Swimming amongst a sea of dive bars in the area, Galway Arms might be mistaken for a post-work or dinner spot to grab a drink, serving food as a secondary feature. I stopped by recently after passing by many times and this couldn't be further from my experience! At around 6:30pm on a weeknight, it was pretty deserted. I think some music in the background could have helped the vibe a bit. The staff gave us our choice of seating and was friendly and attentive throughout. We started with the dry rub chicken wings with buffalo sauce and the cheese curds. I was very surprised with how good both were- the chicken wings were extra crispy, not too greasy, and seasoned very well. The cheese curds were also extra crispy on the outside and delightfully melted on the inside. The marinara sauce served alongside was average, but they went super well with the creamy ranch dressing. For mains, we ordered the corned beef with cabbage and chicken pot pie. Both were really outstanding! The corned beef was slow cooked to perfection with a delicious sauce and flavorful mashed potatoes. The chicken pot pie was also hearty with a great flavor and homemade crust. Overall, this is a great spot to get some food off of the usual track. I will definitely be back to try more of the menu! read more

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I guess they only cater to a certain demographic and if you don't fit that then you'll get turned away. I rarely pull the race card but they had a patio full of people and close at midnight but told me and my cousins at 10:30 pm on a Monday that we couldn't enter. I would never go back and I notice as I go through the reviews most of the people look the same. Shame on yall, it's 2026. Luckily there are neighboring bars to visit that are more inclusive read more

Galway Arms - Irish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great pint of Guiness and solid kitchen. Went with a large group and had the upstairs area reserved for our group. Private bar upstairs was crushing it - great bar tender and food came out quickly too. read more

Galway Arms - Irish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Shoot, how have I not reviewed Galway Arms yet? I've been here many times and it's been 5 stars, every time. Come for the Magners cider on tap, stay for the outdoor patio seating open year-round (heated in winter!) and their delicious food! I've eaten here with my parents visiting town, my boyfriend as a casual/celebration night, and going out with coworkers/friends. Galway can do it all! They also sometimes have live Irish music which I haven't fully experienced but have overheard as I'm leaving and seems like such a vibe. I love their Brussels sprouts, hummus, spinach dip, cheese curds, and Reuben. read more

I didn't get any food here but came strictly for a pint of red ale. This place is like a little getaway to Ireland. Everyone that worked there had an Irish accent and I felt as though I stepped into a proper Irish pub tucked away on the streets of Galway. Lovely people, unique architecture. Stop in and have a pint to enjoy the ambiance. Sláinte! read more

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Wow! I cant believe it's taken me so long to come here! And amazing patio, amazing food (seriously the burger I ordered was to die for) and the service was just top notch. I got the Bourbon Stout burger and my husband got the Wagyu Guinness burger. Im not sure why I haven't seen either of these on any "best burger in Chicago" lists. Legit just great vibes. 5 stars and we will be coming here again. read more

Galway Arms - Irish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place is cool ! The ladies at the bar told me it used to be a house, an alley and a bar that was combined to make this one big building. Architecturally so interesting and additionally the food was so good! I got the corned beef sandwich with a side of house made chips and dip. I cleaned that plate up. It was so so good. I went on a Monday for lunch but I hear this place can get pretty packed especially on nights with a live band. Must check out if you're in Chicago. read more

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Love the inside of the bar and we sat outside and there were a decent amount of tables. I got the blackberry cider, which is very tasty. I would definitely get again. I also got the fish and chips and honestly, I thought it was a bit saltier than I would've liked. The service was a little slow, but I would still come here again for the vibes and the burgers did look pretty good read more

Galway Arms - Beer battered Fish & Chips - Irish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The service was nice and friendly and super helpful. Although he was by himself so it took a little longer than usual. The ambience is nice with lots of brick and wood. Food was good, had a really good Shepard Pie and Poutine Fries. All the ingredients of the corned beef sandwich were very good but they seemed to not stand out against the rye. read more

My crew and I come here for brunch on Saturday afternoons. Menu has alot of delicious options; food is always fresh fresh and delicious. Galway Arms has a solid offering of cocktails and craft beer, either on-tap, in can or bottle. Solid service! Sam has been out consistent server and she's fantastic! Our group size ranges from 8-12 and we are always accommodated out on the patio or inside. We usually find free parking on local side streets. I always look forward to Saturday afternoon brunch at Galway Arms! read more

Food was exceptional and loved the ambiance of the pub. The fried pickles had a batter fry like you get with fish and chips. I will coming back for the shepherds pie. read more

Galway Arms - Shepherds pie - Irish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I left this place after the bartender served 4 other patrons and was ignoring me and my friends. I went to ask another server to get my bill so I could close out my bill. This angered the bartender and he aggressively came at me without hearing my side of the story. I hope they consider removing this bartender because my past experiences have been positive. read more

I'm judging this place on 2 criteria: Their ability to pour a proper pint of Guinness and overall pub feel. Walked in and saw the fireplace and very comfortable nook area to sit. They served me a perfectly poured pint of Guinness. I had to have 2 more pints just to make sure they could pour it consistently. Wink wink. Love this place. Will definitely come back. read more

Galway Arms - Irish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great food best French fries on earth service super quick waiters and waitresses so friendly 5 stars

Authentic Irish trad session every Sunday. We visited Ireland last year and can confirm this is as authentic as you will get in the States....the music and the overall ambiance. Very nice staff. Great selection of tap beer and Irish whiskey. An excellent chicken sandwich to boot. Highly recommend. read more

I was looking for a quiet irish pub to get some food, Guinness and a Jamo before seeing a show at Lincoln Hall and the arms knocked it out of the park. Service was perfect! Fish and chips great! My favorite part was after I was served a swarming of people came in. A party of 20...did the sole bartender freak out? Nope! Didn't even blink!! He called for reinforcements and two more bartender and maybe a manager? Showed up to back the crew up It did impact my plan for a quiet vibe but the big party energy was fun. read more

We knew when we visited Chicago we wanted to hit up at least one pub. After doing some research and asking some locals, we decided on Galway Arms. It was cold and rainy the night we showed up and they gave us the option of indoor seating or on the covered/heated patio. The inside was cozy, with a few separate rooms that each had a couple tables, but we decided on the patio. Even sitting right next to the patio covering we were warm and cozy for the entire meal. We started with the pretzel appetizer which came with honey mustard and beer cheese dipping sauces. They were both tasty but my favorite was the cheese. The pretzel was so soft and fluffy on the inside. I loved it. For dinner I had trouble deciding, but landed on the shepherds pie. This really hit the spot on a cold rainy night. The beef and veggies were well cooked and the sauce/gravy was so flavorful and hearty. The potatoes on top were creamy and held up to the stew. I could not stop eating it. I would definitely come back if I ever find myself in Chicago again. read more

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This was my first visit to Galway Arm and I loved it. We went around 3 pm on a Friday afternoon. It was sunny and warm for February in Chicago so we sat outside in the enclosed deck. The patio deck area was hopping. It was such a fun environment. I loved that there was a wide range of people - families, couples, friends groups, I was with my 28 year old daughter. It was a tad loud on the patio, but the vibe was so worth it and didn't hinder our conversation. The inside was not crowded, but felt warm and welcoming. Some groups came in for just a round of drinks, others were there for a more, which added to the atmosphere. Our waiter Tommy F. was outstanding. He was very busy, but was able to keep it all together with everything going on. I never saw anyone waiting or rushed when he was at their table. My daughter had the Fish and Chips and I had the Bacon Swiss Mushroom burger, I would highly recommend both of these. I love coleslaw, and it is surprisingly hard to find one I like. Galway Arms has awesome creamy coleslaw with plenty of dressing, but the best part was the size. If I am choosing between fries or coleslaw and they bring me a small compo cup of it, I am disappointed, especially if it is dry. My burger with mushrooms, swiss and bacon was done perfectly with great flavor. Sometimes when you get that multiple toppings the bun gets mushy, this one didn't. My daughter ordered an Irish Coffee, which was good, it came with green and orange sprinkles on it, cute touch. I was in the mood for a beer, I loved that they had basic light beer options along with the Irish beers. read more

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Enjoyed this Irish Pub resturant in Lincoln Park! We sat in a booth by the fire place! It was cozy. The fish sandwich was a large size on a nice soft roll bun! I tried a corner it was my daughters vet juicy inside crisp on the outside! The corn beef was brisket style. Tender and tasty! I asked to hold the horse radish and added mustard! It would have been almost a Rueben because it had cabbage on it and cheese no thousand island though ... the rye bread was toasted to dark for marble rye! Fries were good a fresh left some because we satisfied ... Thumbs up there was a full menu .. when the weather gets nicer will try outdoors as it was even offered now! Brr but probably have heaters ... wanted to remove my outer coat... Indoor vaccine record and ID read more

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Really enjoy the outside covered seating on a beautiful day. We stopped for a couple of beers and fries / sweet potatoes fries to share. Outside seating was available, and surprisingly not too busy. The sweet potato fries and french fries were very good. Beer was cold and appetizers were good, no complaints. The only thing that kept me from giving five stars was the lack of service, when there was plenty of help available. We sat down by the lovely hostess but waited about 15 minutes while waiters walked by and just looked at us. Finally the hostess came back over and asked if we had been waited and went ahead and took our order. Beer and food came out quickly. Everyone was very nice, just need to step up making sure customers are not left unattended. read more

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Cool European pub style bar, located on the main strip of Clark, right in the heart of Lincoln Park. I've heard they often play European football matches on their TVs, so if you follow EPL, this would be a good spot to watch. They have a good craft beer list, actually had a few that I had never heard of before, both American and European. I didn't get any food, but all the sandwiches/items I saw all looked good, a bit above standard bar food, and were good size portions. The old timey wood decor is impressive, along with all the European paraphernalia. These pubs aren't too common, so it's cool to see them when they appear. My sister and her bf are big fans and brought me, I'd happily go again. Would be cool to watch a big Euro Football Match here as well. read more

Very pleasant place to spend Saturday night with live music. Although waiting time was 25 mins, everything else was perfect. Food is delicious, portions are big and tasty. Our server knew Serbian language, which is a plus, ofcourse, since we were group of Serbians. everyone from our group ordered burger and a beer, except me who ordered crispy chicken sandwich and red wine. 10/10. The atmosphere is really good, the music is perfect, not quite and not too loud. Highly recommend! An update: again 10/10. No waiting time this time the place looks amazing inside with all Christmas decorations! Food is again 10/10 (this time burger + seafood chowder). I LIKE THIS PLACE! read more

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This is my favorite pub in Lincoln Park. Food is always great. Service great as well. Live music and great patio seating read more

This place is the best. Food, atmosphere, drinks, accommodations, they do it all so well. My girlfriend and I go once every few weeks. Food wise, the shepherds pie and ribeye (especially for less than $30) have to be my favorites. The apps particularly the pretzel are also amazing. read more

My friend and I met up at this cute Irish Pub to catch up and read a book. Their front patio is elevated off the sidewalk and overlooks Clark Street; it's peaceful but at the same time lively enough to feel apart of the busy street. Brunch is served until 2, that's automatically going to up my score. I got the Avocado Toast with poached eggs, cherry tomatoes, and radish. The bread was flavorful and didn't get soggy halfway through. That radish brought out the slightest kick and rounded out the dish. My friend has been here multiple times and swears by their breading on both the pickles and the tenders. I had one of her fried pickles and couldn't stop thinking about if I should ask for another. (It can be shared, but I don't know if that was her intention) haha The breading is light and compliments the bite of the thick slice of pickle. The ratio is what you always want, but never get with the skinny slices at your other bar. Bar! That reminds me. The sour they have on tap is balanced and light; perfect for summer. Grab your book and go check out this cute and long standing little pub. read more

Galway Arms - Avocado Toast - Irish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Warm and charming place, makes you feel like you are in a pub in Ireland. Kathleen are server was terrific. Menu is bar food style. We started with numerous appetizers including pretzels, chips and french fries. All were very good. Lunch entries were ok. Burgers were under cooked and a grilled cheese came with the wrong cheese. Overall, a nice place at a great location near Fullerton and Clarke. read more

The patio is heated, cozy and has a nice atmosphere- very laid back. The server was friendly. The bathrooms were disgusting (no changing table for a baby, toilets dirty, sink counter moldy). Also, it's in the basement- so narrow and creepy. The dining room area looked nice. The food was really heavy and just okay. The spinach dip was very green looking. I think it's because they use canned spinach. The crostini bread is definitely not enough pieces, and if you ask for more, they'll charge you $2!! The bread and dip was very salty. The burger was too heavy and sloppy. The Mac n cheese for kids was good. It doesn't come with any sides. read more

Galway Arms - Spinach and Emerald Artichoke Dip - Irish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Excellent Burger and Fries. Right up there with the best in town and a great atmosphere. Highly recommended.

I've always seen this place passing by but never stopped in until recently. Ambiance: The hostess takes you through the restaurant to get to the patio outside. It's a nice, casual environment while still having good vibes. Only a few tables were full when we arrived but it was already pretty loud that I had to speak up louder than usual / lean in to hear the person across from me. It did become busier as the night went on. Service: Our waitress was attentive in the beginning but slowly forgot about us. It took her awhile to take our food orders and get the check for us towards the end. Overall it was okay though since we weren't in a rush. Food: I ordered the Galway burger. I was craving a burger since 3am on my shift that morning and was glad this one hit the spot! I only got through half of it at the restaurant but brought the other half home with some leftover fries and it was just as good the next day. For drinks, I ordered the Orchard Mule, a twist on the Moscow Mule. You can 'Absolut'ly taste the Apple vodka lol. I appreciated how strong it was! With the pretty extensive menu, good energy, and nicely priced drinks, I'll for sure be coming back! read more

Galway Arms - Galway Burger - Irish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I liked Galway Arms much more than I thought I would. I expected a college, bro bar but found a quaint little pub. Fireplaces were lit in several connecting rooms. Various seating areas and a small bar created a cozy and welcoming atmosphere. They offer a ton of beer choices and the food looked great. We didn't have dinner - just a quick beer before going upstairs to a special event. The bartender was friendly enough but not memorable. After our event we stopped down and sat at a table. Our server was so sweet and helpful. Based on my first impression, I think I might go back for a casual dinner sometime soon. read more

Galway Arms - a fireplace with a tv above it - Irish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was excited to go to Galway Arms to have some food and drink in an Irish pub. I had high hopes but was unfortunately disappointed. The curry was nothing like the curry sauce that they have in Ireland. My husband's meal was fine at best. Both were a bit over priced. The staff was nice, but not very attentive. They did not come check in or ask how our meal was. We simply ordered and paid. Not the most welcoming experience. If I'm in the area, I would try it again, but it is not a first choice. read more

We met on St. Patty's and have a 'thing' for Irish pubs, so Husb and I have visited our fair share (in any city we're in, provided we have the time--complete cornballs, I admit). Anyway, that said; I have to put this right up on the top shelf with with the best of them--and not just because of the cozy fireplace and dramatic ceilings and exposed brick (though it easily fits the bill for movie-set worthy, ultimate pubiniess). We ducked in out of the freeze and sat next to the fireplace; several tables were enjoying their drinks and playing games, and we quickly mind-melded with the laidback mood. The bartenders that day were serving warm, dry charm and delicious drinks. My memory is hazy (wonder why), but I do know my fave was The Snuggler (Peppermint Schnapps, hot chocolate, topped with fresh whipped cream)--a better boozy hot chocolate I can't recall. We shared a very rich and satisfying Sausage roll--the curry sauce really did a lot for me. Can't remember what hub ate, but I know it kept him occupied and away from my delicious Shepherd's Pie (lucky me!)... Though Chicago has no shortage of heavily decent Irish joints, we'll definitely be back to this one. read more

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Have come here a few times recently after getting it confused with Galway Bay. I always meet wonderful people at the bar but most importantly the life Irish music on Tuesdays keeps me coming back. My roommate hasn't accompanied me yet but he will some today. The fish and chips slap. The music is world class. They can't pour me Guiness fast enough. I will continue to come back every Tuesday and, if I'm not hungover, Sunday as well! read more

Galway Arms - Irish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I am Irish, eaten a lot in Ireland, and this place is absolutely to die for! The Ruben, who is out of this world, and you will never go wrong with a Guinness! If you are ever near this place, you have got to come eat here! read more

Galway Arms - Reuben and onion rings - Irish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I went to Galway Arms to watch a football game and had pretty low expectations. The patio area out front is nice and we were easily able to be seated. It was full, but it always seemed like one table was about to leave and new people would come in so there was never a wait. The drinks were good and strong, and the food surprised me. We split a pretzel which was huge and tasty. I saw a burger being brought to another table that looked phenomenal. I'll definitely be back to try that. read more

Galway Arms - Pretzel - Irish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We had a party to celebrate three birthdays in the private event space upstairs at this great establishment! I can't say enough about how special we were treated by Deirdre the manager, and how wonderfully they took care of us from start to finish! So easy to work with and everything was spectacular! Deidre, thank you for making our party the most memorable/epic event we will remember forever! The food was outstanding as well. Can't wait to go back as regular clients :-) read more

The most unreal soft pretzel you will ever have. Service and all-around ambiance is great!

Loved stopping by for a quick drink! Very friendly and attentive. Try the food out and let me know what you think!!

Patio is currently open and they accept two hour reservations so make sure to make one ahead of time. Also ensure to wear your mask at the entrance and every time you go to the bathroom. I genuinely believe that this Galway Arms serves THE BEST SWEET POTATO FRIES with chipotle mayo. But you need to try them out for yourself to make your own decision ;) read more

Met up with some coworkers for drinks on their covered patio and had a really great time here! They have a great space in a great part of Lincoln Park so it was super easy to get to, and their covered patio has heaters if need be, as well as fans. We came on a semi-rainy day so the covered patio was a big plus! We only stayed for drinks as a group (they have a great menu for drinks), but I ended up ordering some food to take home with me. I ordered their fish & chips as well as their chicken caesar salad to go. It was a pretty short wait which was nice. The food was also pretty great! A little on the pricier side, but still overall very tasty. Honestly, my favorite part of the fish & chips was the tartar sauce - it was divine!! The fish tasted so fresh and it was beautifully flaky. The fries were also good - I liked that they were steak fries. I do wish you got more than two pieces of fish, but it is what it is! There isn't much to say about the salad - it was good, as was expected. All in all, I'd recommend this place as a meet-up spot, a drink spot, and a dining spot! Great for all! read more

Galway Arms - Chicken Caesar Salad - Irish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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