I ordered the bbq pork sandwich. They really piled on the meat and fries. Pork had good flavor. Small space so be prepared for small, tightly packed tables. read more

This is one of our favorite spots to go to in downtown Geneva. We have been there for date nights, family lunches, friend get together a etc. and we are never disappointed! Not only is the food delicious, but the staff is efficient and friendly! Our favorite server is Phil, as he is always knowledgeable about the menu and attentive to the table without being overbearing. In regards to dishes, we absolutely love the following items and highly recommend each one: salmon salad, Brie burger, the brisket grilled cheese, the Korean pulled pork and the duck fried rice. They also make a great side salad and their French fries are perfectly crisped. Besides food, this restaurant has a delicious cocktail menu with good variety (not limited to whisky). All in all, completely suggest you check this place out! read more

Barrel + Rye - "It ain't easy being green" cocktail - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

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This was a good find in old town Geneva. We were looking for a spot with a good reputation, but casual, good food, but not too high end. We're not particular, right? Once again, Yelp had the answer. So the name was intriguing, Barrel and Rye, offering a huge selection of bourbon and rye, crafted into creative cocktail combinations. They don't take reservations for dinner, so you wait, or put your name on a list and come back somewhere after the expected wait time. I was in the area and put my name down, and took a little stroll to get my steps in before the rest of our party arrived. They have a combination of traditional tables, bar seating and high tops in the bar area. We were led to believe that we would get a traditional (low) table when our appointed time came, but we're seated at a high table, which wasn't great for grandmama, legs dangling from her seat. I got all Don Draper'y with an Old Fashioned and a cue ball sized orb of ice, but it was a mighty fine start. Cheese curds, Brussels sprouts, burgers and salmon followed along. I had been on a low carb diet for a few weeks, but decided to relax the rules a bit for one night. I was told that the fries were excellent and took their advice. Having been so tater deprived for the preceding weeks, I was like a starving man on a desert island with those fries. They could have been the Platonic ideal of French fries in their French fryness at that moment. Coming down from my carb high, I have to soberly admit that they were pretty good. Kimchi turkey burger gets a thumbs up as does the blue cheese burger and salmon salad. Service was good, atmosphere fine. Overall it was a good experience and worth checking out. read more

We loved the atmosphere but we didn't find the food to be very impressive. We probably won't be going back there b/c we have other places on 3rd Street Geneva that we like better. read more

This place is outstanding and has been among our top 10 in favorites in Geneva. Very creative and delicious mixed drinks, bourbons, appetizers and main dish options. The interior is intimate and what I refer to as chic industrial rustic. The outdoor patio is great to relax and enjoy a good drink and watch people stroll by. The service has always been great, but this last time it was "outta the park." We had the greatest time and the best service ever with Diana! read more

Barrel + Rye - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

Loving Barrel + Rye! My husband and I have been here twice in the last week. Once for lunch on a Tuesday and the other time for a Sunday night date. I was immediately impressed with the decor and feel of this place. I love the rustic look. So much so that I literally want to copy their bathrooms and light fixtures in my own house! When we came in for lunch the place was pretty packed. There were a lot of larger groups of lunching women on this particular Tuesday. We opted for a seat up at the bar. They have a great list of whiskey cocktails, other fun drinks and a small craft beer list. I had their Simon + Garfunkel, which includes Tito's vodka, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, cranberry juice and strawberries. This cocktail was super refreshing and made me feel sophisticated and fancy. As for food we decided to split a couple things. Our choices went as followed... Memphis Sausage & Charcuterie: Thuringer sausage, smoked Gouda, bourbon BBQ sauce, sweet and spicy BBQ seasoning, homemade giardiniera. This board of deliciousness is absolutely amazing! I highly suggest it. My husband and I are still dreaming of that sausage. We even tried to recreate this app at home (not even close to as good ad this B+R winner). B+R Salad with Grilled Shrimp: roasted red pepper, grilled corn, feta cheese, avocado, tortilla strips, bed of mixed greens with a citrus vinaigrette (we added in grilled shrimp). Delicious, light and refreshing. Simple as that. This last time we came to B+R was at about 7:45 on a Sunday night. Definitely not as busy, but there were a handful of people up at the bar since the Hawks were playing. We sat up at the bar as well - it's kind of our thing. We enjoy chatting it up with the bartenders. I ordered the B+R old fashioned (buffalo trace bourbon, simple syrup, angostura bitter's, regan's orange bitter's) to drink and my husband ordered the Ward Eight (george dickel rye, fresh orange juice, fresh lemon juice, pom grenadine). When our drinks were served we both had to laugh. Of course being an old fashioned, my drink looked pretty hard core - dark whiskey with an iceburge cube to top it off. The Ward Eight on the other hand, was a bright pink cocktail. My hubbie wanted to switch drinks, but I let him stick that one out haha. I tried his drink though and let me tell you, it's a great cocktail - highly suggest it! I really should have switched him. For dinner we both got burgers. I had the Brie Burger (grass fed burger, creamy brie, grilled pears, caramelized onions - $14) with a side of brussel sprouts (extra $2). My burger was huge and absolutely amazing. The brie, pears and caramelized onions formed a perfect sweet sensation that paired nicely with the burger. I'm really happy I got the brussel sprouts as well, because they were delish! I ended up taking home half a burger and a tad bit of veggies and let me tell you, they were just as good the second time around when I heated up the leftovers! The servers at B+R are pretty awesome. Super nice and laid back. I really enjoy the atmosphere here, the quality of their food and the drinks are top notch. Win-win-win. read more

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After hearing so many friends and neighbors rave about this place, I could not wait to try it! My husband and I went there the last week in April for drinks and dinner. As I do not really drink whiskey, bourbon, or beer, that put me on the cocktail menu. I ordered the Simon + Garfunkel, and the Bubbles + Bramble. Those were some of the strongest drinks I have had since college! In fact, the second drink was so strong I had to send it back to be remade. I am 30-something years old now, and when I go out for dinner with my husband, I'm not looking to get smashed off my face. Even the remade drink was still much stronger than I would normally order. I did not feel like the bartender knew anything about alcohol service. When we asked him some questions about a local beer, he told us he honestly did not know. That seemed to be his answer for most things. (By the way, my husband's drink, the Cucumber Punch, was honestly served with half as much liquid as mine, though it was just about the same punch. I think he was done drinking it in three sips.) Moving on to the food, I have to say it was some of the worst I have had in a long time. What a huge disappointment! I begged my husband to start with the poutine, which came highly recommended. It was interesting. First of all, it was nearly a trough-full of poutine. it would certainly be enough for eight people, let alone two! The gravy was lacking flavor, and the duck was tough and chewy. I actually asked my husband at one point, do you think this is real duck? We have had some amazing poutine in other restaurants and abroad, and this was not. I decided to play it safe afterwards with a turkey burger and mac and cheese. At first, I liked the mac and cheese, but it was served lukewarm, and within minutes, it was cold. I continued to eat it, but as time went on, I realized that I was so desperate to find something to like at this restaurant that I was giving more props to the mac and cheese than it deserved. The turkey burger was incredibly average. The meat itself needed more seasoning, with perhaps some red peppers and onions mixed into the meat as well. Overall, I would definitely not return for the food, or the drinks, which means I probably will not be returning! What a shame, as I was really looking forward to a new and unique venue in Geneva. read more

Holy cow...This is my new favorite! The only problem is that it's taken me a year to discover. The food is excellent; it's creative yet not intimidating, and most importantly it is scrumptious!!! Here's what we had... Shrimp App-simple and great. A tad greasy, but the napkins are substantial so that was no problem. I ordered the Salmon salad, it is the absolute BEST salad I have ever had. Greens, pears, candied walnuts, cheese and the most amazing dressing and a perfect salmon filet. My husband ordered the dry rub BBQ wings as his meal. They were great, although he will try the spicy BBQ next time. The most amazing part was the bleu cheese dipping sauce. The greatest dip, not too strong. We shared the brussel sprouts and fries. Embarrassing admission here...these were my first brussel sprouts ever, and I will be getting them again. The fries are almost breaded and then fried. Really tasty. It will be hard for me to try something new after that salad, but I bet there are so many other delicious things on the menu. Now I made one ordering mistake...An old fashioned cocktail, let's just say I'm not a bourbon girl so this was not for me. Super strong. My husband ordered after me and did me the favor of ordering the Cranberry Mule. Although he loved it, he switched with me. That drink was perfect, and he won points for that. I can't wait to go back. Warning, go in a small group. There are no reservations and small tables. Also, sit at the bar, we did and skipped the wait. read more

Barrel + Rye - Lots going on here, all great, and my salad was amazing! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

Since moving to the area, I've been looking for a go-to restaurant. A restaurant I go to when I'm celebrating, a place I go when I want to drown my sorrows, or just a place to hang out when there's nothing else to do. Barrel + Rye is that for me. I originally discovered B+R thanks to Jacqueline B's review. The first thing that concerned me upon visiting was parking or lack thereof. Parking in downtown areas usually suck but there's ample (free) parking nearby on the side streets. The restaurant itself is pretty small, so you'll most likely have a wait. I recommend coming in and putting your name in line, then heading over to one of the wine bars nearby to relax. They have a pretty vast menu and I've tried a lot of it. My favorite food from here: +Appetizers: the BBQ shrimp (seriously, don't miss these) and the Memphis charcuterie +Sides: Elotes +Salad: Fattoush- their homemade hummus is to die for +Drinks: Cranberry Mule or Bubbles and Bramble +I haven't tried any of the sandwiches or burgers, but that will be my next trip! The servers and bartenders here are all incredibly nice and work hard to make sure you're happy. My husband knew 0 about whiskey, but one of the bartenders spent a fair amount of time explaining the different kinds to him until he decided on something he might like. When someone asks what my favorite restaurant is, I never hesitate to say "Barrel and Rye in Geneva!!!!" read more

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I wish so badly I lived closer to Geneva to enjoy barrel + rye more. This place is seriously cool. I visited on Tuesday with Jacqueline B. to grab lunch and I immediately loved the space. We described it as "rustic chic". There's grey patterned ceilings with light bulb fixtures hanging from them, blue patterns on the walls and modern [fake] mini deer heads scattered throughout. I try not to have the "look" of a place determine my liking of it but barrel + rye sold me immediately. This place truly reminded me of a Wicker Park/Lincoln Park area restaurant. There was a cute outdoor area to sit but because it was about 96 degrees we confidently chose to eat inside. We got seated right away at a high table next to the window and took a look at the menu. Of course, I decided on the grilled cheese with a "shot" of tomato soup and a side of fries. Man oh man was it tasty! The sandwich itself was hearty and I had thought after the first half that I may need a box to take home. I'm definitely a fan of grilled cheese dipped in soup so I really liked the concept of a "shot" of tomato soup. Most restaurants give you an entire bowl to finish but even with the size of the grilled cheese, the soup was exactly enough for a dip each bite! The side of fries were exactly how fries should be made. Super tasty, crispy with a soft potato center. Yes please. Jacqueline B. and I were in the area to work so a drink wasn't our top priority but I would LOVE to come back to take a load off and sip on a sweet concoction. Our waitress seemed attentive and nice - nothing too under or overwhelming. You definitely receive a very "chill" vibe here. It was getting a little crowded inside (and from what I saw, outside too) but it seemed like the employees had a good handle on things. Very much appreciated! Overall, I highly recommend barrel + rye. The food was great, the atmosphere is stress and rush-free and the restaurant itself is just cool to be in. Perfect spot for lunch or a drink in my opinion! read more

Barrel + Rye - Grilled cheese with a shot of tomato soup and a side of fries. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

Spot-on craft cocktails and a very unique menu. Cozy indoor bar setting and great outdoor dining options. Definitely recommend.

Barrel & Rye was a cool place to try. We went on a weeknight and had a little over an hour wait, they do not do reservations. Some might think that's a long time but with how much is in downtown Geneva the time went by quick, we went down the street and did some wine tastings, which was good! The food and drinks were great. I had a blackberry cocktail which was good, my friends got a cranberry Moscow mule which was also good. For food we got the bbq shrimp appetizer which was super yummy. I got the shrimp salad that had arugula, spinach, Brussels sprouts, and the bbq shrimp with a creamy dressing; I would go back just for that salad, it was so good. The atmosphere was cute, a little too dark for my liking but it was cozy. This place is a little small as well but I think that adds to the overall experience in a positive way. Highly recommended you give this place a try. read more

Barrel + Rye - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

I love downtown Geneva! There are so many awesome restaurants to check out, and Barrel and Rye is one of those awesome restaurants. My friend and I came on a early Saturday evening, and we enjoyed our experience here. I don't believe they accept reservations, so I would imagine there might be a wait for a table if you are coming on the weekend during a prime time. The place was pretty full by the time we left around 5pm. This restaurant has many different types of whiskey's to choose from, but there are also non whiskey cocktails if whiskey isn't your spirit of choice. To drink, I had the Smoked Manhattan cocktail, and this cocktail exceeded my expectations. I'm not sure what makes this Manhattan "smoked", but there definitely is something in the ingredients or preparation of this Manhattan that makes it stand out from other Manhattan's. The taste of the cocktail was slightly more elevated than other Manhattan's, but also still extremely smooth. To eat, I opted for the "Dip" sandwich. This sandwich has thin slices of marinated lamb, along with cheese and veggies. Since this sandwich came with an au jus sauce, it reminded me of a gourmet Italian beef sandwich. The "Dip" sandwich is a great option if you are looking for a hearty sandwich. read more

The cocktails and spirits are exactly what you would hope for with a name like barrel and rye. The service is thoughtful, cocktails are in point and the comfort food is elevated but familiar. We always bring our out of town guests who appreciate bourbons and ryes to this place and it never disappoints! read more

We came here for dinner on a Thursday. Just to start off- they do not take reservations and it's a small restaurant. We thought, you know it's a Thursday, it won't be busy... WRONG! The place was packed! We were told it would be about a 30 minute wait, so we walked around for 30 minutes. We went back and they still didn't have any tables but some seats at the bar opened up so we took those. We ordered drinks and duck poutine (I HIGHLY recommend this). The duck poutine was a large dish for just two people but it is sooooo good! I ordered the Berkshire burger, it was excellent and my husband ordered the venison burger which he also said was excellent. We were alreaDy talking about what we would order next time! I would say prepare to wait for a table, I personally wouldn't even try to go to this place on a weekend. Probably not a good place for groups larger than 4 because of the difficulty of getting a table. It's a little noisy- we don't mind this but I know some people do. We cannot wait to go back! read more

We had a lovely experience at Barrel & Rye for a double date night. We came on a Saturday night and the place was really hopping. However, they said they would call when our table was ready- so we spent some time wandering around 3rd street while we waited. We were definitely glad we went for a 5:30 pm dinner time as it continued to get busier as the night progressed. We started out with drinks- bourbon for our friend, an old fashioned for my husband, and a delicious champagne cocktail. We enjoyed the cheese curds as an appetizer- delicious. My husband had a burger for dinner, and I tried the Southern. It is definitely a unique sandwich- fried chicken, fried egg, and maple syrup. It was very sticky, sweet, and delicious. I'm not sure that it is something that I could eat much in the future- but it was definitely worth trying. We had the bacon and Brussels sprouts and mac and cheese as our sides with our sandwiches- they were both delicious too. We would certainly come back here again- wish they took reservations- but that is my only complaint. Everything else was great! read more

