The Fox Pub & Cafe

NateMac13

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev -1.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.25 | $$

This is a great place! I didn't expect much from it because it's in a newer looking strip mall with a boring generic sign but I was pleasantly surprised when my wife and I walked in. A small bar with roughly 10-12 seats, 11 taps with great choices, good music playing, a nice cozy looking dining area with a small stage for live music.

The employees were friendly, the bartender was friendly and knowledgeable. They have a few tables outside to sit at as well.

We just stopped in for a quick drink. My wife had a Perrenial Heart of Gold, a great wheatwine and I had a Stone Enjoy By.

Also on tap that I can remember was Bourbon County Coffee Stout, Boulevard 80 acre, Two Brothers 16th Anniversary, Stone Old Guardian Barrel Aged Barleywine, Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro and Sawtooth Nitro.

Peoria is pretty lacking in the craft beer scene. This is the best overall place I've been to in Peoria.

05-18-2013 15:41:29 | More by NateMac13

Tomhet

Illinois

4.56/5  rDev +1.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$

Tucked away in a strip mall off of a main road; a treasure trove of a find.

The atmosphere of this place is great. I'm in here a couple of times a week, and there's a nice intimacy about the place and the beyond friendly staff that makes it an ideal place to spend an evening. They're always enthusiastic about getting people to try new things from their ever-changing taplist and are more than happy to converse about virtually anything. All of the more complex, high-ABV beers are served in proper glassware and often at very good prices. As mentioned above, the service is stellar in that professionalism and helpfulness is stressed, but the members of the staff basically feel like other regular patrons at the bar you get to know after a few visits.

There are 11 taps in total, six of which are permanent fixtures of regulars (Boddington's, Harp, Guinness, London Pride, etc.), and five that are constantly rotating with world-class beers on a nigh daily basis, including rare and one-off selections. Bottle list is standard fare of Founders, Stone, Two Brothers, etc. year-round offerings, along with some nice, more high-end stuff (right now they have Older Viscosity at a mere $19, for instance).

Food is standard pub food that is nailed perfectly. I always end up getting a burger or brisket that come with a generous portion of fries at a very reasonable price, and it always complements the beers I'm having perfectly.

Peoria is a bit of a beer oddity in that it's just far enough away from Chicago to not have a thriving "scene", but the versatility and warm environment of this place make that fact easier to cope with. If you live in the area, there's no reason you shouldn't visit multiple times a week, as I do.

05-13-2013 06:50:27 | More by Tomhet