Local dive bar with an insanely good smashburger? Say less. This spot is low key with a laid back clientele and cool staff. Awesome spot to spend an evening and take advantage of their specials Food reviews: Truffle parm burger--wow. Not only was the cook amazing but the truffle flavor was perfect and not overpowering. Loved the crunchy contrast of the crispy onion. The fries were some of the best I've had. Salted and cooked to perfection read more

See all

I can't imagine them serving up a better burger than this. Definitely just as good as my other favorite, Biker Dude Burger. Yankee Doodle Inn is a vintage bar in Barrington IL. Not much on visible signage but once you walk in you just know you are in the right place. Thanks for the recommendation Super Goode - Food Critic. Got lucky with my Monday visit as burgers are $5 off. I look forward to trying more of their daily specials. And Tommy is an awesome bartender. And remember that the sign says step up to the bar for your food and drink orders. read more

5 Stars: Great Food, Great Staff Great Atmosphere. Would ABSOLUTELY recommend. We were passing through town, found this fun and quirky little pub. Had the lunch special Cheeseburger with Fries. Erik the bartender was super friendly and chatted with us, gave suggestions on places to see. Kevin is an excellent cook, and made us amazing food. There is an outside patio, but the inside held a fun charm that we were looking for. There is a wall of pictures with "Malort faces", which was fun too look at. Music playing was unique and a nice change from playing they same out stuff. Customers are welcomed to throw dollar bills at the ceiling and see if they will stick with thumb tacks. If they do stick, the bar owner gives it to a local charity at the end of the year. Highly recommend. read more

Has potential.....walked in and the floor is sticky. Sat ourselves on the patio. Patio is charming. No one came out to take our order. People at the table next to us got up and left. Finally (20 minutes later) Nice waiter comes out ask if we'd like to order. I asked for a drink menu and they said we don't have drink menu's??? ( So I guess I'm just supposed to order off the top of my head.) drinks come out. Beer was cool, not Cold. Ordered the fries. They were decent. Unfortunate, seems management is non existent. A lot to address, which is why I would generously categorize it as has potential. Unfortunately, I probably wouldn't go back for warm beers and poor service. read more

Bartender acted like your presence was a nuisance to him. The burger was great and the cook was more attentive than the bartender despite being in the backroom. Blasting out music so loud that the bartender was difficult to communicate with or get the attention of. I honestly think the bartender wanted everyone but his fling to F off. read more

the food is so good! love the ambiance, very chill for either inside or outside. i wasnt sure what to expect but had a great experience

I had the birria egg rolls & parmesan truffle fries with aoili. Both were FANTASTIC! Service was friendly, too. I would definitely go back. read more

Yankee Doodle - Birria egg rolls & parmesan truffle fries - Bars Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

Coming up from the south burbs to attend an event at the high school. We found a GEM! This place is awesome! We came on July 2nd and they had a limited menu. I had the Duderino Smash burger and my husband had the Jalapeno Popper Smash burger. They were soooo good. The different flavors mixed together so well. The fries were phenomenal! Decor is awesome with some of the coolest brewery signs. Bartender was very friendly and attentive. Our glasses were never empty. Tap menu was a good mix. Three Floyd's and Half Acre were among the stars of the line-up. I can't wait to come back and try things from their full menu! No pictures of the food. We dug right in! This is a Chicago neighborhood bar transported to Barrington! read more

See all

Went with friends and 2 children for dinner last night at 5:30. We sat at a table and were completely ignored for well over 20 minutes. There was one bartender and one "server" who tended to other tables, meandered behind the bar, cleaned off a couple tables, all the while seemingly not to notice that we were there. We finally went up to the bar to get our orders started and were ignored as if we were ghosts trying to get the attention of the living unaware of our presence. The bar wasn't busy enough for one skilled bartender which this guy clearly was not, much less two oblivious idiots. We left, your loss, we were hungry, thirsty and are really good tippers to those who care. read more

Last year I gave Yankee Doodle a 5 star review, because their burgers are SO good. I'm downgrading that now, not because the burgers aren't still delicious; but because they've gotten SO stingy with their French fry portions! Over the past year, we've eaten there or taken out a number of times. And I've just noticed that the fry quantity has been steadily dwindling. And today I placed an online pickup order of two orders of chicken tenders and an order of Cubano egg rolls; the tenders always come with fries. But when I got home and opened up the boxes, one of the tenders had NO fries!! Smh, so disappointed! So, perhaps I'll be ordering from them less... sadly read more

