Inside: Old Oak Tap

Photos:

Leave it to three West Town residents to dream up what they thought was missing on Chicago Avenue: an upscale but unpretentious neighborhood hang with a killer beer garden.

Chris and Susan Ongkiko, owners of The Continental, and Amy Teri of Darkroom are behind the brand new Old Oak Tap. Sitting on a double-wide lot just west of Damen Avenue, this stunner of a beer bar is the shiniest, newest thing in sight (runner-up: the Dominick’s that moved in last fall).

Crowd: Old Oak’s crowd clearly mirrors the changing neighborhood—a mix of artists and musicians that have lived nearby for years, mixed with new-to-the-nabe young professionals and families. "We’ve seen a lot more strollers than we thought we would," says Chris. Weekend nights bring in everyone from girls’-night-outers in summer frocks to casual couples in flip-flops and jeans to Converse-clad bike messengers.

Inside: Old Oak has kind of a lumberjack-meets-contemporary condo look, from the CB2 lime-green leather chairs and the Crate and Barrel cutting boards that hold appetizers to chunky log-legged tables and a mirror framed with tree branch slices. Gothic lanterns and chandeliers hang from the soaring ceiling, and a cozy second-floor alcove with a chocolate suede banquette and its own bar provides a hidden vantage point—and is the perfect size for small private parties. The Ongkikos plucked a DJ or two from Darkroom to spin indie rock, R&B and soul on Friday and Saturday nights, but the floorplan is more suited for socializing than dancing. Two chairs flanking a candle-topped stone fireplace and a checkerboard-top table with chairs crafted from wooden barrels provide intimate nooks for conversation.

Outside: The spacious, 76-seat front patio lined with greenery is the first thing you’ll see from the street. Whether 7 p.m. on a weeknight or 11 p.m. on a weekend, we found it brimming with locals soaking up the fair weather (and presumably cursing the fact that it opened two weeks ago instead of two months ago). If you can’t bear to wait for an outdoor table, the inside feels almost as summery when the three sets of huge doors are swung wide open.

Drinks: There’s a small wine list and a full bar, but you really should be drinking beer here. With 20 by-the-bottle picks and 12 on tap, it’s the kind of collection that would have been groundbreaking a few years ago, but now is just considered solid. Beer novices will appreciate the menu’s succinct flavor clues, while brew geeks will admire high-end picks on tap, such as Delerium Tremens Belgian golden ale ($8) and the dark and spicy Cane and Ebel Red Rye Ale ($5) from west-suburban based Two Brothers Brewing Company. And you still can get a $3 pint of PBR.

Eats: A menu of shareable plates, salads and sandwiches by former Mas chef John Manion is a right-on match for Old Oak’s upscale-casual feel. Soft homemade pretzels ($9) are worth ordering just for the ultra-rich Guinness cheese sauce that accompanies them. If you adore meat, go for the pork sampler ($12), an indulgent lineup of silky pulled pork, spicy sausages and a thick square of insanely buttery braised bacon. And though this is the furthest thing from a sports bar (the one TV behind the bar was off during our visit) you still can score three kinds of wings: sweet and spicy sirachi, jerk chicken and classic buffalo with cheddar-ranch dressing ($8).

Service: Barely open for two weeks, the staff is still adjusting to the crowds and handled snafus with a smile.

Bottom line: There’s something refreshing about a new venture built from the ground up by local biz owners—rather than corporate cronies seeking to capitalize on the next hot neighborhood. For elevated eats and a pint on the patio along this stretch of Chicago Avenue, you can’t do much better.

Lisa Arnett is the Metromix nightlife and shopping producer. lmarnett@tribune.com

Add a comment