Rafferty's was truly an unforgettable experience. I haven't seen this much unearned superiority since a guy named Connor explained whiskey to me like his family personally invented Ireland. The atmosphere was very "we're better than you," which is ambitious considering half the room looked genetically connected to famine survivors and dock workers. The confidence level in that building deserves scientific study. I walked in expecting casual dining and somehow ended up in what felt like an audition for "Medieval Lords of the Suburbs." The staff acted like they were protecting ancient bloodlines instead of refilling ranch dressing. At one point I honestly wanted to ask: "Sir, are you judging me... while wearing a polo shirt with barbecue sauce on it?" The energy was aggressively holier-than-thou for a place where the main cultural contribution is fried appetizers and vodka seltzer. To be fair, the food was fine. But the side of racial superiority was a little harassing for my ego. If you're looking for a place to drink with historic levels of racism and naturally redheaded bartenders, this is the place for you! read more

Good beer, good vibes! I like this place for a nice meal and Guinness. We had the fish and chips which is cooked perfectly plus I asked for the side of curry gravy - sooo good as fries dip. The place is not big, so it gets packed easily. We usually go here before 5pm and were able to snag couple chairs in the bar. Parking is a challenge, too on a busy hour or day. read more

Rafferty's Irish Pub - Fish and chips plus curry gravy - Pubs Near Me - Countryside, Illinois

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This is a nice, little bar with limited parking in front of the restaurant. I suppose if it got busier, you could find some free street parking close by. I would say this Irish pub is more like fusion, based on the food menu. We decided to get corn beef bites, garlic bread, shepherd's pie, and chicken pot pie. The service was good, our waitress was very attentive. Food came out fast and hot. Portion sizes are more than adequate. Prices were fair. Corn beef bites were delicious, they're bigger than one bite unless you stuff it all in your mouth. Good size swiss cheese and corn beef slices. Make sure you use the horseradish sauce. Garlic bread was okay, it could use more garlic and butter. I felt like it was tasteless. Shepherd's pie was very cheesy. The minced beef was very flavorful and moist. The vegetables and mashed potatoes were also tasty. The chicken pot pie was way bigger than I imagined. The crust was flaky and golden brown. Texture was very creamy. Chicken was very tender. Definitely recommend getting everything except for the garlic bread. read more

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Absolutely a fabulous meal. Great fish and one of the best Cesar salads I have had in a long time. Service was great, server was very attentive. read more

It's a nice friendly pub with a good beer selection and above average food. But a pub that serves a corned beef sandwich should offer a spicy brown or Dijon mustard. All Rafferty's offers is bland, yellow mustard. read more

This place is an icon and used to be called the Countryside Pub. Back in the day there were high backed booths, the food was fresh, hot and a giant cheeseburger on dark rye with a side of steak fries was the perfect meal. Add an ice cold draft beer and everything was perfect. Over the years the place changed hands a few times but the ambiance has never changed. However, the menu has and WOW the food is delicious. We are regular customers and have never had a bad meal. Yes, there are off nights where something with dinner may be amiss, but that is rare. The beer is ice cold and they offer a fantastic selection. The restaurant is always extremely busy, and service can suffer because of this, but be patient. Those girls have many tables to serve. Eating dinner inside offers a high decibel of noise with all the talking, so be prepared. Outside dining is offered in good weather. Parking can be difficult. I recommend their side salad, the Irish stew, the Parmesan walleye, fish and chips, burgers, tacos and the fajitas. Fantastic. Love the lemon chicken too. We hate Wednesday there because it's karaoke night. OMG. Avoid. Other than that, Rafferty's is our favorite place and is highly recommended. read more

Rafferty's has a great local, casual vibe with a welcome fireplace to sit by in the winter. We started with fried pickle chips as an appetizer. The batter was perfectly seasoned and crisp served with a generous portion of ranch dressing. We shared the fish and chips which had ample chips and two healthy pieces of battered fish filets. Service was good but unfortunately she over charged us for a drink which was corrected after we pointed the issue out. Overall, a great local joint for a relaxing and delicious dinner. read more

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This place is so cute, I got to sit next to the fireplace. I was a little disappointed on their chicken fingers but might have been my own fault for not reading the description. The other food came out yummy. Our server was very nice and even with being under staffed she was great! read more

Rafferty's Pub & Restaurant, Countryside, IL Five stars There's a purity to the American pub when it gets it right. No frills. No pretense. Just meat, beer, and the kind of warmth that can't be staged. Rafferty's is one of those places. Four people. One beer. Sixty-three bucks. And not a single compromise in flavor, mood, or humanity. The servers smile like they mean it. The food arrives hot, honest, and just greasy enough to remind you you're alive. It's a joint that feeds more than your stomach, it feeds your spirit. You don't find places like this on purpose. You stumble into them. And if you're lucky, you remember why you went out in the first place. read more

I nearly missed reviewing this place... back in April I had just arrived from a horribly long overseas flight. My friends were kind enough to take me to this pub for some dinner and we were pleased at our food and dining experience. When you walk in you are met with traditional Irish decor, and a lovely fireplace in the dining area. Very welcoming and clean. I liked it immediately. Heather H. waited on us and was very friendly and helpful with making some dinner suggestions. It is a very cute interior and warm environment. My friends got Guiness of course and I was pleased to see they had a surprisingly good selection of white wine, so I opted for a glass of the Joel Gott sauvignon blanc ($9.25). I was starving and got the Wild Alaskan blackened salmon ($19.95) MM MMM with a side Salad and OH YES house made blue cheese dressing to die for. Very generous portion of fish, perfectly cooked. My friends shared a basket of crinkle cut fries ($5), curry sauce ($3.50) and Irish sausage ($6), plus Southwest Chicken Egg Rolls ($7.95). The food and drinks are very reasonably priced, and the food is really good. The dinner menu has a very impressive selection, a little bit of everything. read more

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Stopped in here for a late dinner. I ended up getting the fish and chips which were good. But what I really enjoyed was the corned beef cabbage soup they had. I ended up ordering a bowl to go and eating it the next day. The service was fine, and the decor was dingy bar atmosphere. read more

Everything was great. Food, service and ambience. Reasonable prices to match other food establishments. We will definitely go back.

The bartender tonight Jan 21 Thursday was rude, loud, disruptive, and confrontational. No hospitality whatsoever, she was just yelling at customers far before they even closed. The worst I've ever seen in all my years. I've been many times before and no issues but this particular time ruined it for our group. read more

My love and I tagged along with our peeps in the 'burbs and we would find ourselves at Rafferty's Irish Pub in Countryside. Not sure if I have ever been in Countryside, but our visit here on a chilly Saturday evening was a pleasant Irish-style experience. The interior featured a fireplace, some pub signage, and we sat by a giant map of Ireland displayed on the wall. I went all Irish with my selections of a delicious pint of Guinness, and a plate of shepherd's pie topped with a nice touch of melted cheese and accompanied with some toasty bread. Both were tasty and filling. My love enjoyed her Caprese burger served with crinkle cut fries. Our peeps enjoyed clam chowder and blackened chicken alfredo. Service was attentive and snappy enough. Note that there is only one stall each in the men's and women's rooms if you have to go. read more

When visiting friends recently, we went to Rafferty's for an early dinner. It's one of their local go-tos. Rafferty's checked all my boxes for a great dining-in-a-bar experience. The place is not too large, but even with a nearly full bar and many dining tables occupied, the place was cozy without feeling overcrowded. Tables are well-spaced. The fireplace added to the intimate vibe. One thing I was a huge fan of is the fact that they played lively music but it was not overpowering in volume. Prices were great. I think my caprese burger was just under $12. FYI, I tried to remind myself of the price by looking at their online menu this morning - those menu prices are outdated (at least the price for my burger was not current). My friend is a huge fan of their blackened chicken alfredo. I sampled it and agree it was tasty. My husband went with the shepherd's pie and enjoyed it a lot. Our server was upbeat and dropped in on us often to check on our drinks. We really hope to visit Rafferty's again in the future! read more

Rafferty's Irish Pub - Caprice Burger - YUM! - Pubs Near Me - Countryside, Illinois

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The Xeroxed(?) drinks menu presented at the bar has no prices. So prepare yourself for debate when your bill comes due: can a Martini with a common, mid-priced liquor-store gin have an "upcharge"? Do the words "Bombay Sapphire" and "Grey Goose" sound anything alike? You will find out. Hardest of passes. read more

Great service for a large group of 8. Accommodated us as a walk in even though they were packed!

