Update: see Peter S. The business managers response to my review. Just a nasty dude, the way he attacks legit criticism makes it pretty clear why the staff are so short tempered and the service sucks, must be a toxic culture. Just stay away as there plenty of other spots more inviting. Still giving an extra star for the nostalgia and juke box. read more

O'Callaghan's - Irish Pub - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

preface: "I've been coming here for years. I have two vaccines + the booster. I have been a front line worker since March 2020. I am here with my mother and aunt. I went out for the first time in 18 months. : mom, aunt, and I walk into bar. i am sober. Inside for 10 min. Waitress comes over. I order bud For pitcher. She asks for vax cards. I say okay. Go to show vax card on phone. But phone my died a few minutes ago and i did not know . I say sorry phone is dead but I'm fully vaccinated. I tell her if they have phone charger I can show her in a few min. She says she can't serve till she sees (completely fair). I ask if they have charger . 2 min later I see her and the cook w phone charger by kitchen door. I walk over to plug it in ad there were no chargers by our table. I approach our waitress and she tells me to speak to the bouncer I tell him "yeah so right when I walked in my phone died, I have the vaccine. I just need a phone charger and I can show you guys" He goes: "nah man we can't take that risk" I go "what risk? I have the vaccine. I can show you in 30 seconds if you let me use a charger" He goes "we can't risk you being In Here if we don't know your vaccinated" * I was already in the building for 10 minutes! sitting at table waiting for our waitress. No vaccine check at door. this goes against every protocol at the hospital I work at* *me looking at two chargers plugged in to bar * "i tell him I can show them my vaccine card in 2 minutes if they let me use me use a charger. "Nah you can't use those. You want battery. Go to 7/11, and buy ur own then come back." *this is when the bouncer twice my size started to get very aggressive in my face * me: this is silly. I have multiple vaccines and was a front line worker. I will prove it if you let me use ." "You wanna argue about this or you want problems?" The bouncer then gets up and forcily starts trying to lift me up. I tell him I am leaving and he can get off of me. I am walking out and he is shoving me from behind in the neck. I will never give them business again. the way they treated me and physically attacked me while I was trying to leave on my own is simply not okay. I could not have been more polite through this process. I even offered to wait outside while they charged my phone and proved I had battery. i made a Yelp account just to post about this Experience read more

Awesome bar with a great vibe. Beer is cold. The staff are pretty cool. I love the wings and Chicago style burger. Plus that door guy , Joe, is a total stud. He's got a great beard too ;). Definitely will be spending more time here. read more

Be prepared to tip well over what the server actually deserves. If you don't also be prepared for the staff to rudely inform you they think you under tipped. Shouldn't have left a tip at all and I would recommend the same for anyone else who goes. Edit(to respond to Peter): You're right I should have tipped $30 for her to bring me 3 rounds of $22 shots that contained enough total alcohol to fill one shot class, I was there a total of 20 minutes. If tips are mandatory include a service charge. read more

One if the servers was very rude, upon asking for a pizza to go time after 35 mins wait , he said pizza takes time and asked us if we know restraunt business and owns one. super disappointing in service dont go for it read more

Came in on a whim the other night after trying a few other places. Joe the bartender was so welcoming and nice. They didn't have Jameson Orange, which we like to use in our green tea shots so he offered to try and make them using orange juice. Not gonna lie we were skeptical at first but they were even better than the way we're used to!! He made us feel at home and we ended up staying longer since he was so attentive. Dylan was also quick and welcoming. We will definitely be coming back when we're in town. read more

No trip to Chicago should go without a stop at O'Callaghan's. It is one of those bars where you drop in and have a good drink. Followed by a lot of good conversation. We have been coming here for years and Luca is generally working the door. He has always been super courteous and helpful. Get to know him and he will take care of you. He is very helpful for places to go and see. The inside staff is attentive and always makes sure you are well served. It is all done with the right Chicagoan tone. Once you get to know the group, you will be hooked. Nice thing is, it is tucked in around a lot of hotels, restaurants and other venues, So then it's easier to transition from one to another. Whether it be the start of the night, last call,or just to spend the night. The long bar and dark wood accents make it feel like an Irish pub sliced into the city. You will feel comfortable in there. Step in and let your cares drift way and enjoy your conversation with who you are with. Enjoy!! read more

Always a favorite! Great drink selection, good selection of bar food, nice waitstaff.

