Five of us had drinks and appetizers on the outside patio seating on a perfect summer night. I didn't take any photos because it was just a get-together with four of my friends, two of which I hadn't seen in ages. While we were drinking beer and catching up, one of my friends ordered a couple of the appetizer platters and some wings. Everything on there tasted fresh and delicious. The server was extremely nice and did a great job. read more

A classic neighborhood beat up sports bar. It looks like the kind of place old time locals would hang out. Riley's is that. Has good stiff drinks. The food is mostly greasy fried stuff. Certainly it's not what's considered a "cool" bar. It is if you think a few grumpy old white men complaining and drinking is something cool. That aside, the drinks are pretty good here. It's not extremely expensive like at some hipper ass bars. The good hard stuff is about $9 or so. Also has food. The only thing not greasy or meaty are the Chips And Salsa. It's $4 for a handful. The rest of the menu is stuff like wings and other typical bar fare that's more of an afterthought really. Hard to find. It's in a plaza off York Street. There's a few locals just complaining about crap but this is also good for sports watching. read more

Riley's Gathering Place - Jameson With Chips And Salsa - American Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

Fine for nostalgia (but elmhurst has sucked for 10+ years) otherwise eh - so generally eh. One of the ol' classics. Doesn't mean it still is. the ol' notion of separation b/t church & state, somebody tell ol' Riley that means separation of bar & church - but ey, it's elm/hins/nap zone - house rules 'spose. Not for me. Rolling rock on tap bit skunked, food not bad though. Vibes, well.. nuff said. read more

Great, casual spot with very good bar food. House made soup and chili. Friendly staff and the owners are there most of the time. read more

Riley's Gathering Place - Grilled Buffalo chicken wrap with tots - American Near Me - Elmhurst, Illinois

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I was in town for the weekend from San Francisco, visiting friends in the Chicago 'burbs. Wanted to watch the Bears game at a local bar. I definitely chose the right place. The atmosphere was comfortable and lively. As a previous reviewer mentioned, the wood paneling sealed the deal for me when I was looking at Yelp reviews. I felt like I was in an episode of Cheers, where everyone really does know your name. Even though I was an "outsider", everyone was warm and friendly to me. The Italian Beef sandwich and homemade beef noodle soup were fantastic. Bartenders Annie and Susie and the servers all did a great job as well. If I ever fulfill a lifelong dream to move to the Chicago area, you'll find me at Riley's. It was a highlight of my weekend. read more

Awesome food. Great service. What a sweet local pub. The wood paneling everywhere sealed the deal for us.

My sister and I went here for the first time tonight. It is clear that this is a neighborhood spot for locals. once our order arrived, mine was incorrect. when I approached management to inform them of the error, the service went downhill from there. I will not patronize a business that does not prioritize good customer service. read more

Great neighborhood "joint." Very friendly staff, excellent service and above average bar food. That's why their "regulars" are loyal and also very friendly. We've been here 1-2 a month since we moved to Elmhurst a year ago and we will keep coming back. read more

Hmm . . .me in the suburbs on a Saturday night? Rarely. If a friend's band hadn't been playing at Riley's I doubt I would have ever wandered in here- let alone find the place. If the suburbs are all about strip malls- then the location of Rileys is a double whammy. Not only is it in a strip mall- it is on a secondary street kitty-corner behind the strip mall so you have to be looking to find Rileys and even then it is easy to miss if you are coming from the north. As I pushed open the door- two things became apparent. One- that I was suddenly in a knotty pine paneled bar that was reminiscent of a northern Wisconsin bar in terms of sights and smells. And two, that this place was packed with an interesting collection of people here to see the band who must have all been "regulars" as they were each greeted by name as they walked in the joint! While we didn't eat- we did drink plenty of beer which was cheap and the servers were great at keeping them coming all night long. The bartenders were also fun- making sure that we had everything we needed. And just when we thought the "fun" was over after the band stopped playing- what starts up but karaoke! Boy, it was quite a night in Elmhurst! On the nights when there is no band- there is a jukebox to satisfy whatever your taste and bar darts to amuse yourself with. If you are looking for a neighborhood place where they all know your name (as long as you live in Elmhurst) then look no further than Rileys. The beer is cheap, the service spot on and everyone once in a while you can see a band called "The Dilfs" playing and singing their hearts out. read more

Place is great! So good Patrick Kane brought the Stanley cup in there to sing karaoke !

