I tried the Parched Pug for the first time today - a very unique and cool restaurant to check out! They have American/Bar Food - burgers, wings etc., in a unique building that appears to be connected to an office building, with a patio with nice views of a pond and tons of pug decor inside the restaurant! I love pugs so this place was definitely on my bucket list. We tried the Turkey Burger and the Atomic Burger - both were pretty good, we tried the regular wedge fries and the sweet potato waffle fries - both also good, but I have to say the sweet potato fries were better than the regular ones. I only subtract one star because of the service - our server was not unfriendly, but he was very slow, didn't check up on us or ask how the food was, did not offer refills on my Coke Zero, and this was on a slower night here. I would come back for the food, decor and environment, there appears to be game nights here as well which sound fun, and self serve beer taps - will have to try both next time. I'd overall recommend if you're in the area and want a good burger/beer/ a cool place to hang out.! read more

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Super duper special place. Come here if you want to have fun. They have endless board games and uniquely themed nights like trivia, chunky blanket making, name that tune, karaoke and Latin Nights and line dancing. The food is tasty and a cut above the usual fare. So delicious and well-made. The self-serve BEER WALL always has something for everyone, including cocktails and wines. The staff is friendly, helpful, and super-puggy... alking around sniffing butts and drooling Come here with a group or just when you have your first date with your soul-mate-super-love-of-your-life and you want to impress her by singing Hungry Like The Wolf by Duran Duran and happily aver after... This is THE PLACE for that!!! read more

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We were heading back to Milwaukee from a weekend getaway in Indianapolis and needed some lunch. When we saw a place named The Parched Pug, the name drew us in. I mean, how can you not try a place with that moniker? It was pretty quiet that Sunday afternoon, even with a Chicago Bears game taking place. The staff was really friendly -- we chatted quite a bit with our server. They've got a wall of beer taps and you get a card you use. Every time you want a beer, you use the card. In the end, you pay for whatever beer you had. I've been to places with that sort of model and it's worked out fine. We got a bunch of appetizers -- sliders, cauliflower, etc. -- and everything we had was great. Honestly, we're so happy we found this place. Cool vibe, nice people, and they support good causes. We are planning to head out there again in the near future since it's not too inconvenient to get there. read more

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It was a fun experience!! My first time at the Parched Pug. I have two pugs at home!! I really enjoyed all the Pug artwork!! I got some Parched Pug merchandise of course!! # parchedpug @parchedpug #buzzybooth read more

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We just were here for the 80s trivia night. The Parched Pug has taken over the old Tacos El Norte location (which we loved and were bummed when they closed) and finally found or way here for a night of 80s trivia with friends. I had heard mixed reviews on the food, so I was mentally prepared to have mediocre food. It's kind of confusing how you go about ordering food and drink because: 1) it's by person 2) it's by table 3) there are no instructions what to do except for a small sign on the table 4) none of the staff explain anything to you 5) there are three different QR codes to choose from So with so trial and error and explanations from other friends who have visited before (or arrived earlier than us). I ordered a cup of the cream of chicken soup. It came cold and I had to send it back to warm up. They brought (hopefully) a new cup of WARM soup. It wasn't much warmer than the previous bowl, so I just dealt with it. I then ordered the boneless buffalo wings. Just call them cubes of chicken as that's what they were. I ordered the soup, the cubes, potato wedges and a soda and it was $37. That's a bit steep for what I ordered. And that was just me. My wife ordered a soda and a salad and it tacked on another $30. It's pricey for what it is. If you want beer, you have to get a card and then open a tab and then select from a wall of selections. You pay by the ounce, so unless you know what you want, it can get pricey as you order an ounce of different ones to taste them. Then came the 80s trivia and there were a lot of teams for a cold Thursday night. It was a lot of fun. I believe there were prizes for the top three teams. Our two teams were not among the winners. It was a fun night out and worth checking out for fun. They have line dancing, board games, trivia nights and more served up with some traditional bar fare. And how can you pass up a place called The Parched Pug? read more

Food is very good here and the service is great. We were seated with a big group by the bar. The menu is on a QR code and there you can order and pay for the food and specialty drinks like coffee and butter. It is available with alcohol and without alcohol. All other alcoholic drinks are self pour and they use a card system which you have to return and pay before you leave. So much is going on but it is a huge space and great for groups and parties. There's games that you can play for a fee and on certain days they have events like Latin dance night and trivia. If you haven't been here I suggest stopping by for a fun night out. read more

The Parched Pug - Alcoholic butterbeer - Gastropubs Near Me - Libertyville, Illinois

Great experience overall. I saw a lot of the reviews mention service issues - this couldn't be further from the truth for us! We got greeted by the owner (who has 4 rescues, 2 are pugs!) and also our server was nice. The food is decent, but I will say the best part is the wall to pour your own beer, wine or seltzer! They also have sooo much pug merch (along with pug beer) which we loved as pug people. I will be recommending this to my Vegas pug group for anyone visiting Chicago! I love that they also have a bunch of events... so check it out! read more

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My wife and her family recently went here and had a terrible experience. First off the service was VERY slow. Second my mother in law had to order her burger two times after if first came with an aioli on it when it was listed and an oil. Then when she had to change her order to just a plain burger, they brought the wrong burger and it was raw (like seared and still mooing on the inside. She had order it medium. Eventually she just did not have dinner and then the staff was rude, slow and did not seem to care about service. We have been told be so many to go here since moving to the area, but this could not have been more of a disappointment. read more

This restaurant has had many owners in the past BUT I wish much success to the new owners. They have worked hard to present a delicious menu, fun activities to bring people into their location during the week and they have a 'serve yourself beer ' taps. I had one of their burgers with avocado and crispy Brussels Sprouts - delicious. read more

The Parched Pug - Self Serve Beer Tap bar - Gastropubs Near Me - Libertyville, Illinois

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Loved this place! Casual atmosphere with gourmet menu choices. The pug theme is oddly cute. We tried almost everything on the menu. The pretzel flight, nachos, flatbreads, mac and cheese & wings were great, but the Brussel Sprouts knocked it out of the park. The balsamic honey glaze was delicious. It took away any bitter bite of the Brussels sprouts. The outer leaves were slightly crisped. It was fantastic. Usually vegetables are a hard sell-- but these were gobbled up in minutes. There was a mix up with Buffalo Bites & Buffalo Wings, but the server was apologetic and promptly brought out the correct dish. The servers were friendly and attentive. The game selection was good. Our family had fun playing Herd Mentality for the first time. Easy to learn as well as to play, and well suited for large groups. The Nanoputt dining area had large long tables that could be pushed together for big groups. I like there was space to accommodate any group size-- from 2 ppl to 10+. read more

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The mac and cheese was cold and had almost no cheese on it. I could have made better pasta from a box at home. But the pretzels and fried pickles were good and there are lots of beer options. Much of the staff seemed put off or annoyed when we had to interact. There was karaoke in one section of the restaurant which was fun but the speakers in the area where we were sitting were playing different music so we had to hear both at the same time which wasn't great. It's a good place to have drinks and play games with friends, but next time if I'm looking for a full meal I'll eat somewhere else. read more

Good beer selection but the food was not good at all cold bland soggy mac and cheese. read more

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With a fairly extensive menu of appetizers, entrees, burgers, salads, flatbreads, and desserts The Parched Pug offers visitors lots of dining options in addition to a very complete list of beer, coffee, and frozen drinks. The food here for me is alright, not the most amazing flavors or best executed versions of each dish, but I do appreciate the inclusion of more elevated takes on usual bar favorites. I also like how there's a good variety of options to fit all dietary preferences, especially with the number of vegetarian options available. The best reason to visit The Parched Pug is really for its ideal setup as a hangout spot. The parking is plentiful, the interior space is enormous, there's places outside to hangout and relaxed, the mood is fairly casual, and the service is friendly. There's also plenty of board games (200+) available to support any meet up. Overall, an awesome place to hangout and socialize with board games, alcohol drinks, and coffee with better than average pub food. read more

