Celebrating the weekend at a bar is always a fun idea, how about one of the oldest bars in Illinois right here in Rockford?

It's always fun to take a trip back in history and find out how old your favorite places in town really are.

I haven't been hanging in Rockford for too many years, but I probably could have guessed that this building was one of the oldest, but in a great way because it's so beautiful and historic.

Did you guess? It's the Rockford Brewing Company.

Thrillest put together the list of the 10 Oldest Bars in Illinois Outside of Chicago, and Rockford took one of the spots with the Rockford Brewing Company, which was opened in 1857.

Housed in the historic Prairie Street Brewhouse, the original Rockford Brewing Company had been one of the first breweries in the nation -- processing 75,000 barrels each year -- until it was turned into a storage warehouse and laundry business in 2000 before returning to its original purpose. Stop by in the warmer months for live music and outdoor dinner on the dock overlooking the Rock River, certainly one of the best things to do in Rockford.

The rest of the list includes:

  • Hackney's in Glenview
  • Log Cabin Steakhouse in Galena
  • Meier's Tavern in Glenview
  • Brass Rail in Champaign
  • Fast Eddie's Bon Air in Alton
  • John's Restaurant and Tavern in Winfield
  • Mickey Finn's in Libertyville
  • The Village Tavern in Long Grove
  • York Tavern in Oak Brook

More From WROK 1440 AM / 96.1 FM