I was able to experience Marge's Still on their grand opening night (7/23) ... and I was very happy upon leaving. I agree with the other reviewer about there being to many burger options on the menu, they need a little more variety in the sandwich department - the only non-burger choices are a turkey burger, buffalo chicken sandwich and grilled cheese. I would like to see more chicken for sure. But I opted to split the ribs and wedge salad with my sister and we were very happy with the food - not to mention we got complimentary Gorgonzola chips and mascarpone/chocolate dipped strawberries that were both delicious! I loved the atmosphere - the floor is almost too pretty to walk on! And the beveled windows give it a very old-world, classy feel. And you have to use the hand-dryer in the bathroom - it's an attraction in itself! The only minuses were the menu options (which I mentioned), the drinks were pretty expensive for the neighborhood bar scene, and the wait staff seemed a little wet behind the ears - but I'm sure that will get better as time goes on. read more

Yep, I'm going to go ahead and break out the five star review, it's been a while and it's deserved. Years I've lived in the neighborhood: 6. Times I've driven or walked past this place: 100. Times I've thought to myself "We gotta check this place out, it looks cute": 98. Why the hell we didn't go here sooner: Stupidity. Looking for a laid back night and some good grub, we found ourselves at Marge's thanks to my yelp bookmarks. As expected, the place is a bar but kind of a restaurant. Unfortunately when you go to places like this you have to sit near kids, not the fault of the establishment. Yes, I'm going to hell. In the parents defense, we were there early, I'm hoping that later on at night it's a kid free zone. Very pleasant hostess and waitress which the next table was calling "Margie". Could have been a daughter, granddaughter, a coincidence or a drunk patron, I'm not sure. Beer was a little on the high side ($4 for a Shlitz!) which tempted me to remove a star. I decided only to remove a half of star and round up. NOW, the important stuff, our grub. Caprese salad: My favorite kind with cherry tomatoes and reduced balsamic - yum! Crab cakes: Two to a plate, perfect appetizer, very good. My main: Bison burger on a pretzel roll. I've never had bison, it was faaaabulous. Pretzel roll being good was a given. The sweet potato fries were excellent, crunchy and not soggy in the least bit. Tim's main: The burger with pulled pork on top! Yes he couldn't decide so he went with the combo. It was an excellent choice, and he's a burger Connoisseur. Wash that down with two hefeweizens and you leave fat and happy. I've heard their brunch is excellent, we will definitely be going back...soon! read more

We went this last Friday (the first Friday night that it was open) and it was still a soft opening. They had there full menu available. Being that I live in the neighborhood, it goes without saying that I will be in attendance a lot at Marge's Still. I never had the fortune of attending the REAL Marge's, but I am super excited about it coming back. The owner's (who I hear also own Pepper Canister and Garrett Ripley's) did a really nice job on the interior. The light fixtures, the marble on the floor and the beautiful woodwork make this place feel special. In typical Chicago fashion there are plenty of TVs to take in your favorite Chicago team. Although, I will say that they only had one TV up and running and it was all the way in the back and they didn't even have the White Sox/ Red Sox game on. A little disappointing. Another thing that was disappointing to us was the service. They only had 1 waitress for the entire place! I understand that this is a "soft" opening, but shouldn't they be a little more prepared than this. We watched many people come in and sit at a table only to leave after waiting several minutes without any service. Also, I think the burgers and the kids menu are priced extremely too high. $10 for a burger seems pricey especially when you order it medium and you get it well done. Like I said, I understand that it is a 'soft' opening.....I also thought they had too many burgers on the menu. Kind of Weird and could have had some pasta dishes. Although, we didn't order the ribs we saw some come out and they looked really good and priced @ $19.00 that seems like a really good deal, especially if they are good! Not once, did we see the owner or manager walking around making sure that everyone was satisfied. I personally think in a neighborhood place such as this you would want to befriend your clientele as much as possible. A lot of influential people live in this neighborhood and it would behoove them to show some neighborhood appreciation. I know there is room for improvement here and i am totally willing to give them more than one shot and not judge this place on its first week. Hopefully, I will be coming back and giving it 5 stars! read more

4* Chicken Pot Pie 2* Crab Cakes 2* Old Town Burger 3* Bruschetta 2* Mac & Cheese read more

