My husband and I tried this place a couple of weeks ago and then came back the very next Saturday! I highly recommend going for lunch because we didn't have any wait. Our first visit I ordered the southern and my hubby ordered the Koren BBQ sandwich. Both were so good we halved them both and shared. We tried the elote which was out of this world! Both sandwiches were terrific but I think we liked the southern the best. Second time we got one of the boards and another order of the elote. My husband is a bourbon connoisseur so he loved the bourbon selection. We will definitely be back! read more

Great atmosphere. Good food. Super bar. I'm a single malt snob, they took care of me no fuss. Huge selection. It's a bit far for us to drive every week. But once in a while it's well worth it. read more

This is a fantastic place to grab a bite and a delicious drink! They Mix up some extremely tasty beverages and have a variety of cocktails. Barrel and Rye is open to mixing up specialty beverages which is great! The food is rich and flavorful. Great atmosphere for a date or a meet up with a few friends. Recommend 4 or fewer for seating unless you want to sit at the bar. I think there is one table for 6. Overall great little place downtown Geneva. :-) read more

Ate a burger and fries here with a whiskey. Great atmosphere. The fries are some of the best I've had. The burger was cooked great. You also have a choice of meats for the burgers. The service was very good. I will be back to try other things. read more

Very cozy place to chill at. Great whiskeys and food. Service was great. I love the bar. Very nice atmosphere.

A little gem in our town. Stacie is a fabulous server/manager and the food is just great. Shhhh....don't tell anyone about B&R. Let's keep it our secret. :-) read more

Great concept. But that is what it is. I was very excited for Barrel and Rye to open, as the concept is perfect for what is popular at this given time. Unfortunately after my fourth time going, all that it is, is a great concept. I wanted to give it time and try the food on multiple occasions before I wrote a review, especially after meeting the nice owner. What they have done here is taking a great concept and sold it to non foodie folk in the burbs. All of the menu items sound good but the execution is not good. It is exactly executed like there Mexican food on the corner. It is like they followed the trend of what is popular (beer, gastro, bourbon) and decided to try to cash in on it before knowing anything about these popular trends. Just by looking at the whiskey list you can tell that they probably don't drink Bourbon or other whiskeys. They are either the mainstream or they are trying to get into the boutique whiskeys, but just ordering the wrong ones. I do have to say that it looks very nice in the place and that is what attracted me to Barrel and Rye to the first place. But that is all it is. It is a concept place that is all show with out execution. It might make as a lot of people don't care as much about food and beverage. But to the educated, passionate ones it is kind of insulting. Again great ideas, but not the skill set. read more

I had such high hopes based on other reviews and recommendations from friends. Atmosphere - fun and trendy. Food was good,but not amazing, and a bit on the pricey side. But my drink was awful - I just can't past that I paid $10 for a glass of water with a cookie on top.I am 100% sure they forgot to put the alcohol in it. No question. With so many other great places to try, definitely won't return. read more

Great atmosphere. I don't really love the menu. They used to have an awesome salmon bruschetta that they discontinued and the rest of the food is meh. read more

The quality of the food is good. I would recommend the falafel sandwich. I would have probably given it 4 stars if the portions were larger or the prices were lower, but overall it's not bad. Not much else to say about it besides it's a pretty typical restaurant that you would find in the Geneva area; nothing bad, but nothing too unique or special either. read more

Nice addition to the Geneva restaurant scene. We have been three times now, having tried numerous items, and have not been disappointed with anything. Service has been good for us, and the drink are everything they are cracked up to be. My only issue with the place, is that it is tiny. The bar takes up 2/3 of the restaurant, leaving roughly 5-8 tables of four. They do not take reservations, or call ahead seating, so if you do not get there early, it is very difficult to get a table. If you arrive and have a long wait, walk around 3rd street there. It is a pretty cool place to be to kill some time. And the food and Drinks at Barrel + Rye are worth the wait! read more

This is one of our favorite restaurants. Great food, drinks (one of the best bourbon lists around), and service. Always a great experience.

Great little spot to stop in while shopping. Friendly service, cute atmosphere, and great food. The venison burger and Brussels sprouts were delish! And I'll be craving the bourbon cocktail with sage and blackberries...so good!! Can't wait to go back and try more of the menu. read more

Barrel + Rye - Sacred sage...amazing! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

Great service and delicious food! Oh, and their old fashioneds are out of this world!

