Came here late at night and was surprised they still had a full menu! Food was delicious. Chicken sandwich as crispy and tasted very fresh. The nachos were also amazing very generous with toppings. Water was also easily accessible. Service was great, staff were nice, we ordered drinks and food from the bar. A lot of seating and places to hangout. Decorations were cute and lighting was nice. A little loud but it was crowded so expected. read more

Mother’s Ruin - Beer Cheese Nachos - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Mother's Ruin deserve a star alone just for having late night bites. I have nothing but respect for bars with a late night kitchen - the true heroes of society. I came here to try their famed chicken sandwich...and it's totally worth the hype! Sandwich came with a side of fries which should be the standard for all sandwiches in my opinion. Probably the best chicken sandwich I have had in Chicago (so far). My whole table was here to try the chicken sandwich, but I'll definitely be back to try the rest of the menu. All I needed to know was they have a happy hour menu. read more

Always great! Highly recommend the Caesar wrap! So delicious! Always great drinks and great service! read more

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The vibe is great, the service and drinks... not so much, anymore. The atmosphere and the space are genuinely fantastic. It has that perfect low-key, upscale-dive feel. In the past, especially years ago, I remember both the food and the service being quite good. But the last few visits have been a frustrating experience, and the drinks certainly didn't make up for it. The most disappointing aspect has been the attitude at the bar. While not overtly disrespectful, the interactions felt cold and unhelpful, which is especially frustrating compared to the energy and warmth directed toward "other" patrons which seems to be a recent theme. It's hard not wishing for the welcoming experience I remember from past visits. Despite living in the immediate area, I won't be returning anytime soon. read more

This is a small, dark neighborhood bar (with locations around the country) with friendly service and an array of mixed drinks from which to choose. Ask your bartender about the Mother's Day Challenge. That's all I'm going to say about that. read more

Mother’s Ruin - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great service, super nice and accommodating to big parties trying to make it work. Lots of gf alternatives and fun cocktail options! read more

Mother’s Ruin - Butternut squash hummus - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Girl the food actually was incredible. Not sure If I was drunk and high, but the double smash and the fish tacos actually saved my life. Incredible food and I truly believe it would be good sober too. read more

Late night eats!!! Much respect to those who work late night so we can smash late! I appreciate yall. SERIOUSLY I DO! Anywho, I've have them bookmarked for like 3/4yrs and I finally decided to drop in since the kitchen closes at 130a. SCORE!!! We dropped by at 12a and it was opening seating and a dimly lit vibe. We were advised to order at the bar, which we did. We ordered drinks and fish tacos and a burger. The server Victoria was really nice and friendly. Our drinks and food were served quickly and the drinks and food were both good. That burger was VERY good! We will definitely be going back. read more

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Friend and I stopped in here after a movie down the block and are so glad we did. Best smashburger I've ever had and, never having been fond of waffle fries, theirs were also the best I've tasted. Place was crowded and a bit loud but the food and the service were attentive and courteous. Order at the bar - only wines are Pinot Grigio & Pinot noir but cocktails and beer also. If you're in the Avondale area of the city - I'd quickly recommend going here for a bite. read more

Mother’s Ruin - Interior - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Had a few drinks (daytime) while out shopping -the vibe was casual/relaxed. Our bartender was a sweetheart that makes a mean Cosmo. Definitely will stop in again. read more

I cannot recommend this place highly enough. The bartender who made our drinks is super talented. The tattoo typo was one of the best cocktails I've had in my life. The fried chicken sandwich is probably the best I've ever had. Beyond that, the chill vibe was perfect for late night drinks on a Tuesday. read more

Mother’s Ruin - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Nice atmosphere and friendly bartenders. Some of the best bar food I've had. The chicken sandwich was amazing. There was plenty of sauce which really added great flavor. The fish tacos had a very flavorful sauce as well. Also portions were plentiful. Only reason its not 5 stars was because personally i think the cocktails fell a bit flat. read more

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Nice spot for pre show drinks, bites with friends and just hanging out. Ordering at the bar makes it easy and everything comes out fresh and pretty quick! Food is also really solid, fun names and unique ingredients make it a step above classic bar food read more

