Sports and more: Double Jacks aces the sports bar theme

There might be plenty of sports bars where you can get a burger and brew while you watch the game, but few are as welcoming to casual and hard-core fans alike as Double Jacks. No matter what you're looking for in your viewing experience, you can find it in this 5,000-square-foot spot, which provides excellent food, some intimate seating areas, games you can play instead of just watch and, of course, plenty of sets to catch all the plays.

Motif: Double Jacks sports an industrial look, with exposed ceiling vents, metal grating around the bar and caged red light bulbs lining the walls. The bar area is surrounded by televisions, ranging in size from 37 inches to a massive 10-foot set that serves as the centerpiece. Red is the dominant color throughout, with tables and high-top seats in the bar and small viewing and dining nooks with red couches and a TV where your group can tune into any game you want, providing a living room vibe without the need to clean up the place after the party. There's no extra charge to hang out there but reservations are recommended for big game days.

Past the bar there's also a quieter dining area and a large room that can be used for private parties or just spillover seating for busy nights. A small arcade includes games for kids along with more popular bar games like Golden Tee.

Crowd: The bar and restaurant strive to have something for everyone and, judging by the crowd, it succeeds. There's a solid mix of guys in team jerseys, women, families and everything in between. You'll find big gatherings of Jets fans cheering wildly in one of the nooks or meetings of local sports leagues happening in the back.

Service: The servers were highly attentive and enthusiastically provided recommendations for food and drinks. Even changes to orders and picky requests were handled quickly and courteously.

Liquid consumption: While there are 26 different bottles of beer to choose from, you can find far more than brews to satisfy your thirst. The bar features a solid selection of wines and a list of designer martinis, including the sweet caramel apple, an apple martini served in a glass swirled with caramel sauce for a taste in each sip, and other dessert-drink treats like the chocolate-covered banana, a mix of chocolate vodka, banana schnapps and Baileys.

Food: The menu goes well beyond standard pub grub, with everything made fresh, including a unique selection of burgers served with custom-spiced hand-cut fries. The barbecue pork burger is a carnivore's dream come true: a beef patty stuffed with roasted pork and loaded with spicy sauce. For a new take on the cheeseburger try the Poblano, stuffed with peppers and Pepper Jack and covered with salsa. An entrée is enough to fill most people up but the not-so-mini basket of corn dogs served with tangy honey mustard sauce and the decadent funnel cake covered in caramel ice cream are worth leaving room for.

Music: At night tables are cleared away to form a dugout used to host karaoke Wednesday, a DJ Saturday and sporadic live bands. The DJ plays to the crowd but you're likely to find a mix of hip hop and alternative.

Parking: The lot offers plentiful free parking.

Overall: Double Jacks makes a perfect destination for any group that's ever had to debate between going somewhere to watch the game and heading somewhere else for a good meal or cocktail. There's no need to compromise when you can have it all.

<p class="factboxheadblack">Double Jacks</p> <p class="News">2380 Esplanade Drive, Algonquin</p> <p class="News">(847) 458-8878, <a href="http://www.doublejacks.com" target="new">doublejacks.com</a></p> <p class="News">Hours: 11:30-1 a.m. Monday through Thursday; 11:30-2 a.m. Friday and Saturday; 11:30 a.m.-midnight Sunday</p>