Solid food. Close to home. What more do you need? The waitstaff is great and my burger is always done right too! SO finally on my fourth visit here I am reviewing it. This was the first time we had to wait for a table but it was THE festival weekend here in Old Town so it was to be expected. Once we were here with the bf's family and 3 little nephews and it's kid-friendly too. Obviously we came in early then for dinner (there's something not right about kids being in a bar atmosphere after 8pm anyway). It's a loud place and there are TVs everywhere so you're always watching some game :-) sweet potato fries are awesome and there is a salad with goat cheese and figs and some other fruit that is really great and huge too! I love the fact that it's not on a major street so it's not attracting all the wells street bar stragglers . . . read more

The mission. Friend + Bar + Booze +Weeknight. In search of a good place to meet up on a weeknight, near public transportation, my friend and I chose Marge's Still. We wanted a quiet place with good food and good drinks ( wine or beer). Upon entering Marge's Still I was amazed at how beautiful the bar is. It really is a classic and classy joint that caters to a neighborhood that it is in. Classic, classy but not snooty (in case your wonderin). The booze (I had wine) was great and the food itself was pretty good as well. My steak was a touch on the salty side, but sometimes salt does this body good. And, the waiter who helped us was a hoot. He was funny and fun and was very attentive! If I'm in that part of the hood anytime in the near future, I will be checking out this place again. read more

Good Food definitely for the bar type feeling. The Slider Trio is large and tasty enough as a separate meal off the appetizer list. Even has stuff like Brie as an appetizer where you certainly don't find that often at other bar/grills. My qualm on this place is the drinking atmosphere though and really can't see myself spending a whole evening here. I never visited the original Marge's, but I'm sure that it was better than the mini white tiled floors and low out of place tables that line this bar. The interior reminds me of a drab WWII era hospital ward. Maybe the place needs another renovation. At least they do take out and are half a block from my place. read more

I'll start by saying that I've only really been here for the brunch, so I'll only be basing my review on that. The brunch is a large, wonderful spread, lined up on their bar. The deco gives the place a nice old feel, with nice wooden features and porcelain tiles. The staff was a little slow to refill the water and coffee, but friendly. The food was fresh, and nice in range. Biggest blackberries I've seen outside of MI. Always love a place that has lock and spread bar. It was a little pricey for what we got, but the food was great. Took some family here once and they always talk about brunch when I see them now. I know we'll be back just for them. read more

This is a great neighborhood spot! Good food (especially the brunch and burgers) and good drinks. Really great place to just hang out and kick it. The servers always make me feel like a regular even though I've long since moved out of the neighborhood and don't come as frequently. read more

Marge's is a decent pub and a not a bad place to grab a couple of pints. The problem is that their food is truly awful. I've had a few meals here and everything I've tried has been drenched in grease, over-cooked, or obviously reheated. Also mystifying is the huge diversity of menu items...beef bourgignon? Hopefully Marge's will get its act together -- it gets a lot of overflow from Twin Anchors; they'd do well with a dependable menu. read more

A little pricey, but food here is great. The French onion soup is one of the best I've ever had. Ambiance is also wonderful.

I've read the other reviews and I have to say that I had a completely different experience. It was a Saturday night and my mom and sister were here visiting from back home. We had been out and about all day and we were just looking for a relaxed place that we could grab some good food and catch up. We decided that Marge's Still sounded like a good option based on suggestions from friends. From the moment we stepped through the door the whole experience was perfect. It's a small place which may be an issue with some people, but I'd rather go to a tiny place with a great atmosphere than some giant place with nothing special to offer. The manager knew my family was in town visiting and before we had even gotten our drinks we had their signature appetizer delivered to our table (on him). Homemade potato chips with a creamy gorgonzola sauce. It only takes one word to describe this... AMAZING! We all tried something different. I had the Caesar Salad with the filet. The meat was cooked to perfection, it literally melted in your mouth. My mom had the tuna special which was a grilled tuna steak with a corn and pepper salsa, her only complaint was that she wised she could have ordered 2 cause it was so good. My sister had the roasted chicken and we knew when she didn't say a single word while she was eating that she loved it. To end the evening, we were given a dessert of our choice. We opted for the chocolate cake and it was a good think we were splitting it. It was delicious. This cute and cozy neighborhood restaurant is a gem. Everything from the staff to the food to the atmosphere. read more

