Crosstown Pub and Grill opens second location in Batavia
A new neighborhood pub with homemade food and hometown appeal is now open along the Randall Road corridor in Batavia.
This is the second location for Crosstown Pub & Grill, which also has a spot on Ogden in Naperville. The Batavia location opened at 1890 Mill St. on Feb. 27.
Chef and owner James Nichols Sr. said he's been looking for a spot for his second location for the past two years, and was thrilled when he found this one in Batavia. The Randall Road area, he said, has been a part of his family's life for the past 10 years.
"I live, shop and have loved this Randall Road corridor for the last 10 years," Nichols said.
"I love what all the communities represent - love of family, school spirit and, of course, prep rivalries. We looked at many facilities, but by far, this was the easy finalist," he said.
"When I heard of this location, I was instantly excited. We have easy access to Randall Road, which brings together Aurora, North Aurora, Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and many more communities. Being by our local Randall 15 IMAX theater makes it a bonus."
Inside Crosstown Pub and Grill, visitors will find a welcoming atmosphere and a spot with great food and ambience that Nichols hopes will become the go-to neighborhood pub.
There are three distinct areas inside Crosstown. Behind the entry area, there is a quiet Whisky Wine Bar with no televisions.
"It's an intimate place to have a cocktail or wait for a table," Nichols said.
On the east side of the restaurant is a low top seating area with two separate dining rooms named Batavia and Geneva. Inside you'll find laid-back background music and nine HDTVs.
On the west side of the restaurant, Crosstown has a state-of-the-art, 40-product draft system, as well as high top seating and nine more HDTVs. You'll also find popular games on this side of the restaurant, including Buck Hunter Live and Golden Tee Live, Nichols said.
In this area, the business will be sponsoring Team Trivia Mondays and Acoustic Wednesdays.
In addition to the indoor seating areas, this summer Crosstown will be serving up food and drinks on a newly-remodeled outdoor patio, Nichols said. He added that it will have a fireplace, s'mores, a water fountain and outdoor beanbag toss events.
When it comes to the food available in the restaurant, there is a variety, including a gluten free section of the menu, Nichols said.
It is the wings - which can be breaded, naked or grilled - that Crosstown is known for, Nichols said.
The wings all come from a local Midwest farm, he said, and are always fresh and never frozen. He uses a unique brine to make them, and has specialty flour with 21 dry rubs and 21 dipping or tossing sauces available.
You'll also find a state-of-the-art ordering system in the restaurant, Nichols said. The servers all have iPad Minis to expedite ordering and paying. Nichols said this will come in handy when diners are trying to catch a movie.
The business will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday For information, call (630) 406-0669.
• Amy Williams' column covers all the news of business along the Randall Road corridor from Batavia to Crystal Lake. Contact her at randallbiz@comcast.net or (847) 894-5036.