Geneva Ale House more than lives up to its name

Any time bar owners adopt the name Ale House, they set expectations quite high. Will their beer list live up to lofty standards?

With Geneva Ale House, I had high hopes - and I was not disappointed.

Motif: Owner Brian Harrington, a former IT guy, is living my dream. He basically decided he was done with the corporate world and opened his own bar/restaurant. But Geneva Ale House is not just any bar: It's a true beer lovers' bar. In fact, Harrington is planning to add beer dinners and beer school in the near future.

Geneva Ale House is located under the marquee of the old Geneva Theater. The interior is fairly simple: The long room is filled with tables, chairs and booths. The two-sided, rectangular wooden bar has seating for even more patrons. Beer art and televisions hang on the burgundy walls.

Service: The service was excellent. The staff was extremely friendly and more than happy to discuss beer with me.

Crowd: Crowds at bars that specialize in beer are always eclectic. At Geneva Ale House, I chatted with folks who were big fans of craft beer and others who were excited to be trying out fresh new brews. According to Harrington, the place has been filling up on weekends and there was even a line out the door last weekend. So try to show up in a timely manner.

Liquid consumption: During my visit, Geneva Ale House had 12 beers on tap. I sipped on the hoppy goodness which is known as Bell's Hopslam Ale, but could have easily chosen another. Other brews on tap included Surly Bender, Left Hand Milk Stout, Three Floyds Dreadnaught Imperial IPA and a whole lot more. If you need help deciding which drafts to choose, their respected Beer Advocate ratings are listed next to the descriptions. There are also more than 70 different bottles to choose from at Geneva Ale House.

Food: Like the beer menu, food options here are quite varied. Some of the tempting selections include burgers, coffee grilled barbecue chicken, stuffed filet Romano, tilapia turbo, chipotle barbecued ribs, fish tacos, Texas-style brisket, calamari, crab cakes and much more.

Sounds: While I noticed some music being played over the system at Geneva Ale House, those sounds took a back seat to the conversations at the bar. This is the sort of place where you can get a good beer, sit around with friends and enjoy one another's company.

Parking: Finding a spot in downtown Geneva is not the easiest. There is no dedicated lot for Geneva Ale House so your best bet is a spot on State Street or one of the nearby side streets.

Overall: The staff is friendly, and you can tell that Harrington takes his brews seriously. Geneva Ale House is a gem, a place where beer lovers will feel overwhelmingly welcome. Whether you're a beer advocate or a beer novice, this is the sort of bar that merits repeat visits.

Geneva Ale HouseInfo: 319 West State St., Geneva, (630) 262-3877, www.genevaalehouse.comHours: 11 a.m. to last call Tuesday through Sunday; closed MondayFalse20001328The Geneva Ale House has 75 bottled beers available and 12 on tap.Laura Stoecker | Staff PhotographerFalse