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.

Came to get a few beers at this small brewery in Batavia. Energy City is tucked away along a side…read morestreet in a building that's confusing looking. It doesn't look like a brewery would be there. Actually it is. They specialize in fruity ones and sours, so not beers that are hoppy obviously. Beers are typically hoppy to some point, but these aren't. It's for sure a type not many are used to having. These all have a lot of fruit, but what's unique is the fruit is added after the brewing process. Adds a lot of fruit flavor. These often have the consistency of a smoothie. It's about $8 a can. They brew in pretty small batches at Church Street Brewery in Itasca, and serve these at this taproom. Best we had the last time was the Bistro Pineapple Strawberry Habanero. This is a Berliner style weisse. Consistency was thick like a smoothie would be. This had a lot of fruit flavor, but it also had a tartness. For sure we could try some of these beers again. It's located on First Street. They're closed Mondays to Thursdays, pretty limited hours, so it's a place to go on weekends.

The beer they brew and serve is tasty and unique! Be careful, it's so delicious you may not wanna…read morestop.

Grabbed drinks here with a couple friends while roaming around Geneva. Overall, this place is…read morejust... fine. What I liked about it was the games they have on hand to keep you entertained: NES Classic (Duck Hunt!) and darts were enjoyed throughly by us! The downside: the bartender, during our visit, was less than pleasant. And I couldn't figure out what his deal was because I went to the bar once and ordered two rounds: one (beers) for us and a second (shots?) for a friend and her friends at the end of the bar - a serendipitous meeting then and there! His mentality was one of treating me as if I'd never been to a bar before and "testing" me on my beverage orders. It was quite odd. Nonetheless, we had a good time but will probably hesitate on a return visit.

Bad Alice absolutely lives up to the hype. The vibe is the perfect mix of cool, cozy, and a little…read moremischievous in the best way. But what really makes this place shine are the bartenders -- Mariah and Robbie. Mariah is an absolute gem: warm, welcoming, and somehow always remembers exactly what you like. She's quick, creative, and makes you feel like a regular even on your first visit. Robbie is just as fantastic -- funny, attentive, and clearly knows his craft. His cocktails are spot-on every time, and he brings an energy that makes the whole bar feel alive. Between the great drinks, great atmosphere, and two of the best bartenders around, Bad Alice is the kind of place you walk into for one drink and end up staying for three. Can't recommend it enough!

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 were in town visiting friends and the group decided to go out brewery hopping in the Geneva &…read moreSt. Charles area. Entering the brewery on a Friday around 6pm it was busy but not overly crowded. Definitely had the feel of a community brewery that has local regulars there to support it. Taproom was lively and bright. Service was great top notch. The bartenders were knowledgeable about the beers and open to providing recommendations. The beer was the star of the show. A lot of offerings to choose from but I went straight to a cask conditioned porter that was fantastic. You can't find cask conditioned ales in most places. Others in our group had great things to say about the lagers and IPA's. Thanks to Art History Brewing for hosting us. We will be back for a return visit next time we are in town. Cheers, Russ & Jan Livonia, MI

Basically there's a lot of breweries in Geneva. It has tons to choose from including this. Art…read moreHistory Brewing is one of the many hipster ones that have sprung up everywhere. Has beers and games to play. There's lots of cheap specials. An interesting interior. It's located in a strip mall. They still manage to have a great atmosphere in spite of it though. Has quite a bit of games. It's about $7 a pint. Best one of these we had was the Good Night Bamberg. This is a Rauchbier which is rich and toasty. Get half off pints on Mondays. There's not much to eat except $2 bags of almonds and peanuts. Fun filled atmosphere. It's open every night unlike many others. There's a hipster nerdy kind of vibe, and they even have an acoustically controlled and quiet workspace, so it's a great place for both chilling and working.

Riverlands Brewing is a little off the beaten path in St Charles' beer scene. With that, means they…read morehave a good amount of parking, great outdoor patio, and a fun, industrial interior. We stopped in to sample their beers. The favorite choices were the Dukes of Bavaria & Dean Street. I also tried the Painkiller seltzer and thoroughly enjoyed the flavor. We also tried "the stc six" collab beer and loved it! The staff were super friendly, they had a wide variety of beers, and seem like they do fun events often.

Beer good and the environment is nice. However, two issues that seemed random but now have been…read moreconfirmed by recent (2nd) visit... unscrupulous business!!! Their advertised food trucks don't show... so maybe not their fault, but twice I've gone with a group expecting the truck that didn't show and no apology by staff/owner. Then, myself and someone else in my party were not charged for the beers we ordered - in both cases we were charged for beers that were MUCH more than those we ordered! Sounds like an accident, but this happened to me on two visits and to both myself and another couple this visit. This visit: me an extra $2.50 x 2 beers and for my friend $2.50 x 3 beers - again, seems like a simple error (but 4 separate tickets on 2 different visits)... I think not! Not going back. I don't like being taken advantage of.

Good music, pinball, slots, darts, and a large variety of beer/seltzer/ciders. Also cocktails and…read moreones on tap. Highly reccomend, staff is extremely friendly and welcoming!

Everything was great!!!! Service was over the top! drinks made very well! People so friendly I'll…read morebe back soon!!!!

Saw the Apple Cider Donut seltzer on a menu at a nearby restaurant and it was sold out. To my…read moresurprise, Penrose was extremely close by so we decided to give it a visit. We had bev flights and tried all of the seltzers. I loved the Grape one and wished there were cans available to-go (sold out). The lemon seltzer was refreshing and would be perfect on a hot day with some crumbly ice. Fun place to hang out, lots of games available. Special event room off to the side too! I'll be back :)

Visited Penrose for a wedding welcome party this weekend and had a blast! Super cool space and…read morefriendly staff. There is plenty of parking out front and there are other bars/ restaurants a short drive or walk away. For beer on tap I tried the Penrose Light and the Looper. I preferred the Looper but both were good! My favorite drink of the night was the Cranberry Orange Seltz-Up. Would definitely stop again if in the area to try more of their beers!

Standard pub grub with inventive items on the menu. I loved…read morethe Italian beef egg rolls with the nacho cheese for dipping. The mac and cheese, rich and delicious. The cobb salald wrap was perfectly wrapped and did not fall apart, with a good balance of ingredients (not overpowered by lettuce). Family atmosphere in the front with swinging chairs.

Flagship in the Fox is a cool spot in St. Charles with a fun atmosphere, but the food itself is…read morejust okay. Nothing really stood out, pretty standard bar-style fare. The chicken tenders were fine, but nothing special. Overall, it feels more like a place people come to drink and grab salty, fatty food to soak up the alcohol rather than a destination for the food itself. That's not necessarily a bad thing, just sets the expectation. Good vibe, decent food, but I wouldn't come here specifically for the menu.

I've been here twice, once this past fall, and the other just last week - it was great both times!…read more This most recent time I was there with a group of teachers, having pre-comedy show lunch & drinks, and everyone (there were 6) loved their food, and really enjoyed their drink options. Our server was fab, super friendly and quick (shout-out to Brody!), and had great suggestions from his menu faves. The previous time I came was post-comedy show, just for drinks, and the 3 of us all enjoyed our drinks then, as well. I also love the decor vibe, especially as a (elder) millennial, because MJ IS the GOAT. Stop by and try it, definitely worth a shot!

We stopped in on a Friday night and this place was crowded! We were told there would be about a 20…read moreminute wait but we were fortunate to be seated in 5 minutes. We were greeted by Ian our server immediately which was very nice. We noticed they have Happy Hour Tues-Fri from 4-6pm so we took advantage of their half off cocktails and a few food specials. I had the Wisconsin Old Fashion and my wife had the Poli Old Fashion which was tequila based. Both were fantastic! We started with an order of their Street Corn Deviled Eggs which were amazing..super creamy. They do have a GF menu so my wife had a bowl of their homemade chili and I had their Italian Beef Bao trio. Both were delicious and very meaty. They have an extension whiskey/bourbon list plus their burgers looked amazing. We will definitely be back!