Food was very good, I wish the mushrooms were fresh. Fries were hot and flavorful just how I prefer. Beer was cold and nice selection of tap beers. Service was above average. Great pub atmosphere! read more

Enjoyed the outside patio on this nice, warm, sunny day with some friends for a quick moment before we headed to our main event for the evening. The patio is a little tight with the positioning of the tables, but we made it work. Any place that pours a great makers and coke is ok with me, plus they had my Stella on tap! The bartender was a nice guy. I will return soon to try the food. read more

Every time I've been here the waiters and waitresses have been incredibly rude. I'm not sure what is going on in the water over there, but they all look extremely unhappy and it feels like you are an inconvenience to them. I wanted to like this place because I live so close, but it's just not pleasant because of the staff. However, the patio seating is nice. The food is verryyyy average. read more

Huh, I thought for sure that I had reviewed this bar years ago. I keep this joint in my back pocket for all those times when I'm in the area and just need "somewhere." Surprisingly, hardly anyone has ever heard of Brehon Pub, but it's a great low-key placeholder/time-killer/group-appeaser type of bar. Come here when you want to avoid (or escape) the crowds or the pretension or the cheese of other downtown locales. Marking time between theater matinee and dinner reservation, waiting out a rainstorm, meeting an eclectic group for an evening out, grabbing one more drink before calling it a night...you know, that type of place. Friday and Saturday nights are no problem--active enough to be fun, but not rowdy, with plenty of seats and a noise level that allows you to converse (or hear the TV). You're still in the 60610, though--so perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised on my last visit when a Bushmills and a coffee with Bailey's set me back $15.25. read more

so its a bar. nothing really all that fancy. They have daily specials, and we go there on Friday to get our liquid lunch. personally I like the friday special, its a buffalo chicken sandwich and vodka shots (I got the pineapple one which tasted rather synthetic). But good value, my bill was $12. Oh and the sandwich comes with a generous side of chips or tater tots. The place itself is rather dark, lots of wood and definitely irish. Not too many people care how you look and act. simple and non complicated bar. read more

I love this place. Walking past you wouldn't know that this place has: 1. Amazing Staff - each person I interacted with was smiling and nice. Not something you can overlook at a dive-ish bar in River North. 2. A great beer selection - options for days and some stand-bys too. 3. Decent food - I ordered the mussels and they were awesome (more on that below). 4. TVs aplenty - Pick a corner, any corner, they have a TV set-up for you to enjoy. The main reason I will go back to Brehon, early and often, is that I ordered the mussels, which again, were very very good. When I got to the bottom I noticed that a number of them were not open...and hence not smart to eat. I was bordering on full anyway and threw in the towel. 2 minutes later a manager (or owner perhaps?) came over and noticed that there were a number of unopened shells and she ordered an entire new plate to be sent out to me. Completely unnecessary, completely out of the blue and completely respected and enjoyed. Class Act by this place. You've earned a customer for life. Cant say enough about how positive I feel after this move. Great little pub (even without the mussel-gate incident). Thank you!! read more

Stopped by here the other night for a casual evening. Brehon's is a neighborhood place with a friendly staff and predictable food. I am told by my Irish friend that I went with, that Brehon means judge which makes sense since the place is owned by a couple of lawyers! The place is broken up into a bar area and a restaurant area. We chose to sit and eat at the bar and talk to Cameron, the friendly bar tender. Started with a couple of martinis- not exactly what they probably get requests for, but the glass was chilled and it was a good pour. No blue cheese olives, though! I'm guessing that most people order one of their many beers on tap or in bottles. As for food- we were out to satisfy our need for bar food. Since we had both spent part of our lives in Wisconsin- any bar that offers deep fried cheese curds is okay in my book. We also had their Reuben sandwich and a Kobe burger based on the bartender's recommendation. The burger was definitely the better choice! They forgot to put the sauerkraut on the Reuben and it was a bit dry. Next time, I think I'll try the pulled pork sandwich. The fries were good, though. Prices are very reasonable. Stop by, have a beer, grab a burger. This place isn't fancy, but you feel at home on your very first visit. read more

