How have I lived in Rockford for years and never heard of this place?! This is a hidden gem. There are many things going for this spot. It might be small, but it's mighty. A very long beer list, great whiskey options, and a full bar to start you off right. The food is good, and they run daily specials which you can find on the homepage of their website. We came on a Wednesday so I ordered a buffalo chicken salad and got $2 off. Between the rest of our family, we ordered the brat Mac n cheese (unique and delicious), wings (70 cents on Wednesdays), the Detour burger (my favorite of the bunch) and the Cobb salad. The salads were my least favorite (which I guess is not surprising). The service is good and it was not crowded which opened up the staff to make us feel very cared for. The biggest plus about this place is the value. Most of the menu options are under $10 (and that's not even with the daily special discounts applied) and worth every penny. The only negative I can think of is that I've been missing out all these years. Excited we've found another great hidden spot in Rockford! read more

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We ordered a couple of beers decided to split the grilled chicken clog with onion rings and ordered a side of fried pickles with ranch The food is actually very good here The service is OK and the ambience is decent too. It's a really long bar. There's plenty of tables to sit. There's a game room in the back will be back. read more

Mystery shot was fun. My husband had the brown ale and I had Capital red ale, really good. Nice local place! For lunch, the Detour Brat, spicy cheese curds and home made fries, all were yummy!! Suzanne was friendly, efficient and made us feel like regulars. Not a dive at all just a nice place for a drink and good food. read more

Tried this place once and had a good experience. It's sort of divey which we like. The menu looked good lots of tasty options. We weren't too hungry but got the gyro fries which were good. I like a tall light draft beer at these types of bars and was a little let down by the taste of the draft Miller Lite. Could be dirty lines or just a bed keg. read more

The Detour is good for what it is: a standard hole-in-the-wall type bar. I had came here expecting a mixed drink menu (based on pictures I saw online), but they couldn't provide that and couldn't even make a mojito for me, so I just settled for a corona. Seeing as the place remains pretty dead, it would be a nice and low key spot for date night I'm sure--if you want to stick with beers. But there was nothing that set it apart from competition in my opinion. I could've had a similar experience by just buying a case of corona and sitting at home. read more

The Detour - a bottle of corona beer on a coaster - Sports Bars Near Me - Loves Park, Illinois

I used to be a regular whenever I was in town. I have gone to both the Comedy nights and the Trivia nights multiple times and have always had lots of fun. I grew up in Rockford and can confidently say that if you are looking for a fun bar that is mature and casual this and Prairie State Brewery are the spots I recommend. Many of the other bars in Rockford are trashy, wannabe city bars that attempt to cater to the 20 something year old demographic by offering heavily poured drinks, poorly trained scantily dressed young staff, and they often end their Friday/Saturday with the police breaking up fights. If you are looking for a hip "city-esqe" bar just drive inward toward Chicago/Suburbs along 90, because most the "Young/Hip" bars in this area are just dirty, cheap, pale imitations of River North Bars. As a 20 something year old, I have always preferred the cool professional environment of The Detour. This bar is similar to some of the smaller bars around downtown Chicago and I appreciate that. It's simple food/drink, affordable, and has great service (most of the time). There are two things I actively dislike though. 1: The Slot machines in the back ruin the atmosphere and attract an interesting crowd of older people that are often angry or sad. 2: During Covid they got rid of their in-house Beer Cheese, which not gonna lie was like 80% of the reason I went here (no offense it was Just that good). Please, Please, Please bring it back or post the recipe on your Facebook page or something! BONUS: The Chinese food Place next door to this bar is also a Hidden gem if your looking for a good lunch spot! read more

Yes, atmosphere may be a little divey.... But the food is delicious and very reasonably priced. Friendly staff and clientele. Good selection of craft beers along with the usuals and mixed drinks! Great neighborhood bar! read more

We were heading east from Pecatonica so I searched Yelp for a good brew pub to try out. Both the food and beer menu's looked inviting so some friends joined us for dinner. I'm a sucker for club sammy's so I eased into one of those. I didn't have any problems devouring it. The beer selection at Detour is bigger than the dining room with some rarer choices to try. With that in mind I settled for a can of Maplewood Zip Zap. I'd never heard of their brewery but was more than glad I opted for this one. Nice wheat IPA with a tropical kick. The service here was friendly and helpful. The rest of my family and friends also really enjoyed their food/drinks. We'll be back for sure. Cheers! read more

The Detour - Maplewood Zip Zap - Sports Bars Near Me - Loves Park, Illinois

we were looking for a new place to go to so we decided on detour bar and grill since we had never been there before. They had a 4.3-star rating, so we thought why not. Inside they have a few tables and what looked to be a pretty extensive bar. For drinks we ordered a maker's mark and ginger ale and a bourbon. For dinner we had 2 orders of 6 piece wings - one with buffalo sauce and one with mango habanero and a mushroom swiss burger and a patty melt with tater tots. The drinks were pretty good. The wings were ok. The buffalo sauce was good, but the mango habanero sauce was not hot at all. Needless to say, I've had better. The burgers were just ok nothing spectacular. In that area I've had better also. On their menu they state that all burgers are done medium well unless otherwise specified. Don't ask for anything else, you'll be disappointed. wife wanted hers medium rare - came out medium well, so apparently that's all they know how. The service was good and the copper style ceiling tiles gave it a nice look and the prices reasonable. Our total bill was around 60.00. Would we go back? Probably will but this would not be one of our go to spots in the future read more

I literally cannot think of a better dive bar that I've been to in God knows how long. They have a great selection of whiskeys, and beers. The other day I stopped in and grabbed some of the spicy cheese curds, and I was amazed at how good they are! So cheesy - so spicy. Out of control! Loved them! Also snagged the pretzel bites. Salty, crispy and the pub cheese mmm... good chow. So yeah, a great place and a fantastic find. If you are thinking " I want a beer and a burger" this is most definitely the place for you. I'll be making many repeat visits. read more

Great place to go to relax and have a nice cold beer on draft or your favorite beverage. Awesome food with a great variety to choose from. A great atmosphere were the bartenders are always welcoming. I would definitely recommend the Detour Bar and Grill to anyone who's looking for a nice neighborhood bar and grill. read more

The food was pretty good but the bar tender was pretty drunk as well.don't think you should be taking shots behind the bar as you work.

As a traveler from out of town, I found this to be a fantastic place to get a drink and some food in a friendly atmosphere. This is my go to place when I travel from out of town to visit to feel a little bit closer to home I recommend this to anyone who is from a small town that wants to feel closer to home. read more

In town for daughter's soccer tournament and needed a place to grab a bite between games. One of the parents suggested The Detour. We had a group of about 20 parents and kids. Smaller place, with small kitchen one person worker. This young woman (and I'm sorry I didn't get her name) knocked it out of the park. She communicated well, letting us know that the food may come out at different times due to the smaller kitchen. We asked that the kids were fed first and they were. Promptly. The young woman remained calm throughout and was outstanding from start to finish. Wish this bar was in my neighborhood at home. Great beer selection as well. read more

Good selection of draft beers and menu has never been a disappointment. Adam behind the bar is a great conversationalist. This bar is also conveniently close to my house read more

Stopped into this place to try something new after reading all the awesome reviews! We were immediately greeted and sat at a table. We got service with a smile right away, as she left for our drinks she told us the daily specials. They do have an amazing beer list of many different craft beers! The food was pretty good... I had a pork tenderloin, my wife had a burger, and my 4 yr old daughter ate chicken strips and fries. They had some good sauces to try... I would stop back again for a beer and to try something else off the menu! The place was clean, newer looking, and staff was friendly! Cheers read more

Burgers! Sweet Potato Fries! Cheese Curds! Good basic American food. Next time I would order a double beef patty tho- Its not listed but they will do curbside service! WARNING: The spicy cheese curds will leave your mouth burning- too hot for me. read more

I really enjoy this place, the atmosphere is somewhat divey, but the drinks are not. Plenty of craft beers and cocktails to choose from. This staff is really awesome as well. This is one of my favorite places! read more

One word..."Excellent" Part of me doesn't want to write this review. Only because I'd rather hold this jewel to myself. But an establishment of such greatness deserves to be recognized. The food is fantastic and the beer selection is really great. My favorites are the Black Bean Burger and Mac n Cheese. Check them out when you get a chance. You will not be disappointed. read more

We dropped in to The Detour for their $5 burger night! What a nice surprise we had! The bar is clean, nicely lit, prices are fantastic and, the burger was amazing! Great service from Erin, the bartender!! She is a Rockford rockstar! read more

This place was understaffed in our opinion. The bartender was also waiting tables and there was a pretty big crowd for her to handle both areas. Our appetizers came after 30 minutes and the soft pretzels didn't come until after our food arrived. My husband liked his Rueben, my son did not like the pork tenderloin and I had the French Dip. It wasn't bad but the meat was thick, over cooked and therefore dry and it was supposed to come with sautéed onions and mushrooms and a special cheese sauce. All three of those were missing when it arrived. The Mac and cheese was good. Our waitress was super friendly but you could tell she was overwhelmed trying to keep up with her bar customers on top of people who were there to eat as well. Unfortunately we won't be back. read more

food was so good, drinks we terrific and the service was stellar. Cozy little bar...can see this becoming a regular thing.

