Cool bar not far from some other bars. 8th Ward is one of the better bars in Rockford, as far as the atmosphere and what's on the menu. It seems the drinks are better than the food though. For sure that's not as bad thing of course. The prices are higher than at the nearby dive bars, but you get real good stuff. At lunch it can get crowded. It also gets crowded in the evening. This place seems to always be crowded, which is a good sign of quality. It's about $9 for the cheapest cocktails. The seasonal list included the Pumpkin Pie Mule. Lots of pumpkin flavor in it. This was made with ginger beer, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin syrup, and vanilla vodka. As for the food, nothing as special to be honest. It's about $14 for the Baked Bavarian Pretzel Sticks. That's a lot for not that much, and the prices are high on most other things. Great place except for the prices of course. It has better drinks than food. This is a fun hangout for lunch or for whenever. read more

8th Ward Pub - Pumpkin Pie Mule And Baked Bavarian Pretzel Sticks - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

This place was wonderful! Great beer/wine/drink selection!! We stopped randomly on way back to Indy from Madison, WI!!! Food was great!! Would have ordered anything on menu it was that good!!! read more

This was a great bar to hang out and have a drink with snacks. Most food options are hand held and shareable . Great experience with the Bartenders and very friendly. Would recommend this place for a place to visit. read more

Super great drinks, food and people. It's a small place but those are sometime the best places! Great food! Sausage stuffed mushrooms and 8th club enough for two. Top it off with some signature cocktails and you have the PERFECT afternoon/evening. Great find! read more

Where do you go in Rockford, IL for lunch? Dinner? A drink? To kick up your feet? The 8th Ward pub. This was my second trip to Rockford for business, and coming from Philadelphia, always try to find the best an area has to offer. Between the two trips, I found myself seated in the 8th ward pub at least half a dozen times. Today I had an Italian French dip sandwich (pictured but I couldn't help but take a bite first, spoiler it was amazing). The bar tender Alison was amazing and she was there two days in a row that I had lunch with them. The bar is seated to open air and there is a Touch tunes jukebox available for music. They even were able to get the Philadelphia Eagles game on their TV for me! I cannot say enough good things about this pub! If I find myself in Rockford again, I will surely be taking up a seat at the bar. read more

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Such a hidden gem! Great drinks and food! Love the old gas station feel but it totally renovated and modern. Must try for brunch with excellent cocktails! read more

My first experience here was perfection. When I saw their facebook post of the Oh my Mimosa, it Definitely sparked my interest! Once I arrived I actually opted for the mimosa flight instead and my fiance had TWO of the Oh my mimosa which were probably the largest mimosa you will ever have. This bar was unlike others and they do not serve any fried bar food which was actually something I would prefer! Food was fresh, we tried the pretzels with beer cheese=amazing. Italian beef flatbread=amazing. The club= fresh and yummy! The vibe of this place is fun and I love the map on the wall of the 8th ward which is the neighborhood I grew up in. Great food, service and atmosphere. I will be back! read more

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Flatbreads and sandwiches have been great! Nicole always provides quick and friendly service. The ambiance is cozy and really nice when the garage doors are open and the weather is warm and sunny. read more

Cool bar with outdoor and indoor seating areas, an extensive drink menu, and decent vibes. The service was slower than I'd expect for two (perhaps three?) bartenders being behind/around the bar. We sat with an empty drink for over 5 minutes while they all talked before just making a decision to go to the next bar. I had gotten a s'mores martini, and although it was good, it didn't stand out from the competition in any way. A touch like a marshmallow on a stick or something would've been cool to see. This is of course just my subjective opinion! I do think that the bar deserves a visit. read more

8th Ward Pub - S'Mores Martini - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Went here on a whim- saw it on yelp and needed lunch. We had my 8year old with us and I was nervous since it's a pub that it wouldn't be ok but it was a nice atmosphere. She had a flatbread with pepperoni and devoured it. Our other two family members had some sort of Cuban sandwich and they said it was great as well. I had the lettuce wraps and they were FREAKING DELICIOUS. seriously, the best thing I ate my whole trip were these tasty little things so get those for sure. :) staff was great too. read more

8th Ward Pub - I wish I had these again. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

I was unsure from them outside, but as usual yelpers highly rated never fails. It looked very small and cars filled the lot. But we found a spot and went in for some after hiking lunch. It was filled with Packer fans and as we saw a table on other side the Bears were on in that corner. I had the flatbread pizza awesome. Salad was great it's finger tapas type food. But very well prepared. You will love the Food. It's just not a chicken nuggets place. A small selection of brews on tap. Mixed drinks Is definitely the way to go if having a beverage. But all the rest are standard. read more

Great place for cocktails and food. The vibe Was excellent and waitress was attentive. I would definitely come back from the city when I am in Rockford again. read more

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Good bar food and cocktails. 8th Ward pub is definitely not a tapas or small plates restaurant. So don't visit here with that expectation. This restaurant is more of a bar with several TVs, a dark interior, and outdoor seating. They also open up the garage doors in the summer when it's nice to create a blend between an indoor and outdoor environment. I tried the poutine fries and the 8th Ward Club with chips. The poutine fries were delicious and served warm. The club was as good as any with a good bread to filling ratio. The chips tasted a bit like Baked Original Lays, so they weren't my favorite. Overall, I had a nice time here and would recommend 8th Ward Pub. read more

