Forbidden Root Restaurant and Brewery

4.8 (60)

$30 and under

American

1746 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

Make a booking

2 people

9 Jul 2025

19:00

Booked 10 times today

About this restaurant

Great for craft beers
Good for groups
Great for happy hour

At Forbidden Root Restaurant and Brewery, Chicago's first botanic brewery, we brew craft beer inspired by nature. We love barley, water, hops, and yeast, and use those as a base to explore a rich world of wild ingredients.
More than just a brewpub, our restaurant and brewery offers seasonal dishes to highlight our craft beers and elevate your over all experience. Voted #1 Brewpub in America in 2022 and nominated again in 2024!

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American, Brewery, Beer Garden
Hours of Operation
Brunch Sun 12:00–15:00 Dinner Mon–Thu 12:00–22:00 Fri, Sat 12:00–23:00 Sun 15:00–21:00
Phone number
(312) 929-2202
Website
https://www.forbiddenroot.com/restaurant-brewery
Payment Options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Private party facilities
Whether celebrating a special occasion with family and friends or hosting a corporate event, Forbidden Root can accommodate all of your special event needs.

Location
1746 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
Area
West Town
Cross Street
Wood
Parking details
Bus- #66 Chicago, #50 Damen, #9 Ashland<br />Train- Blue Line at Division, Green Line at Ashland
Public transit
66 Chicago Avenue Bus
Additional
Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Wine

Featured in

Editor’s choice: 12 favorite restaurants in Chicago

Offers

Happy Hour at Forbidden Root
Multiple dates available
Mon - Thu - 15:00 - 16:00, 16:00 - 18:00,Fri - 15:00 - 16:00, 16:00 - 17:00
Come and join us for Happy Hour! 50% off all Bar Snacks $10 Forbidden Root House Beer Flights and more... Monday - Thursday 3pm - 6pm Friday 3pm - 5pm

Pick 1 CheeseUS$8.00
Cheese Plate, Candied Nuts, Pickled Onion, Seasonal Jam Rotating Selection – Please ask your server
Any 3 CheesesUS$21.00
Cheese Plate, Candied Nuts, Pickled Onion, Seasonal Jam Rotating Selection – Please ask your server
All 6 CheesesUS$38.00
Cheese Plate, Candied Nuts, Pickled Onion, Seasonal Jam Rotating Selection – Please ask your server

Small Plates

Butternut Squash SoupUS$9.00
Sage, Herb Oil, Brown Butter Solids
Lion’s Mane Mushroom CakesUS$14.00
Rouille, Chow-Chow
FR House SaladUS$12.00
Field Greens, Grapefruit Segments, Hazelnuts, Lemon Vinaigrette, Toasted Rye Crumble
Arugula SaladUS$14.00
Whipped Ricotta, Dried Peaches, Ricotta Salata, Shallot Vinaigrette, Pine Nuts
Kale SaladUS$13.00
Purple Kale, Shaved Fennel, Fresh Herbs, Tahini-Orange Dressing, Puffed Chickpeas, Fried Shallots
Brussels SproutsUS$12.00
Miso Butter, Everything Spice, Slivered Almonds
BurrataUS$14.00
Basil Pesto, Tomato Jam, Pickled Banana Peppers, Parmesan Chips, Focaccia Bread

Mains

Duck & Dumplings US$21.00
Duck Confit, Ricotta Gnocchi, Mirepoix, Duck Jus, Crispy Duck Skin
Milk Brined Pork Schnitzel SandwichUS$17.00
Pickled Beet Mayo, Caraway Slaw, Sesame Bun
FR Burger, US$18.00
Double Smashburger, Giardiniera Mayo, White American Cheese, Onions, B&B Pickles, Butter Bun
Fried Mortadella SandwichUS$17.00
American Cheese, BBQ Chips, B&B Pickles, Dijonnaise, Lettuce, Shokupan
Fried Chicken SandwichUS$16.00
Chicken Thigh, B&B pickle, Special Sauce, Fried Onions, Sesame Bun
Spicy Fried Chicken SandwichUS$17.00
Hot Chicken Thigh, Spicy Mayo, Jalapeño Jam, Fermented Cabbage
Mushroom Pot PieUS$19.00
Wild Mushroom Filled Pastry, Porcini Caramel, Side Salad
Roasted CarrotsUS$15.00
Whole Oven Roasted Carrots, Eggplant Purée, House Chili Crisp, Compressed Cucumbers, Carrot Tops
Ora King SalmonUS$25.00
Sourdough Crust, Carrot Purée, Edamame, Ginger-Garlic Dashi, Pickled Pearl Onion
Pasta MelanzanaUS$20.00
Flour Power Casarecce Pasta, Roasted Eggplant, Spicy Tomato Sauce, Shaved Squash, Stracciatella
Beer Braised Short Rib, US$25.00
Creamy Polenta, Japanese Sweet Potato, Crispy Kale, Sweety Drops, Horseradish

Dessert

Sweet Potato PieUS$9.00
Rum Blend, Sweet Potato Cream, Cinnamon Sugar Crisps
Carlota de LimónUS$9.00
Maria Cookies, Candied Kumquat, Hibiscus, Makrut Lime Leaf
Chocolate Beer Cake,US$9.00
Porter, Coffee, Hazelnut Praline

What 60 people are saying

Forbidden Root Restaurant and Brewery reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.8Service
4.7Ambience
4.7Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Chicago
Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Forbidden Root Restaurant and Brewery offers an enticing combination of "awesome craft beer" and "impressively good" food, with standout dishes like the "amazing" braised short ribs and chorizo small plate. The atmosphere is a "hip brew pub" experience with knowledgeable service, making it a "Chicago staple" worth visiting.

60 Reviews

K
Kevin
Dallas - Fort Worth6 reviews
5.0
Dined on 25 June 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Excellent food and service. Awesome craft beer! Well designed and comfortable brewpub
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago / Illinois1 review
3.0
Dined on 15 June 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
Come for the beer menu - the beers are interesting, diverse, and well-done. The food was pretty average and often too salty (my husband and I are salt hounds, so things are rarely too salty for us). The beer bread was what you wanted it to be, so definitely get that. Our server could not have cared less, but other support staff were great.
Is this helpful?
C
Colleen VIP
Chicago / Illinois8 reviews
5.0
Dined on 9 May 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Had the braised short ribs with polenta and it was amazing… especially the little peppers
Is this helpful?
B
Beth
Chicago / Illinois4 reviews
5.0
Dined on 30 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
forbidden route did not disappoint. We love this hip brew pub restaurant. The food was outstanding, the beers were excellent. Service was great.
Is this helpful?
D
David
Unspecified1 review
5.0
Dined on 30 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Food was great, gave us some great baby name ideas. Welcome forbidden to the family lol. Goated.
Is this helpful?
A
Alyson VIP
Hawaii8 reviews
4.0
Dined on 27 March 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Had a great experience here for West Town restaurant week. Menu was great and the beer was fun. We had a very friendly waiter and had an overall great experience.
Is this helpful?
H
Hannah
Chicago / Illinois1 review
5.0
Dined on 27 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The beers were great and the food was impressively good! I love this spot.
Is this helpful?
D
Darsh
Chicago / Illinois3 reviews
5.0
Dined on 22 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Could use a few TVs for sports. Otherwise all good as usual.
Is this helpful?
R
Robert VIP
Chicago / Illinois29 reviews
5.0
Dined on 17 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
My friends and I came in at the end of the evening and we had a lovely experience. Everyone loved their meals — the short rib and the duck confit were delicious! Thanks so much!
Is this helpful?
A
Alyssa
Columbus10 reviews
5.0
Dined on 13 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Service was so sweet and prompt! Good food and unique beer. I had a flight and the chorizo small plate delicious!
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Forbidden Root Restaurant and Brewery is rated 4.8 stars by 60 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people

9 Jul 2025

19:00

Booked 10 times today

Google Map for Forbidden Root Restaurant and Brewery

1746 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

Additional information

Cross Street
Wood
Area
West Town
Hours of Operation
Brunch Sun 12:00–15:00 Dinner Mon–Thu 12:00–22:00 Fri, Sat 12:00–23:00 Sun 15:00–21:00
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American, Brewery, Beer Garden
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Bus- #66 Chicago, #50 Damen, #9 Ashland<br />Train- Blue Line at Division, Green Line at Ashland
Public transit
66 Chicago Avenue Bus
Payment Options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Wine

Website
https://www.forbiddenroot.com/restaurant-brewery
Phone number
(312) 929-2202
Private party facilities
Whether celebrating a special occasion with family and friends or hosting a corporate event, Forbidden Root can accommodate all of your special event needs.

Featured in

Editor’s choice: 12 favorite restaurants in Chicago

Forbidden Root Restaurant and Brewery

Make a booking

About this restaurant

Additional information

Editor’s choice: 12 favorite restaurants in Chicago

Happy Hour at Forbidden Root

Bar Snacks

PopcornUS$4.00

House Made Potato ChipsUS$7.00

Trail MixUS$7.00

Beer Cheese and CrackersUS$10.00

Cheese Board

Pick 1 CheeseUS$8.00

Any 3 CheesesUS$21.00

All 6 CheesesUS$38.00

Small Plates

Butternut Squash SoupUS$9.00

Lion’s Mane Mushroom CakesUS$14.00

FR House SaladUS$12.00

Arugula SaladUS$14.00

Kale SaladUS$13.00

Brussels SproutsUS$12.00

BurrataUS$14.00

Mains

Duck & Dumplings US$21.00

Milk Brined Pork Schnitzel SandwichUS$17.00

FR Burger, US$18.00

Fried Mortadella SandwichUS$17.00

Fried Chicken SandwichUS$16.00

Spicy Fried Chicken SandwichUS$17.00

Mushroom Pot PieUS$19.00

Roasted CarrotsUS$15.00

Ora King SalmonUS$25.00

Pasta MelanzanaUS$20.00

Beer Braised Short Rib, US$25.00

Dessert

Sweet Potato PieUS$9.00

Carlota de LimónUS$9.00

Chocolate Beer Cake,US$9.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Forbidden Root Restaurant and Brewery restaurant rated?

Is Forbidden Root Restaurant and Brewery currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Additional information

Featured in

Editor’s choice: 12 favorite restaurants in Chicago