Lombard's Marquette Kitchen & Tap a comfortable place for drinks, dinner
Billed as “Lombard's Neighborhood Tavern,” the new Marquette Kitchen & Tap fills a void in the suburb's old downtown and provides a nice spot for dinner or grabbing drinks with friends while watching a game.
Motif: Marquette maintains a retro, comfortable feel with tin roof tiles and a dark wood bar. There is seating up front and a dining area in the back with tables and two-person booths.
Food: Self-described as a “scratch kitchen,” Marquette proved a bit uneven during a recent visit. The classic bruschetta got the meal off to a good start, as did both our salads. The wedge salad arrived nicely sized with plenty of bacon, tomatoes and blue cheese crumbles, and the Deviled Spinach Salad — with warm bacon dressing — was very good. However, the beans (sorry, Texans!) in the featured bacon chili were undercooked.
With sandwich selections, we found the filet sliders a must. These sliders, three to a plate, featured a tasty combo of roasted sirloin with mushrooms, bacon, havarti cheese and shallot aioli on soft pretzel rolls. The tequila steak tacos were another good choice, but the chicken sandwiches — with either pesto or Buffalo sauce — came out dry and disappointing.
Liquid consumption: A large selection of local and national craft beers are on tap, including Bell's, Lakefront, Penrose, Southern Tier, Two Brothers, Dogfish Head, Revolution and Half Acre — along with several seasonal special brews. Bottles and canned brews are available, and there is a good selection of wines and cocktails.
Service: Servers were attentive, friendly and upbeat.
Crowd: On the night we visited, the bar featured lots of locals enjoying conversation and watching the many sporting events on multiple televisions. A dining area in the back offered a nice spot for families.
Music: Overhead music is played at a low volume, allowing for easy conversation.
Parking: There is free street parking along St. Charles Road.
Overall: Marquette is a welcome, needed addition to old downtown. It's a comfortable place for dinner, a night out with friends or just an afternoon beer while catching a baseball game on the bar's many screens.
Marquette Kitchen & Tap
18 W. St. Charles Road, Lombard, (630) 613-9056, <a href="http://www.marquettekitchenandtap.com">marquettekitchenand tap.com</a>
<b>Hours:</b> 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday (kitchen closes at 9), 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday (kitchen closes at 1 a.m.), closed Monday