Today in Las Vegas Magazine

Utterly Dough-Licious

Tucked away in the heart of Fremont Street, in the Four Queens Hotel, is the Chicago Brewing Company, which you might miss if you’re not a gambler, and if you do, then you’d be losing out on some of the most tasty and affordable food (and drink) this side of town.

Not being beer connoisseurs, our server, Krissy, suggested we try the 9-flavored sampler. The beers come in tiny mugs, but don’t let this fool you as they pack quite a punch. I prefer the lighter brews, like the All-Nighter, though they also make a pretty mean home-brewed root beer.

Thin-crust White Pizza	Chicago-style Deep Dish

The menu is traditional, serving salads, appetizers, pizzas and sandwiches. What’s surprising is that the food is delicious, in a comfort-food kind of way. It’s not unique and could even be described as fast food, but this would be unfair, for the quality is evident in every dish. Take the Michigan Ave. cheese knots which were chewy, doughy, piping-hot bread with a garlic and cheese combination, which really did not need the marinara sauce.

Their version of the shrimp cocktail was delicious. When they say ‘jumbo,’ they mean it - all five juicy and sweet shrimp, served with cocktail sauce, horseradish and lemon wedges. Meat lovers can order the filet mignon sliders – juicy, tenderloin filets topped with sautéed mushrooms and caramelized onions.

Chicago Dog	Shrimp Cocktail

Of course, we had to order the Chicago-style deep dish pizza; and for comparison purposes, a thin-crust white pizza; and a Chicago dog. Each one was good, but I would recommend the thin-crust pizza. It was the right ratio of crispy dough to chewy mozzarella, and the simple addition of garlic added a sweet and spicy zing to the dish. The deep-dish version, on the other hand, had about an inch-thick topping of mozzarella, plus pepperoni and tomato sauce.

The Chicago dog was equally impressive, and novel, by our standards – with its toppings of neon-green pickle relish, onions, mustard and chili peppers.

In all, the Chicago Brewing Company is a downtown gem. The unbeatable combination of specially-made brews with comfort food that’s downright delicious makes this a winner in anyone’s book.