Shake It Up Cocktail Lounge

We were there on a warm summer evening and dined outside where the classic downtown buildings…read moreprovided shade for the setting sun. The staff was friendly and welcoming. We ordered drinks and two special appetizers, shrimp in a spicy cream sauce and pork belly bits with diced mango. Both were delicious. For our mains, we chose: Sassy Chicken Thighs and Brown Sugar Brined Pork Chop. The chicken thighs melted in my mouth. We spoke at length with the manager after our dinner and tried to guess the ingredients in the outstanding sauces. The sassy sauce had in addition to the honey and Dijon, some cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, and cumin. Not too spicy, just enough zip to make it interesting. The pork chop was also amazing. Tender and juicy with a cherry balsamic glaze. We would definitely recommend a visit and plan to return the next time we're in town.

The atmosphere was great above and beyond what I thought it would be. The charcuterie board was…read moreneat and I love the fact that we barely sat down and they offered us a free sample of wine to try. The price for the board was I think a little high not major but a little but a glass of wine was I think very competitive very good no matter where you are. My overall rating for this place is either a 4 or 4 1/2 out of 5. It was a great first experience and will go back again.

Inside

Side mystic salad

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Dining area

Revery

4.5(62 reviews)

1.3 mi

We came here while in town for graduation at Illinois State University. While on the outside it is…read moreunassuming, the inside reveals a clean, large dining room that feels upscale. We had a reservation so we were seated promptly at a large table in its own little alcove in the back. While the place was busy, we could chat comfortably with one another and felt adequately separate from other tables. The menu has a bit of everything, so everyone should be able to find something they like on it. We started with cocktails, mozzarella sticks, and pretzel bites. The cocktails were good but I could've used less sweetness in mine. The mozzarella sticks and pretzels bites were standard, which means they were great as usual. For a group of 5 of us, an order of each was enough to hold us over until the main meal. I personally got the fish sandwich for my dinner with fries. The fish was great and large enough that it hung over the sides of the bun. My only complaint about the sandwich was the lack of tartar sauce on it. The cook must have just added the smallest dash, as the only sign it was there was a little spot of discoloration on the bun. The fish was good but the sandwich would have been better with more moisture from that tartar. The fries it came with were standard shoe string fries. Nothing special but hit the spot all the same. Everyone else at the table enjoyed their meals as well and we left comfortably full with no leftovers. Overall the meal came at a good pace, the atmosphere was nice, and the prices were reasonably. If in town again we would come back here.

Food was okay. The Fish & chips, the fish was soggy(ish). The REV burger wasn't anything special…read more The bacon jam was delicious. Baked Brie was delicious. The bread was soft. Our waiter was attentive and polite. The gentleman was prompt with filling waters. The restaurant itself is well lit. The tables have enough space to not feel claustrophobic. They are spread out pretty decent. There's some dead space though which feels a little odd. I did feel that the noise level was a little loud.

Créeme brûlée

Sink salad

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Fish and chips

Pour Bros Craft Taproom

4.8(5 reviews)

0.2 mi

This place was absolutely cool. A few of my friends took me here before the hockey game a few…read moreblocks away to grab a few drinks before heading to the arena. So, how this place works is that they run your card and they give it back to you but you also get this other card so you can run the taps. This place is absolutely great to try out brand new drinks that you've never tried before. There's at least 20 drinks to choose from give or take. They had a lot of hard cider, meads, hard seltzers and a variety of other drinks. They had other drinks as well up front even some non-alcoholic ones for those that really didn't plan on drinking. They got a great array of games here especially all the pinball! I didn't play any of the games unfortunately but I did look around to see what was featured. I would have been really excited if Speed Demon was featured. Staff here was absolutely friendly, they get a great mix of locals here. Restrooms here were also pretty clean too! Overall, I highly recommend visiting this place if you are in the area. This place has great events as well!

