THE USUAL SUSPECTS…read more This dive bar in Lisle is a haven for townies, which is certainly a vibe. Maple Ave Pub is, unsurprisingly, on Maple Ave just west of Route 53 in the western suburbs of Chicago. I'd estimate I've stopped here close to a dozen times, although a handful of those instances I neglected to check-in on Yelp for fear of my wife seeing it ("I thought you were coming straight home from work....") An older woman's been behind the counter seemingly every time, taking drink orders and making small talk. She's friendly--​moreso with the locals than with me--​and I'll occasionally get called 'hun', 'sweetie', etc, which is endearing. I got way better service from the hot tattooed barkeeps at Brauer House in Lombard, however. To be perfectly honest, I've never eaten anything here. The wings look like they might pass muster, though there's a few items that raise an eyebrow (clam chowder at a dive bar? thanks, I'll pass). Possum Pub in Melrose Park had surprisingly good food, and it was a major dive, so perhaps I ought to give the grub here a shot sometime. They have several pool tables, a Big Buck Hunter, Golden Tee, dart board, boxing machine, and pair of pinball machines; as of 6/19/24 they've got a Star Trek premium (Stern, 20​13) and JAWS (Stern, 2024). In the past they had Oktoberfest (American Pinball, ​2018), Fish Tales (Williams, 1992), and a stunning Circus Voltaire (Bally, 1997). Last week, the A/C wasn't working so this place was SWELTERING on one of the hottest days of the year. Normally I stick around for a couple pints and 2-3 games of pinball, but it was so toasty inside (worse than outside) I only played 1 game and skipped the beer completely. There were no fans on, either. * TL;DR * Dive bars are all well and good, but maybe it's time I found a new spot to hit up for a cheap domestic pint. Over the years I've gotten a handful of looks that can be described as quizzical at best, and dirty at worst. I've been ignored by the bartender numerous times--with cash in hand, mind you--while she's chatting away with regulars, as I'm standing there absolutely parched. I want to like Maple Ave Pub, but the feeling doesn't seem mutual. If it weren't for the pinball tables, I probably wouldn't return.

Old school, no frills--yes fun, un-corporate, low key place to hang with a friendly crowd and…read moretender--better than Cheers!. Old school, dark wood, good ole' bar with plenty of ways to entertain you. Decent selection on tap and in bottles as well as cocktails. Good bar food. Reasonable prices! Come as you are, no one cares. Bottom line: Very low key, decent bang for the buck on refreshments and food, low key crowd, lots of stuff to do.

Such a fun place. Moved to the area recently and wanted to check it out. Small inside, big heart…read moreforsure. Everyone was so nice and welcoming. I came by myself and left with new friends! It's exactly what it is, a dive. Cheap drinks, cold beer, great bartender. And they have karaoke! It was such a fun time! Can't wait to be back! Oh, and bring a sharpie! Sign the wall!

First Time at Nels Old Time Inn on Thanksgiving to watch the Chicago Bears…read more Doesn't look like much from the outside but it's the total opposite in the inside! Very cozy and well lit interior serving quality drinks at a reasonable price! The bartender is very outgoing and makes sure all the guests are attended to. Definitely recommend this bar to all locals for a good time!

I love this bar soooo much! As a newbie to the neighborhood they have welcomed me and made me feel…read morevery safe. So thankful for the local bar vibe! The drinks. The vibes. The music. Bestie and I play darts every TIME!

Solid place to hang out at. Colleagues invited me out and I thought it'd be a solid invitation…read moresince I've never been to a bar in Naperville. This location was warm and welcoming. They have pool tables, darts, music and some great sports on TV. There's no food but they were kind enough to let us bring in our own food. It gets bust throughout the night. Bartenders do a great job checking IDs too. Parking can be a bit of a hit or miss finding a spot this place is mostly clean too, it definitely feels like a great 90s nostalgia time machine being here. Don't trust visiting the website, it hasn't been updated in over 5 years. I would suggest having more hard Cider options too unless you're looking for only angry orchard.

A perfect neighborhood bar, with delicious pizza and lots of beer!…read more We spent a few hours and enjoyed excellent service, delicious pizza abs a couple pitchers of beer! Didn't remember to take pics...because we were having too much fun!

Good food. Great neighborhood place. Participates in InKind app. Pizza very good. Wide variety…read moreof clientele, which I like to see. There is a separate door for carry out around the back. Grilled calamari very good, grilled wings also good. Check out the happy hour menu, different specials every night. Friday had whiskey drink specials. Lots of TVs for watching various games. We got pasta dishes to go, large portions. We will be back, the kind of place you know will be good, casual, friendly vibe.

Very good Place.. We had a great waitress... Food was outstanding... Oh yeah.. Will be there againread more

I stopped by Bryan's American Grille on a Tuesday afternoon for a late lunch. I ordered the BBQ…read moreChicken Sliders, which came with Fries. The sliders were loaded with flavor, and the fries appeared to be freshly cut, and were also flavorful, though maybe a touch saltier than needed. My waitress was friendly and efficient. The atmosphere is that of your basic bar and grill with sports games on a half dozen or so TVs.

