Came here with almost 40 people from my Meetup group Saturday night as I wasn't sure if any other venue in the area could accommodate so many people at once while providing an area to talk and casually play games and this spot delivered. Although they don't serve food here, there's plenty of games to play, a patio, and space to sprawl around. It was easy to grab food nearby and I thought the drinks were pretty generously sized. I was served relatively quick even when they were fairly busy and the entire vibe created a great atmosphere for everyone. The true magic really started when the DJ started playing around 10 pm as the entire dance floor, large screens, and venue-wide lighting created an impressive spot to party. The best part about this is really how the space was able to accommodate a quieter atmosphere on the patio, a semi-casual bar spot next to that, and then a crazy fun party room by the DJ. The patrons were super friendly and contributed to creating a great atmosphere and the bartenders were busy but able to keep up with the drink orders. Though the space was a bit crowded, this was much easier to get around than busy spots in the city and the bathroom lines weren't extremely long. The other great thing about the location is the ease with which patrons can go to other spots like Cortland's Garage, Penny Kinneane's, Mago Grill, Armand's, Big Shot Piano Bar, etc. for a change of pace for the night or to grab some food. It's also super close to the Vail Street garage for easy parking and a short walk to the Metra. Overall, one of the most unique spots in downtown Arlington Heights and a great spot to hold a gathering. read more

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I met some friends at Arlington Ale House for drinks. We ordered at the bar and then went outside to the patio. The patio is a great place to meet people and enjoy the weather in the summer. The drinks were cold and the weather was warm. I highly Arlington Ale House! read more

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terrible service! they walk right past you and demand a tip everytime or else you're black listed by all the bar tenders there. You would also think you would get quick service considering there's 5+ at a time working! read more

Love Arlington Ale House! Great Service, different age groups ..big screen TV to watch The sweet 16! The days they are open is limited so be sure and check their calendar. Great vintage decor!! They also have outdoor patio with TVs for the summer. read more

0/10 I had a horrible experience. The staff was incredibly rude and would not accept my real id from another state.

I rarely leave negative reviews, but my experience here was unacceptable. After waiting over an hour for service, I politely indicated to the bartender, Ally, that I believed I was next in line. She had just served the guests on either side of me and appeared to intentionally skip over me. In response to my comment, she began yelling at me and refused to serve me. When I eventually did receive a drink, she continued to shout obscenities at me while I was attempting to close my tab. In an effort to de-escalate the situation, I initially left a generous tip. She looked at it, laughed in my face, and stated, "You think I care about your tip? I'm rich from bartending here." I requested a manager multiple times. When one finally came out, no effort was made to meaningfully address the behavior. The bartender continued to leave her station to yell at me, and management allowed it to happen. As I was leaving, I asked for the owner's contact information so I could report the incident. Instead, I was given a fake business card, told to "go f*** myself," informed that I was banned, and threatened by the doorman, who said he would "beat the s*** out of me." I have been a regular customer and have brought large groups here in the past. Based on this experience, I will not be returning. The conduct displayed by both staff and management reflects a culture that tolerates hostility toward paying customers. If ownership values accountability, they should review their security footage from that evening. The treatment I received speaks for itself. read more

We came here with a group for my friend's birthday and had a great time. It's located on the third floor (it shares a building with the Mago Grill Cantina). There was a DJ that started playing around 9:30 and he was really good and played a wide variety of music. The place was packed. Atmosphere is upbeat and overall positive. The dancefloor is relatively small, but they also have seating spread throughout. That's convenient for those who just want to hangout (our boyfriends lol). The bartenders working were on their A game. We did not have to wait long for drinks, which is saying a lot considering how packed it was. I would come back for a night of dancing again in the future. read more

This bar seriously overserves, and its staff are belligerent and rude. It is overcrowded and the elevators are often broken. Patrons here are blacked out at 7pm and violent and aggressive around the children at the performing arts school in the same building, and the bar encourages it. When I was there, there was blood all over the floor and stairwell in a trail from the bar to the alley. read more

I never review but this turned us off and had to share for management - last night did get better tho! We ordered a round of green tea and Vegas bombs only to be served with disappointment and attitude worse than my girlfriends. After she directly poured from the bottles and soda gun straight to the shot glass we asked if the shots could be mixed and chilled but we just got a look and had our shots pushed closer to us and were asked if we were starting a tab or closing. They were gross for the amount we ended up paying. At first we brushed it off but when we couldn't be served because her phone and vape were of importance that's what turned us off. We didn't think it was a busy night (even the other bartender confirmed it was a slower night for them) so we thought service should have been fairly quick with her too. The other bartenders were moving around the bar fairly quick. But she was more bothered to be on her phone, vaping and ranting stories to the busboy who was just trying to maneuver around her the whole night! poor guy just wanted to do his job! We decided to move away from that corner and found that service and shots were way better on the other 3/4 of the bar. They were on it and quickly moved to you as you approached the bar to order. Shots were surely made the way we thought they should be! Mixed in a cup and chilled with ice! read more

Do not go unless you want to money stolen from you from the bartender. Went there last night ordered 4 drinks was told my total was $130. Bartender probably thought I was waisted and tried taking advantage of it. Asked for a receipt, waited 10 minutes for it only for my total to be $40 but yet the bartender charged me $130. Asked for my money back and she insisted I only gave her $70 and told her to keep the rest. I asked to speak to the manager to get camera footage only for him to dismiss me the whole night. I eventually got my money back after hours of waiting, but just wouldn't recommend this place unless you want to get scammed. read more

Staff is incredibly rude, overpriced drinks, to top it all off every inch of the place is sticky.

School of Rock had a private, fundraiser event. It is located on the third floor. The space is quite large , with and so is the bar. The space is quite large with games , tables , seating areas and a stage. The beer and drink selections were good, some local options. The bartenders were down to earth and friendly. It was a good venue for this type of event. read more

It's hard to logically describe the appeal of Arlington Ale House. It's like trying to say why you like drinking coffee at Starbucks versus Dunkin' Donuts. At the Ale House, there's just something about the feel of the place, the people who hang out there and the bartenders who chat while they're serving you beers that make this a place where you want to hang out. They don't have a kitchen, so you can't get food or even snacks. But they're fine with you ordering a pizza and having it delivered to you while you sit at this 3rd-floor bar enjoying some great beers. There are several restaurants at, or within a few doors of the Metropolis that will bring their food up to your table Sometimes they have a musician in the corner to provide background music. Most are talented unknowns. They also have board games (with most of the pieces) if you want to play with your friends. If you aren't into board games they also have table and electronic games. They even have a separate game room with large TV. Which doubles as a great private party room. Or you can just play a game of pool in their Mexican bar, or darts in their English pub. The place has 3 different bars. Each with its own feel, though most people gravitate to the simple, woody bar that's to the left when you come in. Supposedly, the reason they have three bars is because this was originally a bartender training facility. So they had an 'every man's' bar, and English pub and a Mexican bar. Arlington Ale House kept the three venues. Of course, they have a great selection of popular and soon to be popular beers. I found out the other day they have a beer that I've only seen at one other brewery in Orland Park. It's called Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier. It's pronounced something like Wen Stefawner, so we call it Gwen Stephanie beer. It's worth a taste. Another fixture at this place is Kevin, the owner. I've only had the chance to talk to him once when I was there with a group of friends. What impressed me about him is he takes to time to talk like you're standing around at a backyard barbecue, even though at the time he came by our table the place was packed with people on a Saturday night. This place is definitely worth a visit. Enjoy the atmosphere, the games, the outdoor patio and or course the beers. But don't be surprised if as you leave, you're asking yourself how soon you can return. read more

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This place is nice and I love that they have are on the third floor of the building. It's kinda hard to explain the atmosphere, but it almost looks like a wide open apartment unit. It's all wood, and they have games, three different bars, and seating areas, and it wraps around two different areas, plus has a beautiful outside patio. We came on cinco de mayo during the day, and it was nice because it was so dead, so I cannot say how this place is with their nightlife. I tried a margarita, and it was way too salty. Wasn't a fan. I also wish they had the bar near the patio open because it was a beautiful day, and literally all four groups that were even at the place, including us, were sitting outside. Therefore, if you wanted a drink, you had to go to the further bar from the patio to get a drink, which is fiiiiine, but it could have been better. It also would have been nice to have a waiter outside, but no one was outside. The patio has comfy couches and chairs, and you are fenced off with many sports logos and beer logos on the fence. It was also very odd that they have two beautiful large flat screen tvs outside, but there was no sun-shield or visor above it so you couldn't see anything that was on the screen. It seemed pretty pointless haha. The bartenders were both very nice, and of course service was quick because barely anyone was in the place. Overall, I honestly would love to come back here and have a more nightlife experience to see how it is. It really did seem like a chill place, and I feel like I would really like the place at night, especially since many people have spoken about live music. read more

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Right on the middle of downtown Arlington Heights on the 3rd floor of the Metropolis you will find an incredibly large lofty bar space! The seating arrangements, bar area, random gaming and natural light plus out door space of this 3 year new establishment is next to nostalgic!!! You have to check this place out next weekend! They rent out space for private events, have a stage for cover bands/upcoming bands, and more!!! The only reason I don't go 5 stars is there's no food. BUT they allow delivery and BYOF (F for food) read more

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Definitely a pleasant surprise! I stopped up here for a party and had a bit of trouble locating my group because the space was so big. Nonetheless, that's not a bad thing! There's a LOT of room here to gather and plenty of seating. I love the vintage statues and displays throughout the space--tons of places for fun photos. I had an amazing strawberry beer that was on draft, despite being listed under their "coming soon" section. Servers and bartenders here are incredibly kind and do a great job circling through the space to see if anyone needs anything. Though they don't serve food here, they did surprise us with hot pretzels every now and then, so I'm not entirely sure if they'll eventually get a menu of small bites going in the future. Nice hangout for a casual get-together. read more

Worst place ever. The Manager is absolutely trash. He Gives the bar away and does shots with bartenders on the job...rude bartenders (drunk), not clean, and horrible service... place is trash go to Peggys... read more

Arlington Ale House - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

I have been coming here for years and I have never had a real full conversation with the bartenders because I am shy and like to keep to myself and observe. I came in (a few weeks ago now) on a Thursday and... where is the girl??? The one that has been there for at least 2 years??? There was the dude with the bun and two (what looked like) trainees??? I came in the last maybe two or three or weeks and didn't see her. I waited to post this review until I was sure but I asked one of the workers (trainees?) if the other girl with long brown hair was working tonight that usually worked Thursdays was there and he said he didn't know who I was talking about. She was amazing and I wish I was outgoing enough to ask her name. I only come in for a drink or 2 after work. To the owner: if this woman is gone- GET HER BACK!!! She is incredibly aware of her surroundings of people at the bar and the most attentive bartender ive ever seen. Otherwise... the guy with the bun is amazing. The others..... meh.... Also I would like to add that I have never made a google review before but I was talking to my wife about this tonight and she said I should so here I am (because she says "oh reviews by people with no other reviews don't mean anything) and I really want this review to mean something... I did post a review on google but it looks like it's gone??? Did the owner delete it??? read more

My friend and I wanted to grab a few drinks before a dinner reservation (which was hard enough to get since A Heights has made the area into the ultimate alfresco dining headquarters). We tried our luck here as every other restaurant in the area had a half hour wait for 2. We took the elevator to the top and didn't see anyone so we made our way towards the patio. The server who saw us invited us to follow him and gave us our option of any open table. He was super friendly, took our drinks orders and came back promptly. He brought us our drinks in cans but also brought glasses in case we preferred them (a small detail that was greatly appreciated)! There was a nice breeze and it wasn't very loud for being a rooftop setting. A musician seemed to be warming up for some live music which we unfortunately did not stay long enough to enjoy. By the time we were ready to leave there were several parties waiting for a table, so I believe we got lucky with our timing! Although I can't speak for the food, I'm happy with the service we received and the ease of getting in and out. read more

Am at Ale House,they're are downstairs doing Alfesco, come by and get a drink, you can order food from the restaurant, bring it over and get a drinks, open Thursday-Saturday 4-11 read more

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went there to see a band, mixed drinks were 1 oz pours. not looking for them to give the bar away but IMO that is a light pour for $10.00 cocktail read more