I've been to the Pour Bros. Location in Champaign several times and have always loved it so was…read moreexcited to try the newest location in Bloomington. 24 taps of by the ounce drafts give a little something for all palates. The staff here was not as friendly as in Champaign which was a disappointment :(

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Jazz UpFront

4.4(13 reviews)

0.0 mi

It's a cool little lounge in a college town. Usually no cover, but on the night I went there was…read moreone. Chip McNeill Quartet played a great set. If you're in the area, I recommend you check it out

Great times here. Awesome musicians, great atmosphere. Check it out!!! 1 of our favs.read more

Cute, medium size and a clean place to come and relax with jazz music.

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Bakery and Pickle

4.2(70 reviews)

0.3 mi

Was such a fun experience and our waitress was just fantastic! Great anniversary, and romantic…read morevibe. We did several courses, and was blown away by each dish. The salad was the best part, still thinking about the dressing.

Curious what dining is like in a Foodie city like Portland? Bakery is one of precious few spots…read morewith servers who actually know fine dining service. They know where your food came from, what the kitchen did to it, and why. And they can pair it with a beer, wine, or cocktail in a skilled manner that isn't just a shot at a tip-bump. The locale is gorgeous within and the Speakeasy entryway is a cute bit of kitsch. Well worth a visit whether you're a food-obsessed Portlander like me, or just curious about learning how to actually eat like an adult.

Interior

Banana croissant

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Restaurant seating

Rosie's Pub

4.2(226 reviews)

0.0 mi

Amazing service, food, and experience. Always a top spot for celebrations, a good family dinner, or…read morea drink after work. Beautiful interior and the bar has a great vibe. Love it!

Looks to be amongst the popular for the locals. I went with co-workers while in town. Solid menu…read morewith a lot of variety. Standard bar food with a bit of flair. Waitress was friendly, seating was comfortable, and the decor was cute. No complaints here.

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Epiphany Farms Restaurant

4.5(517 reviews)

0.1 mi

•$$$

Good selection of food on the menu for something different to suit your taste. Check out the menu…read morein advance. The service is adequate to excellent depending on your waiter or waitress. The atmosphere is pleasant. Well lighted. You must climb steps to get to the second floor which makes it hard for the disabled. Other than that fine.

Our late night visit to Epiphany Farms/Anju was exceptional! A huge drink menu welcome us and we…read morehad the Beyond jalapeño cornbread for a starter, which proved to be quite yummy and not hot at all. We decided to go with the rustic pizzas that were delicious and unusual: harmony, Korean, chicken and loaded supreme. The crust tasted like it was from a woodfired oven and the Korean chicken pizza was so unusual and tasty with kimchi and pickled shiitake. The fresh from the forest mushroom side dish they gave us a special treat to us was quite a delicacy. Even the farm to table items they have for sale when you walk in to take home are a treat, Especially the homemade marshmallows! Ended with dessert of a fresh orange olive oil cake with just tremendous flavor and blood orange on the side and orange marmalade on the cake. It served exquisitely with a side of homemade ice cream that was to die for. We can't wait to come back! Our waitress, Lupe, treated us like family and was incredibly personal and warm. Put this on your must visit List.

Farm Restaurant

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Epiphany Farm Restaurant

Smash House Tavern

3.5(19 reviews)

2.4 mi

This place has a great staff! The Italian Beef is off the hook! Also, a great selection of beers…read moreon tap! Amazing live Jazz too!

Jalapeño Popper Smash - wow was this burger yummy! The right amount of spice with a creamy cream…read morecheese spread with cheddar cheese too! So so good the fries were crispy and crunchy just the way I like them. We also got the fried pickles and perfection - a light batter is my favorite! It's more of a bar, nice and clean. The staff was great and they kept busy!

Jalapeño popper smash

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Seating area

Fat Jack's

3.0(66 reviews)

0.3 mi

Hillbilly bar the only bar I've ever been to where they pat you down and then they kick you out for…read moremaking fun of being pat down

Great atmosphere cool bartender's great drink menu good location close to everything always good…read moretime

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2.75 draughts on Tuesday... be sure to taste before you commit! Awesome selection

Cadillac Jack's

4.6(45 reviews)

1.0 mi

We were traveling as nd decided to stop for lunch. We were not disappointed. We were greeted with…read morehellos from the bartender and he said we could sit anywhere. Our server came right over and took our drink order. They have daily specials. But he got a bourbon burger cooked perfectly and I got a taco. We shared an order of fries. Everything was very tasty. They restaurant and bathrooms were clean. It was reasonably priced. We would definitely eat here again given the chance

We were in town for a golf tournament and to visit family. We got into town late and Cadillac…read moreJack's was close to our Airbnb so we gave them a try. They had live music in the parking lot that was very loud, so we decided to eat inside. The waitress was nice and made several menu suggestions since it was our first visit. We started out with pretzels and cheese. It was good. They offered two different cheeses with it, beer cheese and nacho cheese. We tried both and they were good. I created my own pizza with pepperoni, onions, peppers, and mushrooms, my son had a pepperoni pizza, and my husband had the Philly steak with onion rings. The food was just ok, but we didn't leave hungry.

Local beer and bar

Bourbon burger and taco

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2 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Patrick W.

0

2

8

2 years ago

Great food, atmosphere, and staff! Don't miss out on their Thursday Dinner features, and Sunday Brunch

Michael Z.

0

1

0

15 days ago

Gamble here if you want the regulars to steal your money right off the machine. I will never be back!

Shake It Up Cocktail Lounge - cocktailbars - Updated October 2026

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Western Tap

4.1

(51 reviews)

Great food and environment with excellent prices. Open kitchen so you can see the quality of the…read morefood. Would recommend to everyone

Great service.. cold beer (obviously) Food is good- would…read morerecommend - cooks do so much!

Rosie's Pub

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Amazing service, food, and experience. Always a top spot for celebrations, a good family dinner, or…read morea drink after work. Beautiful interior and the bar has a great vibe. Love it!

Looks to be amongst the popular for the locals. I went with co-workers while in town. Solid menu…read morewith a lot of variety. Standard bar food with a bit of flair. Waitress was friendly, seating was comfortable, and the decor was cute. No complaints here.

Longbranch Again

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(20 reviews)

Great little country bar and grill. The food specials are great, the bartenders and servers are…read moresooo friendly and helpful. Warm bar area in cold nights. Dining room and bar are separate! Try it

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Station Saloon

4.4

(7 reviews)

We were here on a Thursday night because Lil Beaver was packed up. There was a retirement party…read moregoing on, so it was hard to know where you could and could not sit. We sat at a table in the general area by the pool table, but no servers ever came by so we moved over to the bar area. I was excited to see the "pour your own" feature on the wall, that was a cool thing. However, when asking our server what Fruit Sour beers they had, I was informed that they don't have IPA or "the like"...which was totally confusing given the beer machine on the wall that was all IPA and craft beers. Did she mean cans? Ehh I don't know. But I digress... Food was ok. The cheese curds were fantastic. We received a water in a dirty glass that had an old soda stain on the bottom - so that was gross. Burger was good but on the smaller side. Service was not good, though I suspect it was because they were severely understaffed. A bartender has no business serving tables with a retirement party going on and a non stop line at the bar. No one was helping her whatsoever and it had to of been overwhelming. Not to mention one of the employees kept walking by and wiping his nose with his hand/forearm so that was pretty gross. All in all, I hear locals really like this place but also that the service seems to be the consistent negative on it. I'd try it again for sure, but honestly, between the water glass/nose wiping and lack of appropriate staffing - that's usually my trifecta to avoid...so it would be a last choice for me.

