Bourbon takes center stage at Elgin's Grumpy Goat

Since its grand opening in July, the Grumpy Goat Tavern has been bringing in plenty of locals looking for lunch or dinner along with serving as a postgame hangout for those playing at The Highlands of Elgin golf course. With plenty of space for big gatherings, the spot sets itself apart with a focus on Creole fare and bourbon cocktails.

Motif: A goat head is mounted above the bar, where you can grab a seat at a plaid-backed chair and watch sports on four TVs. The bar area also features long plaid print booths and a fireplace, with walls decorated with pictures of goats and Scotland. The patio provides a view of the golf course. For a more formal experience, the dining room tables are topped with white tablecloths, flowers and candles.

Food: The spot had limited food options when it first opened in March, but rolled out a full menu in July that mixes pub classics like burgers and BLTs with a heavy dose of Cajun flavor from dishes including crawfish cakes and Louisiana fried chicken. The Cajun dishes are prepared without too much heat to make them accessible, with a caddie of six hot sauces provided to diners who want to spice up their food, though the crawfish étouffée with dirty rice is so flavorful it doesn't need much help.

Favorites include the chicken tinga tacos, topped with crunchy slaw and house-pickled onion with pickled jalapeño on the side, and the Grumpy Goat filet, perfectly cooked meat surrounded by a thick strip of duck bacon and served with an eclectic mix of roasted vegetables including cauliflower and rutabaga. Save room for the made-to-order bread pudding. The flavor changes regularly, but the caramel apple we tried tasted like fall.

Grumpy Goat is planning on adding breakfast service on Sundays, keeping the Southern flair by offering a variety of benedicts and grits. They're also looking to run crawfish and shrimp boils on Fridays in lieu of the traditional fish fry.

Liquid consumption: Bourbon is the focus of the drink menu, with 40 varieties you can try straight, in classic cocktails like an old fashioned or Manhattan, or in more unusual sippers like a bourbon mojito blended with mint and blueberries. With the weather cooling, the bar is also planning on rolling out a menu of bourbon hot toddies. You'll also find a solid selection of craft beers on draft.

Crowd: The crowd was light when we visited around 6:30 p.m. Saturday night, with just a few small groups of mostly 40-and-older golfers. The spot also draws in soccer and softball teams that play on the nearby fields.

Service: Our server was happy to make recommendations and checked in regularly to make sure we liked things. Grumpy Goat's bartenders also amicably chat with patrons at the bar.

Parking: Grab a free spot in the restaurant's large lot.

Overall: Spice up your night out with dinner and drinks at Grumpy Goat Tavern.

Grumpy Goat Tavern

Highlands of Elgin Golf Course, 875 Sports Way, Elgin, (847) 931-5950; <a href="http://www.grumpygoattavern.com">grumpygoattavern.com</a>

<b>Hours:</b> 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday