Surprised me! If you stick with their theme, burgers and bourbon, you get 4 stars. My Hangover Burger was excellent. Bacon, egg, cheese, onion crisps and a perfectly cooked burger won my vote. My pal had a regular cheese burger and was also pleased. My Guinness was on draft while his bourbon cocktail was very good. Unfortunately our wives had a different experience. My wife's fish and chips were very average and the salmon salad. Also wasn't that well received. I think the biggest disappointment of the evening were the chopped brussels sprouts. I'm not a fan and didn't try them, but the other three in my group found them to be unsatisfying due to how light they were. They said it was like eating dry cereal. Our server was very attentive. Unfortunately, things were a bit rushed. We chose to sit in a small room with only a tables, but it still was very loud in there. Made it hard to talk to the table mates. All in all I'd come back for another burger. read more

Please get rid of the old, grumpy lady at the host stand. I've never witnessed such a frazzled, angry person at the front of the house at any restaurant, in my life. Besides her, food is always mediocre. A decent neighborhood place, mostly because there aren't any other options nearby... read more

A group of colleagues and I came to Spears on a Wednesday night and was able to get right in. Our waiter was extremely nice and gave good suggestions! We all had a variety of burgers plus the BBQ nachos and wings. I loved the seasoning on the chips for nachos! All in all it was a good dinner. read more

Spears Bourbon Burgers Beer - Waygu burger with brussel sprouts - New American Near Me - Wheeling, Illinois

This restaurant was a cute Irish pub. I enjoyed the rustic decor and the food was pretty enjoyable. I didn't have super high expectations coming in because the area had fewer options, however I really liked how quickly service was, the decor and the menu had options for everyone to enjoy. read more

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Spears is a solid spot for good food and a great rotating beer selection on tap (as well as cocktails/mocktails and, of course, bourbon. It's casual and sports-bar-like but somehow feels fancy and friendly at the same time. I've gone a handful of times after work and it's always a mix of the after work crowd, couples having a quiet dinner, people enjoying watching the game on the many TVs, big parties having a celebration or families. The fried pickles are a must whenever I come here. The burgers are always solid as well as the wings. The filet sliders are really good, however on this particular visit I got regular burger sliders (also good). There's enough on the menu to please almost everyone. The desserts have also been great whenever we've had them. Service is always good and never rushed. read more

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Disclaimer. I was there as part of a big party (10+) and ONLY had drinks. Bourboun. Yes! That's what they are famous for. Go for it! I had a 3 shot flight and picked heavens door cask strength (oatmeal cookie, rich velvety, dried fruit and oak transforms to a spicy long finish), old elk wheated 4 years (nutmeg, leather, chocolate, black licorice with a charred peppered long finish) and 7 years (sweet and subtle, caramel, citrus, cinnamon, baking spice, toasted oak). Very rich, deep, complex, flavor. I appreciated it very much. Draft beers. Illinois beer is mostly all about IPA, which I was never too big of a fan of as the IBU (International Bitterness Units) to the ABV (Alcohol by Volume) ratio leaves the perceived bitterness level too high for me to appreciate and enjoy the other aspects of the taste (despite many attempts to get to know different kinds of IPA and get to like at least anything). So I had Alter Ambigram, Downers Grove, IL, which features dry hops and delivers strong orange and tangerine aroma, even though no actual fruit went into this beer. And Solemn Oath Championship Vinyl which is waaaay to similar to the aforementioned one so I wouldn't be able to tell a difference. The service was decent. Not the best by any means. A lot of people inside and on a Tuesday night ugh.. didnt expect that much patronage.. took a while for drinks to come out, even more so for the appetizers. I think she forgot to bring my drink and I was like ok. if she doesn't, she doesn't. if she does, great. So she figured her mistake on her own, apologized and swiftly brought me a drink. Top notch execution! You fail but you swiftly make up for that and keep going! She was holding up like a champ even when the big bill came out and we where figuring out the mathematical formula on how to split it so that the corporate picks up the bill. Kudos for that. Side note. This tavern feels designed to accommodate large (corporate?) parties mostly and I haven't seen around any small parties (1 to 3 people) which probably could feel intimidating. read more

