Lake Barrington's Horseshoe serves bar fare with Western flair
Open since December, The Horseshoe Grill on Northwest Highway in Lake Barrington offers a place for sports fans to watch the game while enjoying some solid grub and beers. A new menu and happy hour specials help make the place even more appealing.
Motif: One side of the space features a marble bar and tables along with a digital jukebox and dartboard. Posters and a chalkboard show off the current beer specials, and the walls are lined with neon beer signs and sports photos. Western decorative touches are found throughout, with steer horns behind the bar, a saddle mounted near the door and a wagon wheel hanging from the ceiling. The dining area also has a pool table.
Food: Horseshoe launched a new menu in September and popular dishes include the all-you-can-eat Friday fish fry, wings, burgers and fajitas. Start with the Dynamite Shrimp, which are fried in a spicy Sriracha sauce and served with a sweet chili sauce. They come out hot and crispy, packing plenty of kick. If you fall in love with that sauce, you can also find it on top of the Dynamite Burger along with jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, bacon and an onion ring, with a side of crunchy crinkle-cut fries. The fajitas are also solid, with a generous portion of chicken, peppers and onions served with tasty guacamole and salsa.
Horseshoe serves half-price appetizers at the bar from 4 to 6 p.m. on weekdays, offering local workers an alternative to braving the rush hour traffic.
Liquid consumption: Horseshoe's 12 taps serve a few craft beers including Wild Onion Pumpkin Ale, Goose Island Green Line and Lagunitas IPA along with the standard domestics. They also have plenty of top shelf spirits if you prefer cocktails.
Crowd: Dinner brings in families and younger groups, though the bar is still trying to attract more people to stick around for late night drinking. Plenty of people flock in to take advantage of the free buffet during Sunday Bears games, and the Blackhawks bring out a spirited crowd with Horseshoe playing the sound for the games along with using goal lights and horns.
Music: Horseshoe Grill brings in cover bands to play crowd favorites once or twice a month on Saturday nights.
Service: We were quickly greeted when we sat down in the bar area, but while our server was friendly, it took a while after she served us our drinks for her to take our food orders and we had to ask multiple times to get water.
Parking: There are plenty of spots in the free lot.
Overall: Horseshoe Grill provides an affordable place for a beer and a meal out.
The Horseshoe Grill
28682 W. Northwest Highway, Lake Barrington, (847) 381-5530, <a href="http://thehorseshoegrill.com">thehorseshoegrill.com</a>
<b>Hours:</b> 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday