With a meat-loving partner, I was especially happy that we both enjoyed Pig Minds Brewery. The Old Fashioned was perfect for me. I appreciated that the server asked about my preferred level of sweetness. My partner enjoyed the great value beer selection, along with the fun nod to the Premier League beer he ordered. The Reuben and dumplings were both delicious and served piping hot. Our server was attentive without being intrusive, which made the experience even better. We'll definitely be back. read more

We drive an hour to try this place since it offers a range of plant based foods. We had a lunch here with drinks. The food sounded amazing on the menu. Based on the variety we were thinking we need to drive up here more often to be able to try everything on the menu. However the taste was barely average, not seasoned well and therefore not very tasty. We actually liked our beer and wine better than the food. We opted to not take the leftovers home. We won't go out of our way to make another trip, but if in the area we'll give it another try. The service was good. But the atmosphere felt cold as it's an industrial look. We liked the look of the patio which was much more inviting looking than the inside. read more

Awesome find! A friend gave us a gift card and I'm so glad we got the chance to use it today. First off, I'm lactose intolerant, so having a fully vegan menu is heaven to me! I had all the options! We ordered the Death Grip IPA and Briéekraut Oktoberfest, which we both loved. We started our meal with an order of nachos to start, and they were covered in a delicious nacho "cheese" and a a chili. My meal was the loaded Mac n Cheezy Bowl - which was so incredible (especially when you don't need to worry about the amount of dairy in it!!). My husband got the Grilled Cheeze Steak Tacos and really enjoyed them! The taco is made with a mini quesadilla as the shell with a delicious filling. Our server was extremely friendly, welcoming, and ensured a great experience. The restaurant definitely feels like a classic brewery with fun decorations and exposed brewing equipment, which is always awesome to see. Added plus is they have free Tesla charging for customers! (Possibly other electric car charging, but I didn't check) We will definitely be back! read more

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Me and my wife recently came here on Valentine's Day to see what this place was like. We drove up 2 hours and we were thankfully seated. I definitely recommend haley's in our part that you call ahead the book of reservation because it does get busy and various parts of the day. Their menu was very comprehensive and it featured a great variety of specials, food, appetizers and alcohol. Staff here was very friendly though I will say that the food takes time to make so it's best to order some appetizers if it's very crowded. This brewery offers various events here like comedy nights and hosts other events usually in the other room. They had a hard cider I've never heard of before either and I thought it was really delicious. If you are not a drinker they got plenty of non-alcoholic options as well. The prices were pretty fair. Highly recommend! read more

Pig Minds Brewing - Brewpubs Near Me - Machesney Park, Illinois

My bf really wanted to come here since he used to live in the area. I will say, I was very skeptical because I am certified carnivore. Granted, we only had fries, mushrooms and Brussels sprouts to share but they were good! I would suggest maybe more even spreading of garlic on the fries but I enjoyed myself. The beers were great but I'm definitely the most fond of the gose(s). I do wish you could do a flight that wasn't all 10 beers, but it's great for splitting. Easy parking and service was friendly. read more

Pig Minds Brewing - Brewpubs Near Me - Machesney Park, Illinois

Meh. It was not great. Beer was OK. The food sucked. Return is doubtful. I didn't realize it was a vegan place. I'm fine with vegan every now and then, but what I ordered was not good at all. Wish Yelp still had tips. Just want to say do not oder the Crispy Chikin Curls. NAYSTY. Just fried batter. One of the worst things I've ordered in my life. Had WAY better microwave vegan nuggets. read more

Had such an amazing time at Pig Minds Brewing! It's so nice going somewhere where the entire menu is vegetarian. They had so many options I had a hard time choosing! We tried the wings to start which were seasoned really well and super super crispy. I got the gyro and it was equally delish. I also really liked their fries as they had a spice mix on them that was really good. Our beers were tasty as well, and they had a lot of different styles available. I especially loved their Oktoberfest! It was the best one I had all year. Service was great and food came out super quick as well. They have lots of indoor and outdoor seating and the restaurant was really cool. I will definitely be returning soon to try more of their delicious food. read more

