Elgin Public House — Restaurant in Elgin

Been here a few times to eat or just to have a beer and every time I'm underwhelmed. I keep trying to give them another shot hoping they come around since I live 10mins away but they just can't seem to do it.

Went in yesterday because Maplewood Brewery was having an event there. Being that Maplewood is one of my favorite Craft Breweries, the wife and I HAD to check it out. Advertised on the Untappd App as having free gifts and samples. (more on that later)

When walking up to the place, it seems that it would have "Old world Charm" but in reality when walking in it's underwhelming. You're hoping for an antique type experience but it's nothing like that. Dark, dingy and doesn't seem super well kempt. Passable. Not something you would be tripping over yourself to go back to on ambiance alone.

The bar for the place is in the back so you have to walk through the restaurant to get to it. Always feels kinda awkward as there's no direct entrance to the Bar area...My wife asks the Hostess about the Maplewood event....she has to go back to ask someone about it.?? Strange but ok.

Anyways she confirmes that there is an event and shows us to the Bar. Bar area is cramped and limited seating. Like 8 cramped chairs? No high tops to sit and they don't offer for you to sit in any of the booths as those are for the restaurant?? Either way no one really guides us so my wife sits and I wind up standing mainly because the open seat was right up against some dude and his girlfriend that were all over themselves at the bar. No biggie but I didnt need to be involved. 🤷‍♂️🤣

Bartender seems disinterested in us. Gives us a half hearted greeting...which is the usual experience I have when I've come in here one other time for a beer and a couple other times to pick up food to go. Not sure if it's because we are in our late 30s/Early 40s or what but we certainly don't feel welcome. After looking over the beer list I notice a couple things.

They have A LOT of beers available. Most of them though are in cans. The beer list is missing a lot of great local craft Breweries. Didn't see any Noon Whistle, HalfAcre, Mikerphone or many others on the list. Not sure how the beer list is formed but I didn't see one trending area beer on this list.

The STRANGEST thing to me is that they are having a Maplewood event but they only have two Maplewoods on tap and one can available. Which, considering it was A Maplewood event I would expect to at least have one of their great IPAs ON TAP. Not sure who's fault this was, but it was VERY disappointing.

THANKFULLY the Maplewood rep heard us asking about the event and came over to us after my wife sat down and talked about the Brewery, the beers on tap and was super nice. WAY NICER and welcoming to us than anyone who actually works for EPH...she mentions if we order something that she would give us a free pint glass each, some Pins and a Sticker...which she did.

So we order through the Bartender. He was so disinterested in what was going on, he couldn't even look at my wife long enough to take a 2 beer order. Turns his back on her halfway through her speaking. Not the end of the world, but rude. I mean you so nonchalant that you can't even look at someone for 2mins? Very strange. Meanwhile the bartender is dropping/breaking glasses all the while he's not that busy. Seems like other few people there were regulars.

So we finish our beers and the nice girl for Maplewood gives us our stuff. Very nice of her and thanks us for coming in. She was honestly the only positive thing about coming in. Maplewood beers were solid, but not the best I've had from that brewery. The one thing that bothered me is that no samples of anything were offered and it didn't even seem like they were set up for any sort of sampling. So it seemed like false advertising TBH.

In the end I was reminded ONCE AGAIN why I don't frequent EPH even though I live close by. I won't be returning anytime soon. Maybe I'll try them again in a year or two and see if they get better staff/management and/or spruce...

Elgin Public House is a restaurant and pub established in the early 2000s. While it claims to be "upscale," the establishment's appearance is consistent with that of a typical pub, which is not necessarily a negative aspect. The prices, however, reflect a more upscale positioning.

Here is a structured overview of my review:

I will evaluate the exterior and interior, atmosphere, food selection, service, washrooms, and price point on a scale of 1 to 5. Additionally, I will provide a detailed, chronological account of my experience. For a more entertaining, ye olde English review, please check out Yelp.

Outside: 4/5 Inside: 4/5 Atmosphere: 4.5/5 Food Selection: 3/5 (too many options) Service: 3/5 Washroom: 5/5 Price Point: $$$$/5 (A bit pricey)

Elgin Public House (EPH) is situated in downtown Elgin, at the junction of South Chicago Street and Center Street. On our arrival, we discovered that street parking was full, and we opted for the free weekend parking in a garage across the street. On a cold, wet, and dreary day, I had hoped the restaurant would provide a warm and welcoming experience. Unfortunately, the visit did not entirely alleviate the day's gloom.

The exterior of EPH features a minimalist design with black and white pinstripe awnings, a yellow EPH logo and name, and unadorned storefront windows. Surprisingly, the most striking aspect was the two-toned brick color, half reddish and half pinkish.

Upon entering, we found an array of decorations and items adorning the walls, tables, and shelves, typical of a pub setting. It was an inviting scene, and we were promptly seated. Three groups were already present, and after a brief wait, our server arrived to take our drink orders. The jukebox provided some entertainment as we waited for our food to be ordered and prepared.

Having enjoyed a Meatloaf Dinner on a previous visit, I attempted to order it again. However, our server informed me it was only available on Wednesdays, so I chose the Meatloaf Melt instead. Our error resulted in a longer wait for our food, during which our conversation waned, and we resorted to our phones for distraction.

It was apparent that our server was responsible for attending to all the tables, despite the presence of other servers and the owner. I mention this to provide a comprehensive account of our experience and to inform potential diners about the restaurant's operations.

Our party of six, comprising three adults and three children, ordered several items, including a "Bucket o'Bones," a steak with mashed potatoes, and the Meatloaf Melt. My assessment will focus on the dishes I tasted.

The ribs were covered in a well-balanced barbecue sauce, neither too sweet nor too overpowering. However, the meat seemed to lack seasoning, its flavor masked by the sauce. The steak was adequate but not worth the price, and the mashed potatoes were enveloped in a sweet, creamy mixture that could have benefited from additional seasoning.

The Meatloaf Melt was enjoyable, especially when enhanced with table salt, black pepper, and a side of barbecue sauce. My drink, however, remained untouched, and I was not offered a refill. Before leaving, I overheard a man at a nearby table being denied further alcoholic beverages, despite it being his birthday.

Lastly, the restrooms were clean and private, allowing for a comfortable and hygienic experience. Overall, while the visit to Elgin Public House was not entirely unpleasant, it did not fully dispel the...

I will just say that Rachel our server, was kind, polite, funny, patient and full of positive energy. We loved her. GOOD LUCK TRYING TO FIND PARKING!!! This is where it all became questionable and subsequently fell apart. We were disappointed with the bingo hall type seating arrangement of tables and chairs. A real let down. They DO have booths available. We were expecting to see a steam table and buffet roll out because of the main room seating. There was no live jazz music as advertised on their sight AND menu which was specifically the selling point for me. There was something sticky on our table and I went to clean it but we did not have a condiment caddy available so I had to search for one off of another table. We did not receive paper napkins, paper towels or (if you want to be upscale? Cloth) When I asked for silverware I was pointed to a plastic cup that had silverware in it. More butter knives then forks and 0 spoons, VERY unsanitary. We are not cocktail drinkers so we went straight to the beer menu. If you are a fan of craft beers then this IISS your Nirvana. We are not and it wasn't. They have somewhere around 100 craft beers and a domestic bottle should NEVER cost more than $3. $6 is rediculous. I am a chili novis. Their bowl of chili was bland, tasteless and middle-of-the-road. The ground beef was unseasoned, but the many beans and large chunks of tomato and onion made up for it. We looked at the menu and apparently applewood smoked bacon (I guess they DON'T have regular bacon), blue cheese and pickles are their answer to everything on their menu! Not even when I am in LA, Dallas, Chicago or New York will I pay $28.50 for a steak. My girlfriend ordered the Friday fish fry which was heavily breaded, thinly sliced mahi-mahi. It came with fries and for some unexplainable reason a side of black beans. It was served on a tin metal platter with brown paper that resembled my dog's dish bowl. I ordered the pan-seared mahi mahi and paired it with a refreshing glass of Pinot grigio. It had fresh spinach and fresh capers and that part was delicious. The lemon butter sauce was AMAZING, simply untouchable. I did not have to add salt, pepper or anything else to it because of how tasty and delicious it was. However the pan seared mahi-mahi itself was dry and over seared. I have NEVER EVER had to use a knife to cut my fish in my entire life. It's supposed to fall apart when you touch it with a fork and this did NOT happen. Over 30yrs. of experience tells me so. FINALLY, the desert. A warmed up, store-bought brownie with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream and some caramel drizzle which was absolutely delicious should not cost $7. That is insanely ridiculous. I have never been there before. I was extremely disappointed and as God as my witness, I will never return. If your going to charge upscale prices, the ambiance, the dress code, the interior of the establishment, and ESPECIALLY the FOOD should all reflect that. Elgin Public House failed. If I could post minus stars...