After spending the afternoon at Morton Arboretum,our friends suggested we go to NWB - Next Whiskey…read moreBar in downtown Lisle. It was early on a Friday night and we were seated immediately. By the time we left tho,the place was packed! Our server Haley was great. They have a fantastic bourbon and whiskey menu as well as craft cocktails. I had their NWB Old Fashion which is made with Buffalo Trace..bonus! It was so good I had to have two.....lol. We spilt the NWB Trio appetizer which was a selection of hummus,olive tapenade and corn guacamole,fresh veggies and grilled pita. Definitely big enough for 4 people. Their menu offers Mac n cheese, Gourmet Burgers,Wraps,Sandwiches and Salads. I had the NWB Burger which was an 8 oz burger topped with pork belly,cheese curds,whiskey bbq sauce on a pretzel bun. Absolutely delicious! My wife had The Gobbler (GF) with a Turkey burger,avocado,goat cheese,roasted red pepper sauce on a GF bun. She loved it and they only charged an extra 1.00 for the GF bun. Portions are huge and the food is very good. We will definitely be back!

NWB is located in downtown Lisle and can seat ~50ish people. They also have outdoor seating as…read morewell. Parking is street parking and it was easy for me to find a spot. A friend and I stopped in for a weekday lunch and there were about 15 other customers as well. This is a casual whiskey bar with your standard bar food and drinks. Service throughout was kind of inconsistent but still OK. The food came out fairly quick which is ideal for me anyway haha. We both opted for the $10 smash burger lunch special that comes with fries. For $10 this is a great deal. The burger was juicy and delicious. The sauce on the burger goes very well with it and the bun is buttery, very good. The fries? Meh, they were pretty bland and stale.

It's a super low-key bar with an amazing vibe -- perfect for a chill night with friends. The…read moreservice was honestly INCREDIBLE. So attentive, constantly checking in without being overbearing, and giving tons of great drink suggestions. You can tell they actually know their stuff. They have such a huge selection -- so many beers, seltzers, and different drinks to choose from. If you're not sure what to get, they're happy to let you sample and help you find something you'll love. That alone makes the experience feel elevated. I also love that they have board games available, and it's just that kind of place where you can hang out for hours. We even brought our own board games, ordered pizza, and had the best night ever! It's the perfect spot for a laid-back night -- no pressure, no crazy crowds, just good drinks and great company. After going, it totally makes sense why their reviews are so strong. I would 100% go back.

Good beer selection. It would be nice if they served food. Ambiance is basic. There are other…read morebetter places around but this is a decent option

THE USUAL SUSPECTS…read more This dive bar in Lisle is a haven for townies, which is certainly a vibe. Maple Ave Pub is, unsurprisingly, on Maple Ave just west of Route 53 in the western suburbs of Chicago. I'd estimate I've stopped here close to a dozen times, although a handful of those instances I neglected to check-in on Yelp for fear of my wife seeing it ("I thought you were coming straight home from work....") An older woman's been behind the counter seemingly every time, taking drink orders and making small talk. She's friendly--​moreso with the locals than with me--​and I'll occasionally get called 'hun', 'sweetie', etc, which is endearing. I got way better service from the hot tattooed barkeeps at Brauer House in Lombard, however. To be perfectly honest, I've never eaten anything here. The wings look like they might pass muster, though there's a few items that raise an eyebrow (clam chowder at a dive bar? thanks, I'll pass). Possum Pub in Melrose Park had surprisingly good food, and it was a major dive, so perhaps I ought to give the grub here a shot sometime. They have several pool tables, a Big Buck Hunter, Golden Tee, dart board, boxing machine, and pair of pinball machines; as of 6/19/24 they've got a Star Trek premium (Stern, 20​13) and JAWS (Stern, 2024). In the past they had Oktoberfest (American Pinball, ​2018), Fish Tales (Williams, 1992), and a stunning Circus Voltaire (Bally, 1997). Last week, the A/C wasn't working so this place was SWELTERING on one of the hottest days of the year. Normally I stick around for a couple pints and 2-3 games of pinball, but it was so toasty inside (worse than outside) I only played 1 game and skipped the beer completely. There were no fans on, either. * TL;DR * Dive bars are all well and good, but maybe it's time I found a new spot to hit up for a cheap domestic pint. Over the years I've gotten a handful of looks that can be described as quizzical at best, and dirty at worst. I've been ignored by the bartender numerous times--with cash in hand, mind you--while she's chatting away with regulars, as I'm standing there absolutely parched. I want to like Maple Ave Pub, but the feeling doesn't seem mutual. If it weren't for the pinball tables, I probably wouldn't return.

Old school, no frills--yes fun, un-corporate, low key place to hang with a friendly crowd and…read moretender--better than Cheers!. Old school, dark wood, good ole' bar with plenty of ways to entertain you. Decent selection on tap and in bottles as well as cocktails. Good bar food. Reasonable prices! Come as you are, no one cares. Bottom line: Very low key, decent bang for the buck on refreshments and food, low key crowd, lots of stuff to do.

We went back a second time with the family, and once again, it was excellent!…read more The deviled eggs were fantastic, and the spring rolls and tuna appetizer were all spot on. For dinner, the Kansas strip, ribeye, and stroganoff were all outstanding. The salmon Caesar and vodka pasta with chicken were also excellent. Everything was consistently great, which is why we came back. Definitely a place we'll be returning to!

Our Server Ana was FANTASTIC. She was always smiling and very knowledgeable…read more Started with the Whiskey Flight which was a great way to taste liquors. Each shot is 1oz. It would help if there was a little write-up about each one because I had to "google" it myself. French Onion soup was an outstanding knockout We ordered a large wedge salad and said we would share it and Ana brought it to the table already portioned! Now that's a great server. I ordered the Long Island steak and said I wanted it NAKED. Well, it came to the table with what I believe was lumpy butter on the top and as it cooled, it made the meat very greasy. Seating in the wraparound arrangement is kinda cool but since the view is the commuter and freight trains, it didn't add much to the ambience

Altavida is a new addition to the downtown Naperville area as they have only been open for 3 weeks…read more It has taken over The Craftsman building which offers three floors. Altavida's concepts for the three levels are Publico, Rumba, and Altura. Publico (1st Flr)- A South American fusion of food and drinks that will be rotating. The cocktails will be more tequila and mezcal based and food will be subtly rotated based on trends happening in South America. The food menu currently offers tapas, empanadas, ceviche, guacamoles, larger format meat/seafood entrees, and more. They will have a front of our bar as well as a back bar that will specialize in more coffees/coffee cocktails. Rumba (2nd Flr)- The entertainment floor! There is a separate bar on this floor that will specialize in more Rum based cocktails. Additionally, they will have a wine bar area with wines in tap. Lastly, they will have an open area for live music as well as dancing. Their hope is to have a mix of jazz, club music, salsa dancing options available. Altura (3rd Flr)- This floor is still under construction but will have a rooftop patio. The hope is that this space will be an event space both for public and private events. Back to my experience! My partner and I stopped in for a cocktail and to see what Altavida was about. Our first bartender was very nice but was still getting used to the drink recipes and was leaning on their cheat sheets. While we waited, another bartender kindly told us all about the restaurant and its focus on hospitality. Unfortunately, each bartender had a slightly different explanation of the restaurant's goal concepts which was confusing. We ended up ordering the El Toro and Vaquero (both mezcal drinks). Both were VERY spirit forward to the point that it may have needed better balance. Both drinks had a nice presentation with garnishes, color, and a skull feature at the bottom of the glass. Lastly, we saw many people walk up and look confused as there was no formal host stand. They didn't know if they should seat themselves or wait for someone. Overall, there still seems to be some kinks needing to be worked out as well as some conceptual editing. I feel they are trying to achieve too much and it ends up being confusing for staff and guests. I hope with time, Altavida is extremely successful in the Naperville area and I hope to circle back after some time passes.

This place is a wonderful addition to DT Naperville! I was able to get a last minute dinner…read morereservation on a Friday night. I arrived at 6:30 and there were plenty of people already in the restaurant, but I was seated promptly. My server Richard came over to greet me right away. He went over the menu options and gave great recommendations. We put our order in pretty quickly because we've been to tapas restaurants before. I loved the modern decor and lively music being played. The place is truly colorful and has a very energetic vibe. The service was excellent. Everyone was extremely kind and happy to help. Edwin, the general manager was so friendly and accommodating by making sure that everything was to our liking. He is a gem. My husband and I ordered a few different tapas to share. We started with the empanadas and they were truly 10/10, highly recommend! We had the beef and chicken with the chimichurri sauce. We also tried the papas bravas and those were delicious as well. They are spicy and have a nice kick. The portion is pretty big and shareable. Last, we had chicken en mole. Omg, so good! They knocked it out of the park with this one. The presentation is very pleasing and the flavor is 10/10! I'm a hot sauce girly and even carry it in my bag just in case. The sauce they had in the dish was so good that I didn't even think about adding hot sauce! The rice and chicken along with the sauce is chef's kiss. I also tried the Brussels sprouts but they were my least favorite of everything. They should go back to the drawing board on that one. The drinks we had were solid. My husband had an espresso martini and dragonfruit margarita, while I had a mango margarita. All were good. Needless to say, I had an amazing evening at Altavida! The dancing on the second floor was also very fun and entertaining. I will definitely be a regular here!

Go to this Dive Bar!! Inexpensive drinks & great vibes. Big TVs & games. The thin crust Pizza was…read morethe only food item but it was delicious and went perfect while we drank and watched the World Cup. Also The Owner & his Wife are awesome down to earth people. Cheers!!

My friend was looking everywhere for a "Chicago Handshake" which apparently is not a sex thing. We…read moreended up looking on yelp for the best place to find one and Squirrel Cage was it! Staff was friendly, and it just happened to be Tuesday trivia night! We had a great time at this dive bar and would recommend! Just make sure to bring cash as they do not accept cards!

Beth and Tiffany were expert bartenders who made our casual all-ages Thanksgiving open house super…read morefun. They were flexible and knew how to work the bar and the room. You will not be disappointed in their service!

From the owner: Every drink has a story. Let us help you create and be a part of yours!read more

Cute restaurant with great service and a broad variety of food on the menu. They gave us the…read moreoption of sitting inside or outside. The outdoor patio was cute and shielded from traffic with high wall dividers. Food wasn't the highlight, but I would come back to try other dishes. White Chocolate Pistachio Martini $14 - Not too sweet, nor too strong, good flavors. Grilled Octopus $20 - Small portion, tender octopus. Chicken Wings $17 - 8 meaty wings, naked, skin was slightly crispy and caramelized. Salmon Poke Bowl $19 - Simple and straight forward salmon poke bowl. The fries were crispy and delicious. For our birthday celebration, they gave us a yummy brownie and ice cream with a little candle. Reservations can be made on Resy. .|\---/| | @_@ | ..\_^_/..2026

Another great dinner at Foxtail!…read more We had to come back to try more of the menu, and this time we ordered: * Pork belly bruschetta: 5/10. Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me. The pork belly, ciabatta, and balsamic were all good individually, but together the flavors just didn't work. It felt mismatched... * Colorado lamb kebab: 10/10. This is one of the more $$ entrées on the menu, but it's absolutely worth it. The portion was generous, the lamb was high quality, and the artichoke pesto paired really well with the rich, gamey flavor. The roasted pearl onions were a great addition too. I would definitely recommend this dish. * Foxtail paella: 8/10 flavorful orzo paella loaded with seafood. Definitely a sharing type of entree! Always a great time at Foxtail with great food and great service!

Didn't know what to expect for this cocktail bar. The staff from the doorman to the server, Zee was…read morethe name I believe, were all great to deal with. Good place for low chill vibes and to get away from the younger bars Naperville has. Will be back.

It's hard to define The Northcott Liquorette. It's a bar but it's not a traditional American bar…read morewith TVs and comfort snack foods. It's not a bar with bad lighting and music. It's not a restaurant because you wouldn't just come here for the food although the food is good. It's close to a lounge I would say but again not exactly a lounge either. In any case it's a great place to hang out with a friend or friends or a date . The cocktails are made well and well thought out. They are not your traditional cocktails you find everywhere and I love an original place with unique ideas. Make a reservation, be on time, order a dish and a few drinks and enjoy yourself.

I recently visited Fonda de Paula for the first time, and it was a wonderful experience. As a…read morevegetarian, I was excited to try the restaurant because of its extensive selection of vegetarian dishes, and it definitely gave me plenty of options to choose from. Our server, Ximena, was outstanding. She took the time to share the story behind the restaurant's name and the inspiration for its cuisine, which added a personal touch to the meal. She was friendly, attentive, patient, and never made us feel rushed, making the entire dining experience even more enjoyable. The Queso Fundido was absolutely incredible. It arrived at the table bubbling hot and perfectly melted. We paired it with corn tortillas, which complemented the rich, cheesy flavor perfectly. That was definitely the right choice! For my entrée, I ordered the Poblano Rajas Burrito, prepared suiza style. It was a unique dish that I enjoyed, although it wasn't what I would consider traditional Mexican cuisine. In hindsight, I would have skipped both the mushrooms and the potatoes. The potatoes, in particular, changed the overall flavor and took away from the more authentic experience I was expecting. The rice inside the burrito also wasn't traditional Mexican rice, but it was still flavorful and well prepared. Overall, I had a lovely meal at Fonda de Paula and look forward to returning to explore more of their vegetarian offerings. If you're in the area, I definitely recommend stopping by and giving them a try.

Ohhhh man amazing food this is real Mexican food and the best part was the guacamole :)…read more Service: super super no complaints. Food: I said it amazing Ambiance: love it music was great too.