Found out about this in the middle of nowhere brewery outside Fairbury. It certainly is one of the…read morefew places around here to get beers or anything it seems. Emancipation is a brewery not a lot of people have heard of because it's not close to anything of course. Has a surprising amount of variety on tap and in cans to go. They may not have a whole lot but everything is full of flavor and quenches one's thirst. Even with it being a smaller brewery it still has quite a lot. It's got several of their own beers on tap along with a few others. There's also more cans in a refrigerator. Has the basics along with a few interesting ones. More than just the IPAs and the usual. It's about $7 a pint. The Farmer's Favorite is the IPA and is a pretty good medium one that's crisp and smooth. Has a few things to snack on here. It's about $3 for the Krack Mix. Basically like Chex Mix but it's made locally. They also will let you bring in stuff. Great place that's pretty hard to find the first time going here. It's located on N. 2500 East Rd. a few miles north of Fairbury surrounded by corn fields pretty much. They're closed Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.

We love the fact you can find a little beverage get away in rural Illinois. We stopped here with…read moreextended family for a quick drink. Our group had a variety of beverages including a mule, red lager, homemade radler, wine, and even a homemade non-alcoholic lemonade. The ambiance is rustic and comfortable. The bartender was friendly and helpful as our group was sampling a few of their offerings before we landed on our orders.

On a recent 04/17/26 visit to Bloomington-Normal we stopped in for dinner/drinks and had an…read moreexcellent time. Very nice space: the beer was terrific, as was the food. Highly recommended!! As we were finishing up our meal/drinks some really bad weather moved in, and suddenly tornado warnings hit everyone's phones. Destihl management quickly moved all remaining patrons (us included) into the brewery portion of the building for safety for approximately 45 minutes or so. Kudos to all members of the Destihl team that night, as they were friendly and professional during this severe and intense weather event.

We don't come to that part of town often, but happened to be staying at hotel close by. And we saw…read morethe place driving to our hotel. Food is really good. I got the charcuterie shareable as my entree and a dragon fruit sangria. Drink was fruity and tasty ; but a lot of alcohol. The charcuterie was filling although a little salty. Which should have been expected DUH! Hubby got fried cod and a house salad. He enjoyed both. Website recommended reservations. We were seated immediately without one. It's spacious on the inside. The women's restrooms was individual powder room with your own pedestal sink! Wanna come back and try breakfast next time.

wow this food was so good. came a little after open and got helped right away. drinks didn't take…read morelong just got some waters and sodas. then ordered food and that didn't take too long either, timing was reasonable. the server was very nice and the bartender as well. i got the cesar wrap 9/10, towards the bottom is was thigh meat i think and i didn't like that very much. the wings 10/10 it was half off as well. super flavorful. off the menu the spicy chicken pita 7/10, could use a little more flavor. all fries were very good and the ranch was very good reminded me of wing stop ranch.

Local Tap Craft Kitchen and Ale House in El Paso, Illinois, has quickly become a culinary standout…read moresince its 2022 opening, blending community roots with inventive Midwest flavors. Owned and Managed by Aaron Thomas with his really great team. This family-friendly alehouse prioritizes local partnerships and menu creativity, earning its place as a surprise standout in central Illinois' dining scene. Culinary Highlights The menu shines with elevated bar classics, including Ropp Jersey Cheese curds sourced from Normal, Illinois. ~a crispy, creamy nod to regional agriculture.  Wings tossed in bourbon-Sriracha glaze and lemon-pepper buffalo rub draw regulars, while the Italian beef sandwich, paired with sweet potato fries and maple mayo, offers a sweet-savory twist. The showstopper is the custom steak-blend burger: certified Angus beef smashed on a brioche bun, smothered in American cheese, and served with loaded fries-a "step above" typical pub fare. Surprise Standout Culinary Chronicles' sleeper hit is the maple mayo dip, a sweet-smoky companion to crispy sweet potato fries. While rumors swirl about its cult following, the dip exemplifies The Local Tap's knack for balancing familiarity with innovation. Community and Craft True to its name, the restaurant champions local breweries such as White Oak, Riggs Beer Company, and Casper Brewing. Also, fostering a patio-to-indoor vibe that's equally suited for family dinners or friend gatherings. Weekly cocktail features, like the raspberry Long Island iced tea and barrel-aged Old Fashioned, underscore their bar program's versatility. With its commitment to Midwestern flavors, community ties, and dishes that surprise even seasoned foodies, The Local Tap is a destination worth the drive. As Osborn and Thomas expand their culinary playbook-including this week's chicken cordon bleu ciabatta with white wine cream sauce-the restaurant solidifies its role as El Paso's flavorful heartbeat.

Fun place for trivia with the work team. Loved all the beaver themed art, photos, logos, and merch…read more I didn't dine however there were no complaints from the group. One member took home some brewery specialties beers to go. Fun time at a cute spot!

The vibe is welcoming the moment you walk in, and the space is very clean with fun beaver art…read moreeverywhere you look. It gives the place a light and playful feel without being over the top. For food, we had two vegan options to choose from. I went with the vegan steak with vegan mozzarella and a side salad. It was flavorful and satisfying, and I appreciated having a good plant based option at a brewery. My husband ordered the smash burger and really enjoyed it. Our server was knowledgeable and efficient, which made the whole visit even better. Overall, a fun stop with great service and good food, and I would be happy to come back.