Mother’s Ruin - Human style fries - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I came in for some happy hour snacks and some mustachioed bartender just fed me an espresso martini and a daiquiri in record time. 9/10 would recommend. read more

A coworker recommended this place for happy hour. I was not disappointed. Good drink selection and food options. The service was great and overall the ambiance was immaculate. I will definitely be coming back. read more

OMG!! The fried chicken sandwich is amazing and one of the best, if not the best in the city. If you like a juicy chicken sandwich then this is the place in the city! For all those looking for a zinger alternate here in US - this is the place - IYKYK read more

This is a real neighborhood gem in Avondale. The staff are all great. I love both the burger and the fried chicken sandwich. Their house cocktails are all very good as well. read more

Phenomenal food, great vibes, good crowd, and reasonable prices. It's basically everything you could ever ask for in a gastropub. The staff is also excellent. Keith, Sam, and Victoria are great behind the bar. It is self-serve, so you do have to go to the bar. I originally thought I'd hate that, but it really does give the place a vibrancy and momentum since there's always people moving around. Any way, 10/10 spot. Highly recommend. read more

I visited Mother's Ruin for lunch at 12:30pm on a Friday and I had the day off work. There were a few people that came in/out and it was never very crowded, which makes sense as it's definitely a bar. Mother's Ruin feels like a divey neighborhood bar that is old school, cozy, and it is relatively small. You place all food orders at the bar and they will bring it out to you. Also, they have self-serve water. I ordered the Double Cheeseburger and it came with waffle fries. The Brioche bun was solid as it was soft, fluffy, and fresh. Unfortunately, the patty was the worst part. It was a little dry and I thought it lacked flavor as there was no juice whatsoever. The quality of the beef was good though. It felt like it literally a smashburger that was overly smashed with no juices. The toppings were solid. The pickle was crispy and tart and the sauce was very tangy. The waffle fries were very good! They are perfectly seasoned similar to Arby's Curly fries and they were extremely crispy. The ketchup definitely tasted housemade and it was excellent as well! Bun: 7 Burger: 4 Toppings: 7 Overall: 6.0 Fries: 9 Prices were average for Chicago. The bartender who was working was good and he made an excellent Old Fashioned. Overall, Mother's Ruin is a divey neighborhood bar with decent food and great cocktails. It reminds me of a divier Sportmans Club/Revel Room so definitely worth a stop by if you are in the neighborhood! read more

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It was daytime so I brought my teen with me and I didn't order a drink. I think it's only fair to say that from the start. I can't review the nightlife here or comment on the drinks. Order at the bar and serve yourself water. Low-key joint with mixed reviews on food. If you aren't a meat eater and you don't drink, this probably isn't the place for you. While my kid raved about her burger, my fish tacos were not the best I've had. Skimpy on the fish and heavy on the slaw. Really liked the waffle fries and the Oreo bombs though. The cocktails looked promising. Maybe next time. If I find myself in this neighborhood again read more

Mother’s Ruin - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The service here feels homely, and the food is always spot on. The ambiance makes you feel relaxed, and this is definitely our go-to spot at least once a week, if not more. It is always worth the time and the money spent here. read more

I don't know- I went here with my boyfriend on MLK day and the vibes were extremely strange. This could've just been the day and an off thing, but I really did not like this bar. It wasn't a friendly environment and the actual set up/atmosphere of the bar feels very cold and stark. Do with this information, what you will ! read more

My absolute FAVORITE place near logan square for good late night eats. My friends and I come here often after a night out, and it hits every time :) read more

Here's what you need to know: Charming pub that started in NYC, and made its way to Chicago. Loved the double smash patty Cheeseburger with caramelized onions, and the fried chicken at Mother's Ruin. The service was very friendly and I was greeted with a smile when I picked up my order. The chicken Caesar salad has a smoky pulled chicken which was delicious, but the highlight of the salad was the the Caesar dressing. Not sure if they source it or make it in house but it had real anchovy flavor. Old bay waffle fries could have been great but the salt level is way too high and upsets the balance of an otherwise delicious waffle fry. read more

