Stopped by this past Sunday to do what we often do, order something to drink and quick bite while…read moresitting at the bar. It's one of our favorite spots, second to the outdoor patio. Conversations with the staff and occasionally the customers seems to just flow naturally. Has a Cheers feel where familiar faces meets welcoming atmosphere. Sydney, server and bartender, recently introduced a new set of cocktails. Adventurous as I am, I had to try the Campfire (I think that's what it's called). Made with Scotch and a hand toasted marshmallow (see pic), it was smooth and smoky (though no smoke is involved), capturing the essence of a campfire and S'mores. Easily a new favorite. Awesome Sydney!!!!!! My wife wasn't too hungry, but I ordered the Chicago Chopped Cheese from the specials menu (see pic). Surprisingly good and didn't expected the style. Chef Mark is on a role lately, as I have tried all but one of the specials. Keep it going. Be back soon!

The girls still love to have our girls night out dinner at Village Vintner. We have been back a…read morecouple times since my first review. Service is still great. The last time we went, it was pretty early and it was quiet. Food is always very good; I still don't drink wine, so I still cannot comment on it, but the iced tea was lovely the last time I was there.

What a nice time. We met friends at the Wild Onion - haven't been there is probably 20 years or…read moremore. It looks very much the same - there is a bar in front with stools around the bar and high top tables. The restaurant is in the back. They have a nice menu with lots of variety and some gluten-free options. Our server came by the table right away to take our drink orders. I ordered a vodka martini - what the bartender made was something called a French martini - I sent it back and they brought me what I'd originally ordered. It was very good. I read through many of the reviews before ordering. My usual at a place like this is a hamburger. But the reviews were very mixed so I decided I would try the Bourbon Chicken Sandwich with tater tots. My partner had a Reuben made with turkey (a Rachel - not on the menu) and sweet potato fries. My Bourbon Chicken was really good. In fact, I recommend it. The Rachel was also very good. The sweet potato fries were outstanding. The tots were okay. It's very rustic in the dining room, which fits very well with their menu. It's also very large. The service was outstanding. And, it was pretty quiet in the dining room so the five of us could have good conversations without having to yell.

My cousin got married at Wild Onion, and the banquet space itself is absolutely beautiful. The main…read morereception hall features a large stone window behind the wedding party table, and there is a patio just outside that overlooks the water, which makes for a gorgeous setting. While Wild Onion is clearly a great venue for events, it is also a restaurant and brewery, so I am focusing this review more on the food and dining experience. We ate here for my cousin's wedding rehearsal dinner and were seated in a red carpeted room connected to the main reception hall. Unfortunately, this space felt out of place compared to the rest of the venue. It did not match the elegant vibe of the main hall and was a bit dark and dingy, which was somewhat off-putting at first. Service-wise, our waitress was wonderful. She was sweet, personable, and had a fun, upbeat personality that helped improve the overall experience right at the beginning. For my meal, I ordered the Kickin' Chicken Sandwich ($17). It is a hand-breaded chicken breast topped with honey garlic sauce, pepper jack cheese, bacon, chipotle mayo, and fried jalapenos. The sandwich had a really nice balance of flavors and was easy to eat, but despite the name, it was not spicy at all. I enjoyed it, though I did find the portion a bit small, and it did not fill me up. I chose cheese curds as my side, and those were a highlight. They were crispy, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. Also, because I am currently pregnant, I had an absolutely delicious mocktail. I sadly don't remember the name of the one I ordered, but I am here to say that it had a good balance of flavors. Overall, Wild Onion has a large menu with a wide variety of options, along with many different side choices, some for an additional charge. There truly is something for everyone. While the rehearsal dinner space itself was not ideal, the food, service, and overall selection still made for a positive experience.

Super delicious sandwiches. Absolutely outstanding…read more I had the roast beef au jus on onion roll with potato salad. Incredibly tender and savory. The potato salad was creamy and so satisfying. Beer. Period. Here. Period.

Phase 1: Get to the parking lot. Phase 2: Find the entrance (it's in the back of the building)…read more Phase 3: Go in and enjoy tasty beer! It's warm, brightly lit, and welcoming inside. They have a nice variety of beers, and I really enjoyed their selection of darker ales. Inside seating is limited to some seats at the bar and a few tables, but there's more space outside in nicer weather. There's also 2 additional bathrooms beyond the one in the main area, down the hall. It's a good place for small to medium sized groups to get together for drinks and conversation.

A surprise find. Walked in expecting nothing. Mallory was working and was great. Friendly, full of…read moreknowledge, and a musician. She made our experience Great. Solid gins and bourbons. The small batch was exceptional. Very cool back room.