They denied me entry into the bar because I have a vertical ID that is from a different state where my ID is valid through 2026. In their policy it states they don't accept vertical IDs however this is not fair for people who just moved here from out of state. This is highly inconsiderate. read more

Came here with a large group to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday. The bar was super cool and the vibe was dope with the live music. We also really enjoyed the roof area, would've been nice if they had servers out there. Drinks were good and the bartenders were kind and prompt. Took 2 stars down because of the pool table situation. There's only 1 pool table and a group of dudes who claimed that they "own" the table. Trying to get them to let my boyfriend play one game for his bday was ridiculous. When I asked the bartender where the sign-up board was for the table she said there wasn't one and walked over to talk to the guys who just lied and said they never said they owned the table. Then the guys harassed my group while they were playing. It was ridiculous and lame. I hope that this bar invests in a sign-up board for the pool table as I would love to come back. read more

I knew this was above metropolis. Or I thought I did, but it wasn't listed among the businesses in the lobby. But don't be fooled! It's there. Head in and take the elevator to 3. The bartender was super nice and welcoming, and invited us to look around. He took great care of us during our stay. It's an interesting place. There's a wraparound layout and if you walk around there are areas with tables, cozy couch seating areas, games, and multiple bars. I went last Sunday, so it was slow as Sundays are and only the one bar was open. I would check out out again. read more

Place makes a solid batch of corn. Should be called the Arlington Corn House. The drinks are a plus too. If you're looking for a good time, good friends, and a solid batch of corn this is your place. This place has the hottest corn action in the northwest suburbs! read more

Arlington Ale House - Solid corn - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

This place was PERFECT for what we needed it for. Specifically: We had just attended a matinee downstairs in the theatre and couldn't decide where to eat for dinner so we wanted to have one drink outside and figure it out. It took us an embarrassingly long time to find the elevator within the theatre building (hello, the elevator door has their logo on it), and once we got upstairs we were confused how to get to the patio, but maybe we were having a stupid day. I got a rye on the rocks with orange (they gave me the last of the bottle without an upcharge) and my husband got a martini - they went through the extra effort of chilling the glass (ice water - nice touch, well done). It was $23 for the two, so pretty expensive for downtown Arlington Heights, but they were good drinks. The two female bartenders were VERY nice - welcoming and smiling. We went out side and played monster Jenga. It's a nice deck, although they were blaring the music at first (syrupy pop) - then they turned it off entirely. It appeared we arrived at the tail end of a graduation party, so that might be why? They would be well served to play better music at a normal decibel. On the way out we stopped in the game room and played some pinball - it's pretty cozy back there. We also liked how they have tons of games out for people to play. So, long story short, we came at a very off time (6 on a sunday), used it for a specific purpose, and enjoyed it. I'd do it again within that context. read more

Arlington Ale House - Monster jenga! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

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This is a great bar: huge! There is plenty of space for any size group and multiple groups at that. Large connect four, video games, arcade games, and even skee ball. The beer selection is standard nothing grandiose. Same with the wine. Food is non existent but you can order from anywhere and have it delivered. During summer there is an outdoor patio . read more

PSA - their id policies are very strict. We attempted to join a library function here on a very slow Tuesday night. Our newly 21 year old daughter had a valid unexpired drivers license that proved she was 21. However it was vertical, so was denied entry. No exceptions. Many other more reasonable local establishments on this block to choose from. read more

Great place! We came here for a drink before dinner and enjoyed it so much we came back after for another!! Great vibe and friendly atmosphere. Bartenders were so friendly and just made us feel right at home. We will def be coming back soon read more

Arlington Ale House - Cold draft - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

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They have decided to charge for water now. If you ask for a cup of ice water, they hand you a bottle of water and then put it on your bill. When stated we didn't want a bottle, just a cup, we were told, "we don't do that anymore." Don't do what? Give free water in a cup. Awful. read more

Loud, definitely for a younger crowd. We didn't stay because we were with a group and wanted to be able to chat

Sorry guys, $7.75 for a Guinness (not even a true pint) is BS! This is Arlington Heights, not the Gold Coast.