We had the best time on Good Friday at the Yankee Doodle Inn! Shout out to Robert in the kitchen- great food! It was extremely busy and Eric was awesome! Shout out to Tommy as well! GREAT CREW, WE HAD THE BEST TIME! GREAT MUSIC read more

Well food was good (okay), basically self service requiring trip to bar area for drinks and food, went with bottled beer setups and the beers were warm across the board. If my establishment, I would have the ability to monitor temps in coolers so beer is at proper temperature to serve to my customers. Everything was too "well placed" on the walls and around the bar to be considered a "dive" bar in my opinion and calling this place a "dive bar" is like calling McDonald's a five star restaurant. I guess I will have to try again sometime but in the meantime I am searching for the perfect dive in the area... read more

I was recommended to have dinner here after a nice visit to Sun Dial Brewery close by. Boy were they wrong. This review is based on the person (Male) running the establishment the evening of Friday April 3rd, 2026 wearing a white bulls hat and flannel. Upon arriving we see patrons at the bar with no bar tender, etc. My girl and I had a seat at a table and after 10 minutes, the guy running the place came into the door, he just passed us up and went straight to the bar and attended to the patrons who seemed to be locals. Another couple came in after us, grabbed a table, and the male patron went to sit at the bar to get serviced. I figured that sitting at the bar might be the best way to get serviced and place a food order. That also did not work as the guy running the place serviced others at the bar, including the male patron that came in after us and ignored me intentionally. I even said how are you doing? Are you guys still serving food? He proceeded to continue attending to the bar and was hoping that I'd leave but I did not. My girl saw how he intentionally avoided me and serviced everyone else and said that we should leave. I gave it one more shot and decided not to deal with the person running the place. I ended up speaking with one of his friends at the bar that worked there who took our order and at least got us serviced. We had a quick bite and a beer and left. My girl and I witnessed other patrons of minority also not get serviced and it seemed that the guy running the place was indeed intentionally servicing people he favored for obvious reasons. Mind you, I came out to Barrington for the brewery and decided to give this place a try for dinner. I'm glad I did not leave as he thought I would, and got serviced, Bottom line, if you're a local, you will be treated and serviced well. Being a minority, our experience here left a horrible impression. I'd give this place 0 stars. read more

If you're looking for a cozy, no-frills spot that is a laid-back atmosphere, this is it! This little hometown hole-in-the-wall bar has all the charm of a classic local hangout--warm, welcoming, and full of character. Small menu boasts mostly fried bar food. The drinks are solid, the service is friendly, and you'll always find a mix of regulars who make the place feel like home. It's the kind of hidden gem that makes you appreciate small-town vibes. Definitely worth checking out read more

Old school bar. Great atmosphere..... but the food! Fantastic. Sliders / beef sandwich and tacos so far. I'll be back

Great value and cozy bar.. wish they had food!! At least they have a beer garden now.. low amount of servers.

Amazing service amazing burgers! Everyone that works there is great. They take my order and text me when my food is ready read more

Great local place and everyone that I have met there was welcoming and sociable. The bartenders are friendly and really know their stuff. Especially Daniellea because she's THE BEST!! She helped me get the right craft beer to go with my delicious smash burger. I am looking forward to trying some of the other food items that they have now on the weekends. All of the food that I saw other people getting looked so good also. Daniellea's service went above and beyond to make sure that I had a fun experience. Overall a fun place to relax with friends and have a good time. read more

Me and three friends got there with an hour and a half before close. We tipped heavily on one round of drinks and as closing time approached we were forcibly kicked out of the building. We tried to use the bathroom but he instead wouldn't let us and denied us from waiting inside for our uber by pushing us outside. He said "talk to the owner and file a complaint." The Doodle is awesome, but the beard and glasses guy should get fired. read more

This place is so great, I never met a person here I didn't like and the bartenders are stellar. Not pushy or judgmental and really know their stuff. read more

Outstanding Pub, bartender Tom is amazing. Made us tombstone pizzas and allowed us to eat sandwiches from JJs at the bar top. Great place with darts cheap drinks and a roof covered in dollar bills. read more

Omg Brady is just so amazing highly recommend this place you should really come and hang out try to throw a dollar on the ceiling

There aren't many bars in Barrington but the Doodle sure is a hidden gem. Since I'm from Barrington, I go here every time I'm in back in town. Even though I'm not a regular, each and every time, I feel at home. The bartenders are awesome. The drinks are cheap. Even their food is good (try their grilled cheese). It's a great place to hang out in Barrington on a Friday night. Thankfully, it's not a shabby, sketchy bar in town where old men would hang any more. It definitely gained back it's reputation from over the years. I started coming here after I graduated college. It's definitely an interesting crowd. It's mainly middle aged to older townies looking to grab a drink with neighborhood friends. Then, mixed in, you have the young crowd who come back from college. The vibe, overall, is really what you make of it. Whether you're here for a drink or two to grab a drink or two with a friend or play darts with a group of people, there's really something for everyone. There's a jukebox to the side to jam out on a Friday night and a gigantic Jenga that's always fun to play tipsy. Just fair warning, if you're a townie like myself, you will probably ALWAYS run into someone you know. read more

Yankee Doodle - Bars Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

Close to the station (Metra) in the Village, Price point is good, also known as "the Doodle", What more needs to be said. "A Place where Friends Gather." Cheers! read more

this is absolutely the worst dump i have ever been to!!! the food is horrible. beer is way over priced. its dirty and it smells like a toilet. the owner is very rude and smug to her customers. the bartenders are lazy and look like they haven't showered in weeks. i would never go there again. plenty of other nice spots in barrington. read more

My dad used to get bombed in here, along with many other dads, after coming home on the commuter train. I remember being dragged in here once by my father when I was a boy. Probably so he could pay a off a gambling debt and/or knock back a quick shot. It was pitch black in there, as it was only lit by the red glow of an old neon beer sign. This was the kind of bar that people hid away in, a real salty old dive. Those days are gone. The Yankee Doodle is a fun, small pub serving up a surprisingly good craft beer list. The bartenders are kind, knowledgable, and on the ball. The staff is also not shy with a stiff pour in a cocktail. The interior is almost exactly the same as it has always been, except the lights are on and you are not afraid to touch things. So maybe before taking the train downtown to catch a Cubbies game, or commuting home from a rough day at work, or doing one of the kick ass train-stop-bar-crawls, stop in to this old Barrington watering hole and slam a beer or two in Dads honor. read more

Yankee Doodle - I don't get the name, but who cares...... - Bars Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

Pros: Strong, cheap cocktails, decent jukebox, comfortable chairs, smoker-friendly, down-to-earth, friendly staff. There is nothing "scary" about this place, and if you think there is, you've been hanging out at Wool Street too long. One of my favorite bars ever. Cons: For some reason they see fit to charge $6 for a Fat Tire bomber for which you could pay $4 at Jewel two blocks away. Sometimes they play the Cubs game, if you call what the Cubs play a "game". read more

There are not many bars in Barrington and I wanted to check out a place I had not been to yet, so my boyfriend suggested Yankee Doodle. It is sort of hidden in what seems like a mini strip mall in the back corner of the building, adjacent to the Barrington Metra train station parking lot. It is a divey bar and not very spacious. They have jukebox and fireplace (but it wasn't on, which would have been great considering it was such a cold night). Washrooms (at the least the women's) were not very clean. The patrons consisted of both a younger crowed (20's & 30's) and older adults; it was probably a 60/40 ratio. The beer selection was decent. It's getting to the point where I've tried so many beers that not every bar has ones that I have not had yet, but Yankee Doodle did have a few. I can't remember which beer I ordered, but it was new to me and a special of the day. The thing that irked me about this bar was the bartender. She was plain rude. I told her nicely I needed a minute to decide on a beer and when I was ready to order, I looked her right in the eyes, we made eye contact, yet she still walked away & basically ignored me. I continued to look up and right at her, an obvious signal that I'm ready to order. She even took the order of a guy standing next to me, even though I had been standing there before him. I gave up and had one of the guys I was with order for me. Surprise, surprise, she waited on him. Seems like she picks the males to wait on, maybe in hopes of getting a better tip. Luckily, there was also another older male bartender behind the bar, so for the next round, I ordered through him. Another thing that tainted my impression of this bar was during the last few minutes before the bar closed. The bartenders announced that if everyone wasn't finished with their drinks by time the exact closing time came around, they would collect the drinks regardless if you were finished or not. I've actually experienced this at one other bar, but it seems these people enforced the rule more so. I understand the bartenders probably wanted to get out of there as any employee usually does at the end of a shift, but you have to understand it's a bar! It's one thing to keep announcing that the place would be closing soon or that everyone needs to get out (after the closing time). I've seen many bars do that, otherwise they would have belligerent drinkers sit around all night, but to take paid drinks away is plain rude, in my opinion. I really can't see myself ever returning to this bar, mostly because of the rude service. I'd rather drive to another town than to go here again, even though it's probably one of the closest bars to my house. read more

The Yankee Doodle is an anachronism! That's why it continues to exist in an upscale suburb, like Barrington. You don't find many places like that in the NW suburbs, There are, in fact few "just bars" left. I have spent a couple of afternoons in the place, just drinking beer & BSing. My brother [who lives in Barr.], his next-door neighbor & I find it to be a nostalgic s_ _ t-hole, kind of like some of the places we used to frequent in our younger day. Some call it scary! I really don't see it that way. Just different from what a younger generation would expect. It also is the kind of place you might expect to see a bunch of Harleys parked in front of, though, I've never seen any there. Anyway, it's a cool place to infrequently visit - maybe once a year. read more

Love this place. Close to Metra. Kitchen open late afternoons till 10pm. Burgers are delicious. Barb and Kevin are both fabulous cooks. Great selection of Craft beers. Electronic Darts, Jango, Board games, Touch tunes, Outside patio. They always have something special going on. Besides Kevin, bartenders Brian and Andrew are also great. read more

Be white moss with white moss...this place has brewed up some great town alcholics, and is in no rush to pump out more. Alcoholics have been produced at a young age at this watering hole. Right by the Barrington train station and right next to the liqour store. General area is a great place not to own a car. During off season is the best time to vist as there are less lame high school yuppies...cheers! read more

Do you want to experience what it would be like to be on a days-long bender without the inconvenience of being gone for days? Do you want to inhale the equivalent of a pack of cigarettes without the added bother of actually having to light up? Do you want to wake up the next morning and not really know what the last three hours of your previous evening was like? Then... "the Doodle" is the place for you!!! A Barrington institution, conveniently located next to the train station for a not-so-quick getaway, the Doodle is a great place to get a load on before going downtown on the train, or just to hang out and pretend you're the town drunk for a few hours. Yes, it's dirty, yes, it's scary - but I personally wouldn't change it for the world. read more

Barrington's finest. You say Wool St. is too crowded, McGonigal's is too expensive, the Onion Pub is in the middle of nowhere, and the Blue Heron is on the wrong side of the tracks. But wait what's this a bar in Barrington with colorful people and an open seat always waiting for you? Is this a mirage before my tired no eyes? No good sir you are at the Yankee Doodle "a place where friends gather". Grab a Grolsch, put on the Bob Seger, order up the duck tenders, throw some darts, and get ready for the most fun you can have on East Main St. read more

What a great surprise. Wool Street was closed so this was the nearest option to wait for our ride. Clean, cool, friendly. NOT at all divey! I'll be back. read more

I love this place. I went here with my mom and stepdad before a movie. They are so friendly and they have a ton of beers! The cocktails are also quite strong and everything is pretty cheap. They have outdoor seating as well so if you are a smoker, you won't have to go down the block to smoke. They have a lot of TVs and they even have an electric dart board that they encourage people to use. I thought it was kind of a dive when we drove up but it ended up being pretty awesome. This place is low key with no frills. This place isn't scary at all. I haven't eaten here so I can't vouch for the food. read more

Amazing customer service, friendly service, super awesome bartender named Lauren mon-wed nights! The owner is always there inspiring games of darts and telling great stories!! Definately NOT the hole in the wall I've been told it was! Great mix of white and blue collar folk after six. Always great specials and amazing burgers and brats. You get 2 brats for next to nothing and amazing crowd of fun friendly people with whom you can carry a convo ranging from economics to the state of the Cubs :) as a vet i find this a great place. Chek it out! read more

The Yankee Doodle Inn is the best dive bar I've ever been to. Strong and cheap drinks. Very friendly clientele. Very nice jukebox. You never know when the whole places will get up and start dancing for no reason. Caters to ages 90 down to 18. Parking lot filled with Cadillacs, Mercedes, motor cycles, vans held together with duct tape and the obligatory pick-up trucks. If you're anywhere near Barrington, IL stop into the Doodle. Also, it is connected with a swanky wine shop. Go figure. read more

Great ambience to see some locals and commuters coming off the train. Drinks are fairly priced and you can black out fairly quickly if you pregame the right amount. You might see some hardo's trying to play darts but they are usually cool once you get to no them. You might run into some BHS Alumni so be ready to have some conversations. All in all, great bar, great spot, and great vibes! BarBoys read more

The local watering hole. The most clientele, by the midwestern definition. Also, the best selection of beer. You can play darts here, there's a jukebox, and there's even some food. read more

Awesome beer selections. Had some root beer beer last night that was out of control. So delish. Something about this hole in the wall that just makes you feel at home. Probably just became a new favorite part of our stomping grounds. read more