Brass Restaurant & Brewery

First things first...regarding the recent back and forth about carding...An Illinois License or ID...IS NOT VAILD AT AFTER THE EXP. DATE!!! So it would have been illegal for them to serve you without a proper valid (meaning not exp) form of identification...Restaurants and their servers know the alcohol laws...maybe you shouldn't be so lazy and go get it renewed like the rest of society...but don't drive with it because its illegal to drive on an expired license, have someone else drive you to the dmv! more

I dine at the Brass often and can say that they have the best food and drinks in town. The wait-staff is very friendly and accomodating, they have an excellent CHEF and brewmaster. The place is cleaner than any other restaurant I have been to.\r \r The chopped salad is one of my favorites and is presented artfully....you must try it!\r \r The atmosphere here is AMAZING and that's why people go back and back again. They have a large dining room, a bar with booths, and also patio seating so you can take your pick of what kind of dining experience you want.\r \r I would and have highly recommended this place to everyone. Pros: Friendly wait-staff, best food in Barrington.....Great place to bring a date....right by Movie Theatre, Parking is ample, Good Prices! more

I dine out regularly due to my job. I always enjoy going to new places and have many regular hang outs. Brass is a regular hang out for me because the staff is always accomodating and the food is great. I am in my 20's and I don't know about anyone else, but I surely make sure I have my valid driver's license with me where ever I go. I get carded all of the time since I am younger. Just because the management team is doing their job, doesn't mean they were being rude or immature. The bottom line is you must show proper identification to consume alcohol no matter what. So I don't believe it is fair to compain about an establishment that cares about keeping their doors open by following simple rules. I guess for any under age persons or someone without a valid ID know they can now go to Millrose because they don't card. Brass, keep up the good work! Pros: Great friendly staff and drink specials more

My family and I like to dine at nice restaurants very regularly, and decided to give this place a try. We got reservations no problem on a Friday evening and sat outside on the patio. The waitress carded my sister, who is in her late 20's, my father who had turned 61 the day before, and myself (mid 20's). The waitress gave my sister a hard time for having an expired drivers license, but even though it is expired, it is a form of identification. My sister also works for Anheuser-Busch and provided her business card. My father also asked to please give her the drink. The waitress sent the manager and her little assistant to our table and then we had to do the whole thing over again. She carded me again after I had already been carded and was served. She asked to see my ID in a very insulting and rude way. She then ran off with her little assistant and a few minutes later sent him back to tell my sister that she will not be served. We paid for our drinks and walked out. We went across the street to Millrose and had a fantastic meal as always. We got our drinks no questions asked as the staff understood that an expired license is still a valid form of age identification. There is a time to deny drinks to those that might be underage, I understand that. A family who is obviously of age with ID should not become an issue. The fact that the manager carded me AGAIN after I had been carded and served was beyond disrespectful not only to me, but to the waitress that originally carded. This management team needs a reality check as does the reviewer that is defending them. I guess not only the management is clueless, but their regular patrons are as well. Cons: management more

My husband and I went to the Brass last night for the first time. We were generally pleased with everything. The place was very clean, the food was delicious, the hostesses and wait staff was nice, and the manager/owner came over to greet us and thank us for coming. We both enjoyed our dinners and the beer was excellent. We each had the beer sampler which is always fun, and a good way to taste all of the offerings before ordering a full glass. We found the amber, the pale, and the hefeweizen to be most excellent. I only have two complaints; cigar smoke coming from the bar and permeating the dining room (can't wait until January 1) and the price of our dessert (and many other desserts on the menu) did not match the price shown on the menu on the website. We are on a very tight budget, and looked at the prices on-line before going there. We were not pleased to see the price on the restaurant's menu was $2.00 more than published on the website. Pros: great food, excellent beer Cons: website menu had lower prices listed than actual menu, cigar smoke wafting into the dining room more

