Grafton Winery & Brewhaus — Restaurant in Grafton

We had high hopes that the Grafton (IL) Winery and Brewhaus Restaurant would give us a good view of the Mississippi, good drinks and good food. No such luck.

The view was just OK from the street side deck (maybe would have been better from the other deck but there was a wedding party going on and we're not wedding crashers). Still, the biggest disappointments were the beer and the food. There was no table service that evening (on a Friday night?) but I don't mind toting a couple of beers or food. The Brewhaus had a Pilsner and a Wheat on tap so I ordered those. I also asked for a sample of the red ale. Boy was I surprised when it came out of the same tap as the "pilsner". I didn't like the sample at all as it was not cold, not foamy, and not good. Actually, the same thing goes for the full glasses I ordered. There was virtually no carbonation and, don'tcha know, no kick either. I really could not decide whether the beer had gone flat or never developed any alcohol and natural carbonation in the first place. Bad, bad, bad.

We ordered a couple of burgers that came with home-made potato chips. The burgers were well-done and really a bit overcooked (crunchy). But the bread-and-butter pickles on the burgers were terrific and so were the home-made chips. The SW Burger came with some onion rings and they were really good.

Did not try the wine outselves but several guests at the Pere Marquette Lodge we met at breakfast said the wine was undrinkable.

Google + reviews of the place from 2 years ago were good but that was not our...

We visited The Grafton Winery and Brewhaus this weekend for our annual Employee Appreciation Dinner Party and had a very lovely experience! Totally worth the 1-2 hour drive made by our staff of 40 most of us coming from the Springfield, IL area. I had a great time planning the dinner with Sue Rongey, she made the planning experience a delight! I really wanted the dinner to be unique and Sue and Chef Jason went above and beyond to make that happen! Everyone loved our kabob themed 4 course wine pairing dinner! Chef Jason did a fantastic job with his expertise & creations! We showed up early for appetizers and drinks and enjoyed tasting the different wines and beers with wonderful service from bartenders Jason and Kelci. When we moved on to dinner Chef Jason and Sous Chef Nick served our dinner and gave a nice explanation of what we would be eating and what wine we would be enjoying with each course. We had an absolutely amazing experience and we can't wait to come back! I asked for everyone's names at the end of the party because I hope they all know what an outstanding job they did! :) Thank you all for making this one of the best parties we have ever had! Everything was so wonderfully orchestrated we all got to sit back, relax and enjoy the...

Dear Grafton Winery Team & Management,

I wanted to share feedback about my recent visit. While I was impressed by the beauty of your building and décor, I was very disappointed with the way the food was served.

The charcuterie was presented on a heavily scratched wooden board that clearly cannot be sanitized properly. My cheese, jam, and other items were placed directly onto these cuts, which trap bacteria and make the entire presentation look unsanitary. It was unappetizing to see my food touching that board. Given the investment you’ve made in your property and guest experience, it is surprising that the basics of food safety and presentation were overlooked.

In addition, the salad we were served was spoiled. When we mentioned it, we were brought a substitution, but unfortunately, it was just as bad as the first one. It’s clear that freshness and quality control are not being monitored closely in the kitchen, which is unacceptable for a place of your caliber.

The quality of your food and wine should be complemented—not diminished—by how it is prepared and presented. I hope you take this feedback seriously, because it reflects directly on the standards of care, safety, and hospitality your guests...