“The Neighborhood Bar”- Beard & Belly + Honeypie

****Chicago is a special city. In every neighborhood, there are corner bars, most serving some vittles as well as drink and a place to watch sports or just unwind from a day of hard labor. When I was a kid, my dad and uncle had such a bar, “Joe and Sol’s Corner Tap” on the south side. They were close enough to Sox park to pick up some baseball fans when there were night games, but most of the business came from the nearby factories as workers changed shifts and knew that at Joe and Sol’s they could cash their checks. ( there were no credit cards or ATM’s back then).

One of our ideas about going to dining spots is that we will not just go to the fancy-dancy spots that people wait months to get into, but rather, Chicago dining spots where the food is good, the drinks poured to perfection and the people who work there want to make sure that you enjoy your experience. On the North Side, just a bit South of Loyola’s Edgewater campus at Broadway and Granville ( 6157 N. Broadway to be exact) there is such a bar: Beard & Belly is the name and they have partnered with a Milwaukee bakery, Honeypie to bring this area a fun place to relax, enjoy their dining experience and when there is a game on TV, watch and cheer for their team.

Founded by chefs Kyle Schrage ( who has quite the beard) and Jim Torres ( the clean shaven one), the original concept was to allow other chefs to use the kitchen and create their own dishes which would make the bar a standout in that every time you came by, you would be greeted by a unique menu. The patrons liked what they had, so why seek others when you have the right formula to make it work. Adding the sweetness of Honeypie from Milwaukee added the flavor needed to complete the package and from what we saw tonight, the area loves what has come to become THE neighborhood hangout for many.

Jane, Frank and I went there for dinner tonight. The menu is not a fancy one, but instead has some of the most basic of menu items, albeit, with a uniqueness of their own. While they have a large bar with every drink imaginable and what seems to be an endless beer list, I opted to try one of their specialty drinks. Most of you know that I enjoy my vodka martini with dinner, and on occasion, an “Old Fashion” or “Manhattan”. They had a cocktail on the menu called  the Sazerac ( George Dickel Rye Whisky, Peychaud’s bitters, Demerara and Herbsaint rinse. An amazingly good drink. Frank enjoyed the Melon Fresco with vodka and Jane the Bloody Mary( which had one of their special Pickled Eggs in it). Delish!

For “starters” we had deep-fried cheese curds ( beer battered & deep fried Wisconsin cheese curds, crispy, gooey & piled high. served with a special homemade ranch dressing). I had never had these before and found myself reaching back to the bowl over and over. As many of you know, I love fried pickles and I must say that these were by far the best that I have encountered. The spicy remoulade sauce makes these even more special. Our 3rd choice was more of the pickled eggs. These are unique devilled eggs with a spicy remoulade sauce ( to die for) and bacon bits. To be honest, I am one of those who could come by and just enjoy my cocktail with the starters. They also have fresh baked pretzels ( I saw one go by to another table), but there is so much more to offer.

Like most taverns and bars, burgers are the house specialty and Beard & Belly is no different. They have 4 to choose from PLUS a burger of the month. Specials are not part of what we talk about because we like to emphasize what is always available. The Beard’s Burger ( 1/2 pounds, cheddar, bacon, crispy fried onion, thick pickles, black garlic BBQ & tomato jam- MMMMMM versus The Belly’s Burger ( 1/3 pound) with a butterkase cheese, roasted serrano, pickles, onion, jam and an awesome sauce- During April, there is a competition between these two burgers- I must tell you they were both right on!

We skipped the salads ( although I am sure they are as good as they looked) and on the next visit our plan is to try the Pot pie, chili, chili-mac and possibly the poutine with short ribs. I had heard from one of the listeners of Around the Town that they had the best of the best grilled cheese sammich, so of course, knowing my affinity for said sandwich, we had one. It is served on a thick cut brioche with butterkase, 2 year cheddar and tomato jam. The flavor is powerful and something to savor. We also tried the pastrami Rueben. They also have some Alabama Fried Chicken, a chickpea salad sammich and a turkey caprese that all look amazing.

While the portions are great ( perfect for sharing) i suggest that you hold your fork for dessert- remember, you enter the bar/restaurant through the doors of Honeypie, so you know they have pie. Boy do they have pie ( and some other stuff as well). We did a cookie , a fruit pie and of course a whipped cream pie. Our server, Morgan, was right there making sure we had more plates, napkins, water and anything we needed. She truly knows the menu and made sure that we understood each and every item regarding spices, heat and flavors.

There is a variety of seating as well. The bar area is a bit small, but there is a riser level overlooking Broadway and a covered patio that is delightful and gives you the outdoor feeling despite the weather. Beard & Belly is located at 6157 N. Broadway, just south of Granville and the phone number is 773-754-7429

They are open 7 days a week and their hours are:

Monday thru Thursday 11 am-2 p.m. for lunch

2 p.m.-10 p.m, dinner

Friday is the same except for dinner until 11 p.m.

Saturday they are open for BRUNCH so they open at 10 am- 2 p.m. and dinner until 11 p.m.

Sunday is also a BRUNCH day but they are only open until 10 p.m. for the dinner hours.

www.beardandbellychicago.com

You can view their specials and complete menu- enjoy!