Thirsty Fox Pub

Everyone,

I have decided to start writing reviews on Yelp because, while I use the site frequently to read others reviews, I have found some times that the reviews are not reflective of my experience.  

My own imposed rules for any review:

1. Must visit at least three times.  Two of which must be distinctly different formats; i.e. one weekday night and one weekend night.
2. Must order something unique each visit.
3. If they have any "signature" items on the menu, you must order a "signature" item at least once.
4. Ratings are based on a 10 point scale with 5 being average, which does not mean bad.  What a score of 5 means is that the category meets expectations for that establishments format.

Thanks.

Thirsty Fox Pub

Location/Layout - 5/10:  Located right on route 64 in downtown St. Charles, the location is very accessible and easily visible.  Parking is conveniently located just West behind the city admin building and in front of the police station, better have a DD.  The interior offers standard Pub décor with neon signs and a chalk board listing drink and food specials.  There are standard bar games, such as darts and pool for those interested.  They also try to mix in some olde time charm by hanging framed black and white portraits and cityscapes, along with leaving a layer of grime on pretty much every surface.  

Menu - 5/10: Thirsty Fox is heavy on drink menu and light on food offerings.  The bar is well stocked in both liquor and beer but very limited in its draft offerings.  Food is limited to basic pub grub but does try to offer new items on occasion. There are daily specials for both food and drinks but nothing that are all that exceptional.  

Service - 2/10: the service is usually not good and not at all accommodating.  There have been several visits where we sat for over 20 minutes before we walked to the bar to ask for service.  We were then told by the bartender that he only serves the bar and we need to "track down" the waitress.  We have also gone during a "shift change" and have been told to wait for the new server.  This is one of the few places that I cannot recall having good service on any visit.

Food - 3.5/10: We usually go during dinner hours and understand that we are meeting people for drinks but because of the time we usually eat, plus who does not order something when they are out drinking?   The food is subpar, at best.  We have tried multiple items, including but not limited to the "number 1 in St. Charles" burger, wings, paninis, clubs, apps, their famous cheese melt, and unfortunately on one occasion the quesadilla.  The only item that was worth it and was above average was the burger, I do not know who or how they judge the best burgers in St. Charles, but it was solid and with a side of their tots is a good meal.  You need to run from the rest of the menu though.

Drinks - 6/10:  Thirsty Fox offers a solid selection of import, domestic, and thankfully craft beers.  They also offer a great selection of liquors ranging from their economical wells to top shelf offerings.  The only small issue with the beer offerings is that they are limited in their draft selection and some of the craft prices are a bit steep, otherwise this is solid spot for libations.  On the other hand, my major complaint is that we always bring a DD to any bar when going out for drinks, no matter the parking situation, and have never had a problem getting them refills on pop.  But the Thirsty Fox gives you one refill per pop ordered.  So if you draw the short straw for the night it will get pretty expensive.

Overall Experience - 4.5/10:  If you are meeting friends for a quick drink or bellying up to the bar this is a good place to stop.  If you are looking for solid food pairings and/or a clean joint with friendly staff for a drink this is not the place for you.

Mediocre. That is the best word to describe our experience tonight. I suppose if it was between this and another 2 star joint, I might come here to mix it up if it was the ONLY other choice. I had the fish fry and my girlfriend had a burger. Originally ordered the cod, which was barely warm in the middle. Switched to the thinner perch and it was decent. Sad that I had to order differently based on how fish was being cooked in the kitchen. Do NOT order the french onion soup. Thirsty Fox French Onion makes Applebee's version look like a gourmet. No cheese. Cheapest possible croutons. Onions that disintegrate as soon as they hit your tongue (not in a good way). Beyond that though, the flavor was fine. Best thing about this place was the baked potato and sweet potato fries. Oh, and the pickle with the burger was good. Basically anything that required any thought was off. I almost forgot about the "Spinach Artichoke Dip". First off, the chips served with this $8.99 masterpiece were on par with the stale nacho chips at Wrigley. For the love of god, spend $3.99 on a decent bag of chips. The melted cream cheese with greasy spinach extract registered a 3/10 on our scale. In closing, I went into this place trying to give it all the credit in the world. It just didn't measure up. I won't be back.

Great place for food and drinks. I usually stop in on Saturdays for their $13 Porterhouse steak, and I tell you it's really good! The folks are really nice and they have some great give aways. Really good for groups since they typically have $10 Coor Light buckets. After 7PM Friday & Saturday, they tend to get very busy, especially with the Theater across the street.