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Ron Fleischer
9/23/2026 3:36 PM
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With the NSC behind us, it is time to revisit one of our favorite destinations in the limited history of club visits to brewpubs, Bungalow by Middlebrow, in the Logan Square neighborhood.
Good weather is expected, and the route stays on bike paths a reasonable proportion of the time. That said, this is definitely a city ride. The route provided below is my intended route. At least the Channel Trail has reopened so we don't have to cross on any narrow bridges going southbound to reach Kedzie.
| | Bungalow by Middlebrow - 2026 Revision25.0 mi, +371 ft. Bike ride in Evanston, IL |
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This ride is part of the EBC Electronic Ride Sign-up Pilot; please use this link to sign up for this Friday's ride: EBC Ride Sign Up
Beer Notes: Middlebrow prides themselves on being expert on "all things yeast." Their beers do not disappoint. No, I have not tried any of their wines yet (mea culpa), the beer is too good!
At the moment there are six beers on the formal menu. All are recommended, including what I consider to be the best fruited sour in Chicagoland*, Bloc Party, fermented with passion fruit and blackberries. I shared a pint of this with other riders on a Thursday ride when substituting for Peter Glaser a while back, and even people who claimed they hate sours liked this beer. It is beautifully balanced, fruity, aromatic, and a great match for the food at Bungalow.
They also have "off menu" beers; the last time I visited I had the most wine-like beer I've ever tasted, a wild yeast fermented take on a Trappist Dubbel - it may have been the single best beer I've tasted in the past five years. I'd consider asking (or better yet, waiting for me to ask) if it is available, if Trappist styles are your favorite.
* (with apologies to Catharina sour from Sketchbook)
Dining Notes:
You can find the beer menu by clicking on Drinks, and the midday dining menu by clicking on MIDWEEK-DAYTIME.
The lunch special (Baker's Lunch) of a small little gem lettuce salad with a slice of pizza is a terrific value. The five pizzas that are available by the slice are listed below the Baker's Lunch; I highly recommend both the Margherita and the Sopressata slices - the Sopressata actually justifies the "hot honey" trend. The Baker's Lunch will satisfy a moderate appetite.
If you have a healthy appetite, or just love fresh bread, I highly recommend ordering the bread service. It also does not disappoint. A second slice of pizza isn't bad, either!
Ordering is via counter service, so there are no issues with getting separate checks.
(ALMOST) Last Words: If you memorized the ride schedule you would think that this is the final, tenth Brewpub ride of the year. While in fact it is the 10th, it is not going to be the last!
I intend to lead rides to two more brewpubs on October 9 and 16 (respectively) with the plan for a visit to Eris Brewery and Cider House on the 9th and Piece Brewery and Pizzeria on the 16th. My only caveat to this schedule is that I cannot ride in air temperatures below 55 F, so if we have an early cold spell, I may have to cancel. But fear not, there is the potential for more adult beverage and fine dining in our future!
See you Friday!
Ron
Ronald P. Fleischer
rfleisch1@yahoo.com
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