We love third rail - it's slowly becoming our "third place" just due to the atmosphere, the games are always on, the bartenders and servers are friendly and have great service, and the drinks and food have all been yummy! Definitely one of our favorite little spots! read more

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Had a few good times in Third Rail over the past few months thanks to some folks that are regulars. I've lived a couple blocks away for about 5 years and was averaging a once a year appearance prior to this year. I've now been 3x over the past couple months. It always seemed crowded as hell when I walk by but I've figured the best times to go Great staff that takes great care of you. I can confirm the burger and chicken philly are good selections to eat. They have an amazing drink selection as their spirit shelf isnt like your average dive bar. They got some higher end stuff up there like Yamazaki 12 & 18 as well as all the higher end bourbons and whiskeys that you wont get most places. Of course they have some really good beer on tap here. There is also a back patio you can take advantage of these warmer months. read more

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Good place for an after work drink/meet up. They have plenty of beer and cider on draft as well as lots of liquor choices. The bartenders asked the guests what they would like on the TV as well. read more

My most recent visit was a small group happy hour from work. They were quick with the drinks and the fries are addictive. No complaints. They did great with our group. I will be back with a few friends to reevaluate. read more

Very mid food, good service, and dive bar ambiance. Small outdoor patio. Ordered the chicken ceaser wrap, but it tasted like a southwest dressing. Friend did not like the cheese that came on the burger, it was like cheese whizz. read more

Third Rail Tavern - Burger - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great local bar. Don't expect top tier service. You will get good food and good drinks read more

Third Rail Tavern - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great vibe in this place and the food was delicious. Bartender was quick with the drinks and took our order right away

Fun little tavern- stopped for a drink and beer. Had a wrap which was good but nothing special. Added the fire fries which are basic fries with a Cajun like seasoning- they were ok but just a basic fry. The service at the bar was quite friendly and be the reason I would go back. read more

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Honestly better food than I was expecting for a neighborhood bar and would come back for the fries and sliders! We ordered boneless jerk wings which were solid and hot, blue burger with bacon was pretty good but there are definitely better burgers in the neighborhood, bison slider was very good would get like 3 of these as a meal! Plenty of servers and bar staff to take care of us in a timely manner. We did have to ask for water and silverware...which should probably just be brought out when you order food. But again nothing took too long to get. It was a pretty quiet Sunday night when we visited, 2-3 other tables and 1-2 people at the bar. Plenty of TVs to watch sports. read more

Absolutely love this place! This has the most "townie" feel of any sports bar I've been to in the West Loop (but in a good way)! 1 star removed because the food is pretty average (a lot of the options definitely just prepared from frozen), but, if you're just looking for a place to grab a drink in the area, this is a great option. Bartenders are always fast and friendly as well! read more

Hit this place before a Blackhawks game. If you ever go to the United Center you may know there isn't a lot of options in that area for food and drinks..... Outside of the stadium. There's a couple places but they are always packed unless you get there super early you're going to be standing around. If you don't mind walking a little further or even talking an Uber you can go to Third Rail. It's a bit of a hike but a great option for food and drinks before going into the United Center. Enjoyed my meal and drinks there. read more

Theresa was rude and unprofessional. The whole bar clapped at her because of how she treated her tables. I wouldn't recommend this place unless she's gone. read more

My friends and I came here for a couple drinks and had a really rude server, Theresa. At first we brushed it off, but her attitude just kept getting worse. Another table finally called her out, and the whole bar actually clapped. After that, instead of fixing things, she came to our table and started talking badly about the other customers. Super unprofessional and made the night really uncomfortable. Wouldn't recommend this place unless something changes with the staff. We won't be coming back, and I'm sure a lot of others there feel the same way. read more

Stopped in for a nightcap after dinner down the street, sat outside for vodka, twist of lemon. Goodnight! read more

Third Rail Tavern - Entrance - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The best bartender in Chicago (aka Ben) works here! He is the best vibes and kindest guy to enjoy some drinks with! The bar has great vibes, music, and people. Highly recommend! read more

Third Rail Tavern - a glass of wine and playing cards - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Solid neighborhood sports bar/pub! Excellent selection of craft beers. Excellent service. Kids welcome (to the point of where a server immediately comes to your table to ask if you want to put in an app order, before you've even settled into your chairs - they know their audience). Food is great too! We really loved the fries. The onion rings are great and even converted my husband into liking o rings. The mac was just ok to me but both of my girls were completely obsessed (even the one that doesn't like mac), so it's a keeper for sure. The wings were a great texture. I would like them a little less sauced & a little less bready, but the meat was cooked perfectly. The star of the show was the cheeseburger. If you get one thing here, make it a cheeseburger + fries. And a beer, of course! When we went they had soccer playing on the TV. Service was super friendly so I bet you could ask them to play whatever game you want as long as they have the channel. They also have an ATM in house ($3 fee) to satisfy your cash needs. read more

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My local pub. Good food, good beer. Friendly staff and engaging conversation. Come here for a brew, some food and to watch a game or two. In cold months, they have BCBS on tap read more

Stopped in for lunch on a Saturday, service was on point and everyone in our party enjoyed the food.

I was disappointed to discover that they have no Schlitz on tap or not even close to 300 whiskeys!

If you want to be verbally abused make sure you come in while Theresa is working. My friends and I came in for New Years and she straight up told us she didn't like us and that we were really pushing our luck by being there. As someone who loves to support small businesses, especially in light of what they have gone through in the last two years, I would never ever want this woman to be working at a small business I owned read more

I recently started working in the west loop, and this has quickly become my go-to neighborhood bar for a quick drink after work, game watches, whatever you need. Many of the other bars on Madison get very expensive quickly, this is more my speed. I haven't eaten here yet, but the food looks like solid bar food, and everyone seems to like it. They have ample amounts of TVs, the bathrooms are clean, the bartenders are friendly, they have Chicago sports memorabilia on the wall. If yours style if bar is more in the divey side, this is your place on Madison in the west loop. read more

Great neighborhood bar without all the frills. Bartenders are friendly. Feels like an old Chicago staple.

Great draft list and food! We had the Blue Cheese Burger with garlic parmesan fries and the Italian Beef with Onion Rings. Not only was the food tasty but the presentation was very nice. They normally not open on Mondays but they are for Blackhawks home games. read more

Third Rail Tavern - Italian beef with onion rings - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is a nice little neighborhood tavern. The service is very friendly, which I can't say for too many places these days. It's a nice comfortable place to watch a game, or just hang out with friends. I tried their Buffalo Wings, and will say that the wings themselves were very good, but the buffalo sauce tasted like a familiar jarred brand. They would do better making their own, more distinctive, sauce. Then they would really have something. That being said, I would definitely go back. read more

The bartenders act like they hate their lives and don't want to be there.... Fair enough I guess, because I definitely wouldn't want to be there either after the quality of service my friends and I experienced. All the best to them in their search for a meaning in life! Lol read more

A cozy bar that I love most for popping in to have a few predinner beers. Service is quick. Drink menu has some options. I had a Stella Cidre, and they served it to me in a wine glass-- which was pretty cool. We also ordered the fries, which were decent. Again-- a great in and out bar!!! read more

This place is a solid neighborhood bar that has been around for a long time. Their food is pretty good for pub fare and one can probably find a beer for their tastebuds. Ben is solid as a bartender and puts up with silly regulars. I heard he even special ordered a beer for one guy because he said he really liked it. If a place takes care of regulars and remembers their name, they are solid in my book. Oh yeah, they aslo have decent brunch on the weekends and a semi outdoor space in the back. Come check them out. Stop by on Sundays for a special treat. read more

Third Rail Tavern - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is a great neighborhood bar with attentive service and reasonably priced pours. If you're interested in grabbing a drink, some food or watching a game in a friendly and unpretentious spot, this is the place. read more

Amazing service, food and drinks! Then we had the best server ever, Kate is amazing and will take great care of you!!

Not impressed. It's $3 burger night! Which means, one burger is on special for $3, without fries. I am vegetarian, so asked (hoped) the black bean burger could be substituted. No such luck, but I was not surprised. Here's where my one-star review comes in. It also means that all other burgers are full price, but you have to pay extra for a side (when it's normally included). Wait, every other night of the week all burgers include a side? Yep. But on the burger special night they do not include a side? Correct. So instead of getting an over priced $11 frozen black bean burger with fries, I had to get an over priced $11 frozen black bean burger plus a $5 side (small) of generic fries, so $16 instead of $11 (price for 6 other days of the week). Cool. I do not recommend. (By the way, the waitress actually said, "It makes no sense, I hate working burger night because I have to explain this to everyone and it makes no sense.") UPDATE: Our waitress did the right thing and did not charge me for the fries. read more

Third Rail Tavern - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

An excellent place to hang out. Great food selection and of course almost any drink you can think of. The staff treats me like I'm local so it is a comfortable experience. It's about a mile from United Center and I always make my way to Third Rail after a show. read more

Great food, service, and ambiance. Waitress was excellent. Quick service and fun to talk with.

This is the quintessential chicago neighborhood sports bar. It has a cozy atmosphere with enough TVs to make sure you can still watch the game. The long bar, brick walls and ceiling let you know that it's a Chicago bar. Service is quick and friendly. They have an excellent selection of whiskeys, including a lot of scotch. I ordered the fire fries, sweet potato tots (with pesto mayo) and an assortment of sliders. It's all very good. The fire fries with a generous dusting of cajun spices are the perfect bar snack. My favorite sliders were the pulled pork and regular burger with Merkt's cheese (a soft, sharp cheddar). All round, I love this place. read more

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Great burgers, and generally just good food. I love the low key atmosphere. They've got a good beer selection, and the staff is really friendly. Don't forget the terrific whiskey options. Shout out to Mike today for his excellent service at lunch! read more

Third Rail Tavern - Portobello mushroom wrap - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nice patio. Good service Parking is going to be tricky depending on what time of day you go though. But once you park, it's also walking distance to a bunch of other places. read more

I saw Amy's "meaning of life" comment. I've been coming to third rail even before it was third rail. The food and service is exemplary. The beef is fresh and all things prepared fresh, Wedge salad a delight, They have an extensive array of scotch and bourbon, rye, tequila and a good tap, and bottled beer selection. I have had serious conversations with the bartenders. They are polite, knowledgeable, and genuine friendly. If anyone is searching perhaps it's Amy. read more

Our bartender, John, was super nice (and didn't seem like he hated his life at all!). He was very attentive and chatty. The food was great. I had the chicken caesar wrap and sweet potato tots with pesto mayo. My husband had the Italian beef and O-rings and said it was very good. The atmosphere is very much a locals pub. A lot of talking and laughing. Would definitely recommend!! read more

In a bustling, high class neighborhood like the West Loop, it's refreshing to see a modest dive bar on Madison, the Third Rail Tavern. The bar has a very cozy feel to it, as the lights are dimmed no matter the time of day, the walls are filled with glamorous Chicago themed photos and pieces of art, and the tv's always had some kind of game on; honestly my idea of a good spot to sit back and forget the world for an hour or so. The bar had many great selections on tap, as well as some interesting special brews on there as well for a limited time. I had to try the Bells Hopslam draft since I never had it prior this moment. Jesus was that stuff potent! But good too. They also serve food here as well. I had some delicious bbq wings which did not hold out on meat or sauce. Everything here was fairly priced too considering where I was. This was a great find, glad I saw it near my doctors office, so I'll definitely return for more treats. Speaking of treats, the bartender here (forgot her name) rocked! She baked chocolate chip cookies and offered some to her patrons. Absolutely delicious! +10 points read more

Visiting Chicago, and this place was wonderful! Great mood, great bourbon selection, and a great helping of hospitality.

A good neighborhood pub. The staff was friendly. They had good beer and whiskey selections.