Great pub to eat and drink with all ages of friend and family...parking not really an issue...prices very fair

First time in Chicago I came here for a drink ended on the 3rd floor speakeasy part of the bar. Best time ever, great music, good drinks & awesome people. read more

Came in for apps and happy hour drinks and had an excellent experience. Not too loud or crowded and the servers stood out as super friendly and welcoming. They're happy hour specials were great, as was their beer and whiskey selection. We ordered the hummus and onion rings and they were great. I loved that hummus was even an option, it's usually hard to find healthy options like that at bars. We'd definitely come back here again! read more

i guess this is my rant about O'callaghans if you are not dressed to the nines or you find yourself "dressed down " on a random weekend this is the right place for you. i had something that passed for chicken tenders that tasted like rubber that was fried and hot yesterday But they do have mozzarella stix to die for. on the bright side its pretty tough to mess up mozzarella stix. They have a modern day juke box where there is a crapload of music avaialble but i took a look at the crowd and there were alot of dudes who looked like they could be extras on "Vikings" from the history channel. Lots of long flowing beards but no spears or maces. Some dude looked like he was wearing a grey onsie like he just woke up in his painting outfit seemed to order shots of wild turkey for his friends while my friend and i contemplated why we are even at this place.. I will come again to see if i can get into it. The bartenders are nice. read more

Wow ! Read some of the responses from Peter to customers comments and you will immediately know why you should never step foot into this dive ! I can tell you that I saw for myself that the bartender did not wash her hands after using the bathroom and NO - his excuse of using the behind the bar sinks did not happen and is not acceptable by the health department or on a customer service level! Disgus This place was practically empty (most people expect a full glass of beer when purchasing and you won't get that here) and it quickly became clear why in the first few minutes of entering - now reading Peter's responses (who is apparently the big shot of this dump) it explains why this place doesn't even deserve one star. Do yourself a favor and keep walking past this place - go anywhere but here ! Btw- go ahead Peter - add another rude, unprofessional response - you only help support that the truthful comments about this atrocious place are correct! read more

Ronnie was right--the chicken and chips are delicious. I thought "Seriously? Chicken tenders? I'm [age humorously redacted] years old." But I went with it. Great drunk food--waffle-cut fries with the skins on and three lighly battered chicken strips, both in a generous portion. Only SEVEN dollars too. I got mine with some pretty good barbecue sauce, but their mustard sauce is divine (thanks Penny!). Otherwise, this is just a bar. They have some beer taps, some liquor bottles, probably one of those mixer guns (but I couldn't prove it), tables, a bartender, a waitress...yep. Nothing to recommend it besides the chicken and chips. Also, I found it laughable that their Beer of the Month special was $6.00. read more

If it wasn't for the stench, O'Callaghan's would be a solid Irish bar in River North. I went to O'Callaghan's around 11:30 pm on a Friday with a couple of friends. The first floor of the bar was packed, so we hit the second floor, which was much more roomy and had open tables. The issue was, as soon as we got to the second floor, a smell of vomit and musk permeated the air. We had heard the bar had good nachos so we ordered them, and they were delicious, but it's tough to enjoy nachos with a nasty smell lingering around you. Maybe it was just a bad night for someone and the staff hadn't had time to clean up, I'd give this bar another shot. read more

O'Callaghan's - Gin and tonic ftw - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

As an out of towner It feels like every Chicago trip has had a night we ended up here. It feels like a lifetime of stopping by after a night out in downtown Chicago My review is based solely on the late night after dinner experiences. We more often than not have to wait for a table and the wait is sometimes very long. Many times we have found open empty tables but they are not seating for some reason. The drinks are standard pub and the food is your classic bar food. I really would not call this an Irish pub at all. More like a local bar. Not much in the way of Irish offerings but a fun bar downtown. I do remember the place is usually pretty stinky with some funk in the air But it is a fun bar to attend. Its easy to get to and right down the street from the Marriott and a few blocks from the Embassy Suites. Something about this bar brings us in each trip and its always busy. read more

Oldskool Chicago bar in a touristy strip. It's nice to see relatively authentic, old places like this. It's an Irish bar, which I usually am not a fan of, however, this place does not push the "irish". Eh. Drinks are reasonable. Place is clean. I'd go back if I was in the area. It was quiet, good place to have an actual conversation with your people. read more

When your from the south, you're taught that if you travel up north, they will be rude. Well, my bartenders name was Matt and I'm convinced he is not from here. He calls me by name, accommodated my meal with a togo box right off the bat and my drink is never empty. I can hear him making conversation with others by their name and I just love it. Is the ranch great? Nope. Do I care? Nope. I'm staying for the great service. read more

Met the Bartender Ramon at a bar around the corner he told me to stop in for a drink. What a great bar everyone as super friendly and treated me well. Stop on have a cold drink and meet the locals. I will be back the next time I visit Chicago. read more

Had an amazing time at this place for The Taste of Chicago... I'd advise anyone to stop by for a pickle back!! read more

O'Callaghan's - Pickle Backs on deck - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Hands down my favorite bar in the city right now. Great variety of drinks and food. The Pear Moscow Mule is so good! The staff is incredibly nice, caring and social. Never a bad time here! read more

Twas a busy Saturday night round downtown Chicago as we roamed the streets looking for some fun new places to check out .. Unfortunately, the crowds and lines were so crazzzy at nearly every place we wanted to check that we ended up at O'Callaghan's after bouncing around for nearly 30-45 min.... The lines were the shortest in our sight, so we thought what the heck lets check out this lil irsh pub! What a pleasant surprise! It wasn't overly crowded inside at all, the door men/bouncers seemed to be doing a good job making sure the small watering hole did not go over capacity... The service/bartenders were decent... the drinks alright... nothing amazing, but not horrible either. The prices were reasonable. I liked the old school irsh wooden pub look... we chatted it up with some other people who were from out of town. I would rate it an "average" overall experience, and I would definitely come back if I was in Chicago and ran into the same scenario where the lines were insane other places... so just poppin' in to hang for a bit. I would recommend others to check out O'Callaghan's - it's chill... read more

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This was the only bar that was open past 11 pm when I went to Chicago during memorial weekend. I was surprised how good the food was because it looked like a normal bar. Their chicken tenders are so good! My friends were raving about their pretzel sticks. The owners was helping out that night and was very nice. read more

Average sports bar! Stop by for a drink before running around river north. Great beers on tap but a bit dark for your everyday visit.

As an after dinner thought my coworkers and I stopped in here and saddled up to a four top table. Initially the place was quite empty but by 9:30-10pm it started to fill up with quite a ranging aged crowd honestly. We didn't order any food here and I'm not even sure they serve food. This is pretty much like any other Irish pub you've been in. I will say this, the biggest impression it left on me was the prices. I had 3 beers that normally cost me $5 each at least and they were only $4.....hey, I'll take it! Dollar saved is a dollar earned! read more

We came here on recommendation from a friend. Meh. This place isn't bad by any means...but I also wasn't impressed. I had the egg rolls and you could tell they were microwaved. Part of them were ok but other parts were like lava! So much of my mouth was burnt by the time I was done it was ridiculous. Aside from that they were pretty tasty. Even if they were from the freezer. My boyfriend had the grilled cheese and said it was your average cheese sandwich. Nothing to write home about. That pretty much sums up the whole experience...average. read more

O'Callaghan's - Egg rolls. - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A small little pub on the Hubbard St strip. We came here as part of us trying to figure out where we'd like to hang out on a night out of exploring Chicago night life and after many, many, many drinks. The pub reminds me of pretty much every basic pub I've been to. We ordered our drinks at the bar and walked to the front to grab a table. We stayed for a bit and enjoyed conversation with some locals. I'm pretty sure we were joined by a group of swingers...can any Chicago peops confirm if this is a swingers pub? :) read more

The bouncer, Mike, here is awfully racist and rude. My boyfriend and I asked if there was cover and he rudely suggested we go to the library because we asked if water was an option (as people who do not drink) as a part of the two drink minimum. He not only called us cheap but followed up in our encounter walking back home by asked if we wanted a threesome in the bathroom. He continued to instigate and called my boyfriend cute 10 times and asked if we wanted to go to the back to hookup. After calling him out, he called me homophobic. The bouncer ruined our night and I would not recommend you go here. read more

Took over a hour on a slow night for a hamburger. 2 dollars extra charge for the drink tonight because I ordered ice?? No good read more

First time to Chicago with the wife and we just happened to run into this place while looking for a bar one evening. So glad we did. Awesome staff and great food. Was looking for a chill bar in Chicago with a laid back atmosphere and this is exactly what we wanted! Came here twice in three days because we enjoyed it so much! Thanks for a great time! read more

O'Callaghan's - Sierra Nevada Celebration IPA - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent bartender excellent martini and apps. We really enjoyed our evening. We arrived late in Chicago and this place is open until 4 am. We had a great time. Will be back. Thanks !! read more

After deciding to start a family in the suburbs, my husband and I decided we wanted to have one nice night with our friends. We came to this bar and when we went in, one of the servers asked if we knew there was an upstairs. When we said no, she said we should go up there. Once we got up, I saw an empty table so I decided to go to it without realizing our friends got stopped behind me. A bouncer saw our friend (the only black person in our group, who knows if that's relevant) and immediately stops him telling him he needs to go back downstairs. When our friend asked if he could just let me know, this bouncer immediately starts getting in his face screaming at him to get out. He cornered him and put his hands on him, pushing him down to the stairs. All because he asked if he could let me know to come back downstairs. We get kicked out and when I asked the other bouncer why, all he says is my "night is over" and to get out. The owner immediately approached us and said it's their misunderstand and the guy had a "bad day". We asked the owner if the guy could come down himself and apologize and then, the owner conveniently had other issues he had to take care of and left. If you question his reaction, you can see how he responds to other negative reviews on here as well. The bouncer certainly didn't seem like he had a bad day when we saw him hitting on other girls in the line. And mind you, our group of friends consisted of 7 people and he chose to make a scene with the one minority male. I so badly wanted to have a good night out but this place ruined it. The fact the owner wouldn't just make his employees accept ownership is infuriating and I will make a point of letting all our friends who used to come here regularly know that this place is not the "cozy tavern" they act like they are. read more

Extremely rude place. Tried asking for something and I was given an attitude. First time here, horrible impression

If your looking for a place where the employees are still forward focus of customer service and care about what they do this establishment is for you. Siren is one of the best bartenders out there. read more

We were there yesterday for a late lunch, three of us ordered fish and chips, we were all very disappointed the fish had obviously been re cooked and was hard, it also had a strange taste.. my husband mentioned this to our waitress who informed us that she didn't make it lol. I gave a one star because they had Guinness on tap which was excellent. We will not be going back!!!! read more

What do you call an Irish Bar the day after St. Patricks? Empty Stopped by for a quick pint of Guiness. Looks like a fun place to hang out with friends. read more

We ended up here thanks to our rouge cab driver (i.e. lucky accident). It was the end of the night and all we wanted was a laid back/chill bar to end the night with some fried food. We snagged seats at the end of the bar and the bartender, Sam, took care of us. He immediately took drink orders. We ordered chicken nachos, which also arrived quickly in front of us. At the time we were pretty sure this was the most amazing thing we had ever eaten. In retrospect, the nachos were enjoyable, but probably not the best meal ever consumed. The chips were good and topped with guac, which is usually an extra on the order. Drinks appeared well made and we devoured the food. O'Callaghan's was just what we wanted. The four stars are based on the good experience we had on the night we stopped in. A big thanks to Sam for making it a good one. read more

O'Callaghan's is a fun and cool place to hangout. On our first time here, there were no seats until two opened up at the bar. I can't recall the song playing, but some random, lightly toasted guys started singing to it. Next thing you know, nearly everybody in the pub was singing and swaying along with it too. And, no, it was not Sweet Caroline! LOL It was both amusing and entertaining in a kind spirited, everybody's having fun, we're getting along with total strangers sort of way. Since then, we've been back many times and have even brought out-of-town guests here for drinks. Once some random people from Arizona started talking to us. They were bored at some of the more "up scale" places in the neighborhood, until they found O'Callahan's. They seemed to have a great time! And we were laughing with them about it! O'Callaghan's is a dimly lit and divey pub (said affectionately), which is what makes it fun. It's not pretentious; you can be yourself here. The staff also seems hip, friendly, and pretty attentive! I'm sure we'll be repeat offenders. read more

Nice, unpretentious Irish bar located on Hubbard with all the "see and be seen places". We stopped by here on Thursday night to have a couple of "ciders" and had a good time. It wasn't too crowded- we were able to grab a place at the bar and and relax a bit. Also not so loud that you couldn't carry on a conversation- but definitely a bustling place. Lots of choices of beer on tap. The place is long and narrow with brick walls and according to the bartender, the actual bar that we "cozyed" up to is over 100 years old. There is an upstairs, but the story is that it is for the "industry" folks who frequent this place. Too bad as I wanted to see the pool table! I hear that it is even better than the main bar area. Oh well, maybe one of my friends in the industry will take me some day! Nice atmosphere, a bartender who always could tell when I was ready for another (which seemed to be frequently the other night!), and a good crowd. Seems like a typical Irish pub to me! read more

We got here after the concert, and it was a way to ease into the night. They have decent bar food as the wings were pretty good, but I wasn't even hungry to begin with. Or course, this hasn't stopped me from eating again and again. They serve free popcorn here which is addictive and got me starting to eat in the first place. This would be a good happy hour spot, and there were still some late business guys out even when were were out there at 10pm or so on a Monday night. The prices are average and the waitress was attentive. read more

O'Callaghan's - us cheersing at a table at O'Callahan's - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois