America's Brewpub

America's BrewpubAmerica's Brewpub
America's BrewpubAmerica's Brewpub
Brewery, Bar, Eatery, Beer-to-go

205 N Broadway
Aurora, Illinois, 60505-2663
United States

// CLOSED //

Located at Walter Payton's Roundhouse Complex
BEER STATS
Average:
0
Beers:
0
Ratings:
0
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.71
Reviews:
22
Ratings:
22
pDev:
12.4%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
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Ratings by woodychandler:
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Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +4.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
As a rail fan, this place ranks high on my list for its combination of accessibility (via METRA) and reuse of a former train station. It is in one section of the former Burlington Northern & Santa Fe (BNSF) roundhouse, which has been converted to include a beautiful patio area with a central gazebo where the turntable would have been. The patio also features a stone fireplace, which must be pleasant in the fall.

The front door is accessed down a short flight of steps from the METRA station, under a big awning, supported by steel girders. Once I was inside, I transited a vestibule with the maitre d’ station (m. d. s.) straight ahead and the Roundhouse Coffee Company stand to the left. The smell of the coffee was mighty enticing, but I had a beer mission to accomplish. Behind the R. C. Co. was the grain mill, the brewhouse and the fermenters.

Turning right from the m. d. s., I ascended a short flight of steps, transited a wood floor, and arrived at the rectangular wooden bar. Flanking either side of the bar were high tables and chairs and up another short flight of stairs to the right, were a bunch of booth seats that extended all of the way to the end of the space. At the opposite end of the bar from the m.d.s. was a smaller-scale stone fireplace. To the right of the bar was a staircase that led to a second floor seating area that not only ringed the bar, but also continued aft on the right-hand side, culminating in a grand, sweeping staircase that led to the kitchen, all of the way aft on the first floor.

To the left of the m.d.s. and proceeding aft, there was a sea of restaurant seating. Speaking of proceeding aft, that is where the washrooms were located and it gave me a different view of the layout as I went to use the facilities. The serving tanks were visible in the overhead, above the entryway. For FroggyFrog: they made a Hemp Stoned beer using rocks. It can and has been done. Also back towards the washrooms were an impressive Walter Payton Hall-of-Fame museum and a cognac bar! Wow.

Beers: The Amber, Honey Wheat, and the Sweetness Stout all were decent, but not mid-blowing. I have to give them props, however, for making a sweet stout. Kudos! The Oompa Loompa Chocolate beer was interesting and unexpected, but not my bag. Their Hair of the Dog barleywine struck me as bit young. It was still awfully sharp with a lot of malt up front. Aged, I am sure that this will be a beauty. The Payton Pilsener was quite good and I would have stayed with it, were it not for their IPA.

Lunch consisted of fish tacos, and while they were not quite up to Rubio’s standards, it had been a long while since I had eaten fish tacos. The IPA made a wonderful accompaniment to the meal.
B.I’s Mom test: Oh, my, yes! The architecture, the food, and the fact that she could have coffee or pop as an option – she’s in. How about as a date destination? Hell, yeah! You wouldn’t have to drive and the place is friendly and non-intimidating.

Finally, this was another great place for a Woody encounter. I was talking to a former Marine who was also a CHISox fan, plus his buddy, a dead ringer for Gary Monterosso, and their wives. Great people.
Oct 01, 2006
More User Ratings:
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Reviewed by Dogbrick from Ohio

3.43/5  rDev -7.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3 | food: 3.5
(Visited 11/2010): ABC is located in the Walter Payton Roundhouse in Aurora off Broadway, not too far from I-88. They have a fairly large private lot. The brewpub is located inside on the right.

The space is open, with the bar located immediately inside the entrance, and there are brewing tanks right near the entryway. There is table seating throughout the rest of the room. The interior is dark with stone walls and there is a large stone fireplace. Interesting mural too.