Checked out this local brewery in Bloomington. It has quite a surprising amount of variety on the…read morebeer list. Keg Grove is a good place for groups and hanging out. Far away enough from the craziness of the college campus and downtown bars but still not too far away. They have events and food trucks, so there's some good times to be had. A brewery that's located in a shopping plaza with a patio and indoor area. It's bigger than it looks. There's arcade games and even more tables upstairs. For sure anyone can find something fun. It's about $7 a pint. Last time I got the Show Me Your Stem. Good one. This is a pumpkin pie wheat. On the rim is graham crackers. The rest of the beers include IPAs as well as wheat beers in flavors such as blueberry and peach. For sure we could come here again. It's located on Empire Street in a shopping plaza. There's no food menu but usually there's a food truck.

My husband and I were just in Bloomington/Normal for a conference and decided to hit up the local…read morebreweries. We enjoyed all of our stops, but Keg Grove continued getting recommendations from locals. As a result, we had to stop by. And, in the end, Keg Grove WAS our favorite! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with a kind warm welcome from the bartender. The space was also welcoming. It was wide open, clean, and spacious. My husband each got our own flights (see pictured). We loved all 8 of the beers that we got, but here were our 4 favorites: 1. #3 Malo Pina Colada Wheat, 2. #1 Holey Jeans Blueberry Wheat with a sugar rimmed glass, 3. #11 Love is Love Orange Guava Passionfruit Hard Seltzer, and 4. #7 Cornfuzed Corn Ale. There was not a bad beer and there were several more we would have loved to try. We ended up getting a 4 pack of the Hokey Jeans because the Malo was sold out. Prices are great, portions are reasonable, and presentation was solid. There was nothing to complain about and much to praise. We will definitely be back at Keg Grove the next time we are in town! Thanks for a great visit!

Only getting frozen food options in this fantastic brewery with so much to like and enjoy is…read moreawkward, this place is desperate for food to match the excellent draft selection, lovely views, and enjoyable outdoor dining area. Us three liked the guava Seltzer, black, and oatmeal beers. There is smart variety and helpful staff to take care of all the adult sips. Noticed kids were allowed inside, golf course curved around the property, and really only the far east location and not opened on Sundays inhibits the more frequent visits.

Breweries in college towns are good alternatives to the swill in the local bars. If you're in…read moreBloomington and want better, go here. Casper is a pretty small brewery way out by the regional airport, so it takes time to get to. For a small brewery it has quite a lot to choose from. There's no food menu but you can bring in some from outside. Actually the place is bigger than it looks to be honest. It has quite a lot of room inside for seating and is good for parties. This is attached to another building and there's a pretty long hall to get into the actual brewery, and there's a Mexican restaurant right next to this too. As for the beer, it was good. It's about $5 a pint. That's a pretty good price for a craft brewery like this. I had the Citrus Wheat, which is a wheat ale. We also tried a Schwarzbier. Good German style of beers. They have fuller and lighter. Has no food except potato chips. It's also next to the golf center so it's a good place to come for an event or some kind of gathering. They also sometimes have food trucks.

The corned beef was incredibly tender and full of flavor. The Brussels sprouts were different--they…read morewere shredded and mixed with sauerkraut--but they were still really good, even though they weren't like any I've had before. The potatoes were also pretty solid. The flavored tea was nice, it just needed a bit of sugar. Our waitress was super friendly and made the experience even better. She was enthusiastic and enjoyed sharing her favorite menu items, which I appreciated. The ambiance was very welcoming, and I liked how open the space felt. The only downside was that the host who seated us seemed a little short when asking if we had reservations, especially when I asked if they were required.

So, I know the new kids in the block like this kind of thing to order from table and pay and…read morewaitress just plops food on table with all canned drinks no fountain drinks but honestly I didn't like that. I prefer more interaction with the people who are trying to earn a tip. But food was good 4 for food 1 for business profile So 3

First time here.. friendly service. We sat upstairs patio area..we had chicken nachos.. very good…read more Luv the patio

Checked out this local brewery in Normal close to the ISU campus. Fiala Brothers often isn't as…read morecrowded as you may think. It may be because the students are at the dive bars and other crap shacks drinking Natty Ice, PBR, and whatever. All cool to be honest. That leaves us with the good stuff. Bad thing is the stuff isn't actually that good. It's better than the mass produced crap beer to be sure. This just isn't that impressive for local craft stuff though. Had a few. It's about $7 a pint. Best one of these we had was the Stay Golden PonyBoy, an IPA. This is an average tasting IPA with not a lot notable. Also there's food. Just basic stuff. It's $3 for Cajun Fries. These help absorb the alcohol so you can drink more, but the fries just taste like the seasoning and not much else to be honest. For sure it's okay for a few beers. It's just not a good place if you want some good ones. The food is pretty much average and not worth coming here just for getting some fries or whatever.

I highly recommend this place. The most that games cost is 75 cents. A majority of them cost 50…read morecents. They have the Starwars Trilogy Arcade from the 90's, Ferrari F355 Challenge that uses a lifelike gear box and a clutch pedal, and many more. My kids and I had a blast.

Always a fun time. We love playing all the old school arcade games, bring back so many 80's…read more memories.