Old school, no frills--yes fun, un-corporate, low key place to hang with a friendly crowd and…read moretender--better than Cheers!. Old school, dark wood, good ole' bar with plenty of ways to entertain you. Decent selection on tap and in bottles as well as cocktails. Good bar food. Reasonable prices! Come as you are, no one cares. Bottom line: Very low key, decent bang for the buck on refreshments and food, low key crowd, lots of stuff to do.

THE USUAL SUSPECTS…read more This dive bar in Lisle is a haven for townies, which is certainly a vibe. Maple Ave Pub is, unsurprisingly, on Maple Ave just west of Route 53 in the western suburbs of Chicago. I'd estimate I've stopped here close to a dozen times, although a handful of those instances I neglected to check-in on Yelp for fear of my wife seeing it ("I thought you were coming straight home from work....") An older woman's been behind the counter seemingly every time, taking drink orders and making small talk. She's friendly--​moreso with the locals than with me--​and I'll occasionally get called 'hun', 'sweetie', etc, which is endearing. I got way better service from the hot tattooed barkeeps at Brauer House in Lombard, however. To be perfectly honest, I've never eaten anything here. The wings look like they might pass muster, though there's a few items that raise an eyebrow (clam chowder at a dive bar? thanks, I'll pass). Possum Pub in Melrose Park had surprisingly good food, and it was a major dive, so perhaps I ought to give the grub here a shot sometime. They have several pool tables, a Big Buck Hunter, Golden Tee, dart board, boxing machine, and pair of pinball machines; as of 6/19/24 they've got a Star Trek premium (Stern, 20​13) and JAWS (Stern, 2024). In the past they had Oktoberfest (American Pinball, ​2018), Fish Tales (Williams, 1992), and a stunning Circus Voltaire (Bally, 1997). Last week, the A/C wasn't working so this place was SWELTERING on one of the hottest days of the year. Normally I stick around for a couple pints and 2-3 games of pinball, but it was so toasty inside (worse than outside) I only played 1 game and skipped the beer completely. There were no fans on, either. * TL;DR * Dive bars are all well and good, but maybe it's time I found a new spot to hit up for a cheap domestic pint. Over the years I've gotten a handful of looks that can be described as quizzical at best, and dirty at worst. I've been ignored by the bartender numerous times--with cash in hand, mind you--while she's chatting away with regulars, as I'm standing there absolutely parched. I want to like Maple Ave Pub, but the feeling doesn't seem mutual. If it weren't for the pinball tables, I probably wouldn't return.

We just love The Bavarian Lodge, and every time we go, we say, "we need to come here more often!"…read moreSo much old world goodness, comfort food! Sausages are great! Love the mashed and the way they cook up their sauerkraut! We often get weinerschnitzel, and have tried a variety of toppings. My favorite is "Hunter Schnitzel." The smell, the warmth, the decor', and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves! Our server was fantastic!! And the prices are really quite reasonable! Desserts are yummy too! But we had to take out to enjoy at home, because we were too full!

Cozy neighborhood spot great for family and friends meet up…read more The ambiance and cuisine are perfect for a cold Chicago day and offer a good value for dinner plate options. I have tried a few things off the menu but have found the schnitzel is the best. I have also grown fond of their liver dumpling soup and extensive* draft beer selection.

If you're looking for a true neighborhood pub experience, Jackson Avenue Pub is definitely worth…read morechecking out. The restaurant itself is very small, with a bar and just a handful of tables, but that's part of its charm. It genuinely feels like the kind of pub you'd stumble into while traveling outside the U.S. Thankfully, we were lucky enough to walk in and find a table ready for us. My wife and I started with the pretzels and beer cheese appetizer, which was a delicious way to kick things off. For our entrees, I went with the fried pickle burger, while my wife ordered the buffalo chicken wrap. The burger was perfectly juicy, and honestly, it was one of the best, if not the best, burgers I've had in Naperville. The buffalo chicken wrap was very good as well, with a nice kick from the buffalo sauce. Overall, Jackson Avenue Pub has that cozy, authentic pub atmosphere that's hard to find, along with some really tasty food. Definitely a spot we'd come back to!

