This place has some of the best hamburgers in McHenry County! I've never been disappointed with…read moreeither the food or the service. I had the Kaboom Burger with cheddar cheese and crispy onion straws, seasoned with a great spicy kick--absolutely delicious. They also have a great drink selection whether you're in the mood for craft beer, cocktails, or soda. The seating is comfortable, and the outdoor patio is a great touch with plenty of extra space.

Something has changed and not for the better. Fish fry last…read moreFriday left me disappointed. Hadn't been in for a few years They used to have most delectable cod, what I received was curled up, tasteless, and dry. Almost like perch, sans bones. The sides were amazing, delicious coleslaw. Service and atmosphere, outstanding. Hope they go back to what used to be.

I had the occasion to have lunch here, and it was a little bit of an ordeal for the construction on…read moreRoute 14. But I was very happy with the food and the very friendly service and prices. The fried cheese curds were big hit, and the bacon cheeseburger was of great quality and size for the money. I would highly recommend this restaurant, and will definitely return for another great lunch.

My husband and I just went to the Tipsy Goat last weekend. It was his second time, my first. Right…read moreaway the bartender acknowledged us once we sat down and whipped up four drinks in record time. At first glance, it seems like a quaint little bar and that's it. But I was pleasantly surprised by the food too. I got the cheeseburger sliders which were really good. Moist, tasty, and the perfect size for a slider. I ordered fries on the side and wasn't expecting the portion size. They gave an entire basket of fries that easily could have fed the party of four adults I was there with. Crispy, flavorful, loved them. The cheese curds were also great, paired with a sauce recommended by the bartender. I wish I could remember what it was, definitely some type of sweet/salty almost teriyaki sauce. So, so good. I don't drink alcohol much so I can't comment on the drinks but everyone we were there with seemed to enjoy them. So much so, they ordered several. Great vibes here. They had the front window open for a beautiful sixty degree day. Music was on. Everyone there both staff and other customers were all really nice and we had a great time. Turns out our bartender was the owner of the bar and he was just fantastic. Attentive but not overly so. I'd recommend this place if you're looking for a great place for a drink and a bite to eat.

We were looking for a last minute place to watch the game and eat killer food among a nice crowd. A…read morerather lofty ambition in the last hour. The simple scratch kitchen food was outstanding. It blew us away. The crowd was friendly and for everyone. If you wanted a chill night w your wife or homie, that privacy was easily offered. If you wanted to get into the friendly banter you were greeted and welcomed with pleasure

RACIST establishment. Do NOT go if you have any respect or compassion for your fellow neighbors…read more How can I give zero stars for discrimination? I'll try to be short, but want to give a true account of the events. Yesterday I came from the city via Metra late afternoon with another friend to visit a dear friend that moved to Cary a few years ago. Cary is far & we rarely see one another. Needless to say, we were super excited to for this mini-reunion & for our friend to show us a slice of Cary. It was not the best planning being St Paddy's weekend but so be it. We specifically looked for a place we could easily talk & catch up. We started w/ one chocolate martini at Cucina Rustica and chatted OVER an HOUR. Little did we know, we should have stayed there. Next stop, Cary RACIST Ale House. The back area lounge was nearly empty & we were assured it was open (not booked for any events). The waitress, at the start aggressively asked a bunch of questions. I first thought her line of questioning was bizarre so I ignored her while trying to figure out what to order. She asked how we got there, who was driving & specifically said she didn't feel comfortable in serving me. WTF?!?!? My friend politely answered her questions and when she left, we all agreed the waitress's behavior was odd & laughed it off. We refused to have her ruin our evening. To our SHOCK the waitress would NOT serve me?! Only me! Was I disruptive? NO! Was I being violent or doing something illegal? NO! Did I come in stumbling? NO! Was I slumped over passed out? NO! This was crazy! Check your security cameras if you don't believe! Was this a bad twilight zone episode? Was someone going to tell us this was all a joke? I was speechless. We asked her why. She said it was a management decision. What?! Interesting since no one came to talk to us aside from her. We asked her to explain, to get some understanding. You will NOT believe what she said....she said it was my eyes. I looked at my two white friends & asked if something was wrong with my eyes? No, nothing is wrong. WOW, she basically said my Asian eyes were an issue. Falsely claiming I was drunk and couldn't be served because she didn't like Asian-looking eyes?!?! I was stone cold sober ***hole! We were all completely sober & flabbergasted! Completely disgusted, we left. I thought about brushing this aside but I wouldn't want anyone else to be treated that way. I will not allow them to humiliate me. This was supposed to be a happy occasion, and it was spoiled by a bigoted, small-minded person. I don't know how these people can live with themselves.

Crystal lake junction closed and new owner Brian opened Pub 88ate. Great place with outdoor patio…read moreallowing dogs.

We had appointments for tattoos around the corner and some time to kill so we stopped in for a…read morequick late lunch. We ordered a couple apps and enjoyed them while waited for our mains. Everything we ordered was good... not great... not hot, but not cold. Just kind of meh. The room was loud even though there were only a couple people besides us there. Service was good.

