When you walk in you can smell the food cooking. Especially if they are making sausage sandwiches. And damn they are good. Sundays they have build your own bloody bar where you are provided a generous half glass of vodka and ice to start your creation. The only thing I would have liked to see were some pickled mushrooms, but they had a couple kinds of olives, asparagus,okra and pickles so I was happy anyway. Also some horseradish to spice it up. Your mixer was a spicy Clamato and it was delish. Also got a HUGE order of pepper jack cubes and I don't know what kind of magical breading is on them but they stayed warm for a long time , making it so nice to munch on them dipped in ranch. The photo is showing HALF of them gone. I mean WOW !! All in all we will totally be back. Missed breakfast by a few minutes but if it is half as good as it looked cooking in front of us and how it smelled we will be in for a treat. Prices are great as well. Is it a divey bar? Yep. But those are the best !!! read more

Bears Den - HALF of the pepper jack cubes. The order was immense !!! - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Illinois

Classic joint. Family owned and run by a great family. Ask for the Cecilia Special (not on the menu). You won't be disappointed.

From the outside this place doesn't look like much. My uncle and aunt treated me to lunch here. When you first walk inside, you get that odor of stale beer, stale grease and right away it feels like a dive bar. It's dark, its tiny. I had little expectations for the food. But then. I was shocked - Shocked! - to learn that they had tuna. Not tuna salad though ... yellow fin tuna steak sandwiches!!!! What!? You had me at yellow fin! I couldn't resist the pepper Jack cheese poppers. They were served with ranch dressing. HOLY COW. They are dang good. Melty and spicy. Crispy on the outside. Then the tuna arrives. I ordered medium rare and it was juicy and cooked to perfection. I still couldn't believe I got this sandwich at this bar. It was delicious. Served with potato chips. Just describing this sandwich makes me want to go drive over there and get another one. Super nice people work here too. The cook made this sriracha and ranch sauce that was amazing. The fuzzy bears dressed in Bears jerseys are cute. I had to get a picture of course. DAAAAA BEARSSSSS read more

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Love the sausage sandwich, the people are friendly and the food is good , not much to look at from outside but I'm not here to look

My husband has been there a few times with his coworker and he can't say enough good things about this place. He loves the sausage sandwich.? And the ambience Last week he brought me home polantics tenderloin, which is always good and onion rings. They were very good. He will definitely be back. read more

Great Sausage Burger! Super fresh Bun and all the trimmings make a huge difference! Great service to boot. Can't wait to try the Chicken sandwich. Thanks John read more

Sausage sandwich was on point! A must try! Would definitely stop by next time I'm in town! Might have to get up to get your drinks at the bar but it's a bar. It's expected. read more

The worst place ever the service was terrible I understand when your busy but when your standing in front of me look up and say I'm busy I'll be right with you but do not ignore me like I'm not there !!!! And the food was terrible!!! Would never go back!!!! read more

This is local staple of the small village of Naplate just outside Ottawa Illinois; Check the foot ball schedule becasue if the bears are playing this place is standing room only. The out side isn't much to look at, but once you walk in you know you found something special, a decent selection of beers on tap and a full bar, the absolute best part about this place is that if the door is open the grill is on! The icon of this establishment is the sausage burger 1/2 lbs of sausage served up as a burger, I prefer to top mine off with pepper jack cheese as the sausage has a bit of spice to it. The restaurant it self is up a few stairs so keep that in mind when bringing anyone who might have a disability. I have never had a bad draft beer out here however I can not say the same for the fountain drinks which turn out to be flat more often than not, due to that I am unable to deliver a 5 star review. read more

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This restaurant is a perfect example of the hole in the wall type place that serves the greatest food you'll ever eat. I've had their homemade sausage sandwich, garlic chicken, and burgers. Each are out of this world. Just make sure you order at the bar and don't be afraid to ask if they aren't waiting on you. They're friendly, it's just not run like a typical restaurant. read more

Great burgers, fantastic Garlic Chicken sandwich. Huge portions with chips. A bit better than standard bar food. The tap is cold, though they were out of Coors that day...But I like the hidden nature of this bar. A beer garden in back. Jukebox. Just remember to bring your cash! The ATM has a $3 charge. read more

As far as dive bars go this place is king. The beer and alcohol are inexpensive. They have a sausage sandwich that is awesome! It's like a hamburger but instead of beef it's ground sausage patty. Make sure you ask for the jalapeno relish on the side, it's a must. If your on a bike ride going to Starved Rock State Park or going fishing on the Illinois river stop in and give it a try. read more

Food is your standard Sysco slop. Service is extremely slow and inattentive. Price/portions represent a poor value. And the bathrooms are nasty. No reason for me to ever eat here again. read more

I always get the sausage combo when I come here it never disappoints Bloody Marys are on point also I could drink those all day

Best bar food around!!!! Get a sausage burger, they are the best you will ever have. Service is friendly too.

The place looks like a hole in the wall dive bar but the food is outstanding!! The sausage sandwich cheeseburger and garlic chicken sandwich.... really amazing everytime I go... the Guy behind the bar sucked but the foods good enough to keep coming back read more

Went there last night for the grizzly challenge ...... Holy cow too much food for me....didnt do it but I got the sausage sandwich and it was awesome!!!!!! Great service good price. I will stop there again if I make it up that way again. read more

I highly recommend the Garlic Chicken! The owners are so amazing to help out the community especially after the recent tornado! This is one of my favorite places to go. read more

After stopping at another local bar we stopped here. This was at least more friendly than the last place. If you like dive bars this is your place. read more

One of those times when I wish you could give zero stars. We were treated by our server like absolute garbage. Never was any drink refilled, food took forever to get to the table, and she never returned, not even to deliver the check! We had to go up to the bar and ask for it. We were given some random total by the bartender with no check or receipt to look over. The funny thing is that everyone at the table was a server so we treat other servers extremely well. I was shocked by how poor this experience was. read more

There have been a few poor experiences in my dining life but this place was the worst. Absolutely terrible, inattentive, and trashy staff, combined with high prices and horrible food made for a complete disappointment of an otherwise nice Sunday afternoon. read more

Great burger, wifes chicken not done, sent it back and came back rubbery. Not recommend