Open List Home > Chicago, IL > bars grills & pubs > The Map Room
Free Freight on orders over $250. Huge selection, great pricing.
Custom gourmet baskets & bottles. Gift wrapped with a message card.
Subtitled "A Traveller's Tavern," the bar is decorated with shelves of books, globes and giant maps. For patrons who want to take a virtual trip, Internet access is available. This is a bar for true beer...
citysearch.com - expert review - 10/11/2005
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
There's nothing not to like about the Map Room except that it's not in my neighborhood. There was a brief period a couple of years ago when I got a snotty vibe from the bartenders, but they are back…
yelp.com - user review - 06/23/2008
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
Probabaly one of my favorite bars in Chicago. Can't beat the beer selection, we all know this. High variety, decent service and classic decor make this place great to hang out and relax. Try their…
yelp.com - user review - 06/16/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
I moved around the corner and it wasn't a coincidence. Best beer selection ever...caters equally to those who are into hoppy pale ales, as well as those such as myself who prefer darker stouts and…
yelp.com - user review - 06/10/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
The Map Room is easily my favorite bar in Chicago. I take visitors here all the time, especially from other countries, and you've gotta love the maps that cover the walls and tables. The Map Room is…
yelp.com - user review - 06/05/2008
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
Map Room, is a great bar. I came here after the Yelp event at Il Covo. I invited a non-Yelper friend as my plus 1 and since he's getting ordained in a denomination that doesn't allow alcohol…
yelp.com - user review - 05/22/2008
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
This is a great bar despite the fact that more often than not it is so crowded that the only way to be comfortable is to hold your beer directly above your head. Just like everyone else has stated,…
yelp.com - user review - 05/20/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
This place is awesome! Really cool walls, HUGE beer selection, and really friendly staff. It's nice when the windows are open in the summertime. Also, there's a FREE pool table! (But, you should…
yelp.com - user review - 05/20/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
The best place for a beer in the city. They have an amazing selection, for when you have those incurable saison and barleywine cravings... I got the Kilt Lifter (Scottish ale) last time and have…
yelp.com - user review - 05/15/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
This is the best beer bar in the city! I love me some hoppy beers and I can get anything and everything all in one place! I love the staff!! Talk all the shit you want.. these bartenders have to put…
yelp.com - user review - 05/13/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
I went to The Map Room on a casual date a few months ago. My date was a bit of a beer snob, so it was his suggestion. I didn't know what to expect, but was very happily surprised. The beer selection…
yelp.com - user review - 05/13/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
Great beer bar!
yelp.com - user review - 05/06/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
I read about the Map Room in a Lonely Planet book and thought we should check it out. Then I talked to my cousin who lives in Chicago and he suggested we meet there. I thought it was great. I love…
yelp.com - user review - 04/30/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
What to scribe about this place? I'll go back to the start, which for here was Thursday, 26 January 1995. At a Chicago Beer Society event that prior Sunday, I had been told by a handful of people…
yelp.com - user review - 04/23/2008
Full Review »
3.0 of 5 stars.
This is the place where my fellow teachers and I go for our "geography meetings". Overall I like this place as long as we're not there past about sox o'clock. After that and the place gets way too…
yelp.com - user review - 04/21/2008
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
As it is no Hop Leaf, it is a great place to make me feel as hung over as I feel right now. Seriously, i feel like I am going to die. Good job Map Room.
