This is a really nice place. Good decor, a big patio, and a comfortable bar. Limited food menu but you can get a pizza from Slyce next door, which is fantastic pizza. The beer here is just ok. I tried two different IPAs. They taste a little too much like home-brew, meaning that astringent flavor that sometimes comes from over sparging. I'd give this brewery another try, they have about 15 beers on tap. read more

Technically this is a brewery, but it's really more like a comfortable place where you can hang out with friends, try a variety of beers from many breweries and enjoy the window views of Bangs Lake. read more

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My brother, son and I visited Side Lot and tried a beer. Staff was friendly. They told me they weren't doing flights. What brewery that you've visited doesn't do flights? I also got more of a bar atmosphere compared to other craft breweries , probably due to the presence of gambling machines. The one beer I tried (a wheat) was good. While downtown Wauconda is nice, I probably won't return. read more

Great little brewery with mixed drinks too and a nice menu. It's a bit limited but everything sounds and looks great. Next time we'll try the food. Very friendly bartenders and staff. read more

What could have easily been an enjoyable visit was ruined by horrible acoustics and a poor sound system which made being inside the facility a painful experience. Mind you- this is from someone who grew up with heavy metal music. The place shows a lot of potential if they could invest in some ceiling tiles and expanding the small plate menu. A welcome plus are the alternative beverages other than beer available such as wine, hard cider, etc. read more

Pretty good beer and a great waitstaff a place that you feel comfortable drinking a beer at

Exceptional staff, food, and brews. The patio is an excellent addition in the summer. On Wednesdays they have "Dog Days of Summer" where you're invited to bring your pup on the patio to enjoy homemade dog treats (made from the used grain from brewing beer). Couldn't ask for a better place in Wauconda! read more

The Side Lot - Side Lot Brewery's "Dog Days of Summer" on Wednesday - Lounges Near Me - Wauconda, Illinois

Let me start by saying I have only in my 3 years of Yelping left one other poor review as I know in many cases it all about differ taste and expectations. I can't even rate the beer as the 4 employee to 4 costumer ratio was just to much for them to handle. I've never felt so unwelcome in a restaurant. Don't go here if you expect even the smallest amount of customer service. Disappointing!!! My friend and I drank our one overpriced beer and moved on. Hey guys if you want people to learn about your beer you may want to actually make eye contact and speak to your customers. read more

I have to say good job Side Lot Brewery! This place has trendy decor and warm spaces to sit and enjoy a good beer along with your friends. They only had two taps of their own brews during our visit, but I'm sure that their choices will be growing. I like boring lagers, but I really enjoyed their Tony Bender Belgian ale (not usually my choice). One more shout out for having food selections!! And what great food options they are. I had the Castello (6 inch), but I wish I would have gotten the 12 inch. Delicious and the bread is from a local bakery. Way to support local businesses!! We will be back and you should get in here quick before people catch on and start mobbing the place! PS, they also have wine and spirits! read more

The Side Lot - Sandwich options - Lounges Near Me - Wauconda, Illinois

The ambience was very cool! They serve a mix of beers imported nationwide and a few of there own. Honestly I sampled quite a few of there beers and none of them intrigued me take a pint. Sadly I went for a Miller(gasp). Crafts are always hit and miss and I struck out here super bummed. Next time I'm in town I'll try there next rotation and see how I feel then! My group did however, find a couple they enjoyed and had a great time drinking them. Suggestions-Sweet place to just hangout and relax with a variety of beers to try. Moose Out read more

Very very good beer and a variety to make any fussy beer drinker happy. This spot plus many other nearby unique stores and eateries make Wauconda a very worthwhile stop for local residents and others passing through the town or area read more

Stopped in here to try a couple beers. Nice interior with a variety of seating (bar, lowtops, and lounge/couch seating. The outdoor patio is really nice with some community tables and smaller tables for couples. Dog friendly. Staff was fine, not bad and not great. A keg of water is set out for self service. When we were there, tacos were available on the patio, but they don't offer food in house. Tried a number of their beers, but none in particular really stood out. All were pretty decent Filthy Ginger Red Ale Jimmy the Weasel Candy Paint Day Old Dough Overall, a fine experience, but I wouldn't recommend strongly. read more

OK, this is a review based solely on ambiance...lol. I came here after going to another brewery and just couldn't consume anything more to drink! :) Side Lot Brewery is a super cute place with an awesome vibe! It definitely has a beachy/low-key vibe going on. They have cute tables and areas w/ couches. They play good music and have plenty of board games...how fun! We didn't order food from there, but had a pizza delivered. I love places like that...you don't find that much in the city. I had a great time relaxing with friends and was bummed that it closed early. I would go back if I was ever in the area again! read more

Fun environment! Wide selection or craft beer Also serve wine and spirits Amazing Irish coffee read more

I really like this place overall which is kind of funny because I don't really like beer all that much. It's nice that as a brewery they also serve great cocktails. I enjoy the food here, especially the Whipped Feta and Sweet and Spicy Jelly appetizer and The Castello sandwich. I would shy away from ordering The Throwback again because one slice of bacon is just too skimpy for me; I had to take the top of the sandwich off and eat it as an open faced sandwich to really taste it at all. Nice service and a fun place to have drinks and a bite to eat. read more

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Had 4 of the beers that they brewed on side. All of them were very poor. They were brewing on a Sabco machine, looked like 20-25 gallon kettles. But the beers tasted like really poor homebrew. They have a few more years to go before they iron out all the issues wrong with each recipe. The atmosphere was nice and they had really good guest beers, which were probably over 50% of the beers. Didn't try any food. If you go, treat it like a bar and not a brewery and you'll be fine. And stay away from the beers brewed onsite. read more

Between pathetic (and overpriced) choice of alcohol and smallest sandwiches I ever seen served on pieces of brown paper and recycled pallet "decor"...I'm giving 1star for linen napkins. If you are masochistic snob you gonna fit right in....otherwise stay away read more

Wish I would have taken a picture of our food and gotten the name of our server. What a wonderful experience. We had the biscuits and gravy, hummus platter and the Lox plate. All was awesome and extremely eye appealing. We ordered fruit seltzer, blueberry essences and lemonade lavender beverages, again fantastically unique and especially good. The domes were warm and comfortable. We will be back ! Very soon. read more

Awesome place! The beer is great, of course, and they have a perfect outdoor space with turf and bistro lighting, etc. Very dog friendly, too, and the food is SO GOOD. We got the lobster roll and the ribeye skewers and they were out of this world. Definitely recommend! read more

My go to brewery when I come to this area. The beers are good and have a great variety. The Snacks vary (chips). Though on some nights they give light bites like tacos or a bag of war nuts. The place isn't huge, but the outside is bigger. They have games to play with whom ever you go with. Good place to grab a quick beer. read more

So far we have tried some beers and a Bloody Mary. Both were great. Inside it's a comfy atmosphere with pillowed couches that have blankets thrown over the back. They do have a nice outdoor area but we didn't take advantage. Service was great and there was only one person working! He made coffee, cocktails, food, etc. and never seemed overwhelmed or annoyed by orders for things that took more time to make. They have small plates and sandwiches, but again we didn't take advantage. We were a bit pressed for time, but heard from the gentleman next to us that the Throwback was an amazing sandwich. Wish we had time to try it! We will definitely be back! read more

This place was quite pleasant. It's located across the street from the lake in downtown Wauconda. The atmosphere is very chill, not too crowded. It's small so going during the warmer months is more enjoyable since they have a moderately sized outdoor area. read more

I go there for the atmosphere mostly as this is a great meet-up bar. Play board games, chat in a corner... small and quaint. I don't like it crowded as I like seats and it can get very loud in such a small space if it's packed so I pick and choose when it is a good time. It's usually my after movie "lets go have a drink" go to place with my girlfriends or post softball game place. If you don't like beer, they have Moscow mules ($9) but not many other non beer options. Unfortunately, don't serve food/ snacks anymore. The nuts were yummy, bring them back! read more

We used to like coming here and hanging out on the couches. But my have they changed in a short time. New staff is very unfriendly, awkward and unwelocming. They referred to it as a bar and not a brewery, which is strange because they brew there and that's pretty much all they serve is beer. read more

This is a millennial bar, for people that only want to have a few drinks and a bite to eat. It's not for everybody. I did not like it that much because the drinks were expensive and the seating was really awkward. I happen to be sitting next to this couple that was on a date, there was no where else to sit which made it very awkward. The bartender was upset when I said I had to leave after one drink because I didn't feel welcome. I would not go back because of the atmosphere. read more

