Ambiance is nice, service is great and the food is very good. Nice place They have hundreds of bourbon brands and they make there own beer. They have charcuterie boards of all kinds you can mix and match Fun place to drink and dine! read more

Went to Hardware in North Aurora and came away with mixed feelings. The good: ambiance is great and the drinks were on point. Had the Marilyn saison and a solid dark beer. Bar program is strong. The short rib pot pie was a straight up winner. Rich, comforting, and not trying to be anything other than good food done right. The bone marrow lost me. Cooked well, but buried under too many microgreens and then oddly topped with tortilla chip strips. No smokiness either. It felt more confused than cohesive. Where it really started to miss was the overall approach. A lot of "the chef intends this..." type explanations. It ends up feeling like the food insists upon itself instead of just letting you enjoy it. That's the bigger issue. This place exists in a space where I don't think most people want to meet it. Not casual enough to relax, not refined enough to justify the performance. Bottom line: good drinks, great pot pie, but the experience tries a little too hard. read more

See all

Visited Hardware in North Aurora on Valentine's Day. We chose it because of the strong Google ratings. Reservations were definitely required that evening, but it was not a paid reservation, which was convenient. The location feels a bit tucked away and slightly dim from the outside, but once you enter, there's plenty of parking and the space is large and lively. The ambiance inside is warm and vibrant -- perfect for a special occasion like Valentine's Day. The food was fresh and flavorful. Since it was a busy holiday evening, there were a few small service hiccups. For example, when I requested a side of rice, the waitress initially said it wasn't possible, but after checking, they were able to accommodate it. There were also minor things like missing cutlery that we had to ask for, likely due to how busy it was. The bar menu is extensive -- especially if you enjoy cocktails or hard liquor, this is a great place. Mocktail options were limited, but I still found something I liked. We also asked the waitress to take a few Valentine's photos for us, and she kindly suggested some nice spots around the restaurant, which we appreciated. Overall, it was a lovely Valentine's evening with great ambiance, fresh food, and a lively vibe. read more

See all

This place is nice and has a lot of space. The food was good, but I think it was a bit overpriced for the quantity of food. Kids loved their mini burgers. My husband and I shared the Brisket and it was only two pieces of meat. Thought it was going to be more than that. The dinner rolls were pretty bland. Dessert was just ok, we got the hoho's. Bathrooms were weird, lady said it was all the doors when only one had the sign on it and they were very small. Our server was great. read more

Amazing dinner!! I had the goat curry which was new to the menu. My table mates had skirt steak, chicken roulade and seafood stew. Everyone loved their meals! You must try this restaurant! read more

See all

Hardware is definitely a place I would go back to. The meat and cheese platter was exceptional. We tried sheep's cheese and it's one of my top 5 cheeses to date. The whiskey selection is top tier! They had whiskey from every region imaginable. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and the Chefs recommendation was an experience. I love when a Chef directs you how to eat your meal! A must try! read more

First time there and we loved it!!! A bit pricey but it's ok with a good experience!! Great job! read more

Hardware - The burrata plate! - Gastropubs Near Me - North Aurora, Illinois

Friends recommended Hardware. The concept was appealing, and the reviews were mostly radiant, so we invited another couple, old friends who were visiting from Arizona. They enjoy gastropubs, so it seemed a good fit, and it was. We had a delightful experience. Great, friendly, efficient, and helpful server, many satisfying drink choices, and a diverse menu with something for everyone earned my five stars. I was excited to see a sazerac listed under cocktails since this is rarely the case. My short rib pot pie was one of the best I've had -- plenty of meat, tender but not mushy vegetables, and a well-seasoned cream sauce underneath a decent, crisp crust appealed to me on this somewhat coolish summer luncheon. The pie was also steamy hot, always a plus in my book. The two diners who ordered salads raved about the variety of greens which clearly came from the restaurant's vast gardens. Two of us sampled the beers and found them resplendent with a nice, hoppy tang. We will return. Thank you for keeping a small carbon footprint. read more