yelp.com - user review - 04/16/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
One of my Top 5 bars in Chicago, especially now that it's smoke free. A cool atmosphere (old travel mags line the walls), excellent service even when it's busy, a place where you can get a craft beer…
yelp.com - user review - 04/14/2008
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
I love beer. I'm not opposed to trying new kinds. Love the Map Rooms style and feel. When it's not packed it has a great homey feel to it. Would get five stars except for the presence of…
yelp.com - user review - 04/14/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
If you don't really love beer this is probably not the place for you. It might seem a little upitty. But if you love beer then you have met people that respect your passion. They have a great pour…
yelp.com - user review - 04/12/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
I fell in love with map room close to five years ago when I first moved around the corner. Sure, it can get a bit crowded on Tuesday night or on the weekends, and one or two of the bartenders can be…
yelp.com - user review - 04/07/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
Map Room is hands down the best bar in the world. Free pool, free food, unlimited beer selection a full bar, great staff, exception patrons, perfect location. You can even go for coffee and free WiFi…
yelp.com - user review - 04/05/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
There really isn't anywhere else I'd like to be on an early Sunday afternoon, drinking porters and using their WiFi, watching the Bears/Cubs or reading(As long as Woody leaves me alone). The beer…
yelp.com - user review - 04/05/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
The beer selection here is very, very intense. I think it was two pages, small print. Prices were a little high, but this was quality beer so in hindsight everything was priced fairly. Any kind of…
yelp.com - user review - 04/04/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
Oh, Map Room, I love you. Your selection is astounding, your beer is top-notch. You might get crowded at night, but you're worth it, baby. Besides, your patrons are friendly and down to earth.
yelp.com - user review - 04/03/2008
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
I've been to the Map room a number of times... it's pretty good. I like it beacuse it's a really chilled out type of place. It reminds me of the type of place Hemingway and Fitzgerald would have…
yelp.com - user review - 04/01/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
Best bar in the city. One of the best beer beer bar's in the world...about the only beer I cant find in here is New Glarus and thats b/c they dont ship outside Wisconsin. Aside from that if you want a…
yelp.com - user review - 04/01/2008
Full Review »
3.0 of 5 stars.
Yes yes, excelent selection of beers, maps on the wall. I couldn't hang with the crowd. This place makes me want to make up new catagories for bros. Maybe it is better in the afternoon. I was pretty…
yelp.com - user review - 03/25/2008
Full Review »
3.0 of 5 stars.
Its ok, good beer selection, decent atmosphere. Really crowded though. No parking.
yelp.com - user review - 03/25/2008
Full Review »
3.0 of 5 stars.
Three stars only for the beer selections. I've been here countless times and all the employees are jerks. Sure they're busy all the time but it's their job. And surprisingly they don't have very good…
yelp.com - user review - 03/20/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
Right off I will start by saying that I don't drink beer. so, you are probably wondering why I would waste my time writing this review. Well, because I liked this place so much I was inspired to do…
yelp.com - user review - 03/20/2008
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
The map room rocks. Seriously. How can you not love a ton of beers (240 in bottles, tons on tap), and a place chock full of the same National Geographic magazines that most of us saw boobs in at…
yelp.com - user review - 03/18/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
so many beers and not enough time!!! I can't wait to go back. The bartenders are friendly and the place is very laid back. Seems like it's more for the younger crowd, but with the crazy selection of…
yelp.com - user review - 03/16/2008
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
I wanted to give it a 5 star, but not sure...Place is pretty good. Staff friendly, professional. OUTSTANDING beer list. You can finaly get a good quality beer. Low key atmosphere, but it can get…
yelp.com - user review - 03/16/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
Fantastic beer selection without the crowds of Hopleaf...still crowded though. A little out of the way, but worth the trip. We've never experienced the rudeness mentioned in other reviews. Our…
yelp.com - user review - 03/15/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
a favorite. excellent beers
yelp.com - user review - 03/11/2008
Full Review »
3.0 of 5 stars.
The Maproom used to be one of my favorite places in the hood, but recently it has gotten too darn popular and has been a hard place to go to on the weekends. This doesn't make me dislike the place…
yelp.com - user review - 03/10/2008
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
If you can wade your way through the usually sardine-packed crowd, the great beer list here is more than worth your time. That said, if a lengthy beer selection doesn't get you grinning from ear to…
yelp.com - user review - 03/09/2008
Full Review »
3.0 of 5 stars.
So-So. Take it or leave it.
yelp.com - user review - 02/26/2008
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
I came by here to knock back a few with a friend of mine who raves about this place. I can see why she raves about it- many beers, decor that you may not find elsewhere, nice spot for people watching…
yelp.com - user review - 02/25/2008
Full Review »
1.0 of 5 stars.
i think i hate it. guys all look tired and desparate. its exhausting ordering a beer. you know you want your normal beer, yet when youre about to order, you get so confused because everyone has…
yelp.com - user review - 02/22/2008
Full Review »
After sending an e-mail on January 12 to the Map Room, letting them know that our pub crawl would be making its 16th annual visit on Sat, Feb 2, we were quite dismayed to be refused service when we arrived...
citysearch.com - user review - 02/03/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
The Map Room is my all time favorite wintertime bar. 98% of the patrons have beards so if I've been out shoveling snow and haven't shaved for a few days and want a beer this is where I go. They carry…
yelp.com - user review - 02/01/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
Awesome , awesome spot . I've never seen a better beer selection and that bebop character cracks me up (in small doses please) . I only wish I lived closer .
yelp.com - user review - 01/31/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
I will say things that no one else commented about! They have st bernardus beer belgum brewed and my favorite beer and it's10% !!! they have this stuff on tap most of the time. they even have free…
yelp.com - user review - 01/31/2008
Full Review »
1.0 of 5 stars.
I mean how can you fuck up if you've got an extensive beer list and maps?? Well, Map Room must have studied hard to figure out what pisses off customers and enacted every piss off policy they could…
yelp.com - user review - 01/24/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
There is only one reason why I love this bar - they serve Redbrige - Glutenfree beer!!! I have an food allergy and can not drink beer thats made from wheat, rye, barley or oats. But thank god The Map…
yelp.com - user review - 01/24/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
Amazing. The beer list is staggering. Be careful with what you order though. I drank two and started slurring my speech only to read the label and see that they clocked in at 14% abv each! Great…
yelp.com - user review - 01/23/2008
Full Review »
3.0 of 5 stars.
My two favorite things in the world are quality beer and maps, so I should theoretically love this place. And in those two categories, the Map Room comes through. It's the clientle that got me. I sort…
yelp.com - user review - 01/21/2008
Full Review »
3.0 of 5 stars.
Hmmm...the Map Room. This review is a long time coming. I hate to write one about this place since it's already got so many. But here we go: Like everyone has said - outstanding selection of beer.…
yelp.com - user review - 01/20/2008
Full Review »
3.0 of 5 stars.
The Map Room is okay. I think the three stars may largely be a victim of its word of mouth. I was expecting amazing things, both in beer and atmosphere, and was a little disappointed. The Map Room is…
yelp.com - user review - 01/16/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
I love any bar where I can sit back with a kick ass beer and a vintage national geographic. Two of my favorite things.
yelp.com - user review - 01/16/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
Oh, Map Room, how I love thee. You have the tastiest beer selection in the city, free cheese and meat, a staff of lovely bartenders who know their shit, and travel literature stacked to the ceiling. I…
yelp.com - user review - 01/15/2008
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
Drink local, think global... An excellent watering hole for mapophiles.
yelp.com - user review - 01/08/2008
Full Review »
1.0 of 5 stars.
Two out of three bartenders last night sucked. They pretty much walked around in circles of confusion which just added to the wait at the bar. At one point a bartender stood there sipping a pint…
yelp.com - user review - 01/05/2008
Full Review »
3.0 of 5 stars.
Talk about education. I really like this place when it's empty and the well informed staff can clue me in on the array of beers on tap. They even have an array of glassware to go with each beer.…
yelp.com - user review - 01/05/2008
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
Well, when you go to the Map Room, you go for the beer and you are not disappointed. The bartenders are knowledgeable, the beer selection is outstanding, the atmosphere is...smoky. A pretty good mix…
yelp.com - user review - 01/03/2008
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
To me, most esoteric beer tastes like Skid Row ichor. But, The Map Room exudes excellence for its unpretentious connoissance for beer. It carries several hundred brands from around the world.
yelp.com - user review - 01/01/2008
Full Review »
3.0 of 5 stars.
Friends have been telling me to get to this place for as long as I can remember, and their reviews have always been so positive that I assumed that I would love the Map Room. I finally got there last…
yelp.com - user review - 12/30/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
Oddly enough, I have never been to the map room at night. The only time I tried, my crowd was turned away because they were full to capacity, so we went to The Charleston instead. I have gone here…
yelp.com - user review - 12/29/2007
Full Review »
3.0 of 5 stars.
