I admit, when people CALL themselves a dive bar, you know what to expect! We went here to drink and eat while waiting on an act at Taste of Lincoln Park. They do NOT have food there so we brought food from the fest inside. We found an empty standing table with some water cups and settled in. My party ordered beer and a vodka drink. There were darts and TONS of tvs there, we watched part of the WNBA All Star game. The (female) bartender was very nice about turning on the game, as most patrons were barely watching the tvs. The drinks were fine but the floor was STICKY, and no one came to pick up the discarded cups from the table. I know it was a early Saturday night and it's busy but there needs to be a busser or something. I did not ask anyone to clean the table so that may be on me as well. The bathroom was clean..technically. But the graffiti on the wall was not! Again, it's a dive bar, not expecting high art, but is this encouraged or just what people do? I don't live in Lincoln Park but if I wanted a drink and to watch a game I'd stop in, but probably not bring food. read more

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The staff and customers were so rude. I tried to talk to the bouncer and complimented his sweatshirt and he literally ignored me entirely. The bartenders and patrons stared at my friends and I looking at the drink options. Guess no one in that place has seen a group of hot women. read more

This is a wonderful local dive bar! I live around the corner and started coming here a few weeks ago. The regulars and bartenders are very friendly. There is live music on Friday and Saturday evenings. The place does get pretty full, but the people watching is always on point. One thing to note is that they don't serve food, which is a bummer when the 1am drunk food cravings hit. Pretty clean bathrooms for a dive bar too so that's a huge plus! read more

Best local dive bar. It's pretty small but if you want some cheap beers and a bar that is pet friendly this is the spot. Definitely not a place you go for fine drinks but a super fun spot! read more

This is a cozy fun Irish bar that is great for bringing a large group of friends. Nice staff, games and live music. Something about the decor, specifically the carpet on the ground (instead of it being hardwood) makes it feel cozier? read more

Got injured here recently - threw my back out on the elk hunt ala big buck hunter. That's my favorite game! No better place to see a chicagoan elk than eyerish i's. Pretty close to my cousin Barney's ( perk ). 10/10 will be back! read more

Wound up here one Friday evening when a friend of mine suggested it. They had a live band playing, which was ok, but I just wasn't into the music. It drew a pretty strange crowd (I was told the place draws attractive women, but was not the case the night I showed up). They did not accept credit, so I had my buddy buy my beer. I stayed for maybe 30 minutes and left. Maybe will try another time, but not in the near future. read more

Oh Irish Eyes, you never fail to leave me wondering what exactly happened the night before when I wake up on a Saturday morning with a splitting headache and no cash left in my wallet. Irish Eyes is a fabulous dive, with live music on the weekends performed by the owner himself, Jerry, and another younger guy who is awesome as well, I'm just always a little to tipsy at that point to ever remember his name. Jerry sings all sorts of crazy Irish songs you can sing along too, after the first chorus you'll have the words down pat. They now except credit cards which is a huge plus and they also have a punching bag game which is a very fun drunk activity, my wrist may disagree but at the time it always seems like a great idea. Its a small space that offers an amazingly good time! read more

Best bar I've ever been too! On a date and it was going just okay... but this totally turned the night around! Showed me he was truly a high class guy taking me here and really sealed the deal ;) read more

I think I've been in Irish Eyes five times, which is five times too many. The only occasion for going into Irish Eyes is post-lube following the Taste of Lincoln Avenue. Irish Eyes benefits a few days out of the year due to the captive audience built in with TOLA. Otherwise, I don't see how this pit remains in business. It does, however, have the honor of holding a unique connection to two (2) exes. Heh. First, the positive about Irish Eyes. Yes, that's positive singular. It's the air conditioning, stupid. End of positives section. The problems with Irish Eyes are the overwhelming crowd post-TOLA and the damned bathroom situation. I'll just say that they might as well not even have a door on the mens' bathroom. You might as well just drop 'em and pee out in the bar area because everyone can see you in the bathroom. Gross. You're seriously better off using the portable loos situated for the fest. As for the music post-TOLA, it's always the same old dude with a guitar and a possibly faux Irish accent. After that many beers it's hard to tell if the accent is genuine. He'll always be playing this tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcVLeUFW-AM. And the kids will fill in the gap by responding, "Alice? Who the fuck is Alice?" Pardon my French. Eh, it's 1-1/2 stars. I'll round up to two because I caught the Katie here. That's a neutral. Heh. read more

St. P-Day's began with breakfast at Clarke's. At 7:30 AM. On my way, I distinctly remember thinking, "Irish Eyes. Why don't we just go there? Screw this downtown crap. The river always looks green." Well fast forward three bars and oh, 4 1/2 hours later. Where did we end up? Irish Eyes (and we didn't see the river either). I actually have always loved this place. Yeah it sucks when it gets packed but what place doesn't? Plus, they had green beer and did not charge me an insane amount for my Miller Lites. Game. On. Irish Eyes is dive-y enough to not be just another annoying Lincoln Ave bar. It's got character and service is consistent - I like that on St. Pat's Day or any other day for that matter. read more

Irish Eyes is a dive bar in the middle of Lincoln Park. As dives go, it hits all the marks. Bad decor, check. Dim lighting, check. Slightly dingy, check. On the weekends there is usually some live music and it gets pretty crowded, its a small space, with college kids singing sweet caroline. I don't remember the beer being too overpriced or a steal. Nothing about Irish Eyes sticks out in my mind. Except of course, the whole reason I went here - real darts. I'm not even that good at darts but after a drink or two, if there is a dart board in the room, I want to play. Playing darts here only works when it is not crowded as the dart boards are right next to the door for the men's room. read more

So I went here with a friend who has bad taste in bars. We were getting chatted up by a group of guys. They asked us what school we went to. We stated our respective colleges because we were both in college despite not being traditional college-aged and then "What about you?". They were high schoolers. In fact, we soon realized the majority of people in the bar were high schoolers. I mean, are they looking to get shut down? Or is the owner the mayor's cousin or something? read more

I remember being here a few years ago, and how terribly smokey the place smelled. It's better now that there isn't any smoking allowed any more. There were random times when this place isn't so busy that it's actually more fun. It's tough for me to like this place more because it's always so packed, and of course even more so prior to this St. Patty's Day. There is a $5 cover. I was told that this is a justifiable cost as there are bands/musicians that play here. I suppose I can't complain because I don't mind supporting local artists. The worst for me is trying to move from one location to another and constantly spilling beer because you're always bumping elbows. I don't even know how there are waitresses here. It doesn't seem like there's enough room for them. This crowd is pretty mixed in terms of ages. I've seen some middle aged and some probably underage people here. Oh but you may think that it's nice that they have such a range, but not really - case in point is my story... So, I happen to see a guy wearing a State sweatshirt and spoke outloud that we had lost today. He asked me if I go to school there, and I said that I went there so I'm an alumni. Naturally he asked when I graduated and my response led him to say that he's graduating in a couple of years. I totally balked at his response as he continued on saying that there seems to be a big age gap between us. Also, he mentioned that he'd be interested in seeing a riot near Cedar Village, and I said that had happened when we won the NCAA tournament. Then he continued on to say that was so long ago, and that he was like 7 years old then (really probably like 12). Wow, what do you say to that?! It was like a train wreck as he was trying to cover his bad response and say that he wasn't saying I was old. WTF?! So, yes I'm not comfortable coming back. read more

Oh, Irish Eyes. They're watching you. In the best way possible. We often come here after an evening of live music (courtesy of my husband) at Lily's. Lily's generally sucks as a bar so we want to go somewhere cheaper and more fun. Irish Eyes, on a Friday or Saturday night, always has a super awesome old due playing classic Irish tunes and some 60s covers. He's great. Sometimes, after him, there's a younger cover artist who plays a lot of John Mayer. Meh, say I. The beer is cheap(er) and the bartenders are generally responsive to all customers standing around waiting. This places gets INSANELY douchey after 12 a.m., so go down the street to Dilinger's or something. Oh, and play that crazy boxing game. It's a money suck but it's ridiculously fun. And don't forget to be that guy and put $20 in the juke box. read more

I don't think Irish Eyes is terrible. It's a dive bar and I wouldn't want to put my purse down on the floor (I'm so glad that they have purse hooks under the tables), but the staff is always nice and they have a few decent beers on tap. Irish Eyes has become my go-to meeting place when going to see a show at the Apollo Theater across the street. read more

Great place to pop in before a show at the Apollo Theater across the street. I think otherwise, I would never have come in here. The crowd seemed to be the older ones waiting for their Million Dollar Quartet show to start, while we were waiting for the offbeat comedy show. Decent priced drinks, Foursquare check in specials and Green Line on tap make it A-Okay in my book though if I'm in the 'hood! read more

Ended up here on Friday when drinking with a bunch of the guys. They have 2.50 beers which is always a plus... but is was Busch. I can't really complain because I was going as a red neck for Halloween so it just seemed like it was part of the costume. They had some dude with a guitar singing OAR songs instead of music. While he was just okay in my opinion, it was a nice change from the bars in this area that are blasting hip-hop way too loud. They got the punching machine, which is neither good nor bad.... its not my thing but I always get a kick out of seeing drunk guys feed 10-15 dollars through the night to punch a bad that tells them how strong they are. I don't get it.... read more

This placed smelled overwhelmingly like feet. I guess this might be a revenue generating ploy - cause I drank as much as I could get my hands on - just to keep that reeky smell away! Also, the cash only thing is frustrating and so is the 1987 model ATM they have on site. It was a good time, but I will think twice before going through that olefactory ordeal anytime soon. read more

Nice neighborhood feel. Bartender was welcoming and attentive There are a few arcades in here but not up to date ones. Fun place to relax and not have to dress up and be seen! read more

Say what you want, but I cannot turn down a dog friendly bar. This place is awesome. Drinks and live music only make the place even better. Weekends can get really crazy with the DePaul students flocking over here, but during the week the crowd is chill and relaxed with local flavor all over the place. They have darts, and a boxing machine (but don't be the douche who starts playing with it, it's kinda weird.) The beers they have on tap are top notch, and the bartender and service is as well. Make sure you take care of the bartenders because they get college tipped frequently (a dollar an order rather than a dollar a drink) Come during the week to really understand that this bar is a great place to be in. Dogs are welcome and their specials can really amaze and astound you. If you are really feeling young and free, try the hatorade. read more

After frequenting here recently, I realized I had yet to leave a Yelp review for my most favorite of dive-ish bars. I cringed as a I searched for The Eyes, fearing what other Yelpers might have to say about its (endearing) carpeting, dim lighting and questionable stench, but was pleasantly surprised to find so many other fans of this place! I love Irish Eyes because it offers something different than most bars in this area. Free live music, an unpretentious crowd and a friendly staff. There is never a cover charge and the beer is cheap, cheap, cheap. Great place to hang with friends, make new ones and impress strangers with your punching skills (on the punching bag that is). Every time I come here I have a wonderful time and am always itching for an excuse to drop by again. And every new person I bring here loves it, carpet included. Two thumbs up! read more

Not bad for a place to just enjoy cheap beers with friends. Pros: Several TVs, service, price, selection of guys*, music* Cons: Kind of dumpy/hole in the wall, sometimes whatever's on tap is just awful The stars are a hit or miss -- I've heard otherwise, but the time I went, the casting call for the Bachelor must have stopped by or I must have had too much to drink. Also, they have live music -- the William Shatner doppelganger was a little bit loud for my taste, but the guy that followed him did a great acoustic rendition of "I've Got a Feeling". read more

I absolutely ADORE Irish Eyes! Somehow I have been winding up here a LOT, but I can't help it. Grab a group of friends, a table and some drinks and you'll be happy you came. Whether you're rocking out awful music on the not so great jukebox or singing along with the one man band to Sweet Caroline, I bet you have a good time. Seriously, how many places can make dancing to Walking After Midnight by Patsy Cline seem like fun? Oh, keep your eye open for bartender, Sean. He's a total hottie. read more

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this place fucking rocks. definitely a hidden gem. don't get the cosmo tho unless you want to forget tomorrow and go home with the townie (felix) he rocked my world deadass but now I have to invest in crypto currency read more

Great "Dive Bar" atmosphere. I come here to have beers and relax. The bartender Sean is attentive and I've never had an issue waiting on a drink here. There are also about 25 beers on tap. If you want to chill out and have a drink, this is a great spot for you. read more

Irish Eyes feels a lot like a high school rager in Ricky Connor's parents' basement. There's a little puke, someone's usually making out, and everyone's a little worried about the cops coming through the door at any given moment. We used to come here with some regularity when Whitey O'Day was playing. Now that he's not a regular anymore, it doesn't have quite the same appeal for me. Kind of expensive for a spruced-up dive, too; I think a Guinness is $6. It's not like they're in River North. read more

This was a haunt of mine back in the late 1980's when I was fresh out of college. I rented my first apartment across from Irish Eyes and Lilly's. It was a teeny, tiny studio with brown shag carpet and was above a Baskin Robbins. Yep, it was quite lovely. So, with no central air, I spent many a hot summer night at Irish Eyes. I guess it's considered a dive. Back in the day it was just a pretty cool bar with friendly patrons and decent prices. My husband and I stopped in on a cool last August night last summer and I was taken back in time in a good way, a really, really good way. read more

Dropped by this bar before going to see a show at Apollo. It's an Irish Dive. Drinks are more reasonably priced than other bars nearby (i.e. Provst) and they have specials everyday of the week that consists of your bottom dweller drinks : PBR, Wells, other domestic drafts, fireball,etc. We came in while Blackhawks were playing but there was a guy with an acoustic guitar setting up to play until close on a Friday night. Bartenders were fun. It is what it is for what it is. read more

I'll admit that I have a bit of a bias toward Irish Eyes since it was the very fist place I went after getting my fake ID my senior year in high school, but nevertheless it is a pretty cool Irish bar. On Saturday nights the owner gets up on stage with a guitar and sings Irish ditties, as well as sing-a-longs including his famed rendition of "Sweet Caroline," which always elicts a chorus of drunken singing from all those in attendence. The beer selection is good, the decor is friendly and your last name doesn't have to begin with Mc in order to feel welcome. But be careful that you're not leaving with a 15-year-old around your arm when you take a taxi home. read more

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Yes, college-priced beer. Yes college crowd. College-priced beer is not a bad word if you can enjoy it without the hordes of college age (and , yes, younger*) people in the bar. I was there after a Hot Karl show at the Apollo theater. I had an hour to kill before Baby Wants Candy, and an easy-to-nab table and a $10 pitcher were just what the doctor ordered. However, in the space of that hour, the bar went from just a few people enjoying the live irish-y music to packed as packed and starting to smell like boners and polo sport. The lesson: Go early and then go do something else. * My irish college friends introduced me to this place when I was in college. It's still the same place, and you're still likely to see some definitely underage-looking girls there. My pals would always go in with their fake IDs and forged tickets, and it appears to be drawing the same crowd. read more

What can I say... Irish Eyes is my favorite bar! Great drinks specials, great live music, and great bartenders. The best of the best:)

What can I say about Irish Eyes? It's one of those places that you could easily pass because of the amount of bars in the area, but you'll be making a huge mistake. I was introduced to Irish Eyes through my roommate, and we've had a lot of great times here. It's truly a family atmosphere where drinks are cheap, there isn't a cover charge, you feel like a regular the 2nd time you walk in, bartenders remember you, and you're even allowed to bring pets (this one chick brought a snake once....but that's another story). Try it out for open Mic night on wednesdays, that was some solid free entertainment. They also usually have someone playing live on weekend nights, and they're usually pretty good. This place is definitely easy to meet people, the crowd varies night to night but everyone is just down to have a good time without all the crazy top 40 club music and expensive drinks. They don't serve food here but they're totally cool with you bringing in food from another bar- again, this place is very low key. All in all, it's a fun place to come and relax and meet some people. read more

I must admit, I'm a bit biased because this bar is literally across the street from me - but this is a great place to just hang. Nothing fancy about this place - no posted specials, no food, no credit cards, no wait service. Its a bar, through and through. Great bar staff, very attentive, and a ton of fun. read more

Great place to go to if you're stumbling down the street wasted and looking for another bar, ANY BAR, to go to. Otherwise, if this is your kind of place, you might enjoy meeting up with friends here. Another typical college-type bar: cheap decor, cheap drinks. Had tv's with March Madness on. Darts and some punching bag game (bet the drunks love that). I don't want to dismiss it as the frat boy crowd, but that was my impression. read more

This place is good for what it is. A place to either go on weekdays with friends or early in the night before moving on to the next place. I've been here twice and both times it was for a guest bartending event where one of my friends bartended and the tips went to charity. That right there is worth a couple stars. Oftentimes, the guest bartenders don't know what they're doing, which is sometimes good (more alcohol in drinks) and sometimes bad (long time to get a drink). Overall, its not a bad place, i wouldn't go here as my destination on a weekend though, but if your organization wants to raise money by having people get sloppy drunk, then I recommend it. Pros: guest bartending on weekdays, close to Hoagie Hut, sometimes live music Cons: kind of a bland place, sometimes live music, better places in area to spend a night read more

**UPDATE** I was here last Saturday with a friend. Irish Eyes loses a star. 1. A girl had completely passed out and was being carried out when we came in. She looked to be in terrible shape, so I asked the bouncer, "Should we call an ambulence?" His response, "She's not in the bar, not my problem." Ok, wrong, it is TOTALLY your problem. You served her, and it is YOUR liquor liability coming into play if anything happens. I couldn't believe his cavalier attitude, and I am hardly one to overreact to drunk people. 2. The band that was playing was great (a guitarist and a violinist), but when I asked if they knew any good reels, the violinist looked at me like I was nuts! Perhaps he couldn't hear me, but I'm pretty sure he was just clueless. These were Irish guys, reels are a staple of Irish music! I'm (mostly) with Zach T. Last time I was here was last St. Patrick's Day, which being that it was a Saturday, was a plenty crowded day in the neighborhood. Of course, Irish Eyes was no exception, but believe me, there were places much worse (I'm looking at you, Gin Mill). Its a dive, but a charming dive and you always know what you're going to get. Frankly, it got an extra star specifically because the last 3 times I've been there they've had the owner playing Irish music and I've done some jiggin to bring back my 12 years as an Irish Dancer. Any place I can comfortably do some tipsy Irish Dancing is ok by me. Hey, the pubs in Ireland have plenty of young kids in 'em too! read more

Currently sitting in the bar and did not expect to have my night ruined from the get go. The man checking ids did not believe mine was real, and had my pull out any and all form of identification and even then did not believe me, when IT IS 100% REAL. I even offered to call my parents if it was really that much of a problem and I did not expect to be man handled immediately after. The man literally grabbed my arm and yanked me on the bad. Not even 5 minutes in after greeting the friends we were meeting up with, we were approached and told that if we weren't buying anything then we needed to get out, even though many others hadn't ordered anything yet. The service is absolutely god awful. The bartender was the only kind person in the place. Never coming back. read more

After a day of interviews and sweating in a suit, this was the place to cool off and do some day drinking! A draft of 312 went for $6 a glass, not too shabby. Will come back again when they have a live band. read more

Second stop on our pub crawl!! More Halloween stories but the bartenders here were more entertaining than our guide. Loved that stage you can climb up and start your own concert!! read more