Amazing pub with some of the best bar food downtown at a reasonable price. The stuff is great too. Fantastic weekly specials too.

Solid 4 stars--enough to get me there twice in one week. I work and live nearby, so I was surprised to spot this little gem of a neighborhood bar hidden in plain sight. Never even knew it even existed. It looked cool, so I checked out its website and put it on the pub crawl list for St. Paddy's Day. Was a very good-sized crowd, but not packed like sardines. We were enjoying cold pints of Guinness, green Jello shots and the jukebox without being elbowed by Lincoln Park fratdaddies. Not only that, the servers were all very nice. I don't know about you, but if I were working that day, I'd be surly as hell. Everyone had a smile. A pleasant change. I noticed they had lunch specials on their website, so I dragged some coworkers down for the Wednesday pulled pork lunch. Well, I'm not a bonafide Texan, but I did live there for a decade, and I must say this is damn fine pulled pork. The tots were terrific, and the price can't be beat. Everything came out pretty quickly. We even won over my own ornery coworker who likes nothing. The dude would eat Subway every day of his life if we didn't stop him. Now, I'm generally pretty oblivious--I mean, I didn't see this bar for a year and a half of residing near it--but I didn't notice the daily lunch specials posted outside or inside, or even on the menus. I bet this place could bring in more folks if they were well-displayed on a chalk board outside. I had to find them on their website, and who really goes to websites these days? Anyway, thumbs up. To this bar. Not to me being totally oblivious. read more

I went there for st Patrick's day It was chill. I had the Shepard pie in honor of the holiday, although I was intrigued by the sloppy joe. I love sloppy Joe's!!! But alas, it was st Patrick's day and I went the Irish route. Service was quick and the portion size was plentiful. I ate as much as I could and took the rest home and ate it for breakfast the next day. I liked the pictures on the wall and the history this place had. Great place. Glad I went. read more

This used to be my regular bar way back when the whole place was only half the size and the only food they served was microwave popcorn and frozen pizza which they heated up in a toaster oven. Oh, and I think they had hot dogs at lunch time. Anyway, I didn't care, because this was our bar. It was hardly ever crowded (except on St. Patty's day when it was almost impossible to move), but we always had a great time here. Maybe I'm just a stick-in-the-mud, but I definitely preferred this place when it was smaller and slightly more intimate, although I've gone back a few times since, and I can't lie, I still love it here. It's got a great low key vibe, cool people, and all the Wildfire employees still hang out here. It may not be one of the best bars in Chicago, but it's one of my favorites. read more

smaller, comfortable corner bar located about three blocks from the court for administrative hearings (400 w superior), which was the reason for my visit. two doors, the main entrance off wells and a small side door on superior. street parking all around. if you walk in the windows storefront on well, you almost immediately notice wood, the floors, bars stools, high tables & bar rail. the ceiling are appropriately painted, green stamped tiles. a nice touch includes brown painted molding that separates the green ceiling from the yellow walls. on the south wall are five 4-person high tables. the wood stools & tables are well worn and can squeak, but again comfortable. over the tables are long vertical rectangular windows. the north wall includes the long bar divided in half by a through way. 8-10 chairs on the west side and 10-12 on the east side. bar top is laminate, while the rail is wooden and shaped in a traditional manner. good, wide boxed foot rest. the bar back though is perfect. over the west side are cabinets and a cooler, nice but northing too great. over the west side though, is a great wooden decorated arch. inside the arch is a large mirror and liquor shelves. larger hdtvs throughout make this a good place to catch the game. the music is typically younger rock. decor is irish & chicago sports, primarily hockey (the Cup has visited). plastic dartboards & cigarette machines towards the rear. food and service are both very good. visit was during the day, but decided to come back later and brehon turns into a neighborhood bar, though note the neighborhood is young, artist, etc. great place with a fun vibe. though before & after dark are both fun, best time to spend time at brehon is during the afternoon/late afternoon when the sun is shining through the side & from windows. read more

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Went here for a quick drink after work. It wasn't a great day for me. So I needed some good beer to make my happy feet dance. Met some friends, and had some brew. Variety of choices of domestic beer. Not a lot offered in tap. Which was disappointing. Our bartendar wasn't very friendly, and he didn't check on us. We had to hunt him down to get some refills. I think another person was trying to get the attention from the barback to get the bartendar, and the dude gave the guy the "bird" Oh my. Had a salad. Wasn't impressed. It stated that there was taco meat in the taco salad. All I recieved was a load of tortilla strips, romaine lettuce, an ounce or two of crumbled meat, and a glob of sour cream. Gross. Wasn't the best choice. I rather go here when I've already had too much to drink. Don't eat here. But they did have good music...when it was playing. read more

Totally, completely disappointing. Went here for lunch with a few people from my office and sat at the bar. The bartender, seeming pretty surly and unhappy to be at work, neglected to give me a menu (while everyone else in my group got one) and took her time getting folks' orders. Food was slow to come out-- mine took well over 25 minutes-- and, when it did, it was totally underwhelming. The buffalo chicken sandwich-- Friday's special-- was comprised of a tiny breast grilled or fried and quartered on two hulking what can only be described as buns the consistency of mushy hot dog rolls. When my coworkers and I got our bills? Surprise! Multiple upcharges we were not warned of and over $5 for a Blue Moon. The hell?! Props for serving fried green beans. But other than that? Well, in an area swamped with solid lunch options I'll pass. Or just get a liquid lunch. read more

No service despite being there when they only had one other table outside and about 2 inside. They told us to grab menus and go sit outside. We had to clean our own table before sitting down. Sat there for fifteen+ minutes and no one served us. A man came outside and took a refill drink order from another table but did not acknowledge us. read more

Rating here is pending me going to the pub... Otherwise, all I've ever done with Brehon is order food for take-away... I've tried two food items here: Fish n chips - it was a very good item here. Fish was fried up very nicely and almost delicately. Not quite as good as the Fish! restaurant I went to in London, but still respectable. Chips were similar to steak fries but decent. Tartar sauce was provided in very decent portions. Oh, and you can order FnC with 2 pieces or 3 pieces. Seems to be the only decent place for FnC in River North (please recommend another place if Brehon is not up to snuff). Shepherd's Pie - it was okay, though it had an odd smell as I opened the take-away container. Lots of mashed potatoes which was okay, but the meat was not that great. Unless if I am feeling lucky, I won't come back to this for a 2nd chance. I would of given this place a 3.5 instead of a 4, for the 0.5 penalty, its the Irish Nachos - what the heck is this abomination of a food item doing in a Irish pub? And the fish tacos? Thought this was an Irish pub... I'll be back to have a few pints, FnC, and a 2nd chance on the shepherd's pie - so this rating is pending change. read more

I live a block from here, and will let you, fair reader, in on a little secret about the way I think: If you review this place and complain about parking ... you're a friggin' idiot. This is 90% neighborhood pub. Neighborhood people don't need to drive here. Additionally, it's ONE (1) short block from the Brown Line Chicago "L" stop entrances, and all of a six (6) minute walk from the Red Line Chicago subway stop. During rush hour, the #11 and #156 buses are about a block away, and the #66 bus is a block away. Not to mention that cabs are so easy to catch in this area that you can accidentally catch them - I've done it. You know all those "Don't drink and drive" commercials you saw on TV growing up? Well, this is the perfect sort of place to heed that advice. This is a great pub, but it's not so great that it's worth driving to from the suburbs so I'm really only talking to you city-folk. There is no reason for people to drive to this bar - it couldn't be more conveniently situated. read more

I love living in River North, but one downside is there aren't a whole lot of neighborhood joints like you'd find in some of the surrounding neighborhoods. Thankfully, the Brehon Pub is that classic Chicago/Irish pub to help fill that void. Honestly, one of the things I like best about it is that it's rarely crowded and I can always find a seat at the bar, which ain't always easy in the area. I don't go back just for that reason though, I've always had good bar food there and their prices aren't bad. My favorite is the bacon & egg burger with the delish tater tots. The bartenders are friendly and hard-working, but sometimes when they get busy they can get understaffed at times. Haven't been yet but they have a decent sidewalk patio that can seat a couple dozen on those nice summer days. read more

Good luck finding parking and a spot at the bar on a Thursday-Saturday night 'cause it'll be swarmed with industry people (the kids with the white collared shirts, Gino's ringer t's or the Bubba Gumps t-shirts) The food isn't bad for lunch but it seems like it's defrosted economy sized nuggets, wings, and various "bar food." The Wisconsin cheese curds are pretty good but the only reason you should really be going in is for the company. There's plenty of seating available in the first room but it's always better to sit at the bar and shoot the shit with the bartenders anyhow. Suzy, Jeff, and Cameron are terrific bartenders and can hook you up with good witty antics and winning bartender charm. Pool tables are on the other more intimate side. There is a pretty good selection on the juke box (and they play La Ley for somehow) and outdoor seating a plus. Ask the bartender for suggestions if you're stuck 'cause they can't steer you wrong. read more

This is my favorite neighborhood spot. The food is outstanding, especially the Mac and cheese . They have a cute outdoor area and the location is prime. Everyone is super nice and I always feel very welcome. I would highly recommend. read more

Ann is the rudest bartender in the city. You can sit there w an empty drink for 15 minutes and then she gives you attitude when you ask for a beer. If she's working, I don't go in. read more

Not a great experience, bad service. Just wanted to sit outside and enjoy lunch with the nice weather so would have been only a single person. Had to wait inside by the door/bar as the waitress chitchatted w a customer about Lollapaloza for 5 minutes even though I'm sure she saw me walk in and not busy at all. She finally tells me to go sit at an outside table which seemed like the biggest inconvenience to her. After 10 minutes for sitting and no service, I stand up to look inside and she's still talking to the same customer. Once it hits 15 minutes, I leave and am across the street when I see the same waitress come out. Clearly, chit chatting was way more important to her.. won't be back read more

Another place that has intrigued me for some time just from driving by this joint...Typical Irish Pub/White tile floor/Old Chandeliers/Wood Paneling/Neon. Nothing really stood out at all? Paid $7 for a pint of Guinness and it was the shitty staff that made me want to run for the door! Couldn't BUY A PERSONALITY behind the bar?! Three bartenders that weren't talking to any of the customers/ just there to bag a couple hundred bucks and go home! Hate That, left half my Guinness on the damn bar and never will go back... Oh, and they have CAMERAS literally everywhere!? I don't get it, hire a manager.... GTFJD read more

Great neighborhood bar with excellent staff and delicious food. We had a great four hour visit with lots of football on the TV's/

Great neighborhood pub with warm staff, cool wood bar, nice music and just a relaxing vibe. Could become a regular!

Had the burger/fries and 312 pint which was their special Tuesday special. Burger was great, cooked Medium (exactly how I asked) and seemed like a 1/2 lb burger. Nice little Irish dive bar. Total came out to $12.45 before tax. read more

Brehon Pub - Burger (no cheese) and fries. Delish - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Typical Irish pub. Yawn. I had a YouSwoop for Brehon so I went. The service is casual.Take Order. Deliver. Repeat. The Tex-Mex eggrolls are ok. The wings are terrible. Mine were overcooked so they were dry, tough and lacked flavor. They were supposed to come in a Thai chili sauce but it was just bbq sauce. The wings weren't evenly coated some soaked and others dry. Lack of attention by the cook. If you do end up going to Brehon, then order the onion rings as they are very crispy and yummy. Other than that, no need to go. read more

My "last meal" before going Paleo again was at Brehon Pub, and I was aiming to make the most of it. This place is super dead around lunchtime. It has a jukebox and a pretty decent menu. We ordered lunch and our food came quickly. I indulged in a bunch of carbalicious appetizers, which included the super dreamy mac and cheese. OMG. The sauce was so thick and creamy, and the breadcrumbs on the top provided a nice crunch. I also like that they used shells instead of elbows (SHELLS ALWAYS WIN, BITCHES). I'm back on Paleo though, so I probably won't be eating Brehon's mac anytime soon. I will dream about it, though... read more

Went here for a late lunch / early dinner today. The bartender/waitress was amazingly sweet, and allowed me to take my time to decide what I wanted. I ended up ordering one of the chopped salads (with the turkey) and it was really really tasty. Had a side of tater-tots which were just so great, as I haven't had them in a long time. Its a great neighborhood place, right off the Chicago brown/purple train. Definitely going to go again. read more

My friends mom suggested we come here for lunch on saturday, and since we all LOVE a free meal, brehon it was. The appeal of this place -- for my friend -- was that she could bring her dog on the patio. Its just too bad the dog isn't better behaved. That's another rant all its own. I ordered iced tea, even though the server was being weird about letting me order it. I should have listened to her, because it tasted like lemon water. I sent that back and ordered a bloody mary with guiness (my servers recommendation). It was pretty good! For lunch I ordered the chicken club wrap (sub blue cheese for cheddar, because everything is better with blue cheese). The wrap was loosely wrapped, and the filling of the tortilla had WAY too much dressing. It was literally dripping with ranch dressing (again, not usually a problem). It tasted good though, it was just falling apart. The star of this show, however, has to be the TOTS!! I haven't had tater tots since my days at ASU getting them from sonic burger (at 3 am). And these tots were the best I ever had. They are either like double deep fried, or dipped in batter then deep fried, because they were the CRISPIEST tots I've ever tasted. mmmm....taaaater tots.....(drool) Our server was kind of weird, asking questions of another friend (who ordered a rueben) would you like to add anything else to it? He was like, such as,.,,? He laughed it off and said, the one on the menu sounds great! But its all good, we enjoyed our lunch. Since I didn't have to pay, my overall satisfaction is high, although if I had to pay, the prices were very reasonable. 3 stars for the wrap and the experience, but one whole star extra for those tots! read more

Do not go to this pub. Our waiter refused to give us the happy hour deals when we were very aware of the time and proceeded to tell us "how would I know when you ordered these" and charged us full price. Then when I checked my credit card bill she added more tip for herself so I had to dispute my bill. Then I tried calling the manager of the pub to inform them of their dishonest waitress named Sully, but they have yet to call me back even when I call back everyday. It's not worth even going to this pub when there are so many other great ones in Chicago. read more

Love this place! So happy indoor dining is open again. The service is always great and the food is phenomenal!

I've been here a handful of times, and can say that the service each time has always been nothing less than exceptional. Generous pours of Vodka, and the beer selection isn't too shabby either. I haven't eaten an entree or sandwich here, but must admit, the tator tots are amazing----by far the best I've had in Chicago. Great, friendly service, decent pricing, and a "pet friendly" outside patio. What's not to like? read more

There are some great and not so great things about this place. They balance themselves out. For a while this winter I was coming here once a week because my boyfriend and I could both grab a dinner we enjoyed, and get out of the house. They have a daily special for $6.75 and I've tried a few of them. Solid bar food, and if I grab one of those and a drink on tap, I can come in at under $15 for dinner and a drink, including tip. Win There. Tater Tots. YUM. Guiness Stew - its a nice start but I've had much better at other irish pubs else where. Good basic Burgers. They have Metropolitan, so big plus for me there. I like my local Chicago Beers. Now for the not so positive. We've been here on weekday evenings, as well as weekends. We stopped coming so frequently because there'd be a group at the bar of 6-8 watching the game, and being very loud in their support or disdain of the group. There is a second side room with a pool table, and that room would be equally as loud. We also met a group here of 6 people and were able to snag the one booth right up in front of the booth so we could all fit. This was a Friday evening meetup for a meal and to hang out, and it was so loud we had to yell at each other across the table. Food service is generally consistent to the waiter you get. We've had the same waiter a few times, and she is consistently a bit slower than the waiter we had the first couple times we've been here. This place is for the locals. People here aren't the tourists - they're the ones who live/work in the neighborhood, and I've seen everything from after work drinks to birthday parties to just catching a drink. My kinda place, i just wish it wasn't quite so loud. But that's what you get when a bar puts in TVs like every other bar in town. read more

Great pub in River North. I have tried most of the menu and I must say, their food is fantastic. You'd have no idea how delicious their food options are. -Buffalo Mac & Cheese is a winner. It a ridiculously big portion. -Southwest salad is really filling and sooo tasty read more

I went here after a gala event a few weeks ago. It was a Sunday night so it wasn't too packed. We all were a little tipsy and had a good time. Drinks were not expensive, especially for being downtown-ish, and the bartender was super friendly. I'd love to come back and sit in the patio sometime. read more

I went for first time on Thursday, stayed for three beers with my date, was very happy with the bartender's service, the beer selection, and did not mind it was kind of quiet. I will go back and try the food sometime soon. Now, on to an observation of some below commentary. It seems that it is difficult to find parking in the River North area, and that someone wrote a posting with a mild complaint about this way back in April '08, but otherwise gave Brehon a positive review. The initial timely response to this posting was written in Feb. '09 criticizing the Yelper but also providing helpful CTA information to get to this pub. Then another untimely harrumph was posted last month saying word up to the February guy. This was thirteen months after the initial post! Isn't this like bemoaning the Pirates victory in the '71 World Series (dammit the Orioles had such a better team, how did they blow that one?), or saying A Flock Of Seagulls had really weird hair back when Reagan was President? read more

Average place with average food. I used to work across the street and went to this pub often, due to the lack of bars in the area. The food is mostly fried, and the best thing on the menu is the buffalo chicken wrap. An average beer will run you about $8. If the patio tables are out, definitely sit outside! It might be tough to get good service, but inside is a little dark and depressing during a summer day. This is the perfect place for a quick beer after work, but that's about all. read more

Passed by many times, but went there for the first time on a Thursday for a late dinner. Brehon is a traditional Irish pub - good beer... food and drink specials everyday... I tried the steak sandwich, which was a great deal for just $6.50 - I would go back just for the sandwich! Quality cuts of steak, tender, crisp bread, large portion size - mmm! The friendly staff was fairly attentive (probably because the place was not too packed, but I am not complaining). And there is another room in the back that was even less busy than the main bar section... and there was no wait to play pool. read more

I've gone in there a couple times with coworkers at the end of our shift and it's been a generally good experience. I don't remember who the bartender was my first time there, but the next three times I went, Jen was at the bar. While she didn't know how to make a Mai Thai when I asked for one, she did look it up. I don't expect any bartender to have every last drink memorized (if they do, good for them), but I did appreciate her looking up how to make it rather than telling me to order something else. Oh, and I loved the Mai Thai she made. I've only made it there once while the kitchen was still open, but I did get to try the bacon and egg burger with fries. Now, I had been drinking already by the time the food came, so I can't act as if my taste buds were on point, but the food tasted good to me. I get cravings for it while I'm at work sometimes. While I wish their kitchen was open later, I understand that it's not cost effective for them to do so. In any event, I really enjoy this bar. It has a nice atmosphere, Jen's great at the bar, and I haven't had a negative experience here in any of my 4 trips. read more

This is a solid neighborhood pub and is a great change of pace from the Barleycorns, Moe's, and English type bars in River North. Cheaper drinks, Irish atmosphere, tables, and a great booth by the window. Jukebox, darts, etc. The food isn't great, but it's not bad either. Typing burgers/sandwiches/fries/bar food. I've had some good servers and some bad, but the bartenders are always solid. read more

I was driving by and noticed this place open (even though Yelp said it was closed on Wednesdays) and had great service by Annie. She served me great drinks and was extremely nice to me. She made me feel like I was back at home in California. read more

Brehon Pub - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So here's the thing....food is AWESOME!! The ingredients are clearly fresh, flavor is consistent, and the portions are on point. However, there's two young bartenders that are the rudest people you'll ever meet. They smack their gum in your face and I can't tell you how many times I've walked in and they've asked my companion what they've wanted to drink but have completely ignored me. Granted I do look young but I'm of age and they don't even give me a chance to order and ask for identification. They'd rather just ignore me. With that said, Ann is the only bartender who is genuinely kind. If she's working I will go in, but if she's not, I don't bother. Go for the food and go for Ann, but do NOT go in if the younger girls are working. read more

This is definitely one of my favorite hang outs. It is in river north, and totally unpretentious like some bars you may find in the area. I love to go with a few friends, guys and girls, hang out, have some drinks, eat some spinach dip, very yummy by the way, and play golden tee or darts. Its just a great friendly neighborhood bar. read more

Brehon Pub - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Bartender Anne really rude ...Definitely experienced discrimination, poor service, and negative attitude.

My favorite after work/ lunchtime pub to go to! I always am taken care of in a timely fashion. My food is always good & ready quickly! The bartenders (the girls lol) are super nice and so attentive! I love that I'm treated like family every time I go there! read more

This is our second time coming here while visiting Chicago. We like this bar and it remind us of more like home. The drinks are very reasonably priced (about $4.00 for a beer). My boyfriend and I come here to relax and have a few drinks while in the big city. We are from a small town in Wisconsin and this is exactly like a small town bar. We have not ate here though. Nice dart board and pool tables available as well. read more