This place was amazing. Outside they have gardens where they grow their own produce. I had a beef short rib sandwich with mashed potatoes. I was only able to eat about half of it. It was made with Texas toast and was a bit too much bread. I had a bit of my sister's sticky chicken and it was really delicious, would have been better with some rice. Everyone in our party really enjoyed everything they ordered. read more

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My sister is a Chicago girlie who moved to the suburbs and says this is her favorite place in the Naperville area. As we got seated, a plate that passed by caught my mom's eye, which turned out to be a piece of deep-fried teriyaki bacon on top of a compressed watermelon. It is a savory and sweet combination that made me want to cry tears of happiness. Also inspiring, because this would be a great dish to impress some people with if I wanted to attempt it at home. The House Made Linguine Ragu had an inch-diced carrot in it which honestly, I felt like the carrot was the showstopping flavor in this pasta dish. It added this lovely breather element and airiness to the dish combined with the richness of the duck leg, red wine, and tomatoes. I love that Hardware clearly makes their own rules when it comes to the menu and surprises you with new ideas in common dishes. I want to return to this place in summer to experience it in full bloom with its plant wall on the outside and learn more about how objects are repurposed throughout the restaurant. Last thing, the beer was delicious - I suggest the Soul Shaker Belgian Tripel! read more

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The goat cheese appetizer was probably the best thing I had and was something I wouldn't normally order but would highly recommend! The entrees were good nothing that made me go crazy but my friend loveeeeedddd the sticky chicken which is pretty much there version of orange chicken (please give me some rice with this. It would have made it perfect for me) the pork belly dessert was missing something but definitely a unique dessert you don't see at every restaurant. The staff were super nice and very knowledgeable. The dining areas was very relaxing. Make sure you wear plaid it's a thing here ;) read more

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Sat at the bar. Bartender was attentive and gave great recommendations. Food was fresh and loved seeing them grow a lot of their own produce. read more

Food is amazing. The ragu is incredible! Wonderful backstory to the design and features of this gorgeous restaurant. My favorite place to dine in all of the western suburbs. When I'm visiting family they know I must visit 3x or so a week! Great drinks as well. My last visit we had the spicy goat cheese ice cream - delicious. I would give 10 stars if able. read more

We Loved the food loved the whiskey selection The Hardware is decorated beautifully Food great ambiance great whiskey great 5 stars read more

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awesome good, prices aren't too high. service was good. got a little busy at the end waiting for our check and to pay is all. i'd definitely go back and try some other menu items. the ice cream was excellent too but i didn't get a picture of that. read more

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Went yesterday for lunch. It was a beautiful day so we sat outside on their patio area. Service was efficient and friendly which added to the ambience. Food was great. We loved everything: read more

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We met a friend at Hardware for dinner. The staff was very helpful and the atmosphere was causal. The food was delicious and each dish had a unique spin. We started with the backed goat cheese with jalapeño jam, caramelized onion, balsamic dates and olives, served with ciabatta. The cheese was creamy and flavorful and the ciabatta was grilled yet soft. The soft texture was a nice change from the typical crunchy version. The Korean pork belly fried rice included a delicious duck egg served sunny side up, generous portions of pork belly, avocado, and and a pickled watermelon rind. I typically like pickled watermelon rind yet this version seemed to contrast with the with the flavors of the dish. We were there on a weekday and the noise level was very high. It was not only difficult to hear each other but even our server. The majority of the seating are tables or high tops versus booths and some of the tables seemed close together which made it even harder to hear. Though the menu was interesting and the concept of food to table is valued, the noise level alone made the experience less than enjoyable. read more

Hardware - Korean pork fried rice (4/5) - Gastropubs Near Me - North Aurora, Illinois

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I love trying new restaurants so this year for my birthday I decided on Hardware. I made reservations a few days earlier for the patio and the weather ended up being perfect that evening. The patio had plenty of tables and shaded areas. Our meal started with some complimentary dinner rolls which were great. We also tried the goat cheese appetizer. We didn't realize it had jalapeños in it but that was our mistake. I ordered the brisket tacos as my meal. It came with 4 small tacos which felt like plenty. The brisket tasted SO good and fresh and the toppings on each taco paired so well with the meat. Since it was my birthday they brought me a complementary dessert which ended up being the ho-ho cake. It was perfect for a little tasting and wasn't too sweet. Overall a great place to spend my birthday! read more

