23 places to get a beer while you're working

The Map Room offers both coffee and beer, so get to work and transition from coffee to stout in the afternoon.

The taproom has free Wi-Fi, so settle in for the afternoon over a tasting flight. They also have regular tappings of limited releases, so try something new while you're at it. Looking for an old favorite? Of course we always love Daisy Cutter, but look for tap room and growler-only selections like Space IPA.

Get there early or keep your eyes peeled for bar seats—DryHop gets crowded and waits for tables only make it feel more like the place to be. The killer French fries, great burgers and steady drafts solidify your decision, and the patio makes a great spot to hang out.

Sure, the draw of Estereo may be the cocktails, but don't overlook the beer list. With four tap handles, expect to see local beers from Whiner, Off Color and the like. Plus, Estereo's warm and cheery colors are perfect for getting work done at the large triangular bar. It opens at 11, just in time to grab a beer and get a bit of work done.

Ed Marszewski—editor-publisher of Lumpen, festival host, gallerist and general Chicago indie-art-world guy-around-town—and his brother, Mike, remodeled and renamed Kaplan’s Liquors, the Bridgeport bar that was owned and operated since 1986 by their mother, Maria. The chandeliers built out of bottles and the 300-plus microbrews are notable, but the real standout feature is the welcoming scene: People like each other here, perfect for grabbing a daytime drink and making friends. Plus, now you can order food from Kimski.

A long lineup of craft beer plus sausages and starters like cheese curds make Links the perfect place to settle down and get some work done. There's a few TVs around the bar, in case you're looking for a bit of a distraction; otherwise just grab a spot at a table, fire up the free Wi-Fi and you'll be just fine.

Think coffee shop plus beer–a really really good selection of beer. The always helpful staff can point you in the right direction for a drink while you plug in and work for the afternoon. Hungry? Grab something from a nearby eatery and bring it in, or have the bar order from Gino's East Pizza across the street for you.

This Beverly brewery churns out a lineup of its own beers plus a menu including a range of in-house barbecue items. Plus, it opens at 11:30, making it just right for an early afternoon brew and work session.

Forbidden Root's front tables fill up with light during the day, making it a bright and sunny spot to get a few hours of work done over one of their botanical beers. Plus, the food lineup is great—and who doesn't want to grab that burger along with their flight?

The Lincoln Square bookstore is an ideal spot to browse books or sit down at a table to tackle some work while sipping beer, wine or freshly brewed coffee. Bonus: There are cupcakes from Southport Grocery to snack on.

It offers great coffee, but the Andersonville coffee shop also sells craft beer and wines—perfect for winding down from your morning coffee while you work.

The Rogers Park bar opens at noon, is strictly cash-only, has free Wi-Fi and longneck PBR's are always $3. Who needs coffee?

The sprawling taproom offers regular brewery tours, so come in and grab a beer before seeing the space. You can bring in food too—so order a pizza or bring along Honey Butter Fried Chicken.

This sprawling restaurant/bar features a shocking number of beers on tap and just the kind of food you want to have while sampling beers. The menu includes classics like fried cheese curds, mac and cheese and a terrific kimchi-topped burger—perfect for Loop workers to drop in and grab a cold one before heading back to the office. Come summer, grab a spot on the big outdoor patio for prime people-watching and city views.

This neighborhood bar offers an extensive craft beer list with almost 80 beers. The flatscreens show football and other sports, but get there when it opens at 11am to get some work done before any games start.

The cafe, which opens daily at 11am, has a rotating selection of draft beers, sandwiches and pie. Order a bottle of Belgian beer (the bar has an excellent selection) and some mac and cheese and you'll be set.

Paddy Long's has a terrific beer selection, plus plenty of snacks. Whether a "bacon bomb" is the kind of thing you should eat while you're working on your laptop is up to you.

It can be hard to snag seats at the pub on game days (the Globe is a hotspot for watching soccer and rugby matches from across the pond), so sneak in on an off-day and hunker down to work. They have a solid selection of craft beer and events like trivia at night; you could stay all day if you wanted.