What a lovely place! My partner and I came out for lunch last week before heading on to a tour at Farnsworth House a little further on (a great day trip from the city). Coming from the NW of Chicago it took us a little over an hour in light traffic and it was great driving through the fields as we approached. The Tea Room was so much more charming than I had imagined - wonderful country, rustic décor. The food was also very good - we had the Carmel Brie, Walnut/Pear/Gorgonzola salad, Cream of Asparagus Soup, and the Cheddar/Apple Panini (hold the bacon since we're vegetarian) with a large side of fruit salad. We very much liked everything we ordered - great quality and nice presentation (in the pottery they sell over at the shop). It was a rainy day when we were out but there are chairs and tables on the porch overlooking the field. If it were closer, we'd definitely become regulars. The pottery shop was also great - lots of goodies for the garden and many plants. The shop itself is also very quaint and charming and we look forward to going out for their Holiday Fest in early November. All around a great experience that exceeded our expectations! I'll be looking for excuse to go out that way again. read more

Venue 5126 - Inside of Tea Room - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Oswego, Illinois

See all

My friends are being harassed by the owner, David, to continue with their wedding this weekend, May 23rd, 2020 in spite of it being clearly illegal to do so during the State of Illinois stay-at-Home order during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are violating their own contract, have been unruly and also extremely unprofessional. They clearly wish to make what should be my friend's magical day a literal nightmare. Anyone signing up to do business with these people should be prepared to work with this kind of unethical and immoral judgement. read more

We had the best experience here! Kristen, the day of coordinator, was essential to our wedding day and truly is the reason we are giving them a 5 star review. The services she provides to make the day go smoothly are like no other. She is in really great communication with her couples and makes sure day of things go well! The venue itself is just gorgeous and really was a dream come true day of our wedding. Depending on your budget, you can rent from them or style yourself. We went the style yourself option, but if you are really wanting to do things up they have a great selection of rentals that you can take a look at on their website. The food was also good, mychef did an amazing job and was super great about getting me and my groom fed night of the wedding. We also went with a few other Emerson creek recommended vendors and not a single one of them dissappointed! read more

I visit Emerson Creek for lunch about 1 - 2 times a year. Usually, if I have an out of town guest, I take them there. It serves as a "cute" place in Oswego to have lunch. This past week I brought my sister in visiting from Florida. When I go down to visit her, we usually head to some beach side restaurant, so I decided to take her to a restaurant in the middle of a corn field. :-) But seriously, the view and setting is really pretty. A few things about Emerson Creek. 1. They have a menu that changes about every two weeks. The selection is small. They normally have about two appetizers, two soups, two desserts, and a few (around 4) different sandwiches, salads and entrees to select from. The focus is on quality. 2. While the food is pretty high quality - you are going to pay for it. A typical entree (for example, potpie with a side salad) runs just under $16. However, if you keep in mind you are paying for the atmosphere it makes the price more reasonable. 3. You are going to want to make reservations. Yes, even if it is for a Wednesday at 11:30. (That is the time I wanted to reserve a week out, but they were already booked.) 4. Once you turn off the main road and hit the driveway, it is a long, narrow gravel road - drive slowly. 5. You can check out a little store and also other events are held - check their webpage for the events. My sister really liked the place. So much so that we decided to try out the Yoga and Mimosas held a few days later on Saturday morning. Quick information on that: Yoga and Mimosas are held Saturday mornings - the last Saturday of each month. The cost (for us anyway) was $35 per person. This included 1 hour of yoga and a light breakfast to follow. Yoga was held in the barn (it was a very HOT day - even for my Florida sister - but they had fans going, so it was fine), and there were people (all women this morning) of varying fitness levels. They provided glasses, ice and different fruits and juices for the mimosas. (You provide the alcohol.) To eat there were scones, mini quiches, and yogurt parfaits. My sister, who can not eat gluten asked if there was anything gluten free; the chef came back with scones for her and told her if she ever returns to call ahead and they would make sure to have items ready for her. Okay, that was long. In short, try it out. Head in the direction of the corn fields, but make reservations first! read more

See all

Emerson Creek Pottery and Tea Room hosted my sisters, mom and I for a lovely morning/afternoon of mosaic art making and lunch. Driving to Emerson creek, I was expecting a more farm, middle of nowhere location. However, once in the barn and out on the patio one is left with a beautiful farm landscape with a few far off houses on the horizon. A private artist hosts mosaic art classes a few times a year at Emerson Creek and my mom luckily inquired about the class at the Wednesday outdoor market a few weeks back. The mosaic class was held in the barn which was a bit chilly. The barn doors are able to be shut which did help lessen the wind. The barn has gorgeous chandeliers and wooden benches and many other nice touches. Attached to the barn is a big tent. There is a small patio with a bonfire overlooking the lush landscape. I can imagine this being a very unique and memorable location for a wedding. Around noon, the sweetest waitress came and took our lunch orders from the tearoom. We began with the mango salsa (yum) and then I munched on a turkey sandwich and a cup of red pepper soup. The soup was heavenly. My sisters had no complaints about their tomato tartlet and apricot chicken salad sandwich. I was able to snag a bite of my sisters chocolate mousse pie and peach cobbler before it was devoured in 2 minutes. Desserts were phenomenal. While the quality of the food was outstanding, I do not think the portions were appropriate for the above average prices. I no means have a large appetite and was satisfied. However, I could see some walking away hungry. The pottery shop is full of unique gifts and signs. Not exactly my taste in pottery, however I did find a few outdoor knickknacks I envied for a house in the future. The hours of the pottery shop and tea room are quite limited. Be sure to check the website before making a trek out to this hidden gem. read more

See all

Almost two years ago to the day my 3 daughters and I spent an afternoon at emerson creek doing a mosiac workshop. At the time I said to them, I love it here, one of you is going to get married at Emerson Creek . Well, that day came to fruition this past month and I can't tell you what a wonderful venue and day it was. From beginning to end the owners Dave and Chris and stylist Joanna worked with us to make our day as fabulous as it absolutely was. There is not one negative thing I can say about the entire process . They were patient, friendly, timely, helpful and all worked hard to ensure that everything went as hoped, and it did! I can highly recommend Emerson Creek as a beautiful unique upscale barn wedding venue that is a hidden gem in the far western suburbs. Be sure to check it out for an afternoon lunch in their tearoom and cute adjacent gift shop and see for yourself! read more

See all

I have always loved Emerson Creek. It's quaint. It's cute. A great place to bring out-of-towners. I have been going to Emerson Creek for a while, but lately the quality of food has seemed to go down, while the prices are going up. For example: the Brie grilled cheese was $15. It just seems a tad ridiculous for what it is. The store was also a bit of a disappointment this past time. I feel like the store used to be very unique and had items you couldn't find anywhere else. Now, it seems like a shop full of Mudpie products, and that's about it. The whole experience just didn't feel as special as it used to, and that was a bummer. With that being said, everyone who works there is VERY friendly! read more

Attended a wedding last night and left early. Could not find a comfortable place to enjoy the wedding. The air conditioning in the dining tent was on full blast and last night it was in the low 70's high 60's. It was so cold no one could stay in that area, so we moved outside where it was warmer and there was seating. Outside was worse. They started a fire in the fire pits for s'mores and the pits are located on both sides of the seating area. Using damp wood, the "fires" were smoking so bad, we couldn't breathe! It was actually causing headaches for several of my friends. So we went into the bar/dance area. The music was SO loud, we thought - 3 strikes we're out. We left to go home. Too bad, since it was one of the few times we had been out socially in months, only to be disappointed. Pretty venue, food was good, beautiful place outside for the ceremony, but the staff needs to actually consider the comfort of the people who attend. read more

I have been going to Emerson Creek pottery for years! Watching Chris and her husband grow their business has been such a pleasure to enjoy! Their dream became a reality for us to cherish with our friends and family. My mother has now passed, but what great memories I have to have brought her to the tea roomI am so glad I took the time to bring her in a wheelchair to such a lovely place. My best to both of them as they continue to add on creating new adventures for all who gather at their table read more

Venue 5126 - Heaven on Earth! Diana3 - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Oswego, Illinois

This is an absolutely charming venue for a quaint wedding or reception in Oswego. The barn is darling with its shabby chic features including huge chandelier and cream colored drapes. The barn is located out in the middle of nowhere and if alcohol will be served coach buses would most likely be needed to safely transport guests. The venue is easily 1.5 hours or more from the City. As of April 2012, The venue costs $42 per person to rent. I was told all of the tables would be included. However until the bathrooms are done (and they may now be) there is an $1800 fee to rent toilets. For my small wedding of 100 people it would cost $4,200 plus $1,800 to walk in the door. Each business has a right to price their foods and services as they see fit. I just hope that the owners haven't priced themselves out of the wedding market. There are only so many city brIdes whose mamas will want their daughters to get married in a cool barn in the middle of Kendall County. Remember your roots...there are lots of people getting married in Kendall, duPage and Will Counties. Be forewarned to stay away from the slick and arrogant males sales person. He "asks the questions to the brides not the other way around." read more

What a great place to spend an afternoon with friends and family. The grounds are beautiful, the event space beckoned me to plan a party, the gift shop had something for everyone. Caught a sale on their namesake pottery and wish I had gotten a couple of other things so a return trip is in order (oh darn). Lunch was delicious (tip: make reservations). Met one of the owners and while visiting the grounds and snapping pictures of the gardens she made it a point of asking me if I was enjoying myself. Go with friends, Mom, sisters and Aunties. Yes there were a few men enjoying the place so pack them up and drag them along too! read more

If I'd known there wasn't a photo, I would have taken some today...because in this beautiful fall weather, this is a fun shop to head to on an afternoon drive. I was looking for a birthday gift and knew I could count on Emerson Creek to have something crafty and unique. In the quaint looking farm house, that reminds me of my grandmother's, there are shelves of seasonal pottery, knickknacks and gifts. There are signs to hang, window bottles for small arrangements of fresh picked bouquets and cute recycleable shopping bags...there's local honey, jarred candles and seasonal decos...there's a tea room that is open from 11-2pm as well, so you could just go for lunch. Today I got what I was looking for and I'm sure I'll be back...but check the website for hours before your drive and keep in mind that they are not open all year long! read more

I was going to have my wedding here. I was completely excited and looking forward to my big day. Due to Covid-19 all weddings in 2020 were being delayed till the next year. The owner had told us that our date was safe and we could hold it till we were all able to sit down and discuss payment/contract as soon as the stay at home order was lifted. Then without so much as a phone call or a warning to my fiance or I, they gave our date away. They never mentioned once that our date was in jeopardy or that we were ever at risk of losing it. They put forth a terrible effort to contact any of our listed contacts, my fiance and my mother never once were emailed and I only received 3 emails urging me to sign a contract that I never even had a chance to sit down with them and discuss. So if you were looking to have your wedding here I would be vary wary of the staffs capability to communicate with clients or coworkers. read more

I attended a wedding here some time ago, and had a mixed experience. The outdoor ceremony, though windy and freezing, made for a beautiful location, and a sweet, long entrance for the bride walking to the groom. Once indoors, we were much better - but only in certain locations! There were space heaters pumping all around the tent, however, if you moved too far from one, you were back to being cold again. The food was also cold, but it was an outside caterer, not provided directly by Emerson Creek. The last oddity were the restrooms, er, port-o-potties. Having to dash from the warm(ish) indoor hall, across tough gravel, in heels and a dress, to port-o-potties showcased the ultimate class of the class. All that being said, this is a beautiful spot and perfect for a rustic, chic wedding. Just be careful of the timing, and give your guests a heads-up if you have an outdoor ceremony! read more

It saddens me to write this but I feel the need to share with others. Our wedding was suppose to be on 8/8/2020 but due to Covid that was not posable so we reschedule to the following year in August. We had to cancel our wedding because we had a lot of family with underling health condition like diabetes, cancer, and transplants. Due to that we canceled our wedding a little over 6 months in advance (when Covid restrictions were still in place). We already paid for half the wedding. However, Emerson Creek would not give us our money back at all. I understand we would not get the retainer money back but I thought we would get some of the other money back but unfortunately we got nothing and lost it all. It's hard enough trying to deal with a pandemic and I understand they were hurting for money to but to take someone money that didn't have a wedding they're at all was sad. read more

I finally got the chance to check this place out. Lunch was really good (cream of artichoke soup & a veggie/hummus wrap) and great portion for lunch. There was a wedding going on so we got to peek at that & then we went to check out the pottery. Everything was so cute & the staff was extremely friendly. I bought myself a new salt & pepper set that I fell in love with when I saw the pattern in the Tea Room. I'll definitely go back & will probably bring my Mom & sister as they like to try new places. read more

See all

Loved the cashew apple salad served with warm bread . Our entree was delicious and the pear dessert was yummy. Friendly staff and listening to music outside after dinner with a gorgeous view makes a special evening. read more

See all

As a newly engaged person looking for a venue, there's a certain expectation to be treated special because you're planning a wedding! Then you realize that every wedding event planner is dealing with dozens of other people just like you. Some of them make you feel like one of a dozen, but not Emerson. For our first tour, we were immediately hugged upon arrival and treated like friends. Anyone else we passed along the way introduced themselves too. We felt right at home. The tour was wonderful and got us very excited about the venue (gorgeous!). I remember leaving in tears because I could picture getting married there so clearly! We chose to make our payments in person, so we always tried to schedule our visits around an Emerson event. We met the stylists this way and we were sold! They were excited and enthusiastic and they'd break down at the end of the night. :) After the multiple casual visits, we finally had our first visit with the day of coordinator (Kristen) and stylist (Lara). Kristen really helped keep us on track logistically. She was supportive when we had no clue what an answer should be, and helped us build up our vision of the wedding. Lara was so great at putting the vague ideas we had into something concrete and realistic. We absolutely love the rustic feel of Emerson, but thought it brought all the "rustic" styling we needed- so we chose to play up the elegance instead of the rustic. Lara was the perfect person to partner with on this task! She had an eye for exactly what we wanted. On the day of the wedding, I was blown away at the decor- between Lara and my florist, everything was picture perfect and was better than what I had envisioned. Not a single person bothered me with silly questions- because Kristen was there to absorb it all. I was treated like a princess all day long and just couldn't picture my wedding day going any other way. Emerson Creek made my dream wedding come true! read more

I was lucky enough to finally stop here again this summer. I had bought some pottery a couple of years ago and had not found the time to return. Am I glad I did! They have added a Tea and Lunch restaurnt to this place and the food is wonderful. I had the Flowerpot Salad and the presentation was unique, the ingredients fresh and organic and portions were great! I also had a wonderful dessert that was sinfully rich. Terrific service with friendly staff and even the owner stopped by to make sure I was waited on since I had opted to take one of their outside tables. They now offer the venue for special events, like weddings, family reunions and corporate meetings. They were having their first wedding when I had lunch there and the setting was amazing! I will make every effort to come back before they close for the winter. read more

Fantastic little getaway with really nice lunch options. Feels like we are on a mini vacation just having lunch here. The ambiance is quaint and the service is first rate. I like dining outdoors as the restaurant indoors can get a tad noisy. We love ECP and will keep coming back! read more

I had my wedding at Emerson Creek. I honestly can say, it is not possible to have a bad wedding at Emerson Creek! The venue is absolutely gorgeous! There are multiple options to have your ceremony, and I loved knowing that if there was bad weather, the barn ceremony would be just as gorgeous as the other options. The set up of the venue gives your guests so many fun options of things to do throughout the night, you can hang out in the barn and dance, or take a break sitting on the patio outside having a late night snack or s'mores. The staff is absolutely wonderful. I had the opportunity to talk to the owners multiple times, they love getting to know their couples! Kristen was such a fantastic coordinator- she really makes you feel confident the day will go smooth, and Molly is so talented her decorating skills are amazing ! Sue and the staff at my chef did an amazing job too! I don't know their names, but all the bar tenders and other staff at Emerson worked so hard and were so kind! One woman even sprinted to the bridal coop to get my bouquet that I forgot before I was about to walk down the aisle ! I had so many guests compliment that it was a 10/10 wedding ! All the vendors Emerson recommends are exceptional as well! The day couldn't have been more perfect! I'm obsessed and wish I could relive it over and over ! read more

ADORABLE! This place couldn't be any cuter. If I didn't already get married, I would have my wedding in the barn. Took my grandparents for lunch and the food was delish! Such a fun outing, pottery is great (although didn't buy any). You don't find unique places like this in the suburbs anymore. Feels like you're on vacation at a B&B :) read more

This adorable restaurant is most definitely a destination worth traveling for. Emerson Creek is tucked in behind a residential area on seven acres down a little gravel road. We stopped for lunch, enjoyed delicious homemade soups and salads. The Pottery Barn shop is darling and full of fun treasures and decorations. The owners, Chris and Dave, are accessible and happy to have the visitors. Put this on your list of things to do! read more

What a beautiful place. It was sort of hard to find, but that's the fun of it. It's a hidden gem. Driving up on the gravel road you first see a house with ceramics in the windows. This is the gift shop. It smelled like caramel and was really cute. There were a ton of things to look at. Something for everyone. Then you see the restaurant. There's a huge covered front porch and more seating inside. I went with my mother and aunts for lunch. We loved the decor and the overall atmosphere. The place is only open until 2pm so we made reservations for 12:15pm. When we got there we saw there were many many cars. Pretty cool that a place like this gets so busy. The only reason I took a star off was because when we got there we were told by the hostess we would have a short wait due to how busy it was. About twenty minutes later we saw two groups of people seated before us that had arrived after us. My aunts went to go see what happened and they told us that they had forgotten about us. Kind of annoying, but they rectified it by giving us a free appetizer. The staff was extremely friendly and definitely would enjoy going back again. PS They have a really beautiful space behind the restaurant used for events like weddings and receptions. It's indoor and decorated very lovely. read more

LOVE this place! I've been here as a wedding guest, to their yoga classes, and I go to the markets every month when they have them. I've never been disappointed. Extremely friendly and helpful staff and they have the cutest items in their pottery room. Just a heads up to make reservations well in advance if you want to eat at their tea room during markets. But if you don't no worries because they offer food that you can eat on the patio outside of the barn. So glad i discovered this place and I now refer to it as my "happy place" :) read more

Our daughter made Mother's Day reservations for our party of 4. The reservations weren't until 1:30 and didn't get seated until 45 minutes later. When we did we ordered quickly but then had to wait another 45 minutes for food. We joke that our 3 hour lunch. Lunch was average, but service wasn't bad. So sweet of our daughter to take us here but won't be returning anytime soon. read more

A coworker/friend had invited me and another friend to the Backroads Holiday Vintage Market this year and what an absolute blast it was! We first had lunch in the tearoom and one of the best meals I've had in a long time. I had the chicken pot pie, huge chunks of chicken and veggies in a pastry shell is my kind of party. It came with a side salad that was delicious as well! I'm dreaming about that meal as I type this. Lol. We also had the Peach BlackBerry cobbler which was delicious as well. You can definitely tell the food was very fresh. I know some have said it's a bit pricey but I'm glad to pay quality over quantity any day. The menu changes daily too so it's nice to try something different each time you come for a visit. The Holiday market itself was great, there were over 60 vendors and each was very unique. I got a couple candles, soap and a couple decorative pieces for Christmas. I cannot wait to go back next year! I know I will definitely go back in the summer just to have lunch in the tearoom. read more

See all

I would be writing a 5 star review based on 2 other experiences I had eating here. However, this Saturday I arrived at 1:30pm and waited about 5 minutes for someone to acknowledge me at the hostess stand. When a server finally said that the hostess will be with me in a minute, it was another 2-3 minutes. I have every other Saturday off and had been waiting for some time to make the 45 min drive to eat here. I thought it would be nice to take my 75 yr old father here to 'celebrate' his anniversary with my mom who had passed 2.5 years ago. I was so excited and I patiently waited. To my surprise, the hostess said 'they were all full'. I said I would be happy to sit outside. Then she said they were 'running out of food'. I asked if we could even just have some soup and she said 'No'. I understand that they have limited quantity being a farm to table restaurant but that is no way to run a business. I am very disappointed that she just flat out turned us away and did not even offer up ANYTHING, something to drink, snack, or dessert. Just a solid a NO. The hostess was not accommodating and not even apologetic. The only tip I will be giving them is....they should state 'reservations ONLY' or 'need to arrive by 1pm and will not seat anyone arriving later' or 'call ahead to see if they have food left'. You're welcome. I will not be recommending this restaurant to my friends, family, and many clients. Note: My 2 other visits were also during Labor Day weekend and I had arrived within the same timeframe. Had gotten seated with no issues. The pottery shop is nice and has cute things but over priced. read more

