Squire Ale House in Campton Hills now welcoming diners

Squire Ale House in Campton Hills officially opened for business Tuesday, March 18, making it the newest restaurant from the Karas Restaurant Group.

The ale house is located in the former The Lodge location on Route 64.

Owner Bob Karas said he’s “excited to finally open.”

“I really like how our menu turned out,” he said. “[We have] corporate chef Grant Werner and executive chef Mike Sahin who really knocked it out of the park on this collaboration. I’m really thankful to have these two chefs.”

Karas Restaurant Group owns 15 popular restaurants in the Fox Valley area, including Rookies, Alexander’s Cafe and The Village Squire locations.

Karas bought the property almost three years ago, which he said was in “bad shape.” He had been a customer of the former Niko’s Lodge (which was The Lodge’s predecessor) and saw the building sitting empty for years before deciding to buy it.

“No matter how long we’ve been doing this, it’s still a learning experience and every day can be a challenge,” Karas said. “We work hard to give great food and service in a comfortable place. We love our staff and our wonderful customers and the communities we are in.”

While Karas has been in the restaurant business for years, he said this newest venture is a bit different.

“It’s an offshoot of The Village Squire brand, but the Squire Ale House is a tavern. We want to connect [the ale house] to the Squire brand. It’s the same family, but a different concept,” he said.

The new menu includes appetizers such as crispy rib tips, crabcakes, filet sliders and garlic butter cheese curds. Entrees include burgers, salads, sandwiches, tacos, steaks, prime rib, pasta favorites and seafood.

The restaurant eventually will serve rotisserie and broasted chicken, but those items are not yet available, Karas said.

Black & Grey Brewery in East Dundee has created three exclusive new beers for Squire Ale House. Selections are Squire Red Ale, an Irish red amber lager; Spotted Lion, a farmhouse-style cream ale; and Braveheart Freedom Brew, a crisp American pilsner.

Additional beverages at the restaurant include specialty cocktails, craft sodas and Coca-Cola products.

One of the biggest questions Karas said he’s asked about Squire Ale House is if it will have s’mores like its predecessor.

“We will have s’mores. If I don’t, I will be a villain in Campton Hills,” he said with a laugh. “We will have popcorn when you walk in and s’mores roasting outside. We’ll have packages of graham crackers, chocolate, marshmallows. People can make them on the fire pits on their way out.”

The brand-new patio will offer seasonal outdoor dining and live music when the weather warms up.

“We’ll have live music nightly. The patio will be an awesome experience with an outdoor stage and bar. It’ll be really nice in the summertime,” Karas said.

In addition to live music, Squire Ale House will have a game room for slots, TVs for sports and a room for private parties.

“Campton Hills feels like part of our family,” he said. “I know a lot of people, we have a customer base there, so it just seems like a natural fit. It’s close, but far enough where we can have another of our restaurants. People know they’ll get a quality meal.”

Karas said Squire Ale House will open at 4 p.m. weekdays. It will serve lunch on Saturdays and Sundays. The restaurant will be closed Mondays.

For more information about Squire Ale House, visit the Facebook page. Click here to see the full menu.

For more information about the Karas Restaurant Group’s other locations, visit goodplacestobe.com.