodwin is the Associate Director of Operations at CICS Wrightwood  and likes to read, write, and cook! He likes to try new places around the West Town area and always looks to push his own limits. He loves Check, Please! because of the diverse guests and their different views and experiences they have at each restaurants. It also allows him to discover some of the interesting restaurants Chicago has to offer!

     

The restaurant that keeps me coming back is the unassuming Revolution Brewing.  No frills or thrills, I would consider this an upscale version of the workingman’s pub.  It is a great place to relax and catch a game, while enjoying the company of a few friends and some fantastic hand crafted brews.
The menu boasts appetizers such as the Bacon Fat Popcorn and the Cheddar Ale Soup, but my favorite is definitely the Applewood-Smoked Wings.  The wings have a great smoky taste that provides the right amount of kick to get your taste buds salivating for more.  Did I mention that the wings come with a side of the bleu cheese potato salad?  Pair this with one of their best IPAs, the Anti-Hero, and you have heaven on earth my friends! The slight bitterness of the IPA with the richness of the blue cheese plays melodically on your tongue.
For the main course, my number one choice is the Workingman Burger.  Aged cheddar, beer onion, and bacon is all this guy needs to make this one phenomenal burger.  Cooked medium rare, this burger comes with several options for a side, but take it from me you are a fool if you do not choose the garlic cream cheese mashes potatoes. 
Again, another example of how Revolution gets all of the small things right to make this dining experience one of the best in the City of Chicago.

Revolution Brewing
2323 North Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, IL. 60647 http://revbrew.com/

Frontier: By Maggie

Maggie is a special education teacher who enjoys going out to eat, being with friends, crafting, and riding her scooter. Maggie considers a restaurant worthwhile if it has delicious and interesting flavors delivered with consistency. She also appreciates a restaurant that has inventive and thoughtful vegetarian dishes. One of the reasons Maggie watches Check, Please! is to encourage her to leave her neighborhood and try new places.

I recently headed south on Milwaukee and ended up at Frontier, the former Corosh spot. I’ve found myself there multiple times; meeting friends for drinks, stopping by with my boyfriend on my way home for one more IPA, going and leaving because there is a ridiculous wait for a table (and a bar-stool?- not a chance).
The space is cool. There is a great outdoor patio with a bar, TV, and huge fireplace. There is ample seating outside, which makes the restaurant much more accessible to the crowd. Inside there are tables that line the long bar and restaurant, with an additional area above the main room. The music is a combination of great alternative and indie rock that transitions into typical bar tunes as the night wears on. The décor is rustic yet comfortable, showing off lots of wood, stone, and cool metal.
I must admit that the large stuffed bear and frequent delivery of full roasted pigs to tables is a bit off putting, seeing as I am a vegetarian. This is precisely the reason why going there for the food and drinks makes Frontier all the more special.

They have a beer selection big enough to meet any hipster or beer connoisseur’s needs; one of my favorites is the Avery IPA in a can. There is also a decent wine selection given the bar-type atmosphere. On my most recent visit, I ordered the fried green tomato sandwich. While it is one of the only purely vegetarian dishes on the menu, hats off to Frontier for making it outstanding. It is on a delicious, long bun topped with a caponata, arugula,and goat cheese. The fresh green tomato is perfectly seasoned and fried. The balance between the tomato and toppings is perfect and all feel necessary and right to create this amazing sandwich.
All sandwiches come with a side, rather a huge basket of fries that are obviously homemade and fresh. While my stomach said “stop eating, you are full” my taste buds won and I finished my whole sandwich. I had plenty of fries left and could have definitely shared my order with someone else.

I would recommend Frontier, for the unassuming cool spot that it is. It is comfortable and unpretentious, while clearly having become a“scene”. The food and beer are great and the price is right.

Frontier
1072 N. Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60642

(773) 772-4322
http://www.thefrontierchicago.com