Rather small selection of taps for an ale house but It's bottle selection is larger. Weird layout as it's 360 circle walkabout, but each room was not very inviting with an awkward layout. One of the rooms has pinball machines but they are mainly broken. My cousin recommended this place for her bday, but they were playing the worst music for a bar - honestly who thinks Sam Smith is appropriate for a drinking establishment on a Friday night?? I tried to plug the jukebox with more upbeat songs but the bar staff disengaged it to play their weird mood music. Bringing this up to staff they didn't acknowledge my $10 Losch in the TouchTunes machine. Overall I cannot recommend this place. read more

This bar used to be among my favorites, big open space, Arcade games throughout the place...but over the last couple of years I've seen the place slowly turn into a dump with overpriced drinks. We went yesterday to celebrate a friends bday and not only do they charge you for their arcade games but literally all of them don't work. They have a bozo bucket game that charge you $1 on each side for a minute of tries but the balls don't come out like they are supposed to, a shuffle board table with popcorn all over the sides and the pucks you shoot are impossible to stay on, there was a hockey dome game that the puck kept getting stuck under a wire on the side or wouldn't come out, there was a shooting arcade game where one of the 2 guns didn't work. Just total crap, don't charge money for games that don't work, you are stealing from your customers. You have really high drink prices, you don't serve food, and your games don't work. Fix your place up, adjust your prices or close down read more

I don't get this place. My friends and I have tried this place twice and none of us will go back anymore. Our first visit- awful,awful service. It took 25 mins for someone to come over and take our drink order- the place had maybe 6 tables at the time. The concept of ordering your food from another restaurant is stupid. I could order a pizza at home and pick up a 6 pack from the grocery store. My friend had to get up and walk over to the bar to get our bill because the bartender was doing absolutely nothing and couldn't be bothered. The second time we came was in a Saturday night. It was much busier and we expected to wait but this time around it took 45 mins from the time we ordered our drinks to actually receiving them. I ordered a whiskey diet and two things: either it sat for 45 mins and watered itself down or they water their drinks down. It's a good thing we weren't jerks because trying to get the bill was a nightmare again! We could have just left. read more

Owner's description is fairly accurate. If you want a bare bones bar, it's not a bad atmosphere. Not a good place to see a band though. Poor seating will virtually guarantee you standing unless you reserve a group table with strangers. Food? I called to order Pizza downstairs when Triadd played there this weekend and had to go to the can to hear. It's was a hoot trying to order food while someone was violently defecating in one of the stalls. Considering the sounds and smells, I lost my appetite. Thankfully it didn't matter as the Pizza joint said they closed early for their Christmas party. I laughed considering it was a Saturday night at 9:30 and weeks after Christmas. If I had one word to describe this place, it would be "overrated". Enjoy a beer, but definitely pass on seeing any bands and food is marginal if you can get it ordered in. read more

Mary at the back bar is a rockstar. She somehow remembers everyone's drink order and always serves as a professional. Nice to see this at the bar scene these days. A true pleasure read more

Nice venue. I'm not a good one to judge bars since its not my scene, I thought $17.50 was a little high for a mediocre glass of wine and a cider, but maybe that's the going rate? read more

We often go to see the performances at Metropolis so we are very happy this place opened right upstairs. The have quite a long list of beers both on tap and in bottles/cans along with the usual other libations you would find at a bar. Being on the 2nd level they have an excellent view of downtown Arlington from the bar & their rooftop patio. The place is pretty big, too, with a couple party rooms you can reserve for larger gatherings. In addition to several large flatscreen TV's they have some various board games & even a little arcade room. They don't have any food offerings that I'm aware of but we did some one group of folks ordering in some pizza from a local pizza joint. We were there early at 6:30 on a Friday evening and they weren't busy at all yet so I"m not sure how the service is when they are busy. read more

While on a late afternoon stroll through downtown Arlington Heights, we walked past a sign that said "rooftop open". I am a solid fan of rooftop bars, so my husband and I decided to give it a try. This was a Wednesday night, so it wasn't very busy but there definitely were a good handful of clientele around the rooftop. There is a wide selection of beers on tap and bottle/can, and they also have a few of their own brews on tap. I tried their ale and found it delicious. I found there were hints of blueberries in the beer, which I thought was quite refreshing. There are plenty of games (free and paid) available all over the Arlington Ale House, which makes it a wonderful place to grab a few brews and hang out with friends. read more