Linebacker Lounge

They have a wonderful Happy Hour and make a delicious Old Fashioned! And the very BEST bartenders!…read more We love this beautiful whiskey bar and highly recommend you stop in and check them out!!

I've seen this place on social media but did not until recently get the chance to check it out when…read moreI was in town. It was packed! However I appreciated the efforts that the bar tenders made to keep everyone served! I had two tasty drinks, a French 75, which if you had not had before is a light and refreshing tasty drink! I love the hint of lemon! For my next drink, I had, well the drink is nameless, I told the bar tender that I am not pickey and to surprise me with a fun drink that came with the glass cover. I ended up with a tasty, coconut cream soda ish drink. This was a great experience and I would recommend checking them out if you are in the area

Good Old Fashioned Time!

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Wxyz Bar

3.6(9 reviews)

1.9 mi

Rebecca and Melissa mix the very best drinks and Bernie makes a mean French dip sandwich! The…read morepretzel sticks are very good also! These guys are the best!

Nice little spot downtown to grab drinks. I enjoy having a beer at their outdoor patio during the…read moresummer months. Great spot to people watch, you definitely see a lot of characters. I didn't have to deal with the bartender or staff though, I had a friend order for me inside and bring the drinks to our table outside. Sometimes it gets obnoxiously noisy, but it depends on the crowd I suppose.

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Jay's Lounge

3.2(48 reviews)

5.1 mi

Outstanding food and amazing service. Great place to catch…read moresome live music and just unwind'!

Best chicken strip basket around. Well seasoned massive chicken strips…read more Great midwestern no BS vibe. Overall a great place to grab lunch or have a late night drink.

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The Elephant Bar

4.3(7 reviews)

21.5 mi

This place is a great neighborhood bar! 12 beers on draft and Marquee Network to watch all the Cubs…read moregames.

Good drinks, but will only serve you if you're a man and have had over one drink. Ladies, if you're…read moreover a drink and have had one..Mason (bartender's) response "I can serve those who I want, sorry honey". By the way, the male counterparts we were with had ordered over four drinks.

Mural out back in the patio/beer garden.

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Come to The Elephant Bar!

Bar Louie - Granger

3.5(202 reviews)

3.4 mi

Food-delicious. Service- fine. Ambiance- great. Definitely stop by anytime chance you get!read more

Came in with a party of 15, was able to get sat immediately. Service was quick and great, she was…read moreattentive and knowledgeable. The chicken nachos were a 6.5/10 the chicken was seasoned well but the distribution of toppings was a bit sparse. The calamari was 7/10 they were a little spicy but they were fried perfectly and the sauce was a sweet Thai. The chicken quesadilla was a 6/10 a little too much cheese The effen cucumber martini was a 7/10 it was tasty and not too overpowering The hot honey bacon flatbread was a 8.5/10 it was very delicious. The bacon was crispy, the arugula was fresh, and the hot honey had the perfect kick.

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Who needs a Beach....to be a Beach Bum ;-)

Mr G's Restaurant & Lounge

3.6(18 reviews)

7.8 mi

I am an Airbnb host. I have never been here. I wanted to report that my guest have been here. They…read moreliked the staff, and the food. Even mentioned the atmosphere as friendly. Patting another local business in the back. Now I need to go.

Home town bar. Not too far from home. Always friendly faces. Food is really good and affordable.read more

Patio

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Aloft by Marriott South Bend

3.9(74 reviews)

1.9 mi

I stayed here for 1 night during the week for work/ before flying out the next day. I booked the 1…read moreKing Bed, Corner, Ultra Savvy Suite. Room - 9/10 large, modern, clean, no issues with temperature, had a small mini refrigerator but no microwave, decent view Bed - 9/10 very comfortable, good pillows Bathroom - 9/10 large counter, decent lighting Shower - 8/10 hot water, good water pressure Entertainment - 10/10 - tvs have Netflix Parking - 10/10 it happened to be free the night I stayed here. Parking garage is inside the hotel and has elevators that go directly to the room floors which was convenient. Location - 10/10 downtown, close to restaurants, close to airport. Gym - 8/10 decent size for a hotel, cardio equipment, free weights Food - NA - breakfast not included and I did not order anything from the small onsite kitchen. Pool - NA - I did not use.

We stayed here for a little staycation when I was visiting my hometown! Great location in the heart…read moreof south bend right next to my favorite bar there - Fiddler's Hearth. This is reason enough to stay there! Rooms were good sized and The pool area has a beautiful view of the city and you can even see Notre Dame! But the area itself needs updating. Paint was chipping and just felt old. The elevators were a hold your breath and see experience. The highlight was all the board games and pool table in the lobby. My nieces and nephews had the best time playing! Overall this hotel needs some attention!

King Suite

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Re:Mix Lounge

Jesús Latin Grill

4.2(418 reviews)

3.0 mi

Here for a quick getaway. Looked up potential places for dinner one night and came upon Jesus…read more(pronounced hey-soos) Latin Grill in Mishawaka. Reviews were great. Looked like an interesting place. Goodness, it was NOT disappointing! Vibe inside was eclectic, colorful, and fun. Our server was fabulous! Friendly but not obtrusive. Knew the menu well. Did everything with a smile! We started with their fresh made guac and the best freshly made tortilla chips we've ever had in a restaurant. We shared the verde salad...spinach, arugula, chocio corn, white beans, grilled avocado slices, jicama, pepitas, honey garlic dressing. Kinda exciting to get a salad unlike any other! So good! Hubby had the Chochinita Pibil...yucatan slow-roasted pork with all the fixings (look at the menu for details) and accompanied by their freshly made, banana leaf wrapped corn tortillas. I had the Peruvian Street Chicken, stacked high on the plate with, among other things, olive tapenade and the most delicious charred lightly smashed potatoes. It was HUGE and easily could have served 2-3 people (needless to say, we doggie-bagged mire than half of it!). Again, unique and taste-bud exploding flavors! Hubby tried, and enjoyed, their hose brewed Mexican lager which he says was crisp and malty. I cannot fail to mention the beverage I tried (on server's recommendation), the Mole Dream Mezcalita. Spicy. Cold. Good to the last savored sip! Will we go again? YES! Might even bring some friends for a quick road trip!

Visiting from Chicago. Pleasantly seated at the bar by the host and Aurora quickly attended to us…read more She was Amazing! very informative for a first time visit. Recommended everything that we should desire and the Elote & Tacos were phenomenal! Let's not forget the margaritas. So refreshing after a long day of work! LOL

Cool bar

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Chilaquilles

Terrace Room

4.3(221 reviews)

27.9 mi

•$$$

The Terrace Room is located in the chic Harbor Grand boutique hotel. We love the romantic…read moreambiance, marina patio seating, long bar and indoor fireplace. The food is delicious and most dishes are made simply and healthy, bringing to mind, California cuisine. The servers are friendly and accommodating and although the prices are somewhat elevated, the quality of the ingredients, house made pasta and overall experience is worth it!

We decided to celebrate my birthday (one day after) here since we are staying at the hotel, and it…read moredid not disappoint. I made a 6:30pm reservation and noted the occasion, and the staff sweetly sat us right by the window with a stunning view of Lake Michigan. I started the night with an Aperol Spritz. While their menu doesn't explicitly label items as gluten-free, I had called ahead and knew they could accommodate me. The appetizer options were a bit limited, so we shared the Brussels to start, followed by the corn and tomato risotto for my main, which was delicious. Our server was relatively new but incredibly attentive, even making sure to double-check with the kitchen that everything was safely GF. They offer multiple gluten-free options for mains and desserts, including GF pasta. We shared the ricotta cheesecake, and our server also brought out a complimentary chocolate mousse with orange slices and a birthday candle. Don't let the unlabeled menu scare you off--the staff is wonderful, the food is great, and you can't beat the lakeside view!

Wine by the bottle at Terrace Room.

Italian donuts with fruit preserves

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Harborside patio at Terrace Room just steps away from downtown New Buffalo.

O'Rourke's Public House

3.3(347 reviews)

0.6 mi

Been here before, but came here for dinner during Notre Dame move-in weekend. Place was packed!…read moreGreat atmosphere, live music and lots of lots of people. Great pub atmosphere. Pretzel appetizer was superb with the cheese sauce and poppy dressing. Burgers were well cooked and tasty and the side salads were plentiful and nicely chilled. Fish & Chips was a bit pricey for what it was, but tasty nonetheless. Guinness was properly poured and the Zombie Dust was ice cold. Service was lacking a bit, but the pub was so, so crowded. Will definitely be back.

Do you want a good local college bar? This place is amazing! Jamie H was my bartender today. She…read morewas awesome. The food: I had The Blarney Sandwich (Rueben Sandwhich) and it was absolutely amazing. Good music, good food, good beer prices!! It looks like this is the place to be on game day. I went during the week. Drinks: affordable and the place to stop by. There's a lot of chain restaurants, ignore them. This is where you want to be. It was great service, great atmosphere and if you're visiting looking for a good authentic college bar to go to at Notre Dame, this is the place to be. Again, awesome place, it looks to be a staple of Notre Dame. Be there!

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Bar

Chicken Tenders

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Irish poutine Breakfast potatoes Deep fried French toast

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32 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Elizabeth M.

9 years ago

Racist bouncers and cops at the door. I was excited to return to the Backer to relive college days with a wedding party made up of ND/SMC grads. The only member of our group who was denied entry for being "too drunk" was a black wedding guest who was completely sober. She even offered to take a breathalyzer test to prove she hadn't had anything to drink. When she politely asked again why she was not allowed in, the cop and bouncers immediately became rude and hostile, and the cop informed us that he would "f***ing arrest" her for trespassing, yet he refused to identify himself. She asked if this was a race issue, and the bouncer screamed at us "I don't have to f***ing tell you why you can't come in!" After clarifying that the officer was from the Indiana State Police, we asked that, as an employee of the state, he would speak to us on the sidewalk where his car was parked so we wouldn't be trespassing, but he refused. When asked for the number of the police department, he replied "call 911, I don't f***ing care." Then, despite no movement toward the entryway, the bouncers began to grab us and physically shove us away from the sidewalk. They continued to insist that she was "too drunk" to be allowed in, despite many people inside who were visibly drunk, falling over, and still being served drinks. Those of us who had already paid the $5 cover asked for a refund since we would not stay if the whole group couldn't make it in, but were denied. Disgusting bar, disgusting bathrooms, disgusting employees. On the bright side though, this bar could be a cool place for you to hang out if you hate black people! :) read more

Jesse J.

8 years ago

RACISM IS RAMPANT HERE!!! My fiance and I came to South Bend for a family wedding and visited this disgusting little bar afterwards. THIS BAR IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR NON - WHITE PEOPLE!! Shortly after cashing out with the bartender we hear a whistle and looked around to see who's fighting, next thing we know, my fiance (only black man in the bar, in his 40's, very professional) while talking and laughing amongst our group, was kicked out by a disturbing looking man with track marks. This is obviously one of those hateful corners of the country that feel empowered to express their hateful views by abusing the little authority they'll ever have..... it is a sad reality but one that needs to be revealed. We know little about South Bend Indiana, and while obviously not much of a metropolis there have to be better options. The owner(s) are probably similar trash but just in case you have a bit of intelligence or dignity, perhaps you should consider drug testing the staff that you hire to work with the people who keep your doors open and look for employees in places other than under the rocks that you found this crew. read more

Melissa S.

17 years ago

The "Backer" is disgusting! I have been there enough times to make a decision. It is always WAY overcrowded with sweaty, desperate looking people. The people that hang out there are townies or college students who don't know any better. Everyone is rubbing up against each other, so if you don't mind getting fondled by strangers, then this may be the place for you! Yes, the drinks are cheap, but they aren't good! The pre-made Long Islands aren't potent...they're gross. My car was broken into in the parking lot and the "security" said, "oh yeah, it happens all the time out here." Maybe they should be watching the lot...There is a pole that everyone just loves to dance on in the middle of the dance floor. People actually fight over this pole...how trashy can you get? This isn't a hole-in-the-wall type bar that is a good find. I can appreciate a good hole-in-the-wall. This bar is just full of trashy people from the South Bend area. The people that live there think that the "Backer" is a cool place to hang out because they don't know any better! I would not ever recommend this bar! read more

Ryan G.