This is a place i always talk about going, but never seem to get there. It's also a place that i expected to mark with five stars, no question. That being said, I was a bit disappointed. And I can't…
yelp.com - user review - 12/29/2007
Full Review »
1.0 of 5 stars.
went here for the first time to meet a friend and at the time I was pretty psyched about the good reviews I'd gotten. Thursday night and the place was packed wall to wall. I walked in alone, got eyed…
yelp.com - user review - 12/22/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
If you really like beer you will like The Map Room. Great beer, great service. I don't know what else to tell you. What else is there?
yelp.com - user review - 12/14/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
What a great bar - no one on their cell phone, tv's suck and no one cares, no food... just fantabulous beer. I love you maproom...
yelp.com - user review - 12/13/2007
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
Ahh so the neighborhood is changing around Map Room. Big deal. Interestingly enough, I go to bars for service and selection. I am not there to chat with dumb drunk fucks (other than the ones I…
yelp.com - user review - 12/12/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
Rumor has it that the Map Room serves a beer called Dogfish Head's World Wide Stout which is 18 percent alcohol by volume. Its no rumor! Its true and its delicious. Wanna forget about your woes real…
yelp.com - user review - 12/07/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
If beer is your poison than this is a place you shouldn't pass up. They have god knows how many beer options, both draft and bottle, which can be found on a massive menu. Not to mention the…
yelp.com - user review - 12/01/2007
Full Review »
3.0 of 5 stars.
Let me just start off my saying I know nothing about beer and don't really like the taste but that doesn't mean I can't be in awe over a beer selection. The Map Room definitely has a selection of…
yelp.com - user review - 11/29/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
so its international night here and they had some 'free' grub when you purchase 2 drinks...I missed out as I was late, but the beer here got me nicely relaxed. so many many many beers from places my…
yelp.com - user review - 11/27/2007
Full Review »
1.0 of 5 stars.
random thoughts: they used to have bands here, now they don't.
yelp.com - user review - 11/27/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
I won't pretend to know anything about good beer, but I still definitely enjoy the fantastic selection this place offers. I usually accompany people who know their stuff about beer (since I'm a Pabst…
yelp.com - user review - 11/25/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
This place was like a wonderful haven, walking in from the cold I immediately felt warm and cosy and pulled a seat up to the bar. From then on in it was good times, The bartender recommended some…
yelp.com - user review - 11/09/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
Beer school was good. Had fun and like other poster, didn't agree with beer master. Overall everyone had a good time.
yelp.com - user review - 11/04/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
The Map Room is a great find! It's a little pretentious,can be really crowded, and isn't exactly cheap (hence the 4 not 5 stars) but it's worth a trip if you like beer. They have Delirium Tremens on…
yelp.com - user review - 11/02/2007
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
Cannot believe I went here for the first time just last week. Dint really live near or hang near there, yeah, that's the reason. Whatever the case, this place is heaven for a beer lover. They have…
yelp.com - user review - 10/20/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
I love the Map Room. If for no other reason than the great beer selections. Loads of hard to find imports, and the bartenders are pretty helpful with selecting something new. However, International…
yelp.com - user review - 10/20/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
long, dark bar with an an enormous selection of custom beers on tap and bottle and a pool table in the back. we just moved to chicago and jay made us feel right at home with free shots and samples of…
yelp.com - user review - 10/17/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
Friends and I came here last weekend for Beer School, the Map Room's once a month beer tasting. We were there for Oktoberfest, and while I didn't always agree with our teacher (he said, "If you don't…
yelp.com - user review - 10/07/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
This is a great place to grab a beer with a friend and relax. Not a stuffy, place to be seen type of bar. Friendly bartenders and a great list of beers to choose from. This place would be perfect…
yelp.com - user review - 10/07/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
The Map Room : cool as Paris Hilton : offensively thin & dirty. Truly.
yelp.com - user review - 09/25/2007
Full Review »
The place has an extensive beer selection, both on tap and in bottles. However, if the staff has no clue how to properly pour any of the drinks, or any idea how to tell you what any of the drinks might be...
