If you ever find yourself zipping down Western Avenue in the Morgan Park neighborhood and you suddenly have the intense desire to have a homemade wood-fired arugula & prosciutto pizza, a cold one brewed in-house and a crowler to enjoy at homeâdonât be surprised. That urge you feel is probably because youâre in the vicinity of Open Outcry Brewing Company.
If I had time to hang out every week at a neighborhood pub for light bites, after-work libations or dinner with family and friends, this would certainly be the kind of place Iâd choose. It has an open, casual vibe that feels perfect for catching up with friends or simply flying solo with a pint.
Before I stepped into the cheerful and brightly colored pub, I noticed the sidewalk leading to Open Outcry was painted with large, brightly colored yellow directional arrows. And, if you know me, Iâm all about signs and symbolism. So, yellow arrows pointing me towards the very place I was already headed to, in my mind, was a good omen.
Walking in, I felt a welcoming atmosphere. It wasnât crowded, but it wasnât empty either. I noticed that most people were seated near the front, beside the barâs wide garage-door windows. Who could blame them? It was a sunny, warm day. If you couldnât be outside, the next best place was inside looking out. I wanted to sit by the windows, too, but there were no available spots.
Undeterred, I scanned the place and quickly realized that there were plenty of other âperfectâ spots to choose from. The bottom line is: where you sit seems to depend largely on the company youâre with and the mood that youâre in. If you want to catch a sports game, there are tables near TVâs. If you want to chat with friends and have more privacy, thereâs a corner spot at the back of the restaurant with four leather chairs arranged in a cozy circle (also with a TV mounted above).
As for me and my mood that day, I just wanted to chill, nosh, and take it all in. So, I moseyed over to the uber-cool bar that co-owner Katie Beck told me she and her husband Jim had renovated and expanded.
Katie is one-half of Open Outcry. Her husband Jim is the other half and together they took over ownership of Outcry in May. The previous owner, John Brand, had started the pub a few years back at the former location of OâBrienâs Pub. Asked what led to their decision to become the new owners, Kate said the decision was not a hard one to make.
âWe met with John [the former owner] for a couple of hours and we left there, and I was in the car with my husband and said, âLetâs make a pros and cons list,â and that was it,â she said.
As soon as I sat down at the bar, I was struck by the sight of a variety of beers on tap: IPAs and a rotating seasonal selection with fun names like the Piña Colada Speculator, Sweet Alley Pub Ale, Black Scholes, and the Fishing with Horus drink.
I didnât have to wait long for service. Reagan, the bartender, popped right over to greet me and make menu and drink suggestions. She was knowledgeable about the food choices, and this being a brewery, I asked her about her picks for brews on tap versus regular drink specials. Ultimately, I decided to go with her recommended drink, the Brambleberry Zipper. Made with vodka, a blackberry liqueur and a dash of their grapefruit radler, it was light and refreshing.
Overall, Open Outcry Brewing Company is more than just a place to grab a drink. Itâs a cozy community hub where you can sit back, unwind, enjoy some great food and take refuge, if you like, in the quaint rooftop beer garden.
Open Outcry Brewing Company, 10934 S. Western Ave. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11amâ10pm; ThursdaysâSaturdays, 11amâ11pm; Sundays, 11amâ9pm; closed Mondays. (773) 629-6055, openoutcrybrewing.com