Latest reviews from Libertyville

“This is a funky place that used to be the gold standard in Lake County. It has about 30 taps and a few beer engines. Always a good selection. The grass fed burgers are great here, in general the food is pretty good here. The ambiance is a bit hoity toity but its okay. Lots of pub crawls of mongoloids come through here as well.“

crossovert 2602 days ago

“Cool place. Long bar, some tables. Funky international decor. Service was solid. Could have been better, it was inattentive, but the bartender was friendly and it was slow. Hopefully they pull out their A game when its busy. Did not try the food as I was not asked if I wanted food or given a food menu. Their loss... I was hungry. Good beer list. Some regional seasonals, rarities, and a vintage beer (2015 Lost Abbey IPA). Prices on beer were solid. They were willing to provide small samples. Parking is probably easier if you go behind the building (which I did not do). Fairly easy jaunt off of I-94. Overall, solid stop.“

Drake 2605 days ago

“The new location is a definite upgrade from the previous spot across the street. A more wide open, beer-hall feel to it; they could totally pull off a neat oktoberfest setting with an oompah band overwhelming the join, or a haunted farm themed Halloween celebration. The service was ok. The waitress serving us was very friendly and quite good looking, but just didn’t seem to want to be bothered by beer specific questions ("I just work here"?). They had five of their beers available, plus an okay selection of other beers available. Their spinach artichoke dip is very good; although unhealthy, I recommend it everytime!“

ARH 3692 days ago

“Not exactly the most convenient for most Chicago visitors, this joint is a little treasure way up north. Tucked away in a very well-heeled suburb, this is a warm, friendly neighborhood joint that has terrific pub grub (sausage plate: CLICK) and a stellar tap list. Lots of different sizes so you can tick quite a few, and I was impressed with the mix of regional/local craft and some domestics and Europeans I’d not even heard of before. Great joint.“

JCB 3857 days ago

“Entrance in back, not on Milwaukee Ave.--look for the red door. Long bar with a smattering of tables for the restaurant. Be forewarned that if you sit at a table, you have to order food (generally). Christmas lights decorate year round, color based on season (purple and green for mardi gras, etc). Lots of beer type signs and odd kitchy stuff all over the place. Huge beautiful area behind the bar that they can tell you a story about. Servers very knowledgeable, especially behind the bar. Dave and his crew really know their stuff. 30 taps that are constantly changing and is very easy to find 4 or 5 that you really want. Food is a bit pricey but generally excellent and is not your standard bar fare. This place is a gold mine, so unless you come at an off time, prepare to wait.“

ck1 3874 days ago

“Visited 10/11/2010 on Columbus Day. 9 house taps including both versions (nitro/CO2) of Big Head APA and a couple of casks (Q-Dog and left over Summer Ale).

This place is in another nice looking quiet country side town. The bar is across the street from a park so parking was easy. The restaurant is kind of stretched out into an L shape. It was sort of dark inside and a bit warm but over all nice. Not many people inside at 11 am on a holiday.

I tried the sampler, although I’m still not sure if they normally offer this. The sampler included the regular beers but when I asked to include the nitro Big Head, the seasonal (Oktoberfest), and the 2 casks the bartender happily obliged. After leaving me with my drinks he went to hang out with one of the waitresses. Fine with me as I was only making a quick stop on the way back to Chicago and I was paying cash so I didnt need him around.

The beer wasn’t bad with the standout being the 847 APWA and the variations of the Big Head Pale (nitro, CO2, and Q-Dog which is cask Big Head with some extra dry hops).

Not even sure if they offer food but at a friendly neighborhood bar like this I wouldn’t mind hanging out a bit.“

t0rin0 4095 days ago

“Cool bar. Good selection and variety of taps; import/domestic, local/national, with some nice out of the ordinary and rare taps. A number of bottles available as well, although the only one I asked fore happened to be unavailable... Was there at non-peak hours so service was prompt. Long bar with a good amount of seating. Worth a stop if you’re in the area.“

beerbaaron 4097 days ago

“a great craft beer bar. awesome food and awesome selection of beer.“

CorneliusBunkr 4150 days ago

“First visit on a week night, nearly full for dinner. Found entrance in the back of the building. Really great tap list, lots of beers I can’t usually get. Comfortable place, narrow with a long bar, decent food. Good service,“