Cute spot for meeting up with girlfriends. Tried the mimosa flight, and it was pretty sweet. The bartender was sweet and substituted all the drinks without pineapple (allergic). The beer flight was tasty. We had the chicken lettuce wraps and they were pretty good! read more

8th Ward Pub - Mimosa flight & beer flight - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Best place I have been to in Rockford, Alison was wonderful and very polite. drinks were not only unique but also fantastic!! highly recommend! read more

The Berry Salad is amazing!!! The salad is full of ingredients to create the best flavor. A mix of greens, dried cranberries,tons of fresh fruit, chicken, seeds, broccoli, walnuts, and so much more. The salad was accompanied with some crunchy bread. The drinks looked delicious, but sadly it was my lunch break from work. read more

8th Ward Pub - Berry Salad - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Hands down a quaint little pub with great customer service. Their charcuterie board.is, amazing. Their prices are fair and decent. In the summertime, they open the place up to sit outdoors. read more

Great cocktails, great service. But please dim the lights in the evenings. Place is lit like you're drinking in a Walmart. read more

8th Ward Pub - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

What an amazing little spot!!!! This might be my favorite little place to eat. And even on a Saturday night it's not packed. The craft beer selection is slaying it here and the Cuban was fantastic. Highly highly highly suggest this for anyone in the area read more

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I've been coming regularly since I moved back to Rockford, but recently discovered this might not be a welcoming establishment for all. I'm disappointed and confused as to why your jukebox has filtered all Spanish music from playing. At first I thought it might be music with profanity, but then I tried searching for a variety of Spanish artists, and all were prohibited from playing. This makes me wonder what demographics you are hoping to attract, and which you are hoping to discourage from visiting. read more

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Food was ok at best. I think this is more for drinks. We tried it. Wish them luck. Our mediterranean plate came w precut vegetables that had been cut for days. They could of just recut the old dried up parts off.. read more

The drinks are exceptional and the staff is even better! Emily is my favorite bartender but honestly you can't go wrong no matter who you get. And the s'mores flatbread.... a must try! read more

8th Ward Pub - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Really good food and drink, the dip board was so yummy and it was fun having the variety of dips and chips. We went with a one year old and a four month old. Definitely not the vibe for kids but the staff were super friendly and nice. We made a huge mess and they didn't make us feel bad for it. Can't wait to go back for a kidless visit. read more

8th Ward Pub - Lettuce wraps, Baked Bavarian Pretzel Sticks and Beer Cheese Dip, 8th Club, Chips and Dip Board, and BBQ Chicken flatbread - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

What a great find! My wife and I enjoyed Barnstormer Distillery and found out that 8th Ward Pub carries Barnstormer products. We checked it out on a Saturday afternoon and were pleasantly surprised. The pub was beautifully and mindfully repurposed from an auto shop and the ambience was amazing. Craft cocktails were delicious and the lettuce wrap was delicious. Extra points for such a diverse clientele. Service was a little slower because the bartender was running the whole show. He was doing his best though and we were hanging out and weren't in a rush. Hope they hire more waitstaff soon. Will come back again!! read more

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New favorite for us! We love the atmosphere and the staff are always friendly and welcoming! Not to mention the food and drinks are spot on! read more

8th Ward Pub - Mimosa flight - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

We stumbled on to this gem! Great food, cool ambiance, and friendly bartender and staff.

Excellent customer service! Drinks & food were delicious. Definitely recommend it, great place for a date or to grab a good drink! read more

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Had lunch on a weekend. We had pretzel sticks for an appetizer. These were excellent, although I thought the beer cheese could have been a little cheesier. I had the 8th Ward club and my wife had the bruschetta flatbread. These were both good, but did not knock my socks off. For dessert, we had the s'mores flatbread. This was also good, but similarly did not wow me. The price was reasonable for the quality of food, although I would have appreciated slightly larger portions. I tend to eat a lot though. My wife did not finish her entree. Ambience was nice. The decor was dark and would have been more impressive at dusk. We did not have any alcoholic beverages. I had the impression that this is one of their main draws. I think this would be a great place to go in the evening on a date night or night on the town. It could be a light dinner to start the night or a stop for refreshments later in the night (they close at 11 pm on Fri/Sat). read more

Loved the food, atmosphere, and cocktails. The staff is super friendly. It is a smaller place. however I do strongly recommend them!

The service was so great! And the small plates was perfect and filling for a before dinner snack! The atmosphere is nicely done and having the opening to going outside is lovely. read more

8th Ward Pub - Pretzel and beer cheese - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

This place is a hidden treasure. It is not overpriced and the staff are fabulous. Big healthy portions. Wonderful food! Excellent vibe. One of my favorites. read more

Everything I get here Is wonderful, from drinks to food! The soup is always amazing! The Flatbreads are off the hook! Everything is fantastic!! read more

Great place! Good food and good service. Had the chip board, salad and soup. They even brought my dog water and chicken pieces for him to snack on. read more

Served by jordan. Bartender/waitress. Great job. Nice atmosphere good food and drinks for a light lunch. Will be back for sure.