We have been coming to Whiting the past four years for Pierogifest and we always start our days…read morehere. The bartender is friendly and we enjoy playing their bowling game before going to the festival. It is usually pretty empty other than regulars but we had fun watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics with the small group. They have a lot of plants and trees near the front window. In 2023 we tried to sit at a table by the window, but my friend accidentally touched a tree when trying to sit down because it was so crowded with plants. Not a problem, right? She didn't snap it in half or knock it over. The owner saw this and started yelling at my friend and kicked us out of the (already empty) bar. Then this year after the festival we went in to have one more beer. The owner again was in there, and we started to play music on their Touch Tunes and we were singing along ( to Bob Marley, the most chill of all music). The owner yelled that this was "not a karaoke bar" and that if we continued to sing she would shut the jukebox off. We continued singing and she turned it off. We left the establishment despite full beers and she locked the door behind us at 10pm on a Saturday. It is clear that the owner of this tired, dirty and rundown bar is not interested in having any patrons other than her regulars, even during the town's biggest events of the year. We enjoyed this hole in the wall in the past, despite the bathrooms being dirty and flooded, despite there being no draft beer, and despite having to clear our own tables. But this was the last straw and we will not be back because the owner is not worthy of our money.

Well, the three stars depend on what you are looking for. Dive bar? Check. Smoking inside?…read more Check. Pool table? Check. Electronic dart boards? Check. Bathrooms with tp? Check. We were in Whiting for Pierogi Fest and after the parade, it was just bat-shit crazy on 119th. The Clipper, which from the outside looks like it was originally a funeral home, was our refuge. And a place to use the loo. There is absolutely nothing special about this place but it saved me from tragedy. Porta-potty tragedy.

This is a little bar/restaurant off 119th street, which is downtown Whiting. Service was very…read moreefficient & friendly even though they were terribly busy. We shared the Center Lounge Feast which was over 25 pieces of various seafood & an appetizer of fried cheese pierogi. Most of their food comes with a free salad buffet & pieces of cake but it's just some tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce & box recipe cake. More for just if you are desperate for your daily vege intake. The fried cheese perogies were excellent. Went very well with the sour cream. It's not the best seafood I've had but I did like it. It's plenty of food for 2. Maybe just stick with fried scallops & coconut shrimp. Frog legs were too dry. Fried fish was ok. But most definitely get a lot of the different perogies. The sides of mashed potatoes was good & mac & cheese okay. Good place to sit, have some beers & enjoy delicious perogies .

Stopped here in my old neighborhood on our way home from south Chicago. We were hungry and I was…read morevery happy to see they were still around ! It's been over an hour and I'm now waiting in the car on a not so busy Tuesday night, for my husband to wait for our food, still...... it was pierogi, a sandwich and coleslaw. Not even a well done porterhouse takes this long . Not only that, the staff did not apologize, did not offer something for waiting an hour (not since our arrival, but since we ordered food). Don't come here in a hurry. We won't be back . A nice tip, pierogi shouldn't take an hour or look like they been swimming in a deep fryer that hasn't been cleaned for a month. Also put your fried foods in paper bags instead of styrofoam wrapped in cellophane to keep the oil spill from leaking out ! It Keeps things crisp, costs less, and is better for the environment.

If you're ever in Hegewish, the southeast corner of Chicago, then you should absolutely make time…read morefor a stop at Old Time Tap. This truly is a neighborhood bar like you might remember from your childhood or that you may only see now in older movies or tv shows set in the 70s or 80s. Everybody knows everybody else. They laugh with each other, get annoyed with the guy who is there a little too long every day (but also love him), and just enjoy leaving their cares outside and being with each other. In that way, as well as the group outings they do and the nondescript exterior, this really is an old time tavern. But, in some ways, that name misses something. The old time may be in the vibe or the original floors or ceilings, but there's something fresh here, from the surprisingly great selection of drinks (at half the price or less of the places up here on the north side), to the way this neighborhood staple has been ushered into the 21st century by its newer owners. We stuck out like a sore thumb but were made to feel at home within 30 seconds. You could feel the family vibe, and it immediately made you wish you had something similar in your neighborhood. And, maybe you can't - there's something that can only come from a bunch of people who have lived in the same corner of the world for decades convening in one spot. I don't know, it was kind of beautiful. Not everyone there has the same views on life, the same income, or the same goals. Some are old timers reveling in their glory days, some are middle aged parents, and some of twenty somethings trying to live their best lives. It didn't matter - it was like one big family reunion. Again, the bartender was incredible, talking to us, answering questions, filling us in on the neighborhood and giving us some tips. There are bars we've been going to in this city for seven years where they may know our names, but where we've never been treated with such kindness and welcoming. I don't know how often we'll get down to Hegewish, which sort of reminded me of the old port neighborhood of Baltimore, Canton. But, I'll tell you what; if we're ever even remotely close, we're going to pop in here. Maybe even make an afternoon of it alongside skipping over to Hammond, IN. Go in and (temporarily) be a part of the family. If you're just looking for a nice place to have a drink, watch a game, listen to some music, and have fun conversation with some locals, you'd be hard pressed to find a better place to do it.

Great neighborhood bar. Also friendly bartenders. Only has pizza to eat that they will heat up for…read moreyou. There are several restaurants in the area that you can order from that will deliver or you can pick up and eat here with your favorite drink. They have food during special events at times.

Great place to eat and meet new people Great outdoor space…read moreto just sit and relax while having dinner and a drink.

Love this place real bad lol You can say I'm a regular but if I'm not there for the crispy tacos on…read moreTuesdays, they are my go to for my chicken Greek salad with Greek and ranch dressing. Sometimes I get extra feta too lol. Their nachos are really good both the chicken and beef. They always have drink specials and bar games depending on the day you go and it's a great spot to meet up with friends for awesome drinks and good food. Check them out!

It can be hard to describe the joys of a place like Club 81 Too. It's about the spirit of a place…read morelike Hegewisch and the honesty of working your whole damn life because that's what you do: you work. Like many places I love, you either get it or you don't. It's unpretentious and at its best will resonate deep in your bones. You'll adopt the Dombrowski family as your own just as soon as they adopt you, because the whole clan acts like the outgoing, joking relatives you grew up with. Lunch is M-F 11a to 2p. They serve dinner on Wednesday and Friday night until 8p. You can go in any night for a beer and a shot of "Wolf Lake Elixir" at $2... $1.50 on a Sunday. Cash only, but there is an ATM. You walk in to a worn-in bar, taken from the original location at 81st and Exchange. A dining room is to the right with several tables. Families are welcome and always present. Nothing fancy, the home cooking is the star here. Out back there are picnic tables, bocci ball courts, and a sliver of Wolf Lake to enjoy. The dinner menu is heavy on fish and seafood: whitefish, perch, shrimp, frog legs, snapper, walleye, lobster, orange roughy, catfish, mahi mahi, crabcakes, fried clams, and basa. They filet all of it themselves. They also serve chicken, steaks, ribs, pork chops, sandwiches, and apps. I had the walleye and fried chicken. The walleye was lightly battered, the flavor of the fish coming through, and brushed with butter for some of the tastiest fried fish around. I haven't had fried chicken in years, but went back for seconds and thirds, it was great. Everything has a from-scratch feel to it. Rye bread from a local bakery is always available. The food is done simple and with care. Filled with regulars, don't be worried... they'll know if you're not from the neighborhood and take extra care to make you feel welcome. Club 81 has been in the family for over 60 years. We went with a huge group and was treated generously. Refer 4 people and get a free steak dinner... you bet I'll be going back!

I love this little place! The food is always delicious and the waitresses are delightful! I wish…read morethey stayed open later though.

Writing about this place on Yelp is akin to blogging about gas lanterns, but I'm vain, and being…read morethe first and only reviewer of this place makes me happy. Georgie's is a f***ing dive. The owner is a drunk. Upstairs is a transient residence. There are no specialty brews. The pool table is a miserable wreck. Hardly-used arcade games from a couple of decades ago abound. And the only food you'll ever see is subcontractor pizza from outside the building. All that said, if you want to drink drinks the way they're supposed to be made, if you love true neighborhood bars, if you want to play pool with good-but-non-judgmental types, if you want to drink alone or with eight friends, if you don't like shoulder throws as you're walking your drink around, if you like perfect jukeboxes, if you enjoy paying the absolute minimum, if you happen to be south, this is the bar for you. I've seen dogs stroll in with owners, met every employee in just two visits, and gotten to toast a birthday boy on a pub crawl (which, mysteriously, stayed around for three hours *longer* than it was supposed to), and hugged my bartender. If you're around, give it a go.

Great old school dive bar-great jukebox and pool table. Bartender Michelle was fun and personable…read more Cute cozy place if you are looking for a nice neighborhood bar.

Nice relaxing atmosphere. I like this place because it is not to active but yet not to unactive…read more Outside is a little depressing but inside you will feel warm and welcome. Beer and liquor prices are reasonable. Owner will sometimes present unannounced specials. "Kooll" place to watch a sports game.

This is the first bar that welcomes you into the East Side if coming from the 106th st bridge. On…read morethe outside it is kind of depressing but the inside of the bar is nice. It even has a free foosball table as well as a shuffle board table. Yet, one star off for the fact that they were serving the beers out of a cooler so they werent really that cold. Also, no drafts. Another star off for the beers being pricier than other dives. No real specials to mention. Nice new flat screens. Best part is that they have a bocce ball court on the side that it's free to play. Great in the summer.

So I really don't recommend this place for anyone, just open minded good people who dont pass…read morejudgement.So stuck up yelpers who think they have standards. Don't read this it's not for you ! So beers are 2.50 and so are shots. Of course not the good stuff,but the good stuff only 5.00 still not bad. I don't think this place has a proper floor who cares ! This bar is truly something out of a Nelson Algren book. I come hear all the time and every time there's something wacky happening here.Weather it's fighting or old ladies getting jiggy with it on the dance floor.Then you have your crazy ladies as well, flashing there tig ol' bitties,your always gonna see something weird in here.The bartenders are extremley down to earth, and security is always on point but then again working there I guess you have to be on point. I love that the bartenders there don't measure out your shots. It's whatever and whats left over they still serve it to you and dont charge you for it. God I love this place. Then the wacky hours come 2-4 am,thats when it starts to get packed and everyone's outta there mind and doing crazy shit. Outta everything going on the bartenders are still on point. Yes people this goes on Monday-Sunday all the time.So if you want one night of debauchery and wackyness just come to the hole.Oh yah just in case they start to shooting there's a side door just run outta there. HA ! HA! HA! Yah this place gets five stars from me. Thank you for the influence behind this lovely review you know who you are :)

You get what you pay for…read more Drinks are dirt cheap. Shots are dirt cheap. Come to think of it, this place is nothing but dirty. Don't get me wrong, many of my friends go here after hours to get plastered once the clubs or bars close at 2am. If all you want is to drink, drink, and drink, come here. Please note, their beer selection is not great at all... You won't find great music. This is not a swanky place by any means.

I was asked to come to this place with a friend. I'm happy…read morethat I did because her and I had a very nice time. My waiter was very nice and pleasant. She was very patient. This place has two areas smoking and non smoking. You can play pool and shoot darts you can even play a few games. Oh yeah you can even play music on the jukebox. Now how cool it that. I like the face that you have plenty of room at the bar area as well as at the booths. Very roomy washroom and fresh. As for my drinks my drinks hit the spot We ordered pizza and onion rings. I have to say that the kid size pizza was plenty for two people. It was very hot and fresh and the onion rings was so yummy and really good. I have to say this is a place that I will be back to for the great drinks and to try some other things on the menu. By the way this place has a special every day of the week. Even a fish fry on Friday's

Cheap drinks and good atmosphere and quick service. Food was great and a large portion as well and…read morefast service