I used to work at Brass for over a year. I can HONESTLY say that their food is great. I have no qualms about what they present, it is top notch. The place is gorgeous, the decor is wonderful. It gets a varied and interesting crowd, both young and older. The bar gets quite busy. The only beef I had was that often the bar competed with the dining room..a little too loud. I don't know what the staff is like now, but what used to be there was a great group of servers. Pros: Romantic. Cons: Loud bar. more

We have eaten here before for dinner and everything was ok. We decided to take a group of 12 for Easter Brunch and we ended up waiting 30 minutes to be seated. The brunch was nowhere near worth the 29.95 per person we spent. Very limited. \r \r I ended up waiting on the server to take my check while everyone else left. In the meantime as I am sitting at the table they came to clear it off - to include taking the water I was still drinking and right down to the tablecloth! No thought of inappropriateness.\r \r Won't be going back ever again for brunch. Cons: Wouldn't go there for brunch! more

I am normally not the type of person that would put a review on a silly website, but I happened to be online and came upon the reviews for Brass Restaurant. I have to say that I was stunned by the review about the management. My husband and I dine quite frequently at the Brass, and frankly it is because of the friendly management and staff. We have had many conversations with the management and are on a first name basis with each and every one of them. When we walk in the doors we are always greeted with a smile from the friendly faces of the hostesses. At any point through out your night you will be able to witness frist hand the wonderful management making their rounds through out the dining room, and even see them stop to converse with tables. Not only does the food presentation knock you off your socks but so does the flavor of the food, and yes it is that good (just like their management team)! Pros: Everything Cons: They are always busy, be sure to make a reservation!! more

We dine at Brass on a regular basis and always have a great time! After reading a previous review, I was shocked to hear anything negative about any management. We've had nothing but impecable service from the bar staff, to the servers, to the hosts, to the whole management team. Everyone always makes us feel welcome. The food is always great and the presentation is gorgeous! The prices are reasonable and we like to plan our night by going to a movie then enjoying a late night dinner or appetizers at the bar. They have plenty of TVs to watch and live music on Wednesdays and Fridays! Get out to Brass! We're sure you'll enjoy it! Feel free to talk to a manager, and we know they will accommodate you like they do us! more

welcome to an establishment that has all the right things. Service, food, presentations, atmosphere and anything else you could ask for in a restaurant. We have been to the Brass on many different occasions and have enjoyed every one of them. We are now going three nights a week to the brass which has a lot to offer!!From a food stand point there are many greats but so far my favorite is the brass filet!!! (10oz filet stuffed with boursion cheese) The Brass also has some great brewed beers on tap my favorite so far has been the weis beer. From the outside of the restaurant it may look to rich of a place but no worries this is not a stuffy restaurant. I've recomended many clients to the brass and have heard nothing but good feedback so that is why i'm here telling you about this place. GO TO THE BRSS RESTAURANT AND BREWERY AND FIND THE GEM IN THE NORTHWEST SUBURBS! Pros: FOOD GREAT, SERVICE GREAT Cons: parking fills up so get there early more

A group of 6 coworkers and I went out to Brass and all I can say is the manger that works there spoke very rude and demeaning toward my coworker! My friend had ordered the salmon and it came out not fully cooked. My coworker had a few bites off the end and when she made to the middle of the salmon it was cold. We asked our waitress (who was very nice and apologetic when it wasn't even her fault) if she could bring a manager over to the table. This manager had the worst management skills I have ever seen! This woman named "" Tammy"" actually said to my coworker that it must not of been that bad because almost half of it was eaten (with some real nice attitude) and then told my coworker that she was not going to take it off the bill. She did not even offer anything for my coworker to eat after she took the food away! After this manager embarassed my coworker she was so turned off she was not even hungry. Not only that, as I got up to go to the bathroom I saw her yelling at our waitress! \r I work as a manager in the customer service field and I was appauled at her I would never speak to a customer like that because you better bet that after that the customer and anyone she knows would never walk in the doors of that restaurant. I just wanted to spread the word along with her. Pros: waitress was very nice and helpfull Cons: management is a joke more

My experience at this restaurant was extremely delightful. The food was delicious, couldn't have asked for better service. The atmosphere was perfect and the environment was extremely clean. I will recommend this restaurant to many friends, and will definetly come back again and again. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK, LOVE THE MENU!!!! more

i have to agree with the lady that wrote the previous review. i was a server at the horrible place and would never recommend that place to anyone (not even enemies!). i had the luxury of seeing behind the scene and trust me it isnt pretty. in the couple of months i worked there i saw maybe 10 of those gross critters and was appauled that the staff just brushed it off as nothing. there was never a run to go call an exterminator to get this problem fixed it was just ""well we have had an exterminator in and they keep coming back"". well maybe you need to call someone better. the food sanitization is horrible. ive never seen a cook/server/manager wash their hands. there are no sanitizer buckets at any stations. cooks wear dirty aprons and wipe dishes with them. and those bread boards--dont even get me started on them--the bus boys wipe the crumbs off the board or slam them against the (dirty) garbage and put them away to be used later. they are never ran through a dish washer (at least ive never seen that happen since i worked there). and watch out for the cooks that pepare the salads and desserts--they are the worst! they use the same knife to cut the tuna (which is sushi grade) and to cut the bananas for your delicious bananas foster. the way they clean the knife is rubbing it on their soiled apron. and they dont reqire them to wear latex gloves so that salad you have there, yeah that same cook picked it up with his bare hands and placed it in a bowl. the owner is so oblivious to everything. all he cares about is making money. this (hands down) is the most unsanitary, most unappealing restaurant ive ever worked for in my life. im surprised that people arent calling every other day saying they got sick from the food there. so please please please just know that appearances are deceiving...\r \r i hope this helps people out. Pros: nothing Cons: everything more

Attentive staff, great food and presentation, but until this restaurant gets a full-time exterminator, it doesnt rate a 9.0. Our memorable Saturday night dinner was made even more memorable... by a medium-sized cockroach, which ran out from the binding of one of dessert menus. We caught him and held him in place with a saltshaker. Our waiter was apologetic but did not seem surprised. The owner of the establishment did not come to our table to discuss with us, instead the cook arrived, looking frazzled, stained apron and all. When asked if they use an exterminator, his reply was ""on Mondays."" Dinner was on the house, but needless to say, we declined to stay for coffee or dessert. As we left, the owner (who had stopped by our table before the incident to thank us for choosing his restaurant) bid us a fond farewell, oblivious to what had happened to us. more

We have been to Brass Restaurant & Brewery on 2 separate occasions. Both time the food has been superb...Sevice Impeccabile.....Would highly recommend..... Pros: Ambiennce, Parking Service Cons: Non more

We were attending a movie one night and decided to stop in Brass, since it's so convenient. I really enjoyed the contemporary feel of the Dining Room, very friendly hostess and wait staff was on top of every refill. We ordered the Pecan Shrimp for an appetizer, loved the sauce that came with it. For dinner, I ordered the Cowboy Cut Rib Eye and my girlfriend ordered the Tuscany Chicken Parpadelle. They have quite a flair for presentation here, quite impressed with the aesthetic display. Both meals were full of flavor and didn't disappoint one bit. We were both full already, but couldn't resist the Candy Bar Enchilada. I've never heard of this before and let me tell you, will never forget it. Definately worth the indulgence. Would like to have sampled one of the beers, since they make their own, but had to save it for another trip. There will definately be another trip. Pros: Ambience, Menu Variety, Ample Parking more

On this second visit our group of 5 were very disappointed in our waitress as well as some of the dinners. The Chilean Sea Bass was extremely salty and of no size. For the $22 price, the bass shjould have been better presented and of more weight. The prime rib was not done to specifications. The appetizers were extremely delicious. Next time (if there is a next time) we will definately not order the entree ... we will stick to the appetizers. As for the waitress who didn't pay attention to us and spilled a drink on one of us without apology, and who didn't order what we wanted? I hope she's not there when we go, we will surely ask for another table. Pros: the bar, appetizers, ambiance Cons: staff, some entrees more