In all the reviews I've written, I don't think I've ever started out saying that the service was great, but it was. Ginger (aka Trixie) was super friendly. When you ask your server what she recommends and she says that she has the chili every day, you order it. It couldn't have been better and what a great way to start the fall season. Don't forget to ask for the onions, jalapenos, cheese, and sour cream. As of this writing there are ninety-six restaurants in Elmhurst. I plan on eating at, and reviewing, every one. Follow me on Yelp. read more

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One of the worst experiences ever!! Dying of hunger wait 15 min for them to take the order. Wait an hour as others who were seated after us are served. Finally realized we are going to be late for the show we are going to so my husband goes inside to ask and tells our waitress we need to leave. She hands him a bill with the cost of the dinner we never got included, when he questions it she says "you didn't get your food?" and sends him to her manager who treats him like he is trying to stiff them on the bill so he has to show her our table where I am still sitting and there has clearly been NO FOOD. Find out they never even processed our order so we have to leave without eating. ZERO STARS so much for a good pub within walking distance. read more

Love this place! Great staff, awesome food and friendly vibe. Highly recommend! The wings are the closest I have had to buffalo wings in buffalo, the veggie quesadilla is yum and love the BLT, Chili and tater tots. But you can't go wrong with anything! read more

Locals yelling at the Blackhawks game on tv and some nachos. That sounds about right and I'm strangely ok with that. The server was nice and friendly - almost too worried that everything was ok. Maybe we seemed too obvious as not regulars. As for the food we had a little of everything and it was your basic bar food. Quesadilla and nachos were pretty good but nothing special. Cheese curds were a little lacking but when you have had the real squeeky thing everything else is just a bad mozz stick. The wings were jumbo and nicely sauced. I had a southwest wrap that featured some of the most dried out chicken Ive had in a while. All the salsa in the world couldn't help it. Also the philly cheesesteak needed some work. Basically stay with the fried food and the apps as far as I can tell. This place was more of a grab a beer after work or maybe a bunch and stumble home. Save your money for beer and pass on the food or stick with the wings and fried food. Keep your eyes open too its tucked away and you will drive past it at least once - I promise you. read more

Owners wife is an unfortunate business drawback! Went there last night to celebrate a friends birthday. The place was packed(which was great) but there was no seating. I took a quick look around & saw 2 tables that looked like no one was using, except one had balloons & about 10 slices of cake on it. I asked the waitress if we could use the tables & if there was any chance she could disperse the cake? (Since we did just walked in with a party of 12 & 1 tiny round high top for us all to share) She said absolutely! As I'm walking back a woman is dragging the table with the cake over by where she's sitting (about 4 tables bunched together) & I politely asked her if that table was reserved for her. She very rudely said "this is my husbands bar, it's our sons 21st bday & I'll pass this cake out when I want to" Ummm yikes!!! So I just turned around & walked away. No one deserves to be spoken to like that. The reality of the situation - this is a business that brings an income to your family. I would recommend being a little nicer to your husbands & ultimately your customers. AND - since this was as big of a birthday party with friends & family, why not lock the doors to the public & make it a private party? I have been here on many occasions with friends for karaoke & have a great time. This was an unfortunate event & am disappointed she handled an easy situation in an unfair manner. read more

When my youngest brother told me he was going to Riley's to watch a game today, I could not have been more disgusted. April 4, 2022. I went to Riley's to watch the NCAA championship game-Kansas vs North Carolina. I sat at a large table expecting to be joined by family and friends. I ordered dinner. Halfway through my dinner, my server asked me to move to a smaller table. No reason since there wasn't anyone waiting for a table. I declined and told her I was expecting guests. I even told her who the guests were. I was asked to move again and had the bartender actually state "You're not even drinking." I got up and left. I then let my guests know I would be across the street at HB Jones. On just NFL Sundays, my family spends thousands of dollars a season at Riley's. Staff was told which family members were expected. No one was waiting for a table. My table was not "reserved." I arrived early to make sure we had a table big enough for us. Whenever I hear a member of my family is going to Riley's, I cringe. I will never spend another $$ there and I will let my family and friends know why. There is nothing worse than patronizing a business that does not appreciate your business. read more

Good food and beer selection. Nice place to relax and watch a game. Friendly atmosphere. Would definitely go back.

Great food. Great service. An elmhurst staple. If you are looking for a small town local bar you will love this place

There simply aren't enough stars....I haven't lived in Elmhurst for years but at Riley's you've never left.

Do not go here if you are under 50! Horrible experience at this bar. My friend was made uncomfortable by an older male guest, and a male acquaintance of ours stepped in to let him know his remarks were unwelcome. The older staff at the bar immediately stepped in to defend the older male and said "this is not a college bar" and that we were in the wrong spot and should leave. I have never felt so disrespected in a restaurant before. These people do not know how to speak to PAYING customers. Do not recommend wasting your time here. read more

very good irish pub/sports bar with all of the yummy food you want to eat while you drink. I had the reuben sandwich - delicious. Some folks in my group had burgers, corned beef, wings. Everything was great. Great Servers and they accomodated our large group where everyone wanted to pay separately. I wish we had a Riley's Gathering place here in Florida. read more

Best Neighborhood JOINT EVER!! Amazing food, service and atmosphere. It us without a doubt the real Cheers!!

Great locally owned bar with awesome service! Bartenders and waitresses are always friendly and conversational. Food and drinks are good with an extremely fair price. Whether you come here to watch the game or watch/ participate in karaoke on a Saturday night, you will surely enjoy yourself! One of my favorite bars in Elmhurst, hands down. read more

Friendly local place to get great bar food and sing karaoke! I'm from out of town but I feel like a local in this place.

Nice neighborhood joint with good food and drinks at pretty reasonable prices. Drove from the south 'burbs on the recommendation of some friends for Wednesday Trivia Night. It was a pretty energetic crowd and everybody has a good time with the game. read more

I love Riley's and have been going there fairly regularly for the past couple of years as my go-to local bar. It can be a Tuesday night for a Hawks game, a Saturday night for the always fun and interesting karaoke night, or an NFL Sunday. But there's always a different, fun vibe about the place. The staff is always friendly and ready to pour you another. The drinks are well made and fairly priced and this isn't a place you have to worry about overpriced drinks or poor quality. The menu is pretty expansive for bar food and I personally recommend the burgers. You can't go wrong with any of the appetizers either. Riley's is a welcoming local bar that can be a fun time for a date or a large group. Go for karaoke and have a few laughs at the locals who might not be great singers, but certainly try their best. There are plenty of TVs if you're looking to watch something in particular, too. Always a plus for any bar. read more

This place is acgreat little Neighborhood bar. It's kid friendly and always has some geat music always playing in the background. Ask for Jodi if she's working. She's always gives the best service an is a pleasure to chat with read more

I love Riley's. It's really close to my house so I might be a little biased but it's a great place to grab a few beers with some friends. Reasonable prices, friendly staff, and occasionally a regular buys you a drink. I can't comment on food since I've never had it, but I've never had a problem with any of the drinks. Usually a good crowd, and very few drunk d-bags like you'd see at Fitz's or Charlie's. read more

service was good, environment was chill and friendly. had a trivia thing going on while I was there, but it wasn't distracting

Easy to miss.....behind the strip mall at York and Valette. An ok neighborhood bar with a touch of Irish. Mostly locals. Generally a younger set, but not as rowdy as you might expect. Typical ordinary bar food. read more

Love this place! Walked in and was made to feel comfortable immediately. From the welcoming bartender , to the cheerful waitresses, to the "regulars", I felt right at home. Also worth mentioning - the great food- try the Riley Burger or the homemade soups. Love the Homemade chili also! Stop in to watch the games on their numerous TVs. Guaranteed good food and good times! read more

Riley's is a fun neighborhood place. The atmosphere is relaxed, the staff is friendly, the food is decent (in a cheap bar food sort of way), and the drinks are cheap. Its a good place to go to catch up with friends during the week or for a low-key weekend outing. read more

Great place at low prices. It has an older bar feel but very upgraded from a technology standpoint. They have multiple TVs in there. The staff is great.... Kind of like your friends. They have really good food as well. Great place to just hang out with friends. Even if yours aren't there you will make some new ones. read more

Great place to meet friends, listen some music and have a few drinks and casual food.! I visited there in September 2007 and enjoyed it.

Great little dive bar thats perfect fow a few drinks after work. When the weather permits the sometime have bag going on outside.

Great atmosphere. All the different dishes I've tried have been above average ...especially around here. Friendly staff. We come here more than most other places. read more

A welcoming place with an "everybody knows your name" element...you just might be an extra in the episode. I've had several menu items and all have been better than your average bar food...the chili is top shelf. The staff welcomes and tends to you. Keep your eyes open for it and you'll find your way back...like the Stanley Cup at Karaoke! read more

This is an after work spot for my mom and her friends which I have joined on occasion for an after work drink and apps as well. Their onion rings and jalapeno poppers are amazing! It's typical bar food, but they do it well. Great prices and friendly people. Our waitress always remembers us and knows our drinks right when we come in! Great place! read more

Friendly service with good food and decent prices. It is a great neighborhood location for drinks and/or dinner. It is a great place for kids early in the night. read more

Generous supporter of the community. Donated delicious food to Elmhurst Swim Team. Really delicious food. Great hearts.