Spiteful is the brewery that started in a basement out of spite and turned that grudge into one of the most likable taprooms on Chicago's far north side.
Spiteful Brewing sits at 2024 W Balmoral Ave in Bowmanville, a quiet pocket north of Lincoln Square. Childhood friends Brad Shaffer and Jason Klein founded it in January 2010, brewing in a 400-square-foot basement before the demand caught up, a path Illinois Brewing traced in its 2024 profile. The name comes from a spiteful moment in a pond hockey game, and that streak shows up in the irreverent label art that DNAinfo once profiled on its own.
The room
The taproom is small and unfussy, the kind of neighborhood room where the bar staff know the regulars and there is a dartboard and a heated patio out back. There is no kitchen and no screen wall, just beer, darts, and conversation. As a former bartender I rate a taproom on whether it makes a stranger feel like a regular by the second pint, and Spiteful does that without trying hard.
What to order
Start with Alley Time, the flagship American pale ale built on Simcoe hops and a soft pilsner-malt base, the beer that defines the house style. The most popular pour is Working for the Weekend, a Double IPA that leans hop-forward without falling into sticky territory. If you want the brewery's signature swagger, order the GFY Stout, the big roasty American stout they released in November 2012 that Time Out Chicago has reviewed on its own merits. Beer to go is available, so take a four-pack of Alley Time home.
The crowd and best time to go
Hours run Monday through Thursday from 3pm to 9pm, Friday from 2pm to 11pm, Saturday noon to 11pm, and Sunday noon to 8pm. The crowd is Bowmanville and Lincoln Square locals, dog walkers using the patio, and beer fans working the north-side breweries. A weekday early evening is the calm window. Saturday afternoons on the patio are the social peak, especially in summer.
What regulars say
Spiteful holds 69 reviews on Yelp as of June 2026, with regulars pointing to the friendly bar, the darts, the dog-friendly patio, and the rotating tap list. Choose Chicago lists it among the city's north-side breweries worth seeking out, and the recurring theme is a small room that punches above its size on both beer and welcome.
Who it is for
This is for the neighborhood drinker who wants a friendly local over a destination, the dog owner who wants a patio pint, and the hop fan chasing Working for the Weekend. Skip it if you need food on site or a late-night scene, because Spiteful keeps short hours and stays a beer-first room.
The verdict
Spiteful wins on character. The beer is solid across the board and genuinely good in the pale ales and the stout, but the real draw is a taproom that feels like a friend's garage with better taps and a dartboard. Come on a Saturday afternoon, order Alley Time, and add the GFY Stout if you want the house attitude in a glass. For more of the city's tap lists, see our guide to the best craft beer in Chicago and the wider craft beer bars by occasion. For a nearby lager-focused comparison, Dovetail Brewery on Malt Row is a short hop away, and the full local scene is mapped in the Chicago bar guide.
Sources: Spiteful Brewing official site (2026); Illinois Brewing (2024); Time Out Chicago; Choose Chicago; Yelp reviews.