I've been coming to Raffertys for almost 10 years. It's one of this cozy places where the whole bar moves down one way or the other to make stools available for your party. The conversation is communal. Everyone knows everyone. I've never seen a fight there - though I'm sure it's happened. The food is amazing. The owners are great American immigrants. The staff is dedicated and capable. The menu is enticing. Great vibe every day - all day long. Five stars!!! read more

Can't ever go wrong with a cold Smithwick's and their Fish n Chips! My wife and I took home a bunch but ate quite contentedly, except we had to shout at each other to be heard! (She declared next time we'd eat with the old folks at 4!) The servers are always cordial and efficient. Good beer, two pieces of fried cod with fries and cole slaw, for $20/each, seems about right. Aside from the loudmouths my only complaint was that there's so many large screen tvs that it was hard to look away from disgraceful and disheartening replays of the Bears and Cubs. Looking at my gorgeous wife helped... read more

We biked to Rafferty's for lunch and we will definitely be back. Service was quick, outside seating was nice, and there were sooooo many things on the menu that sounded great. We ended up going with a caprese burger and the Cajun chicken wrap. The wrap was just perfect, the blackened chicken had perfect flavor and was juicy (sometimes blackened chicken can be too salty, too smoky or dried out). The burger was big and flavorful with tomatoes balsamic and mozzarella on top. For sides we had sweet potato fries and tots, both were perfectly cooked and fresh. We will definitely be back to try some of the other choices on the menu! I just wish there was a crosswalk and a walk signal coming off the bike path on Brainard. read more

Rafferty's Irish Pub - Caprese burger and tots - Pubs Near Me - Countryside, Illinois

This is my favorite neighborhood watering hole. Hands down. Big horseshoe bar. Classic pub but with windows and light and even a deck. The head bartenders are always there (and they've been there forever), they know everyone, and they're always happy to see you. They pour Guinness impeccably. High tops and low tops. Fireplace for the winter. One of the best patty melts i've ever had. Worth every one of the 1,000(?) calories. Get it with a side of thousand island...why not?!? read more

Rafferty's Irish Pub - Patty Melt - Pubs Near Me - Countryside, Illinois

My girlfriend and I have become weekly regulars for Saturday night karaoke because we're always treated well by the friendly and attentive staff. Special shout-out to our favorite bartender Dee! Thank you for so many fun times :) read more

Searched for restaurants near our car dealership when it was getting serviced, and found Rafferty's. Holy crap. So good, nice atmosphere, and thoroughly enjoyed EVERYTHING. Will definitely be back!!! read more

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Sitting in the bar as I type this, Not only did the bartender cut me off multiple times as I was trying to talk to her nicely but was extremely rude . Been coming here for about 2-3 years and never had issues. Bought a bottle of wine today and didn't end up opening it, asked to package it Togo like I've done 100 times prior and the bartender told me that's not allowed here etc. I am also in the industry so I understand sometimes people don't follow rules. I was trying to say I understood multiple times to the bartender ( short, mean blonde women) to let the rest of the staff know so there no confusion in the future. She cutt me off MULTIPLE times, not letting me talk saying "you just don't get it" - love the spot hate the bartender. Wish I could share her name but I didn't catch it. Short blonde about 5'0 and OLD. Don't bother sitting with her. Servers and management is 100% otherwise. Just unfortunate you can't fix miserable people. read more

Really torn here. Stopped in about a week ago. Had the fish tacos for an appetizer and they were amazing. Huge portion of fish and fresh slaw. Just delicious. For entrees we ordered the French Dip and the Blue Cheese burger. Not happy, not good. The beef on the French was grey, dry and tasteless. The burger was mediocre at best. Don't recommend these as dishes to order. Staff was courteous and very nice and service was prompt. Stick with ordering a fish dish read more

Great food!!! LOVE the fish and chips!!!!!! Please don't ever change it!!!!!! We are always very satisfied with food and service. read more

My husband and I decided to stop at Rafferty's. On our way home. The parking lot was pretty full which is always a good sign. We walked in. Seems like a local place but everyone was very friendly. My husband ordered the shepherds pie. it was just the right serving and he loved every bite. I ordered the beer battered shrimp. They were cooked to perfection, and the plate was so beautifully arranged. You can tell the chef really cared about his meals that he prepared. The waitress was very nice and we got great service. You can't miss out going to this place, at least what we ordered was amazing. read more

Rafferty's Irish Pub - I ordered the beer batter shrimp. The chef was meticulous and how he placed the food on the plate.Delicious - Pubs Near Me - Countryside, Illinois

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Nice place to find! I'm flying out of Midway in the morning and was looking for a good meal. I had the Shepherds Pie and it was very interesting (but interesting in a good way!). When it arrived I was surprised how much cheese was melted on it. Not used to having a really cheesy Shepherds. Seemed kinda weird looking! My first bite was a little salty... but I like salt, and I ended up loving this dish! The beef was well spiced and all if the veggies were cooked perfectly (not mushy). I think I could have eaten 2 pies! Also had a side salad and was impressed with how fresh everything was... and the price was great too! 99 cents! (With meal) Friendly service, lively crowd. Next time I fly out of midway I'm going to make sure to come back! read more

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The fish fry is NOT all you can eat anymore and they charge I believe 3 bucks per extra piece of fish.

Absolutely love this place. Great service. Great neighborhood feel. Great drinks and of course absolutely delicious food. The best Irish Stew in the US! Have tried others but no one compares! read more

Rafferty's Irish Pub - Delicious Irish Stew - Pubs Near Me - Countryside, Illinois

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I was at my friends house. She is 9 months pregnant and has 2 other kids that I was helping with. Since neither one of us wanted to drive - we ordered from here via Doordash. Doordash delivered the food ahead of its ETA. The kids and I were eating their food and my friend, who had a burger stuffed with bacon and mushroom. As she was eating, she bit into something hard. She dissected the burger and low and behold what she bit into looked like a piece of plastic AND 3 twig like objects were in her burger. Off we go to Rafferty's - because she is 9 months pregnant and we had no idea what the heck was going on. When we arrived, we were told there was no manager on duty so we talked to the bartender who told my friend she needed to take it up with Doordash. Doordash did not make the food!!!! Even more insane, is the bartender said that Doordash put the detritus in the food. Like Doordash would open the bag, open the container of food and put garbage in it. The bartender was no help. We then asked her to call the manager. My friend spoke to the manager who continued to blame Doordash. My friend asked for a refund. Rafferty's said no and stated she needed to get one from Doordash. At no time did Rafferty's apologize or show any remorse. My friend did contact Doordash and this stellar company did issue her a full refund. However, Rafferty's continues to not address this situation. Below is a picture of what was in my friends food - a piece of plastic and what looks like small twigs. Being a cook, I can opine how they got there and it has nothing to do with Doordash. Mistakes happen. However, if you make a mistake own up to it and make it better. Rafferty's needs to accept responsibikit read more

Rafferty's Irish Pub - Pubs Near Me - Countryside, Illinois

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Very nice local restaurant/pub. We enjoyed a Sunday afternoon lunch on the outside patio. Our waitress Sandy couldn't have been better & our food was delicious. We will be back again soon! read more

Rafferty's Irish Pub - Pubs Near Me - Countryside, Illinois

We were greeted as soon as we walked in. Take a seat anywhere. Nice dining area with a fire place. Big TVs surround the dining area. I've been wanting to try this place out for a while with their all you can eat fish fry on Wednesdays and Fridays. No beer menu but our guy was able to recite all the beers they had on tap including the local ones which was cool. There's a patio that must be awesome in the summer months. My guy highly recommended the tomato basil soup. He said all the soups were homemade. It was really good. It had rice and some veggies. The fish was cod and it was freakin' hot as hell. And the chips were steak fried perfectly fried not dry at all. The chicken pot pie was awesome. Something you would expect from the walnut room at the old Marshall fields. We got a side of the curry sauce out of curiosity. It was Irish curry but reminded us of Japanese curry. Great place. Next time we bring the kids. Oh, I also saw someone had ordered scotch eggs at the next table. read more

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Amazing Ruben sandwich, fresh, great taste and nice size. Service was great. I will be back.

Hadn't been to Rafferty's for 12 years or so. Returned today and had a forgettable meal. Comfortable old pub-like restaurant with very nice staff, (although very casually dressed) but the food was poor. My burger came out like shoe leather with the meat only warm, yet the cheese on top bubbling, which led me to suspect that the patty had been pre-cooked and was waiting for someone to order it and then the cheese put on it and back on the grill to wake it up. Also, since my order came out in about 4 minutes, I was suspicious of a pre-make. But alas, all the moisture was out of the meat and it was a lost cause. It was put on a hugely thick bland, oversized bun that hadn't been warmed or toasted in any way. An interesting pub menu, but I won't be back to risk trying the fish and chips, and shepherd's pie, etc. if the hockey-puck burger I was served is any indication. read more

Love this for low key good bar food...get the fried pickles too delicious...outdoor seating in summer too.

Came here years ago with my friend that Lives literally in the back we went for drinks and food and the service and ambience was amazing. I keep going with my friends when we want to have good drinks and food. read more

Great place for a happy hour, unwinding, or a simple night cap. Friendly staff and excellent food prep. Plenty of menu item options. Everything I've had is excellent. Great vibe, music, and ambiance. read more

Great food a lot to choose from the menu outside patio very comfortable great friendly service

We love Rafferty's. Great burgers, very good beer selection, and a wonderful tavern atmosphere. The wait staff have always been friendly. The price is right, too. read more