Haymarket Pub & Brewery may have been named in honor of the historic Haymarket affair—it’s located in the area where it took place—but the kind of working-class folks who participated in the riots don’t seem to be flocking to it. In fact, none of the yuppie types who were there during a Thursday evening recording of the Drinking & Writing Brewery radio show seemed much interested in Haymarket’s history, despite the broadcasters’ best attempts to talk over the din. Compared to its high-end neighbors on Randolph—places like De Cero and the Girl & the Goat, with Blackbird, Province, and Sepia just a quarter mile east—it’s not that expensive. But prices still aren’t low enough to attract your average working stiff. Sandwiches are $7-$10, without sides—those cost an extra $4, on average. Appetizers fall in the same price range, and most pints of beer are $6 to $7.
Best of Chicago voting is live now. Vote for your favorites »
The enormous space feels like a cross between a sports bar and a gastropub, flat-screen TVs and dark wood present in nearly equal measure. The front room, with tile floors and exposed-brick walls, is separated from the wood-paneled and -floored back room by a hallway that affords a look at the kitchen and views of the brewpub equipment. When the place is full, noise levels in both rooms can be nearly deafening.
Most everything else we tried fell into that category: decent, but not outstanding. Mussels were tender and mild but slightly sandy; a pretzel light and fluffy; beer-battered fish crispy and mild, and the garlic chicken pizza respectable if also a bit bland. (Adding barbecue sauce helped, though.) Haymarket boasts of its house-made sausages, but neither of our waitresses bothered to suggest we order one to accompany the crispy sweet-potato tots or unremarkable fries. We took the initiative, but the oniony ketchup lacked tomato flavor and the barbecue sauces were so-so; all arrived straight from the refrigerator, too cold for my taste.