Some good local beer which charge by the pump like a gas station and basic good cheap bar food…read moremakes this a decent try. However if you're eating outside in the summer Beware of the biting ants as they are a killer if you are wearing sandals or flip flops

The Windjammer

3.2

(19 reviews)

Windjammer Lounge is nothing fancy, but it does what it sets out to do well - a terrific dive bar…read morewith cheap drinks and quick eats! Speaking of drinks, it was happy hour, so I enjoyed a top shelf vodka drink for only $4! It was the same price for pints of beer! There was a large afterwork crowd when I was there... and only one bartender... but she was able to keep up with demand and kept the drinks flowing! Inside it was pretty spacious and they could have fit a few more tables, but I imagine in the evenings it allows for more people to stand and walk around. I was there with some coworkers, but it was nice to see that they had a couple dart boards. Next time I will play some darts! ****FOUR STARS****

This is a great place to grab drinks with friends after work. You'll have options to enjoy sitting…read moreoutside or inside depending on the weather. The cost of the drinks are reasonable. I had a Rachel sandwich and they were great about swapping out the pastrami of a Ruben for the turkey.

Lucky 7's

3.4

(7 reviews)

Stopped by Lucky 7's on Saturday evening with some friends. It was busy but not overwhelming…read morecrowded. We tried our luck at some of the slot machines they have. They are pretty typically slots compared to other bars but one was obviously not working with the graphics on the screen very hard to see. They should strongly consider putting an out of order sign on the machine. Service at the bar was friendly and the drinks were good. My only complaint would be the wine glasses were shot plastic cups, similar to what you would find in a hotel room. It doesn't seem like a biggie, but having wine glasses for the wine would be a good investment.

Super attentive service. We went there for lunch on a weekday. The owner was super friendly and…read morevery attentive. Atmosphere was a little grimy. The fish was delicious. The fried appetizers and sides (mushrooms and cheese sticks) were really dry and didn't taste very good. Burger was good, not great.

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I've driven by Emden hundred and hundred of times. Not once did I ever drive through town. This…read moretime I did and stumbled upon this place. I ordered the pepper jack curds, side salad, baked potato, and the walleye. Oh wow oh wow. The curds were to die for. The salad and baked potato were so good with my fish. The salad wasn't fancy, just what I like. The baked potato was scrumptious and came out HOT! Now the fish... oof, so so so good! Fried to perfection and so much flavor and just fell apart I dropped 2 pieces on my pants. I got 2 Yuengling draft beers and they came out cold and just when I needed them. Waitress was the MVP, always checking on us. Cannot wait to stagger in to this place again and again!

Stopped in on way home from a trip to have a beer. Heard the food was good at another bar down the…read moreroad. Bartender was very nice and very cool bar with pool table, shuffle board etc.

Game Day Grill

4.2

(19 reviews)

So out of friggin' nowhere this place appeared on my radar. Originally a place to meet friends from…read moreChampaign and the south side of Blm for some Sunday NFL action. We were there for wings and the order we had that day were good but didn't blow us away, but we agreed to make a future date night visit. The 2nd time I went there with buddies for an imprompt happy hour. Neither visit did I really spend any time with the menu and THAT was a huge mistake, because the menu is prodigious, esp if you're a fan of appetizers (which may be the best such list in the area) and esp given what I'm advocating for as the best app going currently - - the giant pretzel with optional apps stuffed inside the 3 spaces in the pretzel. It's an impressive list of mostly fried yumminess and as we work thru that part of the menu, everything has been spot on. Then I noticed on social media that they are now regularly firing up a smoker and mixing things up on the daily specials board quite a bit lately, so it's now time to try another part of the menu. The beer selection is small but mighty - usually with an IPA, a White Oak and another local brewery as well as Yeungling options. The service has always been near perfect. The ambiance a get a little loud (as it should be) during big games and happy hour, but otherwise, laid back. They have a separate event room, robust gaming area and ample gravel lot parking right off the I-74E frontage road. 4.85 stars

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