Went to Marge's Still around a year ago and it was great -- a real neighborhood gem. Went there several weeks ago and a big difference...not for the better. The friend who brought me there around a year ago said that in the interim it underwent either new management or new ownership. A year ago it was packed -- on a weeknight. When I went there several weeks ago, we were one of two tables -- on a Saturday night at 8:30! Not a good sign. The service was very friendly, but incompetent. It took longer than it should for the entrees to arrive and when they did, it was very good...but not terrific, as it was on my first visit. I'd still recommend it as a Old Town neighborhood bar/restaurant. Good quality. Shame, though, it wasn't outstanding as it was the first time. read more

Absolutely love this place. Have been here four or five times since moving to Old Town & I couldn't ask for a better drop-in spot. They have a great beer selection, if a little small, the food is great (the Wednesday night sliders are superb), and I've never seen it more than 80% full. I read some of the really bad reviews for this place and I'm sorry they had a sub-par experience when all of mine have been great. Here are my main selling points: 1. Good beer selection (Magic Hat #9, Duvel, Goose Island Matilda, etc) if a little limited 2. Very chill atmosphere. You can have a conversation at your table without yelling. 3. Good pub food specials 4. Great dinner menu Give it a shot. You might have your new spot! read more

If You Like Average ... Went for lunch yesterday with a friend who swears by this place. However, after dining, I wonder if his zeal is more nostalgic than anything else. (He used to live in the area when it was Marge's.) Marge's Still is an average, nothing special about it corner bar, with lots of televisions, that serves typical bar food. The fried calamari was basic you-can-get-it-anywhere stuff, and was served with a crappy bland watery marinara. The side salad was plain, murdered with too much red-onion, and overall too large for the plate it was heaped upon. The burger was average, a bit too much char taste for my liking. The fries were soggy. My friend's crab cakes were ok. Probably the best of the fare we ordered. Still, they were not good enough to warrant any praise. Fortunately, we liked our server very much, and this made our meals more bearable. It was nice to see Stiegl on tap. It's a great beer and sometimes difficult to find. The Stiegl gets five stars! That said, I'd come back if I were in the area and had a taste for a Stiegl. read more

I live in Old Town and this is one of my go-to dinner spots when I don't feel like cooking. They have a pretty standard menu, and always have specials. I am a big fan of their salmon specials. They also have a pretty good selection of beer on tap. read more

Ok so I only ventured here because my husband and I needed to use the restroom. There seemed to only be one waitress on duty and we walked in to an empty restaurant (she was outside). There were no signs or staff to ask so we went ahead and used the restrooms briefly without making any mess or being disrespectful. However, inside the restroom there was literally a black layer of grime or mold inside the hand dryer. Nasty as hell. Then when I came out and waited quietly for my husband to come out that waitress, seeing my stand next to the bathroom, goes, "what are you doing??". And I said, "were using the restroom". Keep in mind the restaurant is completely empty inside and no signs were posted. She goes, "the restrooms are for customers only!". And I told her there was no one there and no signs. Plus it's not like we dirtied the place or left a mess. She seemed mad and was like, "these bathrooms are for customers only, for next time". Will definitely not be a customer here with the extremely rude attitude of the waitress. My husband told me that while he was waiting for me she accosted him twice in the same manner. Ridiculous. read more

While this small pub has some genuine history and quaint character, it is all destroyed by the atrocious service. It's not just a matter of being "very busy" as the waiter complained, it's the attitude the staff displays: customers are there to be ignored. Save yourself the frustration and go somewhere else. read more

This is a great neighborhood bar. Lisa, Meg, Dan and the others who work at Marge's are always friendly and make your time there wonderful. They have an excellent beer selection and Lisa mixes some great drinks. The food is much better than "pub food." Try the chicken pot pie or the beet salad. The burgers and other handhelds are awesome. Neighbors meet to eat and drink here, and the place has a great vibe. Old Town wouldn't be the same without Marge's! read more

Went last night with a group after our last judo class. It took 25 minutes before our table even got water. We were sitting by the kitchen and could see that our orders were up but our waitress was restocking ketchup and mustard at the tables (there was one other table with patrons by the time our food was done in 60 minutes). Three at our table ordered soup and salad with their meals - they had to ask for their soups/salad after 30 minutes when they didn't arrive while we were waiting for our dinner. The waitress told them they should have said they wanted them before dinner. One member of our party got the wrong order, just as she had to leave. She had ordered the Turkey Lettuce Tomato (TLT) instead of the Bacon Lettuce Tomato (BLT) which she had received. Her ride was waiting outside and she waited for her correct order which ended up being taken off of the bill because of the wait and the error. I will never go back there and wish I had never been. read more

