About Us

Elgin natives Iran and Charlotte Garcia have a strong passion in serving their community and being beer brewers.

“Our thing was to open up a brewery,” said Iran Garcia. “You can’t serve alcohol without serving food. It’s an ordinance so our main objective was to try to incorporate this restaurant and hopefully run this successfully.”

The Garcias are hopeful that through the success of their restaurant they can use the money to fund their own brewing company. The restaurant is already fully equipped and ready, but they’ll need to raise more money for the expensive endeavor.

The food at Dog’s Paw Brewing is local and fresh, which gives it a unique and distinct flavor. One of the things that Elgin is known for is its diversity, and it’s evident by the crowd in Dog’s Paw that the bar and restaurant has already won over the hearts of local residents. There were artists, college students, families, couples and people just getting off work enjoying the trendy atmosphere of the bar with its DIY concrete bar and industrial lights.

Mission statement or philosophy: The philosophy of the Garcias is to keep ingredients fresh and local. They only buy their supplies in Elgin so they can keep money in the community. They want a family-friendly place where people feel comfortable enough to talk to complete strangers and start up a conversation.

The decor: The concrete bar is an eye-catching feature that people notice as soon as they walk into the establishment. It’s a handmade concrete bar top that’s shiny, smooth and one of a kind. It pairs nicely with the elegant dark wood of the bar that stores quite a few selections of alcohol. The teal and brown fabric of the bench seats contrast with the tan brick wall for a classy, elegant touch.

We’re different because: And as the owners mentioned: “We want people to talk to each other, this should be a social gathering ground for entrepreneurs, students, family members and kids because we want people to be able to socialize. I think that’s important to talk to each other instead of people having their eyes glued to the TVs or their phones,” Garcia said. “It makes it more fun.” They also have quite a few unique menu items from all over the country.

Extras: They participate in First Fridays by Downtown Elgin Association. They’re also hoping to bring in some more local music and artists for different art series at Dog’s Paw.

Price range: The prices vary from $6 for a beer to anywhere from $8.95 to $15.95 for a burger. The most expensive is an Aussie Burger with egg, pineapple, pickled beets and special spicy sauce. It has been a popular choice among locals, along with the classic burger for $9.95. All sandwiches, hot dogs and burgers come with french fries. The cinnamon toast panini for $8.95 is unique and flavorful with bacon, honey, peanut butter and cinnamon butter on French bread pairing nicely with a side of sweet potato fries.

Logistics: Dog’s Paw Brewing is at 74 S. Grove Ave. In Elgin. Their hours are Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Thursday 11 a.m. to 12 a.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m to 1 a.m. And Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Call 224-227-7655 or go towww.dogspawbrewing.com.

Story from Chicago Tribune http://www.chicagotribune.com/ct-ecn-dining-west-dogs-paw-st-0911-20150902-story.html