Spears Bourbon Burgers Beer - The flag. Jun 2025 - New American Near Me - Wheeling, Illinois

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A group of us are in town for work and I suggested we make a trip in for dinner since it was good last time I ate in. Just like last time it was enjoyable! Everyone liked their food and my personal fav was the fried pickles and i loved my chili!! One girl got the pecan crusted chicken which was surprising delish! Two girls did say their salmon lacked seasoning but was still good. Overall it was an enjoyable time and satisfied our tastebuds :) read more

This is one of my favorite spots to go to if I'm ever up north towards the Wheeling area. The bar ambiance is great and I love how dimly lit the restaurant is come dinner hour. Their burgers are great and they have a good beer and wine selection. The Spinach & Artichoke Dip is solid. They recently had a Short Rib Grilled Cheese on special and it was so cheesy, tender and delicious. Our bartender this time around was friendly and approachable. If you happen to be staying at the Westin Chicago North Shore hotel, Spears is right next door and your best bet at a delicious lunch or dinner. read more

Fabulous food. Great value. We came here at 10:20 PM after a long flight from way out of town. Came here because it was open and it looked nice from the outside. Food was awesome. Chicken (Amish chicken breast) club sandwich was one of the best I have ever had. Homemade chips - awesome. Fries - awesome. And great beer selection. If we lived here would hit this place frequently. read more

Came for Lunch on sunday to get a burger while watching football on the many tvs they have with different games showing on the screen. It was nice chill vibes with very good food. The bbq chips were delicious aswell as the smoked wings. Really had the smokey taste to it which was a good appetizer with a side of fried pickles. Everything we ordered came out well cooked, nice and hot. The server was nice and always ready to get us a refill when needed. Will be going back to try other burgers! read more

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Excellent service, delicious food, and a warm, inviting ambiance. Our party of six was seated right away, and Diana M., our server, was absolutely amazing, attentive, friendly, and professional throughout the evening. Everyone at the table thoroughly enjoyed their entrées, making it a truly delightful dining experience. read more

** Hits the Spot ** ** Late Night Eats ** Spears is spot on as always. I have yet to have a bad meal here. Service was not aggressive but just right. Food was exactly as it should be. We'll definitely be back! read more

Spears Bourbon Burgers Beer - Ghostbuster burger halves - New American Near Me - Wheeling, Illinois

Been here 3 times. I've order the classic burger. Complete perfection every time. Medium rare. And they hit it just right.

I can't believe this is my first time here. I definitely need to come back for more bourbon. Food was delicious, the roasted bone marrow was the best dish I had here. And of course I had to get an old fashion. Our server was great, we were sat at the high tops by the bar. It's very much a bar vibe and great spot for groups to gather. read more

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I walked in with three friends on a Wednesday night, and we were immediately seated at a high-top table. I ordered the seared ahi tuna salad, which came with plenty of tuna and lots of flavor from the accompanying mandarins, cranberries, onions and feta. It was delicious. I've mostly ordered sandwiches in the past, but I think the salad will be my new favorite here. The service was good -- our water glasses were kept full and our server delivered our separate checks without complaint. read more

Spears Bourbon Burgers Beer - Chicken sandwich - New American Near Me - Wheeling, Illinois

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A visit for late night eats. The space has a steakhouse feel. The decor is dark lighting with heavy wood. There is an outdoor space as well. The service we received left a lot to be desired. Our visit was after 10pm. The dining room was fairly sparse with tables with guests. It took quite sometime to get someone over to the table. The service kept up at that pace throughout the meal. Thankfully, the food was delicious. We highly recommend the peppered bacon. A generous portion of sticky smoky peppery bacon. What's not to love? The cheese curds were also a hit. But, seriously who doesn't LOVE fried cheese? For entrees, we both went with the sliders. These burgers were juicy, with the perfect brioche bun. I added a side of hand cut fries. Well give them a try next time we're in town. Maybe the lackluster service was a one off.... read more

