Social Urban Bar & Restaurant — Restaurant in Rockford Township

Social is absolutely, hands-down, the BEST restaurant and bar I've ever visited. My wife and I love it. They have a small menu, with only a few items - sometimes that means I order something I'm not familiar with, but I'm never concerned; no matter what you ask for it is always amazingly good. The cook brings the food and explains where all the ingredients are from: "The pork chops are from Joe Smith's pig farm in McHenry; the mustard I made myself; I have an herb garden on the roof. The catsup we made here from tomatoes that came from Dave Davis's vegetable farm in Love's Park. . . " (actual names are made up; I'm trying to demonstrate the level of specificity in the descriptions). They make old-fashioned cocktails and the bartender is always great, with personality and skill. If you order a drink that is usually made with crushed ice, instead of using a slushee-machine, they include enough liquid then pour liquid nitrogen and stir until it reaches the right temp. they concoct things that include Absinthe. They use pepper in some drinks and they will sprinkle the pepper and light it, just to give you some fireworks. . . that type thing. The decor is really nice; they create a friendly admosphere and strangers become friends. . . Just a little bit of heaven right in the middle of...

WOW!!! Where do I start. We had been here years ago and loved our experience. So, when the opportunity arose to come back with a group of 4 other couples we gladly did so. Once again, we had such a great experience. It's a smaller bar, nestled in downtown Rockford within walking distance of numerous other establishments. It's warm and cozy atmosphere can't help but put you in a relax mood. They got us sat a little before our reservations and we quickly ordered a plethora of small dishes to share. The charcuterie board was a bit expensive... However, it did prove to be worth it based on the variety of delicious items that came with it. We also shared their take on tacos and fee other items that I didn't can't their names. The drinks were fantastic and the presentation was on point. I had a few old fashions and topped it off by ordering a drink that not only was exceptional.... but the manner in which it was made was awe inspiring. Flames and liquid nitrogen smoked up the room.. We had so much fun and were planning our return before we even had finished...

Stopped in for a couple (2) of drinks. The cocktails were fine. The atmosphere was nice enough—clean and modern—but nothing particularly special.

What really rubbed me the wrong way was the automatic 20% service charge for just two drinks. I always tip accordingly based on service, but this isn’t Chicago or New York. Adding a set service fee here feels unnecessary and out of place.

Prices were Chicago-level, but nothing about the experience justified it.

I didn’t try the food, but from what I saw at other tables, it looked appealing and well-presented.

Overall, decent drinks and atmosphere, but the pricing and automatic gratuity policy will likely keep me from...