Hardware - Brisket Tacos - Gastropubs Near Me - North Aurora, Illinois

Wonderful and delicious family gathering to celebrate a milestone birthday. The staff was accommodating and knowledgeable

My friends and I chose Hardware for Easter Brunch. There were 3 tables: cold buffet, hot buffet (with carving station) and the dessert buffet! Even if we stayed for 12 hours, there's no way we could have eaten everything. This buffet was not your average "bacon eggs pancakes". There was pulled pork, smoked ham and beef brisket on a carving station. The "cold table" was a full on charcuterie presentation with over ten different cheeses and cured salamis. The wagyu salami was the smoothest bite! Shrimp cocktail and shrimp ceviche! They offered a few options of eggs: spinach frittata and breakfast Mac and cheese. $40/person was well worth it! We were so pleased with the flow of everything despite the restaurant being crowded for Easter brunch. There was never anything missing or messy- plenty of staff were there to help! We did wish there were some coffee options as our reservation was for 10am. Mostly booze which I get, but I'm not ordering that with my grandparents;) We already planned on coming back next year for their brunch! Perhaps our new tradition! read more

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Second time here and once again this place was great. The charcuterie is really good. The old fashion that is smoky and that has cinnamon was so good. Brussel sprouts were a good appetizer, baked goat cheese very good . The red curry mussels were delicious . I wasn't a huge fan of the salmon tartare though. The hoho dessert was a perfect level of sweetness- made me feel like a kid again. Mango dessert was good but very citrusy. read more

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Sat at the bar, party of two. Jason, fabulous bartender, busy mixing and pouring our entire visit. He managed to squeeze in a little chit chat while tending to orders. If you like a short review, this place was one we said we would visit again. If you prefer a little more of a review, the atmosphere was upbeat, some music and an environment that was relaxed. Some of the scenery can also be found in a beverage or dish of food! Loved this! I felt there were enough choices to make most tastebuds happy. We enjoyed everything we tried and I have no doubt, on the off chance we wouldn't have, we would have been cared for appropriately. If you enjoy bourbon, around 700 varieties! I cannot speak to the beer on this review. Maybe I will share that next time! read more

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Stopped by on our way home from Chicago, and SO GLAD we did! It's a great space with a wonderful concept, and my meal (chicken roulade) was deliciously memorable! Highly recommend! read more

Hardware - Wall of greens! - Gastropubs Near Me - North Aurora, Illinois

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The food was decent but it definitely wasn't worth the price. Way too expensive for what you get.

We visited tonight since our original plans were canceled. We had reservations and we were seated right away. Atmosphere was nice even though we were sitting in the 3 season porch area. Appetizer was good. Entree's, not so much. Short rib pot pie was mostly a biscuit crust with an inch of filling. The filling contained white and sweet potatoes, some celery and an ounce or two of beef. The vegetables were raw and there's nothing pleasurable about eating raw sweet potatoes. There was nothing served alongside, not even a little green salad. Hubby ordered their chicken roulade and the portion was extremely small. Chicken was dry. It was accompanied by a stuffing log at least 3 times the size of the chicken. Flavors were ok but unfortunately we've been getting reminded of them all evening. (Iykyk). We may try this place again and just get a sandwich. The neighboring table had the bison burger and it looked ambit she took 3/4 of it home so maybe it wasn't as good as it looked. read more

Good service, good food. Liked the ambiance. Will definitely come back some time. Would be a great date night place.

First time here and cannot wait to return next time I am in town. Kyle was our server, and he was superb. Made our experience even better. Although everyone was truly great, he was a standout. Burrata of the day was unlike anything I've ever had and out of this world. read more

Fantastic food with great service! We had not visited the restaurant in years, and thought we should give it a shot. The menu is very interesting, and didn't disappoint. My only complaint: the 2.8% "admin fee" to supposedly increase the worker's pay? This is objectionable. This is the only restaurant in the Fox Valley that doesn't pay their staff enough without our additional support? BS. I simply reduced the server's tip by that amount. The management should eliminate it immediately. Is this San Francisco? Five stars otherwise. read more

One of our favorite restaurants. Fantastic food and drinks. Nothing beats sitting out on their patio at night in the summer.

Visited Hardware for the first time last night. Was very pleased with the food and drinks. Started with a Brown Mule and my girlfriend got Figgin Awesome. Both very good. My girlfriend does not drink whiskey/bourbon but she enjoyed the drink so much she got a second one. For food we started with the Brussels sprouts and Burrata. Both were good. Entrees I got the Bison Burger which was very tasty. One of the better burgers to get in the area. The golden potatoes on the side were also good. My girlfriend got the Wagyu steak which she really enjoyed. Other members of the table got the Bison Burger as well. Also the ravioli, which they both enjoyed. Overall a great dining experience. Nice to know they try to grow as much of their food as possible in house. Will like to return in the summer to sit outside on their patio. read more

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Food and Service were outstanding for our 3 month olds baptismal dinner, until the very end. We did bring our own white cupcakes for our party of 15. Unfortunately everything went down hill when they insisted on charging a $1 per person cake cutting fee? Despite our bill being $728, plus a $150 tip. Even after speaking to the manager Chris. Spending $878 here and demanding their $15 cake cutting fee. Pathetic. Small mindedness at its best. read more

Been here a few times now for lunch and after work drinks and no surprise every trip has been very good. It's not a WOW this place is outstanding can only afford it for anniversary birthdays only or eat here everyday but if I lived closer, it would be in the cycle for at least 3-5 meals a month and drinks once a week! Great food fresh, new daily special, great desserts, such a cool vibe/atmosphere and the drinks...yes please! Great staff and the lunch bartenders know their stuff! Gotta check this place out especially if your passing by on 88 read more

Awful experience, will never go back. We had a group of 8 people spent over $500. Reservations at 7pm and were kicked out at 9pm because we were told we had too much to drink. Have never been kicked out of a restaurant in my life. Will never go back. read more

Unique experience for us. We were visiting for a night and wanted to find a cool experience and place to eat. We found Hardware! What a good experience as we learned that many of the foods served are locally sourced right on site. My husband and I enjoyed our food and drinks. Our service was good, but at times it felt like we were inconveniencing the waiter from talking with "regulars." We would recommend! read more

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This is a pretty misleading restaurant theme. All the healthy and sustainable things they mention but the menu has all unhealthy things on it. Came for Sunday lunch and for some reason this is the only day they don't do a normal lunch menu. Ended up settling for for cheddar grilled cheese and it was made well but way too heavy and cheddary for me. When I was done I felt like I ate a whole block of straight sharp cheddar. We also waited over 45min for 2 grilled cheese sandwiches and they were served on old raggedy splintered wood plates. Totally unsanitary if you ask me. read more

Hardware - This is not a plate to lay cooked food directly on. - Gastropubs Near Me - North Aurora, Illinois

How have I never heard of this place. It absolutely screams "Check Please" as it is an experience as much as it is a meal. We were taken care of by Margarita who not only was warm and welcoming, she shared so much about the interesting things that make Hardware what it is. Our food was exceptional. Their greens are largely grown on site. So, I can't imagine a salad more fresh. The spent grain from their brewery goes into their homemade baked goods.... Including dog biscuits they sent with us for our pups at home. I could not recommend more highly. read more

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What a great experience thanks to our fabulous server, Margarita. We tried the Gooda Tart salad, tacos and ravioli and each were amazing. I also enjoyed the Flower Child drink. Pleasing vibe and decor. read more

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We had a late lunch here the day before our son's graduation from Aurora University and we were not disappointed! There were four of us and we all enjoyed our cocktails and lunch. We were in between meal hours so there weren't many people in the restaurant at the time, as a result service was great. It was a chilly day so we ate inside but I could see how a summer dinner on the patio would be nice. We liked it so much we went back again on Sunday for lunch - we all had something in mind we wanted to try. We were disappointed however because on Sundays they do not serve the lunch menu - brunch menu until 2pm and then dinner only. We made it work but next time will plan accordingly. (The brisket tacos and the cinnamon rolls were simply amazing!). I didn't like being charged an admin fee and I think it is a little pricy but it's a great spot so we will be back when we visit again. read more

Been wanting to try this place for awhile. Love, love love the concept of everything here. Sustainable, repurposed, grown on site Goat cheese app.. winner Brisket tacos definitely Drinks were spot on also. Cinnamon old fashioned was a def win for me! read more