Spears Bourbon Burgers Beer - New American Near Me - Wheeling, Illinois

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I don't write many reviews. And the few I write are generally because there's really something special to write about. I've been coming to Spears for a few years, and it's great. It's also one of the most consistently great restaurants in the suburbs for anyone I've been there with. If you're a fan of bourbon or beer - huge lists. And they've got a bourbon program wit many special pours picked just for them. The food is great, and I've never had a bad meal. The service is spot on, and the staff know the menu. The decor is all about bourbon, and the entire restaurant is immediately just comfortable for almost any occasion. I recommend Spears without hesitation. I write this review having just left a lunch where despite knowing the menu I asked the waitress for a recommendation. She said the skirt steak: "The best thing on the menu." And she was right. Just order it. It was seasoned great with tasty sides. Had a group with me, so we also ordered the cheese curds, the bacon, and the bone marrow. All Just great. Many burgers ordered, and everyone was full and taking home bites for later (I think the burgers are all 1/2 lb). If you're in the northern suburbs and looking for a great restaurant, go to Spears. You won't be disappointed. read more

I haven't been here in a long time. And now I wonder why. Food service and atmosphere were amazing. Came with a friend to celebrate her birthday. She had a classic burger. I had the California chicken club. Plus as a surprise they gave us apple fritters as a birthday dessert. Portions were good (today's lunch!). It was very busy. I'm glad we had a reservation. We will definitely return! read more

Been going to Spears for awhile. Food is always good and service, especially Heidi, is great. Not a big drinker, but they have a wide variety of beers and bourbons, etc. read more

Perfect atmosphere, decor and service. The appetizers were really good, our food arrived fast and my burger was cooked perfectly. read more

The last time I went to Spears almost 10 years ago was just to grab a drink and some appetizers. I gave it a 5-star review just based on that. I went back about a week ago and I would still give this place another 5 stars! The beer selection is great and the food is delicious. We ordered The Leopold (blend of venison and wagyu) and the Ghostbuster (garlicky) burgers and they were both perfectly cooked as requested with great flavor. Homemade BBQ chips were fantastic - there is no reason to order any other side to go with your burger! Cheese curds were delightfully crisp and flavorful. Spinach and artichoke dip was creamy and cheesy but probably won't order again. The bread pudding was very dry but the bourbon pecan ice cream on top was absolutely delicious. If you go for dessert, ask if you can just get a scoop of that bourbon pecan ice cream and skip the bread pudding which was not worth the carbs or the value. In summary, beers are great and food is delicious so this place is definitely worth a visit! read more

I don't have much to say as I wasn't there long. I did ordered the smoked wings and a blackberry bourbon lemonade. The meat is the wings fell off the bone and the drink was phenomenal. It's without a doubt I'll be back to try the deviled eggs and gator bites. read more

Had a better experience here than last time, with service and serving speed being much quicker, despite a busy night that was completely full. As a result, I was able to enjoy the food piping hot out of the kitchen (or ice cream being very cold when served as a dessert). As a result, I can recommend Spears as a good choice when you're looking for small twists on familiar favorites at very reasonable prices for the quality that you're getting. Even when completely full, the restaurant didn't feel overly cramped or loud and the staff was efficient at serving everyone. On this visit, the food really shined. Everything was good from beginning to end, both in flavor and texture. Here's some of my thoughts on different items I tried. The smoked wings were quite tender where the smokiness was evident even with buffalo sauce coating the batter. Both burgers I tried, the spears burger and bison burger were cooked to perfection, exactly at the doneness specified and fairly juicy as a result. The buns were also super fluffy -- which was also evident in the jurassic pork with an equally impressive boat loaf. The sides were cooked very well, with perfectly tender and flavorful brussel sprouts, crispy sweet potato fries, very garlicky and crisp vampire fries, and generously seasoned bbq chips. The dessert was equally impressive with the apple fritters having just the right amount of sweetness and spice, matched with some delicious ice cream. Even better was probably the cookie skillet with a nice crisp and thick cookie, surrounded by lots of delicious whipped cream and tied together with the chocolate syrup. The presentation on both items were very fun to look at and fun to eat. Overall, good food in a large spot with reasonable prices makes this a good place to take friends, family, and coworkers. read more

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didn't try the bourbon, burgers or beer, d'oh! i'm a vegetarian and don't drink beer. i do drink bourbon though!! i did get a burger - albeit vegetarian. the black bean burger. i ordered it bc it was homemade but the mushy texture was a turnoff. thankful for the crispy brussels side! read more

We were looking for somewhere to eat in the area and this came up on Yelp. There were mixed reviews, but we thought we would give it a try. On a Saturday late afternoon it was pretty crowded, but we were able to be seated right away. I had the California Chicken Club with coleslaw. The serving was very generous. The club was good . The chicken was moist and tender. I had the creole mayo on the side, but it was lacking flavor. My husband had the bison burger with fries. It was cooked well and was flavorful. The portion for each side was very large. Our waitress was not very attentive ,which made removed one stat. Nothing really stood out to make us want to return, read more

I just realized I wrote my first review 11 years ago after my first visit. This is one of our go to places for my work. I have been here dozens of times. The food is consistently excellent. They have great salads, and if I dont get one of the excellent burgers I always get one of the salads. They have different proteins you can add to the salads but the steak is so good, very beefy and tender. Ok back to the burgers, my absolute favorite burger in the world is the Hangover burger here, an always perfectly cooked pink patty with Merkts cheddar, onion strings, and really smoky bacon that I suspect may be nueske's. The star of the burger is an always runny egg. Can we talk about eggs on burgers, the purpose is the runny yoke...if you can cook it properly then just stop. I have never gotten an overcooked egg at Spears. They have really good brioche buns and great fresh double fried fries. This is a place I wish was closer to my house. Their beer list is large and they usually have some great selections. They are also well known for their cocktails. read more

Everything! Foods great, service spectacular and atmosphere. We come here all the time. Food is great! We love the bartenders.

WOW WOW WOW! so glad we stopped here! I had the Leopold burger..it was done perfectly medium rare. My husband had the bison burger. His came out more medium well than medium rare. But he still enjoyed it. Great Cole slaw. Vampire fries were just OK...a bit greasy and overcooked. I eoykd definitely come back!! read more

Spears Bourbon Burgers Beer - Leopold burger Perfectly medium rare - New American Near Me - Wheeling, Illinois

Loved the casual atmosphere and the service was perfectly timed and attentive. The burgers are hearty and delicious he bacon is especially delicious. The menu has a large variety from burgers, salads, and very unique desserts. read more

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My daughter (who is a server at a local restaurant) and I had dinner here tonight. My chicken was so so, her burger was very good, and the service was great. I am going to give it a 2-star rating until they fix their POS system to reflect the tip off of the total before taxes not after taxes which is BS. I am calling out the manager and the owner to fix this. The receipt here says, "Tip percentages are based on the check price after taxes". The restaurant where my daughter works changed their POS tip policy after a customer called and complained and I don't blame them for complaining. My daughter who has been a server for 4 years also agrees with me. I am a generous tipper, but I do not like to see restaurants that play this game. Don't piss off your customer when they get their bill as you are hurting your servers more than you are helping them. Do a quick Google search and you will see this is not the norm with more than a dozen articles on this topic. A quick Chat GTP search comes back with "The service you're tipping for is based on the value of the meal or service itself, not the government's cut". read more

This restaurant/bar was located in our hotel parking lot so we stopped in for a drink. It was Saturday around 4pm. Not busy at all, we sat at the bar. We were greeted quickly and given menus. We ordered a peach whiskey drink which ended up not a cocktail but a few shots of whiskey. Served on crusher ice, not an ice block. The craft beer selection was not great, heavy on sours. The menu definitely looked good and easy to find something for anyone, with a focus on grass fed beef. The atmosphere was cozy but the vibe felt off. I think overall there are so many other restaurants and bars, this one just wasn't a standout for me. read more

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Had the pecan chicken was delicious. Service was very good. Had diet cokes but for some reason made my blood sugar rise. read more

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Went on a Thursday around 5:30 pm and it was already very busy! Seems like a popular spot. Didn't try and bourbon or beer but got two different burgers and a salad. The spears burger and the spears salad (with grilled romaine) and both were pretty good. The grilled chicken that came with the salad didn't seem freshly grilled and was a bit dry. Also got the sliders which are three mini burgers and end up being quite filling! Favorite part of the meal was the fries - crispy enough but not too crispy and seasoned perfectly. We were seated in the side room and it was very loud I think just due to the acoustics of the room and having a large party sitting a few tables away from us. It's definitely the type of place to watch sports on the TVs and have a solid burger and a drink rather than have an intimate conversation over dinner. Looking forward to going back to try some of their other burgers and a bourbon next time. read more

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Excellent wagyu burger so moist and succulent. I tried the shrimp tacos. They weren't very good at all way too sweet were really little too much pineapple too much sugar not enough heat. I added some garlic to it and salt. Just ate the inside. Corn tortilla was very average.the service was not great. Good came out fast fries were tepid . The burgers are always excellent read more

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I've been past a thousand times but was really craving a burger, so I finally stopped in. The Spears burger was delicious as were the fries. Food was hot and out quickly. Staff was friendly and welcoming. Even during a Bears game it wasn't too busy. I want to return to try other burgers! read more

Spears Bourbon Burgers Beer - Spears burger and fries - New American Near Me - Wheeling, Illinois

Must get the California chicken club and the braised short rib. The braised short rib just melts in your mouth and get the mashed potatoes and green beans with it. The perfect meal!! read more

Good food, exceptional whiskey selection, and solid service... I go every time I'm in town. I recommend the shrimp tacos for a small appetite and the pecan chicken if you're really hungry... the bacon appetizer is also excellent. Outside seating is nice when the weather cooperates. If you sit at the bar - Annetta is wonderful read more

Excellent food here The pork chop and the chick is terrific, the bar bacon and crispy brussel sprouts are the best I've had. My server, Nancy, was kind and attentive, bartender made an amazing Old Fashioned. read more

I'm adding Spears to my list of "why don't we dine here more often?" places. Their grill guru makes a fab burger and the sides are also first rate. The woodsy bourbon-themed décor is certainly Kentucky-ish and there is a nifty outdoor patio. On this visit, I chowed down on a patty melt with a side of coleslaw. The burger was juicy medium-rare perfection, umami-forward and nestled between thick slabs of grilled marble rye. The generous bowl of slaw, flecked with cilantro, was fresh and crisp. Their fries are among the very best. Our server "A" was fantastic. Alas, I must subtract one star because, even though my Missus ordered her burger "plain" with a mere two toppings, the kitchen neglected to heed her simple request and ended up having to remake the burger from scratch, a 15-minute wait. The manager delivered the replacement with profuse apologies and all was forgiven. read more

Spears Bourbon Burgers Beer - Patty melt, medium rare - New American Near Me - Wheeling, Illinois

Came in by chance. Looking for somewhere to eat after flying in from Az. People were wonderfully friendly. Food was great. It was so nice we came twice in our short stay. Highly recommend read more