Stockholm's Restaurant & Brewery — Restaurant in Geneva Township

I wanted to like this place: In the age of hyper-modern, faux-industrial "Gastropubs" a more laid back and traditional pub vibe was exactly what I was looking for when I took my mom and stepdad to Stockholm's. Unfortunately what I received was an overpriced and very average burger, overcooked french fries, and quite possibly the worst beer I've tasted in my 20+ years of beer drinking.

I can't overstate how bad the beer I received was at Stockholm's. The first red flag was the fact that they actually advertise a beer "blend" on their menu (!!!). This sort of abomination should be reserved only for the most desperate of times (or the occasional Black and Tan, which is the only acceptable exception), not touted as one of their flagship beers. Upon seeing this, I should've been smart enough to walk right out of Stockholm's and into one of the many other generic brewpubs in the area, but the fancy descriptions on the beer menu and the nostalgia-inducing decor of the restaurant convinced me to stay. Boy was that a mistake.

I ultimately chose to order the porter, since I enjoy dark beers and don't see enough Browns/Porters/Stouts around town. Upon ordering, the waitress actually WARNED ME that the beer might not be like a "normal beer" and encouraged me to choose another beer instead. I asked for a taster, and to my surprise she was spot on: The beer was extremely light bodied, a bit sour, with no discernible malt flavor/aroma. After a few sips I politely refused to finish the taster and ordered an IPA (because seriously, how do you mess up an IPA?), which was similarly bad (very little hop flavor/smell, bad fermentation, extremely light bodied with no complexity).

If you're looking for a good burger and a nice local beer then my best advice is to avoid Stockholm's. If all you want is the atmosphere of a 90's American pub and don't mind paying $16 for a very basic burger (and don't like beer) then I suppose this is the...

I would like to share a story about this place. When my wife and I first moved to this area 13+ years ago as young newlyweds, Stockholm's was one of the first restaurants we tried. It quickly became our favorite and we frequented regularly.

After dining there one weekend I became violently ill. My symptoms were consistent with food poisoning so I reached out to the restaurant to let them know, just in case. I was not in any way blaming the restaurant or seeking compensation of any kind. I just thought it would be best to bring it to their attention in the interest of preventing an outbreak, etc.

The owner, Michael, was apologetic and understanding. He took down my information, called me back the next day, and said he checked in with all his suppliers and as many customers as he could and could find no link to any of his products. I appreciated the follow up and went on to recover just fine.

A week later I received a letter in the mail. In it contained a Stockholm's gift certificate and a hand-written letter from the owner. He again thanked me for bringing the issue to his attention and reassured me that his establishment takes sanitation and food safety very seriously. He wished me well and hoped I would return.

Needless to say, we did return, several dozen times over. It's still our go-to place for a casual family dinner or a dinner bike-date. His small gesture many years ago showed the value he places on the individual customers he and his staff serve, and we continue to feel that each and every...

If you're ever visiting Geneva, Illinois, this is one place you should visit for dinner and drinks. We came here on a Saturday night, reservations are recommended. The downtown and shopping area of Geneva gets many visitors especially during a nice summer day. Writing about a nice summer day, I recommend eating out in the patio. It's a lot more quieter and there patio is quite nice.

They have an extensive beer selections. You won't go wrong with whichever selection you make. I personally like there raider root beer which is a root beer they make in small batches with alcohol. I think 7%.

For the appetizers, I recommend there papa Italiano, which are crispy potato chips drizzled in a garlic cream sauce with bacon and prosciutto. I also recommend trying the grilled octopus salad, both was very good. Loved that the potato chips stayed crispy throughout our entire dinner.

For the entree they have a balanced selection between sandwiches and your steak/chops entree. For there sandwiches, they have some variety and unique selections. I attached photos of there menu so one can check it out. So to me, they are above and beyond than just your burgers. I personally had there pork medallion sandwich and my fiancé had the seafood risotto. Both are recommended and Stockholm will be a regular stop for us...