citysearch.com - user review - 09/09/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
Oh, the map. I love your beer specials, friendly bartenders and free pool. This is a beer bar, no doubt. It has a huge, ever changing selection of beers, a lot of which have extremely high alcohol…
yelp.com - user review - 09/07/2007
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
I avoid the weekend crowds and prefer the weekdays when you can find a place to sit. Apparently the owner has an affiliation with the University of Chicago (a graduate, perhaps?) and likes hosting…
yelp.com - user review - 08/30/2007
Full Review »
in response to the last review.... hm... it really sounds like the bartenders did what every bartender dreams of doing when a simple request of theirs (mind you they're not usually the ones making the rules...
citysearch.com - user review - 08/28/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
I stopped in here for a short while on a Friday night and the place was packed, which was to be expected. I really enjoyed the beer selection and the crowd as well. There was a minimum of Chad-Brads…
yelp.com - user review - 08/22/2007
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
I love this place. It's right down the way from my sister's and I recently had the pleasure of discovering its bounty of beers. The beer selection is simply phenomenal!
yelp.com - user review - 08/21/2007
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
I had many great times at the Map Room. As everyone has already mentioned the beer selection is pretty amazing, and secondly there is usually enough room most days to find a seat, however the weekends…
yelp.com - user review - 08/20/2007
Full Review »
2.0 of 5 stars.
Not to sound like a crusty old timer, but I am, so I will. When this bar opened, it was fantastic. The neighborhood was still totally dodgy, so you had a determined crowd of interesting people hanging…
yelp.com - user review - 08/12/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
Even if you're not a beer aficionado, you will still appreciate the beer selection here. Use the opportunity to try something you've never heard of. Map Room is more crowded on the weekends so go…
yelp.com - user review - 08/10/2007
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
The tap beer selection here is the best in the city, hands down. Many bars have lots of draft lines, but few have such unique, exciting, and constantly changing beers. Bring your credit card,…
yelp.com - user review - 08/09/2007
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
I love the Map Room! On nights that it's not overly crowded, it almost feels like home....except they have a bigger beer selection than I have at home. Lots of great beers on draft and tons of…
yelp.com - user review - 08/09/2007
Full Review »
3.0 of 5 stars.
In regards to beer selection, it is right near the tippy top. Then we go downhill from there. It has that typically problematic long and narrow interior, which has resulted in people lining up…
yelp.com - user review - 08/08/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
I went for Monday's Belgian night. The free meat and cheese were pretty basic - nothing to write Yelp about. However, the hot mustard and pretzel sticks were delicious.
yelp.com - user review - 08/07/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
I'll admit, I'm more of a cocktail type of a gal but if I have to drink beer then Map Room is it! I had been to this place a number of times on lazy afternoons with a friend or two and loved its laid…
yelp.com - user review - 08/07/2007
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
Oh, how I love this truly wondrous bar, And the great selection of tasty booze.
yelp.com - user review - 08/02/2007
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
Map Room is great. Great beer selection. The place is small and unpretentious and the barternders are great. The only problem I have with it is that over the past couple weeks it seems to have gotten…
yelp.com - user review - 07/31/2007
Full Review »
5.0 of 5 stars.
Here's the deal. There's always too much smoke, but you can't beat the beer selection. If you come for the beer, you really don't give a rip about anything else about the place, because they're the…
yelp.com - user review - 07/30/2007
Full Review »
2.0 of 5 stars.
After seeing it mentioned in three different publications I finally went and was severely disappointed. I walked in to find blaring televisions, a bored looking crowd and people smoking. I guess if…
yelp.com - user review - 07/25/2007
Full Review »
3.0 of 5 stars.
Great beer selection if you've got an expense account handy. This place is a tad on the uppity side, but overall not a bad place if you want to sample interesting beer. I'm not a fan of the music…
yelp.com - user review - 07/17/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
This place is very eclectic and any geographer would love and appreciate this place amongst those individuals who love beer! I love the old world decor with the large sized maps on the wall and the…
yelp.com - user review - 07/11/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
Check out International night. Or don't, so the rest of us can continue doing it. This place has the best beer selection I have found outside my house south of the Hopleaf. Belgians, American…
yelp.com - user review - 07/10/2007
Full Review »
4.0 of 5 stars.
Awesome selection of beer, hands down the main draw to this place. On the weekends, it sure as hell ain't the atmosphere, both because of the clientele and the attitude of the staff. I guess loud,…
yelp.com - user review - 06/25/2007
