If you like an elevated sports bar experience I believe this is the place for you. We are very new to the Chicago area and stumbled upon this place while searching for a place to eat before going to the metro for a concert (walking distance). Being the area I made reservations which I can tell you is HIGHLY recommended, if on a game day. I cannot speak for things on a day that's not one but this was and they were booming with a line out the door. We were sat promptly upon arrival and greeted quickly by our server. She was incredibly kind and even seeked information for us regarding parking in the area, thank you! We started with a cocktail and a draft beer, I had the Dovetail on draft and they are very good and local! Appetizer was a bit of a let down, we ordered pretzel bites, which seemed like the ones you buy from Walmart, not fresh at all, queso wasn't bad tho Entrees were on point tho! My rigatoni was cooked perfectly and the bolognese was full of flavor, my wife got her burger and had no complaints on her end. Overall not a bad experience, I would like to try them again on a day that's not a game day in the future and maybe ask for a suggestion on appetizers next time as I feel that one was a complete skip. Til next time! read more

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Made a 6:30 reservation, but thanks to a severe storm rolling through, we waited about 30 minutes for our table--which honestly was completely understandable. The restaurant and all three bars were packed with people taking refuge from the weather, and Swift Tavern was actually a great place to ride it out before our Mumford & Sons concert. Huge shoutout to our server, Marianne. Even while handling a crazy number of tables, she stayed friendly, professional, efficient, and even kept everyone updated on the weather. The vibe was definitely loud (understandably) and our back-corner table had more of a retro diner feel than the upscale ambiance we expected. Food was solid: the warm bread board was a great starter, the steak salads were good (although the steak consistency varied a bit), and the warm chocolate cookie dessert was tasty--though the soft serve reminded me a little of DQ. Cocktails were strong, but with an $18 espresso martini and a $24 premium dirty martini, you're definitely paying Chicago prices. Overall, we spent about two hours there waiting for the skies to clear, and despite the chaos of the storm, the staff handled an incredibly busy night with grace. Good food, strong drinks, and excellent service when it mattered most. read more

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We had a reservation for 6 at 11am on a Saturday, and honestly, we probably didn't need it. The place was practically empty upon arrival, though did start to fill up when we left around 1pm. The service was helpful and quick! Servers whisking our empty dishes away from us to clear any clutter from the table. They were also very kind and helpful. The vibes are pretty nice, especially if you want front row seats to Wrigley Stadium, quite literally right out the window. On a warm day, the restaurant opens their windows wide for all to see. It was very nice and shaded, though tourists tended to wait right outside the window to get directions or take pictures in front of Wrigley, which got annoying after a bit, but nothing the restaurant can control. The food was pretty good! The oysters were delicious, though there were tons of tiny shell shards in 4 of the 5 I ate, which tells me maybe they have to work on their shucking a little (or they had an off day, that's fine). The monkey bread was a nice sweet treat to start our meal, with a delicious cream cheese spread to pair with it! The hummus was a little lack luster, especially for our gluten free family members who couldn't enjoy the pita on the side, but stuck with the carrots and celery instead. Nothing like a sloppy, wet hummus to get you excited for lunch. Onto the mains. The avocado tartine was delicious, a whipped ricotta piped underneath perfectly ripened avocado and thinly sliced broccoli. It was unique and tasty, which was a nice take on the millennial classic. The tri trip steak hash was tasty, though not unlike something I could make at home. If I were to ever go back, I'd definitely get something else, though it was good! We finished with the tavern cookie which was topped with vanilla soft serve (though we had our choice of chocolate, vanilla, or swirl). As an avid fan of soft serve, this was a delight! The cookie came warm, crunchy, and gooey. Delicious!! They were also out of all of their teas except for peppermint, which was kind of crazy for a restaurant, but maybe it was just an off week. Overall, a few highs (cookie, avocado tartine, big windows/space) and lows (shell shards in oysters, tourists galore, no tea options), so I figured a 3.5 (but 4 on Yelp because there are no half ratings) sounds about right for this rating! read more

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Never worked so hard for my food. I ordered the wedge salad, which I know, know. But I wasn't a fan the minute they put it in front of me. Presentation was unpleasant looking. Did not make me want to eat it. The slice of bacon on top looks lazy. Will never pay $10 for fries again either! Won't be back!!! read more

Swift Tavern - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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It was nearly the end of the Cubs game. My wife requested a quiet area with a view of Wrigley Field:) Swift Tavern did not disappoint! We were seated in a semi private area upstairs with a spectacular view. Relaxing over dinner and wine. The service was excellent! What a great first impression. And since we were I'm entertaining out of town guests, we hit a home run with Swift Tavern! I have more food pics to post soon. read more

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We were in the area with a little time to kill, so we figured we'd pop in somewhere to get a quick drink. When we showed up, the place was pretty much empty (but it was really filling up by the time we left about an hour later). Nobody was hungry so it was a drinks-only affair, and I figured I'd try out one of their tasty-sounding cocktails. I can rarely say no to anything involving mezcal, so I finally opted for the Smokey Pear ("candied smoke, spirit-forward mezcal, pear, cinnamon, lime, orange bitters, fee foam, orange"). It was ready pretty quickly and it's really terrific. It's got the sweet/salty balance of a margarita but there's more going on here flavor-wise. It's also quite smoky, which I really enjoyed and appreciated. Our bartender was really awesome, and I loved the comfortable, laid-back atmosphere. Swift Tavern is great. read more

Swift Tavern - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Swift Tavern was a great experience and a fun place to visit near Wrigley Field. I can imagine it getting very busy during Cubs season, but when we visited before the Liz Tomforde event in March the service was excellent and everything felt well run. We started with cheese curds and pretzel bites which were both great appetizers and perfect to share. I ordered a burger and John had the chicken sandwich and we both really enjoyed our meals. Everything came out fresh and well prepared. The staff really stood out. Our server, the floor manager, and the food runners were all attentive and welcoming which made the whole experience feel smooth and enjoyable. The views of Wrigley are also a great bonus and add to the overall atmosphere!! read more

Swift Tavern - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's a cute place but the food is mid and the hostesses and waitresses are slow, spend a lot of time dancing at the hostess station and apparently no time cleaning. Literal spiders and dirt. read more

Swift Tavern - Spiders. Spiderwebs. - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Service was slow and we were seated at least 15 minutes after our reservation time, but we did go during the bears Packers game, so it was a packed house. That said, the food was very good, there were lots of screens to watch the game and our server was very kind. Do make sure you check the alcohol prices, a few members at our table were very surprised by the cost of their martini with their selected liquor but that was our problem not the restaurants. read more

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We were able to get reservations quickly. Our experience was great before a Cubs game!

Cardinals fans visiting! It was raining and we ducked in here. No reservation but we're able to sit upstairs. Service was excellent. The food was good too. No complaints, we would visit again! read more

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This was the perfect happy hour spot on a Monday evening. Our server Mark was really nice. Great variety of food and drinks on the happy hour menu. I would definitely recommend the pimento dip. read more

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Swift Tavern is a happening spot right across from Wrigley. I agree that this seems to present as more of a bar that offers snacks rather than a full-on restaurant. (Not that there's not restaurant food, just seems to be more of a bar.) Food was good, and the service was solid. Great ambiance, truly a nice spot before or after a game. read more

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We were staying at the Zachary Hotel a few doors down so we decided to have dinner here our first night in town. It's a beautiful space with floor to ceiling windows and a ton of natural light. Service was quick with our drinks and soup. Unfortunately, our entrees also came out really quickly while we were only halfway through our soup. The French onion soup was really hot and tasty. The chicken salad was just okay because the chicken was kind of dry with not enough dressing. The pasta bolognese dish was good. The ambiance was much better when we left than when we arrived because the music was no longer blaring at a high volume. read more

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fine. Service was fine. Food was terrible. Prices were high. Came for Mother's Day. The mimosa was so in a short cup with what looked like . No fizz, no champagne taste or freshly squeezed orange juice taste whatsoever. My eggs, Benedict English muffin was soggy. The looked greasy no thanks. The bread and smoked salmon for the but when it came, it was a little smear of cream cheese with some diced salmon on it and capers are you kidding me. And the pastries look like something that was just defrosted in the kitchen. Scrambled eggs were cold. Potatoes were greasy. There wasn't anything that made my Mother's Day feel special. Huge disappointment. might I suggest getting a real chef or a real in the kitchen with good quality control before the food goes out? read more

Stopped in before Cubs game. I got a half dozen oysters as they have a $2 per oyster special before each game. Damn, those are some small oysters. Having spent a fair amount of time in New Orleans I can safely say that it would take 4 of these things to measure up to a standard N'Awlins oyster. Other than that, nice place to hang before a game. Good service, decent burger and drinks. read more

I (stupidly) left my wallet on the table when I left the restaurant, but didn't realize I had done so until after closing time. I called the restaurant, left a message, and hoped for the best. Hallie called the next morning, verified my information, and confirmed she had the wallet. I popped over and picked it up - intact! Whew! Thanks to her, my server James, and the anonymous busser who likely found it and turned it in! read more

This place is incredible. The service was honest, but fast for how busy it was. The food is delicious. The place is on a beautiful corner spot and the interior is great, with an excellent music taste as well. Our party of 10 was celebrating a birthday, and our time was well spent. Server Liv was amazing, she matched our energy, made jokes, and was super helpful with our needs. I got the burger, and it was delicious. No complaints heard from any of the other orders, though. Overall, it was a very fun experience for a fun occasion. Thank you! read more

My boyfriend and I went last evening; great seating upstairs by the window and good service; food was good but then my boyfriend got food poisoning shortly after from his burger :( really unfortunate as we had a great time. Not sure if it was undercooked or what read more

Was so excited to check this out because swift in sons in west loop is my favorite! Very big space, cute spot! Service was average, a little slow with the food and drinks but we did go on a game day. A little underwhelming on everything. Started with a Bloody Mary. This was fine. It was interesting to see every bloody that was coming out had a different garnish. Ours just had blue cheese olives. We got the pretzel bites for an app. These were great! Soft and the queso it came with was amazing! For the main we got the tri tip hash and birria breakfast. The tri tip had 0 flavor. I wanted hot sauce but the waitress never came back. It had carrots in it which just did not go well with the dish. I am a huge birria fan and this was just not it. It is a tiny portion size with 3 quesadillas. The birria is also very spicy and served in chunks. I like when it's more shredded. Not sure if I'll go back, hard to beat the swift and sons in west loop! read more

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We went after the Cubs game had finished and the whole staff look exhausted! I could not blame them! The food hit the spot and the drinks were good. You can't beat the location as they have prime real estate:) read more

Swift Tavern - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

TLDR Host/Manager doesn't know how to solve very basic problems in her restaurant and the service suffers Really 2.25 stars. My only beef here is with the service - from a host/manager, not the server. It was a busy day and I understand the server looked like he was running around as they may have been understaffed. When he is able to get to us, he takes our drink order (all of which were great) and comes back a few minutes later for the app order. It was slower than we wanted, but they were busy and understaffed with servers so we understood. We ordered our apps and he tells us they were out of the regular oysters, they just had the charbroiled oysters. We were okay with that, though not what we wanted, and ordered them along with the bone marrow (delicious), shrimp, and our entrees. Eventually he comes out with the shrimp and marrow and comes back to check on us a few minutes later and informs us he forgot they were actually out of both oysters. We were understanding, he left, and then we talked and decided to just get what we had and find oysters somewhere else. We are kind and respectful and very understanding this whole time. I promise you, but what happened next is what really annoyed me. We start trying to flag down our server, but he is running food around and taking orders, oblivious. The host (and manager) comes over and asks if she can help. We tell her we were disappointed in the outage of oysters, and want to pay for what we already ate, cancel the rest of the order, and go elsewhere. She apologizes for the outage, and says she will take care of it. She goes to the host stand (mind you there are four ladies there while there are two servers and one busser/runner) and does nothing. We sit there for a bit expecting her to return with our check or notify our server, but nothing happens until we are finally able to flag our server down again 10 minutes later. He asks what he can help with and we tell him we told the host we wanted the check, and to leave. He looks confused, the hostess sees us with this guy and finally brings over the check with everything still on it, and I'm like "No, we asked for the other food to be canceled, we'd are trying to go somewhere else." And she apologizes again for the oysters, but just kind of stands there, and I'm like "We want to cancel the rest of the order. We aren't paying for those." and they look at each other, and he goes to the kitchen and she reprints the right check. I wouldn't have expected anything we ate/drank to be removed, but it would have been nice if they had for the lapse of communication and inconvenience (as my husband is at another restaurant ordering our oysters at this point). We pay (which they also do not put a rush on collecting our card or bringing it back) and are finally free. Idk it was just the apologies without any actual action were super annoying. Would have been a totally different review if that host had just done her job - or anything at all. read more

This was fantastic brunch and wonderful service. The portions were absolutely amazing and I was so full I couldn't even finish the meal. I love that we were sat right next to the window and had the breeze on a sunny day. Would totally go back to this brunch spot in Wrigleyville! read more

Swift Tavern - AMERICAN BREAKFAST* - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Really a letdown. This is not really a restaurant. It's a place with happy hour bite specials and drinks for people before they go out. We booked it thinking it was a real tavern, and we had high expectations because of swift and sons. The food was just not good. The French onion dip tasted like mayo, the fried shrimp was overly fried, and the smashburger was flavorless and didn't have sauce. Even the cookie skillet was fake sweet. The servers were great and the place is beautiful, but honestly the food just sucks. Also forcing you to use a QR code to pay online and then charging $3.50 for that process they forced isn't cool. read more

Service was really good and place was great with the open windows to the street. Excellent cocktail and the cheese curd dip was amazing. However everything else was a huge let down. Onion soup barely had any onions and lacked flavor. Ribs were dry and didn't even attempt to finish them. Way over priced given a one cocktail, one app, two entree meal was $192. read more

We live in the neighborhood and finally got around to trying S&S this weekend. We stopped in for a quick bite before seeing a movie at Alamo Drafthouse theater (across the street) and left very impressed! The interior is warm and welcoming (i thought it might be stuffy and pretentious having walked by a number of times) and the staff is SUPER friendly! Everyone from the host to bartender to bussers. For food I simply had the apple salad and soup (had to save room for popcorn!) and my partner had the burger. Everything was delicious but that butternut squash soup was amazing! A pleasant surprise was the happy hour offerings and the seasonal cocktail was delicious. Can't wait to come back and also try the brunch! read more

Swift Tavern - BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP and APPLE SALAD - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

'Twas okay. Not nearly good enough to be associated with the steak place. In a town of great cheeseburgers, this one is mid.

The place is really nice. BUT. Drinks were not balanced, one was pure alcohol and the other tased like straight grenadine- the color was like thick red dye. We ordered salmon crochettes which were still frozen in the middle and the bed of lettuce was so bitter I almost spit it all out. The pimento cheese and chips were ok. The service was pretty bad. Served warm water instead of cold refrigerated water. Our bartender just seemed pissed. Stomping around. Slamming glasses, snatching up water cups, super unfriendly. Joey was really nice though. She gave us our check and wished us a good night. I would not return. There's better service at the "rustic" old bars around Wrigley. read more

Was highly recommended to go here instead of cubby bear and or anywhere else . This was not the way to start a birthday celebration. 2 of ten got service and that took 25 mins as we sat at the bar . Big complaint is there was no one at the bar and half the seats were open. We were ready to drop 1000-2000 but couldn't get drinks or food . Went across the street and they made a section for us and were on it . They fixed everyone's mood and we will be back for sure !!! Very disappointed!!!!!!!!!! Management cmon wake up read more

The service here was horrendous. I was made to order from limited options of food with no substitutions whatsoever. I am lactose intolerant and the only option was a dill cream cheese dip. When I asked they said there was nothing they could do besides being a restaurant with a fully functioning menu. The management also refused to change the egg option on what I ordered since I have a sensitivity to egg yolk. I tried asking simply for egg whites and was told that the best they could do was to remove the eggs completely. How you could be this unwilling to work with your paying customers is appalling. I'll be greatly looking forward to this business failing due to their unwillingness to modify simple requests for every day normal requests. read more

Just had brunch at Swift and Sons during restaurant week. I got the biscuits and gravy and they were very good. The only thing that I would improve was the amount of salt they used on the gravy. The Tavern brunch board was very good, I liked the bread they served us and the cream cheese. Our waitress was very nice and friendly. The sorbet dessert was also delicious. The place was not too loud. I could hear the music they were playing. I definitely recommend Swift and Sons. read more

Swift Tavern - BISCUITS AND GRAVY - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great location across from Wrigley Field. We loved the pretzel bites. The service was great. There's a diverse menu, so a little something for everyone. Definitely much better than typical "bar food." read more

What a lucky find. We chose Swift and Sons because it was close to our hotel and boy were we glad we did. The restaurant has a cool vibe with a beautiful bar at the center of it. We were immediately greeted by a smile and I knew we chose wisely. Windows line the entire restaurant on both sides (it's on a corner) over looking Wrigley Field -- so also a GREAT view!. We started with 1/2 dozen oysters (part of the happy hour special for $2 each) and they were so good we got 6 more and we also split the burrata and toasted bread. The burrata hit the spot with perfect fall notes and was A++. For dinner, he ordered the 1/2 roasted chicken and I got the Apple Salad with shrimp. The chicken may be some of the best we've ever had and was absolutely outstanding. We were lucky to be waited on by Erin, I'm not sure if the service or the food was better, but both were stellar. Highly recommend this little gem of a spot. read more

This location is a more casual ambiance and menu than the original steakhouse in west loop. Definitely still a nice restaurant in general though especially in the Wrigley area where things are more casual. We came on a rainy night, but it was still pretty crowded around dinner time. The interior is nice, and the upstairs has a nice view of the stadium. My tequila cocktail tasted like a cheap margarita though. We came here for restaurant week, and everything tasted pretty good but definitely smaller portions. The shrimp cocktail was fresh, the prosciutto tartine was tasty, the Brussels salad was crisp and sweet, and the clam chowder was decent as well. The steak frites were delicious but again very small in portion. The salmon was also delicious with a nice crisp skin. The lemon cake was the best dessert we tried, but the flan and chocolate cream were similar and tasty/light as well. It was a nice way to try a lot of different items but quite pricey because of the smaller portions. Service was overall great though and very quick. read more

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Swift & Sons is located directly across from Wrigley Field. If you're doing a Cubs game get here early. Or, if you're a party of 2 or 3 you may be able to sneak into the bar area which had a few spots the entire time I was here (about an hour). Oysters were fantastic, fresh, with a nice mild brine, and excellent presentation. I prefer a smaller oyster and the server recommended The Peach Tree (VA) variety. 5/5 The burrata was also very good, although one of my pieces of ciabatta was burned slightly. The peach mostarda made up for it. 4/5 I also had a Caesar salad which came out without any dressing, but I asked for it and the server provided it quickly. 3/5 This is my second time here and the first time my opinion was **mostly** the same as today. The oysters are the star of the show. I'd say it lands between a 3 and a 4 overall, as the prices are also quite high for the portions, but Swift & Sons makes for a nice quick stop before a game or event in Wrigleyville. read more

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I have to admit I was a it apprehensive about coming here, with it being in Wrigleyville and how busy it gets. But I'm glad I gave it a try. Started with the oysters and shrimp cocktail. Both excellent and the oysters were fresh with 2 selections from the East and west coat. The shrimp was poached in white wine and lemons and was sweet and juicy. I had the tri tip steak salad and it was delicious - a generous portion and the creamy balsamic cut through the arugula really well. Don't forget to try the cinnamon rolls. I don't have a sweet tooth so the icing on it was a bit too much for me but the rolls itself were great. My son had the birria and said it was one of the best birrias he's had served with a generous side of cheese quesadillas. Would I come here again? Absolutely - just not on game day read more

Swift Tavern - Tri tip steak salad - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Swift & Sons Tavern has - literally and figuratively - lost its magic. This used to be my favorite neighborhood spot. It was consistent, quality was there, and when they first opened, you got the Swift & Sons experience which offered table-side magic. This has since been removed as an offering. I must mention the level of service has not wavered. They are accommodating and try to ensure you have the best experience. Things I loved that were done very well: Hanger Steak Frites, Cinnamon Rolls (Brunch), French Fries, Shrimp Cocktail, and Oysters. Here's where it gets dicey: - Coconut Shrimp didn't taste at all like coconut. Didn't see a single coconut flake. It didn't taste like fresh seafood so it had a fishy taste. 2/10 - Cheese Curds were okay. No flavor, no squeak. The Chorizo Chipotle Ranch was way too overpowering for such a mild cheese. 4/10 - French Onion Dip didn't taste much like caramelized onion... it was peppery and looked more like tuna salad. Had it sent back because the best part about this appetizer was the chips. 0/10 - Mashed Potatoes seemed like they were instant or sat under a heat lamp for way too long. The flavor wasn't there. 1/10 - Macaroni & Cheese was basic but came out as a top dish for the evening. 6/10 - Tavern Cheeseburger smash patties were way overcooked and too thick. Had to do a lot of chewing. Flavor was good with the cheese and dijonaise. Back of house has a lot of work to do. The foot traffic from the Cubs place must be keeping this place open. Packed on game days and is a good place to grab drinks and oysters/shrimp cocktail. read more

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Swift and Sons Tavern is a nice spot to grab a drink or a bite before a Cubs game - that's what we did and we enjoyed the visit. When you first walk in the door you are greeted with a big bar and a beautifully decorated restaurant. It is open, has tons of natural light, and is one of the most inviting establishments I think I've been to in a long time. We had a small table to the left of the bar but it was perfect for us. On top of that, we didn't have to wait long for any type of service, be it orders or food arrival. We kicked things off with drinks, a cocktail and a mocktail (compliments to this place for pricing the mocktail right where it should be, which is to say less than an actual cocktail), both were delicious. Moving quickly into apps, which we only had apps given that we were going to a game, we made some choice selections. The food was, just okay. We had the Pimento Cheese dip and, unfortunately, found that the honey drizzle masked too much of the cheese flavor (and I love me some pimento cheese!). My grilled oysters, however, were tasty. Additionally, we had a salad that was fine. As you'd expect, the prices at a classy spot like this are higher but if you go into it expecting that you won't be surprised. I'm happy with our decision to give S&S a try. On a next visit I'd look forward to trying other items on the menu, probably an entree. read more

Food was mediocre. Soup wasn't super hot. Steak was overly salty. Lemon dessert lacked lemon flavor. Didn't like that you had to pay final bill on your phone (which charged a $2 fee to pay the bill) and pay to get a receipt. Ambiance was pretty. read more

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Really great ambiance here and the food was spectacular. The roasted chicken was some of the best I've ever had at a restaurant and the drinks were great too. read more