Mother’s Ruin - Dbl Burger - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Happy hour specials every day from 4-7pm! Great service, bartenders know what they're doing. Cocktail options are amazing. I had Bees Knees for happy hour and my friend had daiquiri (also for happy hour). We ordered some sliders from the happy hour menu as well and ordered some waffle fries later. Everything was soooo delicious. It's not standard fare. Everything is seasoned very well, so it's not your ordinary bar food. You order from the bar and seat yourself. The staff was constantly wiping things down and taking away empties, so it was a great experience! Kind of a small place, so don't bring 50 of your best friends here, but great for small groups. Very friendly crowd there tonight, so we had a lovely evening! read more

This dive bar in Avondale is worth a stop. The do have slushies, and I tried one with rye, but there wasn't much booze in it. I switched to regular cocktails and they were boozier. The Oaxacan Old Fashioned is great, with the strong smokiness of the mezcal shining through. Still kind of sweet, though. They do have a bottle of Cynar and so I used that in place of vermouth to have them stir a pretty solid manhattan. I would get that again and again. Music selection was great. No frills, but all high tops, which is annoying as I was in a wheelchair. The remainder off the bar is accessible, with no step in front (but a bit of an incline) and large, single use bathrooms. Daily happy hours from 4-7. read more

Came in after landing from the airport. The food was alright, and the service was mediocre. It had a dive bar vibe- but I think for their pricing they could have more of a commitment to serving their non-regulars. It ultimately hit the spot, but I dont think ill be back. read more

Mother’s Ruin - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place showed up on the radar as one of the top burger places in the city so I had to try it. In hindsight, I should have ordered the double patty burger since the patty was smashed and thin but live and learn. Had it been a double patty, I felt it was trying to be a Big Mac. Not a bad burger but if I had choice, I think I would opt for the Big Mac and not the imitation. Since the spicy chicken sammich looked good, I had to give that a try as well. Unfortunately, I didn't get the spice at all and there was a crunch from the chicken but not much chicken. The coleslaw in the sammich dominated. One highlight was the crosscut fries. Crispiest I've ever had. I don't think I will be going out of my way to come here. It is a nice neighborhood spot for the walk in locals. read more

Came here with my 4 buddies. We were at a record shop before this and asked where we should get dinner on the way to improv. We weren't in the improv but we should have been because we are funny. I made a funny joke about karate the other day. If you want to know more about my joke about kararate the other day message me or reach out to me via email. While at the record shop, they told us to go to dinner here, they didn't even care we had to backtrack 2 blocks. These wings are some of the best wings I've had maybe this whole year. They were hot but not too hot and they brought it. I got a lot of it all over my face. It's a good thing I didn't eat with my mom. My mom typically tells me when I have stuff all over my face that I am tactically challenged. I am not sure what she means but I think she is challenging me to some sort of game. I'm good at games. read more

Mother’s Ruin - Me thinking about how tasty the wings are - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm sorry but this place just sucks. The food is overpriced and underwhelming to put it mildly. It also takes absolutely f'n FOREVER to come out of what might be the slowest kitchen in Chicago. The drinks are fine enough but the real issue is the staff is just embarrassingly off-putting. Massively pretentious for what is basically a hipster TGIFridays. Lots of attitude for a chain restaurant. Everything is basically self service which is insulting considering the high prices and all the while you get to watch the immature buffoonery of staff. The bartender obviously favors the regulars and is rude and condescending to regular customers. There was a server or bar back (no idea?) sashaying around all impressed with himself in his tiny tank top and tiny beanie (22 degrees outside). We didn't see him do an ounce of work aside from obnoxiously flirting with the male regulars. All this, while you wait for ages for meh food and have to get your own water and utensils and place your own drink orders from the bar. Place has a strange cliquey vibe. I guess they are a Brooklyn concept and it shows. There are countless other places on that stretch of Milwaukee, I'd suggest skipping this place for literally any of them. read more