Food was good. Rueben bites were awesome. Very good beer and cocktail selection. Bartender Jamie, was extremely nice and knowledgeable. read more

The Detour - Sports Bars Near Me - Loves Park, Illinois

One of my new favorite spots. Definitely the best priced craft beer in town, a lo not beers that I've seen at aero for 7 dollars, detour has them for 5. Selection is steady but with a few rotating drafts and cans as well. Plus cheaper beers such as high life and PBR are often on special for 1.50. Also one of the biggest whisky selections I've seen in the Rockford area Atmosphere is vey comfortable. Music isn't too loud and the bartenders are very accommodating. The place has always been very clean and while it is as small as a dive bar it feels a little more upscale. Food is another great highlight. Solid pub food at a reasonable price. Plus ole saltys chips from next door! This is one of my new spots in the area, definitely worth a try for everyone. read more

Fantastic Burger! Couldn't recommend this place more. Great feel in the new neighborhood bar. read more

The Detour - Detour Burger - Sports Bars Near Me - Loves Park, Illinois

Went to the Detour on May 5th for my birthday thanks to my son Brandon and his fiancee Tammy. LOVED the whole experience! The marvelous mix of music, the atmosphere, the food and the service....just a grand experience! I will spread the news far and wide ~ The Detour is among the best! read more

The Detour really surprised me, in that a friend invited me out and I did not seek it out since it always seemed like a dive bar to me, but it was not a dive bar at all. The inside is really comfortable, they have really good beer and mixed drink options, and the food was pretty darn good for a bar. We grabbed a couple drinks, chatted for a couple hours and had a good time while grabbing some food while we were there. The staff were very nice and fast, and like I said, I was pleasantly surprised. So if you're looking to switch it up from your usual bar, swing into the Detour, you won't be disappointed. read more

This place was alright. I got a couple Moscow Mules and a whiskey and they weren't done poorly by any means, I just wish they had more Mule flavors. It's your typical bar, we bought every single appetizer on the menu and it was all decent food too. TLDR: It's a nice lil spot but it's nothing special. read more

A much superior pub with better beers and more attentive service than many of the places in Rockford. This place is small and new and should be welcomed by the community for putting out a decent bar in the area. The bartender was knowledgeable and great and there is nothing to complain here aside from location and strip mall location. read more

So happy the previous Yelp reviewers thought so highly of the place!! Was in the area and decided to try it out. The BLT was phenomenal and the drinks were reasonably priced. The place was super clean and the staff was friendly and attentive. Looks like we have a new fave place!! read more

Perfect little neighborhood gem, with a great atmosphere, and even better (if that's possible) service.

Knowledgeable staff. Not to mention very friendly. Tried the mac and cheese with a sliced bratwurst-VERY tasty!! Nice selection of beers and spirits to boot. Nice and simple remodel-nice to NOT see every inch of the place covered in signage. read more

First time visiting. We ordered veggie burger, buffalo chicken wrap, and mac n cheese. Everything was excellent and reasonably priced, and service was good. Ambiance was good and place was clean. We'll definitely go back. read more

If you have ever bartended you'll have to tolerate some degree of flirting. Customers will leave their number on the receipt, ask you out, or make unwelcome comments about all that shaking required to make a drink. I agree It's mostly harmless and you can usually nip it in the bud by politely saying, "No" thanks. Here though they cross the line of professionism by giving their number to married patrons this review can be good or bad...in that respect that if you condone and are looking for that go and leave the wife at home. Otherwise, if your looking for a just beer a steer clear. read more

Good food good beer. I only been here once. Only complaint would be to have cheaper beer. Hey dont we all?

This is a very good place to grab a beer and some wings. These were the best wings I've had. Very clean and. A great atmosphere. We will be back there read more