Above average food and service. Found great edibles in appetizer menu. Loved the poke bowl. Had a Hightopper with comfee chairs. They got away from well trained mixologist. Sad. My Manhattan was just whiskey on the rocks that he waived the bitters and vermouth over top like a blessing. read more

Really awesome place. The ambiance is great, the whiskey list is extensive, and the food is very tasty. I had the old fashioned and the strawberry salad and was not disappointed. But the highlight of the meal was by far the cheese curds. Best I've ever had. read more

Barrel + Rye - Old fashioned with Buffalo Trace - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. There's not a thing on the menu that doesn't look appealing. So what if it takes you 20 visits to make it through them all, each trip will be worth it. It's small. It's cozy. And it's exactly what it should be. read more

Barrel + Rye - Brussels sprouts as a side? So. Very. Good. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

I've had this place on my list for a while now. Had a day to myself to hit the Geneva Art fair and stopped in for a drink and a snack. It just so happened that the AC decided to fail in the middle of the day. No one skipped a beat. The staff remained remarkably cool, service on point and with a smile.. I probably ordered an extra cocktail simply because of the heat. Bourbon peach was refreshing, but my favorite so far is the the Sacred Sage. If you appreciate a good bourbon/ whisky this place is not to be missed. It was too warm for me to sample the extensive whiskey menu. But that just means I need to return. As far as food: I tried the Brie cheese curds after seeing them repeatedly raved about. It was with good reason. I also got to try the fried green tomato special thanks to my bar stool neighbors. Fried green tomatoes and jalapeño remoulade= exquisiteness. read more

Barrel + Rye - "Sacred Sage" : a religious experience. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

We've been here twice. We'd come more frequently, but it's a small venue and there's always a wait. Cocktail culture and gastro pub are the main descriptors for this lovely place. Service here is excellent. Jill, our server, is delightful. Not only does she serve the food, she knows and understands cocktails - a rarity. Most bartenders don't truly understand how to build a good cocktail. When you have servers who can do it, you know the proprietors are focused on the right stuff. Ambience here is intimate. You won't bring a large group to this place. They have outside seating in good weather, which is great. Downtown Geneva is a great environment. We'd call this place 'sophisticated casual'. If you can get past the wait and the crowds - you should come. It's new and trendy. People are clearly drawn to it. read more

Barrel + Rye - Old Fashioned and a Chardonnay - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

D. Maybe I was plain hungry, or the Barrel Burger I had was the best burger I've ate in a long time. That simple. There wasn't anything I disliked about it. Grilled perfect, juicy and nicely constructed. The Cuban Torta was very good too. It wasn't pressed but it was delicious. The pork belly was melt in the mouth. Sysco french fries. read more

Geneva bringing the goods, this place is awesome. We both remarked that it is a perfect space for its namesake, rustic w a touch of modern done precisely right. If i'm opening a place like this, i think i'd design it almost exactly the way they did with the bar, table layout, lighting, you name it, really cool, intimate and inviting. But hold tight. The drinks and food + service is what sets it apart. Sure you can have a nice space. Sure you can have an attractive menu. But without execution in taste and service it becomes a footnote. So not the case here. We split the Southern which was WOW-inducing and will make you rethink what can be done with a fried chicken breast between two pieces of deliciously soft buns.lol#truth. The 5 pepper spiced seasoning was PERFECTION, just the right amount of heat to get you thinking, rut row, this may be tooo hot but then its tempered by everything else accompanying the sandwich...which is smoked gouda, fried egg and maple syrup. So damn good. Also shared the Salmon Salad and while not as knock out worthy it was quite good. Salmon was just a touch over cooked but still packed a flavor punch. All said - Good as it Gets - read more

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Lunch was excellent, however, found the greeter/person at the door and bartender to be quite rude and condescending. Tables were vacant but we were offered seats at the bar only and told a wait list was not being taken. When a table opened up we asked to move from the bar (had not yet ordered as bartender was ignoring us). Not that upscale beyond the kitchen; please learn how to respect all customers despite age, nationality etc. read more

I'd been waiting to come here for months. At a Saturday at 3 pm, we managed to secure the last two seats at the bar. The backdrop of the bar is awesome, with so many different kinds of spirits bottle lining the back. Being that this bar specializes in whiskey, I figured a whiskey cocktail had to be part of my experience, so I ordered an old fashioned. They used Buffalo Trace bourbon, simple syrup, and two kinds of bitters. It was pretty good, but nothing exceptional. We ordered a couple of plates to split. We started with an order of dry-rubbed wings, and it is awesome that their rubs come from the spice shop right down the street. The Chipotle spice was totally overwhelmingly hot. I'm talking about tears running down my face hot. The jerk rub had a more manageable level of heat, but still had a pretty good kick to them. We also split a B&R salad, with roasted red peppers, grilled corn, feta cheese, avocado, and housemade tortilla strips, on a bed of mixed greens with a citrus vinaigrette. It was a light, flavorful mix with crunch, salt, and sweetness. Really enjoyable. The highlight was their gourmet take on the cheesesteak sandwich. I've never had a cheesesteak made with lamb, but they made this one work. They seared the lamb, add in truffled boursin herbed cheese, and top it with caramelized onions and roasted red peppers and stuff it all inside an Italian roll. The lamb was juicy, the cheese melted all over the lamb and got gooey, and the onions were cooked just right. The roll wasn't anything unique, but the ingredients made this sandwich taste exceptional. The fries that came on the side were so-so, they didn't stand out from any other fries that I've ever had. But what made them so good was the side of bourbon BBQ aioli. I swear I would drink shots of this aioli. They put it on their Berkshire pork burger, and the next time I go, I will have to try that sandwich just to get some more of the aioli. I wouldn't call this a perfect meal, but props for using local ingredients and taking chances on dishes to where they are different and unique, but still approachable. I definitely plan to return. Hopefully they can find a way to add in a couple of more seats. read more

Love the food, drink and atmosphere... Also very friendly staff! Great place!! We go there quite often and have never been disappointed!

When here on my boyfriend's 21st birthday, our server was super sweet and very attentive to our table. Not to mention the food came out super fast. read more

Served two sazeracs in extremely filthy glasses. Watched the bartender throw someone's tab at them. (He may have know them but it's still unprofessional in a nice establishment). Not impressed with tonight's experience.... but the Memphis entree is great. The flank (skirt steak sandwich) has been removed from the menu and now my boyfriend has no interest in going there. That was his favorite entree and he would get it every time. Could be better as it has a prime location on 3rd street in Geneva. read more

Had a wonderful lunch for my BFF's birthday! Everything was great: reasonable prices, generous portion size, timely service, FANTASTIC service by Loryn!! And delicious food! The iced tea is also spot on :) Another dessert option would have been great- maybe like a fun take on strawberry shortcake or something of the sort. But just personal preference! Overall nice restaurant, fun location and delicious food!!! Definitely need to return for the duck poutine on my next Illinois visit! read more

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Last minute birthday lunch decision, and it was BRILLIANT!! First trip for all of us, and those who live in the vicinity will definitely return. Loryn was a great server- good recommendations, sensitivity to our pace, delightful all around. The patio was perfect for lengthy lunch. We had small plates to share- smoked salmon bruschetta was delicious with capers and tomatoes, fried green tomatoes with lump crab, duck poutine, Brussels sprouts with bacon jam, and elote. Pebbles is the perfect birthday drink! Light, tasty, and the fruity pebbles on the top are an amazing festive touch.! Sneaky Verde clearly has the best bar ware. Think tiki god! Sacred Sage was delicious as well. Highly recommend!!!! read more

was very disappointed in the food. i purchased 2 appetizers, one was duck something which had 3 or 4 tiny pieces of duck and my friend grabbed on before we both realized that was all there was! the second was a shrimp appetizer. the shrimp was curled so tightly and was so tough, i had to use a knife to cut it. it was very dry. the service was really good. we ate outside w my doggie so that part was great. don't know if i will go back...probably not. read more

Amazing food and drinks. The service is always great and personable. We love this place . The ambiance is cozy and welcoming.

My parents have been raving about Barrel + Rye for a while now and while I was home for Thanksgiving I finally got to try it. It is a really, really good addition to downtown Geneva. The decor is perfect, the ambiance is classy and the drinks are unique but not in a weird way. My friends and I spent a really nice night there and I can't wait to come back! I hear they have good food as well, so next time that is on my list to try. read more

Barrel + Rye - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

My husband loves all the bourbon drinks here. The food we've ordered has all been amazing, especially the poutine!

Great drinks. Menu always changing keeps it interesting. Always busy, sometimes hard to grab a seat but that goes to show it's never lost it's hype. read more

Cool place in the neighborhood of downtown Geneva. Loved the decor and the staff was very informative and kind. We had the Korean BBQ sandwich and Cider boys beer, falafel with micro greens and hummus. Quick place to catch up and have a drink. Interesting cocktails and wide liquor selection. read more

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Amazing service from Lauren! This was our first time here and we loved the hip ambiance paired with the amazing food. You won't be disappointed!! read more

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Let me preface this review by saying that Barrel + Rye was our go to for the last few years, we literally drove from the northwest side of the city, almost 30 miles, just to come here because it was that damn good. That being said, the last two times we've noticed a precipitous drop in quality. Their menu has shrunk by half and has become pretty boring to be honest. Today was our last straw when we ordered a meat and cheese board that came on a plate, which is not really a big deal but because it was not a board we were distracted while the waitress was going over the items. Due to this lapse in concentration, we missed the fact that there was a lump of fish directly in the middle of the plate. Keep in mind neither of us have ever seen fish on a meat and cheese board and it was mentioned no where on the menu that fish would be on the plate. My wife is deathly allergic to fish and we had to send it back. If you're going to change a menu mainstay and include a food that people have been allergic to for decades, i think it should be mentioned on the menu, by the waitress, something! I can't imagine restaurants failing to mention peanuts or gluten now a days, why would it be any different for seafood? In the end, we were basically giving Barrel + Rye a last shot before today's debacle. The change in menu has been disappointing, the seafood on a meat and cheese board is inexcusable. At least the cocktails are still good and Phil will always be our favorite server. read more

When I'm not eating hot peppers, I eat hummus and wild game meats as a picky carnivore, and seek to find a really good glass of Whiskey or Scotch... I found 3 of 4 here! Hurray! As I flipped through the very extensive list of the Whiskey/Scotch variety, (and while I noticed Hibiki and Yamazaki weren't on the printed menu, I saw Yamazaki on the shelf!), I thought to myself, "You know, Scotch goes really, really well with Venison..." And on the back page of the menu - there it was! A venison burger for a reasonable price. Then I found the hummus on the front page, and I wanted just then to move to Geneva. The hummus arrived on a very large tray with excellent warm pita, veggies, and two different types I had not yet tried - a salsa fusion and a pine-nut fusion. YUM! The burger arrived perfectly cooked medium rare, and I didn't even have room for the fries, though the few I had were also quite yummy. The salmon sandwich was also quite large and very good! With a variety of cocktail specials and local beers on tap, the excellent service and games on tv will definitely keep folks coming back. Cheers! read more

Barrel + Rye - Two excellent types of hummus! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

Normally love the place. Love the food and drinks. However this last visit the Lizzy(?) Back up bar and hostess was very bitchy , condescending and arrogant. Her attitude and treatment of us as customers was very off putting. The waitress Stacy who waited on us was spectacular and deserves better front person than Lizzy(?). Stacy makes the bar fun! read more