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Bring cash. Used the scan menu they want you to use to place orders (takes a long time to find/get everything right yourself! and you have to enter your credit card to order online). Had our credit card hijacked with 3 satellite dish orders, and several other patrons dinner tabs, then our credit card company auto cancelled due to weird charges, and all of our established monthly payments on the card were late waiting for the new card to arrive. No elevator, must climb stairs down into the pit to the seats in the entertainment area. Nice easy location in town. Food was mediocre to good but doesn't resemble the picture online (skimpy portions, had flatbread and not much on it!). Menu needs updating. Seats are hard and difficult to sit on especially if you're staying for the games or karaoke. read more

Been here a few times, food is decent and beer is plenty, they have close to 50 different options! Staff is friendly and knowledgeable and the ambiance is cute and fun, great date spot. They often have live music, comedians, or karaoke so there's always something fun to take in while you're having a drink, they also have a TON of board games and chess/checkers boards too if that's your thing. Always try to stop here when in the area read more

The Parched Pug - So many choices! - Gastropubs Near Me - Libertyville, Illinois

My husband and I came to The Parched Pug after having a long morning and really hungry for a good lunch. Once you are taken to your table, all of the ordering and paying for the food is taken care on your phone. You don't encounter another person until a server brings you your food. We ordered the pug burger (Our signature 8 oz short rib, brisket and chuck blend burger, pug sauce, iceberg lettuce, dill pickles, shaved onions, white cheddar, and bacon on a pretzel bun.), BBQ chicken flatbread (Grilled naan topped with porter bbq, beer-brined grilled chicken breast, pickled onions, mozzarella cheese, and cilantro) and a mocha latte (Our signature latte with chocolate and espresso. Creates an espresso forward drink with hints of chocolate). The pug burger was a generic cheeseburger. There was nothing particularly special or flavorful about it. The short rib, brisket, and chuck blend did not taste any different than your traditional ground beef. The BBQ chicken flatbread had a very flavorful BBQ sauce. The mocha latte was very heavily coffee flavored with no chocolate taste to it. I had a sweet craving and tried the MILE HIGH CHOCOLATE CAKE (7 layers of chocolate cake, chocolate fudge icing, fresh raspberries, and a raspberry sauce. Shareable for 2-4 people.) The cake was delicious and just what I was looking for, although it did not come with raspberries or raspberry sauce (which is just fine with me because fruit ruins desserts), nor was it exceptionally large. We did share it with the table, but could have finished it between us. None of the special flavorings or preparation techniques that were tried made their food taste different than a traditional pub. The Parched Pug is recommended for a good pub with traditional bar food. read more

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Great ambiance ands staff. Food was good. Karaoke night on Friday was nice! Would definitely recommend.

Cute place. Came with a group of friends for bingo. I had the beer cheese soup with the soft pretzel bread. It was good, but I should've gotten a cup instead of a bowl. I do appreciate that they have Coke zero. It is a little out of my comfort zone because there's just a QR code on the table that you have to order from and you pay on your phone. Then they bring it to the table for you. I do have to say they always had people floating around if you needed help with something. I think the outside patio will be really nice when it gets warmer. read more

The bar is impressive, ok, it's more a beer garden / tappery. Very well managed billing, you get a card that bills by the ounce like a gas pump. I had the pugarita (margarita) it was a delightfully heavy drink and at $11.95 for a generous glass it got me well buzzed! The honey bacon dish is astonishing and mouthwatering, clocking in at an inexpensive $6 it's going to end up costing you a twenty, in bacon. Then the chicken sliders will add to your bill but it's all well worth it. You cannot go wrong with anything on the menu, it's much more than a place to get hammered too. There's an amazing community around the bar and there's board games and trivia night events. I'll definitely be back to this pub. read more

Came here for karaoke night with friends and had such a great time! The food was delicious and the prices were very reasonable. Definitely a fun spot for a night out read more

This poor place screams sadness at every corner. The employees don't want to be there and neither do the customers. There were 3 parties there on a Thursday night of Valentine's weekend!!. It's all self serve, which is fine, but you had to flag down anyone with a question. It's not long for this world and they know it. AND why don't places give you receipts? I got 4 receipts for a sad little appetizer- ice cold sliders with no meat- but nothing for the drinks- which is separate. I do hope they are put out of their misery soon. We couldn't get out of there fast enough! read more

I was SO excited to check this place out since I looooove pugs and food. We walked in straight to a sign that said wait to be seated, but no one was around. There were two parties going on, so I walked to the bar and asked what we needed to do. The bartender seated us. After that...Disappointment. The food was basic. I ordered the jalapeño peach burger and it was just 4 slices of jalapeños and peach jam slapped onto a burger. For what we paid, I would have expected more. We ordered our meal via a scanny and paid up front. There was a charge for everything. Not worth it. Even if you love pugs read more

The Parched Pug is easily one of my favorite spots in Libertyville. The vibe is warm and playful, with a self-pour tap wall that makes trying new drinks super fun and convenient. They've got over 60 beers, wines, and cocktails on tap, and the system lets you sample just a few ounces at a time so you can find exactly what you like. The food is fantastic--crispy brussels sprouts, short rib sliders, and the candy bacon were standouts, and the adult grilled cheese with fig jam was next-level. Tons of board games to choose from, great service (waitress was awesome), and even a dog-friendly patio. You can tell they put real care into every detail, from the menu to the atmosphere. This place is a gem. read more

Fun new spot to hangout with friends and enjoy good pub food, games, trivia and a beer wall! Plenty of outdoor seating in their large patio, overlooking a pond. Be prepared to scan the QR code and order your own food. Meals and non-alcoholic drinks are delivered by a server; however, to purchase alcoholic beverages, you must go inside the restaurant to the lower level to purchase a black card for access to the beer wall which also offers wine, sours and cider. Great for work groups or fun get togethers! read more

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What a disappointment ! We stopped in on a Saturday afternoon and there was hardly anyone in the place. We were seated near the taps. You order via QR Code and your food is delivered by a server. It is your typical bar food, poor quality. You open up a tap card, and serve yourself. The beers were warm! We ordered the cauliflower appetizer and the cauliflower was hard and undercooked. I had a chicken sandwich and the chicken was chewy and also undercooked. My husband ordered a burger and he said it was good. The overall experience was below average and we would not return. read more

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It was 3pm and the pug was virtually empty which made service very good. We started with the chicken nachos. The chips were great but it lacked toppings. More toppings and I would give it a 5. As for our burgers they were made to order and the cook was perfect. However, there wasn't anything exceptional about it. They were just grilled burgers. The beer wall was the only thing exceptional about the place but not enough to draw us back. I love eating local but this place I may skip. read more

My first time coming here and it definitely won't be the last. Came here to experience the self-pour wall. There was over 30+ different kinds of beer, cocktails, and wine. I like they were all from local breweries. I like the experience of putting the card in and just pouring it yourself. I got a flight of 4 different kinds of beers. They were all very good. Food wise, you have to order with the QR code and order from your table. I ended up getting the fried pickles. I would totally come back here to have some beer and chill with friends. read more

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We tried many appetizers for happy hour that were very good. We all enjoyed the beer tap wall and tried many. And of course love the Pug theme! Neat place! read more

Great time with the family. Great food. Delicious beer. Played a fun random board game with a cow theme. Our server, I think his name was Brandon, was amazing. Loved it. # parchedpug @parchedpug #buzzybooth read more

Strange, impersonal place. I did not feel welcome. I went there by myself, and once they swiped my credit card andI was shown how to order using my phone, I sort of understood. I received my order, which was OK, but that was about the end of any service received. No one came by to ask if it was OK or if anything was needed, nor did they ask if I needed a refill of my soft drink until I was finished. Big nope. I might as well have been ordering from a vending machine, for the utter lack of service. Not even a friendly hi, how are you doing. It's almost like hardly anybody works there, although a few walked by me. I felt very ignored. The place is in an office building, which puts out a bit of a strange vibe by itself. It's a big place, but at the relatively early time I visited it was pretty much empty. I won't be back, and unless they get their act together this place won't be around for long. read more

What a fun place! We had attentive server- Grace and played a board game while enjoying our tastings from the drink wall selection. It's dog friendly too, so next time, we'll bring our pup! #parchedpug @parchedpug # parchedpug @parchedpug #buzzybooth read more

Really spacious restaurant with a beautiful outdoor patio for the warm weather. This place is also dog and family friendly since it has different options for games including some board games. Food was okay. We ordered the fried pickles which was pretty good. The adult mac and cheese lacked flavor and cheesiness. The grilled chicken sandwich was good. Moist and had a good flavor. Since we ordered our food through an app and a few different servers came out with our foods. My husband also had to get his beer at the tap since that was the one thing we couldn't order on the app. Interesting concepts since it's easier to split the bill if we had a large group but I don't know if there's really a service portion. read more

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The pretzel flight is worth the trip! Soooo yummy! # parchedpug @parchedpug #buzzybooth

Really enjoyed our experience overall! We decided to try this spot as their patio is dog friendly! They take their dog accommodations seriously! Loved the patio next to the pond and water feature! Definitely one of the best pet friendly patio's we have been to. They kindly served our pup water and whip cream! The staff was super helpful and welcoming. They explained the tap system along with QR code ordering. The food was super tasty and there were a lot of options! The portions were also fairly generous. However, things were a little pricier than I might have expected. The tap system is super cool, I really like that they stock local products. A little warning if you are not a beer drinker, the offerings become sparse. I would have like to have seen at least 1 or 2 ciders offered. I went with one of the pre-mix cocktails, but I wasn't crazy about it. Overall, would really recommend! Especially if you are looking for a laid back place to hang with your hound! read more

Great food and great rotating beer selection!! always something fun and new to try. Love the weekly bingo and trivia nights! #parchedpug @parchedpug #buzzybooth read more

Fun local joint with games and huge beer selection. Nice summertime patio that is dog friendly. They have trivia, bingo, comedians and entertainers to liven up weeknights read more

Checked this place out yesterday and was excited to go because I saw there was a tap wall and it reminded me of Tapville in Naperville. The tap wall has less variety than Tapville, but still has lots of good ones! You're given a drink card and pour the drinks yourself and you're charged by the ounce. Really cool concept. There's lot of seating and there's also a coffee bar. They advertise games, but you have to pay to play so I think that's why I didn't see anyone playing games yesterday. The food is really good! The nacho chips were made in house, and the cheese was thick and yummy. There isn't mole in the nachos like it says on the online menu though. The sweet potato waffle fries were delicious too! Def recommend for a fun night out and really close to the downtown libertyville area! Good for bar hopping! read more

The Parched Pug - Gastropubs Near Me - Libertyville, Illinois

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Unfortunately, we never ate there. This review is for the service or lack of it. We arrived and seated ourselves on the patio and promptly were given a metal container with a QR code on it. We ordered our food on the app and after 30 minutes we were never served the food we ordered. Not one person checked on us, brought out drinks or acknowledged we ordered something. We are always looking for restaurants to try; but we will never go back to the Parched Pug. read more

Went here 2x for trivia with friends. The ambiance is great and the space of the restaurant/brew area is spacious. Unfortunately, the food really isn't good. Both times the pretzel was stale and cold. The chicken sandwich and fries were meh (I left almost all of my food on my plate). Ordered a flatbread to try to eat something different and it was tiny and barely big enough to share. Would only come for drinks next time. read more

The beer wall is good, the food was good, but this restaurant doesn't feel like it is in full swing yet. No tv's, so very quiet except for chatter at other tables. Order off an app. I could not figure put how to pay for beer wall. The bathrooms were closed. I decided to give them a break and give 4 stars, but ..... read more