Exit 197 Liquor & Pub

Exit 197 Liquor & PubExit 197 Liquor & Pub
Exit 197 Liquor & PubExit 197 Liquor & Pub
Bar, Beer-to-go

952 W Reynolds St
Pontiac, Illinois, 61764-2373
United States

// CLOSED //

Liquor Store Hours:
Mon - Sat: 9am - 1am
Sun: 11am - 8pm

Bar Hours:
Mon-Sat: 3pm - 1am
Closed on Sundays
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.5
Reviews:
2
Ratings:
2
pDev:
2.86%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews.
Ratings by bnes09:
Photo of bnes09
Reviewed by bnes09 from Illinois

3.6/5  rDev +2.9%
Located about 1 mile east of I-55 in Pontiac, IL. Just take exit 197.

I've brought beer from this place a few times. They have a bar area too which I have not checked out yet, though I here they have live music every weekend, and it's the only bar in town that does. They have a pretty decent selection of beers, and many can be purchased cold or warm. I purchased a bottle of Sam Adams triple bock here a while ago. The best part though is the build your own sixer. They have over 200 microbrews and imports to choose from and it only costs $8.99 independent of what beers you choose.

The staff is always friendly and willing to help. I talked to a couple of the employees and they knew only a little about the beers but were always very nice. The prices are decent as well. My triple bock was $5, 4-packs of Samuel Smith's are around $10 and your normal micro sixers are around $7-8. The only advice I can give is pay attention to expiration dates, if given. I walked out of there with an IPA that was 3 years expired, lost a third of the beer in the sink immediately after popping the cap and the remainder smelled aweful and ended up down the drain. Overall though, I recommend it!
Oct 23, 2010
More User Ratings:
Photo of emerge077
Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois

3.41/5  rDev -2.6%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
Stopped off the highway at Exit 197 to check out the beer selection. It was Sunday and the bar was closed, so this review pertains only to the liquor store.

Inside the front door there was a little faux shingle roof to the left, and some potted plants obscuring the front counter. Around the corner and to the rear was the beer area. Maybe 8-10 cooler doors, and a couple shelves, one for sixers and import singles (on left side in the back), the other for 12 oz. singles (last aisle before coolers). Unfortunately you had to buy 6, individual bottles weren't available. Oh well, only missed out on a Shipyard Prelude. Lots of macros and out-of-season seasonals in this area. In the middle of the floor was a big pyramid pile of random assorted six packs.

Selection was good considering the location, mostly standards and basic seasonals. Highlights were O'Fallon 5 Day IPA, 8 Schlafly, Founders Reds Rye (oddly no other Founders), Goose Island IPA & Oatmeal Stout, 6 Bells (Kalamazoo Stout, Porter, Oarsman), Eric's Ale (10 bottles or so left from last year), 5 Barley Island, Samuel Smith, Schlitz Gusto, Spaten Optimator, Ft. Collins Z and Kidd Lager, 5 Lakefront beers. Of the 6 Schlafly varieties, one of them had a current date, the rest were 6-12 months old. Check dates when shopping here for fresh beer.

Cashier asked if we needed help, and looked up a Schlafly beer for us. Unfortunately the Dry Hopped APA was over 5 months old, and the hops are well faded at this point.

Probably a reliable spot if you're local, but if passing through head to Friar Tucks in Bloomington for a more comprehensive selection.
Apr 18, 2011
Exit 197 Liquor & Pub in Pontiac, IL
Place rating: 3.5 out of 5 with 2 ratings