We came in for the tour on a Sunday and it turned out to be a private tour with Amanda. The tour…read morewas more of a conversation and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Amanda's energy and passion was outstanding. The tour was about 45 minutes and includes a tasting flight. Since I do not drink bourbon, they allowed my to substitute a drink. There were so many options that I was interested in trying, but after discussing what I like with Amanda, she suggested the Lavender Haze. The lavender syrup is made in house and was sweet, with a floral taste . The drink was excellent. They have open mic nights and live music. They are expanding into the adjacent space in the next few months. It was interesting to hear all of the logistics involved in moving equipment into the new space. We will be back !

Most rural beer enthusiasts would kill to get such a high quality local store. My FIL lives south…read moreof Marengo and I always stop by when in town to grab a few Three Floyds and other upper Midwest products. Always a trip highlight.

Great selection of micro brewery beers since expanding.read more

When I moved to Huntley, I was sorely disappointed to say goodbye to my old liquor store. I had a…read moregood relationship with the owner and it killed me to leave that behind. What I didn't know was I would find another store that would be equally great. The guys are always friendly and helpful. If they're able, they'll even order per your request. Yeah, they're a little on the high side of price, but I'll pay a little more for good, friendly service. The craft and micro brew selection at this store is better than most. At my old store, it was always a rare treat to find some new interesting beer. At this store, the treats are never ending. Even if the beer I've been waiting for hasn't yet arrived, there's a ton of other amazing beers to give a try while waiting for the one I want to get there.

This Armanetti's is the best one around. The one on Algonquin blows. They have an excellent…read moreselection of craft beers, which is what I go for. They clearly have a lot to offer other than beer. They have a great selection of Pipeworks, which usually sells out in a day at Binny's, so I can always find something that has been just released. On Thursdays, they have a discount on craft beers.

I visited this brewery while in town visiting friends. It has a pretty typical indoor space with…read morehigh tops, a long bar, and tables. The brewery skews towards German style brewing which again, is pretty typical of a lot of breweries. The location really shines with its outdoor patio. There is a big outdoor area which is very family (and pet) friendly. They often have live music on the weekend. The brewery itself doesn't have any food, but they have rotating food trucks that come in. The day we were there it was a wood fired pizza truck which was pretty good. Everyone in our group had a good time, and I liked the overall vibe. I will note there were a lot of kids (between us our group of our adults had four kids) so keep this in mind if you go. Overall the beer was good, the atmosphere was perfect for the summer, and we enjoyed our time at this spot.

On the tap menu there is a heavy indulgence in german style brews which is a good thing, they have…read morestrong german brewing game here and it shows in the beer. That in conjunction with the property which is sprawling and offers plenty of outside space to enjoy as well. No food here, but they do host different food trucks and events (live music, yoga, festive holiday, etc). I've seen everything from big kids to mini me's to fury friends outside. If Long Grove is having a festival (when do they not ;) Feel free to take your beer in a plastic to go cup and bring with to the festival. Alas, you will not find Buffalo type beers at the festival. Interestingly enough, you will not find a Buffalo booth at the festivals, at least there was not one for Strawberry Fest; but it's a short walk across the parking lot to secure a good german pour and get your fest on.

We made our first visit to Prairie State Winery on Mother's Day and we totally enjoyed it. As you…read moremight imagine, they were packed, but the service was wonderful. Our waiter, Charlie, did a wonderful job. We ordered the margherita flatbread and the cheese and cracker basket. When we saw it, we thought "we'll never finish this"...but we did! It was tremendous. We will be back!!!

My parents come out here a lot and enjoy this winery and their food offerings, so my mother brought…read moremy brother and me out to check it out. Overall, it's very nice! In an old storefront building but they have also added a charming courtyard on the back. They make a LOT of wines! And the food menu is quite robust as well, not just snacks or a cheese plate, as at some places. We split the ham sliders and the chicken raspberry flatbread sandwich, both of which were very tasty and came with crisp kettle chips. To drink, my mom and I had the wine swirl slushy, and my brother had a bourbon old fashioned, all of which we enjoyed. As a lightweight, I liked that the slushy was tasty without being too boozy for me. Our server, Charlie, was very friendly. Staff may want to remember that they can be heard in the dining room from behind the wall that I suppose is blocking off the kitchen; we heard a lot of hollering and swearing at one point. Regarding accessibility, this is an old building and is rather precarious. I use a cane and noted that there is no railing for the steps outside, or the ones inside to get out to the courtyard (my mom mentioned that my dad, who loses his balance due to a medical condition, had also mentioned this on a previous visit). The bathroom I visited was also tiny, literally a water closet. There is also a rather steep slope in the floor from the lobby room to the dining room. If you use a wheelchair, I don't know that this building would be accessible at all from the exterior. Overall, it's worth the drive out to Genoa if you already aren't in this area to check out Prairie State Winery. Cheers!