Great Lakes Beer And Bourbon Opens Grandly In Palos Park

PALOS HILLS, IL —Great Lakes Beer and Bourbon celebrated its grand opening Friday, July 21, on 129th Street and LaGrange Road in Palos Park. The celebration kicks off with a ribbon cutting at 5 p.m., plus free giveaways and a show by Five Guys Named Moe.

The venue is a reworked concept in the old McDivots, whose former owner, John Ries, handed the business off to his sons.

“It’s definitely a family venture,” Justin Ries said, who is running the venue with his brothers Zachary and Colin. Their dad will still have a hand in it.

Great Lakes offers an expansive floor to dance, entertain, or watch live music, as well as an outdoor patio. The bar boasts an awesome TV setup by Bros Custom Audio in Tinley Park, including a state-of-the-art sound system, 2 120-inch quad TVs, a big 80-inch plasma, 220 20-inch quad TVS, an 80-inch plasma screen, 13 60-inch plasma screams and three 120-inch projectors.

“It’s the best place to view a sporting event outside Las Vegas,” Ries said.

The bar opened quietly in June as the Ries brothers fine-tuned their gastropub menu, featuring burgers sourced from Illinois grain fed beef, melts, wings, wraps, chicken caesar and house salads.

Starters include any variety of fried pickles, mushrooms, cheese curds, rings, spudz and boneless wings. Great Lakes also carries Fat Ricky's Pizza.

Ries told Patch that Great Lakes is always interested in talking to local craft breweries, ever widening its selection of IPAs — Noon Whistle, Spiteful Bleacher Bum, Cider Boys — seltzers, craft brews and domestics, signature drinks and wine. Soon they will bring in Great Lakes' own house bourbon.

“We’re constantly talking to local craft breweries,” Ries said. “We’re working with a local brewery in Naperville, and experimenting with different IPAs and other fun stuff.”

Five Guys Named Moe will do the grand opening honors Friday, with an Elton John tribute show Saturday. Upcoming August shows feature Austin Edwards, Charles & Co. and Dave Schmidt. Other events, like Tuesday Night Bingo, are also planned.

Great Lakes Beer and Bourbon, 12900 S. LaGrange Road, Palos Park, is open 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. Reservations are encouraged online or by phone, 708-608-8771. Keep up with GLBB happenings on Facebook and Instagram. If you want to pitch a craft beer or musical act, email greatlakesbeerandbourbon@gmail.com