Villa Park's More Brewing Company offers top-notch drink selections, pub grub
Local brewing legend Shaun Berns recently joined More Brewing Company and taproom in downtown Villa Park. I was a fan of his beers at his previous brewmaster gig at Schaumburg's RAM Restaurant and Brewery, so I was hyper-enthusiastic to try out what he had to offer in Villa Park.
<b>Motif: </b>Various fermenting tanks and other pieces of brewery equipment are pleasantly visible from the dining and bar area, which features exposed brick. The dining section - filled with plenty of busy tables - blends into the bar, creating a large inviting view of the establishment from everywhere. There are televisions with local games on and a good assortment of music playing at an appropriate volume.
<b>Liquid consumption:</b> The highly touted beer is the star of the show. At the time of my visit, More had four of its beers on tap, and many available in take-home 32-ounce crowlers. They also featured a nice lineup of guest taps that included good selections of both local beers and ciders. Additionally, More has a few wines and an impressive selection of high-end liquors.
During my visit, I started with a Chocolate Vanilla variant of More's Falling Colors Porter. The flavors were wonderfully explosive but not overbearing. My companion went straight for the ELMO Double IPA, which was also a treat. It was perfect in the style of a New England IPA, with subtle lime hints. He also tried Fermentation Wars Ep. 1, which was billed as a double yeasted Belgian-like pale ale that was also good. I recommend going for smaller servings and trying everything.
<b>Food: </b>Think of More's menu as showcasing upscale bar food, and you'll be dead on. The cheese curds were to die for (and I'm picky about my curds). The burgers were delicious and would have you lying to your calorie counter for one more. While we didn't order the Masalas featured on the entree menu, they looked and smelled amazing.
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Service:</b> Everything about More was a slam dunk, except for the service at the bar. While the support staff (food delivery and hostesses) were quick and friendly, we found the bartender seemed almost bothered to wait on us, much less talk about the new business.
<b>Crowd:</b> On the weeknight we visited, More was busy but not packed. It was easy to carry on a conversation and everyone seemed to be enjoying the beer and food.
<b>Music:</b> The music wasn't overbearing and featured a nice assortment of new and old songs at just the right volume to build ambience.
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Parking:</b> There is a parking lot directly behind the building and ample street access as well. Visiting right after work, we both easily found spots to park.
<b>Overall:</b> More Brewing features amazing beer, and I don't say that lightly. Their food is extremely tasty as well - especially those cheese curds. I'll be going back for both.
<b>More Brewing Company</b>
126 S. Villa Ave., Villa Park, (630) 501-1519
<b>Hours:</b> 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday