Local breweries experiment with styles, seasonal flavors, and small-batch recipes. If you're a beer lover who enjoys tasting new flavors, you're in luck! Oak Park and the near western suburbs, just a short drive from Chicago, offer a variety of excellent breweries and brewpubs, making them a must-stop destination for both residents and visitors.
With the rising popularity of craft beer and brewery tours, we couldn't resist putting together a guide to the best breweries in Oak Park and beyond. So gather your friends—and even the kids, because many are family-friendly—and join us for a tour of local breweries, complete with neighborhood vibes and standout brews.
Oak Park
Kinslahger Brewing Company | 6806 Roosevelt Road, Oak Park, IL
A tasteful alternative in a world of ales, Kinslahger Brewing Company is a cozy Oak Park, IL, gem dedicated to crafting high-quality classic lagers that are both approachable and flavorful, including its crisp Prohibition Pilsner and smooth Dunkel. Kinslahger's careful brewing process is a labor of love. Brewers blend traditional techniques with modern technology to produce their lagers, each undergoing an extended conditioning period to ensure maximum flavor and quality.
Kinslahger's taproom provides a laid-back and welcoming environment with friendly staff, a rotating selection of seasonal and taproom-exclusive recipes, and artisanal snacks—perfect for enjoying a pint or two, catching up on work, or relaxing with friends. Regular events, such as trivia nights and live music, make Kinslahger's a favorite neighborhood hangout.
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One Lake Brewing | 1 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL
A welcome addition to the Oak Park, IL, brewery scene, One Lake Brewery sits in a beautifully restored 1920s bank. Architecturally striking, this three-story brewpub charms visitors with original bank vaults, an impressive two-story beer-bottle chandelier, and a rooftop terrace. The taproom has a welcoming vibe—co-owners are often on-site, creating a warm, community-oriented atmosphere. Expect a constantly changing selection of approachable, well-crafted house-made beers with a Midwestern touch, including IPAs, lagers, and barrel-aged stouts, carefully crafted with high-quality, locally sourced ingredients whenever possible.
It's not just the unique beers brewed in-house that make One Lake special. In the kitchen, head chef Nick Stewart prepares delicious meals, such as beer beef and barley and a short rib poutine, that pair perfectly with the house-made drafts. Weekly specials, happy hour, and various events— yoga, live music, trivia nights—add to the fun.
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Brookfield
Imperial Oak Brewing | 9526 Ogden Avenue, Brookfield, IL
Imperial Oak Brewing has earned its reputation thanks to a friendly vibe, knowledgeable staff, and unique flavor combinations. The brewing areas are open and visible from the inviting seating areas, so you can watch your beer being poured from a custom-made tap handle. This small yet impressive brewery is ideal for those who appreciate bold and robust flavors. Using both traditional and modern brewing methods, its beer masters offer a rotating selection of barrel-aged and imperial-style beers, along with an ever-changing array of IPAs, stouts, and seasonal options that satisfy a diverse range of tastes. The small-batch system allows the brewers to keep a close eye on each step of the process, ensuring a high-quality, consistently delicious brew.
There is no kitchen inside the warm and inviting space, but food trucks parked here on the weekends offer a range of options. The brewery also hosts a variety of weekly events, including trivia, bingo, live music, and beer release celebrations.
Forest Park
Casa Humilde Cerveceria | 7700 Madison Street, Forest Park, IL
Brew brothers Javier and Jose Lopez, well established at District Brew Yards, took over the former Exit Strategy Brew space and introduced Casa Humilde Cerveceria to Forest Park, IL, in the summer of 2024. The Lopez brothers, who began brewing beer at their family home in Chicago’s Hermosa neighborhood, named their first standalone brewery, taproom, and restaurant “Humble House” to reflect their down-to-earth service philosophy. “We want it to be a space as if you were coming into our home,” they said.
Their in-house brews include traditional lagers, IPAs, and pale ales that feature Latin ingredients as a nod to their Mexican heritage, along with fruit-infused hard seltzers. Javier and Jose are also well-established coffee roasters, sourcing beans from the small communities of El Cuarenteño and Cofradia de Chocolon in Nayarit, Mexico, that are known for their balance, smoothness, drinkability, and a rich, nutty profile with a tropical fruit finish.
The menu features brewpub classics such as wings and smashburgers, as well as Lopez family favorites, including quesadillas, tacos, and “quesarritos”—quesadilla-wrapped burritos—served with street corn, frijoles charros, arroz rojo, tortilla chips, and guacamole.
La Grange
Milk Money Brewing | 75 South La Grange Road, La Grange, IL
Milk Money Brewing, the first craft brewery in La Grange, IL, specializes in small-batch, experimental beers that showcase a wide range of flavors, from classic IPAs to its chocolate-chipotle stout. Using simple, high-quality ingredients that are locally sourced whenever possible, the brewers combine traditional and experimental techniques, exploring different blends and flavors regularly to ensure that there's always something new and exciting on tap.
The taproom features garage doors, exposed brick, and a chef’s counter. Its eclectic menu includes lobster roll sliders, mahi street tacos, Thai curry wings, and a dry-aged beef MMB Burger. For a perfect pairing, enjoy this double burger—topped with American cheese, caramelized onions, pickles, and a tasty “secret” sauce, all pressed into a toasty brioche bun—with the Milk Money stout, which has a flavor reminiscent of cold-brew coffee.
The family-friendly brewery hosts food trucks and a variety of events throughout the year, including live music and trivia nights. The owners are also committed to supporting the local community and often collaborate with local charities and organizations to organize fundraising events.
La Grange Park
Hop District Community Brewing Co. | 23 East 31 Street, La Grange Park, IL
It’s all about community at Hop District Community Brewing Co., an IPA- and lager-focused brewpub in the heart of La Grange Park, IL. The beers are varied, innovative, and carefully crafted—locally sourced ingredients are used whenever possible, aging is done in oak barrels—using a small-batch brewing system. The brewery’s neighbors, Mattone Restaurant, provide a small selection of eats from its menu of modern Italian cuisine, including tavern-style pizza with pepperoni and burnt honey, truffle fries with garlic aioli, and a house burger.
You’ll love spending hot summer days and cool winter nights alike at this welcoming, family-owned brewery, which offers a laid-back atmosphere in its beautiful lounge, enclosed beer garden, and taproom with open views of the brewhouse. Hop District hosts a variety of events, including trivia nights, game nights, and live music, as well as charitable events such as fundraisers for local schools and organizations.
