Schaumburg's John Barleycorn hits the spot

Whether named for an old British folksong or Jack London's eponymous novel detailing his own strange and twisted dance with alcohol, or, as is most likely, for the use of barley in malt liquor, John Barleycorn in Schaumburg — a sports bar/restaurant/ club — seems neither folksy nor reticent of its alcohol urging. But the malt liquor reference certainly has its place at this third location (the others are in Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville).

The two-story Schaumburg building features a sprawling wood-detailed saloon on the ground floor, with open tables and booths that fill one side of the first floor, and a bar set with high tables on the other, both flanked by seemingly endless flat screen televisions to accommodate game-day crowds. if you gazed past the TVs hard enough, you'd see an entire trim of wooden ships lining the upper part of the walls. A wooden staircase that splits two ways leads to a club upstairs, which hosts events and bands on different nights of the week.

On a recent midweek night, both the restaurant and the bar were more than half full with after-work patrons, dinner dates and a decently sized party.

With a new kids' menus and a Sunday brunch the restaurant is trying to be more family friendly, yet on this particular weeknight, there were no kids to speak of. Should there be, however, they would be treated to an array of kid-friendly items like mini burgers, grilled cheese, spaghetti, mac and cheese, chicken strips and vanilla ice cream.

The adult menu covers the usual suspects of fried appetizers, sandwiches and burgers, but it also features several creative flourishes like a spicy pan-seared Ahi tuna appetizer with a plum-wasabi sauce, grilled Australian lamb chops, and a pork belly Rueben amid the more typical steak, ribs, and fish dishes.

The Sunday brunch menu offers items like omelets, pancakes, eggs Benedict, steak and eggs and waffle boats.

Following a strong and sweet pink cocktail of citrus vodka, we went for the sampler of appetizers called the Barleycorn platter — an offering that could easily cater to five even six people. The oversized and smooth onion rings could easily have been mistaken for doughnuts by the sheer girth of their diameter; crunchy, gooey mozzarella sticks featured a more textural batter, and fried chicken tenders packed the most crunch. Two kinds of potatoes: hand-cut cottage fries (homemade chips, really), and potato skins loaded with applewood-smoked bacon and cheese, rounded out the basket.

Soups, like a baked French onion — served in a deep, narrow ceramic bowl, with a blistering cheesy top and an already soaked crouton, had a flavorful broth and loads of onions. Chili and clam chowder are always available as well.

From the selection of sandwiches, we were tempted by buffalo chicken, rib-eye steak, a chicken bacon ranch Panini but it was the pork belly Ruben that ended up in front of us. With meaty, slow-roasted chunks of pork belly, a ‘signature sauce', sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese stuffed between dark rye bread, the sandwich combined flavors that were certainly distinct in their own way but not necessarily for everyone. Avoid the steamed vegetables and instead opt for a side salad if potatoes are not your thing.

Burgers, including a build-your-own option, a blue Vidalia (cave-aged blue cheese and caramelized onions), as well as a black bean patty are freshly prepared, cooked perfectly and served on a sesame bun with melted cheese and buttery sautéed mushrooms. Opt for the seven-pepper fries — seasoned, crispy fried potatoes — and you've got a great meal.

Desserts too are far from scant. Choosing between a sugary hot apple pie with ice cream, cookie dough won tons with powdered sugar, or strawberry shortcake with rum-glazed strawberries may just prove to be the straw that breaks the camel's back, especially if you've already indulged in the Barleycorn platter. You'd be well advised to pick one or the other.

Service was polite, prompt and patient, and laissez faire — we weren't upsold, or suggestive sold, or judged when one of my companions made the bizarre request to have the four soups on offer mixed into one bowl.

<b>John Barleycorn</b>

<b>1100 American Lane, Schaumburg, (847) 619-5540, johnbarleycorn.com</b>

<b>Cuisine:</b> American

<b>Setting:</b> Sizeable, wood-trimmed saloon and bar

<b>Entrees:</b> $9 to $28

<b>Hours:</b> 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Monday to Thursday; 4 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.