KPD 4278 days ago

“This is a good spot, some of these ratings may no longer represent this place. I was in Libertyville for an interview and came on on a Sunday evening. The place was packed, 15 minute wait to be seated. The decor is good, brick and woody, dark but not too dark. Bar is long with lots of seats. More importantly, the beer was all well made. Had all the beers on tap and absolutely no flaws. The selection was good, had the basic wheat and amber but also a solidly made czech pils. The Scotch Ale was good and the Rye stout was also well made. Even had a Belgian Strong and it was decent for a brewpub. Another nice aspect were the guest taps, 3 that included Old Chub, Timmermans Fram, and something else decent. The food was average brewpub fair, about 1-2 bucks more than I want to pay for it thought. The service was appropriate. There is also a good bar across the street but I did not get a chance to visit. If you are visiting the Naval Academy or want to take a 15 minute detour off of 94 I highly recommend the place.“

beastiefan2k 4294 days ago

“NIce variety on tap and bottle...staff allows samples of most beers. Service rated low because someone in my party had a very restrictive diet..and it took multiple explinations to get food ordered right. Get the calamari....nice.“

sawbuck 4335 days ago

“A surprising place with nice food and drinks. A Skinny space but they do a good job of using it with a long bar and tables. Service is good with nice recommendations. Selection is surprising for being up this way with a few nice things on tap. Food has been good on both my visits. Prices are not bad either.“

deyholla 4387 days ago

“Stopped in when I met my girlfriend in Libertyville (between Chicago and Milwaukee). A large bar area that has a few TVs. There are a number of taps that had some decent to good beers. Service was fine, but nothing special. Didn’t sample the food on my visit.“

deyholla 4387 days ago

“Beer selection is great and always changing. Almost always has a cask beer available. Food is excellent and unique. Great service. Overall an excellent place to hangout and drink good beer.“

Doghair 4413 days ago

“Great selection of draft and bottles. Killer food and service.“

jeremytoni 4482 days ago

“Just popped in yesterday to get setup with all of my equipment and supplies to brew my first brew- a mead. Rob was a great guy to talk to! I had read and watched a lot of video’s on making a mead, but it was so helpful to talk thru the game plan with someone who had made a mead before. This will be my go to supply store!“

JoePeesie 4484 days ago

“Best beer bar in suburbs- excellent waitstaff- selection of beers unmatched in northern burbs“

RMC 4535 days ago

“Good selection of beers brewed in house- great staff- great rotation of beers with seasons“

RMC 4535 days ago

“Selection is average. Except for a couple of beers that are more rare that I saw, everything here can be found at any decent liquor store. Their selection of bombers is thin. On the bright side, they have a lot of refrigerator space, so you can find something that is already cold. I would say that this is just your average liquor store.“

Scipio 4563 days ago

“First, this doesn’t feel like a brewery. It is more of a hip bar instead of people hanging out and appreciating beer. That is not a bad thing at all, but you just need to know what to expect. I think the biggest problem is that the main bar area is very small and narrow. It has been around for 100 years, and the downstairs is crammed into the original bar. For this reason, it becomes almost impossible to move at times given at how popular the pace is. The beer garden is ok. The overflow of people, which is quite a lot, streams out into the dining room/restaurant area. And it feels like you are drinking in a restaurant, not a bar or brewery. Upstairs there are very loud bands that play on a stage and what is more or less a lounge area with a dance floor. Now the beer itself is good. There are always a fairly good amount on tap as well, with seasonal beers thrown in depending on the time of year. I have always found the waitresses and bartenders to be very friendly. But given how busy they get you can get neglected at times. The food is very good. Now altogether, I really like this place and I have been coming here for a long time. I always have a good time. There is good beer and everyone is having fun. You just need to know what you are walking into and that it is very crowded.“

Scipio 4575 days ago

“I go here quite often. It is kind of small, but that is the only negative that I can find. It has a great atmosphere of old wallpaper and pictures, as well as strands of lights everywhere. And no tvs! There is always about 30 premium beers on tap and the selection, which constantly changes. There is often very rare or unique selections brought in. The staff is extremely knowledgeable. They know everything about what they have to offer. The food is very good. Quite simply, there is no other place like this in the area. I strongly recommend checking this place out if you’re around.“

Scipio 4576 days ago

“Been here a couple of times. Sat at the bar both times. This place is a bit small - like a long rectangle that you’re oddly required to enter from the back side. Atmosphere is an odd mix of the local richie-riches and beer geeks. Nice selection of beer with lots of rotating taps. Nice to see they had both regional breweries (like FFF, Bell’s, and Great Lakes) and locals (like Half Acre and Tighthead). Everything served in the proper glasses. Ate lunch this time around and while it was better than average, it really wasn’t anything special. Had a burger (supposedly grass-fed beef) and while it was good, it had to have been previously frozen. Wife had a muffaletta which was overly salty and lacked the requisite olive dressing. If I lived in the area I’d come more often, but couldn’t see making a special trip.“

Florida9 4597 days ago

“This place is no joke they really do have a great selection with a bunch of revolving taps. My only complant is that the place is so small and gets very busy at times.“

Durb777 4599 days ago

“Finally had a chance to stop in here and was pretty impressed. Nice unassuming bar that is unpretentious and reminds me a lot of many other beer bars I’ve patronized. Strong beer list, probably 30 deep in taps and solid bottle selection as well. Clean lines and the food is pretty damn good, too! Prices are nice but I don’t know how they compare to other suburban places. Will definitely come back.“

NobleSquirrel 4603 days ago

“Had a chance to stop in here recently when dropping off entries for a competition. Small shop that has a pretty broad spectrum of supplies including fitting and honey. As far as I could tell, covered pretty much everything you could need out of a homebrew shop, including CO2 tank filling. If you’re in the area, be glad you have a shop like this nearby. Staff is somewhat knowledgeable as well, thought a touch aloof.“

NobleSquirrel 4603 days ago

“I used to work at the bar down the street from here. When the firkin would close I would get all their bartenders drunk. 5 years later I’m coming back to my hometown and enjoying this bar in a whole new light. Lovely atmosphere with a gorgeous ornate wood bar. A phenomenal beer list considering most bars in the area consider sapporo and pranqster amazing "craft" beers. If you’re in the suburbs of Chicago you MUST visit the Firkin. Also, amazing and very knowledgeable bar staff. Ask for Dave...he’s amazing.“

MrsRickyisms 4667 days ago

“Exactly what a neighborhood beer bar should be like. Decent tap list with no obvious losers on the board, though arguable (at first, ill explain in a second) nothing retardedly rare on tap either, interesting and apetizing sounding menu (haven’t tried anything yet, may later though), nice vibe...decorated for the holidays but in a nice, inviting way, attentive friendly staff, not a tv in sight...I like it. So, my gf knows one of the guys here and upon talking with him for a few minutes about having the desire to drink something akin to imperial stout or something barrel aged, which at the time, they didn’t have anything on tap at the moment...he leaves for a moment and comes back and asks if we’d like him to put on the firestone 15 anny for us. Yes sir, that would be splendid. Accomodating service, chill beer-is-important vibe...several different pate’s on the menu and a venison terrine. Yes, this place is legit.“

DaSilky1 4667 days ago

“a bit of a dumpy liquor store, staff is always surprised that a "beer" could cost as much as it does. Selection is not bad but nothing special. Freshness can be questionable.“

JoePeesie 4749 days ago

“stumbled on this place while leaving Firkin... big out door patio, bar area and some seating... they have 6 of their own drafts, one guest draft and 2 casks... service was fine but the guy wasn’t super friendly or able to chat about the beers that much... the beers were solid... good experience“

chibuck 4765 days ago

“solid selection of sixers including lots of Three Floyd’s... the single bottle selection is weak, nothing you can’t get anywhere else... solid place but nothing you need to visit“

chibuck 4765 days ago

“Finally made it out this highly rated place after a day at Six Flags... cool quiet street with easy parking and just about a hundred yards from Mikey Finn’s for the tickers... 25 taps and about the same number of bottles. the draft list was decent nothing spectacular, focused mostly on localish suff, daisy cutter, 2 hearted, zombie dust, the bottle list was weak, all easy to find stuff... the food all sounded good with some great unique combo’s, some of it didn’t pull together but it was solid... a great neighborhood place but ont a destination spot that you need to drive an hour to get to 3rd time here, and each times its gotten a bit worse, several food items were out, beer list was not updated and weak, food was boring. Can’t see coming back now, gotta drop this from a 76 to lower“

chibuck 4765 days ago

“Good place, nice folks. Good place to grab a bite, average place to grab a beer. I put them as average perhaps because I have the good fortune to live in an area where there is an abundance of brew pubs. In the context of the options avalible in the area it’s and average to good brew pub. If it were to stand alone with fewer alternatives within 20 min. Drive I would rate it better than you are liable to find elsewhere and place rate it as good to very good. Unfortunately for Finn’s their food is on par with many other places around and their beer (IMO) is average and does not stand out from the BMC’s beyond additional styles they brew and offer.“

JoePeesie 4771 days ago

“Big fan of the Firkin, try to hit it at least once a month, and follow it on Face book as they let you know whenever they tap something "rare" or special. I gave it a 15 on selection because if you can’t find a drink your looking for with 30 taps and generally about 50 bottles which cover a wide range of style, seasonal’s one offs, domestic, and imports than you might need to be a touch less picky. Firkin is a trendy place in a very nice downtown area. A great place for a date night (if your not looking for intimate) during the summer with a rose garden across the street. The only knock is the prices on food are a touch steep. That being said I have never really quabled as the quality is always very good. I live 30 Min. away and make a point to stop in frequently.“

JoePeesie 4772 days ago

“Really enjoyed the firkin! especially the high-ceilings and laid back atmosphere. the food was also quite good and the beer selection adequately diverse.“

17thfloor 4799 days ago

“They feature beers from Belgium, England, Germany and the U.S etc. The have some definate "staples" that are almost always around. But they also bring in seasonal. The food is pretty good, not super, but definately a notch or 2 above bar food. The service is always excellent, dispite the fact that during peak times the bar can get very crowded onal and other beers for variety. Great PLACE“

needaloan 4808 days ago

“Mickey Finn’s is a pretty standard brew pub restaurant in downtown Libertyville. The atmosphere is nice except on weekends when it can get pretty loud. Food and beer can be hit or miss. I"ve had some good beers and some not-so-good beers here. Food selection can also be an adventure - but the burgers here are usually a safe bet. In an area that doesn’t boast many brew pub options, this is certainly worth a visit. But, it in no way can stack up to the kind of pubs you’d find in Chicago proper.“

kjc51478 4888 days ago

“Stopped in for a couple of 3/19/11, outstanding place! Very cool atmosphere. Amazing tap list, I had a Goose Island Dominique and a Duvel Green. Top notch bar, I’ll be back!“

mattmc1973 4932 days ago

“This is a decent place on it’s own, but it’s quite lacking in several aspects and could definitely improve a bit. We were there to grab a bite of food and try some of the beers. They had one stout on tap which rivaled Guinness in taste and quality - not much to say there. Being there to see the transition from dinner crowd to night crowd really gave me a good feel of the clientele of this joint. The dinner crowd was all stuck-up moms who would proudly mount their designer purses on the table in front of them and husbands who were trying to look like the 20 year olds they definitely were not. The night crowd was nothing but young kids and 30-somethings who tried to dress up a bit too much and wore too much cologne. The beer selection and food menu helped support this feel in that they were nothing much more interesting than a TGI Fridays. It appears that they hire waitstaff only on the merit of how attractive they are. Our waitress was not helpful or attentive at all, and when glancing around the rest of the tables it appeared this was very common. When asking about beers our waitress had to walk away and ask someone else which took nearly 10 minutes. This is the kind of place you might go if you think the idea of a brewpub was ’cute’ or if you met up with some friends to watch a local band and drink some Miller or Bud beers. I cannot suggest Mickey’s for anyone who has an actual interest in beers or a good pub. I am not a fan of Durty Nellies either, but would have to recommend it over Mickey Finn’s since they at least have a decent beer selection. Sorry Mickeys! I have lived in the area for a long time, and I really wanted to love your place... until I went there. - Woody“