ABC has around 7 house beers on tap, including standard offerings like a Pils and Scottish. More unique beers include a blonde chocolate ale and Cherry Imperial Stout. The beers are pretty average overall with the exception being the aforementioned Stout.

Service was decent on a weeknight at the bar. There were a lot of regulars there and I didn't have any issues getting service.

Food at America's Brewing is pretty good.

All in all I would visit this spot were I to find myself in Aurora again, but it isn't a place to which you would drive from Chicago or anything. Decent overall.
Jun 24, 2011
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Reviewed by ahq514 from Illinois

2.4/5  rDev -35.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 2 | service: 2 | selection: 3
Decided to finally check this place out since it is fairly close. I didn't have an awful experience, but I won't ever go back. The beers I tried were pretty bad and barely resembled the styles they were supposed to represent. They had about 8 of their beers on tap and had a few bud bottles available, which I kind of expected. I feel like most of their beers just catered to the masses, mostly light beers, except for the bourbon barrel aged stout. Bartender only acknowledged us three times the whole night, for us to order, and it was a pretty slow night. The atmosphere in there could be better on a weekend if it was full, but its more of a restaurant and it doesn't seem like much focus of the customers is on the beer.
Jan 26, 2011
Photo of emerge077
Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois

4/5  rDev +7.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
First time visiting this place, i've tried a couple of their bottled beers before, but had never been to the brewpub. We stopped in on a snowy Saturday afternoon (in March!?) with orbitalr0x.

The building itself is impressive, and houses multiple venues. A weekend absinthe bar for example, coffee bar, and an outdoor courtyard popular for weddings.

The brewpub bar was up a few stairs to the right of the hostess station. Lots of wood planks and dark colors gave it a northwoods lodge vibe. The rectangular bar was front and center, with table seating along the walls, and upstairs on a second level visible above the bar. Lighting was pretty dark, though it was an overcast day and there was zero natural light coming in. It felt cozy, and if we had more time to kill, probably would have been at the bar for hours.

Selection was ok, the crazy highlight being a "jury-rigged" randalizer on the bar. They were running a dry-hopped amber through 1/2 pound of Centennial hops... it was great! We had a sample of the regular amber next to it and the dry-hopped blew it away. Another specialty was a cherry version of the bourbon imperial stout, that was aged 547 days in oak. Other than that the selection was pretty typical, a stout, pilsner, etc.

Service was friendly and timely, one of the brewers stopped by and explained his randalizer, which was cool. We tried a queso fundido app that came with spicy chorizo, which was good. The crowd seemed to be fairly mixed, many just there for lunch, others drinking green st. pattys bottles of bud light :S
It's a BREWPUB for pete's sake!

There were still bottles to go in the coolers, though they seem to be dwindling in the market. We saw a couple palllets in the brewing area too, so they still appear to be bottling here.
Mar 21, 2010
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Reviewed by Kanebanger from Indiana

2.93/5  rDev -21%
vibe: 4 | quality: 2.5 | service: 4 | selection: 2.5 | food: 1.5
GF took me here for my birthday because even though I grew up in the area I'd never been there. First of all it's a very cool buiding with a very nice beer garden in the center of it. The payton museum was alright (super bowl ring is definately the main attraction), and it seemed like it would be a cool fri/sat night place to hang out due to the multiple bars inside. The beer selection left a little to be desired. Beer overall was fairly average... nothing terrible... nothing spectacular. Payton Pilsner was probably the best. Food left a lot to be desired. Ordered the shepards pie because it's my all time favorite dish and the menu said it had lamb which is pretty rare (usually ground beef). What I got was a soup plate full of lamb chili with some mashed potatos floating on top. It was not good. GF ordered an italian beef, which came as a very oversmoked italian beef that was extremely dry (she had to take a drink water after each bite). It's like they try to put there own spin on classic dishes... and it really doesn't turn out that well.
Overall it's a good one time experience just because it is Payton's Roundhouse... but one time is pretty much enough.
Mar 19, 2010
Photo of Rayek
Reviewed by Rayek from Colorado