Randomly ordered from this place one night on ubereats So glad I did I'll be back to order more Everything was great except for the salad they should've separated the dressing n the hot chicken it welted the salad n the dressing was absorbed by the box read more

Mother’s Ruin - Burgers Chicken Caesar Dzn Wings - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cool divey bar with good snacks and drinks. Went on a weekday afternoon when it was pretty dead so we got great service, can't speak to peak business hours though. read more

I'd lean on more of a 3.5/5 stars on this place First we sat for 15 minutes no server came. I guess you order at the bar. Woulda been nice if we knew this instead of wasting 15 minutes with no water or beers Now for the good part the food: Ordered a spicy chicken sandwich / French onion grilled cheese and breakfast burrito The chicken sando was cooked and seasoned to perfection minus the dry slaw that could have been tossed with mayo or something to give it some life. But regardless the spicy chicken was excellent The French onion grilled cheese was on point wish it was a little bigger but packed lots of flavor Fries with the old bay were a hit The breakfast burrito was perfectly sized ended up taking half home. Next time I gotta try the red velvet desert everyone hypes about read more

Been on my list forever!!! Space is dive bar vibes for sure. Seats are very limited and you order your drinks and food at the bar. We were starving so the food seemed to take for ever. Burger was good but the fries were so deliciously seasoned!! Definitely a must try spot if you're into burgers. read more

Mother’s Ruin - Mothers Double Cheeseburger Old Bay Waffle Fries - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Coming here for thanksgiving was the best call. Had an awesome burger and fries, some good drinks, excellent service, cool people and good vibes. NO REGRETS ABANDON YOUR FAMILIES. read more

This place has become a new favorite for me. The French Onion Grilled Cheese is unreal. I can't believe how good it is. Perfect for one hungry person or shareable with another person. I also loved the grilled eggplant dip from their menu. The cocktail menu offers options for everybody and these are winners as well. If you are looking for good drinks and delicious food in a relaxed atmosphere, this place is perfect for you. read more

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Food was actually really good. Had the smash burger and the waffle fries with old bay seasoning was great. However the bar is tiny and apparently you can only order from the bar and there's no other staff to come up to the tables to take orders. Which...fine, but the bartender and barback were kind of snotty and seemed annoyed that people were there hovering and/or weren't standing in an area to their liking. Which is funny, because the bar is so tiny it has like 5 seats so you can't order food without hovering over someone at the bar. I'd go back for the food but their bartender (who is also the waitstaff apparently) could stand to be a little nicer. I didn't know this is a chain restaurant too which makes it even more weird the bar staff has an attitude (but their website boasts "no pretension" which is absolutely not true in this location). Maybe they were just having a bad day. read more

Heard so many good things about this bar so I had to check it out! I loved the exposed brick and casual, dim lighting ambiance here. Came on a Friday night around 7 and we were able to grab seats right away. Cholula honey wings - I really liked the flavor of these, they were sauced the perfect amount. However, I wish the wings themselves were more tender and juicy, some parts were a bit dry. The skin had a nice crisp texture though. Human style fries - Old Bay Waffle Fries topped with Red Chile Queso, Chorizo, Mama's Secret Sauce, Red Onions, and Scallions. These were really good! Crispy, hot and flavorful. The only thing was that there was hardly any chorizo and we didn't see/taste any until we got to the very end at the bottom. read more

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Mother's Ruin is a great little neighborhood bar. Cocktails are well crafted and deliciously thought out. The staff is great and you will have a well cared for experience. The food is perfect. Great options with one of the better burgers in Chicago. Everything is simple order all at the bar. Usually always have a table available but almost close to being full. This is a great local hangout with some amazing drinks and food. read more

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Without a doubt, worst food I've had. This place should just stick with being a bar. We ordered the chicken and waffles and avocado toast w/ poached eggs. Both were basically disgusting. The chicken and waffles were eggos with a chopped up chicken strip, completely doused in hot sauce. No flavor, just hot sauce. The avocado toast w/ poached eggs was wonder bread with a hard boiled egg. Loved the hot totty, server was great and very friendly. It's just shit place to eat. read more

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