Twisted Spoke

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

2.65/5  rDev -34.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 1.5 | selection: 2.5 | food: 4 | $$$

Atmosphere- This is an interesting combination of a biker bar and craft beer bar. Honestly the best way to describe it. Nice outdoor seating on top of the building surround by a fence for customer safety.

Quality-great selection on beer, but the problem was that the beer menu was way out of date. Of the 5 people with me we all wanted to try a few beers listed on the menu only to find that they no longer have them. The waitress made it clear that the beers we asked for that were still one the menu have been gone for a long time.

Service- Slow. Quite disspointing.

Selection / Value- decent menu nothing fancy. decent prices on the food items. Beer menu as mentioned earlier they need to update the beer menu. Had some crazy vintage beers that cost you your first born son. I actually bought a bottle of beer for $80 while we had dinner. Crazy price, but I cant complain because it was my decision to buy it. The beer was pretty good though, just not 80 dollars good.

06-09-2012 06:46:35 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

Etan

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +1.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$$

Stopped in here after work to check out the menu, which I heard was impressive. They have a pretty good tap list and a really nice bottle menu. What really stood out for me, though, was the Reserve list - a bunch of cellared beers, some of them pretty rare. Most of the bottles off this list are pretty expensive (usually around a 100-150% markup), but some of them are pretty reasonable for the vintage/rarity. They even offer shots of stuff like TNP (no thanks) and Utopias for a decent price. I bought a bottle of something very expensive off this list, and the bar tender was curious and friendly; she even offered me a shot of some small batch whiskey on the house, which was nice.

However, the bottle lists are pretty outdated - it took me three tries before they had something I wanted off the Reserve list, and I could see stuff in the fridge behind the bar that clearly wasn't on the bottle list. Other than that, the food was decent (Fatboy burger was pretty awesome), and the atmosphere was quirky and friendly.

09-02-2012 21:00:32 | More by Etan

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

Another stop on the Chicago tour.

The look and the feel of the place is totally faux biker bar. The only bikers showing up here are rocking north face jackets and armani sunglasses. Lot's of chrome and diamond plate to give it a bad ass feel.

The beer list was impressive. I had my heart set on some rare sours from their reserve list. Sadly it was devoid of anything that really interested me. I settled for a Blackout stout from 07. It showed some sings of age but was tasty for the most part.

The service was super friendly and fast. Always love that.

The food was pretty solid. We only ordered a bunch of apps but everything was good.

Overall not sure I will stop back but I'm glad I got the chance to check it out.

10-16-2011 19:49:42 | More by beerwolf77

wernerherzog

Illinois

4.9/5  rDev +20.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$

This is currently my favorite place to drink in Chicago. They have great specials (Maker's Mark Mondays, select 2.50 pints Tuesdays, Whiskey Wednesdays, etc...) and the staff is warm and personable.

The atmosphere is enjoyable. Somehow the bar's build keeps it from getting too obnoxious when crowded and loud. They always have great music playing super-loud but it's never been a problem.

The selection is terrific. The first time I came in this year, I got a nemesis from, I think 2009. More recently a friend and I split a North Coast Old Stock Ale from 2008. I didn't feel that either one was exorbitantly priced for how old it was. Some other bottle prices can get to be a bit high as most locations.
The tap selection has some notable regulars for good prices but the real treat is the rotating tap selection which changes fairly regularly and features a fairly rare or aged beer each time. They recently tapped a keg of Bourbon County from last year that they'd saved over. It wasn't tapped for an event or special happening, just for the hell of it.

The burger and BBQ sandwich are both stellar. The Bloody Mary is fantastic.

The bartenders are smiling, friendly, and always seem to be having a good time while working.

This place manages to offer a quality experience without being pretentious or attracting that sort of crowd. You're more likely to meet a rig driver than a grad-school beer snob.

10-07-2011 01:31:06 | More by wernerherzog

Treebs

Illinois

4.14/5  rDev +1.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

I stopped here for a pint with a fellow BA after taking a trip down to FFF.

The place is right on the corner and is easily spottable with the rotating motorcycle over the top of the establishment. Handlebars for the door knobs/pulls and you're definitely in a biker bar. Skulls hanging and sitting on top of shelving and the two servers have long beards. Nice.

The staff was friendly and answered our questions as best they could, although they weren't as knowledgeable about the their "reserve list" for their beer. The beer list/menu is on a clipboard with several sheets broken down to the following: Tap, bottle, Barrel-aged beers, and the infamous "Reserve List". Most of the beers on the reserve list and the barrel-aged lists were outrageously priced (STB and TNP for $300 and $200 respectively). Others were expensive, but far below their Ebay price so if you really wanted some vintage stuff this might be the place to go. The tap list was decent and had some stuff that you wouldn't really wouldn't find at another establishment.

I did not try any of the food.

Overall it was a nice place, had some good beer, and had a great novelty about their "Reserve List." I would like to come pop some bottles here one night instead of in the club though.

09-11-2011 12:18:25 | More by Treebs

funkyaudio

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +9.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$$

I really dig this place. The menu is a stack of papers on a clipboard, probably three to four pages of beers, one for drafts, one for bottles, one for their aged beers and probably one more that I've forgotten about. The commentary is crass and awesome, probably borderline offensive but if you're easily offended, you probably shouldn't be here in the first place.

If you really don't like this place: You're doing it wrong, and we don't want you visiting anyways. If you want to come with a notepad & gripe about everything wrong, don't. If you want to have a good meal & watch a game with some of the best beers available, you are more than welcome

08-04-2011 14:34:54 | More by funkyaudio

dirtylou

Washington

3.78/5  rDev -7.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5 | $$

stopped in on a busy weekend night, post pitchfork festival

about 20 taps - mostly mainstream micros but a few more interesting offerings from the bruery, firestone walker, etc. the bottle-list was vast but it was really too busy to dive in.

food was on the greasy side - i had a bbq sandwich that really hit the spot, but wasnt anything you would really want to eat unless you were starving.

service was completely overwhelmed. bar tables had a wait and the server was kind of a dipshit. the bartender was overworked but nice. due to the proximity to union park, i can only assume this wasnt a normal night.

there is a biker theme, but you wouldnt have guessed - the crowd was a mixed bag, and very light on the leather.

Not worthy of a destination-visit, but good to have on the map of options in the city.

07-26-2011 05:11:10 | More by dirtylou

htomsirveaux

Texas

4.08/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

Stopped in here for dinner and a beer, 18 Jul 2011, ~1930 hrs. 

Large curved stainless bar dominates room.  Back bar has maybe 400 bottles of various Liquors.  Also a bottle each of Sink the Bismark, Tactical Nuclear Penguin and Utopias.  About 20 beers on tap, 100 regular bottles, 40 or so barrel aged and as many 'reserve' beers.  

Bar seats maybe 30, plus about 8 four tops and another seating space to the left w tables.  Maybe a dozen people in bar. I sat at the bar and had the Italian beef sandwich. It was pretty good and was big enough to split with someone.

Overall some people talking about bikes but no one looked like a stereotypical biker.  

07-19-2011 17:14:21 | More by htomsirveaux

RayYanks23

Connecticut

4.18/5  rDev +2.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$

Great place! We went in early afternoon so it was a little empty, but the beers were great and the food was amazing...diner food x 10.

Definitely a biker theme going on...you would not think that they had the beers there that they did from the outside...An excellent bottle menu, unfortunately; as my talent would have it, most of what I asked for they were out of, but I found some and they definitely have enough for everybody's liking.

Would recommend anyone who asked me about it to stop in and if you go try the meatloaf!

07-13-2011 15:55:20 | More by RayYanks23

Duffman929

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +1.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

Don't be scared by the biker bar appearance, as this place is great for food and drinks. There are well over 15 beers on tap, along with tons of bottled and aged beers. I highly recommend getting 3 buddies and going in on a bottle to try some rare/hard to get beers.

As for the food, I had the meatloaf sandwich. There was plenty of food to eat and the taste was was great. My buddy got the burrito and he told me that he enjoyed it. The service was very good and the staff seemed to know what they were talking about. I will be sure to go back again soon.

06-06-2011 02:01:23 | More by Duffman929