Review: Arlington Ale House, downtown Arlington Heights' new hidden gem
Arlington Ale House isn't visible from the street, and has no sign. But people are quickly discovering this new hidden gem in downtown Arlington Heights.
The bar opened in January on the vacant third floor of the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre building. It's owned and managed by Kevin McCaskey, a 48-year-old Arlington Heights resident, St. Viator alumnus and the grandson of Chicago Bears owner Virginia McCaskey.
Yet this isn't the kind of place where the Bears Superfans would hang out. The spot has an urban feel, a beer list full of microbrews and no food for sale. You can bring your own, however, or have it delivered from a nearby restaurant.
One of Arlington Ale House's best features is its layout. The large, circular space spans the entire third floor. There are places to play shuffleboard, darts, pool and other games. Plus, you can listen to live music or improv, watch sports or just enjoy your drinks at the bar, tables or leather couches.
We visited on a busy Saturday night. The place was packed and a two-man band was playing. Yet, throughout the bar, we could easily talk without having to yell.
Motif: The decor is part urban loft, part Mexican cantina, part sports bar and part living room. You enter through the Metropolis building and take the elevator up to the third floor. The main room has exposed brick and ductwork, a fireplace and leather coaches, giving it a city loft feel. Continue around the circle and it turns into a typical sports bar, with dart boards and TVs. Farther around is the “tequila bar,” decorated with Mexican-styled tiles. A semiprivate room with couches, a big-screen TV, a jukebox and games is off to the side.
There'll be even more space this summer when a new 2,000-square-foot outdoor patio opens.
The location used to be a LaBatt Brewing Company training facility. McCaskey said 95 percent of what you see in the bar now was there when he bought it last year for $700,000.
The space also has a theater, where LaBatt used to do employee training. The bar now uses it for corporate events and monthly, open-to-the-public brewery presentations, with free samples and merchandise. The next one, by Crystal Lake Brewery, is in April. Check the Facebook page for details.
Crowd: Groups of all ages will feel comfortable here, although the bar targets a suburban 30-and-up crowd. On a busy Saturday night, we saw twenty-something hipsters happily coexisting with 50th birthday party attendees, as well as many suburban parents enjoying a night out.
Food: There isn't any. But you can order from nearby restaurants, and many people do (mostly pizza). If you need menus, the bartender can provide them.
I tried ordering Mago's guacamole and chips, but they said I'd have to come to the first floor and pick it up myself. Instead, I called Armand's, also on the first floor, and asked them to deliver our pizza to the tequila bar. Within 30 minutes, a delivery man came wandering through the bar and found us in the crowd. The pizza was still hot, and there was no delivery fee.
Liquid consumption: This is one of Arlington Ale House's strengths. As the name suggests, ale is the specialty, and the extensive, impressive drink menu includes more than 100 beers (with a heavy emphasis on local breweries), eight wines on tap (trendy in California), 20 bottled wines and even a $200-a-glass Louis XIII cognac.
I sampled the Arlington Wheaty Ale, which was perfectly light with a hint of fruitiness. A dark beer-loving friend ordered the MoodyTongue, a caramelized chocolate churro Baltic porter. She described it as “the best dark beer I've ever had.” She preferred it to the regular Turbodog Beer, which was just OK. The Avion Añejo tequila, served as a “sipping tequila,” was smooth and delicious. A nice variety of liquors and cocktails were also available.
Service: McCaskey was perched near the entrance, happily chatting with customers. Our bartender was friendly, attentive and offered good drink suggestions. After I balked at a high-end, $25 tequila shot, he suggested a $10 sipping version. Be wary of open tabs, however. The bartender lost track, showing me three different credit cards and asking me to “be honest” about which was mine. When I closed out my tab, I got a bill that seemed right, but had no itemized breakdown of what I ordered.
Overall: Arlington Ale House is a fun, tucked-away, not-too-loud, something-for-everyone bar that's a great new hangout in downtown Arlington Heights.
Arlington Ale House
111 W. Campbell Street, 3rd floor, Arlington Heights, (847) 749-0367 or
Hours: 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday