Emmett’s Tavern and Brewing Co.

1/14/2008 11:11:08 AM, monday, january 14, 2008
Rating - June 2007. This place caught me off-guard a bit, as it had more of a nice restaurant feel than brewpub feel (which works too). The dining area is warm and welcoming with nice linens and very attentive service. They had 7 beers on tap, which appears to be a lot considering other ratings (and I’m guessing they don’t have 7 on now). The beers are quite solid once you get past the Light and the American Wheat. From recent ratings, I’d call ahead and check on the beer situation.

8/3/2007 3:50:43 PM, friday, august 03, 2007 [ Updated saturday, august 04, 2007 ]
Like the Onion Pub up in Lake Barrington, Emmett’s in West Dundee has taken a turn for the worse in recent months. Their previous menu, albeit a bit expensive, at least had some interesting fare--Moroccan chicken, pretzel-crusted lamb, cedar plank fish, etc... Upon a recent visit, the menu had been totally overhauled, with all of the more interesting items replaced by pizzas and fajitas and wraps and the like (think a marginally more inventive Chili’s). Not only that, but the seasonal beer selection has dropped substantially with only 1 (if even) to be found at most given times, when in the past there were often 3 or 4. They have been replaced with guest taps of a non-threatening variety: Hoegaarden, Truman Pils, etc... Seems like in their effort to compete with all of the chain eateries popping up around them, they have chosen to emulate them rather than actually differentiate themselves. Kinda lame. But still, the beer that they do produce is quite good. If only the food still reached the same level of quality/creativity.

9/22/2006 6:42:08 PM, friday, september 22, 2006
This is the type of place that we joke that we take the in-laws so that they’ll pay. I’ll be honest, it’s pricey. But, the service has always been flawless, the food top-of-the-line, and the beer strong. The price is the only thing keeping the rating lower. Try the mustard-pretzel lamb. Went on the same tour as GWS (actually for his b-day), and the brew-masters are charasimatic and knowldgeable. Try it. And look for it in Road to Perdition.

5/26/2006 7:47:46 AM, friday, may 26, 2006
Awesome ambience and a great "tour", which consisted of standing in their brewing room and trying both their beers and others from around the world in a chosen style. Awesome. Service is a tad flaky but who cares, their beer is totally amazing. GO.

4/10/2006 8:10:09 AM, monday, april 10, 2006
Very upscale looking: lots of banquet space, plaster and dark wood walls, etc. but local regulars at the bar help keep the pretensions down. Storefront windows help keep the bar area nice and bright. Has a solid lineup of regular beers, but usually nothing really "extreme." Give it points for having a serviceable light beer (the Munich Light) rather than a syrupy fruit beer. Guest taps currently have Hoegaarden and, um, Miller Lite. Nice looking nitro engine at the bar with an ornate ceramic handle.

2/11/2006 7:10:29 PM, saturday, february 11, 2006 [ Updated saturday, february 11, 2006 ]
Nice location and a great ambiance...classy place and quite big. Food selection is strange, more eclectic, but all of it is superb. Service was not good. Pizza was undercooked and waitress was not attentive despite the absence of anyone in the restaurant. On the plus side, the beer is quite fantastic. I had two pale ales, 2nd Street Pale ("similar to the other pale ale except it uses a different yeast strain so it’s more dry and more sweet"), and the Victory. Both were similar and quite citrusy. I like the ambiance of this once better than Palatine. Both are the best brewpubs out in the NW suburbs.

11/25/2005 8:51:42 PM, friday, november 25, 2005 [ Updated friday, august 25, 2006 ]
This is a fairly new place, about 2 years old, according to my bro. Nice decor but seemed a little sterile, maybe the newness. Food price is varied but the quality is something I question ( burger overdone, onion rings cold and greasy, and the waitstaff forgot an advertised condiment). But this is mainly about the beer and the selection seemed varied and was tasty, of the 2 I tried. Overall this was a nice place but not something I would go out of my way for other than visiting relatives.

11/18/2005 9:12:37 AM, friday, november 18, 2005
Stopped in for their seasonal doppelbock. Have been to the Palatine location as well, and I liked the ambiance at that location more so than this. Only one beer tapped that’s not part of their regular line-up. Service was a bit slow. Doubt we’ll return to this one, but it’s worth a visit if you’re ever near West Dundee, for whatever reasons there may be.

9/11/2005 11:26:31 PM, sunday, september 11, 2005
This Emmett’s is largish & upscale and much dressier (both in decor and clientelle) than the Downer’s Grove location. Bar patrons seemed like regulars that segregated themselves into cliques. Pints are inexpensive, but as JMerritt says, the rotation is slow. They only had 5 selections on tap and I had sampled three of them back in June in Downers. Not worth going out of your way for. I’d suggest the other location if you must try the beers as the town seemed more interesting as well.

8/25/2004 7:50:53 PM, wednesday, august 25, 2004
Great food, great atmosphere, bit pricey, beer is great here.