Resi's Bierstube

marksto

Florida

4.1/5  rDev -1.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

One of the last of a sadly dying breed of true German bistro/beer gardens in Chicago's near northside. Gets big numbers for me for atmosphere because of its authenticity. I love the history in places like this. It is owned and operated by the same friendly family who opened it in the early 50's and they still live upstairs. Doesn't look like it has changed much since. The centerpiece behind the bar is a large old display of a German beer wagon being pulled by horses. Apparently it was given to them by the Pschorr brewing company before the merger with Hacker.

All the beers served here are German, and the selection is excellent. About 12 are on tap, and run the gamut from a kolsch, an alt, weiss, and pils. One of the them, BBK pils (stands for Bayerische Brauerei Kaiserslautern), was a beer I had never even heard of much less tasted - and I am a real German beer fan. Even more are found in the bottle in two large coolers beside the bar.

I did not eat during my visit, but the menu appeared good and offered all sorts of German fare. Most of the other patrons, all of whom appeared to be locals, were eating - a sure sign of good food.

Overall, a place that I really enjoyed. Look forward to going back sometime in the warmer months to enjoy the outdoor bier garten. Prost!

11-30-2006 01:26:03 | More by marksto

jackndan

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +4.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4

Resi’s Bierstube: In Chicago, just West of Lincoln on Irving Park. Surprisingly small, with a huge selection of imported beers, pored well and served in appropriate glassware. Every major German brewer is represented, and the beer was terrific.

The main room is relatively small, and yes, a little dingy. There is a long bar that runs along the wall, with a few booths on the other wall. However, there is a small, but very comfortable beer garden out back, with 4 or five picnic benches and a hand full of smaller tables. The primary decorations were flower boxes, and two massive trees right in the middle of the concrete patio. The atmosphere was perfect, low key, and the service was knowledgeable, friendly and very helpful.

The food was phenomenal. Nothing fancy, just very well made and huge portions. The sauerkraut was simply the best I have ever had, bar none. Very tender and flavorful.

If you can go while the Beer Garden is open, this is a fine spot to enjoy good beers, good food and a nice atmosphere.

07-28-2003 15:16:52 | More by jackndan

SFLpunk

Vermont

3.88/5  rDev -7.2%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

Went last night with a group of four total. No wait (on a Saturday in Chicago, impressive) to sit down at a table. If you order draft you'll get a .5L unless you specify (I think Liter is the only other option). The waitstaff was knowledgeable about the beers which is always appreciated.

The atmosphere is low-class in a good way. It's not hipster low class, it's just actually. I picture this being a Royal Order of the Something guys' hang out after meetings.

The beers are fresh and tasty. There were only two things on draft that I'd never heard of, and a handful of bottles that I didn't recognize.

Potato pancakes are the straight dope here.

Cool, relaxed, unpretentious place for a good time with old friends.

03-07-2010 16:10:28 | More by SFLpunk

malcontent

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +4.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$

Oh, Lord. I curse you, Resi's, for letting me find you. Single-handedly responsible for my current German beer kick, Resi's is dangerously close to my workplace making it a more than tempting option after a grueling shift.

Despite the subtle, pretty brick facade, the interior of Resi's is all kitsch. Think a combination of a VFW and your grandpa's basement/barroom. All sorts of nick-nacks adorn the back bar and the furniture is, shall we say, unpretentious. There is a beergarten in the back but I'm a drinker, nature be damned! There are 2 TV's and neither generally has the volume very high. Instead, one of the two barkeeps (both genuine, low-key dudes) will generally have their music on over the overhead speakers.

Service is top-notch and very personalized although I've never been waited on outside of the bar (although a few of the waitresses are pretty darn cute...). I'm always offered samples of anything on tap, which is a huge plus.

The selection, while not huge, offers a damned good cross-section of German beer (they lose a half point for no Berliner Weisse). On draft count on at least two of the seasonal (Oktoberfest, Hefe, Dopplebock, etc.) along with Kutcher Alt, BBK, Spaten and some other, funkier options. Bottled selection is strong as well with plenty of Avinitus, Ayinger and the like.

The food, while predictably German (read: meaty and heavy) is of the highest quality. Any foodie I know would be impressed to find that all of the sausage served at Resi's is purchased fresh daily from Paulina Market.

Resi's is my new favorite haunt.

09-13-2007 22:53:17 | More by malcontent

nocheinsbitte

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Resi's is really two different bars; the winter bar and the summer bar. In the spring and summer, the bier garten in the back of the bar is the best place in Chicago to go and have a few biers, talk, eat good Bavarian fare, and begin to think you were in Munich. In the winter, it is a smallish kitschy bar that before the smoking ban, was almost unbearable to be in late in the evening. Now, with the smoking ban, the bar is charming and allows me and my friends to enjoy the great bier selection year round. It does have one of the best Weizen selections I have seen this side of the Atlantic as well as a nice BBK, DAB, and many other bottles.
Service: the bartenders are great and attentive. The waitresses can be a bit aloof and inattentive, but when asked, they respond well and take care of you.
Food: Great food for the prices...don't tell my mom, but they have the best potato pancakes I have had!
Overall, this is one of the my favorite places to go anytime of year, but especially in the summer. If you are coming to Chicago, make sure your stop by Resi's, you will not be disappointed.

02-11-2008 04:24:21 | More by nocheinsbitte

silenius

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +8.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

The 4.0 I gave the atmosphere is a combination of the beer garden and the inside. The beer garden is great with lots of tables and chairs and two huge trees. The inside (minus the actual bar) looks like a german VFW hall with lots of brown paneling, brown chairs, brown stained ceiling, etc. with lots of beer kitsch knick knacks and flourescent lighting. Not my idea of great "atmosphere." The bar itself is pretty fun and all the great beer on tap makes it beautiful. Obviously the room outside the bar isn't attractive, but it could be fun in a kitschy kind of way. The bartender is friendly and asks if you want a lemon in your weiss or not. Plus! I found the staff to be very friendly and helpful. Lots of beer on tap. Probably a total of 30 differnt German beers with maybe 10 on tap. The food is decent German food which is filling, but I'm not a fan of everything being brown. Try the schnitzel and an Erdinger Weiss!

03-31-2006 00:20:25 | More by silenius

Bumpon10s

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$$

While one might be shyed away by some of the prices, it was some incredible food. I had their schnitzel platter and had to loosen the belt and sit back to fully enjoy everything. I had an oktoberfest brew and a Samuel Smith India Ale with my meal and enjoyed it. We sat in the resturant enjoyed our beers and let our food settle, I really wanted to go out to their beer garden and have one more, but we still had one more german place to hit, and I had to save the little space I had. Really the only thing you could gripe about is prices, I believe my meal was $14, as delicous as it was, it was a shade high. I was impressed by their bar, they had a decent liquor selection and thier german beer selection wasn't bad either. The real gem was their authentic beer castle's, you just don't see those anywhere.

All in all, I reccomend everyone try this place once, I wouldn't say I'd make it a regular stop by way of price, but it's a good meal.

09-08-2005 20:11:02 | More by Bumpon10s

tjdemon

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -2.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

A buddy and I went to Resi's early on a Friday evening (10/20) and had a great time.

They had around 10 German beers on tap (many more in bottles) and the obviously knowledgeable bartender (Sonny) was quick to recommend specific beers when we asked about a particular style.

The food is not fancy but very good, hearty, stick-to-your-ribs German fare. The potato pancakes were particularly good and are available every day, contrary to a past beerfly review.

The service was very good: prompt, polite, but not overbearing.

Atmosphere, as mentioned in other reviews, isn't the best, especially when it's too cold for the beer garden, but when the service, selection, and quality are top notch, I'm not going to split hairs over the decorating style, or lack thereof. A highly recommended stop if you're looking for quality German beer.

10-24-2006 20:21:01 | More by tjdemon

12vUnion

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +8.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$

I'm German. It's no secret. I love German culture, beer and food!

I took my friends here for dinner one night. Irving Park stop off the brown line. In a neighborhood like this one, Resi's classic German facade stands out. On the inside it's a little restaurant. It's not very big at all. Very cozy. Some people would call this place dank, sparse, or some other unkind work. I disagree. It's very warm and cozy. It very much reminds me of my grandfather's home. Wood paneling, vinyl covers chairs, knick-knacks and flower boxes. Steins hanging about. Add some old cans and a small dog and you have the traditional German-American house. I love it.

The bar...the bar! The bar mostly runs from the front to the back of the dinning area. It's smaller than it sounds. It's topped with tap castles with German beer tap handles coming out. I'd say at least a dozen. Behind the bar is a large, bearded bald fellow who looks like he's straight out of Bavaria if you didn't talk to him. Beer is everything from BBK, Paulaner, Weihenstephaner, etc. Mostly what you'd expect. Germany is well represented in these taps. There's also a fridge or two filled with bottles. I didn't see an actual list, but my friends also got some Samuel Smith's and some bottles of various Dopplebocks. I would guess you could get just about any German style style here.

The food! The food is great! I had the jagerschnitzel. A big portion of pork schnitzel covered in a peppery mushroom sauce and a big lump of Spätzle on the side. After a liter or two, it was obvious that I was not going to finish. That's a good meal.

Resi's does allow smoking in the dining room. It wasn't bad at all. At least until someone lit up a cigar. But what the hell. I was feeling too good to care. If the smoke does bother you, there is a beer garden out back. It's shaded by two large trees. It would be great on a warm summer night or a crisp fall day. Resi's is going to be a new regular for my nights on the town. Prost!

09-07-2005 23:58:40 | More by 12vUnion

KevBrews

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -10.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $

Resi's is one of the last remaining German biergardens in Chicago. Before my trip, I had read a review that stated that Resi's was like a German VFW hall. Can't agree more. The decor isn't much, but this place is still a find. If you like big, hearty Eastern European fare, as well as a wide selection of German brews, this is the place.

I tried a BBK, which I had never heard of. The bartender described it as a German pils, although the beer itself was too sweet and not crisp enough to be a pils. BeerAdvocate lists a BBK Dortmunder, which might be the same beer I tried. Either way, it was pleasant enough, but not something I'd get again.

I would, however, order the Aventinus I had as my second choice again. And again. And again. This beer was big and malty--very tasty. However, if I ever make it back to Resi's, it'll be tough to limit myself to just the beers I've had before. There were about 25 beers on the list, all authentically German or microbrews true to German styles. Very impressive beer list.

And the food was terrific, too. I had Knackwurst, with kraut and German potato salad. Delicious. Made my German heritage proud!

I've heard Resi's is even more spectacular when it's warm enough that you can sit out in the actual biergarden. That may be true, but I'd eagerly head back any time of the year.

04-09-2007 11:56:14 | More by KevBrews