Hardware - Gastropubs Near Me - North Aurora, Illinois

Got some great beers and food from this brewery in North Aurora. Hardware is known for a lot more than drinking, and there's plenty of visitors who simply are eating. It for certain isn't a surprise things get pricy. A crap ton of things to choose from. There's a lot of burgers and meaty items, but also salads. Checked out the menu and picked out a few items but we had to look over everything first. It's got tons of beers obviously. There's also crap tons of whiskeys. A lot going on in here. The beers are what we came for though. It's about $8 a pint. That's kind of a lot but not that bad for a microbrewery it seems. Best one of these we had was the Wild Bill Double IPA. This is made with cascade and chinook hops, and has a slightly sweet citrus finish when you mix it all together. It's about $12 or more for the salad entrees. We each got the Quinoa Salad. Certainly a lot came on it. Plenty to have for meals. This has avocados, Brussels sprouts, green chickpeas, onions, strawberries, and walnuts. Meaty for the rest of the food items. There's charcuterie along with fish and other things. Has plenty of great beers or other cocktails along with some great food and eats. It's closed Mondays. This is located on Orchard across from Woodman's. read more

Hardware - Wild Bill Double IPA And Quinoa Salad - Gastropubs Near Me - North Aurora, Illinois

How have I never reviewed before? This was probably my 10th visit. Katie made our experience absolutely wonderful. It was a beautiful night and we were early for our reservation so we opted for first available. We were seated inside and the volume, temperature, ambience were 10/10. The food absolutely blew us away (like always), the cocktails were fantastic, and save room for the Ho Hos. read more

Visited today for a weekday lunch for the first time and will be doing it again. The menu changed up a little. More sandwiches. My husband had the jammin grilled cheese, and I had the DELICIOUS gyro. This is not your typical Chicago fast food gyro - well seasoned with both lamb and sausage. Freshly made pita. Yum! read more

See all

Let me preface this review that I'm a foodie and work in the restaurant/food industry. Been there 3 times in the past 9 months all 3 meals I had were absolutely atrocious. I take it they're trying to be different/eccentric/funky and they do not come close to pulling it off. All 3 dishes had odd seasoning and were completely unbalanced in the flavor profile. My friend ordered the brisket special and when it came to the table and the server left he immediately said "This looks exactly like a piece of shoe leather". Later he confirmed the taste and texture matched it. I ordered the bison burger with cheddar. I've had bison many times before and I do like bison, but this was beyond gamey. The aged cheddar cheese just made it worse. The smashed and fried potatoes that came with the burger was also horrible. Not to mention our server who gave us extremely poor service. It took us 35 minutes to close out our check. When we left all my friends at the table said "My food was so bad I will never eat there again". It's too bad too because the restaurant and atmosphere is super cool. My suggestion to them is find a new chef. read more

This is my second time visiting Hardware. Food was amazing. Great service. Loved the house made linguini. Must try restaurant. read more

See all

Food and service Food was delicious and the service was great. Very attentive to my needs since was in a wheelchair. Great martini read more

My wife and I stopped by this place to have a drink while we waited for our takeout food. Megan the bartender was completely awesome. Megan talked up one of her favorite bourbons from Kentucky which I thought was incredible. read more

See all

We've had several wonderful meals at Hardware. They have menus that are frequently updated with lots of specials based on sustainability and what is in season. We've enjoyed several cocktails including the Tennesee Flyover, the barrel aged Manhattan, and a seasonal cocktail for the holidays. I love a good charcuterie board- and their's is delicious. Lots of outdoor seating when the weather is nice, but also great atmosphere indoors. The service has been excellent every time we've been- and I would highly recommend reservations as it can get busy. We will absolutely be back- and they have other restaurants we want to try as well! read more

For those who don't know - Hardware is a sustainable pub. They grow so much on their property and use that in all their dishes. You can definitely tell, too. Stopped here for lunch earlier this week and got to enjoy sitting outside in their large patio. Highly recommend the patio for everyone. For entrees - we got the BLT and the Brisket Sandwich. I really enjoyed my BLT and brought half home - it is that large. Most of the ingredients (if not all) were made in house and you can really tell. The side salad with it was delicious - with a mustard vinaigrette. My husband was less impressed with his brisket but still brought half home for leftovers. He did love the smashed potatoes that came with it as a side. He felt the brisket sandwich (at $30) was quite pricy for lunch. I would recommend the place - as I thought the options were substantial and I liked the freshness of the ingredients. read more

LOVE Hardware! This Gastropub is also a farm to table dining spot. Their specialties are smoked meats as well as having a good whiskey selection. So large it fills up two walls worth! My fiancé and I stopped in for Sunday Brunch. Most people sat outside in either the screened in porch or shaded patio. We decided to dine inside to take in all the cool design elements. Our waiter, Donnie, was great at making recommendations and telling us a bit about the decor. All wood was hand charred to be on theme. We started with the house-made cinnamon roll which had fresh dough cooked when ordered. It tasted more like a sticky bun but I was not mad. For entrees, I got the Avocado & Burrata Toast. This had all fresh ingredients that played off each other in a surprising way. My fiancé had the skillet which he loved!! Pricing was fair to portion sizes, quality, and taste. So happy to have been passing through the area to visit an old favorite of mine! read more

See all

In an unusual Yelper move, I did NOT do preliminary research on Hardware before dining here. I went in cold to a surprise post engagement dinner for my cousin's fiancee. I was not disappointed at my cousin's choice. When I arrived, I was warmly greeted and seated in a private room - perfect for the size of the party (25 people). I loved the decor. - lots of repurposed materials - which is right up my eco-friendly alley. There were high tables which I like, but slightly challenging for the elderly peeps in my group. Jason, our server, was awesome. He immediately gave my boyfriend and I the rundown on drinks. I started with a smokey old fashioned with Basil Hadyn, which also had a cinnamon stick in it. Highly recommend! The menu had a lot of options. I kept changing my mind! Jason was helpful in giving us some recommendations and telling us about his faves. We settled on the appetizer of Teriyaki bacon served on top of watermelon. It was thick cut and was very tasty. It reminded me a little bit of a Spanish/Filipino cured pork shoulder called Tocino. I ordered the Brisket - delicious, tender, and smoked to perfection. Paired with buttery mashed potatoes, how could you go wrong? My boyfriend had the Fish and Chip. I had a bite of the fish - it tasted fresh and had the perfect amount of breading. At the end, I had a coffee - just a little weak for me - but I am a serious coffee drinker... Overall, I enjoyed my experience. I like the vibe of this place and their mission. If I am ever in this area again, I will definitely put this place on my itinerary! read more

See all

Awesome place, great atmosphere and amazing food. It's a bit off the beaten path but worth it for a memorable dining experience. Give Hardware a try, you will not be disappointed. read more

service was great here!! waiter was super attentive and it was clear how much care goes into everything. got to sit on the gorgeous patio, but the star of this experience was something unexpected. if you go here please try the smoked salmon charcuterie plate. my partner and i haven't been able to stop thinking about, and i'm close to calling hardware up and asking for the recipe. loved it!!! will definitely be back soon! read more

First visit was excellent all around. We dined outside. Second visit they seemed low on personnel - we also dined outside. Service on this visit was friendly but spotty. Food was good both times. Will try again. read more

My wife and I celebrated our anniversary here last night after making reservations on OpenTable. We were warmly greeted by the host who acknowledged our event and seated us in the back overlooking the brew room, very nice. It was my first visit to your restaurant though my wife has been here before with friends. Chad was our server. He pleasantly explained the drink and dining menus and took good care of us all evening. My bride had her favorite drink, The French Martini, and you guys nailed it for her! I was very happy with the 2025 Pils. Dinner was amazing, Skirt steak for her, brisket for me with Yukon potatoes following salads for both of us. The quality and taste of the food was great and makes us want to come back and sample other dishes. We received great service and a nice complimentary glass of champagne (with Ho-Ho's) to finish our celebration. At the end of the evening we received a big surprise when Chad came over with news that we had no bill to pay as my wife's daughter and her husband had secretly called to pay the tab! So thoughtful of them to treat us and to top off a memorable meal and milestone in our lives. read more

Someone has to tell you about this place because there is absolutely no way you stumble upon it. Ample parking. There is a stop sign at Deerpath and Tanner. I strongly suggest you exit this way or risk an accident. Since most ingredients are grown on the property can you offer a salad with tomatoes? cucumbers? peppers? radishes? carrots? Something other than just lettuce. The tacos were delicious. The pineapple pico was something new for me and I totally enjoyed it. Choice of tortilla type would be nice. Is it still a taco if you remove the ingredients from the tortilla? I had the brisket as my entree. So tender, no knife required. Mashed potatoes ~ yummy. When I commented on the corn relish to our server, he responded that no one likes it. So why not change it? We enjoyed being seated on the patio. We were told they enclose it over winter ~ but I would think it would still be rather uncomfortable. I can't enjoy my meal if I am cold. Highly recommend. read more

We elected to do the Mother's Day brunch. We had a LARGE group of people, as our party was 14, which included 3 children. Poor planning on our part, but in making the reservation, probably should've mentioned that we would require low tables rather than high tops. Regarding the food.... if you ever have an opportunity to go to Hardware when they are rolling out their buffet, do it. They had so much incredible food, I lost track. The brisket was incredible. It literally melted in my mouth. The charcuterie that we usually order as an appetizer was also available, and it never disappoints. Hardware was SLAMMED on Mother's Day, and I will admit, our server had some delays; however, it certainly wasn't due to lack of effort. The food here is phenomenal. Yeah, it's a bit pricey, but believe me, you will enjoy every bite. read more

5 stars for the great service. Our server was excellent. We sat in the outside, basically, tent. Soooooo cold. You really shouldn't have to keep your coat on while eating dinner. We were with friends, so stayed put. We were a couple of tables away from the fireplace, so we survived. Another couple at a different table asked to be moved because they were freezing. I won't do that again. Seeing the fireplace gave me false security. I asked the server for a recommendation between the Steak & Egg Salad and the Chicken Roulade. She said if it was summer, she would get the salad when all the greens were grown there. She recommended the chicken. The Chicken Roulade is described as: Rolled Chicken breast stuffed with smoked chicken chorizo, sweet & savory cornbread stuffing, honey butter, corn relish, chicken gravy, garden pepper escabeche, micro cilantro . It was okay. I think it was too sweet and, unfortunately, my chicken was dry. Thank goodness I had a drink to wash it down. My husband got the brisket. Which he said was not good. He said he smokes a better brisket than that. Bummer. Our plain starter Green House Salad was good though. The topper was the Spiced Sticky Pudding. Here is the description: Spiced gluten free date cake, Molasses caramel sauce, Rum raisins, Coconut ice cream. I took one bite and was hit with the most bitter, unappealing taste. It was the worst dessert I have had in decades. I assume that they did something bad with the Rum raisins. I had my friend try it and the response was "Eww'. The waitress was kind enough to remove it from our bill. I wanted to like it here. If someone wants to go, I will try it again, but it won't be my choice. read more

Celebrated my friend's birthday at Hardware tonight, it's one of her favorites and I can most definitely see why! Staff is so warming and welcoming, the ambiance has such a soft glow! I can't wait to celebrate my birthday there this summer! Delicious all the way around!!!! This place needs to be talked about more!!!!!!! read more

This is a one of a king great local establishment. The drinks were outstanding, the appetizer was amazing. Service was excellent, only down side was the tenderloin was significantly overcooked. The atmosphere is great for couple or social event read more

See all

First time ever at Hardware, and boy what a treat! Great night so we decided to have dinner on the patio. Charming spot, very clean. Service is impeccable from the host to the servers! Food was unbelievable. Extra fresh (farm to table is amazing), so flavorful and delightful. I had one of the mocktails and it was very refreshing! We shared a charcuterie board as an appetizer (they smoke the meats in house), then my friend had the fish and chips (one of the best I've ever tried) and I got the Bison burger (so good, and cooked perfectly)! Both dishes served with small fried potatoes. Just wow! We were just too full to try dessert. Maybe another time! read more