233

11 years ago

Place would be ok if the security wasn't so hostile. They threw my gf out of the bar for no reason and wouldn't even let her inform us that she was kicked out. I eventually found her outside where I asked security what happened. They threatened to arrest me and told me they are also police officers. 1)why are cops working security at a bar and 2) why are they such dicks? Read more reviews and saw this is a pretty consistent theme with them. Also, food sucks, think I saw a mouse turd on the floor, and one of the bartenders looks like a washed up 2 dollar hooker who struggles to stay clean while quoting bible verses. Go to Mulligans... it's a stones throw away. read more

joe h.

135

17 years ago

The WORST bar in and around South Bend. I have been to Notre Dame twice and both times, this place sucked!!!! First of all, got my butt grabbed by more dudes than at a real gay bar. Second of all, the cougar bartender that looks like she stared in Harley Davidson and the Marlboro man, took my buddies beer and then kicked him out for no reason. Last, but not least, imagine 80 ppl stuffed into a cab, that is what it feels like. I wouldn't give this place any stars, but you at least have to give it something. Never again!!!! read more

Brennan B.

10 years ago

Just a bunch of students with high potential and brains being dumbed down to the inane brain capacity those who do nothing to help society, smashing their bodies together to old poorly DJ'd music (sound quality sucks) on a sticky and disgusting floors while drinking watered down drinks and policed by Alumni Football players that never made it past college to a job or the NFL. AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COSTS! You can do so much better than this shithole. read more

Kyle F.

16 years ago

Hillbilly employees decided it was fun to throw cubes of ice at customers...injuring one, while a steroid head behind the bar took exception to upset customers who were stricken by ice. Avoided the place while I was in college and made the mistake of giving it a shot on my return to South Bend. They took my $50 round of drinks.....then refunded us $7 for their own terrible hillbilly employee actions. read more

Mitchell D.

150

7 years ago

My boi was denied for no reason other than his long hair that he's growing out to give to kids with cancer. He even confirmed with a cop across the street that he was not lit at the time. Fuck this place. To be fair he should have known better than to ever go to a place named "Linebacker Lounge". read more

Jay E.

130

10 years ago

A guy creepily continually hit on my fiancée and when I said something I was kicked out of the bar. I was waiting for my fiancée and the bouncer told me that she was dancing with the creepy guy even though that wasn't the case. A terrible experience and that bouncer should be fired. read more

Gary T.

15 years ago

A great place to just drop by and enjoy music! but what I have to say is if you don't like what teens are up to these days, then don't bother coming. Place is great but it's a place for most guys to unwind especially bringing their pack of cigarettes and grabbing some beer. read more

Kristen P.

9 years ago

Never go. Hispanics NOT welcome at Linebacker Lounge. 10-6-17 bouncer came over and kicked hispanic guy out. No issue, no confrontation. Just came over, pushed him out. Hostile South Bend cop waiting outside. Oh music too loud and food is crappy too read more

Mina M.

114

8 years ago

Just came back to again reiterate... This place is racist. It's run by racist thugs. Look through the reviews. If you are not white, you will get discriminated against here, and it will probably involve the "police". Beware. read more

Daniel H.

4 years ago

The workers are very racist. If you are not white then they will try everything in their power to get you kicked out. Most of the people working there and making the decisions should feel sorry about their lives. read more

Kevin J.

14 years ago

I love this place. Perfect atmosphere for gamedays when ND is playing. Beer is reasonable and food is fine, although that's not why I go there! South Bend is a decent party town if you know where to go! read more

Sam D.

4 years ago

Never again. Lots of reviews on here saying this place is full of racists....they are also sexist. Don't bother coming here unless you are a white male or want to be harassed by the staff. Awful. read more

Franklin J.

2 years ago

The Linebacker is an almost spiritually perfect bar. The food is solid, the staff people are friendly and the drinks are very well done. If I could give six stars, I would be happy to do so. read more

Samoht L.

4 years ago

This place is absolutely trash. I would not recommend unless you like drinking urine in a an absolute dumpster fire smelly gross townie dumpster fire. read more

Test M.

5 years ago

Extremely trashy and awful staff. They are very rude to visitors and the locals start fights for no reason. Very strange place with bad vibes read more

Aaron A.

5 years ago

Very intrusive and degrading staff. Staff has taken out in insecurities of being 40 years old and still working at a bar on customers.

Adam R.

7 years ago

I've seen the recent video of your security harassing someone for filming a police incident. I will not be back to your establishment.

