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Mon-Thu. 4:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Fri. 3:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
"I find Mirabell to be quite the great place to dine and get sloshed at the same time... while having good conversation with friends or a…" read more »
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So you've got family in town from a place with no culture, like Phoenix or Boca Raton. They want to go to someplace Chicago but your three year old has a more sophisticated palate. This is the place to go -- it's beautiful inside and out, and has more Irishy food than the many of the fake Irish pubs around Chicago. Plus, there's memorabilia strewn about, in case the family needs something that looks like Applebee's to feel happy.
No kidding -- a family member in from out of town wanted to go out for "ethnic food but not pizza." I was then informed that she didn't like "Asian food" -- did she mean Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian? Yes. The whole continent of Asia was off limits. I suppose I could have taken her to one of the southeastern European places in the hood -- but that's too close to Asia. So we went to Chief O'Neill's.
Her only complaint? Being a resident of the warmer climes, we sat in the beer garden on an August evening and she was cold.
If you're reading my body of work here, you know that being kid friendly is important to me -- and Chief O'Neill's definitely is. Though I'm not sure if they have a changing table in the men's room.
I love this place! I first went here for St. Patricks day. It was buffet style (not my fave) but the food was yummy. I've been back several times and have not been disappointed. The fish n' chips are great. the meatloaf is incredible. The blue cheese dressing is so good, I could eat it like a soup. The corn beef is tender and flavorful. I'm hoping to go back soon and try the mussels. It's a bummer I haven't tried the snicker and cookie dough egg roll. I'm always too full with beer and food when dessert comes around.
The only downfall about this place is the service is slooow. Sometimes I think the waiters there are volunteers or something. A seat at the bar usually insures good service. I also love the family atmosphere.
Went here for brunch last weekend and thought all was well and good. The food, if a little boring, was tasty. The price was about right ($15), and the venue itself is well-taken care of. The service was sort of what I expect for a buffet - attentive at first, but tapering off to nothingness by the time you're ready for the check. I had to ask three times, which was mildly annoying. I was digging the "backyard" atmosphere out back, with the families eating together after church, the singles eating after a late night, enjoying a little hair of the dog...it was a varied and diverse crowd and I really liked it.
I don't know as if we'd come back right away, but it is a pleasant alternative to our usual diner breakfast.
This place certainly could be 5 stars! I need a 2nd trip there and be impressed agian for that to happen though.
but let me tell you being my first time there last friday I wasnt sure what to expect. Nice Irish pub facade and the outdoor patio is huge and very outdoorsy unlike other places that just put chairs on the sidewalk. This place had grass!!!! and you sat outside in the open air!
FIsh Fry was excellent!!!
and of course Guinness on Tap!
Great little out of the way place that I've been to multiple times. The interior is very old school irish bar, roomy and comfortable. Food is above average bar nosh - you don't see many bars with a salmon salad on the menu. Chili is good, fish n chips are good, burger was great as was that salad.
Traditional Irish music is played once or twice a week, which is very cool. Drink specials are hit or miss, but there's usually something good available for $4 or under. I really liked the many varieties of scotch they have available - ask your server for suggestions.
My favorite thing about this bar is the beer garden out back. It's HUGE! Waitstaff is the only quibble I have with them, one night they will be chronically understaffed and hurried, the next they'll be near empty yet still sluggish. Every bartender I've had has been great though.
BEST HANGOVER BRUNCH. (Sunday)
That's my vote.
However, I was NOT actually hungover...but had I been, damn...I'da been singing songs of joy and doing a real damn jig when I viewed the buffet spread up in here.
It's quite possibly the largest array of food for $14.95 you'll find anywhere. SERIOUSLY, and not just Irish food. At all. Granted there are the corned beef and hash, baked potato + all the fixins, fish 'n chips...but so MUCH more! Eggs Benedict, chili, sliced beef, omelettes made-to-order, an entire salad bar that included poached salmon. Fried chicken, french toast...HOLY CRAP, is that sushi!? Yes. Sushi. Weird, but they have it. Pulled pork, soda bread, mac 'n cheese with BACON, crispy strips of bacon, sausages...ok, you get it. A lot of food. Unlimited, hot, fresh, awesome food. For $14.95.
I was a little disappointed they didn't have Irish brekkie ingredients for me to make my own plate, but this was overshadowed by the intense table of desserts. HOLY. WOW. Nutter butters dipped in a chocolate fountain? Fresh fruit, eclairs, pudding cups, creme brulee...and the list continues. Whoa.
Diet Coke was some of the best I've had. Super bubbly. Coffee was hot and refilled often.
Secret: OMG, they have fried chicken and waffles...separately. But combine them for the best ever thing you've tasted. Trust me. What've you got to lose? It's all-you-can-eat, so TRY!
Large group? Make a reservation. They've a lot of seats, but it fills up fast. Can you see why!?
There was a time when Chief's would have been four or five stars for me. There also was a time when it would have been one. Now that the dust has settled, I'll split the diff.
Back in the day, my friends and I would descend upon Chief's every Friday after work to make some noise and spend a serious ton of money. The food was just awesome pub grub - terrific corned beef and cabbage, hot wings, the Kilkenney flat bread (like an Irish pizza). Just greasy enough. They made a perfect Irish Car Bomb and served us noisy round after noisy round. The crowd was young and fairly rowdy, and their back patio is seriously nice; spacious and green. Those were fun times.
And then they hired some fancy chef and tried to make it more of a family place. Seriously? An Irish pub that's packed on weekends and you want to do what now? The fun food was gone, replaced by odd "hey look, it's Irish with a twist!" concoctions like "fettucine with bangers and cream sauce" and other head-scratchers. "Oh, we're the CLASSY Irish pub for the WHOLE FAMILY!" I mean, does such a thing even need to exist? Being part Irish, the concept deeply offends me. You could say it gets my Irish up.
But with the passage of time, I would say that Chief's is probably a decent place to get a decent meal on a nice summer night. The corned beef and cabbage is always good. The patio is still a great place to chill. They still serve Guinness. It is what it is.
We finally tried their brunch. It was very impressive. I liked the chocolate fountain in a manly way. I was like the person with an eating disorder locked into an OCB... So many things to try. If you want fish and chips, you got that. If you want bacon and eggs, you got that. If you just want to eat 15-20 deserts... Well you can do that too. I think it was $15.99 per person. For some reason the bees loved our table so I'd like see those guys burn some citronella candles but that was a rare occurrence.
Went again, and again I think they have pub food figured out. The food is good, portions are… Read more »
3 stars for the wonderful beer garten, but the food has really gone downhill lately. I got the fish sandwich, supposedly served on an "artisan" roll. It was just a white bun out of a bag. My wife got the corned beef sandwich, "piled high" with beef. The beef was super skimpy though.
In these tough economic times you need to innovate, not just serve lower quality foods for the same inflated prices.
So a week ago I moved and where did I move to? RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM CHIEF O'NEILLS.
Like literally, as long as I could cross Elston without getting hit by a car, I can make it home from this place.
Shit, you can probably see me playing guitar hero from my window if you looked hard enough.
So obviously, I've been there 3 times within 7 days.
Hey don't judge.
And honestly, I wasn't quite sold on the place until the 3rd trip, but like they say, third times a charm.
Let's break it down:
Atmosphere: warm, laid back, comfy cozer. I've only sat in the pub but they got that whole irish pub thing down pat. Complete with fireplace. I sneaked a peek at the dining room and the outdoor patio and no shit, perfect for a wedding party. Without or without kilts.
Food: consistently great. Chili = filling and fresh and yummy. Cod sandwich = meaty, hearty, satisfying. Veggie sandwich = savory, succulent, delicious. And the fries are fresh cut and delicious.
Drinks: they pour a beautiful pint of Guinness. 'nuff said.
Service: getting a server period is a bit confusing (the sign says wait for a table but there is no hostess...) yet once you get one, they are friendly and accommodating if not a bit upsell-y (been there, done that) and scatterbrained (read: overworked.) But really, you get your food and your drinks in a timely manner without attitude so that's that.
But the place, which has been there for years, oddly still seems to have a few kinks to sort out.
The lack of a hostess (even though there is a host stand) means you wander around looking for a table and while I did see a food runner, he must not be the busser, as food and dirty dishes are left on tables much longer than they should.
I also had to ask for silverware all three times as they were not on the table nor brought to the table until bread was dropped and we already had our drinks.
Also, Monday night, children were RUNNING AND SCREAMING in the pub which I know is no fault of the restaurant but it's damn dangerous for the food runners (and damn annoying for my ears.)
The prices are a tad more than I'd be willing to spend for a nightcap or after work bite, which is unfortunate since I live across the street, but I guess a blessing in disguise as now I will not be spending money and destroying my liver one scotch at a time.
I have not yet had the brunch buffet nor have I enjoyed the live irish music nor the half priced wine.
But Monday is also trivia night and LET IT BE KNOWN that while the trivia is conducted in the dining room, they turn off the music and pipe the guy asking the questions into the speakers. Not something I really wanted to hear when I just wanted to eat.
Overall, it's not bad, it's not great, it is what it is.
But I still wanna check out that patio.
This place gets a big thumbs down from me. My friends wanted to do a Saint Patrick's day brunch and I suggested this place because it seemed to be an authentic alternative to the "Irish pubs" elsewhere in town. This place really let us down.
It really all came down to service. We had a reservation for 12 people and when we got there they gave us a table with not enough seats. The hostess said she would provide us more seats and then disappeared. Fast forward 15 minutes later my friends arrive and they do not have seats. Even though my friends were awkwardly standing around waiting for a chair, they focused on setting up a table next to us where no one was sitting yet.
We also were provided no water for such long period of time that my friend had to go to the bar and get us our own pitchers. He had to do this several times to get refills for us all.
I could possibly forgive this terrible service because it is a big holiday, the wait staff is swamped etc. But then they automatically charged us 18% for tip. #1 It is a buffet. Therefore the typical tipping percentage does not apply. #2 Beyond tipping norms for a buffet, the service was terrible.
The only redeeming quality was the cute pub atmosphere. The food was ok, but nothing to write home about. Such a bummer.
A great place to go chill out for a pint and a bite whether with friends or the family. The beer garden is fantastic!. It's huge and the tables aren't crammed together. There is plenty of room for the kids to play while the adults have some cocktails. I love the fish and chips(it's the only thing I have ordered in 6 or 7 visits). And the kids mac n cheese was fantastic(like upscale but my daughter still loved it). The typical Irish beers and you get a shamrock in your Guiness. And friendly service.
I haven't been to Chief O'Neill's in probably around 7 years. It didn't take long to remember why it's been so long.
First downer was the several minute wait standing by the front door to be seated. They were not busy whatsoever. I was about 30 seconds from leaving, as I could see a table of 3 looking around as if they were being ignored, too. The service turned out to be ok, though. No complaints after that.
The food is still mediocre. They brought back the Guinness and Cheese soup since last I was there, which is a winner...although they could skip the melted cheese on top. Kind of redundant. The garden salad with blue cheese dressing was another highlight. Fresh greens, and the dressing was excellent. I should have went with the Bangers and Mash. Maybe next time. Instead, I did some broiled cod entree. It was not good at all. The fish, while not smelly or anything seemed like it was frozen, or maybe just overcooked. Dry and rubbery. Van de Kamps is often better. It was served atop a warm (hot, actually) potato salad with asparagus and blue cheese. When the blue cheese melted, it combined with the citrus sauce intended for the fish. There was just way too much going on with this plate. I didn't eat much. The special, a "blackened" prime rib wasn't bad, but it wasn't blackened. It was simply char-grilled, and fairly black on the outside. That is not what most would consider blackened. Also, most items on the appetizer and entree menus were I would say about $2 more than they should be on average. Kind of overpriced.
I see that they do breakfast. Maybe we'll give that a try sometime. But I'm in no big rush to go back for dinner.
I want to love this bar, I really do. I've been coming here off and on for the past several years (8 or so?) and have seen it change over the years. I recently went back to give it another try and was very disappointed.
The food is overpriced for what they deliver. Last time I was there I got the bruschetta, and the crostini was literally dripping with oil. Yikes. I also had some of my friend's potato skins, which were fried beyond belief. I knew they would be fried, don't get me wrong, but you know when they are SO fried they almost don't resemble food anymore? Yeah, they were like that.
I had the burger, which was a decent burger, but again with the grease! I had wanted to order a salad, but they all seemed very heavy and covered in creamy dressings and cheese.
The drink prices are a little high for the neighborhood. The servers I've had, with the exception of a few of the actual bartenders, have been spotty and a couple even seemed angry I was there and they had to wait on me. Not cool.
Overall, I don't go here unless someone I'm with really wants to go or if I'm in the mood for a patio. Too bad, since I live so close.
Stopped in here on Saturday for lunch and I was very pleased with Chief's! I saw outside on a huge banner that they do $5 breakfast on the weekends and that is a total steal. I thought you could only get deals like this in the suburbs?
I had a big bowl of broccoli cheese soup and a side chopped salad for lunch. The soup was very flavorful and I could taste the Guinness in there! I was dipping soda bread in the soup and it was a filling and comforting lunch. I tried their mashed potatoes and they are out of this world! Very creamy and the gravy was delish. The fish and chips look really tasty too. They do a $12 all you can eat Friday fish fry. I will be back to sample the breakfast on the cheap and the Friday fish.
Our service was attentive and helpful. The restaurant is very spacious and there is a large private room in the back. There was a private party going on Saturday afternoon and it held a big crowd. There is also an intimate dining area right by the fireplace. When summer finally rolls around (and stays) there is a big beer garden way in the back!
Chief O'Neill's totally turned a cold exhausting evening into the most delightful one. They went out of their way to turn it around on this cold night. I was treated to a special Earl Grey hot tea tailor made to heal my scratchy throat, which by the way is much better. The owner Brendan, had his kitchen make the most wonderful Shepherd's Pie for me even though the kitchen was pretty much closed. It was accompanied by an amazing loaf of Irish Soda Bread. The food was wonderful and so was the environment: warm faces, conversation, and even some delightful live flute playing by Brendan. If you want a place that will make you feel welcome, warm, delight your taste buds, and spoil you rotten for the evening: this is your place. It is definitely my new favorite.
Saturday night, 7:45 pm, in the back room. The kitchen was backed up like an HOUR. We saw our friendly waitperson about once every 25 minutes. It was just...out of control. CUTE that many staff wore costumes...And everything was pretty good when it finally arrived (at about 8:55) but seriously, who's minding the store? Smarter to reduce tables than to give anyone the kind of experience we had...it burns future goodwill to warm this month's balance sheet.
This place is so nice and accomadating and loverly! The first time I went here my friends and I ended up being there because Kuma's was packed to the gills as per usual. My friend suggested they had good burgers. They do. They also have good calamari, mexican dip appetizers, and bruschetta. mmm! Their drink prices are more than reasonable and their beer list is halfway decent (but their scotch list is better).
I recommend them to anyone especially because they're great for special events. We called them the day before the battlestar galactica finale and asked if we could use their backroom and television to watch it. We promised twenty people, and brought probably forty. They accomodated loud volumes, TV fumbles, complaints, and tons of orders (which, really, they probably liked).
Good food, good people, good service, LOVE IT!
Adorable pub from a decor standpoint. But we had some hangups with the service that hinder this review. Our first server was very personable and attentive. He gets a solid 4 stars. When his shift ended and we closed out the first tab, the problems began. When we received the bill, there were multiple errors with the pricing. Had we not been paying attention, they would have overcharged us by several dollars. Our server took full blame and worked to correct it right away, even though it was a computer issue and not technically his fault. I thought that was pretty stand-up of him.
The only reason we closed the tab was because he was clocking out. He assured us a new server would be checking on us shortly. 45 minutes later, I actually had to flag someone down to help us. While she wasn't rude, she did hesitate a bit at first. She did get us our requested drinks though but wasn't nearly as personable as the first guy.
I attended brunch today with a group of friends to enjoy St. Patty's Day. Wow, was I disappointed. The experience started when they made me and my friend stand by our table for awhile, with no urgency to get us chairs.
The service was extremely bad, I know the place was busy but still were customers and should be getting a great dining experience. We barely spoke to our waitress and when we did place an order for a drink it took a while.
Food: Yes, they provided a huge assortment of items. However, the quality wasn't stellar. A few of the dishes felt like they were sitting out for a while. The reason I am giving it two stars is because a few of the dishes were great, like the eggs benedict and corn hash. Also, I really enjoyed the bloody mary.
Price: The buffet was around $17 (not including drinks) and I was okay with that but wasn't okay that they added a massive tip to the bill. It's buffet style, we should tip accordingly.
I don't recommend the place for brunch but it might be a fun place to get a drink during the weeknight or weekend.
Friend: "We need a place nearby to talk business. Some place that has coffee."
Friend 2: "There's a pub just up the street"
Friend 1: "Do they have coffee?"
Me: "IRISH coffee..."
I was just kidding, but in the very back of their menu, they actually do have 'Adult Coffee'. They also have wireless available and a private dining room that some of my friends reserved last week for the Battlestar Galactica series finale.
Their menu is also quite expansive. Being that I went the day before St. Patty's, I decided to try the fish & chips. Everyone else got burgers with various meats in the middle. I think I might have ordered the wrong thing because their food looked delicious and I was disappointed with my two lumps of fish on a bed of fries. It just didn't seem like a lot of food for the price.
As I read in another review, we also were a bit confused at first with the seating situation, I think you really just have to show up and sit down. Hopefully the next time I come here - I'm part of a group that meets nearby - I'll get to bite into one of those delicious looking burgers.
Oh and the Nashoes were the highlight of the meal now that I think of it! (see pictures)
Wow!
Huge fan of their $5 breakfast selections! I mean, how do they make money? I ordered the Irish eggs benedict topped with Guiness Hollandaise sauce and it was yummy. Not at the top of my Egg Benny's "best" list, but definitely a runner-up. I can't decide if I loved their hollandaise of not. I really enjoyed the taste, but I think I prefer a richer, more buttery / yolky mouthfeel. This was probably healthier as it was lighter (yet still thick). I did like the addition of the thick slice of beefsteak tomato beneath a perfectly poached egg.
Great $3 bloody Mary (I suspect they use Mr.&Mrs T's mix) and very good coffee. Service was a bit lacking even though there were only 3 full tables at 9:30am but maybe they were having a slow start. (oh, they also have $3 mimosas!)
I love the ambiance here. The interior design, coupled with the Irish folk music made me feel like I was in what I imagine to be a countryside pub in Ireland.
We had our wedding here this weekend and it was a hit!!! Anybody looking for an elegant, warm and friendly setting for their wedding (or any other event) should check this place out. I am Irish-American and my new husband is from Ireland plus we both love Irish music, we were both raised listening to and appreciating Irish music. Given the background of the owners and the namesake of the pub we knew we had to have our wedding here. Lisa is the event coordinator and together with Brendan and Siobhan, they ensured that our day was nothing but perfect. During the planning they were nothing but kind and helpful. Lisa literally returned calls and emails w/in minutes sometimes. Even our bartender, Joe, was great and our server Vanessa was so attentive. AMAZING STAFF!!!
When I arrived at the pub on the evening of the wedding it was more elegant than I envisioned, Lisa did a fabulous job. The food was top knotch, so delicious. We had shepherd's pie, oven roasted chicken, vegetables, spuds and and Irish salad of some sort, SOOOO GOOD!!!!! My mother and I are still getting calls about the food and the party. One guest said it best, the pub gives an elegant and comfortable feeling without being "too much". You definitely felt that it was okay to kick off your shoes and dance, which is exactly what I wanted.
Thanks to my husband and the band leader out music was amazing. Our friend, Finbarr Fagan put together an amazing band for our party (check him out @ http://paddygoez.com). They did a great mix of traditional Irish music, some rebel songs and very cool American music. We also had some musicians in attendance who hopped on stage for a bit, I believe at one point we had 7 musicians on stage. That said, Chief O'Neill's can definitely accommodate your music for your party whether it's a DJ or 7 piece band. Brendan, one of the owners, even joined in the band for a song or two!!
A great time was had by all, full bellies, a cold drink in hand and a toe or two tapping at our wedding reception thanks to Chief O'Neill's. We've been told by a few who were not at the wedding that they were told it was a fantastic party, from the food to the music and everything in between. My mom joked that when the time comes we'll have to have a Christening party at Chief O'Neill's.
If you have a party to host, definitely check out Chief O'Neill's. Thanks to all the staff who made our party a memorable one!!!!
Ah, now that I have tried the Guinness cheese soup, I can finally review Cheif O'Neill's.
I first discovered this place during a Whisky Week event back in spring of 2007. It's handy to Hot Doug's and two separate friends' homes, which were the occasions of all my subsequent visits. I had always had drinks but never food. Then the review of esteemed Yelper Penny S. put a bug in my ear about the Guinness cheese soup. All that I needed was the perfect cold-weather occasion to stop in, and yesterday's Colts-Chargers playoff game provided.
I've always appreciated the sedate atmosphere in here, even on Saturdays at usual peak hours, and yesterday was no different. The dining room was about half full and there was no crush of obnoxious twentysomething humanity in the bar area, as there would be at bars in certain other neighborhoods.
I do wish that they would turn on the audio when there is an important game playing. However, I enjoy their eclectic mix of Irish music (everything from 60's-era Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem to U2 and The Cranberries). And if you're lucky enough to be there on your birthday, the owner will come out and serenade you with bagpipes.
Speaking of the owner, he approached us as we sat at the bar perusing the food menu and made some recommendations. He repeatedly pushed the mussels, which he claimed that Chef Didier Durand (from Cyrano's Bistrot) believes are "the best mussels in all of Chicago." High praise, but I'm not into mussels. He pointed out several items, none of which tickled my fancy, but I appreciate the effort. Maybe next time I'll try that steak crostini.
I walked in there wanting Guinness cheese soup and a salad, and by God, that's what I ordered. The soup was a perfect balance of creamy liquid and melted cheese, with some mushrooms and croutons providing welcome bits of solid. B+. The chopped salad didn't come chopped, but it was satisfactory, and the curry dijon dressing was a cool find. My friend ordered curry fries/chips which were generously portioned; the sauce was a bit thin and not tangy enough. To mix a few drops of that with the dijon curry salad dressing actually made a great dipping sauce.
And then, of course, being a glutton with an obstreperous sweet tooth, and staying there over three hours for a football game, I felt compelled to order dessert. They have an intriguing concoction that I couldn't pass up, a dessert egg roll--cookie dough, snickers pieces, and chocolate rolled into a wonton and deep fried. I nearly passed, imagining something very thick and greasy like your standard cheap-Chinese-restaurant egg roll, but the wonton was barely noticeable. Too bad that I didn't bring a camera because the presentation was very classy for a pub, and it just looked neat. That came with vanilla ice cream (thank goodness) and tasted great without being overwhelmingly rich or sweet.
Taking care of us last night was friendly and charming bartender Ric, whom I had met several weeks before. He makes a point to learn the names of everyone who is sitting at the bar, and he remembers them from visit to visit. He also pours a great Guinness. Last night he was constantly trying to tempt me with the whisk(e)y list, but, as I needed to drive when we left, I kept declining. Next time, Ric, I promise!
Bartending on the night of a major holiday is necessary public service. Like a fireman, police officer or a doctor.
At least, in regards to how I feel about the holidays... or visiting family during the holidays... the pub is a recovery necessity! And this one is open on Thanksgiving evening!
Lets just say you met a really cool guy and are looking to impress him... but still appear… Read more »
Exceptional food: the NY strip with peppercorn sauce is outstanding, as are the Crab Cakes (small, but very crabby in flavor with very little binder/filler).
Service is really quick, and the vibe of the main bar (especially) is very relaxing, earthy, and homey, particularly near the big fireplace!
I am a big fan of Chief's, though I have not been here in awhile - great food, including the Cheddar Ale soup and the traditional pub grub. If you are seeing a show at one of the theaters across the street, go early and have dinner at Chief's. Better yet, go back after and enjoy a beer in the beer garden!
We had the brunch today! WOWZER!!! It was delicious, plentiful, high-quality (for a buffet), and well worth the $15 price. How many places can you get french toast sticks, fish & chips, and Nutter Butters dipped in chocolate -all at the same time? Yum yum YUM!! Can't wait to go back.
My only complaint is that they are consistently slow in getting the check to you. Perhaps they hate to see you leave?
We came in about 2:15 on a Sunday, thinking that their brunch buffet lasted until 3:00. No such… Read more »
I've eaten here a few times... well years ago. A friend's brother worked there.
Had great food each time we went. The pub is awesome. Had an awesome st patty's day celebration there they put u a tent out back and makes the place even bigger.
Loads of fun
I have to say my fave meal was the steak and mashed potatoes yum
I've been contacted about this review and I am so impressed with Chief O'Neill's! Siobhan has written me with concern about the customer service we received on Sunday, 8/2. He has gone to great lengths to keep me as a happy customer and I can't believe it! No one has EVER done that for me before! I don't usually complain because the last time I did (it was a limo service), I was told, "Well, too bad and we don't care what you do." I am in customer service myself, so I appreciate it when it is reciprocated.
