El Bait Shop is a craft-beer bar in the historic Western Gateway district with one of the largest tap lists in the United States — 250-plus rotating draught lines on most nights — and a national reputation that pulls in beer-pilgrim road-trippers. The decor is fishing-shack kitsch and the kitchen turns out reliable bar food, including a respected breakfast served on weekend mornings.
The list is the reason to come. The bartenders are unusually patient with indecisive drinkers, and there is no cover; expect a wait on weekend evenings. The associated cidery and barrel-aged-sour list are both worth asking about. Sibling restaurant Hessen Haus (German beer hall) and High Life Lounge (1970s dive) sit on adjacent blocks if you want to make an evening of it.