Empire Burgers and Brew

Was in town to see a friend in a show at nearby North Central, so I figured I would find a place to grab a bite to eat and some attendant brews. This place looked to fit the bill. Located just off the river in the downtown area, the place is a large space, hardwood and plaster, plenty of screens to catch the games. Lighting is a bit on the low side, but I kinda like it that way. The barstools aren't that comfortable, but I managed. The selection is almost surprisingly good for the sort of mildly upscale sports BBQ joint Empire evokes, with a relatively large number of taps featuring offerings from Three Floyds, Goose Island, and other regional and local breweries that I don't normally see elsewhere 'round here. Right on. Service is hit or miss, but they're all amiable, and if they don't know something about the beers, they'll ask someone to find out (always nice to see: as a former member of the service industry, providing the desired information somehow is better than not at all, believe you me). The food, specifically the pulled pork sandwich, was pretty tasty, nothing out-and-out noteworthy, but thoroughly enjoyable. Pricing is slightly steep, but unsurprising given the location. Overall, a very nice place to have in downtown Naperville.