THE USUAL SUSPECTS This dive bar in Lisle is a haven for townies, which is certainly a vibe. Maple Ave Pub is, unsurprisingly, on Maple Ave just west of Route 53 in the western suburbs of Chicago. I'd estimate I've stopped here close to a dozen times, although a handful of those instances I neglected to check-in on Yelp for fear of my wife seeing it ("I thought you were coming straight home from work....") An older woman's been behind the counter seemingly every time, taking drink orders and making small talk. She's friendly--​moreso with the locals than with me--​and I'll occasionally get called 'hun', 'sweetie', etc, which is endearing. I got way better service from the hot tattooed barkeeps at Brauer House in Lombard, however. To be perfectly honest, I've never eaten anything here. The wings look like they might pass muster, though there's a few items that raise an eyebrow (clam chowder at a dive bar? thanks, I'll pass). Possum Pub in Melrose Park had surprisingly good food, and it was a major dive, so perhaps I ought to give the grub here a shot sometime. They have several pool tables, a Big Buck Hunter, Golden Tee, dart board, boxing machine, and pair of pinball machines; as of 6/19/24 they've got a Star Trek premium (Stern, 20​13) and JAWS (Stern, 2024). In the past they had Oktoberfest (American Pinball, ​2018), Fish Tales (Williams, 1992), and a stunning Circus Voltaire (Bally, 1997). Last week, the A/C wasn't working so this place was SWELTERING on one of the hottest days of the year. Normally I stick around for a couple pints and 2-3 games of pinball, but it was so toasty inside (worse than outside) I only played 1 game and skipped the beer completely. There were no fans on, either. * TL;DR * Dive bars are all well and good, but maybe it's time I found a new spot to hit up for a cheap domestic pint. Over the years I've gotten a handful of looks that can be described as quizzical at best, and dirty at worst. I've been ignored by the bartender numerous times--with cash in hand, mind you--while she's chatting away with regulars, as I'm standing there absolutely parched. I want to like Maple Ave Pub, but the feeling doesn't seem mutual. If it weren't for the pinball tables, I probably wouldn't return. read more

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Old school, no frills--yes fun, un-corporate, low key place to hang with a friendly crowd and tender--better than Cheers!. Old school, dark wood, good ole' bar with plenty of ways to entertain you. Decent selection on tap and in bottles as well as cocktails. Good bar food. Reasonable prices! Come as you are, no one cares. Bottom line: Very low key, decent bang for the buck on refreshments and food, low key crowd, lots of stuff to do. read more

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Waited 5 minutes for the bartender to finish with his phone before ordering overpriced drinks 1st and last time here!!!

The food is amazing! The blackened catfish and rice is great. I look forward to the specials they add to the menu. Thank you Rick for being attentive and providing a great alternative to bar food. read more

The food specials are incredible and live music on weekends. Bartenders that have been there for decades and reasonable prices. Great locals too! read more

Good food and great drink specials. Lots of TV's. Many games as well: Golden Tee, Darts, Pinball, Air Hockey, Pool Tables and Bags. Come check it out. read more

What a fun place to hang out at. Staff members are so friendly and attentive. I ordered chicken strips and they were so good. Nice and crispy. Always enjoy the live music shows. I would love to come back. read more

Dive right on in! Because that is what this place is: a dive! Good draft section, gaming section, lots of room and food & drink specials. The parking lot sucks on raw eggs! Decent pizza, but don't get it cooked well done because he will burn your crust, like in Warrenville! They have a cage in here. And by the look of the clientele, I would hate to see somebody "twerk it" or "drop it like it's hot"! read more

Maple Avenue Pub - Cheese and garlic pizza - Pubs Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

I moved away from Lisle and hadn't been to the Maple Avenue Pub in quite a while, but weeknight boredom perfectly mixed with discovering they do bingo and trivia on Thursday nights which created the perfect storm for returning to one of my favorite places in the Liz'. (People still call Lisle "The Liz'" right? No? Ok.) Anyway, the Maple Avenue Pub has largely remained the same. Cheap drinks, friendly staff, and a crowd that's a good mix of young and old suburbanites. That being said, the food has improved quite a bit from the last time we were here and I'm not sure if it's a new menu, they've got new people in the kitchen, or what. The things they've served here were always good, but you had to sort of look at it as "This burger, nachos, or whatever else are really hitting the spot right now with this bucket of Coors Light" and less "Hey I'm looking for a really world-class burger, let's go to the Maple Avenue Pub." Ya'know, standard bar food kind of stuff. You wouldn't go out of your way to get it, but the accessibility of being able to eat something greasy without having to move goes a long way. Their salads and pizzas are ... really great now. Like, straight up worth going there for the food alone, which is something you rarely say about dive bars. Everything is cheap too, in line with drink pricing. We ended up getting too much food to finish and too many beers to drink for less than $40, which is pretty dang good by my standards for a night out for two. The bingo was really fun, and not your typical smoky VFW hall blue hair bingo. The games were mixed up between traditional bingo and musical bingo which was a neat combination of trivia and bingo as instead of calling out a number you needed to know the name of the song being played. We didn't win anything, but, prizes were pretty decent and mostly included things like free food or gift certificates to Maple Avenue Pub (along with a growing black-out cash jackpot which no one has won... yet). Apparently they alternate between bingo and trivia on Thursdays, and we're excited to go back to try trivia given how well bingo was run. Anyway, if you can't tell yet from my (multiple) historical reviews of this place, Maple Avenue Pub is the best and easily high up on my list of best dive bars in the midwest. I've had nothing but great experiences here, and still regret moving away. read more

Maple Avenue Pub - Musical bingo! 1/5/17! - Pubs Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

Okay, this is a place I would normally be afraid to enter since you can't really see inside and it shares a strip mall space with a laundromat and a tattoo parlor... which in the suburbs, is what we call a "rough patch". You need not worry though, this place is as "local watering hole" as it gets. My first time here was with my main girl, Alicia B. They hold an annual fundraiser for Willowbrook Wildlife Haven, a rehab and learning center for local wildlife. How could I not support such a great cause? Automatic 4 stars! And though the parking lot is a mess and some of the patrons are little on the stare-y side, if you go with a group and you'll have a swell time. PS- The bartenders are great and won't skimp on the booze. read more

Maple Avenue Pub - menu for maple avenue pub - Pubs Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

I had the BEST wings in the entire universe over the weekend (BBQ and Garlic Parmesan), they are VERY big, flavorful and just yummy. LIzzy is a precious gem of a bartender and so sweet and polite. On top of that, the pool tables (and supplies) are in great condition. Love going to watch the game, drink and play pool The environment is phenomenal! Thanks so much for an amazing time EVERY time read more

HOLLLLAAAAAA! cocktails and margarita night!!!!! Pizza too and some snacks. So happy to kick it with the girls.... wheres brenda

Dive bars... one of my favorite guilty pleasures. There's something about a local dive that just makes you feel at home. Cheap drinks, daily specials, bar games, junk food, good company, and no frills... what's not to love about that! Now when you pull up to Maple Avenue Pub, you're probably thinking it's a run-down-out-of-business-bar, but you're wrong. Although there is no clear-cut Maple Avenue Pub signage and the strip mall it's located in looks a little sketch, they are indeed in business! They offer up a large bar with stools and plenty of other seating. They have darts, a couple video games, and on some nights you can even catch some fun music BINGO compliments of Baig of Tricks Entertainment. I hear they sometimes have live music as well! As you would suspect, I'd stick to beer and simple mixed drinks at this pub... it ain't no fancy cocktail lounge! The food is your typical bar food, but it's actually pretty good. I've had the quesadillas, nachos, BLT, tater tots, and cheese pizza and I'd order them all again. The waitress I had the last time I was in was great and super helpful even on a busy night! I know I'll be back to MAP (what the cool kids are calling Maple Avenue Pub, obviously) soon and you should give them a try too ;) P.S. I have no explanation for the bird cage stage or the random small party room, but it definitely adds to the character of this place! read more

Maple Avenue Pub is FUN, Good food, great music and a wonderful owner and Lizzie is Fabulous. The staff is friendly and FUN and professional. Very personalized. I always have a spectacular time! read more

Excellent food and friendly service. Great location on Maple avenue very close and convenient if you are looking for a good family restaurant with good value. I definitely love eating here. I have been wanting to review them and this reminded me where to go for my next lunch. Whether you want to sit down or take out a great place for lunch or diner. read more

Ok sooooo if you're from Lisle or lived in lisle at any point, you know already that people in Lisle are just plain friendly and gosh darn delightful. Sooooo if you come to a dive bar in Lisle most likely you'll run into some genuinely cool and friendly people. What's not to like? There's a cage, there's a stage, there's sports on a big screen or music. You can get a decent martini or a nice cold pitcher of beer. If you want to dance, there's a jukebox or a dj. A good time can be had by all(as long as you're over 21). read more

Maple Avenue Pub - Cage dance anyone? - Pubs Near Me - Lisle, Illinois

She's trying. If they are going to have a trivia night they should make sure they have enough staff to serve everyone. I haven't even gotten my food yet. It took forever to be able to order a drink... then half my table hadn't gotten their drinks yet... and we were looking to order our food, we waited, and waited, and waited. I ordered an appetizer. It still hasn't arrived. The poor girl needs some help. read more

When I moved out of the city out to Lisle and saw this place, I thought for sure it would be the next bar I'd frequent often. Not the case, in fact I don't frequent ANY bar in the area often though this does remind me of the local bars on the NW side of the city...far from classy, but not too trashy. This also reminds me of a college town kind of bar with great cheap drink specials during the week, and it fits the mold with Benedictine down the street though I have no idea what the specials are. This is about one step down from the Lodge in Four Lakes to give an idea of the ambiance in this place. I'm only giving this a low rating because it's just not my kind of place. I've been here one and only one time so far but I may need to visit again on some random night to see if my opinion changes. Who knows...I may fall in love with this place, or the cage that you can dance in turned me off for good. Yes, it's in a strip mall with a massage parlor, late night taco joint, nail salon, etc, also known as "Unincorporated Lisle" Not that it makes a difference. There are no frills here on a Friday night, just your typical bar...I've noticed they SOMETIMES have live music so I might have to try that. read more

This place has gone through numerous name and facade changes. When I was a kid I think the place was called Juke Box Saturday night and had a car driving into the top of the building? Now the place is a total McPoyle bar. It was good for a beer and a laugh before I had to get the hell out of there. read more

My favorite bar. The servers & bartenders are amazing, love them all. Doug is such a great cook as well! Great specials!

The only word that explains my experience was unexpected. It was a Friday night and we arrived around 8:00 pm. At first it looked like any other dive bar with pool tables, pin ball machines, and a juke box. There was a large dance floor with steel bars on one wall and a cage in a corner. As others reviewers mentioned there are fake rock piles like the polar bear exhibit at the zoo. We sat at the bar, ordered some wings, and a couple cold beers. Everything we had was great and the beer kept coming. Up to this point I would have said that this place is a 5 star dive bar and then things got weird. The place turned into a strip club at 11:00 pm. The girls were using the steel bars and cage to dance on. They were giving lap dances/face dances right in the middle of the dance floor. We realized that the carnival tickets they had been selling all night were not for a raffle. Instead of putting dollar bills into the girls' g-strings they were using carnival tickets. It was the craziest $h!t I'd ever seen. read more

Here are my reasons for giving this dive a 4 star. 2 stars--because they support my work and host a fundraiser for us.. Thank you very much! so stop judging me and thinking I'm white trash. 1 star-- because once a month a group of my friends find it necessary to meet here have a drink or 10. 1 star--for the bartender Daigon (sp?) and for the new sweet waitress we had last week.And for the fact that they have flavored vodkas. The drinks are good but the scenery is far from good it could possibly be considered creepy or scary but since I'm always with a group of peeps its ok. The food is no better than your typical bar food. read more

This place is just weird. I guess it used to be called Zookeepers, and it still looks like a zoo in there. Cages. Bars on the stage, as if orangutans should be up there swinging. They have fake rock everywhere, like you would see little animal habitats. And it's a sports bar. The fake rock - maybe it's just hard to remove and they didn't want to deal with it. I guess on the really-hopping nights girls go up on stage and dance. Go ahead, if that's your thing. Oh, I've been there 3 times. First time was OK, probably like 4 years ago. Went again, probably 3 years ago, and dudes were prancing around in thongs. If I remember right, I had to pay to get in. Why? Make the girls pay to see that shit. You should pay ME $5 for me to come into your bar when dudes are wearing banana-hammocks all over the place. Third time was last night, and I will say that I had a good time, probably because it was for a friend's birthday. I was starving, so I grabbed a menu. I scoped out the menu online before I went, just in case it looked "meh" and would rather stop at Taco Hell on my way there. Menu looked OK, so I opted for a burger. Pretty darn good. Only thing I didn't like was the quarter-onion they put on there. No joke, it was probably 3/4 inch thick. It DID come in handy as a nice little platform to put the ketchup for my fries. It would probably work as a good frisbee too. The service was pretty good, our server was nice and attentive. Bartenders were also friendly as well. I'd probably go back, but I'll call first to make sure there aren't any dudes wearing butt floss first. read more

