I'm not in Oak Park too often, but when I'm there, somehow I always end up at Poor Phil's. It seems like the place to be in the OP! Great restaurant/bar place. Lots of room, good bar area with TVs, and also al fresca tables. Seems like there are a decent number of Oak Park regulars who come often, even some who just go by themselves and have a seat at the bar. The food is mostly Creole/seafood. Yum! They make great etoufee, crab cakes, gumbo, etc. They also have seasonal deals like a whole lobster for $15 - yum! There's other bar food too, if you fear the crustaceans. I'm told they have a good burger (but I can't have anything but seafood there). The other great thing about Poor Phil's is the beer. They have a great rotating selection of draft beer, especially craft beers and imports. Even compared to city places, I can only think of a few bars that have as good or better of a beer selection (Hopleaf, Map Room, Publican, etc.). read more

Poor Phil's Shell Bar - LobsterFest at Poor Phil's! - American Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Overall I thought Poor Phil's was pretty decent. We split an order of fish and chips and a bowl of gumbo. Service: Excellent Atmosphere: Very good Food quality: Very good - the gumbo was a bit too salty for my taste Size / value: Meh - the fish and chips had two moderate pieces of fish - typically other restaurants will have three pieces for a dinner entree. Overall I think a decent spot, but probably not my most favorite. Reviewed 02Jan2020 - four stars read more

I love this bar! It is my local favorite in the OP. The beer selection cannot be beat. The prices are little high (a beer is a bout 5 dollars) but they have a $3 beer special everyday. The food is good too, if you like seafood and burgers. They always have the games on (for those of us without cable) so you can sit although the season on a bar stool drinking good beer cheering on your team. The staff is really nice. They may not be the fastest, but they are nice and you get free popcorn to help pass the time. Also, Timothy, to respond to your outdoor drinking comment. In Oak Park you cannot sit outside and only drink. It wasn't the restaurant's policy it is the village's. read more

Food is good, atmosphere is cool. There are gnats coming up from the sewer in the bathroom so there's that... kinda gross because it's a restaurant. We'd see an occasional one fly by the table (we were in the back by the bathrooms). Otherwise the food is good! read more

The bartender (Kim I believe was her name) made our group very uncomfortable to the point that we felt we should leave. We ordered a round of bloody Mary's non spicy with our very nice server (Aidan). The bartender says "you making me work early". Our group laughed and my husband said jokingly "ya sometimes you gotta work". She got mad and stormed off and said "wow!" We apologized and let her know he was just kidding, but she said nothing. With that we saw her behind the bar ask the server if the bloodys were non spicy and he said yes. She then made a weird face and poured so much hot sauce in the drinks. Very rude and unprofessional. I am giving 3 stars because the food was good and Aidan was so nice and reassured us not to worry about her after we apologized. If I could rate 0 stars for Kim I would. Her lack of customer service skills and rude personality changed our groups entire mood and opinion of the place. read more

Awesome location and outside eating&drinking space. Other then that in my opinion their prices are way to expensive for their quality of food. Prices on menu for drinks and food are extremely over priced for what you receive. Like higher priced then the downtown loop, my double bloody Mary was +$20 alone and was literally a regular pint glass bloody with barely any toppings or flavor. read more

We have always loved going to Poor Phils...good food, fun atmosphere and always popcorn! However, we recently went there assured we'd get a good meal but we were terribly disappointed. First there was no popcorn offered, then our food was really nothing like we expected. The fish tacos were overly breaded and could hardly be seen under a mountain of shredded cabbage, the fish and chips were unbelievably over breaded, being three inches thick with a half inch piece of fish inside and there was no coleslaw which we loved included. Not planning on making a return trip after enjoying for over 20 years. read more

I just got sternly told "not to swear loudly" during a Bears v Packers game in a bar in the Chicagoland area. Other than that atrocity towards American values everything is overpriced. Beat it Poor Phil. read more

Hello Dennis et al, I hope my message finds you well. I am a longtime Oak Park resident and I, along with a number of my friends and acquaintances, are (or were) frequent patrons of Poor Phils. A short time ago, I was summarily refused service and then banned from your establishment by your bartender, Casper. ...not for over-drinking or being raucous, which obviously is his responsibility, but for something he overheard while eavesdropping on a private conversation that took place between me and a friend weeks before. Apparently, your bartender overheard the terms Judaism and Jew in a conversation between me and my friend. He apparently misconstrued what he heard, having only heard a tiny bit of our discussion, but nonetheless apparently developed the opinion that I am anti-Semitic. I'm not. I'm Jewish. I was bar mitzvahed. I've got Jewish guilt, I'm Jewish. The next time our group met en masse at your restaurant, Casper refused me service and then requested I leave and not come back. So, with information taken completely out of context and without regard to your patron's privacy, and with no regard whatsoever for the other side of the story, and providing no explanation whatsoever other than unintelligible mumbling, he kicked me out. I am not looking for revenge, comps or anything from you or your establishment. What I would like is for someone to speak with Little Lord Fauntleroy and tell him a) stay out of conversations he has no business listening to and b) not to jump to conclusions, particularly when it comes to frequent, top-shelf-buying and heavy-tipping patrons. He's only hurting you and the other people that work there. And c) an apology from Casper. I'd also love to hear his side of the story. ...that which he refused to provide when he refused me service. Kindest regards, Kendubya read more

Black tea old fashioned was fantastic and we were able to sit outside with plenty of distance from others! Service was great. Great cocktails, great food. We'll definitely be back! read more

Poor Phil's Shell Bar - Black Manhattan - American Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Breakfast hit the spot. Cooked exactly how I wanted it. Had the all American and my coworker had the blueberry waffle. Price was about normal, and great service. Next time I am in the area I will be back! read more

Poor Phil's Shell Bar - All American breakfast. Cooked perfect! - American Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

If you want to go someplace with character and non-chain ambiance, Poor Phil is the place. Where else can you get free popcorn and drink a cold while watching your favorite sports team play on TV?! Love their gumbo and shrimp po'boy sandwich. And even better is Poor Phil has switched to all sustainable utensils, including biodegradable straws! read more

Went there on Thursday 06/27/2019. We decided to sit in a booth in the dining section at the back and were greeted some time later with menus from the server. It took a while to get our drink order in and the refills took a long time. The appetizer, beer battered calamari, was tasty. My dining companion ordered a burger with tater tots which was well prepared and I ordered the lobster roll which; both were quite good. You may be wondering why I'm rating it so poorly despite the good food. While waiting for our check, we were chatting, when I noticed from the corner of my eye something running across the floor. I thought I was seeing things so I decided to keep my eye in the direction of the movement. Sure enough my hunch was right. I saw the same brown mouse darting back and forth between the gap in wood on the backs of the booths. The food was good, so we paid our check and discretely asked for a manager on the way out. I don't know if the person behind the bar at the time was the manager, but he simply said that since their doors were open during the summer, it makes them more susceptible to mice. That's not really the response we were expecting, and the mouse looked pretty well settled into the back booths, not like it just ran in the front door. Needless to say, despite the food quality, we will not be returning to this place. I'd give it another shot they indicated they were taking care of the pest problem. read more

If you like a good fried poor boy or filled up salad, check this place out. Their mixed drinks are amazing and always a great balance for a hot day. read more

Very Good Fish & Chips tasty. Fries good too but not enough are given. Atmosphere is nice too Also tried the vegetarian burger and that was good too. read more

A group of 9 of us spent a long afternoon into early evening here. Each of us either ordered food and drink or just drinks. Although why we never got the complimentary popcorn like other tables, I'll never know. The menu is huge and covers typical bar food and lots of seafood choices. The food and drink I found pretty average--the Bloody Mary was good, but the olive garnishes were all smooshed. (sad face). The Shrimp Po'Boy looked better than it tasted--kinda bland and not very special (I've been to New Orleans and I don't think a shrimp or oyster po'boy will ever compare to NO anyway). They have an extensive beer and drink menu--which looked great and was the reason we came here in the first place--figured it would cover all our tastes. And while everyone found different brews to try, it seemed like several first choices were all out. I don't know how many times our server came back to tell my husband, or his cousin, or my BIL, or my nephew that they were all out of their first choice. Really? Service was good--automatic gratuity on the tab because of the size of our group--but she was still helpful and friendly. An OK spot in downtown OP. read more

Been coming here for 20 yrs off and on. Food is OK, great beer selection. Nice happy hour $1 oysters. Service is hit and miss at best. No teamwork among servers. You can have an empty drink or plates that need clearing and servers will pass your table without a glance. Training issues. read more

Continued Staffing problems. Sunday morning, father's day, brunch, 75 degrees and sunny and half of the patio outside is closed because the waitress claimed that they did not have enough servers! Offered to seat inside in the bar. This is not the first time something like this has happened. You would think that they could look at the calendar look at the weather and schedule appropriately. I would definitely call before coming and schedule back-up plan to one of the other fine restaurants in the area. read more

Poor Phil's Shell Bar - Sunny day. - American Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Used to live down the street from this place and the most memorable thing I recall was the smell of popcorn that permeated throughout the surrounding area. The food was never really that great and the service took some time, but it had a good vibe and was a fun place overall to hang out and get some crab legs with friends. read more

Don't order the chicken wings. During my last 2 visits I ordered the wings and both times the wings were mushy/soggy and absolutely no indication that they were either fried or fried recently. My guess is they were fried in batches then microwaved and dosed with sauce when ordered. I will return for their beer selection although will stay clear of the limp and tasteless wings. read more

One of my favorite spots for lunch when I lived in the area. Brought my boyfriend here for dinner last night on the patio. Emilio was our server and he was really attentive even though his other tables seemed a little needy, running him back and forth. We enjoyed the mussels, snow crab, the garlic claws and the king crab. Everything was so well done. The flavors were on point. read more

My go-to place in Oak Park. I stayed at the Carleton Hotel and Poor Phil's shares the building. Staff is great, especially the guys behind the bar. Drinks specials are good, and the food completes the experience. I tend to order the crab cakes often and they're delicious. Fish n chips are also good! If you're staying at the Carleton, it's worth it to pop down to Poor Phil's for breakfast, lunch or dinner. read more

The first time was great! The food was fresh and tasty , and the waiter was super sweet. He handled our food and service well. I will go back again read more

Good bar. Good ambiance. Cool unique drinks. Wings were pretty good but nothing crazy. Id visit again!

Zero stars! Poor's Phil's has been a neighborhood staple of mine for over 20 years until very recently. My dying father loved the place too, as the gumbo (or similar), was one of the few food items that satisfied his appetite. Since I had previously lived in Oak Park and believed that its service mission represented all patrons, I was saddened to find as a new homeowner, it was a humiliating experience. The week before last, I witnessed three neighboring Wild Onion Tied House employees being treated like second class citizens when asked to leave for inability to provide i.d. when absolutely nobody else was asked, (self included). A few days later, I was personally harassed disrespectfully, over a $2.48 bill payment deficit, (after being settled and cashed out via paid bank card, I have the receipt). I have more than generously tipped every server multiple times for months. I asked to pay the $2.48 tab later and was told that I couldn't and the young lady threatened to call the police...really? For whatever reason, it seems that Poor Phil's management isn't present or endorses an environment that allows its employees to set the tone for harassment and embarrassment on behalf of certain patrons who in some cases have supported and believed in its business. Sounds like there's a new bully in town Oak Park! However, nowadays there's plenty of new places to visit in the village. Even Forest Park across the street seems more kind to it's late night patronage, be careful Poor Phil's the tide is truly changing! read more

This is a nice place with good food. Unfortunately the head bartender will have you longing for the door! I suppose if you stay away from the bar you may be OK. This is a consensus review from a group of us. read more

I'm hovering between four and five stars. Poor Phil's definitely deserves a solid 4.5 star rating. My boyfriend and I came here for dinner before meeting a friend who lives in Oak Park for a drink. We looked at the menu online and were pretty impressed with all of the fare and the prices. I'm not super into seafood but I really want to be, so this seemed like a great place to try because they have a ton of seafood selections as well as regular old chicken/veggie/beef sandwiches, burgers, etc. I was really impressed with the atmosphere of the place. When we walked in, the bar area was pretty packed with patrons (only two tables were open) and everyone seemed to be having a good time. There were plenty of TVs to watch Michigan/Northwestern basketball or whatever you request. I like that you seat yourself at Poor Phil's - I'm sure this can be a pain when there is no seating to be found, but there were some open tables in the bar area and a lot more over on the other side of the restaurant. We found a high table in the bar area and service was quick and friendly. I was not impressed with the draft coming from the window next to me since I was already freezing when we walked in, so I advise against sitting next to a window when it's this cold. I'm always impressed with places that give things other than a bread basket before a meal, and Poor Phil's is one of those places. Each table gets a huge helping of popcorn before the meal. I love that it's not bread and it's delicious. Also, it's free, which is a plus. You can request as much as you want. They seem to make it all the way until closing, so eat away! Their beer menu is impressive, to say the least. Compared to other bars/restaurants with similarly large lists, I think the prices here were a bit high. I'm not really sure why, but the 9 oz of beer that I ordered was $8 and it's definitely $5 elsewhere (i.e. Map Room or Quenchers). Still, the list was good and they have something for everyone. I decided to go with the Fish 'n Cheddar sandwich, which was delicious. The cod was beer-battered and fried to excellence and tasted yummy. I wasn't happy that the cheese wasn't melted at all, but I'll get over it. There was an array of sides to choose from so I decided on the standard fries and slaw. Definitely yummy. I was a little disappointed that the bun fell apart about 1/4 of the way through eating my sandwich and the fish patty seemed insanely large for the bun so it also fell apart about half way through eating. I think it could have been smaller or the bun could have been a hoagie roll to accommodate the enormity of the sandwich. Still yummy, though. My boyfriend decided to get a chicken sandwich and really enjoyed it. He got a side of macaroni and cheese and said it was yummy. I would definitely love to come back to sample some of their other items. A couple behind us got the Crab Legs dinner and it smelled absolutely divine. Their prices are more than reasonable (my sandwich was only $9!) and they have a pretty large menu. read more

I was really hoping you'd earn another star back tonight, Phil. Oh. My. Have you raised your prices. (And that is not meant to be a question. Definite statement.) $15.95 for Fish and Chips??? I'll be sticking to the gumbo and beer list during my visits to Poor Phils... or I will be the one who is POOR. read more

Lived in Oak Park & surrounding area for over 5 years. Ohh how I miss being an Oak Parkian :( Poor Phil's was THE HANGOUT place & IT STILL IS. As I lived only a few blocks away came here many, many times. Loved sitting at the outdoor patio catching up with friends, meeting for drinks, a light lunch, a little seafood or salad - the vibe & ambiance of Poor Phil's is worth 4 stars alone. You just feel comfortable here. It's an Oak Park staple. On a warm summer day you can sit outside and just people watch. Easy to do as it is situated on the corner of Marion & Oak Park Ave. Inside you will find friendly, happy (yes happy) people at the bar enjoying the multitude of beer offerings one would wish for. Always a mixed crowd, which I appreciate. Seafood - not as good as it used to be. Menu has changed, but so have the times. I enjoy seafood and have tried the oysters on the half shell - decent, but little pricey for Poor Phil's (you won't find a great assortment here). Can't go wrong with the Shrimp cocktail and Shrimp Po'boy, but the grilled salmon caesar salad totally hits the spot. Burger's here are always a good choice too. I continue to come back here....but they are pricy for their offerings. I will always have a fondness for this place- the ambiance alone w/a side of beer is well worth the experience. read more

We had a horrible waiter who ignored us even though we were basically the only ones in there on a Sunday evening. I ordered the seafood cake which was awful and after I mentioned this to the staff nothing was done except a smart remark and further ignorance. The only reason I'm giving the 2 stars is the drinks were great, large selection to chose from & the outdoor seating looks nice in summer months. I will not be returning. read more

Phil, you don't really impress me much. You're too expensive and I'm not excited about your food, it never tastes as good as the description. If it weren't for your sidewalk seating and great locale, and the fact my boyfriend likes your oyster shooters and crab butter soup, I probably wouldn't bother. Gotta admit though, you serve a good spicy burger and the servers are always pleasant. Too bad it seems there's always something forgotten from the order. read more

So I decided I would start broadening my horizons and change the line up a little and make the quick trek out to Oak Park to check out Poor Phil's with some lovely yelpers. We were welcomed by a lively, loud and cute bar and found a table rather quickly. I was being seduced by the scent of popcorn when a basket magically appeared on the table. Ummm popcorn. The menu is huge as is the drink list and while they offer a veritable plethora of craft beers, the wines by the glass were relatively sparse and a little on the pricey side for what they were. For a second, I thought I took a wrong turn and was back in the city. Food was decent, nothing crazy fantastic, but nothing bad. I made a meal out of sides and actually attempted to have cheese sticks for dinner despite knowing better. The cheese sticks were standard with passable marinara and the corn on the cob and boiled red potatoes were YUM. I didn't love the mac 'n cheese but that might be because I hold Almighty Stanley's as my holy grail and Poor Phil's pales by comparison. Service was friendly and casual, if not a little on the lax side. Apparently there is a law in Oak Park which prohibits servers from clearing empty glasses or finished plates from a table. Okay, I made that up, but they do have some kooky laws in those parts. I would definitely give it another go, maybe service in the dining room is better....either way, the awesome company made it easy to overlook just about everything. Except the unopened mussels. The server should have picked up on that. read more

Imagine a TGIFriday's with an A-grade tap list and there you go: Pour Phil's. Part of why I loved this place is that it was so unpretentious and surprisingly non-hipster, as if they don't realize just how well they've nailed the comfortable/entertaining-crowd/top-notch-taplist trifecta. It gets busy on Friday night but the people are friendly and the crowds won't stop the waitresses from keeping everyone satisfied. Again, that level of eagerness to please is refreshing to find in a popular venue. I'm glad our friends in Forest Park dragged us along for a night here and let us in on the secret that is Pour Phils. read more

Man this is *really* one of those places you want to rate a solid 4 or 5 but after a first, initial visit, cannot possibly do that. Environs, a 5 and then some. Perfect. Service, great. Menu, great. Prices, a bit high but for quality i'll pay it. However, this place failed at nearly every point on the main attraction, the food. Lobster Bisque starter. Two spoonfuls, sent back as the sodium level was Defcon 5! Seriously. Inedible. Replaced with the Black Bean that was essentially refried black beans in a bowl. 2/5. Fried Shrimp. Good 4/5. Accompanying fries, soggy, stale-y greasy, 1/5. Mandarin Chicken Salad. Mayyybe 3/5 but portion for $15, no way. Beer selection is really lights out. Great 5/5. Will probably try again bc the patio, interior and beer selection is where it's at. We'll see. read more

Dear everyone: Eat here. Seriously. We just wandered in afternoon expecting some blah bar food just to keep our energy up. Instead, I got a delicious raspberry ale from Michigan, absolutely delicious "garlic fingers" (I think they are little crab fingers) that were swimming in hot garlicky butter, and a fantastically fresh seafood plate over ice. Those jumbo shrimp, meaty crab legs, and silky oysters vanished into my tummy in minutes. Where did this place come from? Why does it taste so good even though it just looks like a normal boring bar? Spread the word people, this fish is fresh and it will surprise you! read more

If you're looking for tasty food, this is not the place. McDonald's makes a better burger. Campbell's makes a heartier gumbo. Sure, this place has been around since the '60s, but I've been twice and was so not impressed. On my second trip, my party of two walked in on a non-busy Saturday night and waited 15 minutes before our waitress came to take our order...and she passed our table three times. Maybe because I'm not a regular, it was clear the regulars were treated like V.I.P. Good things: Free popcorn, nice window seats and cheap beer pitchers. Weird things: Women's bathroom is covered in Chicago International Film Festival nude model photos. Didn't seem to mesh well with the sports bar theme but was interesting nonetheless. Bad things: Food I will not be back for food. read more

Whoa, don't get the 4 and 5 star reviews I see. I wasn't getting a good impression, from my lone visit here during Chicago Craft Beer Week 2014. Service just wasn't good at all, the cleanliness felt like it wasn't the best here(part of the bar counter felt sticky, ewww), and the prices were just higher than I prefer to see. I dunno if it's because of Oak Park having more restrictive alcohol laws than nearby 'burbs(i.e. Forest Park), but have to note the prices felt higher for beer vs. other restaurants and bars in this area. Thought about ordering food that night, but then I said 'f it' after the service was too darned slow for me. OTOH, I did like the free popcorn though, but the issues I noticed sadly have to make me give this place 2 stars, instead of 3. Next time if I must get a drink in Oak Park(and not Forest Park, though FP feels very tempting to try next time), I might give Kinderhook or Avenue Ale House a try instead. May not return here for a good while, in case I give this place one more shot someday. read more

I love Poor Phil's!!! Whenever I'm in Oak Park, I always try to stop by. This place is the only bar I've found to really have that Cheers home-away-from-home feeling. Great beer selection, awesome food, and superb staff. There's a great sense of community here, and people of all ages hang out here in a way I don't normally see in American bars - it's more in line with the feeling of a small-town pub in Ireland where twenty-somethings and grandparents share a pint, as opposed to the typical age-segregated American bar. The staff is very friendly, and the manager, Rob, really makes everyone feel welcome. What a great place. read more

This will probably be one of harder reviews to write for me. I go back and forth on this place! I've been going there for about 3 years now, and sometimes I wonder why I bother going back, then the next time I wonder why it'd been so long since I last went. Let's start with the good: -BIG selection of craft beers on tap, along with the standard bar tap beers. They seem to have a somewhat rotating craft beer selection, which is nice. I think the prices are ok for the area. I've seen better, I've seen worse. -If you sit inside, you get a bottomless basket of usually VERY salty popcorn. I'm no expert, but I'm guessing they do that so you drink more! -TVs are nicely placed throughout the bar area, and nicely labeled to a specific Chicago area sports team. If that particular team is playing, you know it'll be on certain TVs. -Their late-night menu is good... and greasy, which is what makes it good! On the rare occasion that it's a really late night, we love their loaded tator-tots!! -I haven't eaten much off of their regular menu, other than the burgers, which are pretty good. I am a fan of their buffalo chicken wings. Pretty decent size order. -They have a pretty decent sized outdoor seating area. Don't forget, as of now, Oak Park requires that you order food if you're going to sit outside and drink!! Ok, time for some not-so-good: -If you sit outside, you don't get any of the salty popcorn. I think it's so they don't get swarmed by birds. Last I checked, birds aren't too picky and will eat a greasy covered straw if you let them. -I think they are a little over-priced. They occasionally have some specials, but usually nothing I'd order. -Service has usually been average, sometimes below average for us. If you sit at the bar, the bartender is usually within shouting distance. Rarely have I had a bartender even attempt to make small talk with me. -If you sit at a table, expect to wait a little bit, doesn't matter how busy they may or may not be. Also, expect to have to ask for, or flag down your server. Maybe if you're more of a regular would you get attentive service, but I've yet to see it. -They got rid of their AMAZING $1 burgers that they'd serve during Monday Night Football. We'd go almost every Monday for a cheap, really tasty burger and a couple of beers. Wish they'd bring this back, if there's an NFL season this year. Overall, we'll probably keep popping in from time to time, but it definitely wouldn't consider this a "must go to" when we have guests in town. I go back for the variety of beers, not the food or the service. read more

Great atmosphere. They have outdoor seating. I had 2 of the grilled chicken sandwiches (for 50 cents you can add guacamole..unexpectedly good!) with sides of fruit for around $15. It was expensive but well worth it! Other things to order there: Lobster salad King Crab Legs They also have free internet access...awesome! read more