For some reason I always gravitate to the seafood when I come there. I love the Po Boys, I had the spicy catfish and veggies and the shrimp. The prices are OK and they have a large beer selection if you drink beer. Love the neighborhood. Thinking about returning soon. SERVICE WAS JUST OK. IMPROVE YOUR SERVICE AND YOU MAY GET MORE FREQUENT VISITORS! read more

We went to this bar on two consecutive mondays nights. The oysters were very fresh and the server ( I think her name was karla who took care of us both times) was very sweet and helpful. Love the oysters..We will definatly be back soon. Great job guys. read more

Poor Phil's Shell Bar - 50 cent oysters,,, OH YEAH..... - American Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Awesome food, friendly staff, and a premier selection of craft beers from the Region and country. Always seem to have Three Floyd's Beer on tap. Yes! Highly recommend their Ahi Tuna Sandwich and hamburgers. I still need to sample their crabs. Soon! The best beer and coolest hangout in Oak Park. Check 'em out! read more

This place has awesome food and a great patio for outdoor dining! It's definitely an awesome spot for warm summer nights. I have now been here twice and was happy with my order both times. The first time I was here, I had their nightly special, which was whitefish, which comes with your choice of a side along with garlic bread and broccoli. The portion was huge (I believe it was two or even three large pieces of fish). For my side, I chose the mashed sweet potatoes, which are delicious. They are not overly sweet, but are super creamy and addictive. The fish was very fresh and had a delicious buttery taste. The second time I went, I tried the crab cake for an appetizer and it was delicious. It's made up of huge pieces of fresh crab meat. It's not overly mashed together to the point where you can no longer tell it's crab and is seasoned very well. I liked it so much, I ordered the crab cake sandwich as my meal, again with the mashed sweet potatoes. It was very tasty and was a perfect portion for me but if you have tend to have a bigger appetite, it might be a little lacking for you. My sister ordered the soft-shell crab sandwich and the crab was a bit small and thin, especially in proportion to the bun, however, she was very happy with the taste. The best tip I can give is if you're really hungry, don't go with one of the sandwiches. Regardless though, the taste will be awesome! The other person I was with ordered a full lobster, which looked fantastic. He was very happy with it, but be forewarned, you will be served a full lobster, shell, eyes and all. He was used to having the meat out of the shell for him already so it was a bit of a surprise. Presentation-wise, it looked pretty awesome though! It can also be a bit pricey, but let's face it, seafood isn't cheap and I've certainly been to more expensive places. Also, parking can be a bit tricky as it is limited to metered street parking. After 6pm, Monday through Saturday, you don't have to feed the meters though, which is a plus! Oh and definitely check out the beer list; it's huge! read more

At this point Dennis Murphy (who owns the place) is a demi- god. He brought fine dining and spirits to oak park. It's all about ambiance with poor phils. Not the most cutting edge menu, but have a Weiss beer outside on a beautiful day, and try the garlic fingers, You'll be hooked. Great eggs benidict too. Love it. read more

Heard a lot of good things, but I was underwhelmed. Stopped in for a beer bc of the high recommendations about their beer list. Beer expectations held up well. Solid beer rotation. Ordered the gumbo and was sorely disappointed. Almost no identifiable seafood pieces. Reminded me of Popeyes red beans and rice. I mean, I like Popeyes rb&r, but my gumbo expectations are much higher. read more

The mixed drinks had no alcohol. I'm a light weight, so it doesn't take much. The food was Meh at best. Ceviche was 13.95$ and super basic, lacked flavor. Tasted as if they boiled the shrimp then, added "lime" etc. Although I didn't taste lime. The crab cake was crab, no flavor though, and it reminded me of a brown hockey puck. I can only assume it was deep fried NOT pan fried. Sweet potato fries were good though. read more

I wouldn't even give this restaurant one star. Service was terrible. My wine was terrible. They were out of all of the beer my husband wanted. The very expensive lobster roll that I ordered had no flavor and I doubt the lobster was cooked fresh (as it should be). My husband's fork was taken by the staff after our appetizer and we were never brought a new one, nor did anyone ever stop by after our meals were brought to us to see how the food was and if we needed anything. Poor Phil's is definitely living off it's name because the rest of it is worthless. read more

Horrible smell right when you walk in !!! Food so greasy and so nasty first and last time there wow not worth your time !!!

A good unique place. Ate crawfish lobster etuffee outside..French quarter flashbacks!!

service was kind of nice lemonade tasted like poison . the burger tasted like it was from costco ooooorrrrrr maybe Sam's club. the fried chicken sandwich looked like who did it and what for. red beans and rice as a side was good. the mac and cheese tasted like kraft. the loaded fries were good but we were also starving soooooo kind of hard to tell. hmmm let's see what else. ehh yeah that's pretty much it. well i guess it couldn't get any worse but a fly just started flying around our food so yeah there's that. read more

With prices this high, you'd expect top of the line service. By far the most I have ever seen oysters cost. The craft cocktails are overpriced too. I went there today, had one 10 dollar old fashioned after waiting 10 minutes for the bartender to take my order, then watched for 30 more minutes while she socialized and poured beers for everyone at the bar. I guess taking a food order or making another cocktail was too much to ask. So I left. I was going to run up a pretty good tab for dinner, but I didn't, and now i won't be back. read more

An Oak Park landmark classic. The best seafood in the area. Great beer selection. And a warm, friendly staff. Go sit at the bar or outside when the weather is nice. read more

I'm a local. I've eaten at Poor Phil's several times. Today was my last. They have an excellent beer list. Plus 1 star for the beer list. Go and get drunk. Stay away from food. We waited an hour and 15 minutes for 3 fish and chips with thicker than I remember breading and one smallish salmon sandwich. Give me a break, how backed up can deep fat fryers get. That, three beers, and one glass of wine for over $90. Give me another break, too damn expensive. It wasn't the first time I've left feeling this way. I keep giving them breaks, and I'm not sure why anymore. As I said, I'm done with Poor Phil's. I remember this place fondly from the past. I don't know if the place has changed or I have, but it's not good now. It was one of those times you look around at other tables to see if ANYone has food. I think they had something going on from the food network, but how can that be an excuse? Besides, it's not the first time. The service there, REALLY does suck. If you think you have a problem sometimes because of bad service, do NOT go here and order food. And, if you have younger female children, don't let them use the bathroom in the restaurant. There's some kind of nude male pictures in there. Have them use the one in the attached hotel. read more

Monday-Friday they have $1 oysters until 6pm, got there at 5pm and ordered a dozen oysters. Got our check and our bill was $60. Question the bartender and she goes "ohh you ordered the blue and West Point oysters not the house" not once were told only the "house" oysters were $1. The sign and menu are completely misleading. Be careful when ordering or they're going to try and scam you and not feel bad at all when they give you the bill. And they ring your credit card right away so you can't even see your bill beforehand. read more

This place is my go-to spot in Oak Park. I live just a few blocks away, and I love being so close to it. I've been a bunch of times, and even took my parents here twice. My dad, who loves oysters but is a very tough critic, always begs to go to Poor Phil's when he drops by. He says they're the best oysters he's ever had, and like I said, he's a tough critic! I've had a multitude of the dishes, and can recommend a few. The lobster quesadilla (which is sort of a seasonal special so not always available) sounds a little weird but is so good, and it doesn't skimp on the lobster. I also love the guaca-burger -- it's the first burger I've ever had topped with guacamole, and the first time I had it, I wondered why I hadn't thought of it before it's so crazy delicious. Also, for you vegetarians out there, my boyfriend said their black bean burger (available as a substitute on any burger) is the best he's had. And their tater tots are pretty exceptional, at least in my opinion. I can't stand soggy tots, and theirs are always hot, fresh, and crispy. The Po'Boys are also super. The only thing I've ever gotten that hasn't been great is the Fish n Chips. Not that the taste was bad, but the batter just got a little bit soggy and ended up falling apart a bit. But back to the good, their salads and soups are also very good. I also can't talk about Poor Phil's without talking about their extensive beer selection. I'm a sucker for a huge beer menu, and theirs is quite nice. They also have a hand pump, and have a special beer each day on it, available until it's gone. Largely, service is decent, but to be honest, I don't come here for the service. Every time I've ever sat at the bar, I've ended up making friends with my barstool neighbors. The music played in the bar always matches my taste, and I could spend a whole day in here (in fact, I did once). They always have Chicago sports on the TV, and during the playoffs for any particular team, they turn on the TV volume so you can hear the commentating. Oh and ladies, check out the photos of naked dudes in the women's bathroom. read more

Shame on you Poor Phil's.. I got the fish n chips.. $15.95 and the batter was like rubber! I asked the server an he told me "yeah it really depends on what cook is in the kitchen". Shame on you for not listening to the staff, to having a known issue with the cooks, and doing nothing about it! read more

Every few years we go to Poor Phil's, but the food is just bar food. Then we forget how blah the food is and go back a few years later, just to make sure. For the last 14 years it has been the same, so at least they are consistent. If you just want a beer on a nice day, it's great to sit out on their sidewalk cafe -- otherwise, there are better places. read more

I know it's hard for North-Siders to think of reasons to go on the Green Line, but if you ever fancy a trip out to Oak Park, be sure to visit Poor Phil's. I give it five stars because everything on the menu, while not great is always very good, when you combine that with the fun atmosphere and outdoor seating, you get a great experience. A side from their seafood and burgers, their breakfast is a well kept secret. If you find yourself nearby, be sure to try the place. read more

Real average. Service, real average. I hear if they know you, then the service level changes. Sorry, I worked in the restaurant biz. Treat all like VIPs and they will become regulars. Will go there for drinks but not food. Food is a bit pricey and not that good. Oak Park is hurting for good bars. Phils needs some competition. read more

Good food plus great service. My husband and I came here for lunch. Everyone was very nice and inviting. We order shrimp, clam chowder soup, Cesar salad, and the pickle burger. We shared everything and it was perfect for us. The shrimp was very fresh and delicious. I definitely recommend the pickled burger it was so good. Sorry no pictures. I was to busy enjoying my meal. Til next time! read more

Patio dining with a 1/2 decent view is a major draw for a good restaurant, and Poor Phil's has that in the bag. A lot of great menu options makes it difficult to decide, then to see other diners meals makes it even more so. For whatever reason, we veered from the inventive and ordered the fish tacos and fish and chips. Both entrees were served with a huge portion of moist, tasty, fresh fish. Good choices - it's just that the menu is loaded with so many tasty items from a Sunday salmon special, to salads, oysters of every variety, burgers, to interesting sandwiches and more fish, we kept thinking we were missing out on something. Overall, efficient and friendly service, excellent food and nice atmosphere. Definitely a return to place! read more

Just updating my review, because the food has gotten even better lately. I live in the neighborhood and have been going to Phil's weekly for the past 4 years. I love this place. read more

Went to Poor Phil's today and had there fish tacos. I must say they were just average. Our group of 5 went to pay the bill and noticed that the young waitress added a 20% gratuity onto the cost of the food and the tax! What's up with that? read more

I had a burger there that was decent, but nothing spectacular. The fries had a hint of fish oil to them which is typical of a fish and chips place, but still not something I'm really into. The good thing about the place, that despite being a sports bar, it's not over the top in machismo. It also has free wifi and the service was friendly. read more

We aren't at all familiar with Oak Park and happened to stumble upon this place after attending a funeral at the funeral home across the street. It was late and I was starving, so we took a chance on Poor Phil's. Well, YUM! The cocktails were perfect (I usually think cocktails at restaurants are to mix-y). The gumbo and chowder were perfectly spiced. Also, we broke our rule of not eating raw oysters in land-locked states and I'm so glad we did. The oysters were absolutely amazing, very fresh and there were 3 different varieties to try - all were good. I also recommend the sweet potato fries. Everything we had was delicious. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Even on a busy Friday night, the service was spot-on. Poor Phils reminds me of a restaurant you would find in New Orleans (my favorite place to eat). I was so pleased to have found this place and will defnitely make the trip all the way to Oak Park for raw oysters again. Also, since we've been there, I've asked others who are more familiar with the area and they have only had great things to say about Poor Phils. read more

Living in Oak Park has it's challenges when it comes to late night spots and Poor Phil's is the one place that delivers. An insane tap list accompanied by a creative cocktail menu makes this location my personal go to. Over a year of coming here and have yet to have a sub par experience. read more

I like Poor Phil's, I really do. It's a friendly, neighborhood place with decent food and plentiful drinks. I just have to laugh at this, however. They have some sort of oyster deal, of which I've forgotten the specifics. So we ordered a bunch. They arrived. They were good. I asked our waiter, however, which was which, and how each tasted in terms of region. He said, I kid you not, "Dunno. I don't like oysters. But you could google it." Yeah, I could. You betcha. Thanks for going that extra mile, my friend. And hey, Phil, perhaps you could enlighten your employees as to the finer points of your menu, if they have no desire to do so themselves. read more

I've been going to Poor Phil's for years. Went yesterday and had the snow crab claws (double yumbo) and then my son had the salmon and I had the fried shrimp. The drinks are always good, lots of choice and consistent food. I love to sit outside when the patio is open. The help is friendly and makes you feel welcome. I have only one complaint. The tables are frequently very dirty, to the point where you have to wipe them off yourself when seated. This kind of irritates me, because the price point should buy you a clean table. I've never seen a wet towel in use when the tables are cleared--seriously. They just pick up the plates and walk away and then the next group sits down. You would make me so very happy if you could remedy this. read more

By its appearance, Poor Phil's seems to suffer from an identity crisis. We're not quite sure if it's a restaurant or a bar; and this Rupaul-esque facade can be intimidating to those who perplexedly walk in with the distressing question, "is it okay if we. . . like, just drink here?" lest they look like a wino. There's actually a good reason for this restaurant androgyny which I will get to later. But not only could you drink at this place, you SHOULD drink here. The beer here is nothing short of fantastic. Not only is there a wide assortment of really tasty draft beers -most of which can't be found in many places- but they have an equally extensive list of seasonal drafts as well. In addition to that, they actually have a cask dispensing a different ale every day. For those who've never been to the UK, or just didn't pay attention when you did, a cask ale is hand pumped from the beer's natural habitat without the aid of nitrogen or carbon dioxide pressure. The result is a much more natural and fresh tasting beer. Trying their daily cask ale should be compulsory for any Poor Phil's visit. When drinking here, you want to be brave. Don't be afraid to try new things. If you're one of those boring Bettys who only drinks Miller Lite, Budweiser, and on special occasions splurges on a twelve pack of Heineken, this place probably isn't for you. Not that I'm an elitist snob and don't want to associate with you cretins, but the drinks here are a bit steep, and you don't want to spend five dollars on a beer you can find at least a dollar cheaper anywhere else. Poor Phil's specializes in seafood and it's good, but if you're a seafood a-fish-ionado (Oh c'mon! That was funny) you probably won't be that impressed. It's not terribly expensive, but there are other options if you want seafood for dinner. It's basically glorified pub grub.The real selling point of this place is the beer. If you're not going to drink it, there is little point in going there. If anything, the food offers a much more desirable alternative to the Long John Silver's down the street, which should not be consumed unless you've just been released from a ten year prison sentence. I typically don't eat here. And the only reason why it isn't my daily watering hole is because you can really run up a bill at this place. This is not Poor Phil's fault, but rather that of Oak Park. Oak Park is a dry suburb, meaning that alcohol is prohibited. . . sort of. The way it works is that you can serve alcohol at a bar if you can make it look like it's really a restaurant. Think of Oak Park as your strict Catholic mother, and Poor Phil is your cleverly devious friend who knows all these neat tricks to hide beer around the house. The stipulations are that you cannot just go up to the bar and order a beer; all your drink orders go through a server. This means that you have to tip the standard 15-20% when you pay your bill instead of the more economical tipping a dollar to the bartender every time you order a drink. Also, because it's a restaurant, your drinks are taxed on top of their menu prices. So even though you only spent $20 on drinks, you could end up shelling out close to $30 (because you ALWAYS tip to the total after tax, right?). This isn't the place you'd want to go to every night after work. Think of it as the adult version of going out for ice cream with your parents. Do it every other week or so as a treat. The beer is phenomenal, there is always a place to sit, the staff is friendly, parking is rarely a problem but it's still right next to the Green line anyway, no douchebags, and you get free popcorn! read more

Nice local place, similar to a bar Louie or buffalo wilds wings, bar seating with several TV viewing options or table seating is available, I've been several times but my choice food option is the batter fish & chips, nice place nice crowd read more

My husband and I walked out of Poor Phil's today because it took too long to even get a glass of water. We were given a basket of popcorn and then didn't see our waiter again for 20 minutes. Not even for a water. Then he finally came out of the kitchen, dropped off food at one table to our right. Passed us by to deliver food to our left. Passed us by again and went to take another table's order without even a glance or acknowledgement that we were waiting and he'd be back. We finished the whole basket of popcorn and still didn't get his attention. Finally as we were leaving, we thought we would mention to the waiter why, and all he could summon was a sarcastic 'goodbye'. Our experience with this place is the bartenders and beer selection are great, but the wait staff and food is always sub-par. Goodbye Poor Philz! read more

Visited this place for the first time and it is very eye catching from the outside. The atmosphere is very enjoyable and the staff is very friendly. Even the food itself was good. However it seemed grossly overpriced for what I ended up getting. 2 sodas, an order of fried pickles, a burger and a po' boy ran me close to $55. Don't get me wrong the place is lovely but it is overpriced read more

I upped their rating because service is usually top-notch, their employees are always friendly and I love te beer selection. I also discovered their loaded tots that they only serve late night. So incredibly awesome. And I also learned to order their New York Chili and a side of tots and covered the tots in the chili, incredibly delicious. Love their beer flights that change regularly. read more

Been here a number of times, and overall I'd go with it being quite good. Service is usually great and I love the beer list and giant patio. My boyfriend and I only recently started coming back here. We both got mild food poisoning once after eating here a few years ago and have stayed away. But mistakes can happen anywhere, and we've started coming back. I love their fish sandwich, and their clam chowder is seriously one of the best ever. This place can be quite pricey. For 2 entrees and 2 drinks for dinner, plan of dropping at least $50 with tip. Still, it's pretty reliable, and they serve tots, which is awesome. read more

I go to Poor Phil's often since I live within an earshot, but I would go more often if the food was better. The few items I did like are different now or seem to be. For example, the hot wings have become bigger, greasier and gross just like the fish and chips I reviewed before. That's why I am giving the downgrade. I recently decided to explore more of the menu and ordered the black bean burger which was thin, bland and dry. I would have been happier eating pills out of my shirt. It's time for a decent menu! I will still come regularly for the beer and maybe the sweet potato fries, but I am begging please improve the menu! read more

Delicious lunch sitting on the patio at Poor Phil's this afternoon. The gumbo was excellent - flavorful and smoky. My favorite was the Crabby Lobster salad. Yum! Service was very attentive. This a really nice spot in Oak Park. read more

Poor Phil's Shell Bar - Fantastic Crabby Lobster Salad - American Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Poor Phil's has a great selection of rotating carft beers. Service is always on point, and the po boy samiches are delicious!

The food is ridiculously overpriced, especially given its lackluster quality. I had the crawdaddy etouffee, which had a congealed film on it by the time it made it to the table. There was no depth of flavor or robustness to it. My husband had the lobster roll, which was drowning mayonnaise with a ton of dill. The dill was so overpowering you couldn't taste the lobster at all. The fish and chips that my kids split was simultaneously watery on the outside and overcooked & dry on the inside. The service was equally horrible. Also, warning to other parents: apparently the decorator of the women's bathroom thinks that porn makes great artwork. There are lots of full frontal nudity which is sure to raise interesting questions if you take your children to wash their hands before eating! read more

N'awlins gumbo soup, lobster roll, garlic mussels and the best beer selection in the near west suburbs! I'll be here once per week when the outdoor patio opens up... Happy hour oysters, shrimp and selection of 200 beers is probably my favorite way to unwind on a Friday. read more