The food is awesome and now I can say that the customer service is awesome! We will be going back and will tell everyone we know about it as well!
I've been coming to this place for a few years now and love it. The beer garden is great and the… Read more »
People may scream but I think this is one of the best Irish Pubs in the city. Large bar with wide variety of drinks, awesome food, it truly is sooooo delicious, fabulous brunch, and spacious outdoor beer garden. I think it's the decor that gives it a lot of it's charm and if you go on the right night you'll hear live Irish music while you dine and drink.
FYI Cheif O'Neill was a supercop around the turn of the last century who obviously rose through the ranks to become Chief of all Chicago Police. He was a bad ass with a passion for Irish music.
This place is great. Food. Beverage. Ambiance. It has it all.
Definitely an old standby off the beaten path. The answer to (what seems to be like) hundreds of faux-Irish yuppie pubs.
I need to get back over here soon to experience the beer garden and weekend brunch.
o.k., now i'm officially in love with this place.
first, the bartender is an alien, because no one can be that consistently nice with every freaking patron, regardless of sobriety. and the leather couch that fronts their fake fireplace is the best way to pass time sipping wine while waiting for takeout.
and the food, once again, is also better than it should be. that being said, remember, this is bar fare, not haute cuisine. the seafood pasta looks like a FAIL, because it sports the kind of pasta that you use because someone else has used up the good stuff when you weren't aware. it's a strange corkscrewed macaroni number, but mine was seriously tasty, with good sized shrimp and not overcooked scallops. and the shepherd's pie with its piped on mashed potato blanket looks suspect, but according to my carnivore daughter, it's a tasty mess. as is their pound cake layered with berries and custard; heavy, but tasty. so leave your critical eye at the door while you chow down on bar food goodness. this place was a great find. and i haven't even mentioned its beer garden. or wait, yes i have, so go see it for yourselves.
i normally don't review after only one visit, but i had such a great experience here that i'm making… Read more »
Went here for a party last week and tried some of the food and drink while there. I was very impressed that although the waitress was not familiar with "shandy", she had them make it for me - and it was spot on! I gave the sheperd's pie a go and thought it was really well-done for the area. Perhaps a bit too much sage, but certainly nothing like the mess you get downtown (with weird cinnamon or a bad meat to veggie ratio) This was a nice sauce, not too sweet, not too spicy and the right amount of potato crust to mix in. A lot of people were having the salmon burgers as well and raved about them. I will defnitely be back to have a quiet dinner and enjoy some of the soup!
Didn't know what to expect because I had never heard of this place before. When we walked in at around 7 on a Tuesday, it was kind of full so we went to have a drink at the bar while they got us a table. There was a circle of musicians practicing and they seated us at a table about 5 feet away from them. I was nervous because I thought it would be too loud for dinner conversation but we had the best seats in the house! The 5 of us were able to enjoy conversation and the music. It was pretty cool that more and more people kept joining the circle with their instruments - they were really good!
The food was awesome. Since I had eaten a bag of popcorn before I left the office, I felt that I should pretend to be healthy for the rest of the evening. I had the County Cork chicken - amazing!! I don't usually go for lemony anything but it complemented the sauce instead of overpowering the entire meal. They gave 3 huge pieces of chicken with GARLIC mashed potatoes. Along with plum tomatoes, artichoke hearts, zucchini, shallots AND fried capers, I was in hog heaven. I stole from everyone else's plates because they couldn't stop raving about their food either. The filet, the bangers & mash, the fish & chips and the steak sandwich were all wonderful but I am going to go back for the chicken. I had enough for a snack and lunch the next day.
We all had more than a few beers before and during dinner and along with the music, we realized that we didn't want to leave after we ate. The people were all really nice and so was the waitress even though I felt the need to tell her every time she came to the table how good the chicken had been. I blame the beers. We stayed for a bit longer and if it wasn't for work, I would have stayed all night. I definitely will be going back (the brunch menu looked awesome) and suggest that you do as well!
