Originally Posted by
kymbakitty
As far as the alcohol--I haven't seen "good" wine or "good" beer served in a very long time. I won't waste my calories on the likes of Bud or MGL...nor Canyon Creek Merlot! Some ES have Salmon Creek, and if they have a cab, I may partake. And every once in awhile they would have Firestone on tap (brewery in Buelton, CA) or Sierra Nevada, but those days are over...
It's been a while (my brother's family often stays there as three kids can eat a lot of expensive breakfast in a city), but the ES Chicago Lakefront has had some decent beers on tap along with the usual Bud/Miller crapola. I think it rotates, but our local Goose Island stuff can be pretty good.
The difference per beer between garbage and quality stuff out of a full keg is very little. Not like wine. Never understood the point of cheaping out on beer. If I were marketing for an independent regional/niche brewery, I'd subsidize one of my better beers to get it in front of the public at a place like ES. It would seem to be very cheap advertising, given what they spend at beer festivals and community events and such.
The liquor and wine seem to be pretty bottom-shelf in general (some exceptions), but I'm a beer guy, so I don't care. I recall my Dad was able to get J&B scotch there, which is at least decent, I'm told.
Avoid "House of Usher" scotch (My portmanteau for "House of Stuart" and/or "Usher's Green Stripe.").