The oldest or second oldest pub in Chicago. One of the last neighborhood joints on a quiet street corner. Dates to the late 19th century when there were hundreds more bars throughout the residential neighborhoods than there are today (look it up). Intimate original interior with a 4-table patio (on north side of bldg, so not a great place to catch rays later in the day). Only open for lunch on weekends and closes up early if business is slow, so it's not a great gig for the waitstaff and service maybe suffers as a result- though more often foul-ups are due to the kitchen. Food is surprisingly ambitious. An aspiring gastropub! w/ unusual beers on tap. Who are these suckers waiting 45 mins for a table at over-priced Twin Anchors? Walk a block the Marge's where the food and atmosphere are superior. read more

Day 2 in Chicago: great time with my twin, my girl Latoya. We went to an amazing restaurant called #lowcountry omg the food was to die for and the ambiance was great as well. A must go. The sauce was so good i wanted to drink it. We met the manage Jeff, so nice and we also met the owner. So kind and u can tell he cares about his business and the customers experience. I will be back. Sophya and Latoya read more

Been waiting for the perfect opportunity to experience Marge's Still, today was the day. Walked into Marge's on a steamy Sunday afternoon to cool down w a salad and cold drinks. Unfortunately the air wasn't on, which was obvious. Luckily for my party of 2, there was good ventilation, so we stayed. The lack of air is the only gripe I have. I was seated right away, the ambiance was absolutely perfect for a relaxing Sunday afternoon. My salad was amazing and the waitress was prompt and pleasant. I enjoyed Marge's Still, I'll be back..hopefully for dinner and cocktails! read more

Love this darling bistro bar in Old Town! The oldest pub in Chicago still has spunk and serves up some delicious dinner. Tall windows brighten up the space and there is some outdoor seating available on warmer days. I've never had to wait for a table and always find interesting patrons here. I haven't had a bad meal and usually pop in to warm up with a chicken pot pie. Grab a seat at the original antique wooden bar and gab with a friend or find a table to watch a game. It's family friendly during dinner hours, but a true pub later in the evening. read more

Went there over the weekend to celebrate my birthday with a friend he insist I try them. So I googled it, it seems fair and good beer list and burgers, so I was excited!! What a major disappointment!!! We walked in, 2 of us, only 1 table occupied inside and 1 outside and maybe 4 people sitting at the bar. Most of the open tables were all dirty with plates and bottles still on them, the waitress walked past us several times and never acknowledged us. It wasn't cozy or a good vibe, I stayed for him..after like 15mins the waitress came. We ordered and it took a long time to get our food, I'm thinking what is this place like with a crowd? the 2 girls are overworked or hardly working, they looked really cranky and tired..Poor management and terrible customers service, too bad the food was good, yes they got it wrong and forgot all my sides, never came to check on us or refill our water cups, BUT the food was great!! Too bad I'm sure this was a nice spot once upon at time..NEVER AGAIN. If you're hungry don't go here, you will wait , and wait and wait.. read more

I liked this place! However I'm so confused as to what it is supposed to be. It looks like a dive bar, but has a surprisingly upscale food menu and many older patrons who are dressed to the 9's. Such a funny place! For some reason our server told us that the first round of drinks was on him (thanks!) so that was really nice especially for our first visit. It's really cute and homey and was fun to sit in the window. I'd definitely go back, maybe try some of their food. read more

LOVED this place and wish it was my neighborhood bar/restaurant! It's physically beautiful with an antique but comfy vibe, the staff is smart and friendly, the drinks are exceptional and the food all looks extremely well prepared. This is 100% my kind of place. read more

If you are looking for a friendly neighborhood bar with a great burger this is your spot. They have a few outside tables in the summer.

I love marges! Perfect neighborhood joint. The friendliest staff and yummy food. I bring everyone who visits me to Marges

A little diamond in the rough. At least for me since I don't frequent this area. It has a very cute outdoor patio. The inside is the basic Chicago bar. The service is nice. The fries are quite good and the burger is decent. The Moscow mule was as strong as I would want it. I also had the spiked root beer float. I highly recommend that. Pricing was good. I would go back read more

Marge's is back! New management, new kitchen, and new menu. The new menu has the solid staples you'd expect (mac & cheese, burgers, etc), great specials, and - my personal favorite - homemade desserts (i think i might come back for the creme brûlée alone)! read more

Went in for just a few drinks with a friend. We were served pretty quickly. The clientele was a little older and fairly quiet, which is just what we were wanting After a feW louder bars earlier in the evening. They knew how to pour a Guinness well, and had a good selection of craft brews on tap. Didn't have any food from the menu this time, but I'm willing to go back and give it a try after the first visit. Definitely a place to go for a neighborhood bar feeling. The bar waited on us very well, and the prices were very reasonable for a Chicago bar. read more

Potential credit card theft. Went to Marge's Still on 11/9/12 and 11/16/12. Brought a group of 10+ both Friday's. This place came recommended because it wasn't going to be crowded, and it definitely was not - on either night. On both nights we were greeted with shock that a group of people were coming in. On both nights they were out of the special, which was weird because there were maybe 7 people in there. On 11/16 they didn't have any cash to make change. There excuse was that they were a "neighborhood bar", well my thought is aren't most bars in Chicago neighborhood bars? Having worked in a bar I found that very confusing, but wasn't surprised with Marge's. The nice thing about them not having change was they were giving out free drinks for anyone that tried to buy with cash (which didn't last long as they started asking for credit cards and eventually caught up with a little bit of a bank.) I opened up a tab with my cc. On 11/16/12 there were three bartenders (a female and 2 males). At 2am while I was cabbing it home my credit card was charged $106.24 at the apple itunes store. It wasn't me, wasn't that drunk. I can't prove that it was anyone at the bar, but I don't think it is a coincidence. I'm posting this review just in case something like this happens again, maybe next time the person can be caught and prosecuted. read more

Started going there in the late 70s when I moved in down the block. Great spot! They're the best.

Such a cute bar with interesting history! I recommend this bar if you're in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Apparently the chips with blue cheese is supposed to be quite good!! read more

In my 34 years of living on earth, Ive never had such bad service. I am shocked this place is able to stay in business given the poor customer service. I plead for anyone who is considering eating here to go somewhere else...anywhere...would be better. My experience is below: I came here with my wife and baby Sunday at around 5pm. There was only one other party sitting outside, who arrived right after us. Inside the bar/restaurant there were 2 other parties, so the place was empty. We sat down outside and it took over 20 minutes for the waitress to take our orders. My wife has a dairy, nut, and gluten allergy, so we asked the waitress of the ingredients in the BBQ sauce. She had no idea and tried to explain it but it was clear she didnt know. She told us "it should be ok" but I got concerned given her lack of knowledge and we ordered something else because I simply didnt trust the waitress. 30 minutes later, our food finally arrived. The table next to us who came in after (but had a different waiter) was finishing up their meal. As our waitress brings out the food, she drops one of the fish (i ordered fish and chips) on the floor. Also, the salad my wife ordered had nuts and cheese on it, despite us telling her about the allergies. She apologized but at this point our baby was getting tired, so we canceled the salad and my wife went home while I finished up. I was expecting the waitress to come back to bring me another side of fish (like she promised she would) but 15 minutes passes and I still dont see her. At this point, I left $20 bucks on the table and left, first time I've ever done this! I'm not sure if our waitress was dumb or simply didnt care. Probably both. I've had some bad service in my life but nothing like this. As for the food, its fairly standard, nothing special, and the prices a VERY expensive. AVOID THIS PLACE!!! read more

Stopped by here with an out-of-town friend. We were fleeing a rooftop bar at a nearby hotel that had its music system cranked up to 11 and patrons who all appeared under the age of 12! We were looking for a quiet place to have a glass of wine or three and Marge's was it. What a great place...old-time Chicago atmosphere, dignified clientele, helpful waitstaff and (on the night we stopped by) two-for-one bottles of wine! Couldn't have been more welcome. Also sampled their appetizers (calamari, blackened shrimp and sliders)...above-average bar food. I had been to Marge's 30 years ago...didn't realize it was still there. Hope it's there for at least another 30. read more

Top quality food. Try the ravioli and pot pie when in season. The salads are high quality and well thought out. Everything is Tasty! Very good drink and beer menu. Relatively quiet for a bar so you can hold a conversation without yelling. Service is satisfactory. Staff are a bit cool but always nice and professional. I'm a fan. read more

Solid food and beer specials at this neighborhood pub. I had the roast beef sandwich and had a great many beers to choose from for the special. Can't complain about anything here -- food was excellent, beer tasty, and just loved the relaxed atmosphere. read more

I used to love Marge's and have tried to keep it in our regular location for years but over the last 12+ months, have been consistently disappointed with the menu, food and beer list. After making this our regular place for date night for a couple years, we have moved on. I sure wish they would get it figured out! read more