Pilot Project Brewing - Logan Square — Restaurant in West Chicago Township

I always end up double checking other reviews when I give a review that "goes against the grain." So, yeah, I have looked at others and simply have a different opinion.

The primary problems with this place are its operations relating to customer service. First off is the reservation system. Making the reservation is when the first issue comes up. The reservation itself is $10, and it DOES NOT GO TOWARDS THE BILL. It is also is NON-REFUNDABLE. There are few, if any restaurants that have this practice. Most restaurants, you just call up and reserve a table. The place was mostly empty when I arrived, and the overwhelming majority of tables were open. I could have walked in and saved myself the time and money of making a reservation. In essence, management is financially PENALIZING CUSTOMERS WHO TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE A RESERVATION, WHICH WAS MADE TO ASSIST THE RESTAURANT. Below is a screenshot of their very strict policy of table reservations.

The next customer service operational problem they have is simply ordering food or a drink. You have to put your credit card information down in order to see the menu. After scanning the QR code on the table, the user has to enter their credit card info just to see the menu. You are automatically charged, albeit temporarily (with automatic tip, regardless of your experience and/or opinion). Below is a screenshot of the screen requiring credit card information just to see the menu.

Thus far in your dining/brewery experience, you have already been charged twice and NOT EVEN ORDERED!

Next comes the menu itself. There is very little food selection. Just a some sandwiches, nachos, a pretzel and the kids menu. So, selection is extremely limited. Remember, you have been charged twice already just to see this extremely limited menu.

I give it two stars because it has a decent beer selection and the ambiance and cleanliness of the place is decent. But overall, it's NOT WORTH all the money and credit card charges and/or info just to get a table and see a menu. Their practices are highly arrogant, and that is highly off-putting for a brewery. Given the positive reviews, I was shocked at how disappointing it was.

I do not...

I like this place, it's the only bar in the city where I've consistently found good hard kombucha. But I got spam email from them in my inbox when I never consented to these emails. I never ever NEVER sign up for random spam emails from businesses and I never gave Pilot Project permission to send me emails through my Toast email. I only use Toast to order delivery and again I never consented to have my data sold to other groups. Pilot Project very obviously bought my data from Toast and it's just gross. My message to Pilot Project is to let your good drinks and yummy food speak for themselves, don't waste your money buying data to spam people from ever wanting to return to your business.

Edit: I edited my review after the business’s response. When I pay using a QR code I consent to receive texts about my order but I don’t consent to receive spam emails. I don’t care if this “consent” is buried in the terms and conditions, it should be a simple yes or no for whether or not I agree to receive communication about anything beyond my order. It’s nice that they removed my email but they should stop doing this to people, it’s obnoxious...

Such a hit or miss spot. The design and environment are clean and cool. The outdoor patio has gone through iterations, and it's nice, although be warned it's right by the train so you'll pause your convo about every 5 mins.

The not so good: the food is sorta mediocre and relatively overpriced. It was a better experience when you could bring in your own food.

The ordering system is QR codes and phone ONLY. Actual people won't take your order. It really makes the experience more transactional and it often takes longer to fill out all the phone stuff than it does to say "can I have a coffee please?" If you want a beer, it's hard to ask the bartender's recommendation, or get a taste, which is part of what I like about a craft beer room.

Speaking of the beer... this is a spot that allows newer brewers to try stuff out, and .... they're not always good. Sometimes actually pretty bad, but it's on the menu. There are some gems too... but the quality varies really widely.

Weekdays this is a chill spot, weekends can be...