1920's meets modern day,eclectic cuisine. The bar is ideal for a fun night out with close friends or date for two. My husband enjoyed the smoked Manhattan and I the spicy Paloma. Both delicious. The wings (dry rub) were a surprising blend of flavors with a hint of cinnamon. The chilaquile burger was an intelligent blend of black beans and sweet potatoes , hidden in the mysterious flavors of a Mexicali breakfast, but on a bun! Yum! read more

Made it here for dinner on a Monday. Even on a Monday it was packed. We got seated at one of the last tables and noticed a few people behind us had to wait a short bit. We ordered a cheese and meat board. I don't even really like meat all that much but just couldn't stop nibbling at it. SO GOOD. My Sazerac was great as well. Very smooth and made perfectly. My grilled cheese with tomato soup to dip it in was delicious and comforting on that chilly day. The only thing lacking was the fries. I've had way better fries. Disappointment there. read more

The food was wonderful, top quality and well-imagine pub fare. Cocktails were good too, but what is really impressive is the range of premium and craft whiskies available. One of the better places to visit in Geneva for dinner and cocktails. read more

Fun place to get a bunch of appetizers and share. Their wings are gluten free which is hard to find! The food is outstanding and so is the service. Just get there early! read more

Only have been there once, but I look forward to going back! Ive had dreams about their brie cheese curds! Love love love!

This place is a GEM. It's casual with an upscale twist of course as it IS downtown Geneva. We visited on a weekend afternoon for a little afternoon boozing and some grub. What an amazing, artisan drink menu. The drinks were fun, creative, and beyond delicious. The food was absolutely wonderful. We shared the Duck Poutine and the Salmon Bruschetta. If I remember correctly they didn't have much of a craft beer menu which I think is perfectly acceptable, but should be noted to prevent disappointing the the craft beer enthusiast. Buck up and have a bourbon. Casual atmosphere, but sophisticated. I wouldn't want to be caught in Barrel + Rye wearing sweats or a grubby t-shirt or gym shoes. I'd recommend jeans, casual dress shoes, and dressy top (maybe a casual collared shirt for the guys). You'll feel comfortable. If you're in Geneva I'd highly recommend trying Barrel + Rye. I've been in and out of this community for years (grew up about a mile away) and it's by far one of my favorite restaurants that's graced this delightful community. read more

This place is like going down to Chicago, but cheaper and no traffic. What a gem! Food, drinks and atmosphere are all fantastic.

Calamari was excellent. Shareable scallops were good, but there were only three? Odd number for sharing. Brie cheese curds were kind of boring. Overall a nice place, just not worth the wait. read more

Barrel + Rye quickly became one of our favorites when we moved to the area. It's a small place, but that adds to the appeal. Their brie curds are unbelievable, and the apricot jelly they come with is so complementary to the soft cheese. My husband absolutely loves their wings, in fact, it's one of his favorite wing spots. I've tried a couple of their salads, all of which were tasty. Worth noting is that they're willing to use a turkey burger patty instead of beef for any of the burgers on their menu. Last, but not least, their Old Fashioned is AMAZING! Friendly staff, talented bartenders, delicious food - you can't go wrong! read more

Absolutely phenomenal. Service and food alike. By far the best sandwich I've had. I totally recommend the Southern

Grabbed a quick lunch with my husband while the kids were at school. So glad we picked Barrel & Rye. The food was delicious. We shared the Duck poutine & the BBQ pork burger. The duck and gravy were so rich and the fries were perfectly crispy. The burger had the rich combination of savory and sweet. Takes bar food to the next level. We will definitely be back! read more

Excellent food. The service started out very slow but improved after she finally came over to greet us. The southern chicken sandwich is amazing! The blood orange margaritas were very good as was the Berkshire sandwich. :) read more

I dont usually give a 5 star after one visit but this place really impressed me. Tons of parking. Right near the Metra stop. We had the duck poutine and it was done really well. Most poutine I have had outside of Canada is soggy and the cheese is never what it should be.. but this was lovely. Very crisp fries and limited gravy so the thing is not a sogfest. The duck addition was awesome. I had the venison burger which was really tastey. Just the right amount of game you expect with deer. Had a Manhattan to drink and it was really good. I would definitely come back here to try other things. Service was also very good, attentive and friendly. Nice work guys. read more

My husband and I have been to Barrel and Rye at least 4 times (twice in one weekend!) and love this place. From the bartenders to the wait staff to the ambiance its just a great little place - casual yet classy. I love trying all of the different drinks and some have been more generous than others but no one's perfect. Our go-to sandwich is a pastrami with the fried egg. My eyes roll back in my head in sheer nirvana with this sandwich. To me, its one of those, OMG food moments that you never want it to end. read more

Unique menu options in a casual setting. Indoor and outdoor seating available in Geneva's charming 3rd Street shopping area. The food was delicious, though a bit pricey for lunch. A fun and yummy place to visit! read more

The specialty drink menu is great! Our group ordered a few different of their special drinks and we were all pleased. Unique menu and great food! read more

Love the atmosphere! Dark cozy place!!! Sat at the bar, and we had great service. && all the Drinks are unique. Would recommend it to anyone looking for a nice time read more

My new favorite place, within walking distance- lucky for me! The food is absolutely fantastic! Love their drinks too

Great drinks and awesome food. The salads are huge and some of the most well composed in Geneva. Emerging as a top favorite in one of the best food towns in Illinois read more

Our favorite place in Geneva. Before moving here we would stop on our way to see homes in the area. Everyone should try the pastrami sandwich, insanely good. Poutine and bbq shrimp are amazing. Brownie dessert is out of this world read more

Really good food and service! Always very clean. Get the bourbon milk punch! Thank me later.

First time and definitely won't be the last! We came with a group of 7 tonight and couldn't be any happier with our experience. The decor is impeccable and very detailed! Our group started off with a few appetizers and couldn't find one bad thing except we wish we had enough room in our stomachs to order a second round. The bone marrow was so silky and rich. The artichoke dip was a favorite as well, creamy and very delicious. We also ordered the duck poutine which was the groups favorite! We highly recommend these apps. I ordered the pot roast grilled cheese and the basil tomato shooter on the side was the star of the dish and definitely needed a bowl of that. Everyone loved their entrees and no body could find a complaint about anything (which is very rare) now about the drinks.. which is the main reason we took a drive down here and we love the wide selection of bourbons and rye whiskeys! Their shelves are jam packed with whatever suits your tastebuds. Highly recommend the smoked cedar wood Manhattan.. it was not overwhelming and perfectly concocted. The icing on the cake was our server Stacy who was very attentive and made sure our food and drinks came out on time and perfectly synced. Barrel + Rye keep doing what you are doing because we had an amazing experience and can not wait for our next visit! Xoxo the Dundee crew. P.s you should upgrade the 1 ply toilet paper! read more

Service and ambience from the staff was awful!! We expected to wait since there is no reservations, which was fine. But when we asked to see a drink menu to order drinks while waiting we were given attitude as if we were inconveniencing them. The food was good (awesome Poutine!) but not enough to ever want to go back. The attitude from our server was the same negative attitude from the hostess. I was very disappointed. Heard good things about this restaurant and was looking forward to dining there. But because of the very poor experience I will never return. read more

I enjoy the food and the drinks. However, we had a really bad experience this evening. I called early in the day to try and make a reservation and was informed that they do not take reservations. Instead they do a "call ahead list", I was advised to call 45 minutes to an hour ahead to have my name put on the wait list. I called at 6:30 and informed them that we would arrive at 7:30 for dinner. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were told they were waiting for a couple tables to finish and our wait should be around 25-30 minutes. We decided to go to galena cellars next door and order a wine flight while we waited for our table. 30 minutes went by and we decided to head back to the restaurant to inquire on the status of our reservation. Again we were told it would be approximately 30 minutes. So we decided to get a drink at the bar and wait for our table to be ready. An hour goes by and it is now 90 minutes since we arrived at the restaurant for our scheduled "call ahead" time. Since there was no sign of any tables opening up we decided to make a reservation at Livia and have dinner instead. Overall I feel they could do a better job of managing clients expectations. I feel as if their "call ahead" method does not work and is misleading to the clients. read more

If they have Gumbo run, don't walk, and grab some! Food quality continues to be great!

This restaurant has missed out on an essential for a successful establishment- truthfulness and a thankfulness toward it's patrons. On December 31, I called for a reservation and was told there is a "no reservation policy." When I went in at 5:50 PM, I was brusquely told by the hostess "there are no tables until 9:15 PM." Furthermore, a gentleman was signing his check and preparing to leave. I asked about his table, and the hostess had a young man come from the back. He told me that all tables were reserved. I referred to the self-proclaimed reservation policy. His response was : "We took reservations for 1 hour today." This is ludicrous and disrespectful. Never have I seen such poor behavior in a restaurant that positions itself as a "new place to go." The hostess merely had to say the words "I am sorry." This would have gone a long way. And the male host could have had a more truthful excuse. I wish this 8 table restaurant well, and hope that they learn to extend graciousness in the smallest way, in telling the truth and being diplomatic. They could take a lesson from Chicago's great restauranteurs who do retain humility alongside their great culinary and restaurant achievements. Barrel and Rye, I hope that you get it, but I will never set foot in your door again. Nor will my associates. I am sure your following will keep your 8 tables filled read more