We were in the area after spending about three hours at the DuPage Children's Museum, and by then…read morewe were starving. Luckily, this burger spot was only a block away. I was even more excited after finding out it had been nominated for one of the best burgers in Naperville, I'm always up for a great burger. The restaurant is located in the heart of downtown Naperville. Parking can be challenging, but we visited on a weekday between 2 and 3 p.m., so we were able to find a spot without much trouble. When we walked in, we seated ourselves since there wasn't a hostess. Although the restaurant looks small from the outside, the layout is well designed, so it never felt cramped. Our server was friendly, attentive, and impressively efficient. She was handling both serving and bartending duties with only one food runner helping, yet she still provided excellent customer service. One thing I really appreciated was the ability to customize your burger by choosing your preferred protein and bun. My wife ordered the Cowboy Burger. It was good, but I definitely enjoyed my burger more. I went with the Diablo Burger, and it did not disappoint. The 1/2 pound beef patty was cooked perfectly juicy, well-seasoned, and full of flavor. The roasted jalapeños and sriracha sauce added just the right amount of heat, while the bacon and fried egg brought even more richness and texture. The toasted pretzel bun held everything together beautifully. Taking that first bite and watching the creamy egg yolk run down the burger made every bite even more satisfying. My wife and I left very happy with our meal. Whenever we're back in the Naperville area, we've already agreed that this place will definitely be on our list to visit again.

The food is delicious at crosstown pub and Grill. The service is great with Peter and Madeline and…read moreLexi. They were very knowledgeable. Very nice. I recommend this place highly

We were looking for a new place to try that was close to home, and after consulting yelp, we…read moredecided to try Crosstown Pub. We went on Super Bowl Sunday the first time, and were seated right away. Our waitress, Ciera, explained the specials to us and gave us some time to decide on our order. She was great, the right mix of attentiveness but not hovering, super friendly too. On Sundays, apps, crocks, and salads are all half off. Such an amazing deal, especially in this economy. My husband really enjoyed their devils eggs, he ate all 12! The appetizer sampler was great, and we ordered 10 wings with the devils sauce. Ciera was concerned it may be too spicy for us, so we tried a sample with some fries. It's delicious! The devils sauce is one of the components of the wing challenge, so we understand her concern. We went back again on Valentine's Day for a late stop after a busy day. They have a $5 burger and fry special. Again, great food at a great price! Ciera waited on us again, and again, she was incredible. The bartender was very friendly when we were coming and going, and the rest of the staff we saw on Super Bowl Sunday seemed very hard working as they prepped take out orders for the game. They have a great space in the dining area to host events. I'm hoping to host something here in the near future. Overall, I think we've found our new go to hang out. I highly recommend Crosstown. Check out their menu and daily specials, the food is definitely worth the visit.

The best cheeseburger Iv'e had in a long time!! Love the homemade chips, but wish they only put…read moresalt on them. Please consider skipping the sugar. Thank you! :))

Not very busy considering there was not 1 but 2 street fairs going on nearby. E wanted to sit…read moreoutside but there was no sign of a waiter or host. I had to track someone down to make sure we'd get our order taken. Even then service was slow. My friend loved the chicken boxy. My husband thought his Rueben was average. My fish was very nicely cooked and crunchy but had little flavor. Not sure if go back

Been driving past Sammy's Pub & Grill for a while and today decided to try it!…read more I ordered a large pizza half cheese and half veggie for pickup - the customer service was friendly and efficient. The grille is half pizza place and half bar - nice ambiance! Pizza was fresh and delicious! Definitely recommend this place to all in Lisle.

Great pizza!! Like the kind you got from a mom & pop shop in the 70's…read more Crunchy crust, vibrant sauce and a nice fresh cheese blend to top it all off. Toppings are good but just cheese is the best!

Best Broasted chicken around here! Way better than fried!…read moreGreat service by a fantastic staff!

Shanahan's is located at the end of a strip mall. When you enter, there is a front section and a…read moreback section. In the front section is a bar, seating, and small stage. In the back is another bar, seating, and slot machines. Definitely not an upscale place. That being said, their jalapeno popper appetizer and BBQ bacon burger were great! I was stuffed afterward. Their fries were also yummy. Service was friendly and quick. Will definitely be back!

I had an amazing time here at Roadhouse 38. The food was just super tasty and fresh. The service…read morewas respectful and very hardworking. The ambiance was cool and very laid-back. 5 stars!

Asked for hamburger to be medium but arrived very well done on a burnt bun. Fries had a peculiar…read moretaste. If they were seasoned, should have been advised. Had to leave first table as it needed to be cleaned, sticky. Not a pleasant lunch.

Loved this place!! The big pretzel was a hit and so funny…read moreto see on the table. The food was top tier too. Our server was so friendly and bubbly and she had us laughing. The live music was a cool touch. Downside: the high tops outside are so small for four people and all the drinks and plates.

Great Food, Service & Atmosphere! Don't forget the Guinness…read moreBeer! Seating is plentiful. Besides a ton of parking is just across the street.