Had some great drinks and pretty average food at this long time local bar. It claims to be the…read moreoldest bar in downtown Naperville. The Lantern has only been around since the 1960s so not sure how it's possible. Basically the drinks are why people come. The food is typical bar stuff like wings and greasy things. Certainly it's a lot more casual than almost anything else around here. It's not full of hipsters and the like. The place looks a lot older than it says it is really. More like a bar that has food. You can find some pretty great specials. It's about $7 for a basic cocktail. There's also a happy hour. It's half off for appetizers. Save a lot on these. It's usually about $6 for chips and salsa, but we saved a few bucks. The rest of the menu has burgers and typical kind of stuff. Great place for happy hour. It's not as crowded as the other places around it. This is a great alternative for those overpriced hipster hangouts or wherever.

Where do I begin? It's my new favorite dive bar in the suburbs! We were just strolling through the…read moreneighborhood and I was compelled to take a peek caus there was a sign outside boasting of Naperville's oldest tavern. It is a beautiful old building, very well maintained and huge. I had to buy a souvenir shirt for my husband haha. They have a decent looking food menu but we didn't eat here. I asked a patron who was eating a burger how it was and he said the food is great. They reeled us back in later that day because they had karaoke!! This place was hopping like crazy! The DJ had an interesting way to request songs via an app. I only got one song as there were a ton of singers. We had an absolute blast. Come back for the karaoke! Great people watching. My friend was back a week ago and Cuba Gooding Jr was karaoking with the locals there! Wow

The outside doesn't seem very inviting, but the inside is a nice village-style bar. There are…read moretables on both sides and in the middle, with the bar centered. In the back corner they have ring toss, darts, and beer pong, plus seating all around. It was clean and the service was good. Sundays also allow free games with a $10 minimum food purchase, which is a nice touch. I ordered the pretzel and it was good. It took about 15 minutes, and it was pretty salty -- definitely better if you brush some of it off. I also couldn't help but notice the vent above me. It had some buildup, and I kept thinking about it possibly dropping into my food.

Despite a miscommunication with the event planner the manager at Q Pub took care of our party of…read moreabout 25 at the last minute. Her and her staff helped to make my daughter's 21st birthday a huge success! Thank you so much Q Pub and Grill!

After spending the afternoon at Morton Arboretum,our friends suggested we go to NWB - Next Whiskey…read moreBar in downtown Lisle. It was early on a Friday night and we were seated immediately. By the time we left tho,the place was packed! Our server Haley was great. They have a fantastic bourbon and whiskey menu as well as craft cocktails. I had their NWB Old Fashion which is made with Buffalo Trace..bonus! It was so good I had to have two.....lol. We spilt the NWB Trio appetizer which was a selection of hummus,olive tapenade and corn guacamole,fresh veggies and grilled pita. Definitely big enough for 4 people. Their menu offers Mac n cheese, Gourmet Burgers,Wraps,Sandwiches and Salads. I had the NWB Burger which was an 8 oz burger topped with pork belly,cheese curds,whiskey bbq sauce on a pretzel bun. Absolutely delicious! My wife had The Gobbler (GF) with a Turkey burger,avocado,goat cheese,roasted red pepper sauce on a GF bun. She loved it and they only charged an extra 1.00 for the GF bun. Portions are huge and the food is very good. We will definitely be back!

I was completely caught off guard by how good the burgers and drinks were here! My husband got the…read moresuribachi burger, and the wasabi gave it the perfect kick. I got the NWB burger, and struggled to fit it in my mouth it was so big. The pork belly was unnecessary honestly, and next time, I'd order it and ask for this to not be included. We also enjoyed a couple of cocktails, and they were some of the best old fashioneds I've had outside of Kentucky along the bourbon trail. My only critique: the music was exclusively bro country. I wish they'd play better music.

Most places had a long wait time for a Saturday, and this one didn't, which was a nice surprise. We…read moredid wait a little to get helped at first and the host wasn't around, but once we were seated things picked up. For drinks, I tried the lychee mojito -- it was strong but had really good flavor and was enjoyable. For an appetizer, we got the pretzels. They had a nice garlic seasoning on them and were pretty filling. These were good. For mains, we ordered the Hangover Burger, tenders, and the Bulleit Bourbon Burger. Everything was really delicious. My fries just needed a tad bit of salt, but the burger itself was cooked well (I asked for medium). The flavors were good, and the honey running down actually worked well with everything. Our waiter was also really good and provided solid service. Overall, a great experience -- will be back.

Good bar food! Burgers were hearty and flavorful. When the burger was served, I was pleasantly…read moresurprised by the sheer size of the burger. They were massive! Fries were as expected, nothing special. The Spicy Tater Tot appetizer was great. Not Terribly spicy, but had a nice heat and kick to them. Seating was limited. There were only a few tables available that could accommodate more than 4 people. The staff were friendly, helpful and attentive.

12/14/25 update: I…read morecame in and got the popular country fried steak. It comes with hashbrowns, eggs, and toast. It was only $10. It is busier than usually on a Sunday around brunch time. The country fried steak was cooked well. I loved the gravy, it has a lot of flavor in it. I also got apple cider which is seasonal. I'm glad to see some younger people coming in to try this.

Cannot beat the prices here, they are really good! It uses the same door as the bowling alley…read more The food is good, standard quality, and the quantity is good for the price. The service is fantastic! Very friendly and make good conversation, very mindful of their patrons. Ambiance is fine, a good balance of sports memorabilia, both Cubs and Socks.