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Always love coming here, despite the fact that I'm a meat lover and this is a vegetarian menu. The ambiance is fun with the pig art on the walls. The grandkids and I also love the pinball game room. We started with a truly giant soft pretzel with cheese, mustard and ranch dip, and fried cauliflower appetizers. I had an excellent quesadilla impossible burger and seasoned fries. Everyone enjoyed their meals and we needed 3 boxes for the left overs. They do a great job with their menu and are constantly coming up with new and interesting menu items. I do wish they would bring back their black bean burger! read more

Pig Minds Brewing - Korean Tacos with seasoned fries. - Brewpubs Near Me - Machesney Park, Illinois

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My hubbie and I am an opposite spectrums when it comes to be - - so when he had a good IPA, and I had a good stout, we give this place a thumbs up when it comes to beers. The Brussel sprouts appetizer was awesome, but both of us had curries for our mains ... they were ingredient - wise interesting, but could've used a lot more flavor. We will come back and try some different dishes, and hopefully we'll hit the more flavorful ones. read more

I've never been to a vegan brewery before and so when my friend told me it was recommended by another local brewery by us, I was a bit skeptical, especially as someone who frequently enjoys meats. After visiting for the first time, I will say while the experience didn't blow me away, it was better than I thought. If you didn't know they were vegan and only saw the name of the items that they sell, you would have thought it was your typical bar fare. In that sense, it was cool to see their play on all of the usual suspects and how they were able to make it vegan. I decided on their "shrimp" po'boy with tots, their pepperoni pepperdrop pizza, and their cocktail of the month, the Leprechaun's Kiss (vodka based). The po'boy sandwich was okay. It didn't really simulate the shrimp that well for me but I did like the balance of the ingredients and how they came together as a sandwich. The tots however were excellent. They had some sort of seasoning on it that I don't think I've ever experienced on tots before, but tasted finger-licking delicious. Portion size was also quite large. Pepperdrop pizza was okay. I've never had Beyond pepperoni before, and after eating it for the first time...honestly still have no idea what it tastes like. Eating the pizza tasted mostly of tomato sauce and bread. The ingredients in the pizza did not come through at all, possibly because it was masked by the saltiness. I usually embrace salty foods but this felt just borderline shy of too much for me. The Leprechaun's Kiss cocktail was solid. It was a vodka based mixed drink with lime, lemon, simple syrup, peach schnapps, and melon liqueur. Service was a bit on the slower side. Everything that we needed took some time or multiple asks to get. I needed silverware for awhile and didn't end up getting some until halfway through my meal. They were fairly busy though so I'll cut them a bit of slack there. Overall, 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for creativity in their menu and good drinks and beer (I didn't order beer myself but my friend did and it was great). read more

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I'm vegetarian and my husband is by default, but when we go out to eat, it's his opportunity to have a burger. I had the gyro and he had the reuben. Both of us enjoyed our selections. The kimchi fried pickles stole the show however. They were unique and very good. (You don't get many fyi). Service was great as well. Unfortunately we don't live close, otherwise we'd be back. read more

Pig Minds Brewing - Kimchi fried pickles - Brewpubs Near Me - Machesney Park, Illinois

I just really love that this vegan brewery exists. They have a great menu and a lovely patio. It was a great break in the day. Our server was super conversational and was cracking jokes with us. This place reminds you there is no reason to miss the meats. read more

Pig Minds Brewing - KIMCHI MEATBALLS - Brewpubs Near Me - Machesney Park, Illinois

This place is a gem. Even my meat and potatoes boyfriend loved it! We got two apps because we were so hungry. We got the pretzel sticks and the fried pickles. I really liked the pickles and my boyfriend liked the pretzels in the ranch. He was obsessed with the ranch and said it was one of the best ranches he's ever had. For dinner I got the Quesadilla burger and sweet potato fries and he got the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich. I loved mine. The Quesadilla burger is such a unique idea and as someone who doesn't love so much bred it was perfection. The Nashville Chicken sandwich got a 7.5 out of 10 from bf because he wanted a little more of a kick to it. The beer is allllllll good but I like the Vanilla B*tch Slap the best. Service was fine. You can tell the servers were tired since it was end of shift, but they still worked hard to serve us and make us feel welcome. The interior is nice, but the patio is where it's at. Unfortunately it's fall and cold so we didn't go out there but we will be returning in the spring to enjoy being out there. read more

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always amazing no matter what i order! only note would be that they replaced the garlic wings with the lemon pepper and i think the garlic is 10x more flavorful read more

event. We come out from Chicago whenever we can because we love this restaurant. When we first came in, the host asked us if we were there for the book event, we said yes. They told us to go to the back and order from the bar. We wanted to do table service because we wanted to have a relaxing sit down lunch before we walked around the outdoor book fair. After a couple back and forths it seemed pretty clear they wanted us to go to the back, so we did. We sat down in the back. While looking at the menu someone came up to the table and said she would serve us. We told her if it's too busy we can order from the bar, she insisted that we could be served at the table and that it was no problem at all. She was so nice and turned a negative start into a really exceptional service experience. We started with the Garlic Fries and Shiitake Pot Stickers. The pot stickers were great, crispy and savory with a fantastic sesame sauce for the dip. The garlic fries were really good too but holy garlic Batman! Are they ever garlicky?!? There's A LOT of garlic on there. I had the patty melt with the side salad. I always think I'll try something different but it's so good that I keep coming back to it. The caramelized onions melding with the cheese and patty are just so good. Matt had the Mac and cheese pizza. The pasta was just the right texture for a pizza topping and the sauce was tasty but not overly wet. It was an excellent pizza. The food is always great here but what really made this a five star experience was our phenomenal server. read more

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Driving through town and so happy to find a plant based restaurant! My husband and I both had the HOT HUNNY RANCH CHIKIN' with sweet potato fries. We asked for the hunny ranch sauce on the side. We both preferred it without the sauce, only because we don't like our food too sweet. The hunny ranch didn't taste like ranch, it was more of a sweet n spicy sauce. It was good, don't get me wrong, I just prefer it on the side. The fries were a medley of sweet potato and purple potatoes. They were nice and crispy. They offer a variety of beers, non alcoholic beverages and kombucha (not homemade). Definitely would recommend this place anyone. read more

Pig Minds Brewing - Hot hunny ranch chikin' sandwich with sweet potato fries - Brewpubs Near Me - Machesney Park, Illinois

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Very impressed for this place being vegan! Everything we had was delicious and fulfilling. Their beer flight options is also a really good deal if you're a beer drinker as they are also a brewery. We shared nachos, brussel sprouts, mac and cheese, korean tacos, and the patty melt. The texture was pretty close and everything was tasty. Great place for a social night out as they even have a outside patio, a backroom with a bar and an upstairs. You can even play pinball within the area. I wanted to their buffalo bites that a few of our friend's recommended, but the server said they no longer serve it. Hopefully they bring it back. It was our first time, but definitely not our last. read more

Pig Minds Brewing - Beer flight - Brewpubs Near Me - Machesney Park, Illinois

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Great service, food, and vibe! I like the vegan tacos a lot. Extra fun if you can go on a night with an event

Our family of 7 went for the Mother's Day brunch. Serving from 11-2 There was a very limited menu which usually means they can get the food coming out in a timely manner better... we were seated at 12:15 and didn't get our food until 1:40. It was the worst meal and service we have ever had there... our waiter mentioned a few times our order was on its way... but it wasn't... when we finally got our food it was subpar. It was oblivious the burritos had very little ingredients most likely due to them running low... the burgers were cold-our waiter never offered to get us something else -he knew we were tired of being there. The place was almost emptied by the time we left... so dissatisfied for a mother's Day celebration... we won't be back read more

We've been here a few times before and we just love the food. Coming from closer to Chicago, it's crazy to have an all vegan restaurant all the way out in Machesney Park, but it's well worth the drive. There was a book fair today but the food was incredible as usual. read more

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Great food, bad service from our server (not friendly, forgot requests like straws, very slow -- we saw other tables who arrived later than us get faster service from another server). I'd blame it on her alone, but looking around, it seemed like they had two servers for a busy Friday night so I felt bad and ultimately think the establishment should have more servers in general. read more

Got not only a few great beers but also lots of great food at this Machesney Park brewery. It always seems to be busy here, which is what a restaurant wants to see. Pig Minds also is all vegan. One has no need to ask any questions about whether there's animal products in any beers or food. The prices are pretty good for the portions and quality. Came on a weekend and the place was crazy. It only took a few minutes of waiting until seats at the bar had become open. The place has a pig theme. Fun atmosphere. Lots of crap on the walls and everywhere. Of course beer is the main thing. It's about $6 a pint. The best one of these we had was the Southy Bitch Slap. This is an American red ale with notes of caramel, cherry, and toffee. Also there was the food. This stuff is all vegan. It's $14 for the Spicy Peanut Tofu Zoodle Bowl. This is zucchini noodles with broccoli, cabbage, carrots, and crispy tofu tossed in a Thai peanut butter sauce, topped with scallions and sesame seeds. Also there's macaroni and cheese. There's also desserts like chocolate mousse and others. Even with the plant based menu, this would best many other breweries at their beer and food menus. It's a great place for locally made stuff. There's a lot of rotating beers, and the food has tons of options for vegans and vegetarians. read more

Pig Minds Brewing - Southy Bitch Slap And Spicy Peanut Tofu Zoodle Bowl - Brewpubs Near Me - Machesney Park, Illinois

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Hidden gem in machesney park away from main shopping Plaza. all vegan/vegetarian dishes are really tasty. started out with the pickle egg roll and their homemade ranch sauce. I ended up getting a chicken sandwich with sweet potato waffle fries. really tasty delicious. the impossible cheeseburger my parents got with fries. the fries super tasty nicely seasoned. the beer was great and they Even let me sample a few before ordering. the service was on slow side however it got busy with more and more people coming in for dinner. highly recommend anyone who loves vegan/vegetarian food to try it out! read more

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Pig Minds has an all vegan menu. Don't let that deter you. They serve high quality, tasty foods. Many are meat like. I tried the smash burger made from impossible "meat." It was excellent with caramelized onions topping, vegan cheese, and vegan garlic aioli. I opted to eat with fork and knife because I wasn't sure the bun would hold up. Flavor was great. I had their salad with vegan ranch. It's a good salad with a mixture of veggies not just lettuce and some carrot. I also had a cup of their chili. Good chili, not too spicy, nice flavor. I also had a 5oz Phil Up American Brown Ale. Very nice beer. I've never had a bad beer there yet. I noticed the Blackberry Hogwash Cobbler fruited Berliner was VERY popular but I didn't try it myself. Open your mind and try the vegan food or at least go for the good food. read more

Pig Minds Brewing - Chili, smashburger, Phil Up American brown ale - Brewpubs Near Me - Machesney Park, Illinois

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Yummy, a different kind of yummy, so unique and delicious! The atmosphere is great too! Would definitely recommend!

Enjoyed the food being 1st time trying Vegan. Nice atmosphere & fun in Summer. Always trying to gather new customers read more

We've been a loyal customer of Pig Minds for years, visiting around 10 times annually despite the hour-long drive. Unfortunately, our most recent experience was incredibly disappointing. We came for our son's birthday dinner. Despite the restaurant being not very busy, we waited nearly 15 minutes before being told to seat ourselves, as the staff seemed more interested in chatting behind the bar. Once seated, we waited another 15-20 minutes before I had to get up to ask if someone could take our drink order. It took an additional 10 minutes for drinks to arrive, and then another long wait before we could place our food order. Meanwhile, other tables that arrived after us received their drinks and appetizers promptly. After 25 minutes, I had to ask again about our appetizers and drink refills. Only then did we learn they were out of the appetizer we originally ordered, so we ordered something else. When our meals finally arrived, it was clear they had been sitting out for some time. My grilled cheese was room temperature, burnt on the bottom, and had solidified. Both my husband's burger and my son's sandwich were cold and unappetizing. To top it off, we didn't receive our replacement appetizer until after we had finished our meals, and it was raw and undercooked. Service was nearly non-existent, and the quality of the food was well below expectations. This was once our favorite vegan restaurant, but after this experience, and hearing similar feedback from others, we won't be returning. read more

Pig Minds Brewing - Garlic Fires... awesomeness! - Brewpubs Near Me - Machesney Park, Illinois

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Pig Minds Brewing deserves all of the hype! Their vegan menu packs a punch of flavor into every bite. I highly reccomend the jalapeño poppers- so much flavor in every bite! Despite not having any gluten free beer, almost the entire menu can be made gluten free. They do feature a cocktail and can make a few other spirited beverages, if you're like me and need a gluten free option. The bartender was helpful and friendly. There is an abundant amount of seating, both inside and out. We will absolutely be back! read more

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So disappointed by our last visit. This was one of our favorites and we hadn't been in a few months so we were really excited to go back. The atmosphere is still casual and the service was still lovely but the quality of the food has taken a sharp downturn. I was told there is a new chef so perhaps that is the reason. We ordered jalapeño poppers (we've had them before) and there was so much of the cheese we had to scrape some off to taste the jalapeño. We were hoping for our favorites, the quesadilla burger and the patty melt. I've raved about the patty melt in previous reviews. Our waitress told us that those were "the same" as their new Crunchwrap burger and the classic smash burger. My husband ordered the Crunchwrap but I was dubious and got a pizza. My husband was very sad that his burger was soggy and the lettuce was wilted. He also felt the meat was too plentiful and unseasoned. He didn't finish it and said he was sad that one of his favorite meals in Rockford was gone. As for me, I maintain that a burger on a bun is by definition not a patty melt, and is not the same. I am very saddened by this as I used to say their patty melt is better than any meat-containing one I've ever had. My pizza was not bad but not good enough for me to come back. Unfortunately we will probably not be coming back here any time soon. Tl;dr: bring back the patty melt and the quesadilla burger! read more

Decided to stop on our way back from Wisconsin. Located in an industrial park about 2 miles off of interstate 90. You seat yourself. Was about half full on a late Sunday afternoon. Started with their Vanilla Bitch Slap red ale which was very good. This is a vegan brew pub. I ordered the Chili nachos and my wife ordered the Zoodle bowl which was gluten free. It came with Tofu but the waitress suggested chicken. The waitress knew my wife needed gluten free but the chicken ended up not being gluten free. Huge mistake! The Zoodle bowl was very spicey even tho it was not indicated on the menu. Nachos were all chips with just a drizzle of queso and chili. We were both disappointed with the food. Probably won't go back and just buy their beer at Binnys. read more

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I have driven there over an hour so many times. The last two times servers although nice were very poor but menu made up for it. This time sat for 10 minutes without anyone coming up to our table at all, despite some staff standing around and talking, had to get our own menus , and new menu not as appealing as the ones in the past. The people are always nice but after this time will venture elsewhere. It's sad because so many vegan places are closing and I love to support vegan businesses. After waiting and looking over the new menu, we left unnoticed. This one is off my list. read more

Great vegetarian selections (hard to find). I had some Korean barbecue thing that was really good. Seated a table of 8 without too long of a wait. Good atmosphere. read more

Outstanding array of beer on tap with flavors to feast any pallet. The food options were plentiful for our family of six. Kids menu sliders were perfect size available for a take home one as well. The bang bang mushroom poboy was an amazing blend of flavors and a kick of spice to keep you coming back for more. read more

Pig Minds Brewing - Bang bang mushroom oh boy - Brewpubs Near Me - Machesney Park, Illinois

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So I totally forgot this was a vegan brewery until we came in. However, I was pleasantly surprised at my experience. My boyfriend and I split the flight. Which was awesome because you get to sample all of the beer. It was a perfect balance for us because I like hoppy IPAs and he prefers sours and stouts. For my meal, I was there at a time they served brunch. I had the French toast and it was amazing! I also had the side of breakfast potatoes which were tasty. We sat inside, but there is a beautiful patio as well. read more

Pig Minds Brewing - Flight! You get to sample all of their beer! - Brewpubs Near Me - Machesney Park, Illinois

The most amazing vegan food!! No complaints- the food, drinks, staff, vibes are all amazing! Truly love the patty melt and carrot cake! They also have a delicious brunch menu- highly recommend the eggs Benedict and the French toast. Protip: they also have a whole selection of vegan pizza! read more