See all

What a hidden gem! We were doing a long road trip and came across this restaurant on our way, and this was such a surprisingly amazing find! The food is gastropub vibe, service was 8/10 but I'd say overall experience is a 4.5/5 (-0.5 only because of service). Perfect for small or big groups. Not too noisy. Highly recommend the octopus!! read more

Hardware - Fish and chips Brisket taco - Gastropubs Near Me - North Aurora, Illinois

See all

Love the great ambiance. I very much enjoyed their charcuterie board and smoke gouda tart salad. My kids absolutely love their BBQ pork sliders. The server made us feel like we were their only customers even though it was busy. We never had to ask for anything else, and they always kept an eye on us. I had a very happy experience and will definitely be back soon. read more

Another great dinner with my Person. We order Le Pig Mac Smoked pork shoulder, hardware sauce, greens, white american cheese, pickles, shaved onions on a brioche bun And short rib pot pie. Both excellent choices read more

See all

Friendly service and what a great place I found by chance while charging my car. Delicious food with everything pretty much being homemade and grown on site. read more

I went to Hardware for my first time this evening and was honestly blown away! The food was fantastic, the atmosphere was great, and the service was also very good as well. We started off our meal with the Baked Goat Cheese and Fried Brussel Sprouts which both were very tasty. I also could not write this review without mentioning the butter that is served with the bread is some of the best butter I've ever consumed in my life so make sure to grab some. For my main dish, I ordered the House Made Ravioli which I very much enjoyed. For dessert, we ordered the Ho Ho's and the Strawberry Shortcake and WOW! Very happy I did not pass up on dessert because both were some of the best desserts I've had. Overall, I am so pleased with my first experience at Hardware and can't wait to come back again! read more

See all

We've been going to Turf Room and Saddle Room for years (same owners for Hardware) and finally had a chance to have a date night here. Amazing food, amazing drinks, amazing service. Had a Manhattan and the Hardware Sangria to start. Charcuterie board (1 meat/1 cheese) was perfect as a starter. We had the Waygu steak and skirt steak as entrees. All in all, I would definitely go back to Hardware again. Beautiful bar, awesome patio. read more

Hardware - Charcuterie Board - 1 meat/1 cheese, you pick. - Gastropubs Near Me - North Aurora, Illinois

Hardware is incredible! I was so happy to find this place while doing a work visit, and my work guest who lives in the area was going to recommend it, as he and his wife are regulars. Met for lunch on the patio and it's gorgeously shaded, with herb gardens all around, some shaded by strings of hops. My bison burger with five year cheddar was great! I'm a craft beer drinker but was on work travel, so no drinking for me. I love their hop garden and sustainable vibe. I can't wait to return for dinner and to try their beer menu, as well! read more

See all

First time here. (I've been to The Turf room). Started at the bar with a cocktail. My brother, sister-in-law & I shared 6 appetizers and each had 2 drinks food was amazing! My "Figgin Awesome" cocktail was one of the best cocktails I've ever had. Service was average and outside dining was lovely. read more

See all

Mind blowing Beef Brisket tacos! Very tasty warm, fresh herbs pickled beets aoli Dressing yum! read more

Hardware - Beef Brisket Tacos (4) - Gastropubs Near Me - North Aurora, Illinois

Excellent food all round and a wonderful experience will be back next visit The beer flight was brilliant and wonderful addition to the evening. read more

We've always dug Hardware, great service and menu, huge fan of the app steamer pot (frankly I could just eat that as a main dish and be completely happy). Very casual relaxed atmosphere. They have quite a monstrous selection of bourbons and whiskeys (the wall-o-booze as we've affectionately come to call it) so take your time and ask questions, they're knowledgeable about them! They're very big on the whole farm to table theme so they source a lot of produce from local growers if it's not grown on premises themselves! The only thing we're not a fan of is when they're done the brunches for say Mother's Day, the food is ok but I swear, the one thing that just turned me off was I asked our server for a spoon once and he came back and told me they didn't have spoons and brought me another fork...thanks genius. read more