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Map room has a great selection of beers, I was in beer heaven. Even though the bartender and his female counter part were not very friendly, I didn't go in to make a best friend with him or even... More
Map room has a great selection of beers, I was in beer heaven. Even though the bartender and his female counter part were not very friendly, I didn't go in to make a best friend with him or even think of taking her home. He does need a little help in pouring a beer with limited head. One thing he did do, was to suggest a wonderful I.P.A. tap beer. I did not find the place loud or juke box out of control but we also went in around 2:00 p.m. Some semi seedy patrons but no problems at all. Parking on the other hand was a real challenge. If in the city next time I will definetly give them another chance though.
Pros: Beer Selection
Cons: Parking - Unfriendly Staff
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Good luck trying to actually get a drink here - the bartenders are rude and slow. They also poor way too much head. Quite a rip for the price you pay. On top of that, the obnoxiously loud music... More
Good luck trying to actually get a drink here - the bartenders are rude and slow. They also poor way too much head. Quite a rip for the price you pay. On top of that, the obnoxiously loud music makes it difficult to properly enjoy the quality beer selection. The menu looks nice, but I was very disappointed.
Pros: Lots of great beer.
Cons: No food, poor service
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When you have the best beer list in the city, and they probably do, apparently you don't need to bother attracting return visits with good service. I considered myself a partial regular, always... More
When you have the best beer list in the city, and they probably do, apparently you don't need to bother attracting return visits with good service. I considered myself a partial regular, always tipped well (well over 20% in cash), never overstayed my welcome and have brought many out of towners to this establishment. Lately it's all changed - there is now a palpable nervous discontent amongst staff which seems to stem from the owner who just never seems to really relax. My shrinking disposable income forces me to be more selective and I will not be going back for a long time. I've seen my share of surley patrons lately in this bar and I wonder if it's the chicken or the egg. Either way - my suggestion: get in, have some great beer and get out with your self-respect in tact. Sorry Map Room - I wish you luck in the future but for now we are moving in different direction.
Pros: Amazing beer, close to 90/94
Cons: poor service, unfriendly atmosphere
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The Map Room is an essential bar if you're at all interested in craft beer. They have an exhaustive selection of both Belgians and domestics, and some other beers from around the world. I've... More
The Map Room is an essential bar if you're at all interested in craft beer. They have an exhaustive selection of both Belgians and domestics, and some other beers from around the world. I've discovered a lot of tasty brews there (my current fave is the Surly Brewing Company from Minnesota) that you literally can't find anywhere else in the city. Their selection is different enough from the Hopleaf that it's worth checking out both places, frequently. The only thing I will say is that it can get a little crowded/noisy on weekend evenings. However, they are also open during the day and often have free food lying around which is AMAZING. This is another place that has vastly improved in my estimation since the smoking ban.
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My boyfriend is a regular at this place and absolutely swears by its tap list. (In fact, our first date was here!) They always have a staggering list of beer on tap, and an even more overwhelming... More
My boyfriend is a regular at this place and absolutely swears by its tap list. (In fact, our first date was here!) They always have a staggering list of beer on tap, and an even more overwhelming bottle list. It is *the* beer bar on the northwest side.
The only down side is that the last few times we've gone, the staff has been ridiculously strict about the number of people going in and out. People constantly hassle the bouncer about not being let in when all of their friends are inside, but he won't budge on the issue. It makes the customers frustrated and the bouncer annoyed. It especially irritates me when people leave and the bouncer is not near the door so he doesn't adjust his clicker. The best way to avoid this cluster**** is to get to the bar as early as possible and not have a bunch of people.
Also, if you just want a Bud, spare everyone else the wait and just go somewhere else. You'd just be taking up space in the 2nd-best beer bar in the city (2nd only to Hopleaf).
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This is a great bar for a fun low key night with friends. I went with three of my best friends for a drink before a concert. We loved the atmosphere, the walls are painted as a map of the... More
This is a great bar for a fun low key night with friends. I went with three of my best friends for a drink before a concert. We loved the atmosphere, the walls are painted as a map of the world.
For those who love beer this is the place for you. They have a large variety of international beers and the prices are great. A great place to try something new. It has a cool feel, a mix of locals and newcomers. I look forward to going back!
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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... More
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 yesterday. I asked the bartender what happened that he would not pour anyone a beer? He said "owner's policy not to serve unannounced pub crawls." I explained that we had notified Map Room that we were coming and pointed out that we were annual visitors - always on Super Bowl Saturday, always in the early afternoon. He shrugged and said "no one told me." No offer to contact anyone else to confirm the facts.
Our group moved onto the next stop, Lemmings, where we spent double the time (and money) and everyone had a great time.
Either they have major internal communications problems at the Map Room or, as the previous poster described, they just permit poor service by its staff. Maybe they feel they have enough customers and do not need more. Needless to say, we will be looking for another bar in Bucktown for next year that appreciates the business of 30 - 40 well-behaved beer lovers.
Cons: Service
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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... More
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 like, it is kind of hard to enjoy your experience. We tried to make the best of an unfriendly situation, but in spite of our efforts, they not only overcharged us for our tab, but charged our card TWICE for the same overpriced bill. Overall, an unpleasant experience, and we won't be back. If you are looking for a great selection of beers from all over the world.. please, try the Hopleaf instead. !!!
Pros: Good beer selection
Cons: Just about everything else.. esp. the RUDE barstaff!!
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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... More
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 anyways) is met with unnecessary argument. lots of bars ask for i.d.'s to hold.
the beer selection is diverse and delicious, and the staff is very knowledgeable about the beer - if you have a kind of beer in mind that you like, they're ready to give you some comparable suggestions. and they carry some really daring bottled beers.
but its really important to remember why map room is so popular and why people suggest it to their friends... its an amazing BEER BAR. if you want a bud light or a dirty martini, go somewhere else.
i guess the only other issue is that they may ask for your i.d. to hold... and i guess if that's a big issue for you, i wouldn't come here either.
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I had heard that the Map Room was a great spot - so when a friend was in town from NYC, my boyfriend and I thought it would be a nice place to check out. It was a busy Friday, and I went over to... More
I had heard that the Map Room was a great spot - so when a friend was in town from NYC, my boyfriend and I thought it would be a nice place to check out. It was a busy Friday, and I went over to grab a corner near the pool table as my friend and my boyfriend went to get drinks. A few minutes later, they came over to me empty handed and told me we were leaving. Apparently, when my friend went to pay with her credit card, the bartender demanded her I.D., not for age verification, as we had already been carded by the bouncer, but rather - to keep behind the bar. She handed it over, but with trepidation, and stated her concerns and asked why... Without a word, the bartender left my friend and spoke to someone else behind the bar - he came back to my friend, grabbed the beer out of my boyfriend's hand and told him and my friend to leave. NO explanation. NO apology. NOTHING. We went to a friendly bar nearby and even their staff mentioned how obnoxious the Map Room's staff had been to them. I will NEVER patronize this bar again - and I will advise all of my friends accordingly.
Cons: Terribly rude staff
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