Fab Review: Brunch at Band of Bohemia

Located in Ravenswood, Band of Bohemia is a unique, culinary brewpub, where chef-driven dishes are created to pair perfectly with culinary-inspired beers that are brewed in-house. The restaurant is also the first Michelin-rated brewpub. The concept was created by Michael Carroll and Craig Sindelar, who both previously worked at Alinea.

Band of Bohemia launched their brunch menu not too long ago, so I knew it was time to finally check it out.

{Ambiance}

Band of Bohemia is a large space housed in a former warehouse. When you first walk in, the décor is vintage with a mix of light and dark wood furniture as well as pastel colored chairs and couches. The old fashioned curtains and rugs also contribute to the rustic feel.

As you walk further into the restaurant, the vibe changes a little as the furniture and decorations become more eclectic rather than rustic. One of the walls of the restaurant consists of exposed brick with long drapes over the windows that have a pattern made up of elephants. Then, there is another brick wall, which is painted teal. This wall has a few cozy booths lined up against it. The two other walls are yellow and orange with patterned wallpaper.

Behind the bar and espresso bar, you can see the brewery. The bar is quite large with plenty of seating. The bar is made of wood and has teal and wooden bar stools.

FAB TIP: Separate menu with small bites available at the bar.

Next to the bar is an espresso bar serving Dark Matter Coffee with a little sitting area complete with oversized comfy chairs. There is also another larger sitting area by the floor to ceiling windows in the restaurant.

{Food}
The menu is seasonally-influenced so the selection of beers also regularly rotate to pair with specific dishes. The dishes are well-sized, but if you want to try more (I suggest you do since everything is so delicious)… splitting a few dishes between two people is more than enough food. All of the breads used in the dishes were extremely good as it is baked in-house. Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

FAB TIP: Tasting menu available Tuesday-Sunday from 5 p.m. to close for $65 with an optional beer pairing for $20.

Knot Bagel
The Knot Bagel was a toasted oolong tea bagel topped with sesame seeds. It was served with crème fraîche and a trio of salmon (smoked mousse crème fraîche, sesame-soy tartare, and malt-cured salmon). The malt-cured salmon paired really well with the whipped texture of the créme fraîche. However, my favorite was the sesame-soy tartare because it added a unique flavor to the plain salmon.

Caraway Fried Chicken Breast
I’m not a huge fan of chicken sandwiches, but decided to give the Caraway Fried Chicken Breast a try. This is now my favorite item on the menu. The chicken breast was lightly fried with a juicy center. The lightly fried outside added just the right amount of crunch. It also had cauliflower-apple slaw and aioli that added extra flavor. What completed this sandwich was the freshly baked bread. This sandwich was made with buttermilk cabbage rye bread, which I really enjoyed because it’s not something you find anywhere else.

Brisket Cheese Steak 
The Brisket Cheese Steak was served on a soft, buttered French roll. The thinly-sliced, slow-smoked brisket was tender with slightly burnt ends. The melted goat’s milk cheese added a creamy texture to the sandwich. It was also topped with Piparras peppers, which added a little spice.

Fried Kennebecs 
The Fried Kennebecs were very crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. However, it was a bit too salty for my preference if eaten by itself but paired with the Béarnaise, it was perfect. The saltiness of the potatoes was slightly masked by the rich and buttery flavor of the sauce.

Maitake Wheat and Figgenfennel Beers
The restaurant has an excellent selection of craft beers brewed to compliment the flavors of each dish. If you are unsure of which beer to try, the servers are very knowledgeable and can let you know which would pair well with the food you want to order. I tried the Maitake Wheat, which was a light beer that paired well with the Brisket Cheese Steak. I also tried the Figgenfennel ESB, which paired well with the Knot Bagel. This was a darker and slightly bitter beer. If you still can’t decide on a beer, you can get a 4 oz. flight of all five beers currently on tap.

FAB TIP: Growlers of their current beer selection available for purchase.

{Experience}
Band of Bohemia has been around for about a year and I can’t believe I didn’t check it out sooner. Not only is the food delicious with creative and distinct flavors, but the service is also great. Our server was very helpful in giving us food suggestions along with beer pairings. Overall, the enjoyable experience has made this one of my favorite brunch spots right now.

{Location}
Band of Bohemia
Ravenswood || 4710 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 271-4710

{Price Range}
$$ ($11-$36)

{Fab Rating: 4.5 Fabs}

Have you been to Band of Bohemia yet? What are your thoughts? Share below.

Eat, Eat, Repeat,
Lisette

Note: This meal was not complimentary. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the writer.