Rustic J's in Arlington Heights focuses on hearty pub grub, craft beer
Ilias Horitos had to change the name of his Arlington Heights restaurant and bar from Bottles & Barrels to Rustic J's to get his liquor license, but he was able to open in Murphy's former space in January. The spot was worth the wait though, providing a comfortable place to enjoy some good food and watch sports.
Motif: Grab a seat at a dark wood table, one of the half booths along the wall or the large bar with a stacked stone facade and watch one of the eight TVs tuned to sports. Lantern-like lamps are mounted on the walls. The décor also features rustic touches like a shelf set with empty glass jars and wooden pots filled with branches and dried flowers.
Food: The menu offers a mix of classic American pub grub with a few more unusual dishes, such as salted edamame and Asian hot pockets, wontons stuffed with veggies and noodles. The pizza is a great bet, with cracker-thin crust and plenty of gooey cheese. They're also happy to accommodate you even if you want to split toppings on a personal pie. The half-slab of ribs seemed particularly small and the meat was a bit fatty, but the sweet potato fries that came with them were perfectly hot and crisp.
Other popular options include burgers, chicken lollipops, wings and grilled cheese. There's also an extensive kids menu and children eat free on weekends with a paying adult.
Liquid consumption: Rustic J's offers plenty of craft beers, with a focus on local breweries such as Chicago's 5 Rabbits and Evanston's Temperance. The draft list will rotate seasonally, tweaked based on what proves popular.
Crowd: The spot brings in a mix of families and seniors looking for dinner, and you'll also spot middle-aged sports fans at the bar. Younger people come in later at night to take advantage of the craft beer options. Hockey and basketball have also proven to be big draws.
Service: Our very friendly server was happy to offer recommendations based on what's popular and her favorites. The owner and his wife are regular fixtures, talking with customers at the bar on the night we visited.
Unfortunately the kitchen was extremely slow despite the spot not being particularly busy when we dined. Everything's made from scratch so I expected some wait, but it took more than 30 minutes for us to get our appetizer — which is especially baffling since it was just edamame. There was another long wait before the rest of our food came.
Music: Rustic J's is working on bringing in jazz performers on Sundays.
Parking: There are plenty of free spots in the strip mall parking lot.
Overall: While wait times are an issue, the food at Rustic J's is quite good, especially paired with one of their craft beer options.
Rustic J's
1609 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights, (847) 368-1000
<b>Hours:</b> 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday