Visiting friends and we decided to go out brewery hopping in the Aurora & Batavia areas. So glad…read morethat brought us to Sturdy Shelter Brewing. There was a good size crowd there which added to the experience because everyone was enjoying their delicious beers and it was great meeting people. It felt like a community gathering place. It's a big place so it can handle a lot of people without it feeling overly crowded. There was live music on the upstairs level that everyone was enjoying. The beers were fantastic. It's a challenge to decide what beer you want because there is a lot of delicious options. I went with the ESB because it's a great style of beer you can't often find. Others in our group recommend their Hazy IPA. Easily a 5 star rating. Make sure to visit this amazing brewery in Batavia. Russ & Jan Livonia, MI

Checked out this newer brewery in Batavia. It has a lot of room inside, but even that isn't enough…read morefor the large groups, and parties. Sturdy Shelter has a pretty good variety. A good amount of choices, whether it's light or a strong one that will kick ass. They also have a food menu, with basics such as pretzels and snacks. For the most part it's good. It's located in an old building downtown that has a couple levels. The upstairs is often used for private events like parties. If it's not available then it's hard to get a seat anywhere. The seats at the bar fill up, and there's only a few tables. It's about $7 a pint. There's a few of the more stronger ones that cost more though. Best one we had the last time was the 3 Amigos Imperial Stout. Full bodied and thick as a brick too. There's notes of ancho chilis, cacao nibs, cinnamon, and vanilla. Also got something to eat. It's $8 for the Bavarian Pretzel. Helps to absorb the alcohol. They also have chips and salsa among the food options. Got to add it to the list of breweries that seem to be everywhere in this city. It's located on Shumway Avenue in a historic old building full of history. This is a popular place to have private events or whatever.

Checked out this brewery in Yorkville and got some local beers. Fox Republic has been here awhile,…read moreand benefits from being the only such place around it. It pretty much only has beers, but it also has a distillery next to it where you can get that stuff too. Has more of these than expected. There's some pretty cool flavors. Breweries like this are known for their limited hours and selections, but here neither is the case. It's actually got quite a bit to choose from. There's a few pretty interesting and unique flavors, too. A lot of these rotate so it makes people come back. It's about $7 a pint. We had a few of these. Best we had was the Mist Walker, a hazy IPA. This is a pretty strong one. Has a window into Home Run Hot Dogs. It's got a few including veggie dogs that are made Chicago style. Also is known for their stuffed pretzels. They let you bring in stuff. Great place to get locally made beers. It's actually open daily if you can even believe it. They're open longer on weekends.

This place had been on my list to try for awhile and finally made it out to Yorkville. I saw their…read moresour weekend on Facebook so made the trek out. As they had many options I wanted try, I opted for flights. They offer 4 5oz pours for $10. My faves were foxy sour beer nerdz and the case eagle. The Carmel apple was a miss for me. They also offer tequila seltzers and sodas. Friendly service and plenty of seating.

I love Hopvine! It's a brewery located in a strip mall tucked away from the main road. I've been…read morehere twice so far and loved everything about it. I recommend getting a beer flight to try different flavors. Or once you find something like you (for me, it was the Brightfire) then you can get a pint! Their beer list is extensive, there are so many taps to try and they have some seasonal beers too. Their food was good and surprisingly gourmet. Each time I came here I ordered their wings because they were irresistible. You can even do half-half sauce for an order of six wings, which I appreciated because not all resistances will do this special request. It also shows that their wings are freshly prepared, and their kitchen went above and beyond to make a customer happy. I love their hot honey and buffalo. My husband has tried their patty melt and their Reuben sandwich. Nothing beats a brewery with nice people, great beers, and the gourmet food was just the cherry on top. They have a ton of space inside, don't let the strip mall entrance deceive you; bar seating, high tops, low tops, and a whole other dining area in the back if you want a quieter space. They have something similar to trivia on a weeknight, survey slam (?), and now that it's warmer, their patio is open! Some folks have mentioned slower service, but each time we've been here, we were well taken care of. I'm a huge fan of Hopvine!

Great service. Went for restaurant week and for and extra $10 came with a beer pairing. Food and…read morebeer was pretty good and reasonably priced.

Always a good time when we go. I love the ambiance in this place. It's very European. Sitting…read moreoutside in the summer is a treat and usually has good bands on the weekends. The service is great. The food is delish. I love their Brussel sprouts for an appetizer.

We were exploring the Aurora area over the weekend and came across this place while searching for…read moresomewhere to eat. We ordered a few appetizers and a beer to start. The garlic cheese curds were the highlight of the meal, we enjoyed them so much that we ended up ordering a second round. The wings were decent, but the menu described them as smoked, and I honestly couldn't detect any smoky flavor or aroma. My biggest complaint was the service. The waiter took our food and drink orders at the same time, but the drinks arrived much later than expected. In fact, we had already finished our appetizers by the time the beer was served. Since we visited around 2-3 PM and the restaurant wasn't particularly busy, the delay was disappointing. Overall, the food was enjoyable, especially the garlic cheese curds. If I return, I'll probably order my drinks first and place my food order afterward to avoid the wait.

Loved the neighborhood pub vibe of Spartan Ale House. It is a gem of a gathering place and the…read moreowners and staff are super nice. It was my first visit on a chilly Thursday night, but clearly a lot of regular patrons in here. I was there for an after work social and the appetizers I tasted were all delicious. I loved that the chicken wings were plain for dipping and not heavily breaded. Exactly how I prefer mine. If you are a first timer, like I was, be cautious of the one way parking flow. I will be back after "Dry January!"

Spartan House continues to be a wonderful place to have cocktails, watch a game on one of their…read moremany TV's and to have lunch or dinner. The staff has always been knowledgeable on cocktail and dining recommendations. When the weather is warm, they have large glass garage doors that open to give an open air/dining experience. In our six years plus of patronage I've only ordered their excellent Salmon. Today I broke with tradition and ordered the Lamb Lollipops topped with a rosemary demi-glacé served with garlic mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables. My lovely bride had the Spartan Steak Marinated Kabobs, with red onions, peppers, Mediterranean rice and topped with feta cheese. Both were excellent! I'm hoping that it's not another six years before I sample something else from their extensive menu selection.

Had my retirement party here last night. Everything was great. We had the area in the middle and a…read morebuffet of my favorite foods. The food was delicious as always. Perfect for my party of 35 friends. Kyle and Carlos did a great job taking care of all of us. We wanted for nothing. It was amazing how Christina kept up with all our drink orders and she helped organize everything for the party. Sal you have great employees and great place for a party or cheering on our local teams.

We just got to go yesterday from this place. We ordered two chocolate lava cakes and buffalo…read morecauliflower wings. I mean the food was just okay - like the cake was more soufflé ish than cake and the cauliflower wings were partially undercooked and the buffalo sauce could be more. Thought when I went to pick up the food the ambiance seemed nice and fun so not sure if going in person we would eat other things would be nicer. But so far based on my experience - it's been pretty okay! Nothing wow!

Absolutely amazing place. This was our first stop on many of the day. We ended up buying a tin…read moretracker and a couple of stickers. Great place! The manager was our bartender and she crushed it.

Love the drinks and love the staff even more. Our bartender, Ryan, went above and beyond. He gave…read moreus a few tastes and asked what we liked and didn't like to find abeer we loved. (They also have spirits, wine and seltzers.) The atmosphere was great with upbeat music and a game on the screen. Definitely recommend giving them a try!

We held a private event - birthday party. We had catering & the service team was excellent. Great…read moreplace for about 50 people.

I love Pollyanna. Besides having great indoor and outdoor spaces, their variety is great.read more