‘It hooks you in’: Recreational curling offers winter fun with food, drinks and friends

Does the idea of grabbing some drinks and throwing some stones sound like fun?

Curling has come to a bar near you.

Once an every-four-year curiosity that people watch during the Olympics, folks who’ve tried it have realized that recreational curling is genuinely fun. Especially when you’re surrounded by friends and a drink or two.

You can leave your brooms at home; most bar curling is more like shuffleboard in that you push the stone from a standstill and slide it down the sheet toward the target, alternating turns between two teams.

There are several suburban spots where you can grab a bite, enjoy a drink and throw some stones.

The Side Lot in Wauconda

When the owners of The Side Lot in Wauconda were looking for a fun winter activity to occupy their outdoor space, there were no bad ideas.

“Nothing we ever did well didn’t start out as a really bad idea,” said Phil Castello.

After dismissing a few early options like a skating rink (insurance companies frown on drinking and skating from a liability standpoint), curling seemed like a doable option.

“Everybody’s at least vaguely familiar with it, but it’s still unique,” he said. “And you don’t have to be highly skilled to throw a stone down some fake ice.”

So in December, the bar and restaurant launched Backyard Curling, with two synthetic ice sheets housed in a heated tent. Servers and QR codes are available for ordering food and drinks, or you can just pop inside the bar to order.

While Castello said curling appears simple, looks can be deceiving.

“I’m so bad at it,” he said. “It’s definitely not as easy as it looks.”

Lanes can be rented by the hour, with prices for casual play ranging from $10 to $15 per person. They also offer leagues, which have proved popular. Castello said they’re adding a “silver curlers” Friday morning league after requests from some of their older customers.

They’ll also host a few themed tournaments, with the next scheduled event a “speed dating curling party” on Feb. 16. They’ll follow that with a St. Patrick’s Day tourney.

Castello said their “bad idea” has turned out to be a hit.

“You’re bundled up and playing a winter sport with a boozy hot chocolate or festive cocktail. How can you not have a great time?” he said.

Itasca Country Club

The first thing you’ll notice when you see Itasca Country Club’s four real-ice curling sheets are the glowing targets, created by LED lights submerged in the water before it’s frozen.

“It’s very unique and definitely a focal point,” said General Manager Steve Curtin, describing them as “epic.”

“For people looking for Instagram-worthy pictures, this is it.”

While the club takes great strides to not be stuffy or pretentious, they do take their ice very seriously. Curtin said they mimic the way Olympic venues do it, with staff prepping the surfaces daily to make sure there’s the right amount of pebbling so the rocks slide smoothly.

“We pride ourselves on it because it takes a lot of work. But we’ve got it down to a science now and we can make real sexy ice,” he said.

The area around the sheets is heated, and couches and tables are located throughout. Curtin likened the setup to a bowling alley, where when you’re not playing you’re probably hanging out behind the lane with a drink and some food at a table.

While servers will take care of guests’ needs, most customers like to pop into the Fox & Turtle bar to grab a drink and warm up for a minute.

The bar features a number of local and Illinois beers, as well as some specialty cocktails from the No School Tomorrow cocktail bar that is nearby on the club’s campus.

The country club started offering curling in 2018, but with weather-dependent sheets. In 2020 they made an investment in chillers and other upgrades in equipment, so now curling can still take place when the temperatures reach the low 40s.

Curtin said curling is like bags, in that once you start throwing, the competitive juices start flowing and you want to keep playing.

“It’s amazing how quickly it engulfs you,” he said. “It hooks you in.”

The lanes are usually open from around Thanksgiving to St. Patrick’s Day, weather permitting. While you can curl when it rains or there’s fluffy snow, Curtin said wet snow is a problem. They’ll also side with common sense and close down on days when the ambient temperatures fall below zero.

The club holds league night on Thursdays, and the curling ice is open to the public starting at 5 p.m. Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. It’s $80 per sheet, with a maximum of four players per sheet. Curtin said most matches last 40 to 60 minutes. Referees keep the energy up by calling out scores and providing help with rules when needed.

Fatpour Tap Works in Lincolnwood

Another new entry into suburban recreational curling, Fatpour Tap Works in Lincolnwood recently held a ribbon cutting and “blessing of the lanes” featuring Olympian Matt Hamilton, a gold medal-winning curler in the 2018 Winter Games.

Unlike some other curling destinations, Fatpour doesn’t use iced curling lanes, instead calling them “street” lanes that aren’t dependent on cold weather. While the surface is different, the basics remain the same, with eight rounds, or ends, of curling stones down the sheet.

Should you want to play by the house “Fatpour Rules,” you’ll be required to have a drink in your hand while throwing the stone and drink if the other team scores more than one point during an end.

Tim Toomey, VP of marketing for Big Onion Hospitality, said the game is a great way to bring people together indoors or out, polar vortex permitting.

“‘Street curling’ is simple, easy to pick up for all ages, and it’s a lot more fun than a traditional Midwestern yard game like throwing bean bags into a piece of wood with a hole cut in it,” he said.

Lanes are available by reservation for $20 per hour, but the money is put toward a food and beverage credit.