Good PubGrub and well-made drinks. FOOD: I've only had the fries and the macaroni and cheese but the Mac was awesome. Very cheesy, and the shrimp are seasoned well. For the difference in price, I didn't think the number of shrimp was quite worth it. I'll get the regular Mac next time and ask for a little old bay seasoning on it. PRICING/ SPECIALS: Their food is reasonably priced, but I definitely think the specials are much more worth the money. Either way, You get decent portions, so the regular prices are still justifiable. DRINKS: Drinks are pretty normal here, the bartender (the lady who is usually there with the blondeish bob) makes the drinks strong, and if you watch her, she adds a little "bloop!" Splash more of liquor when she's done pouring it. ATMOSPHERE: I usually go on Thursdays, and the atmosphere ranges from pretty tame/quiet to a bit louder with local students from chicago portfolio school. Dimly lit bar with dark wood and brass accents. read more

Brehon Pub - Macaroni and Shrimp - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is my "go to" spot for amazing Mac 'n Cheese. They have the largest selection and big portions and it's fresh, creamy and delicious. So far I've tried the Bacon Mac 'n Cheese and the Mac 'n Cheese with a side of chili and both were outstanding. This is a local tavern and I've only been here during lunch time so not very busy - that means you get served, in and out in quick fashion. The bartender/server is always fast and efficient. I think the prices are reasonable for what you get - especially for a River North location like this. read more

Solid place, one side is a busy bar and the other is more low key with a pool table. We were hungry after a comedy show and most other places were full so we stumbled upon this place and really enjoyed it! The quesadilla is exactly what it sounds like, and the bacon Mac was a good portion and had a smoky flavor. Would come back again! read more

Brehon Pub - Spinach and artichoke quesadilla with chicken - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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It's a comfy neighborhood bar where you can chill out and watch a game or just meet up with friends for a couple of frosty bevvies. Beware of bartenders who are generous with the liquor! :) Parking isn't great, but then again you shouldn't be drinking and driving anyway. Be responsible and take a cab so you can enjoy yourself. read more

Great spot with a great vibe! Classic pub food and good selection of drinks. Sweet potato tots are always a good side to add on to a burger or sandwich. read more

Love the atmosphere, food and service! Long time favorite of my husband's and I! Great place to hang out with friends or for a casual night out. read more

Solid neighborhood bar, an Oasis of sorts among the clubs and high end restaurants of the area. Pool table, (plastic) darts, and golden tee make for plenty of diversions while enjoying your libations and mingling with the generally outgoing denizens that darken the doors of this old school Chicago establishment. The food is the biggest pleasant surprise here, great burgers that go above and beyond standard pub fare. read more

Buffalo mac and cheese is so creamy! So good! Bacon cheddar buffalo was a bit greasy. read more

Brehon Pub - Buffalo mac & cheese - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Awesome wings,tots, and French dip. Our server was great. Fast delicious lunch at a neighborhood pub founded in 1980. read more

Brehon Pub - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Do not! get the Caesar Salad: terribly underwhelming and frankly inedible I kept adding salt and pepper but to no avail. There is a weird addition to a Caesar Salad: some type of spongy white tofu cheese? No flavor to the dressing at all... Do! Get the fried pretzel that is delicious and perfect appetizer! Dips are perfect Do! Get the wings, crispy and flavorful, tasty and with the tots is a great combination. Do! Get the sliders I think they are perfect for an app or a meal, love the classic pub slider. Great place to drink... (avoid that Salad tho) and smash on some of the hot foods. read more

I'm torn on this one. It has the appearance on the outside of being a quaint place. The inside let me down a bit. Plastic tip darts in an Irish bar? The neon beers signs on the inside give the place a bad look and then the music. I was there last weekend and it was like I walked into a hip hop club. In an Irish bar? Ugh! Tried some appetizers which were just awful. I'm pretty sure that the Irish nachos use bacon bits instead of real bacon and the cheese couldn't be anymore bland. The Cajun shrimp tasted like frozen shrimp tossed in buffalo sauce. The Tex-Mex egg rolls were really doughy. On the upside, the bacon and egg burger was pretty tasty. All in all, I really wanted to like this place a lot more, but they just fall short in too many ways. read more

I challenge anyone to find a better steak sandwich in this city at any price. It is their special on Thursday and my wife and I have been getting it for 2 years. The best every time, the best anywhere period. read more

Stopped here for quick bite and a brew. Was a little hesitant when we got here, but the food was delicious! And the service was great. We would come here again. Great pub grub! Nice surprise in this neighborhood. read more

The food was surprisingly good. The service was great. AND they put lemon on the water... at a pub! Had a great time. Oh and they know how to pour a Guinness! read more

Still the best bar ever! Happy it's back and Jen the bartender is amazing, hardworking, and is such a caring person! Love this spot forever! Best food too! read more

In town visiting from out of state and went here because it's the only place around that has a pool table. Definitely a hidden gem if you like a relaxed environment. Wasn't crowded on a Saturday night, staff was great, and got to chill out after a long day without any loud obnoxious music. Defiantly a must go to spot, pool table is in great shape. read more

Once you walk past all of the pretentious River North bars where the patrons are sipping expensive cocktails and looking down their nose at everybody, you will find Brehon Pub. Brehon is nothing special. It's just a plain old bar with a little sidewalk patio, some decent beer specials, and pub grub. The bartender pours a strong vodka and tonic and if you happen to get lucky you can wobble over to the Howard Johnson's across the street. read more

Since there were quite a few people sitting outside Brehon's on Saturday I thought it would be a fine place to stop for a brew and a burger. We went through the front door to check it out and there seemed to be a lot of regulars chilling up front. It was hard to tell who worked here so we finally ended up FOLLOWING the waiter (well I think he was). Literally, it felt like we were chasing this guy to another section of the bar and we just wanted to see if it was OK to sit outside. He ignored us. In another attempt, we asked the bartender if we could "sit anywhere" or just "go outside." He shrugged and said, "I don't know." Standing, stupefied in the middle of the bar area, I noticed that one of the regulars was a dog (or maybe it was his first visit, he didn't say). I am usually fine with sharing my bar time with a canine friend as long as he or she is well behaved, not vicious, etc. Whatever. And I usually am not a germ-freak at all but when I spotted a giant puddle on the floor next to this dog, my appetite vanished. Was it pee? Did it matter?!? I mean, if I even thought it even MIGHT be pee. . ick ick ick! In a moment of clarity, I looked at Mike and said, "Let's just go." No arguments there. read more

A chill neighborhood bar in an area that doesn't have many. Brehon is one of the only fake Irish places you can go to in River North you won't want to punch at least a few people in the face. (ahem Barleycorn cough Ocallahan's) You're also more than likely going to have a place to sit down so there's that too. The staff is super friendly, the drinks are cheap, and there's plenty of entertainment to play on. (Golden Tee, Pool, Darts, Digital Jukeboxes) Food is quite tasty with an Irish/American influence, but if you're just drinking and munching make sure to try the Irish nachos. They're a must. Overall a solid spot that I plan to keep poppin' into. read more

Lunch on the patio sounded like a wonderful idea. It was a beautiful sunny day with plenty of tables open. Checked in the bar for outside seating - no one around to care really - and went to sit outside. We waited about 15 minutes until we got menus and drink orders. Not a great way to start out. A co-worker and I were not in a big rush on a nice Friday afternoon so time was not a big issue. With one waitress covering the whole patio seemed a bit ridiculous based on the number of tables. About 40 minutes for 2 sandwiches to come out and she checked on us on roughly 20 minutes intervals. No water refills. Just felt she was a bit bogged down. As for the food...the Mahi Mahi sandwich was a kind of shrug your shoulders response or bland in other words. Two others joined us for a beer and pointed out - the Mahi Mahi was your first mistake - if you can't hear the ocean don't order fish. I agree it was a mistake for an Irish pub or for any pub. I should have grabbed a burger. Co-worker ordered the Cobb sandwich which looked much more appetizing. Sandwiches and burgers are fairly priced. Drink specials were 4 dollar bottles of Amstel Light and Heineken. This made me wonder how much they were regularly...$5.75. Ouch. I know it's River North so I can't bitch that much. But when the draughts are nearing the price of menu items its hard for me to swallow. Overall I don't think I will be coming back to Brehon for lunch...unless someone else offers to pay. And on a side note don't go outside the boundaries of pub fare because you will be disappointed. read more

I live in Rogers Park and, as such, I feel like I know a neighborhood bar. My friend lives in River North and, as such, can offer me no places of comfort near her house. Chili's can scratch a certain itch but it's a rare one. We wandered half-frozen into Brehon the other night and I was so pleasantly surprised I'm looking forward to going back. This is really, truly a neighborhood bar stuck right in the middle of too many name brands and thank god. A great atmosphere, the patrons know how to sit around and publicly be social, and the selection of beer on tap is really great. And the price is right too. I didn't give it five stars because I think any neighborhood bar worth its salt might be a little annoyed at a shiny, five-star review. So, this is a *symbolic* four star for a great, comfortable place right smack in the middle of an area that I think often takes itself way to seriously. Well done. read more

Ordered the Friday special: Buffalo Chicken sandwich with fries for $7.95 , good deal. However I upgraded to their Mac n Cheese as my side. Smart choice, creamy and cheesy shells keep bringing me back to this place! read more

Brehon Pub - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Casual Pub usually a bit a short staffed at the bar but they work hard and the food comes out fast when you order. Wednesdays offer $5 sliders during Happy Hour, low on cost and big on taste. It's definitely an easy choice . Check my post on Instagram at @T_lovesfood read more

Brehon Pub - $5 Happy House Slider. Instagram @T_lovesfood for more delights - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Nothing overwhelmingly great about this place but it's a nice spot to meet up with friends after work. $4 well drink specials on Tuesday and different specials throughout the week, nice size bar and it wasn't crowded. Tip: if you're about to die from sweltering temperatures outside sit at a table in the seat next to the wall. The vent or whatever it is will cool you down instantly. you're welcome. read more

I've been coming to Brehon for five years now and cannot believe I've been remiss to write a review. There's a lot of great things about this place and a few bad ones... I come here fairly regularly with co-workers and friends for happy hour because it is a very chill atmosphere compared with other River North spots and you can usually find a place to sit. One of my favorite things about Brehon is their food. All of their appetizers are great for sharing and are delicious. Favorites are the bruschetta, Irish nachos, and cheese curds. If I'm going to go for a meal I always go with their chicken fingers. They have four great sauces to choose from and they never disappoint. The only downside for me at Brehon is the service. I was here recently and there were very few other people in the bar but it was extremely difficult to get a drink. We consistently had to track down our waitress and ask her for a drink. It was pretty frustrating, especially since she did not have many other parties to wait on. I would've been more than happy to go to the bar and order my drinks had they had that kind of set up. Nevertheless I really like Brehon and I plan to keep coming back, if I encounter better service on my next few visits I'll definitely amend this review. read more

After a great greenfest experience, there was no better way to cap that then by hitting up Brehon for a meal. Actually, we just kind of picked this place on a whim. There is actually two sides to this place and we somehow had an entire side to ourselves. I had a portabella sandwich which was decent and combined that with totts. Actually, I think our entire table ordered totts and really we might have went through an entire sack of potatoes in the process. Just an FYI for all the tott lovers out there, if you get the totts as an appetizer, it is a heaping basket that could be a meal for some people. The pictures on the wall are cool and the service was solid as well. read more

I've been here about half a dozen times, I live nearby and I met my boyfriend there the first time I went. I keep wanting love it due to location, darts, pool, beer... It seems like it would be the perfect neighborhood bar. Except its not. On more than one occasion it's just smelled really terrible. The service has completely sucked everyone I've been. The food is so-so bar food. Once I even got cold food and the place wasn't even busy. Did I mention service is terrible? You'll wait forever for drinks no matter how packed or empty the bar. And they're rude. Like you're inconveniencing them if the have to actually serve you. Once I couldn't even find anyone to pay and then she tried to say I'd given her a $10 for my one beer when I'd actually handed her a $20 and didn't even offer me change. Had to wait again to tell her to give me my money back! Oh I almost forgot. We tried to go here with some friends once to watch a Beard game at noon and even though the website said the bar opens at 11 we couldn't get it at noon because the bartender hadn't shown up yet, as we were told by the dishwasher. We had to go somewhere else and miss part of the game. It was so embarrassing because I'd suggested the place. I should have known better but like I said, I keep wishing this was the perfect neighborhood bar. read more

I have finally found my neighborhood dive and I love it. Objectively, its not a dive, but when compared to all the yuppie establishments in River North, it's the closest we get. This is my kind of bar. A simple, no-nonsense pub, that will take you in any state of dress or undress. Last time I was here, it was a group of us coming back from paintballing, still in our sweaty and muddy clothes. Try finding another establishment in River North that would take you like that. I've never found the place crowded, and its always easy to find a table or place at the bar. Great selection of beers (Left Hand's Milk Stout may be my new obsession), and they pour a stiff drink as well for a reasonable price. Standard pub grub, which hits the spot. It can be a bit hit or miss-the toasted rav was sub-par (compared to original STL style), but the Irish nachos are a great greaseball of fun. read more

I went last night(Saturday, and it was pretty dead, considering we were there til close! The bartenders were really nice and they have popcorn for free if you ask!! There was enough seating, but I'm not sure how it would be if it were more crowded. I don't love crowded bars, so I guess it hit the spot. There were, however, a shit ton of creepy guys there, and my girlfriends and I, despite being around OUR guy friends still got touched my creepy guys sitting right behind us. They had darts in the back and 2 outta 5 clean-scale male and female bathrooms. read more

Sorry, Brehon. You just got bumped down to 1 star. Why? Because you took way too damn long. My wonderful boyfriend surprised me for lunch, and we went to Brehon (1 block from office) thinking it would be a quick, convenient option. Unfortunately, our absent-minded waitress was exceptionally slow for everything - forgot to bring waters, 2 burgers took forrrr.ev.er. and just generally not attentive service. In her defense, I think she was trying to take care of the entire place - still, that shouldn't be our problem. After all that, the food was lackluster, borderline blah, tots not as great as I remember, and just nothing worth coming back for. * I did love and appreciate the Halloween decor - bravo! read more

Just up the street from the office, our group decided to give Brehon Pub a try. The burgers are pretty good, but the check splitting policy (no more than 3 checks) is absurd, so as a group I won't suggest going here again. In terms of the food, I got a hamburger with eggs and bacon. Once again I don't think it's possible to find a bad burger in River North; the patty was cooked perfectly medium, and the eggs were deliciously runny while the bacon was also wonderfully crisp. I ordered tater tots instead of fries, which were cooked a bit on the long side, but they weren't bad either; just more crunchy than usual. And they go really well with the burger. Then problems came at the end of the meal, when the 8 of us typically throw our cards in and split the check 8-ways. If literally every other restaurant in River North that I've been to can handle this and Brehon can't, that's a dealbreaker for coming with a group. Eventually the bill was settled when everyone who had Chase agreed to QuickPay... accidentally paying the tip twice because we didn't realize tip was included. So overall it's another good burger in River North. Just take it to go. read more

Brehon is the best bar in River North hands down. Irish bar with good prices, great food, and better entertainment. The staff is always a pleasure and will go above and beyond if you're tipping well. Dart board and a pool table make this a great place to go even when there isn't a game on. read more

This is our home bar for pool league on Tuesday nights. Everyone that has gone in to play pool with us loves it. They have a backroom with a pool table, a jukebox, and decent prices for the area. Their salads are pretty large and definitely filling. Happy Hour specials can be pretty good as well. The place does not get overly packed (unless there is a private party) which is a plus if you want to chat and they have enough tv's to watch the game if you that is what you are into. read more

Brehon Pub - Turkey Cobb salad :) - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois