Cooper’s

1232 W. Belmont Ave (3200N, 1300W) Chicago, IL 60657 R.I.P. 2017

Quick Shot

With a beer selection that is 85 strong—in bottles for now until they expand the tiny bar from its humble restaurant predecessor—and $2 off Belgians on Tuesday nights, I was like a kid in a candy store after a softball double-header. I put back a Kwak, St. Bernardus Pater 6, St. Feuillien Brune (one of the best beers in the world, so they say), and a Cooper’s Best Extra Stout (when in Rome… even though it’s from Australia). The resulting beer buzz helped ease the pain of a fly ball that missed my glove and found my shin, which caused a rather remarkable welt and required self-medication. The ribs were a good second choice as I had to turn down the waitresses’s recommendation of the pulled pork sandwich (I had the night before at Beer Bistro), and sides of BBQ baked beans and baked potato also did the trick. The enclosed beer garden, elevated from the sidewalk and adjacent to the alley leading to the free parking lot in the rear, is a brilliant way to enjoy a warm night with its low-slung tables, couches and flatpanel TV. Back inside, the windows opening out onto Belmont also make the front bar area quite enjoyable in summer and the fireplace will warm your bones during the other nine months of the year.

Cooper's Chicago