Hopleaf Belgian Bistro
Aug 7, 2006, 8:45 pm
#1
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Hopleaf Belgian Bistro
I've wanted to go here for a long time but always forget about it when deciding on a place to dine.
Hopleaf has a wonderful selection of Belgian beers as well as some favorite treats/meals of mine like french fries with garlic mayo or ale-steamed mussels served w/a crusty baguette.
Hopleaf Belgian Bistro
5148 N Clark St
Chicago, IL
773.334.9851
anyone been?
Hopleaf has a wonderful selection of Belgian beers as well as some favorite treats/meals of mine like french fries with garlic mayo or ale-steamed mussels served w/a crusty baguette.
Hopleaf Belgian Bistro
5148 N Clark St
Chicago, IL
773.334.9851
anyone been?
Aug 7, 2006, 8:54 pm
#2
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Just saw a segment on it last night on Ch. 11- the "Check Please" show.
Looked very good, made us want to go there.
No one under 21 allowed, so Willy, plan on getting carded.
Looked very good, made us want to go there.
No one under 21 allowed, so Willy, plan on getting carded.
Aug 7, 2006, 10:05 pm
#3
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Originally Posted by Sweet Willie
I've wanted to go here for a long time but always forget about it when deciding on a place to dine.
It reminds me of my local bar, Lucky Baldwin's in Pasadena, California (which is also a Belgian beer bar) ... only the Hopleaf has much, much, much, much, much, much better food ... which, by the way, isn't necessarily a strong endorsement for the food at the Hopleaf. But, the food at the Hopleaf is pretty good. Lucky's may have the Hopleaf beat on beer selection IMHO.
Last edited by iapetus; Aug 8, 2006 at 8:25 pm
Aug 8, 2006, 6:55 pm
#5
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Originally Posted by Sweet Willie
anyone been?
The Hopleaf has excellent food and a vast selection of beers and ale to wash it down. I recommend the rabbit, it is delicious and normally I'd never even try it! Get there early on weekends because it gets packed. I don't know if you're in the city or not, but it's worth the drive!!!
Last edited by DataPlumber; Aug 8, 2006 at 7:02 pm
Aug 10, 2006, 3:45 pm
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Originally Posted by toomanybooks
Hopleaf was recently ranked #21 among beer bars in the USA.
The Map Room is #5.
Got these rankings from a Chicago beer listserv I am on.
The Map Room is #5.
Got these rankings from a Chicago beer listserv I am on.
IMHO if your interest is Belgians, or food with your beer, Hopleaf beats Map Room. If your interest is domestics, German, etc. then go to the Map Room.
Also if you have not been to Hopleaf in a while, their beer selection has significantly expanded over the past few years, to encompass something like 3 chalkboards and an ever decreasing font size. The list of Belgians includes many that I have never seen anywhere else in the US, many that even Sam's Wines does not carry.
/pbz
Aug 26, 2009, 4:39 am
#7
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Flyertalk Dinner at Hopleaf this coming Friday night, details here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/commu...o-style-9.html
Aug 29, 2009, 7:41 am
#8
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Flyertalk Dinner at Hopleaf this coming Friday night, details here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/commu...o-style-9.html
Beer quality/selection = ^:-:^:-:
Food = ok which was very disappointing to me, I was really looking forward to it.
We had the duck rueben, mussels & frites, Montreal-style brisket, side of German potato salad.
Starters were the sausage plate and onion straws (with same aioli as frites). I think the sausage plate was the best item we had.
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Aug 29, 2009, 7:54 am
#9
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I agree with the above assessment. The four sausages were great - they came in a dish with bourbon and bacon beans, which were also pretty tasty. Reminded me a bit of a poor man's cassoulet. 
Further, I would have to say the German potato salad was a poor excuse for it. And I still maintain that I can make it better than Hopleaf and Werner's grandmother, before or after (a little do inside joke).
Further, I would have to say the German potato salad was a poor excuse for it. And I still maintain that I can make it better than Hopleaf and Werner's grandmother, before or after (a little do inside joke).
Aug 29, 2009, 10:36 am
#11
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so 6 FT'ers made it to Hopleaf last night for dinner:
Beer quality/selection = ^:-:^:-:
Food = ok which was very disappointing to me, I was really looking forward to it.
We had the duck rueben, mussels & frites, Montreal-style brisket, side of German potato salad.
Starters were the sausage plate and onion straws (with same aioli as frites). I think the sausage plate was the best item we had.
--
Beer quality/selection = ^:-:^:-:
Food = ok which was very disappointing to me, I was really looking forward to it.
We had the duck rueben, mussels & frites, Montreal-style brisket, side of German potato salad.
Starters were the sausage plate and onion straws (with same aioli as frites). I think the sausage plate was the best item we had.
--
I agree with the above assessment. The four sausages were great - they came in a dish with bourbon and bacon beans, which were also pretty tasty. Reminded me a bit of a poor man's cassoulet.
Further, I would have to say the German potato salad was a poor excuse for it. And I still maintain that I can make it better than Hopleaf and Werner's grandmother, before or after (a little do inside joke).
Further, I would have to say the German potato salad was a poor excuse for it. And I still maintain that I can make it better than Hopleaf and Werner's grandmother, before or after (a little do inside joke).
I agree with Willie's assessment. The onion rings were amazingly salty. Sausage plate was without a doubt the highlight, after the beer off course. The potato salad was not a salad, just some kind of baked potatoes.
As far as making potato salad, I will bring the herring.
Aug 29, 2009, 11:26 am
#12
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http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/canad...nde-fumee.html
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Aug 31, 2009, 4:13 pm
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People go there to eat??!! I usually get my fill with the beer and stumble out forgetting that they serve food! Glad you all went - it is one of my favorite places to get a beer (and I only live a couple of blocks away - how convenient!). I have never eaten there in all of the years I have been going there so it was good to see your reviews.
They also took over the former LaDonna location to the south and will be expanding with a wine bar (serving American mircobrews as well) along with a different menu. See the Crains article on this... http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.co...ws.pl?id=34919
They also took over the former LaDonna location to the south and will be expanding with a wine bar (serving American mircobrews as well) along with a different menu. See the Crains article on this... http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.co...ws.pl?id=34919
Sep 1, 2009, 8:22 am
#14
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People go there to eat??!! I usually get my fill with the beer and stumble out forgetting that they serve food! Glad you all went - it is one of my favorite places to get a beer (and I only live a couple of blocks away - how convenient!). I have never eaten there in all of the years I have been going there so it was good to see your reviews.
They also took over the former LaDonna location to the south and will be expanding with a wine bar (serving American mircobrews as well) along with a different menu. See the Crains article on this... http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.co...ws.pl?id=34919
Sep 1, 2009, 11:43 am
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Great selection of beer.. Food was o.k.
Service was a bit clumsy, even after they were told there was a food critic, in our group, who represented over 200,000 members .. I thought they may DUMP
some of our bill do to the clumsy service and knowing about our food critic.. Overall it was o.k.
The best part of the night was meeting and sharing a meal with FTers.
Service was a bit clumsy, even after they were told there was a food critic, in our group, who represented over 200,000 members .. I thought they may DUMP
some of our bill do to the clumsy service and knowing about our food critic.. Overall it was o.k. The best part of the night was meeting and sharing a meal with FTers.