Midwestern-focused tavern Farmhouse (228 W. Chicago Ave.) opens tonight in River North, and the awesome preview video above has me super excited for the new spot. Here are five reasons you should be, too!

  1. Owners Ferdia Doherty and TJ Callahan are dedicated to eating and drinking local, stocking the bar with regional brews and liquors, and using ingredients from Midwestern farmers and growers. From the video above, you can see that to the duo, local means concentrating on ingredients and products from Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana.
  2. Chef Eric Mansavage (hello, awesome last name), who previously worked at Branch 27 and South Water Kitchen, will serve up a menu including venison beer bratwurst, stuffed pasties (hand-held pies), and a boneless short-rib sloppy joe. Also expect house-made condiments, sausages, fries, and chips.
  3. The beer and wine list includes 28 beers on tap, most of which are from the Midwest, and two on-tap house wines, specially created for Farmhouse by Domaine Berrien Cellars in Berrien Springs, MI.
  4. Master mixologist Adam Seger has created the cocktail menu, which will include lots of gin drinks and cocktails made with beer.
  5. There's a rooster on the roof. Enough said.