So I had visited here a handful of times in the past, but largely in the fall/winter months. The heavily wooden atmosphere combined with a pint and some Irish fare was always comforting when it was cold out. I had heard that Chief O'Neill's had a good garden but just never got around to checking it out - until last week. Wow. A) Its huge. B) Its green - plenty of grass throughout the outside seating area; a welcome sight in my book. Tables are not on top of each other which is good because it is also fairly kid/family friendly. There must have been half a dozen toddlers running around when I was there. Nice that they can play in the yard while their folks can enjoy a beer I suppose.
Perhaps not necessarily the best beer garden in Chicago but certainly worth your while if you want some above average pub grub and cold beer outside on a warm summer day.
Wonderful pub, great food, friendly people. Feels like Ireland!
I've lived a half-mile away for over a year, and just made it there for the first time last night. I had been craving fried fish all day (ah Catholic upbringing) and decided to invite a couple friends for dinner and a late birthday celebration for myself. Good choice, self.
We were not the only ones coming for all-you-can-eat fish 'n chips on the first Friday in Lent, so there was a 5-minute wait. There's plenty of room to stand while you wait, which helped. We got seated at the second booth from the door when it was in the twenties out, but I was drinking Guinness and that warmed me up fine. Our server was about our age and a pretty cool guy. He laughed when my friend (jokingly) ranted about them being out of his favorite scotch, and he tried to talk our fourth friend into getting the cheese soup when 3 of us ordered it.
But really, this trip was all about the fish 'n chips. They did take awhile to come out. But like I said, we were drinking Guinness so no biggie.When they did come out, we were a very happy table. They were PIPING hot, incredibly crispy and yet meaty at the same time, and weren't fishy at all. One of my friends decided to get the curry sauce to dip his fries in. Curry fries were good, but Jeezus, curry fish is even better! After we all finished our initial plates, the question arose: seconds? The server came back and we asked, specifically, for "3 or 4" more pieces. Ten minutes later he came back with a tray of food that looked about to fall over. There were seven gigantic pieces of fish piled on top of a bed of french fries. We looked at him like he was crazy. We did our best to stuff the fried monstrosity into our guts but still had to take more than half of the second serving home. Oh, I'll be back. Possibly after a 24-hour fast.
Great outdoor space for summer nights! And perfect beer cheese soup that will warm you up in winter. I always stop in before seeing a show at the theatre across the street.
I have been here once for dinner (after getting denied at Kuma's) and wasn't all that impressed.
However, Katarina X recommended brunch here, and I was skeptical. Really? At an Irish pub? Mr Man was even LESS excited about venturing away from his favorite breakfast place.
I think this is my new favorite neighborhood breakfast place! We went on Saturday for the $5 Brunch. At first I was thinking, "OK, this won't be that great. The portions are probably really small." I was WRONG! They have a nice selection of both sweet and savory dishes, and the portions are comparable to what you would get at your average breakfast joint. I had the Irish Eggs Benedict, which is a traditional eggs benedict, but with Guinness in the hollandaise! It gave it a bit of a sweeter taste, and it was really, really good! There were also tomatoes on the benedict, which I don't believe is traditional, but it was still a nice addition. Came with a side of hash browns. YUMMY. Mr Man had one of the skillets, the one with bangers. (heh heh, bangers!) While he thought the bangers could have used more spicing up, the potatoes were well seasoned, his eggs were perfectly cooked, and he was satisfied! His came with a side of toast or english muffin. Oh, and even the strawberries served as garnish were delish! How often do you actually EAT your garnish? I never do!
2 full tummies and 2 coffees, and our total bill was $15!!! Nice!
The atmosphere is also pretty cute, I don't know why I didn't notice before! Maybe because last time I was too busy having a pity party for myself from the disappointment of not being able to get into Kuma's. There are nice spacious wooden booths and pretty stained-glass windows. We sat at a cozy little table in front of the fireplace, that was a low table with little stools.
I'd love to come back and try the Traditional Irish Breakfast, which at $12.95 still sounds like a deal, since it is ALOT of food! I am also looking forward to gorging myself on the all-you-can-eat Sunday Buffet, which from everyone's reviews, sounds promising!
Food Specials
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
$4 x $4 Every Day
Neighborhood: Logan Square
Neighborhood: Forest Glen
Category: Irish
Neighborhood: Irving Park
Category: Pubs
Neighborhood: Avondale
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Irving Park
Category: Irish
Neighborhood: Lincoln Square
Category: Bars
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