This is an interesting bar. I think at one point they were going for a jungle theme, but that was lost and now it is just a dive. There is a ton of seating, a big bar and plenty to do here. One of their biggest downfalls would probably be the lack of adequate parking. Basic drinks were pretty cheap. One bottle of beer and a vodka sprite came out to 7.75 but I don't exactly know the breakdown. They have hilariously overpriced drink specials. Who in their right mind would pay $6 for a shot of Rumpleminze? This is a fun place to hang out, but the demographics were weird. When we arrived at 9 this place was a biker bar with classic rock. About an hour later the music was like listening to B-96 in 1996. An hour after that the DJ was now playing house music with the respective videos up on the monitor. Maybe that was just a Friday night thing, but I will stick to the pool table side of the bar. read more

When ranking local watering holes I feel that Maple Avenue is very near the top. It is a place that has many regulars that have been going to "the Map" for years. But also a steady amount of college kids and 30 something's. Servers, bartenders and owners are locals from waaaaayy back. They are friendly, accommodating and will remember your name. read more

I tend to like going to bars less and less and prefer to have friends at my place to drink. But when I do go out this is the kind of place I like. It's a dive! Anything more than that is more than I want. Most of the people that work there are great. The others I just don't know well enough. They have DJs a couple nights a week and if you're lucky a live band. There are a couple pool tables a few dart boards, indoor bags and some video games. The food is pretty good and the menu is fairly broad. They used to have great pizza, then they had crap, but now the pizza is good again. Not back to great but what can you do. They have a VIP room that you can rent for parties. There are a couple of couches and tables and a TV. All in all, not a bad dive in my neck of the woods! read more

Awesome staff and owner of MAP, these folks make everyone feel welcome and are so amazingly polite to customers and potential customers who come by. Stopped by to get my hands on CHIVE Lager (aka KCCO Black) which had premiered in Chicago that weekend with the CHIVE crew around the area. Got hold of two bottles to try and it was amazing beer. http://resignationbrewery.com/ read more

Good bar......great staff! Don't let the looks fool you. The food is great as well. read more

Fun time! I couldn't ask for a better environment or nicer staff! Four pool tables!! Awesome jukebox.

I went there expecting Zoo Keepers, which was there in my college days. Some of the staff looked familiar and still a dive bar, minus the male strippers. The food is good and beer is cold. read more

Bartenders/servers are awesome here. The food is amazing! They have different daily food and drink specials which is exciting. If they ever have the crab rangoon for a food special do yourself a favor and order them!! Soooo good!! One of my favorite bars to come to. read more

Only giving two stars because our server tried so hard. Management clearly doesn't care they bust their booties to serve. Trivia night, have more than 1 server, 1 bartender and 1 kitchen staff. Seriously took almost 90 minutes for our food. Half of it was apps. Had a good time with friends but I will not be going back, like ever again. I'm also regretting not cancelling our food like so many at our table did... bc my tummy is doing back flips now. read more

I don't know why but I love this place. Margie could not have made it a better time!!! Ollie, enough said , he is awesome!!!

I've been here for a few shows and the sound is good and LOUD. Did I say loud? really loud. If that's not your thing, don't go on a night a band is playing. The selection and prices of beer and drinks is good. read more

Great place. The food is good. I had order the Irish Nacho's and they were great. The have good drink specials well. I got a great well rum and coke. I had dropped in for the Bingo they do on Thursdays by Bag of tricks. It was a lot of fun. I was regretfully not lucky but had fun anyway. I realized that I need to beef up my music knowledge up a bit. They do a music bingo that is not very easy at all. They also have different trivia night's there. I will definitely be back. read more

This is typically what you wold expect from a suburban bar. Nothing special a d a very aged g structure and clientele who thinks playing Def Leopard on juke box is happening. read more

Really like this little $#!% hole bar. Lisa is literally the greatest employee there.

Margie was our server and was amazing! So attentive, and made our night awesome!!! Love the dj that takes requests. This is our new go to place! Thanks!!! read more

High energy trivia nights! Light up dance cage! Laguntas beer! What more could you want? Team Syndrome read more

Can I tell you how much I love this place! Best events great food and the bartender's are amazing !