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Craft brewery. Vegan food. Outdoor seating on the patio in the summer. Need I say more?! A group of 6 of us came for dinner on Father's Day. It was a busy day for them, not surprisingly. They had lots of patrons and they were short on staff. So, they were out of a few menu items, some we wanted to order. But that's not necessarily unusual for a popular restaurant on a busy holiday. Let's start with the beer list, which was excellent. Everyone ordered something different, and everyone seemed to be pleased with their selections! Good news for a local brewery. It's hard to evaluate vegan food sometimes, because some people like to compare vegan alternatives to non-vegan food. On that front, I'll say this: two of the people in our group are heavy meat eaters and skeptical of vegan alternatives (like Chickin' or Impossible products). But both loved their meals -- the habanero mango fried chicken sandwich and the steak tacos. There are lots of vegan dishes that don't try to imitate meat-based proteins -- they can stand on their own as a delicious meal. This restaurant doesn't have a ton of those options. The one that they did have was a zucchini noodle bowl, which I did not realize was just a plate of rice served with raw veggies. It seemed half hearted and lazy. There are so many other ways to make a veggie bowl tasty. The sauce was barely noticeable in taste/flavor. I added a side of vegan chipotle ranch, which helped liven up the flavor a bit. Two in our group ordered different Mac and cheeze dishes. Both liked theirs. We also ordered brussel sprouts and curry sweet potato fries to start. Our server was nice and attentive and she did the best she could managing lots of tables. The patio is nice, with some covered and uncovered tables. On the whole, it was a nice meal and we like supporting local restaurants, especially those that are being plant forward. read more

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This place has suffered as of late. While this was one of our favorite restaurants, I regret to say we won't be going back. The reduced portion sizes in combination with decreased hours of operation, reduced wait staff and kitchen staff, and less experienced cooks have caused us to re-think this restaurant. I recently went with my family here. I ordered my favorite "steak" (vegan) tacos, and now you get only 2 tacos instead of 3. that is literally a 50% increase in cost. The service was always good and relatively fast. lately we have to wait 15 minutes to get a menu and 45 minutes to get food once ordered. the condiments are no longer on every table as it once was. The reduced wait staff is overworked and cannot give the attention to the customer that they deserve. The food is not as good as it once was but still very good. read more

I am so confused. As in, HOW DOES THIS AREA HAVE A PLACE THIS AWESOME?! If you're visiting from a place with culture, THIS IS YOUR COMFORT SPOT! If you're willing to try new things, THIS IS YOUR SPOT! If you have dietary needs, THIS. IS. YOUR. SPOT. You need to be fully aware (and open) that this menu is plant based. VEGAN VEGAN VEGAN I got a GF caprese pizza; I knew certain textures and flavors would differ. I am not a vegan, or even a vegetarian... but I do incorporate plant based meals and products into my life. So I knew the "cheese" was going to be different. It was the only part of my pizza that I wasn't too keen on, because this particular vegan cheese was kinda rubbery and lacked flavor. My dietary need is GF, so that was my primary focus. I *LOVE* how transparent the menu is. Simply wonderful! There's something for everyone here! I mean unless all you eat is animal.... Then maybe not. But come with an open mind and you might just surprise yourself! THE TATER TOTS ARE ABSOLUTELY KU KICKIN!!!! No GF beer. read more

Three stars based on the beer, which is quite solid representing a number of different, flavorfully crafted styles and the facility itself which is larger than it appears, including some nice patio/outdoor options. As for the food, altho I really do enjoy vegetables I am by no means a vegan. I have never tasted a meat substitute that actually tastes like meat. Since I also don't care for fungus (my word for mushrooms), my food options here are almost negligible. Having tasted some decent cashew-based cheese sauces, I settled on the Mac & cheese bowl. The cavatappi pasta was very lightly charred (likely under a salamander) across the top, looked like it had potential but unfortunately it was just OK and certainly not worth the $16 they charged - a theme I saw throughout the menu. It really left me wanting in more ways than one and therefore i wont likely be back to eat there, but as I said the place is cool and the beer tasty. read more

Pig Minds Brewing - Beer list behind the bar - Brewpubs Near Me - Machesney Park, Illinois

Don't be fooled by the name, PIG. Everything is vegan! I tried 3 dishes and nothing had flavor. Tried the chili nachos, pesto pizza and the garlic fried chicken sandwich. Best thing were the fries and diet coke. read more