My friends treated me to lunch on June 29th at Emerson's, after I selected the restaurant. We had been to Emerson's several times since they opened their Tea Room. I doubt I'll ever return. I ordered a salad with salmon and it was so overcooked I couldn't even chew it. I wasn't going to say anything and my friends insisted I return it. I did and I didn't see our teenage server for the next 30 minutes, not even to refill our empty iced tea glasses. I finally flagged her down since my friends had finished their lunch and she reluctantly checked with the kitchen. A few minutes later she brought out my original salad with a new piece of salmon, which was also overcooked, but not as dry as the first piece of salmon. Really???...for a $16 salad, hire a cook who knows how to cook menu items or remove the items from your menu. I don't know what was worse, the food or the server. Again, hire servers who clearly understand their role as a server. What a double whammy at a once popular, pricey place to have lunch. The cute interior and mismatched dinnerware are not going to survive poor service and overcooked, tasteless food. Recognition by whomever was managing the tea room would have met my minimum expectations. Do better if you want to stay in business. read more

We visited EmersonCreek last week and found it to be much less inviting then their website shows. The gift shop located in a few rooms of an old farmhouse, looks nothing like the photos and carries significantly less merchandise then pictured. The Tearoom was even less inviting. It is in an old building with a very noticible strong musty smell. We chose not to stay for lunch as we decided that atmosphere would not be at all appetizing for a pleasant meal. It has a gravel parking lot and the bathrooms, although clean, are located outside. There is no one that greets you or gives you information on the property, no signage or brochure. The clerk in the gift shop told us we could wander around while we waited for lunch to be served but there is really nowhere to sit to enjoy the farm atmosphere. read more

My daughter, mother in law and I had a great day here. Fun shop and great Tea room. We enjoyed the soup, salad, sandwich ...and yes the cobbler. Really great service and prices. I recommend making reservations. I plan to go back and pick up some pottery. The gift shop had lots of different things. Jewelry, soaps, really cute flour sack dish towels, signs and so much more. The prices are really great! read more

I went here for lunch with a friend last week. The property is very much in the middle of nowhere, which I love. It features a barn, which can be used for parties and weddings, a tearoom where they serve lunch, and a store where they sell various goods.Their menu is small and changes weekly, which I personally love and think is a great idea for a small business. It keeps people interested and coming back to try new things. I ordered a BLT chicken salad, which was served in a flower pot. It featured a side of fresh fruit and a fresh baked blueberry muffin. My friend chose a BLT pasta served with a side salad and a breadstick. We both commented on how delicious the food tasted. Everything was very fresh and had a really nice flavor. We decided to split a S'mores lava cake skillet for dessert. It was not what was expecting, but was delicious nonetheless. They feature a peach cobbler on their menu that many people request and I would definitely like to try that next time. We went to the store and there were a lot of cute items in there. I could definitely do some Christmas shopping and birthday shopping here. I will be back to try other menu items and perhaps to attend some of the fitness classes they offer. I highly recommend a visit to Emerson Creek! read more

My wife and I had our wedding here and we loved it! We found Emerson Creek through word of mouth and went to look at the venue and fell in love immediately with the venue!! The owners were very friendly and wonderful! The venue is very spacious with a charming country feel to it! Everyone loved our venue and how wide open it was with gorgeous sunset views over the corn fields! This is the perfect place for a wedding! We have also gone there for lunch and the food is also amazing with a very cute shop for gifts and home decor! Our wedding was very memorable due to the gorgeous venue and the only complaint I have is just some minor communications between what was allowed of us for the wedding and our DIY items getting to the venue. If those communications get worked out for future couples it is the PERFECT place for a wedding and we recommend using this venue! Just a side note, we had a horrible experience with one of the preferred caterers (Cutting Edge Catering), and would NOT recommend using that Caterer! Review the comments on YELP before you do! Overall, Excellent venue and I do not hold Emerson Creek responsible for RUDE owner of Cutting Edge Catering! read more