4/5  rDev +7.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
First off, this place is huge. Located in the former CB&O roundhouse, America's is one of several establishments that are housed in this historic building. Because of the building's shape and its former purpose, the brewpub's interior is somewhat unique. There's a large landscaped gazebo that sits where the former turntable was. What used to be doors to the engine bays are now large windows. Although the brewing equipment is on the main floor, the fermentation tanks are on a second floor catwalk. As with many pubs housed in turn of the century buildings, there is a lot of exposed wood and brickwork.

I was there on a Friday night and there was a big crowd. Service suffered because of this, but my waitress was certainly nice. Food is of the standard pub fare. Burgers, sandwiches, pasta and pizza make up the majority of the menu. The food was good, but nothing special. The big crowd made the place quite noisy. There are several TV's showing sports, which makes sense given the Walter Payton connection.

There were seven of the brewery's beers on-tap, plus several bottled macros. It was disheartening to see so many people downing Bud Light and Michelob Ultra when the brewery's beers were so much better. The ones I tried ran from above average to very good. No mind blowers, however.

If I'm back in the area again, I'll probably stop by for a second visit.
Jul 20, 2009
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Reviewed by JamnesCameron from Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +13.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Took the family on Sunday for a late lunch, a "big salad," sandwich, two kids meals, two appetizers, a kids' appetizer, three soft drinks, three desserts, a beer sampler, a pint of amber, and a snifter of barrel aged imperial stout was $110. Used a coupon from restaurants.com that brought it down to $85. Overall pretty good value.

Atmosphere was great. This is the only standing limestone railroad roundhouse in the nation. History goes back to 1850s, and was bought by Walter Payton (from Da Bears!) and some investors in the 90s. Had lain dormant for about twenty years before that. They did a great job of refurbishing the building to make it a great place to visit.

Has a restaurant, coffee bar, 14 bars (but I only counted 6, not sure where the other ones were), a comedy club, several banquet rooms, a museum of Walter Payton memorabilia, and an open air brewery. The brewery looks like a homebrewer lives there. Stuff stored everywhere and every piece of available space used.

Food was tasty and selection was good considering we ordered off the lunch menu. Service was very good. Our waitress was knowledeable and friendly, and they quickly replaced my meal after they served me the wrong sandwich (but nothing was comped).

Beer selection was decent, a pilsner, a honey wheat, an amber, a chocolate blonde, and a sweet stout. Although the brewery has won GABF awards for their beers, and I thought they were good, I wouldn't go back just for the beer. This is a great restaurant that has good beer, rather than a great bar/brewpub that has good food, if you get my difference.

This is a place that I'll visit again. But, the draw is the food.
Jun 09, 2009
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Reviewed by Vonerichs from Colorado

3.6/5  rDev -3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
The atmosphere is by far and away the biggest attraction here. The brewpub/restaraunt are part of Walter Payton's Roundhouse, which is a converted trainstation. Aside from the bar up front, there are two other bars in the place, including a comedy/live music area. There is also a Walter Payton room with a ton of memorabilia. If you are a Bears fan, or even just a football fan in general, I highly recommend checking this out. There's also a nice outdoor courtyard where they frequently have live local bands. In the winter they sometimes have reindeer out there.

The beer is just ok. There are a few beers that I'd say are slightly above average while the rest are about average. There's no single beer I'd say is excellent. However, the price of the beers is cheap for the most part. I was recently there for a wedding and was paying $2 for a pint of the pilsner. Not a bad deal at all. The beer selection is ok, but desperately needs an IPA. There's nothing there to satisfy my hop fix.

Food is decent and is more of a "steak and chops" type menu, but the end-product is not up to par of a top notch steakhouse and is overpriced for the quality. The appetizer menu is the best bang for the buck.

Overall, this is a good option for the area. It is a brewpub, but I get the impression the beer is actually just a throw in and the main attraction is the entertainment and food.
May 29, 2009
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Reviewed by hondo2160 from New Jersey

3.7/5  rDev -0.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Well, if you find youself in Aurora Illinois, there are not too many options. It's a great town, and everyone is so friendly, I just wish there were some more places to get a proper beer.
I tried the Sweet Stout, Aurora Ale, Chocolate Beer and Peat Smoked Scotch Ale.
All but the Aurora were ok. The Aurora was heavy in diacetyl...like a Brach's butterscotch with hops added. Ah well, the Scotch Ale made up for it.
You could do worse.
Oh, and I recommend eating at the bar. A full meal can be had from the reasonably priced appetizer menu.
Mar 27, 2009
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Reviewed by bigkingken from North Carolina

3.05/5  rDev -17.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 2.5
This building is extremely impressive. It's cavernous walls house a gigantic restaurant, a huge dining room, an entire brewing system, a comedy club, a museum and a giant courtyard featuring corn hole when I visited. The place is immaculate, and I felt under dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, but oh well.

The beers are very good and moderately priced (when compared to downtown Chicago) but nothing really stood out. The sweetness stout was my favorite of the bunch. They do have many seasonals and experimental brews, which is also a plus.

The food was decent but way overpriced. My tenderloin with plantains and mashed potatoes were, as I said good, but I've had better for less.

Overall, it seemed like a nice place to have a couple of drinks, or to take your boss or significant other out, but it's way too high-class for me to enjoy on a regular basis. It just wasn't comfortable and would soon empty my wallet.
Jul 29, 2008
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Reviewed by tgbljb from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +7.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
Stopped here with friends we were visiting in the area.
The restauarant area is inviting with a large three level dining area. The complex also includes a comedy club, martini lounge, and outdoor concert area. There is also a small Walter Payton museum that is worth a visit.
We ordered a beer sampler, and the waitress had no idea which beer was which when she served it. We had a good time matching the beers with their style. This was the first time I ever had to do that. The menu was typical brewpub fare, and though we did not eat, the selection seemed adequate.
I would suggest a bit of education be given to the bar staff as to the different types of beer.
May 03, 2008
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Reviewed by qcbeerguy from Iowa

3.25/5  rDev -12.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 2.5
I went there with my wife and daughters and we enjoyed ourselves but was not over joyed. This is a great place with several bars and a couple of restaurants. The food was average at best. The beers ranged from good to very good. We enjoyed the honey wheat, the coffee stout and the best by far was the bourbon barrel barley wine, which was excellent. I would say to avoid the amber ale it had some diacteyl infection coming out as the beer warmed, so it tasted of butter. Go for the atmosphere and to see the Walter Payton museum not necessarily the food or the beer.
Jan 05, 2008
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Reviewed by MrMcGibblets from Illinois

3.39/5  rDev -8.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 2.5
i've been here numerous times, but each time to see a show. as such the review may be skewed as it's always jam-packed when i go and i'm drinking a more limited selection of their beers outside or in an event room. have never sat down in the main restaurant or bar area. first off, the atmosphere is phenomenal. this place is built in the old train roundhouse, so it's a circular building with a large open center area. this large open-air center area is a great place to see shows in the summer, with bands playing in a large veranda in the middle of the courtyard. there are also a couple large bars outside. the only problem with this is that they only serve 3-4 of their beers out there and in plastic cups...when you're out there for a show, most people are drinking bud lites (for pretty much the same price as roundhouse brews...wtf?) out of plastic/metal bottles. so in this case it's more of a summer entertainment environment than a place to enjoy craft brews...that being said, it's the rare show i go to where craft beers are an option. the beers i've had there have been a bit underwhelming. if you're catching a show inside it's basically the same as above, except, well, it's inside. if you are inside, you can at least sneak off to another bar inside and get different beers. if you're a bears fan, you must check out the walter payton museum located here. overall, this place is huge and you can spend a while just walking around the complex and checking out the different shit. definitely worth going, and some day i may sit down and review some beers and try the food.
Jun 23, 2007
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Reviewed by anormal from Colorado

3.95/5  rDev +6.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
I grew up in the aurora area and I have been to Payton's a couple of times when returning to visit family. The mainstays of their beer selection is nothing really special, but also nothing terrible. The nice thing is that they typically have a couple of interesting brews rotating into the mix with the standard selections. When i was there last week i had an oatmeal cream stout off a nitrogen tap and a cherry imperial stout. Both were good, but the cherry imperial stout was really excellent. The downside is that it was a bit pricey at 8 bucks for a 10 ounce pour.

Aside from the 8 dollar cherry imperial stout, the prices are decent. Just remember that this place is a huge complex that houses an outdoor concert venue, a nice (and expensive) restaurant, a comedy club, and a few halls for special events as well as a bar. Just go in the main door and enter the bar on your right. You can seat yourself at a table or the bar. As long as you stick to the bar menu you can get a really good burger or pizza for under 10 bucks. Keep in mind that the place is packed on the weekends.
Feb 23, 2007
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Reviewed by MillRat from Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +7.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
As an Auroran for over a decade, I've been to the Roundhouse plenty of times. I had taken the leap from BMC to bottled craft- and euro-brews years before, but this joint helped me make the next step to understanding why a place where you're drinking straight out the conical was such a fine idea.

As mentioned by others, this is the old Burlington Northern RR main roundhouse, where steam locos were built and maintained. This place naturally oozes more atmosphere than the ten nearest Rock Bottoms can ever hope to fabricate. All the brews are very good here, and can meet the palate of the novice (Payton pilsner) and the malt junkie (Scotch Ale) with equal dexterity. They offer the usual beer sampler platter if you're indecisive. The food is of very good quality without being too adventurous, and many of the entrees are made using one of the local brews as a base for the sauce. The ribs are worth the trip even if you don't drink.

Service is usually good and attentive, and it is evident that the waitstaff is educated about the brews they serve before they're set loose.

When it first opened, they ran a Sunday breakfast buffet to die from (yes, from.). Lord what good food in such variety and no one to tell me to stop. Somebody get me a bucket! No this is too good for that! I've gotta stop now 'cause I can't breathe! I'd go home and beach like whale for the rest of the afternoon. After the first two years they stopped making it a weekly event, which has probably helped me avoid stomach-stapling. They've offered this buffet since then at least for Mother's Day and sometimes once a monthly basis. If you see it, don't hesitate, just go.

This joint also has a banquet facility within another section of the roundhouse. We had our wedding reception in 2003 at the Roundhouse, and we never regretted that decision. Never. They offered an a per-plate package that included a four-course meal, several good entrees to select from, including a quality vegetarian plate and a kids plates, the wedding cake, four hours of open bar (and taps), and use of several auxiliary rooms for the bridal party. All was done very professionally and honestly. When it's time to marry off our kids, this place will be at the top of the list of reception venues. We had the entire banquet bar to ourselves, and their beer flowed. We had the perfect reason for not having any BMC harnwasser to contaminate the event, too. For a BA that has to host an event in the west 'burbs, I can't imagine a better venue.
Sep 11, 2006
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Reviewed by zjungleist from Illinois

4/5  rDev +7.8%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3
Well, the first thing one would notice about this joint is that it actually is freakin round. The building is a circle, with an outdoor area in the center of the circle. Another thing that I want to point out is that it took 3 tries to pick the right driveway to pull into, there is a bus and train station virtually connected to the place, and it did lead to a little bit of confusion. I thought to myself that I was glad I wasn't drinking before I got there, or I never would have picked the right one.

The atmosphere is actually pretty stunning. Aside from being round, which is pretty neat, the walls are all made of old stone and giant, rough peices of wood. On the wall on one side of the dining area there is a giant tapestry of bears dancing. The brew kettles are actually off to one side of the same space the dining room is in, which is nice, because everything is in plain view. All of the tables and seats are all very nice as well, and fit really well with the rest of the atmosphere. There is also the comedy club, banquet facilities, and the Walter Payton Museum all in the same building, none of which I really got to check out since I only went for lunch.

The beer selection was fair, I think they had around 8-10, though half of them were on a seperate menu that I actually found on the floor after I had already ordered my first. The quality of the beer was about average. The place is in Aurora afterall, and it was actually much better than I expected. The food was little sub-par though. It just didn't grab me, and had the food been better, I would really have to say this place is amazing.

I'll certainly be back to this place.
May 21, 2006
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Reviewed by RedBaron from Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +15.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
So, after blowing $50 at the nearby casino boat, I decided to spend my money on something more valuable: great beer! It's been a while since I visited the 'Roundhouse' as us locals call it, and despite the 40 minute drive from my house near Chicago to the outer fringes of suburbia, it's always nice to visit "the house that Walter Payton built".

It was just a quiet Tuesday evening, and I popped in for a couple of drinks. The 'House is a circular structure with a beautiful courtyard lit with multiple fireplaces. One can walk around the perimeter of the building, finding several rooms which serve various purposes: private parties, a cigar bar, a dance bar, a Walter Payton/Chicago Bears shrine, etc. It seems every time I visit the Roundhouse, it always just looks better and better, and the quality of the beers likewise increase. I was most pleased this time around, too. On this trip, however, I just decided to belly up to the main bar just inside the front doors, chatted up bartender John and an attractive lady, Sarah, sitting next to me at the bar.

For my first beer, I had the special of the day: $2.50 pint of their amber ale. Yeah, I kinda loathe a generic term like 'amber ale', but I could forgive them for being dull on the name; in reality, this is a solid, well-crafted bronze ale with a nice hope nose, a complex malty/caramel-ly middle, and a fairly dry finish. Just a good beer to begin a tasting session with.

I moved from there to their schwartzbier. What a nice dark lager this brew was! Actually quite light-bodied, and very drinkable, this beer nevertheless was fairly complex on the palette with a rotating chocolate/roastiness combination. Yum.

Although I asked John about the brewmaster's current special beer, the Scotch ale, he suggested something else because the SA was not pouring very well (lots of foam). Although initially disappointed with his suggestion, my consolation prize was of high caliber: the Imperial Stout. Clocking it at 9.7%abv, this pint took me a while to work through. Unlike the lighter-bodied schwartzbier, this Big Bertha beer was quite complex, full-bodied, creamy and had lots of tastes going on. Although heavy on the malt (to be expected), it still had a hop presence primarily in the aroma. Despite pleasant springtime weather, which would generally make me look for a less-impacting brew, this was still a tasty choice to end the night with.

So, for visitors to Chicago, I recommend that you try and find your way to the Roundhouse. If you're staying in downtown Chicago, simply find the suburban commuter rain station, Metra, and take the line to Aurora. When you reach the end of the line station at Aurora, exit the train and...voila!...you'll be smack dab at the Roundhouse. How convenient!
May 10, 2006
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Reviewed by beerinator from Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +11.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
We dropped into the Roundhouse to spend our 50 dollar gift certificates that we purchased for 25 bucks through some radio show. It was a long day of drinking and eating starting around 3 and ending sometime after dark.

I think that the atmosphere here is pretty neat. The ceilings are really high and the building seems restored, but still raw. There is a cool beergarden with outdoor fireplaces outside in the middle part of the roundhouse. The brewery is open to the rest of the restaurant, and all the tanks are visible from the bar where we sat.

The bar is a circular one that sits directly under the second floor balconies. It started getting a little smoky after dark (which is to be expected).

The service at the bar was very good. Bartenders were quick and efficient.

There were about 8 beers available. Everything from lighter pilsners to an Imperial Stout. All of the beers were very good (there were a few of us who weren't really happy with the chocolate beer though - but that is more of a personal taste thing). I could sit and drink the Porter all day long. The Amber was surprisingly hoppy and fresh. But the Imperial Stout was easily my favorite of the day. They had a +10% Scotch Ale that was almost as strong as a mixed drink. I only had a taste, and it was a good beer.

All pints were $3.75 (even the Imperial Stout) and the big Scotch Ale was $4 because of the alcohol content.

I will be back to Walter Payton's, it was well worth the money spent and the ride out from the city! Walter Payton's is also very convenient to the Metra.
Apr 23, 2006
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Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +5.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
America's Brewing Company offers a beautiful restaurant with nice chairs, tables, chandeliers, stone walls, etc., and comfortable spaces (not too crowded or too open, etc) for dining. The brewhouse is visible as well if you want to take a look. The service is the usual (it's a family style restaurant), and they serve pretty good food and a handful of decent beers. The menu is pretty varied as well, although vegetarian dishes are fairly limited (as is normally the case). I really enjoyed myself and I certainly think it's worth a trip if you're in the area.
Feb 24, 2006
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Reviewed by rhoadsrage from Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -3.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3
Atmosphere- This is an amazing old train roundhouse that was turned into a pub, cognac bar, brewery, and museum. It has great old stonewalls with a wonderful courtyard for band and an outdoor bar. The woodwork is dark but a giant tapestry of dancing bears really breaks up all the stone. You actually walk past the brewery on your way to the bathroom and it is well labeled. You can see which beers are coming out next. Great atmosphere.

Quality- The beer is mostly geared toward the general public and not the BA. The beer menu had sayings “like this beer has all the alcohol of a stout with the caffeine of coffee” and “If you love Killian’s Red you will love this beer”. This is why they only bottle their Pilsner and Pilsner light for which they have one several awards. Many of the other brews do not sell as well. They did have a full bar and a big machine that mixed Appletini mix like the old juice machines at the convenient stores. That was a bit strange.

Service- The service was good but I went on a very slow day. Still very friendly and not much discussion about the beers.

Selection- They did have 4 year-round beers and 5 seasonals which was a nice variety. They also had a good diversity of glassware for most of the beers, which was a pleasant surprise.

Food- The pulled pork barbeque was very sweet and sticky but the menu offered some Italian German and Mexican inspired bar food. Not bad but a little pricey for bar food.

Value- The beers were reasonably priced but the food was a bit over-priced. But the atmosphere makes it all worth the stop.
Sep 16, 2005
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Reviewed by Redrover from Wisconsin

3.88/5  rDev +4.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
This is a very cool old building and I'm glad to see it restored and put to use. When I was in college, I would occasionally go to the bar across the street (LTDs). At that time the roundhouse was just falling apart and was a home for vagrants. You should see it now!!

Great outdoor garden & plenty of parking. Be sure and check out the Walter Payton room that has a bunch of his football mementos in it. Very touching!

The beer is decent. I like their pilsner and their wheat beer. Their sweetness stout was also more than passable.

The food is good but not spectacular. good chicken and better than average burgers. Service can be very good or very slow, it seems to depend not so much on the crowd, but more on the server.

If your in the far western suburbs, give this place a try. You can also see some pretty good bands!
Feb 20, 2003
Photo of mikes2923
Reviewed by mikes2923 from Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +5.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
A very cool place overall, the restaurant was built out of what used to be an old "roundhouse" which was used to house and repair locomotives. So essentially it a big round brick building with an open courtyard in the middle that in the summer is just very cool. A good selection of above average to good beers that unlike most breweries can actually be bought in bottles by the six pack as opposed to the usual "growler" available at most brewpubs. The food was above average but really what sets this place apart is the atmosphere.
Feb 20, 2003
America's Brewpub in Aurora, IL
Place rating: 0 out of 5 with 22 ratings