We checked out The Dead End on a recommendation for their pizza, and it absolutely lived up to the…read morehype--the pizza was incredible! The place has that pure small-town bar/tavern feel, which makes it really stand out. Everyone was super friendly, and it just had a welcoming, laid-back vibe from the moment we walked in. Seating is a bit limited, but they do their best to get you a spot as quickly as possible. While you're waiting, the drinks are solid and the beer is ice cold--so it's an easy place to hang out. And don't skip dessert--they make a homemade cheesecake that is amazing. We tried the key lime pie version, and it was the perfect flavor to end the night. If you're looking for great pizza and a true local tavern experience, this place is definitely worth checking out

love this place pizza is amazing as well as the garden salads and the ranch dressing is on point…read more I have yet to try other stuff. Will be back again soon!

My wife and I have been coming here for a long time. More when we lived closer. Now, we have to…read morego out of our way to eat here. Always a very good experience. On Friday night, May 15 coming home from Lake Geneva we took rte 14 specifically so we could stop here, sans reservation. Sat at the bar and kibitzed with bartender, Kyle. My wife had Tagliatelle al Bosco which she raved about and I had my often go-to, pizza. In a moment of insanity I added anchovies. Pizza was, as usual, very good if not extra salty. Not their fault, mine. Kyle recommended the dessert of something ('Italian-sounding') fried, with very mild cheese inside which was terrific. Had a very good time, as usual. I enjoy this place. Four stars is 'exceptional' from me.

I ordered the lobster ravioli - need a microscope to find lobster and sauce was tasteless…read more Side salad and dressing was good Had to ask twice for warm bread Waiter said had 2 specials but couldn't remember what they were Saturday night and restaurant pretty empty Bartender and waiter arguing in bar area

One word Amaaaaazzzzinnnnngggg!…read more Foood was out of the world! We tried paneer chilli pizza and chicken tikka pizza both of them were delicious and made to perfection. Dhara was taking care of us! From getting our drinks quick and suggesting cocktails for my wifey were just perfect. Lucky Penny feel like its a chain however learnt they are two different owners with similar bar. But the food is beyond the regular bar side food. The place had 6 slot machines and couple of pool tables where you could easily spend couple of hours with huge groups. Keep in mind they didn't have low seating, all the tables and chairs were high chairs. Definitely visiting them again real soon!

Really GREAT Cobb salad tonite, really nice attentive staff and talented musicians! If that's not…read moreenough they have pool tables, slot machines and darts. Take a peek on Friday or Saturday night for music or during the week for all the other goods. Clean, nice place!

Nice place with plenty of parking. Christmas theme decorations in the auxiliary room on this visit…read more We sat at the front bar and had wonderful service. The excellent chicken sliders and fries came out a little slow but were hot and very good. They were served in a bucket of fries. Kind of clever. It was more than two of us could eat. Will be back in the summer for the deck.

We came inna few months ago and it happened to be on a Wednesday for the smash burger special and…read morethey were delicious. Kendall was our server and she was wonderful. We have been back four times since and each time the food is great and we have had Kendall each time which makes the visit that much nicer. Now that is warm they have out door seating in a nice screened in deck. The inside is very relaxing vibe. We will keep on coming back .

Bold American Fare lives up to its name. The food is well-seasoned and thoughtfully executed, with…read morethe chef taking creative culinary leaps that keep the menu exciting and true to its "bold" identity. While pricing leans toward city-level for a suburban setting, the quality of the food consistently delivers. Service was good overall, though the atmosphere was briefly impacted by witnessing the manager engaged in a couple of heated exchanges with guests regarding meal concerns. Still, the kitchen continues to impress.

Great for a special date night as it's pricey. Or for anytime if you aren't worried about your…read morebudget. The ambiance is great inside and it's a cozy small space. Outdoors it has plenty of seating so that's great for folks liking that sort of thing too. Reservations are a good idea. The Mocktail Purple Haze is delicious. Scallops are great and the burger is crazy good.

Rich and intense flavors. Top notch…read more I was in the area and some recommended checking it out. I'm not normally a fan of pastries or baked sweets in general. I got a box of assorted pastries to bring home and each one was incredible. My kids didn't like any of them... but ambrosia won me over. This is a refined place. The flavors are classic and textures are notable. Rich dark chocolate, real strawberry cream, flaky and intentionally packed with texture. No candy flavors or artificial stuff. Each item seemed like it was expertly crafted from a 150 year old recipe. This is a trek for me, and I'd happily make a morning trip to come here again.

I've been wanting to try this place forever, so was happy to find out my husband ordered a birthday…read morecake for me from here. The Chocolate Bavarian Torte is amazing. I love that it is light, rich, but not overly sweet. I am a huge fan of chocolate mousse in cake and they have perfected it. And to top it off with the chocolate ganache... YUM! I told my husband it's probably the best birthday cake I've had and I hope he remembers that for next year. We also picked up some almond croissants and chocolate croissants and both were delish... to me they were a bit on the smaller side though. The cafe is really cute and clean with a sitting area. We came an hour before closing, so options were limited but they do have a big display case and would love to go back and check out what else they have to offer. I am a fan of flourless cake- so hoping to get to try a slice the next visit.