swoody 5111 days ago

“What a gem. This is such a great place. Great service. they had way more inventory than I ever imagined. They got me hooked on fresh coffee beans to roast. the staff is totally knowledgeable.“

abundance 5183 days ago

“Fantastic selection on tap. A lot of rare or odd brews for a wide variety of breweries. Staff was very friendly, knowledgeable and more than willing to lend you a helping hand if there were questions on a brew. Quick service and food service (only had desserts this time but I didn’t see it different for the people eating in) was excellent with constant check ups and faster than normal delivery of food. Desserts were fantastic! My wife enjoyed the selection of Sprecher soda on tap since she doesn’t care for beer. Decor of the place was very relaxing“

Narnad 5239 days ago

“Good in-store experience. Bill, the manager, was very helpful, offering his advice every step of the way, and answering all of my questions. Store has most of your needs, and if not, will offer suggestions. Prices seem a bit high compared to other home brew shops.“

ck1 5247 days ago

“Upscale beer bar. eclectic art. bunch of tables and a bar in a rectangular room. Sat at the bar for a couple hours. 3 pints of surly mild, a glass of eric’s sour peach ale, and expedition stout on cask. awesome. The bartendars checked on me regularly and hooked me up with a number of samples. GF got a commadore perry and an eric’s ale. she ordered a steak salad and a bavarian pretzel as well. food was solid. great atmosphere. really happy there is a solid bar in my girlfriend’s new city for the next 12 months. Tight place. bill was like $62 pre tip/ post tax for 7 beers, steak salad, pretzel and dip, and free samples. a good experience. will be back.“

SrSilliGose 5250 days ago

“Been there a few times now and never reviewed ... If it was closer to home it would be a regular (every evening??) stop. Terrific range of taps with both variety of styles and regular turnover for newness. Sharp bartenders who know their stuff, including great glassware.“

AWISLguy 5318 days ago

“The in-store experience was fantastic. I went last weekend and found my new favorite shop. I’ve been homebrewing for about 5 years and have done all my purchasing online and got advice from the many online resources. It was a great experience to finally be able to talk to people locally who enjoy this hobby and also to see all the stuff in person. Prices were competitive. I will be back for more gear and ingredients. Thank!“

HoppyHeaded 5420 days ago

“Nice to find a place like this in the burbs. Their beers are good, but seem to focus a lot of wheat beers. Food is typical bar food. (Although they do have fried pickles, which happen to be one of my favorite foods.) Next time you find yourself in the northern burbs, or are on your way to Perfect Brew, stop here for a cask ale and fried pickles.“

megrut 5462 days ago

“Stopped by for lunch when working in the area. Big bar, nice atmosphere with lots of tops and two cask taps visible at the bar. Service was friendly and very informative and knowledgeable about the bears. Draught selection was good, nothing really rare but some brews I’d never heard of and plenty I had not had a chance to try. Nice representation of midwest beers. Bottle list didn’t look huge but had some good beers, nothing super rare or amazing. All in all a great beer bar, not a destination place probably but if this place was closer to me I"d be a regular.“

kseecs16 5573 days ago

“Typically have 2 to 3 good beers, in a good season these guys can have 3 great beers and 6 good ones. Surly Darkness has made an appearance here. Currently serving Southern Tier Oat, Founders Breakfast, and Great Lakes Nosferatu! Food is tasty, but overpriced.“

MegaMan2OO6 5816 days ago

“Been here a few times over the years, a Lush cousin of mine lives in Libertyville and we hit this place every time i’m in town. Classic Midwest lounge with lots of dark wood decor, I like the set up here because it’s separated from the main dining area. Beers are decent enough, nothing that will rock your socks off. Food is pretty good. Nice place to hang and pound a few.“

AmEricanbrew 5837 days ago

“probably 20 taps at least, great selection from around the globe, plenty of american craft and belgians. bartender was super cool and knowledgeable yet on my level, never seemed to condascend or make a snide comment which i expect at a place like this. had a cane and ebel on cask then a matilda on a satrday early afternoon. could have easily stayed all day. place was decorated very nicely and felt very comfortable. i will definately be back !!“

satan165 5872 days ago