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First time dining experience at Hardware and would definitely repeat. Enjoyed the full experience - ambiance is cozy and crowd noise was lively on Friday night when I dined. Service was very attentive. First thing that impressed me was the list of 500 whiskeys from around the world. Craft beers and inventive cocktails. Brown mule was tasty and my wife tried the sweet and refreshing "figgin' awesome". Had a lager beer that was very much like a Belgian Chimay . Appetizers - we sampled the burrata, poutine and teriyaki bacon (house smoked). All we outstanding - poutine was a creative interpretation in a cast iron pot rather than the traditional fries and gravy on a plate. Greenhouse salad was a standout. The menu has great options for carnivores and vegans alike. My son had the wagyu and it was delicious. I had the Manhattan New York Strip. Huge cut of beef and very juicy! Mountain of potatoes.. my wife had the brisket. She liked it but would have preferred the bbq sauce on the side. We rolled out of there without dessert but the Ho Ho's looked very tempting. read more

I'm giving Hardware 4.5*. We had lunch with friends on a recent Saturday on our first visit, and though t's a bit out of the way for us, it was worth the drive... VIBE: Nice looking room -- wood tones, vaulted ceilings, very airy. Lighting was good near the window where we sat, but dimmer further in. Conversational noise from adjacent tables was annoying, but diminished as other diners left. Between the lighting and the noise, I'm not sure I'd like the ambiance at night. SERVICE: We were in no hurry, and let our server know. Server was cordial and attentive. Food came at a perfect leisurely pace, so we had time to visit. FOOD: Impressive menu - creative, appealing dishes with interesting flavor combos. Fresh, tasty ingredients. Good cooking, nice presentation. We were pleased, as were our friends. A simple green house salad was fresh & delicious. Poutine was a novel combo featuring Yukes, Italian sausage and pickled peppers - yum. Fish & chips was also a novel dish with swordfish over smashed fried Yukes, apples and radishes - the fish was fried a bit too hard, but it was delectable anyway. Le Pig Mac was a witty take on a Big Mac, featuring pork shoulder, shaved onion, cheese, lettuce, cheese, etc on a soft bun - nice. Since this is also a brewery, I was eager to try a few beers. I'm usually underwhelmed by local brewpub offerings, but these were quite good. Saison Marilyn was a hearty farmhouse ale with notes of pepper and orange. Two IPAs - Uncle Joe's and Wild Bill Double - both had a nice balance of malt and hops (unlike most IPAs, which are too hoppy for me) and citrus notes, with the latter ale being a bit heartier. I was impressed. Distance notwithstanding, I certainly intend to return for future lunches. The menu and cooking were excellent - as good as or better than most Chicago restaurant I dine at... read more

We showed up with our little dachshund and were told very dismissively that dogs are not allowed. When asking whether we could sit on the patio, as we do in 99% of places we go, with the dog in hi stroller, we were turned down even more summarily. Very bad experience! Strongly not recommended! read more

We visited Hardware for our New Year's Eve dinner and absolutely loved it! I loved the whole sustainability aspect of the restaurant. Our group had a couple of beers and cocktails. Everything delicious! We also loved the red curry mussels and petite wings - both were some of the best! For the main course we had - spicy sticky chicken - was good but not spicy for me, fish and chips - delicious, the roast potatoes were delicious, ravioli- never had better ravioli than this, chicken roulade - the cornbread stuffing was so unique and delicious. And our waitress was sweet and friendly. Will be back to try other things! read more

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1st visit and was impressed by the greens growing room & hops field. I will be interested to see if the menu changes seasonally. read more

Hardware - Dining next to the greens:) - Gastropubs Near Me - North Aurora, Illinois

Came up to Aurora to have a day to myself and stopped at Hardware. Best food I have had in a very long time. The staff is kind and caring. Food is delicious. Definitely will be back. read more

We've eaten there 4 times in the past two months. The food is great but please change the music you hipsters! We're so tired of the same playlist over and over. Nobody likes the, "We're gonna die young!" song. read more

What's not to like about a place that grows its own food??salads amazingly fresh! Staff was attentive but not too much so. The only thing I would have liked differently was there was a lot going on in each dish, it was almost too much. Maybe I could have ordered better. But I really love roasted beets and goat cheese salad. And this was nicely done. I got another salad and shared another with my sister. Would recommend!! read more

I absolutely loved Hardware and would recommend to everyone! We dined outside in the evening and it was a beautiful environment. You're able to see their home grown produce and they strive in using it to increase their flavor in menu items. Everyone is very welcoming as well! We went with another couple and everyone enjoyed their meals. The only thing I would mention is that sometimes their spice is strong so if you don't like anything hot make sure to ask questions. Both the ravioli and goat cheese appetizer had a kick to them! read more

Hardware - Baked Goat Cheese Appetizer - Gastropubs Near Me - North Aurora, Illinois

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