August 19, 2009
This is a bit cozier and nicer place than the Downer’s Grove location with a similar lineup of 4-5 of their standards on tap and a couple of seasonal/special beers. They appear to have a cask, but nothing was on offer when I went in. Food is above average pub food. Emmett’s seems to have a good handle on brewing ambers and pales with nice hop profiles. Selection is the biggest negative.

July 22, 2009
Use to live just down the street from this place. The specials of the days attracted me to them and their beers were just okay at the time. Now the specials have seemed to dry up, prices on the food menu have skyrocketed, beers are good and the service remains the same, just okay. Growlers here are a bit expensive but the price per pint is only $0.25-0.50 higher than down the street. Victory Pale Ale is by far the best brew here and will probably be the tops for anyone else as well. Food tries to trend toward a fancier cliental but really is just high class bar food for the most part as its just okay. Once a quarter beer tastings are great as you can chat it up with people about beer for a night and get some free beers while comparing theirs to other brewer’s offerings and/or interpretations of the style focused on that evening. A very small outdoor seating is available but only about 6 tables of 4 seats. Ambiance is comfy and there always seems to be a full house. Overall a pretty good place with a normally solid beer offering and decent food but expect to pay a little more.

February 15, 2009
Great food selection as it relates to Brewpubs. Full menu and high quality. Beers well crafted, but seem to be out of the cask ale often. Sampled the Pale Ale, 1am and Mild British and all excellent. Highly recommend if in the area. Also other beers on tab. Would love for them to somehow do outdoor seating. Would be great to enjoy their beer outside on a summer day

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.

August 3, 2007 [ Updated August 4, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

November 25, 2005 [ Updated 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.