I've been going to Quality since it opened a few years ago now. It can tend to get pretty busy after 9, but before that it's my kind of place; quiet enough to be relaxing and have a nice conversation, but populated enough to not be desolate. The patrons are generally all a good natured, friendly, and welcoming bunch.
There's always a wide selection of both new and staple interesting craft beers on tap, and the occasional "tap takeover" by various breweries mixes things up a bit. Quality definitely always has their ear to the ground in the craft beer world. Another wide selection of bottles can be had, though in practice I never have the time to try any because the taps keep me busy! Additionally there's always daily specials on macros, spirits, and sometimes on various bottles.
The bartenders are always friendly and skillful, and just as importantly, knowledgeable and often passionate about the craft beers on tap. The bartenders and indeed even many of the patrons themselves can be engaged about the craft beer scene in general. I would also note that turnover seems notoriously low, suggesting that it's also a good work environment. The owners can often be found in the bar and chatted up as well.
Steel tip dartboards, rotating pinball machines, books, and board games are all available for entertainment. The dartboards are regularly maintained by the in-town league which usually has a friendly representative or two frequenting the bar. I believe the pinball machines have a similar situation. There's no TVs, which is a plus in my book. And a recently expanded beer garden in the back is nicely sheltered from the city at large in the alley, which is often a beautiful place, particularly in the summer when the vines are growing everywhere.
As with many beverage-only establishments, patrons are welcome to bring in their own food. The bar offers free wifi (just ask for the password). It has also been known to be a dog-friendly place, though it's courteous to only bring your good tempered pets when it's not too crowded, and there's no special event happening.
The bar, which is part of one of the large downtown storefront buildings, sits smack on a corner directly across from the City building. It's very plain and unassuming from the outside, with only a small sign on the side of the building where the main entrance is. Inside, the decor is also simple but classy. It features the area's iconic high ceilings and occasional brick interior walls. A very open, but not echoey atmosphere, lots of windows, which are tinted, and plenty of floorspace makes the bar quite roomy. At first glance it actually looks like there's too much floorspace and not enough seating, but this never seems to be a problem until later in the night when the crowd generally doesn't care.
If there's another bar in Champaign that did everything just right like Quality, then I haven't found it! read more