Great place! Im not really into craft beer and the people behind the bar recommended a great beer to try and it was delicious. They also have really great cocktails as well! You cant go wrong with any of them. The sandwiches are made fresh and are the perfect pair with a drink. read more

I visited Sidelots Last Sunday they had two of their brews on tap. I had a Groupon for a flight and a Crowler. The one IPA they had was ok, so I requested that to be my Crowler fill. The tap ran out half way through the can and they had no more. They didn't offer me any alternative. How can you run a brewery with only one beer and it is a cider. I think this place is going down. read more

Best Bloody Mary I've had this side of the Wisconsin border. Comes with a baby beer chaser that I didn't need to order separately . Only thing tha could have made it better is a cheese cube . Nice vibe - eclectic playlist and gorgeous decor. I'll be back read more

This is a great addition to downtown Wauconda! The location is in the old Murphy's Pub - they've completely redone everything! No more popcorn ceilings.. Lol! Definitely an improvement in atmosphere, drinks, and bar patron. Also Side Lots is right next to Slyce making it perfect for a beer while waiting for a table or a after dinner drink! .. Or both :) Or just hang out all night I've tried a few of the craft beers that they have on tap all very good. Side Lots is working on brewing their own beer too... Can't wait till your grand opening to try these! read more

This place has the potential to be amazing. They didn't have any of their ciders available on tap. I believe they had one of their beers on tap when I was there, kind of disappointing but they are a fairly new operation. The inside of this place is cozy and tastefully decorated. It felt very comfortable, like the kind of place you could pass a few hours with friends. They have a few snack options available, the bacon jam with Brie perfectly complimented our beers. You can also bring in takeout, there is a coal fire pizza place next door that shares the parking lot. Their beer selection is pretty impressive for such a small place, everything seems carefully chosen. The staff seemed knowledgable and passionate. Once they get their operation off the ground, I feel like this place will be worthy of five stars. read more

Very cool and comfy interior. Nice addition to downtown Wauconda. They are not serving their own beers yet, but I was impressed with their draft list along with their cocktails. Looking forward to coming back read more

Nice location looking over Bangs Lake. Good selection of beers. I tried the Smokin Squirrel Mild Brown and liked it well enough. Very quiet for a Saturday, but they did just open yesterday. read more

Wow - great Friday night! Lots of beers to choose from! Nuts we're awesome. Music was motivating and young atmosphere. Merry Christmas

Sunday was our second visit here. Just like the first, it was the perfect spot for some delicious beer and food. The whipped feta with red, yellow, and jalapeño pepper jelly is AMAZING. We also split the BBQ sandwich which was equally delicious. I loved that we could have some drinks, play some cards, and relax. It really has a chill/at home vibe that we haven't been able to find anywhere else. So glad we came across this brewery, it's definitely our go to spot now! read more

Really great spot in downtown Wauconda, right next to the best pizza place in town. I had the English Brown and it was delicious, nice creamy texture with lots of chocolate malt flavor. My wife enjoyed the cider they had on tap, it wasn't fizzy or overpoweringly sweet, just really well balanced. The venue is really cool, vintage/industrial/antique finishings with a good stereo and TVs in case there is a game on. They have a few small plates on their menu and you can always walk over to Slyce and pick up a pie to bring back to the brewery. read more

Really cool spot. Hidden, but a lot of great beers to choose from. Board games are awesome too.

Great new addition to Wauconda . Newly opened brewpub that has a great selection of Local/Midwest brews as well as their own 4 brews that they brew in house. Tried 3 out of 4 of their "house" brews during their Grand opening and they did not disappoint! Stop on down and pick up a Side Lot Growler and be a part of the improving Wauconda. read more

This place is like what your dream basement would look like, manly timber, steel chairs, screens and a B-plus craft selection. It's a nice place to pre-game though no food, and clientele is moms with trendy boots and trios of "Guys night outers" not wearing Crocs, which is a good thing. read more

Great beer selection, including four house brews. Small plates, including bacon flights! And a friendly staff. Very comfortable space that you will love! read more

Great atmosphere. Kind of hipster-y, but I don't mind that in this case. Several distinct seating areas including couches and ottomans. Good selection of beers, including some of their own offerings. I'll be coming back. read more

The Side Lot - Their current offerings, as of 1/24/16 - Lounges Near Me - Wauconda, Illinois