Stopped in here for a private event up on the second floor. It was fairly chill in general in the space on a Saturday evening. The upstairs was spacious - had a dedicated bar, a kickbutt bartender and really really reasonable prices! I got some premium tequila for $9 a shot. Beers were $5-$6. They also were serving pizza (not Chicago deep dish ha) but folks seem to be enjoying it. The space was clean (yay for no sticky floors). Apparently there is a very large urinal but I clearly did NOT see it for myself lol. read more

Lamplighter Inn - Bars Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

In town hidden gem. Not fancy. Just good food and good service. Lori, Denise and the rest of the bartenders are great and fun. The decor is old but fabulous. Don't expect a fancy restaurant. Just expect to have fun. read more

Solid Palatine bar. Friendly staff! I love their chicken fingers and curly fries. They also have a brand new golden tee and pool table

I went to a private event at the Lamplighter Inn. We had a private room upstairs. There was no sign to show where the entrance was, so if I didn't know where the restaurant was, we would have easily been lost. My husband and I ordered the nachos platter and BBQ onion ring hamburger with a Blue Moon. The food was good for bar food. The BBQ burger was very messy but in a good way. The bartender was very nice and friendly. I recommend Lamplighter Inn, if you can find it. read more

See all

I've been coming to lamplighters for over a decade and I think that speaks for itself. But I can tell you that everyone working here is fun and friendly and also wants to ensure the safety of everybody while we're having a good time! The Food is Almost addictive, especially the seasoning on the fries! Cannot pass up their Pizza and the cheeseburger wrap is awesome too! I do sometimes make meals off of just their appetizers! It can get loud but I mean that's kind of what you expect for a bar, especially during Sports Seasons but it's always fun and there are good times for it to be quiet as well. They do have a separate dining area for families and the outside wrap for families and the outside wraparound deck are also options during warmer weather! If you're looking for an event space they can accommodate parties and corporate events in the upstairs part of the building! They have a great selection as far as Alcohol and Other beverages. It's really just a great fun at Neighborhood Place and it's honestly one of my favorites! They have daily specials as far as food and drinks and even if you're not getting one of the specials, you're still going to get great food and drinks at a fantastic price! I would definitely recommend lamps if you're looking for a fun local place!!! read more

See all

An alright spot if you're looking for a bar in Palatine to hangout with friends. There's a fairly good amount of parking nearby and there are all the standard bar food favorites such as burgers, fries, nacho's etc. Prices are alright for this area, with specials on some days of the week. There are a good number of events here, with a private area on the second floor that is good for a gathering. read more

See all

Excited I finally tried it here. This is a true locals bar. It has that old school family tavern feeling, which I love. The beer prices are average. The service in the bar area all goes through the very friendly bartender. The corn nuggets are good with the elote dipping sauce. The burger is delicious and will be going back for that. I also want to come back and try the taco pizza and sitting outside on the deck. read more

See all

Good food. Love the bartenders. Love the open mic nights. I have been coming here since I was a little kid. Absolutely love it. read more

Stopped by on a train crawl. The management was very accommodating and placed our group in a party room. The staff was very friendly and attentive throughout as drinks and food were flowing. Pizza was really good. Drink and food specials offered. Everyone was talking about the Worlds Largest Urinal in the men's bathroom as it reminded many of their Chicago Catholic grade schools. The place is old school and nostalgic, will definitely stop in for a drink! read more

I discovered this place last Saturday, April 12, 2025. I didn't expect much, but it was very nice. I drank tap beer and. Ordered the Buffalo chicken wrap, which could have been hotter "spicy" for a buffalo chicken. Service "Diane" was excellent. read more

I went with my friend to get some beers Lamplighter Inn in Palatine thinking it would be a nice, cool historical bar given the age of the building - I have to say that sadly it is a total dump of a bar in Palatine.I walked in around 10:30 PM on Saturday night and you couldn't even walk in the downstairs area it was way too crowded and way too full of intoxicated patrons. I walked upstairs thinking that bar might be better and more quiet/less crowded only to witness even more intoxicated patrons screaming and swearing at each other ready to fight, not to mention the bar upstairs was already closed anyways so not sure why they let these people loiter around if it was closed. I left immediately and will not be back, don't recommend unless that's your type of bar scene. There's much better bars to visit in Palatine/the Northwest Suburbs. read more

Rude staff. Stopped in from out of town and didn't know there was a private party upstairs and the staff was a lil rude and could have approached us in a nicer manner. read more

If you are up for good local bar food, this is the place. Pizza, burgers,and more and the staff there is amazing!! Great place to bring a dog for outdoor dining, too read more

It's cool I used to go religiously it's clean they have good music for the most part. A lot of the old staff are gone I don't care to much for the newer staff so I stopped going. The pizza is cool. I have not had any of the other food. The old staff made good drinks I can't vouch for the staff there now read more

Great. But fix your TouchTunes! Who's your IT person? Food good. Drinks good. Enhance the experience by having your music working. read more

This local hangout is near the middle of my sliding scale ranging from thumbs-up to thumbs-down. The building dates back to the 1850s and the interior is loaded with historic charm. It attracts a young, boisterous crowd along with an occasional redneck. Their menu features typical pub grub. Though family-friendly, Lamps seems more focused on drinks and apps than dining; the kitchen has limited capacity and we typically wait a long time for our food. I always come here with a group. The imperfect service is forgiven because the servers are friendly and have a good sense of humor. If you don't mind the tedious wait and the occasional error, the pub grub is actually pretty good. Grilled half-pound burgers are their strong point. They also have a Friday fish fry that would satisfy Wisconsinites. read more

Cool place to hang out by the Palatine train station. The food is delicious, and the staff is really friendly. Unfortunately, service was a bit slow when we went for dinner last night... it seemed like there was only one server for the entire restaurant--both inside and outside?? But we didn't have anywhere we needed to be, so we didn't mind too much. The veggie wrap is a bit spicy for my taste, but the Italian beef one was juicy and delicious. I love the seasoned curly fries that come with the wrap, too. read more

See all

Once again, I could have sworn I reviewed this place. Good "ol Lamplighter. So good and so 'ol. So, it's definitely another OG bar, which I've had kind of a string of memorable experiences in. I shan't bore you with all of them. Let's just say I went here in flannel pajamas once and no one batted an eye. Now, I'm not sure what batting an eye would necessarily look like, so I'm not entirely sure that memory is useful. I actually rented a room here for a HS reunion. Cause you can do that here. That was a pretty fun night. Whew. It was also perhaps an exercise in survival. So, also, The bldg is old which is you know, awesome. Possibly really old. I do love the history of these old places. For some reason. I believe this was a super cool spot in the 70s. That was a few years ago, I do realize. Anyway. I think I opened this bar once at 6 am too. That was in the " roaring 80s ", if you must know, after closing another bar. I believe my compatriot and I enjoyed croissandwiches with our beer on that occasion. Anyway, this place always seems to have a pretty fun crowd, even on a Tuesday at 6 pm, when the accompanying photo to this review was taken. I like this place. I believe you will find it a fun diversion as well. read more

See all

Lamps is now under the watchful eye of the owners' brother/brother-in law who sits almost daily, spying on employees and customers. The owners have cameras everywhere! Why is he necessary. He sits at a table in the bar area, monopolizing valuable patron space, staring at his lap top. Regulars have no idea what he does. Slip him some cash if you want, but get him out of the bar on a daily basis. On Friday afternoons, Lamps has once again generously started to provide pizza's to it's customers. Two weeks ago, Doug personally delivered three pizzas to a group out on the sidewalk, ignoring the regulars in the bar area. A week later, three pizzas were served in the bar area, and one of the multi year veterans gabbed a couple pieces, went outside to have a cigarette and was followed by Doug and told that wasn't permissable. Pizza was only if you were sitting at the bar.! Is that nuts? This guy is killing business. What's his role? We know people who won't go to Lamps if he's there. They have a great GM. Why is he there? To spy? Maybe the owners need to get back on premise and reinsert themselves into the business. Your customer base would welcome it, Come home Frank and Lisa. Your business is turning into a shithole. read more

This place is a staple of Palatine. It's been around forever and I've made many memories visiting this place. Some have been listening to the live music upstairs, some have been sitting at their bar after work, and some have been enjoying the outdoor patio in the summer. This place has something for everyone - a place to eat, drink, enjoy music and chill out on a summer evening. read more

Lamplighter Inn - This is the upstairs patio that's a great place to have some drinks and just chill. - Bars Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

See all

There is no need for a long lengthy review when it comes to the Lamplighter Inn. What more could you possibly want other than good cold beer, strong cocktails, and really damn good bar food, when it comes to an area dive bar?! The food here is phenomenal! It takes bar food to the next level, plus the kitchen is open late. The service is usually pretty decent, which makes this an even greater find. The joint is always packed, no matter the time of day or the day of the week, so you know they're doing something right. So next time you want to do some day drinking or are looking for a late night meal, definitely hit up Lamps! read more

I can't express how magNIFICENT the pizza was. It was augusts special- the Hawaiian, which had ham, onion, pineapple, cilantro. The BEST Hawaiian pizza I've ever had- hands down!! Wasn't expecting something this tasty from this bar! Also, pizza is half off on thursdays. YUMMMAY. And the service here is always outstanding. They treat me, my bf, and our doggy very well. We go ham on the pitchers here I feel bad for the dishwashers read more

Lamplighter Inn - Ze Hawaiian peeks - Bars Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

I've been coming here for years and have nothing but nice things to say. The staff has always been extremely friendly and the food is super tasty! Their burgers and pizzas are my absolute favorite. I'd rather get a pizza from here than anywhere else if I'm doing take out. They have cheap drinks and awesome specials - Sundays: half priced bottles of wine. Monday's: 1/2 price specialty burgers. Tuesday's: Taco Tuesday and $2 well drinks. Wednesday: 1/2 price apps from 5-9. Thursday(my favorite): 1/2 off pizza ALL day! Friday's: $3 bud/bud light drafts and Saturday: $4.50 32 oz pitchers of Coors light. - they have a lot more specials on each day but this is the gist of it. read more

Cubs win first game of 2017 run is the best part of this night. I came in and was shocked to see such amazingly BAD, atrocious service by the bartenders, if I was only rating them it would be zero stars. I had to beg them to take my order, she never smiled, didn't want to help me, gave me attitude, ignored me the entire time as well as the other woman near me ( eight woman and two guys sitting at bar), she served the men quickly while ignoring me and other woman - what a joke. I won't be returning - so disgusted by the service. I however had a very nice experience from the bouncer who was bald, smiling, greeted me and had a goatee, as well as the barbaxk gentlmen, they were the only reason for two stars. If woman r behind the bar and ignoring u a- RUN AWAY QUICKLY! read more

Lamplighter Inn - Bars Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

Laughable customer service. Ordered a small pizza and chicken fingers. Only the pizza shows up. Call the restaurant - end up on hold for 15 minutes. Hang up, call back, put on hold again. Manager (I assume?) picks up. I say half my food is missing, can you send it out. Answer: Nope. Nothing they can do for me. He says he can make the food if I come pick it up. (unbelievable suggestion for a delivery order). I ask him if that's seriously his response, that he won't do ANYTHING. He just says "YEP." Would love a response from the GM here because I have never gotten a bigger middle finger after a restaurant F*ck up in my life. read more

probably the worst bar I've ever been to. tabs are never complete with what I ordered, bar tender is always drunk 8pm on a Monday . if the owners are around you should round up your dogs.... read more

I am an uber driver and called to place an order for a customer and she told me one of the items was unavailable due to their "night menu", I told her I had never had this happen and I was unsure of what to do and she told me to figure it out and then hung up on me. Awful service and I called back to talk to a manager and that awful woman WAS the manager so i had to cancel the order because she was of no help and was just too rude to interact with further. read more

Suburban charm. I've been a few times usually on weekdays. You could hit here mid-week and find a great mix of ages and a lively time. Though more often (I've seen) guys 26+ and ladies 21+, I'd guess that there are a few young ladies with fakes. Two floors, second floor has got space for karaoke and hosts live music. They've also got an open balcony overlooking the lively portion of downtown Palatine. Good mix of people, many a time most bars in this area are just White. Here you've got all kinds of peeps and there's a good vibe. read more

We came here on Friday for the fish fry and it was just ok. The batter was too thick and crispy for my liking. I had wanted to sit in the upstairs outdoor section, but it was packed. I ended up sitting in the dining area, which was nice and quiet. It looks like a fun place to drink and hang out with friends, but I wouldn't come back for the food. read more

See all

The bartender Lindsay was freaking awesome. Awesome nachos and she delivered some awesome nachos. Nachos are good the beats it was a very good surprise I didn't leave you want me to grade the painters that you're fucking awesome. Where is it was very nice presentable very personable we didn't have a way with him in a group of 30 she was still nice and polite.couldn't ask for better service and better beer at a better price. Then we go upstairs. First off you have to up stairs to get to the live cover band and as soon as you leave some chick wants to charge you $ to get back into the bar area. Really? Already paid and you want me to pay again? So I left. I spoke to the manager and he supported the door manager. Terrible service. read more

Lamplighter Inn - Vice rage cabarets - Bars Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

Picked this place from random on a spontaneous Friday night meet. There are two parts, the bar, and the restaurant. I set up shop in the bar. The crowd is salty and gets younger as the night progresses. A decent spread menu with some variety to it and some featured specials. I went for the house burger and it did not disappoint. The pizza I sampled was just OK. A shout out needs to go out to the order of onion rings and that spicy spanky sauce they serve with them. Totally liked that, had a nice little kick to it that demanded I order more beer. Speaking of drinks, vendors do a great job with signage so you can get a feel for the day of the week deal. Plenty of inexpensive tall boy options that will stretch your twenty spot. The bar tenders are friendly enough, but they are not there to make small talk, so you will need to turn to your neighbors for that. Very conducive to having some beverages with friends or making new ones. Easy to get in and out of, and I did not have an issue with parking. read more

See all

I was in the area one Saturday afternoon and my husband and I were hungry. We're always hungry. Lamplighter Inn was the the only place that looked "alive" in Palatine's mini downtown area. When I say mini - I mean mini. I think there were two other places to eat within walking distance (an Irish Pub and an ice cream shop) so we stepped inside the bar through a bunch of drunks (it was only 2pm!) and into the dining area. We each ordered a burger. Quentin Road Burger and Clayson Burger which were both pretty good. I also tried their amazing mac-n-cheese wedges which came on top of the Clayson Burger. Overall, a pleasant experience. If you happen to be in the area and are looking for a place with good grub and drinks, this place hits the spot. The dining area and menu is also kid-friendly. read more

Lamplighter Inn - Quentin Road Burger with sweet potato fries - Bars Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

See all

Worst bar I have ever stepped foot in. I'm basing this review based on the staff only. I have not tried the food. The staff is rude and thinks they are their own police force. They treat their customers like they are replaceable. If you are even standing somewhere they don't like, you have a good chance of being kicked out. Saw this happen right in front of me when someone was standing in an overflow line to use the bathroom and the bouncer didn't like where they were standing. The bouncer immediately freaked out at the customer and escorted him out of the bar without even a warning or simply letting him know that was not a good place to stand. Use your words not your strength! Not sure what happened after that point, but I have heard similar stories of this happening. After reading other yelp and Google reviews, I can see this happens a lot. STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE! So many other good options within walking distance of this place. read more

My wife and I went lunch at Lamplighter a couple times this past month. We forgot how good it is. And the wait staff are always so friendly.

This was my first time dining here and all I can say is "WOW!" This is a burger, wrap, sandwich and pizza joint which also happens to serve breakfast with many choices to choose from. But let's talk about their Specialty Burger's. I had the "Comfort & Easy Street" burger. a 1/2lb burger topped with bacon, cheddar cheese sauce, lettuce and tomato placed BETWEN 2 grilled cheese sandwiches! OMG was it good! Messy, but worth it! My wife had the "Railroad Station" burger. I can't wait to go back to try the "P-Town" burger which has peanut butter and bacon on it and others. Waitress was extremely friendly and made many suggestions and knew the menu well. If you're looking for a unique burger you've got to try this place! read more

Lamplighter Inn - Menu Cover - Bars Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

Place gets packed on weekends with college aged drinkers, many of which get blatantly wasted, which is quite entertaining for me. Food is decent, but they have a new kitchen manager who plans on bringing in new items & raising the quality of the food. Mixed drinks are only $4, even on weekends & they're pretty strong; my limit is between 4-7 drinks & on a few occasions, I was basically drunk after two drinks. Not normally my type of bar; sort of a divey kind of place, but I do like how there is an upstairs & downstairs, and also an outdoor patio & balcony. The jukebox on the first floor bar is a nice one; great selection of music & can be controlled by an app on a smartphone. The dj upstairs on the weekends plays a bunch of top 40, mainstream music. Not really my taste in music, but fun to dance to, especially when intoxicated. read more

So I have only been here to consume in some drinking... guess that is the college kid in me, but apparently I need to check out the food. I will say, that Fish Fry looks pretty tasty. Always a good time here, especially during Christmas. I love all the over-the-top decorations and everyone seems to be having a great time. Drinks aren't overpriced, at least for the area, and the bartenders are always super sweet. read more

Lamplighter Inn - Ugly sweaters in Lamplighter's - Bars Near Me - Palatine, Illinois

unpleasant experience. enjoyed well whisky for 4.50/shot while at this local palatine venue

A fun bar and restaurant in the heart of downtown Palatine. I was here for a birthday party, they have an upstairs so it's a good place to host a birthday party, drinks were good I had a cheeseburger with fries the only thing I'll say is a little easy on the onions since the onion slice that I got was too thick however the burger was good and I love the curly fries that comes with it, the bun was crispy too and the meat was juicy. It was a lot of fun and they have karaoke on Thursday nights apparently. If I'm ever in town I'd probably be coming back read more

My family loves Lamplighters! It's located in downtown Palatine and it has a towny/local feel. Ok, definitely not gourmet food here, but they have good bar food at great prices. When the kids were younger, we were here a lot on Sundays because kids eat free(1 free kids meal per adult entree). It's a great deal because it came with your typical kid entree (chicken fingers, pizza, etc), drink, animal cracker cookies and those fun Wiki sticks! The little pitchers of beer were always a nice cheap deal too. These days we mainly come here on Thursdays for 1/2 price pizza night. It's an awesome deal and it includes all the pizza on the menu! They have a pretty decent thin crust pizza; good amount of cheese and sauce. Of course we love the typical bar food appetizers as well; our favorites are the mac & cheese wedges, mini pretzels and bottle caps (fried, battered sliced jalapeños). Definitely a cheat night if you are on a diet! Tonight we got a large pepperoni pizza, 3 soda drinks, 3 appetizers for under $30-you can't beat that! Also, Alex is the best server ever! He is so friendly and pretty much knows our order every time we are there; he's the best :) I can't say much about the bar scene these days; I've been here with my younger cousins a year ago and it was pretty hopping upstairs with a DJ. Other than that, I haven't seen the shenanigans previous Yelpers mention. They also have an Open Mic Night on Wednesdays; I believe the last Wednesday of the month is open for all ages. It's a great open mic and very well run. My son performed his 1st open mic here late last year and the crowd was so welcoming. All the kids and adults encouraged each other; it was awesome to see so much love for music and these young musicians. It's always a good time at Lamplighters! read more