“It’s going very well,” said Jim Ebel. “We’ve changed a lot of the way things are done, bringing sort of a different type of food — a different level of food, in our opinion. We serve a lot of organics. We’ve done a lot of remodeling, trying to create a more comfortable atmosphere for people. We’ve rebuilt the entire kitchen.
“Our focus is 100 percent on the customer so if they’re at the restaurant, they’re getting a top-quality experience every time. That’s really paying off.”
The brothers bought the restaurant, formerly known as Walter Payton’s Roundhouse, at auction for $1.1 million after longtime operator Scott Ascher filed for bankruptcy.
When the restaurant reopened under its new moniker, the owners began welcoming in a steady stream of diners and beer connoisseurs who enjoy the organic, sustainable food from local farms — much of the produce is grown on a family farm in Plainfield, for instance — and speciality beers brewed on location.
“I think everybody likes the idea of eating healthier and supporting the local economy as much as possible,” said Ebel.
Everybody also seems to like local bands, he noted, especially now that cover charges are gone and patrons can enjoy a wide variety of music for free.
“We try for the most part to focus on musicians within 30 miles of the Roundhouse,” said Ebel. “We like the aspect of doing local original artists rather than the stereotypical cover bands because you get a lot of local flavor. One night you might have a band with a big brass section — how often do you see that anymore? — and one night it might be a solo acoustic.”
As for those specialty beers, the first batch already has come and gone. And come spring, when the new brewing equipment is installed, the brothers plan to launch new brews — and pairings to go with them.
“We’re getting ready to launch beer dinners,” said Ebel. “We’ll be having specifically prepared meals with the brewers and owners there to explain flavor profiles and who we are and what we do. That will really take it to the next level of what beer and food pairings can do.”
The first beer dinner is planned for just before Valentine’s Day, and it’s just the start of a series of events celebrating the delights of barley and hops. This summer, the brothers plan to bring Hop Juice Fest, an outdoor summer celebration named for their Hop Juice brew, to downtown Aurora.
“We’re working with the city now to ensure that can happen in Aurora,” said Ebel. “We expect it will, and it’ll be a lot of fun.”
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