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    Niko's Pointers Saloon

    3.6 (73 reviews)
    ModerateAmerican, Beer Bar
    Closed 11:00 am - 1:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated 2 months ago

    Niko's Pointers Saloon Photos

    NIKO'S POINTERS SALOON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Live music
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Italian beef - A plate contains French fries and a beef sandwich with a bun, topped with cooked vegetables, gravy, and sliced green onions. The meal is served on a white square plate, with a small container of dark dipping sauce. The background shows a table with drinks, including a glass of soda, a cup of water, and other plates of food, in a casual restaurant setting.
    Isaura A.

    Giving 5 stars because the food was Soo good! I came for dinner and got the Italian beef, it has become my favorite. My kids loved their food, the staff were polite (server Emma & bartender) I like that there's verity in the menu. Will be returning for more yummy food!

    Potato skins - Two potato skins, topped with melted cheese and bacon bits, are placed on a dark wooden platter. The skins are baked to a golden brown with crispy edges, and shredded lettuce is arranged underneath as a garnish. The presentation suggests a savory appetizer or snack, typical of pub or casual dining menus.
    Crystal M.

    Went to Nikos with my husband and kids the other day. The waitress was very sweet and helpful. My daughter has allergies and she was very sweet about asking for safe option. The kitchen and manager were kind enough to check food and offer suggestions. We started with the potato skins which were good, I would only recommend adding extra bacon as that was a bit skimpy. My husband had the steak sandwich and I had the chicken tender salad. Both meals were really tasty! The sweet potato fries could've used a few more minutes in the fryer for a crispier taste but otherwise were good.

    Boneless chicken - A white plate holds boneless chicken bites coated in sauce, accompanied by a small clear container of dipping sauce. Fresh celery sticks and lettuce are placed underneath the chicken, providing a vegetable garnish. The setting appears to be in a restaurant or bar environment, with a dark wooden table surface visible.

    Food is always prompt and amazing. Their wings are some of the best and you can never go wrong with their meatloaf or chicken tenders

    Club sandwich
    Peter T.

    It is so seldom you run into any place, product or service these days that the end result is that the experience exceeds your expectations. Spoiler alert. Niko's exceeded my expectations on every level. I was tooling around Northern Illinois and I've had some good grub in the town of Marengo before, so I decided to stop and try another joint. Pointers Saloon, on the main drag, called to me with the sign out from which simply said "burgers and beer." The decor is "outdoorsy" with a fair amount of dead animals adorning the wall. I don't mind. The service was very pleasant and attentive, from the initial contact all the way through the meal and to my departure. Very enthusiastic young woman. The menu is lengthy. Hard to choose, but I started with a Chicago favorite, Saganaki, a greek cheese set on fire at table side, that you can scrape up with pita. Love it. Finally decided on a club sandwich, I love a good one, and this ended up in my top 3. Quality ingredients. Prepared with care. Nice presentation. Good sides, with home cut fries and a tangy slaw. Also at the table was a patty melt, on marble rye, which was also pronounced 'most excellent." How can I get so excited about a club sandwich? Two reasons: 1) There are a lot of crappy ones in the world, and 2) that Pointer's cook would be conscientious and care enough to prepare this one very nicely. Decor. Food. Good service. Two sandwiches, appetizer and one beer, $42 including tip. Nightly specials too, including the local tradition of AYCE fish fry on Friday nites. If you're out on a drive from Rockford or Chicago, this place is worth a stop. Good job, folks.

    a bar with a television

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Limited menu, high prices. Extension of Niko's in Woodstock, but without the oversight.

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    7 years ago

    We love People. They have great food and service. I love the variety of sides you can get. Great tacos on taco Tuesday.

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    7 years ago

    Great business for Marengo. Good food, nice people.

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    11 years ago

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    11 years ago

    It's probably the nicest bar downtown. I like the decor and the food was tasty. Decent beer selection. Good crowd.

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Niko's Pointers Saloon

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    The Walleye is so awesome and you have to order their homemade potato pancakes…read more I highly recommend giving the fish fry a try Oh did I mention it's All you can eat !

    Wow! Marengo has an amazing hidden gem in Cafe 20! You can't really say that it is "off the beaten…read morepath," because it is right on Highway 20 in Marengo. Our Thursday meal was the AYCE broasted chicken! Chloe was our server and she was exceptional! The food was equally excellent! They start you off with soup or salad. We had the soup, me with the loaded potato soup and my wife with the chicken noodle! We shared with one another and all I can say is OMG!!! Maybe the best soups in McHenry County! Then for the main course: 4 chicken pieces (breast, wing, drumstick and thigh) that were cooked to perfection, slaw (just the way I like it-- slightly creamy without out too much mayo flavor, which I dislike), and a side. We had green beans and a baked potato. The potato was baked perfectly and the green beans were generously heaped on the plate. Again, they were substantial enough that we shared them and both enjoyed both sides! Once you're ready, you can order more chicken and specify the pieces that you want. We shared one more chicken breast because the meal was amazing and filling! Prices were super reasonable!!!!!! We'll be back again for the Thursday special but also want to try the other daily specials and the wood fired pizza! It looked wonderful! My only complaint is that Cafe 20 is not on the eastern half of the county where we live! Oh well!! It is surprisingly easy to get to Marengo! Congratulations, Cafe 20! You're 5-stars with me!!!

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    Nice little sleeper neighborhood Resturant Bar. Food was…read moreoutrageously delicious! Should have gotten the waitresses name but she was a sweetheart! Beautifully decorated and very, very friendly. A keeper in my book. We will be back.

    Food, good. Service good. Ambiance ok for what it is. There, done. lol…read more Forgot to take pictures but had the broasted chicken, all dark. Came with potato and I ordered baked. The potato was near very not warm, the chicken hot and good. You'd think it would have had a few celery and carrot sticks included just to get some veggies in and to make the presentation a bit more appealing, but then presentation is not really why you go there, I'm guessing. Got a gimlet and it was good. The server was really on the ball. We were there for a 1:00 lunch weekday. It wasn't terribly busy at all a few other tables and a few at the bar. My friend had the jambalaya special. I got the impression she was just ok with it and said it tasted better than it looked, and honestly it did look very unappealing. Almost like they took a decent jambalaya and put it in a blender. No discernible shrimp, sausage, chicken or rice, but she said it was in there. Color mostly brown. could not have eaten it. When the waitress said Jambalaya was the special I perked up but then remembered where I was and had always heard they had good chicken so I went with what they are supposed to be good at, jambalaya at a place that specializes in that type of food only. Ambiance. Well it's basically a local bar/restaurant, pretty much no frills, nothing stood out, really. Bar, tables, booths but a decent place for drinks and food. Just don't recommend the jambalaya.

    Niko's Pointers Saloon - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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