My first stop during my inaugural visit to Chicago was the original Goose Island Pub in Lincoln Park. It was the perfect place to spend a summer afternoon as I worked my way through the brewery’s wide selection of beers and snacked on knockwurst, house-made pickles and a rotisserie chicken sandwich with artichokes and ramps.
Imagine my happiness when the brewery, founded in 1988 at that very pub location and purchased by Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2011, opened a compact version of the Goose Island Pub experience at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas in 2016, allowing me to re-create that enchanting, beer-drenched afternoon whenever I want.
The Hard Rock version offers all my favorite flavors, from the Belgian-style farmhouse ale Sofie to the bold, grapefruit-y Goose IPA. Sampling is a must, so sign up for the Goose Flight: four-ounce servings of four different brews for $8. Once you’ve found your fave, graduate to the reserve list, where bottles of peach-accented Halia, tart blackberry-aged Juliet and the wild ale Lolita await.
Mix it up with one of Goose Island’s signature cocktails, like the Chicago Shandy with Hendrick’s gin and lemoncello or the ginger-spiced Basil Hayden mule. There’s something for everyone at this lovable casino watering hole—including a tasty menu of sandwiches and snacks—and you don’t have to go to Chicago to get it. Goose Island Pub at the Hard Rock Hotel, 702-693-5000; daily 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
