Ike & Oak Brewing
6315 Main Street in Woodridge, IL
IkeAndOakBrewing.com

Tuesday-Thursday 4-10 p.m.
Friday 12-11 p.m.
Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

History in short: Ed Ranquist, who was in the finance world for 20 years, had always been a big fan of local craft beer and wanted to take a shot at the restaurant business. Noticing there was a void in the west suburbs, he developed a business plan for a gastropub, but it quickly became something more than that when he realized it made more sense to brew his own beer.

After finding a 6,000 square-foot building that fit his needs in the popular Main Street at Seven Bridges shopping and dining district in Woodridge, a remodel began, and Ike & Oak officially opened in February of 2019.

Ranquist feels very fortunate that award-winning head brewer Nathan Tertell (who earned his stripes at Two Brothers, Lagunitas and Baderbrau) has been leading the beer-making process since day one.

The space: This is a sleek, modern and versatile venue with what feels like three distinctly different rooms, as well as a spacious, flower-lined patio. Large garage-door style windows allow in a ton of natural light, a rectangular bar surrounds the brewing tanks, and a back room is perfect for private events.

“It feels like you’re in the city with a fun warehouse-type feel, and I thought it was important to put some of the equipment out front and center to showcase what we were doing,” Ranquist says.

Surrounded by a movie theater, shopping district, hockey rink, exercise facility and golf course, it’s easy to see why Ike & Oak has become a destination in the western burbs.

When I went out to eat with my family, I wanted a place that was friendly, where they wouldn’t just shove you in the back room. I wanted to make Ike & Oak less stressful on parents so they don’t feel like they have to eat and run.” — Ed Ranquist

Interesting note

One observation from a fall visit was the number of families having dinner. And as it turns out, that has been a focus for Ranquist from the beginning. “When I went out to eat with my family, I wanted a place that was friendly, where they wouldn’t just shove you in the back room,” he says. “I wanted to make it less stressful on parents so they don’t feel like they have to eat and run.”

There’s plenty of weekly events at Ike & Oak, from Wednesday trivia and Thursday Euchre to live music on the patio and tastings and events in collaboration with the nearby Seven Bridges Golf Course. Worth noting, too, is that they claimed a gold medal at the 2025 U.S. Open Beer Championship for their Kodiak’s Revenge Raspberry Pâczki (a barrel-aged pastry stout) and a silver at last year’s FoBAB for a wild beer/mixed culture called Cutbow.

Friday’s happy hour from 2-5 p.m. includes $10 beer flights (six samples), 25 percent off cocktails and wine, and discounted select appetizers.

What we’re eating and drinking:

Tertell has brewed more than 180 different beers in six and a half years at the helm, so it’s clear they’re not afraid to try new styles and tweak previously successful recipes. Ike & Oak offers 12 beers on draft, with six signature beers on tap the majority of the time.

“I give Nathan free rein to experiment with everything from old-world European styles to fruit-forward beers and barrel-aged stouts,” Ranquist says. “We always keep the tap list evolving and push the boundaries of different flavor combinations.”

Head brewer Nathan Tertell has brewed more than 180 different beers in six and a half years at the helm, so it’s clear they’re not afraid to try new styles and tweak previously successful recipes.

On a recent visit, we enjoyed the Ol’ Trigger American amber (ask for a lime slice with it and thank us later), crisp Gold Hill kolsch, hazy and full-bodied Mt. Massive IPA and the Harbor County Delight (a tart and tasty blueberry-cheesecake pastry sour). If you’re not feeling a beer, rest assured there’s a full bar with wine and spirits and an impressive cocktail menu.

Much like the beer lineup, the food menu is constantly evolving as well, showcasing seasonal sandwiches and entrees that utilize the freshest ingredients. Try the Yardbird, a grilled or beer-battered chicken sandwich topped with pepper jack cheese and vinegar slaw. The Mac & cheese is topped with crumbled Cheez-Its and baked in a cast-iron skillet, and the crunchy Detroit-style pizzas are worth a try (especially the “7 Bridges,” which has Italian sausage and giardiniera.

On the horizon

Ike & Oak’s winter menu specials kick in Dec. 18 and include a Colorado-style pork chile verde, mushroom and Swiss double smash burger, Cajun chicken Philly sandwich, chorizo and hatch green chili Detroit-style pizza, and a red velvet skillet cookie.

There is a Holiday Makers Market at the brewery on Dec. 21 from 4-8:30 p.m., the 2026 Mug Club is currently open for enrollment, and they’ll be pouring beers at the Westmont Winter Beer Fest (Feb. 14) and Naperville Ale Fest (Feb. 28).

From the brewery:

“Not having any restaurant background, I realized quickly that you have to treat people right and train them right because half the battle is having your staff walk in with a smile on their faces and making the environment worth coming to work. Our staff is very passionate about beer, guest satisfaction and providing a great atmosphere. … Just six and a half years in business, it’s great to see how many regulars we have. I’ll know 50 percent of our guests on a Friday night, and they always want to know what we have coming up.”

— Owner Ed Ranquist