Elgin's Douglas Street scores with more than just the sports crowd

If you're looking for a place to share some drinks and watch the game without being overwhelmed by the sports bar vibe, Douglas Street Sports Bar is the place for you. While you can see up to five games at a time, there isn't too much memorabilia tacked on the walls, giving it more of a casual neighborhood bar feel that makes it a great compromise for serious sports fans with less-obsessed friends.

Motif: The large space features exposed brick walls and rafters, with high-topped tables that can be pushed together for large groups but are otherwise well spaced enough that the bar can be full without feeling overcrowded. Table cloth-covered tables lit with tea candles are placed on one side of the bar for more intimate gatherings. Televisions line the two bars so they're easily viewable from almost any angle, especially when the massive 10-by-7-foot projection screen is pulled down for sports games.

One of the best features is a large, fenced-off patio lit by tiki torches overlooking the lawn where you can chill out in the shade at an umbrella-topped table.

Service: Servers at both the bar and tables are friendly and attentive, and you'll often find one of the owners chatting with customers throughout the night.

Crowd: Douglas Street's crowd is startlingly diverse. The bar brings out everything from families coming in for Sunday brunch, high school basketball coaches grabbing a drink after a game and serious fans packing in to watch UFC fights. On a Saturday night you can find tables of jeans-clad friends celebrating a birthday, dressed-up twenty-somethings and 60-year-old couples sipping wine at the bar.

Liquid consumption: There's a $3 wine and $2 beer on the menu every day at Douglas Street for drinkers looking for something they don't have to worry about ordering a few of. Beer is the drink of choice with a variety of $4 drafts and bottles including 312 and Corona.

Food: The menu adds a little home cooking flavor to traditional pub grub. Pot roast sliders are the most popular dish and the wings are an especially solid deal, a massive plate of crispy, spicy meat served with plenty of carrot and celery sticks for dipping in your dressing of choice. If you work nearby, stop in for $5 lunch specials, with quality quick eats including Santa Fe chicken wraps and skirt steak sandwiches.

Sounds: Bands perform every Friday night on a large stage set up in the corner of the bar, with a lineup of mostly classic rock. On Thursday you'll find crowds for karaoke starting at 9 p.m. and some groups with bigger followings taking the stage Saturday night. The sound is clear, though if you're looking to hold a conversation you can always get a table toward the far side of the bar or on the patio. The quality of the music is less consistent. When we were there a cover band was alternating between overplayed crowd pleasers like "Margaritaville" and "Hotel California" and tunes from David Bowie that they didn't have the vocal range to pull off.

Parking: You won't have a problem finding a spot in the huge free parking area.

Overall: With good food, affordable drinks, a mix of live music and sports and a beautiful patio, Douglas Street Sports Bar offers something to entice a huge range of casual bargoers. Whether you want to sip a cold beer on the patio or keep your eyes glued to the screens inside, it's a great spot to hang out on a summer day or night.

<p class="factboxheadblack">Douglas Street Sports Bar </p> <p class="News">231 Douglas Ave., Elgin, (847) 695-5659, <a href="http://www.douglasstreetsportsbar.com" target="new">douglasstreetsportsbar.com</a></p> <p class="News"><b>Hours:</b> 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday to Thursday; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday; 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday</p>