Linebacker Lounge - lounges - Updated September 2026

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Been there a couple of times. Never been a place people think "hey let's go there!" Only ever go…read moreif someone wants a cheap drink with a cheap vibe. It's not a dive bar but more of a neighborhood bar that prefers regulars. Nothing special or notable.

A few weeks back my friends and I had come in and we had to wait on the bartender's to finish their…read morepersonal shots before they made our drinks. And they forced our friend to leave because he arrived at 1 even though they close at 2. Overall underwhelming and disappointing experience.

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Here for a reunion party. Friendly service and nice spaces. The only issue was that a Zoom for…read moreremote attendance by classmates was in a side stairwell and hard to interact with.

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Cheers Bar and Grill

3.8

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Was staying nearby and I was kinda hungry and it was pretty late and just asked the receptionist…read morewhat good food was open at hour. She told me about this place. Will say this def gave a young fun vibe in the inside. They were definitely playing some bangers!! If I'm honest I was blind so I couldn't see much but the vibes were amazing!! If I was able to see I would probably def enjoy the ambience more. Honestly I came for the food and not the bar itself lolz. Double cheeseburger 8/10 idk how you can mess up a cheeseburger but it tasted like a cheeseburger. The people were pretty nice and very helpful. Kinda sad that they had to still ID me for just food but hey it's bar so it's understandable lolz. If it was just food I would gladly east outside to not get ID'd lolz. But no complaints lolz.

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The Galley Sports Pub

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The staff here is god awful. They are the worst of the worst in terms of service and literally…read moreignore you because there is Zero management, They are only here to hang out with each other, not to serve anyone. I came here once and had bad service but it's close to my hotel, so I came back. It was 10 times worse the second time. No one is managing this place. The second time, I sat here for over 35 minutes with only one person saying anything to me (a manager) and still waited 25 minutes for any of the 'bartenders' to do anything. I'm a dive bar guy, and I give a lot of leeway since I travel all the time, but what a joke. Literally NO ONE in charge. Their food is mostly garbage and tastes like I'm at a little league game. I have no problem being somewhere that has these problems but they're clueless. If you can't deliver with food, try having a decent fucking attitude.

I don't know how this place has less than 5-stars. People…read moremust not realize what a gem this place is. Huge TV's everywhere! Smoking Hot barmaids and waitresses. (See photos) The sticky shrimp tacos were pretty good for bar food. The drinks are STRONG!!! Keep hating on this place and I'll enjoy it all by myself when in town. A few drunk loudmouths at the bar were idiots but very good entertainment. Jukebox has it all.

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The food is good and the outside patio is perfect. The service is always friendly and everyone gets…read morealong.

After checking into our hotel on Friday evening, my sister and I decided to eat at Snappers Bar &…read moreGrill. Unfortunately, the experience went downhill from the moment we sat down. We weren't greeted warmly, which normally wouldn't matter if the service and food made up for it. It didn't. After waiting quite a while just to get started, I even asked my sister if she wanted to leave. She said, "Not yet." After waiting even longer, I asked again, and she replied, "We're in too deep now." When our food finally arrived, my sister's meal had to be sent back. As the waitress walked away with it, I accidentally spilled what was left of my lemonade. The spill wasn't acknowledged by our waitress, and she never asked if I'd like another drink. Thankfully, another employee eventually helped clean up the mess and brought me a fresh lemonade. My sister's corrected meal sat ready for more than 10 minutes after we heard the kitchen bell before anyone brought it to our table. Because of the poor service, I left no tip and wrote "0.00" on the receipt. The waitress had also taken my credit card to the back to process the payment instead of running it where I could see it. Later, I realized my credit card was missing. I immediately called the restaurant and was told it wasn't there. I locked the card, and the following day multiple attempted charges were made on it. While I can't say for certain what happened, the timing was extremely concerning and left me with serious doubts about how my card was handled. I rarely leave negative reviews, but between the poor service, long waits, lack of attention, and what happened with my credit card afterward, I cannot recommend this restaurant or it's choice of Friday night live entertainment.

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I came here expecting sushi. What I got was bullshit. All I asked for was a glass of milk and the…read moreguy had the audacity to ask me to order something on the menu. Ive seen better sushi at the Meijer hot bar. The waiter bowed politely, which I took as a personal attack on my posture. 10/10 terrible experience. Can't wait to go back and suffer again.

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