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Irving Park (Blue)
Mon-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
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I went to this place when it was another bar, called O'Brien's. I have a lot of great memories of O'Brien's, as it was a very regular haunt of mine (in fact, the first bar I ever went to), and I was sad when it closed. When McNamara's replaced it, years later, I had to go and see what they did to the place, and re-live some of my O'Brien's moments as best I could.
They've done some remodeling, but the basic set-up is still the same...I enjoyed my beer sitting in the front window just as I did when I was (cough cough) 21. They fixed the ladies' room up nicely...it was a bit run down. They added some Irish knick-knacks around the bar area which picks the room up a bit, without trying too hard to be in-your-face-Irish. The atmosphere has remained the same - it's still a bar for the locals, totally unpretentious. While it's not quite the old bar I remember, I still felt at home while I was there. I did not try the food (or even check out the dining area), but I wouldn't hesitate to visit McNamara's again.
We moved to the Irving Park neighborhood recently, so of course the first thing I want to do is check out the food! We were wandering and found McNamara's. We took a seat at the bar since a few of the tables were wobbly. The bartender/waitress was the sweetest. We decided to go for typical bar food, potato leek soup, and grilled cheese. Well the potato leek soup came out first WITH a whole loaf of bread. Needless to say we rolled out of that place. The appetizer sampler was typical greasy goodness, the soup was freakin' awesome.
We discovered the dining room the second time we visited (see it was so good that instead of finding new places we keep finding ourselves here). It is a completely different atmosphere than the bar. Exposed brick, low lit, and great music. Romantic! Again, great waitstaff. I was called honey a few hundred times :)
We'll be back, oh yes, we'll be back.
First things first, I am only writing a review on their lunch. I see some of the brunch reviews below and I assume that some have had less than pleasant experiences here.
That said, the lunch menu is very flavorful and very satisfying. The burgers are *wonderful.* The grill used to cook the meats, be it burger, steak, or chicken breast, is a wood-burning grill. This means that your meat is imparted with a delicious smokey flavor that a typical restaurant griddle/gas grill cannot impart. I have eaten lunch here several times over the years and it appears to be consistent every time I go. I've had the burgers, salads, wings, huge beer-battered onion rings (very nice, you can taste the beer), and leek soup, and so far it has been delicious.
Love this place. It is my favorite restaurant in the area. Customer service is great, friendly and the food too. We get together time to time and usually stay outside. Inside is a very cool place to dine and the bar is cool too.
All together I have a great experience.
My husband and I have two young kids and we love going here. We're locals and whenever we want good food at a cozy place relatively quickly (it's nearly across the street from us), this is the place we inevitably go.
The food is solid. I don't think it's amazing, but it's good, and on the whole, comforting, filling food. The dining area is so cozy with exposed brick walls and lots of candlelight when it's dark out; or nice and bright due to the wall of french doors that lead out to the outdoor patio. I have yet to hang in the bar, but it looks like a nice, cozy Irish pub. The times we've gone, the service has been timely and friendly.
I've been here 3 times now and each time I had a very pleasant experience. The first time I went with my honey for dinner, we sat outside and got burgers and potato skins, which were both to die for. The second time I went with 2 friends for some drinks in the bar, we had the nachos which were fantastic! and the quesadillas which were alright...had a few Magner's ciders. The last time I went, we brought the whole family and they all loved it. We sat in the dining room, which up until then I didn't even realize they had! The burgers were a big hit, as were the nachos again. We had the Irish lady as our waitress and she was SO warm and sweet...I swear I could listen to her talk all day long! :)
A little pricey for what I'm used to, but definitely worth it. Overall, a great place to bring friends...very chill place, but also a nice place to go and have a drink on the weekends. Great service, great food...definitely happy to have found a good place in the neighborhood!
I like MC Namaras......I mean its not an authentic Irish restaurant BUT what it is is a restaurant with a bar attached and open seating outside. Its like 3 sections to this place....awesome neighborhood joint. Good food at reasonable prices.
AND a real Irish Bartender accent and all !
This neighborhood is a delight! I came here with some friends after a heavy night of drinking and was immediately greeted by the wonderful staff.
We were seated in a cozy booth (with wheelchair accessibility) and of course I immediately ordered some mimosas while my friend ordered a Bloody Mary.
The menu was very appealing as I wanted something heavy. I couldn't decide between the Bangers and Mash or the Corned Beef breakfast. In the end, the bangers and mash won over and asked for an extra side of bangers because I'm a fatty like that.
The service was efficient and attentive - with the waitstaff ensuring my water was constantly replenished and I had enough mimosas to cover my brunch.
I'll come back here again - it's a great neighborhood restaurant!
A few years ago, I had Irish Breakfast here that was pretty good. However... I had the bfast here two weeks ago and it was so awful. I could barely swallow the meats... I liked the tea. LOL.
I have given Macs a few tries and won't again.
I confess. I am Andrea R's friend who dragged her to Mc's so she can check it out.
Dony is the…
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Update.
Still one star.
I ate in the dining area for breakfast this time. I had a hard time keeping any of the food down. When we first sat down, it was really nice and I was liking it. The waitress was really Irish! The tea was nice, the soda bread was yummy, and the atmosphere was just really relaxing and calm.
Then the food arrived. I had the traditional Irish Breakfast. The Rashers were big slices of dry, cold, ham. The "pan fried" Tomato tasted just like plain cold tomato to me. I asked for my egg over medium and it was VERY runny, over easy. The Bangers were SO dry. The English Muffin was very hard. The Potatoes tasted like they were SOAKED in oil and very salty. I love salty things and this was WAY to salty for me. The pudding just tasted like gross, deep fried dirty oil.
The waitress was very nice and seemed like she had a good relationship with customers that are there often. I don't know how these people can eat the food though. Like I said, I had a very hard time keeping any of it down. It was that bad.
Now that I've tried both sides, bar and restaurant; I know there's no reason for me to go back.
I almost feel bad giving mcnamara's one star after reading all the great reviews about the food. I'm… Read more »
Nice place to hang out with friends. The service is good and the food is "OK" (typical bar food). I can't really elaborate too much more -it's just a cool place if you want to grab a beer and chat with a friend. Outdoor seating is a bonus too.
A cute and casual restaurant....
-yummy chilli
-love the fresh mini loaf of bread for the table
-attentive service--our waiter talked to the cook to help handle a food allergy at the table
-cozy atmosphere
Because of the location I'm not certain how often I'll be back, but I know it'll happen.
The place is in walking distance from my place. It's a decent little Irish-ish pub ... A friend of mine came up to deal with some moving activities and we did a time out for some McNamara's.
We had the appetizer sampler platter for starters. The potato skins, onion rings, chicken wings, etc., were really really good. Our fish and chips entree was ... whoa ... wayyyyy over oiled. The french fries were also deep fried in the same oil as the fish and the crossover taste was a little much.
I've had dinner at McNamara's before, so I know they have other good dishes, I'll just have to try some more things before I feel like adding stars.
It was all right. That's all.
This pub has a welcoming family feel to it. I took my dad here because I knew it would be the one place in the neighborhood where he'd be too charmed to act like a prick and leave a lousy tip.
Seriously. You know a pub is doing something right when my old man orders a second round of drinks and chili and crosses the 10 Percent Threshold (he left around 25 percent for our server, if I do recall).
I always order from these guys on my weekdays off. It's a friendly environment to eat by yourself in. All the Irish stand-by items on the menu are done well. Check it out.
Last week I went back to McNamara's because it's close and I wanted a burger but was too lazy (and disappointed from my last visit) to trek over to O'Donovan's.
I was not sorry. We were there late (10:30 on a Fri night) and the bar was hopping but the dining room was empty and the patio (where we chose to sit) had only one other table.
The biggest problem I had all night was the service was pretty slow. We forgave it however, because you could see that our waitress was trying to get her other work done (filling up condiments, folding napkins, etc, etc.) and it was late night, etc. Plus she was really friendly and cute.
We all (3 of us) had a bacon cheddar burger medium rare. It was the best burger I've had in a while. It was PERFECTLY cooked, crispy bacon, a large (but not TOO large) burger....delicious!!
Heck, maybe next time I have a burger craving I'll skip the travel and just head to McNamara's!
3.75 stars is really more accurate.
I went there this summer for burgers and beer, with high hopes…
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If you're looking for a great place to make friends with a sweet and boisterous Irishman, nearly get into a bar fight with a wanker that won't leave you and your friends alone, and enjoy some good drinks, then drop everything and head to McNamara's.
This place earns its stars because not only does the bar have wide selection of beer and whisk(e)y, there never seems to be a dull moment, especially later in the night.
I'll definitely be back to the bar again, and plan on taking advantage of their outdoor seating and testing out the restaurant.
I was here for a family event last night and had a great time! Of course maybe it was because of the great company! Thank you Johnsons!
The beer garden was a nice setting and the beer kept on flowing....and Im a fast drinker!
Food is ok.............they do have a big variety and I have tried alot of it since I have been here many times before!
Nice little place for drinks and food!
McNamara's is one of the few decent restaurants in the Old Irving Park neighborhood. It's a good place for Irish and American food. Most items on the menu are quite good, but some items are complete misses (do NOT get the pancakes if you are there for brunch.) I recommend this as a great place to go if you're in the neighborhood.
McNamara's and I have co-existed in the same part of town for a long time and it was only a couple of years ago that I first tried it. It was a really cold winter afternoon. A friend and I were looking for something different and I suggested McNamara's. We were both really happy that I did because it was one of those lunches that makes you forget the cold and snow outside. The burgers were wonderful, service warm and friendly, and the atmosphere warmed the proverbial cockles.
Because of various family issues, it was a couple more years before I went back, but I found that nothing had changed. The food is still excellent as is the service. Sitting outside on a hot summer night is every bit as pleasant as being inside in the winter. The folks there all seem friendly and eager to please.
There's a large menu which includes some classic pub food such as fish and chips (Batter-dipped, moist, succulent codfish and delicious fries) and shepherd's pie (loaded with lean beef and topped with potatoes so good I could make a whole meal of them.) There are also salads, trendy appetizers like potato skins or spinach-artichoke dip, and a range of entrees from prime rib to nut-crusted salmon, to a humble but excellent meatloaf.
And of course there is plenty of choice when it comes to drinks, with Guinness, Newcastle and Fosters among many others. They even serve hard cider which alone makes it worth the trip.
One of the best things about it is that there's none of that over-the-top, kiss-me-I'm-Irish heartiness about the place. Just a nice, low-key Irish-themed pub with plenty of good food and drink.
One star off because parking can be a huge pain and because the dessert menu wasn't terribly exciting.
This place has the best potato skins in the entire city.
Imagine, if you will, two LARGE baking potatoes cut in half, completely hollowed out and then filled to overflowing with bacon and topped with a 1/4 inch of sharp cheddar cheese. Add some green onion and sour cream, and you are in potato skin heaven. These are so massive that you could have them as an entree and be totally stuffed.
Unfortunately I did not know that going in, so I also ordered a burger. Which was totally fantastic as well. One of the tastiest burgers I've had in a long time, and I LOVED the thick pickle slices. And the fresh-cut fries? With the skin still on? Yes please! (I really overdid it on the potatoes here.)
Besides the potato skins, burger and fries, I also enjoyed some delicious, dense soda bread that was chock full of juicy, plump raisins and slathered with fresh butter. YUM. Seriously, yum.
This place falls just short of a five star due to the *slightly* inattentive service and the fact that the dining room is more crowded than it needs to be. (If only they would take out a couple of tables!) The children running around didn't enhance my experience either, but that's not really something I can blame on the restaurant.
I have no idea why I've never been here before..... But now that I've discovered this place, I plan on making up for lost time.
Any bar with Magners has my undying loyalty
The true test of an Irish bar/restaurant is it's Irish Breakfast. Any Irishman worth their salt knows that. So, with that said McNamara's has a decent Irish Breakfast. I grew up having it, I should know.
What I am super impressed is what I call the "souped up" Irish Breakfast which is your typical Irish Breakfast (eggs, bangers. black/white pudding, potatoes, tomato) PLUS pork chops. Pork chops? Okay. I'll go with it.
I took my Mom & Grandmother there and they loved it. We all loved the soda bread.
I also recommend the salmon salad & pecan almond salad.
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Update:
Just increased to 5 stars. Why you ask? Here's why:
St. Patricks night. Totally laid back, blue collar drinking.
The Emerald Society bagpipers on the bar. Yes on the bar.
A great bacon/cheese hamburger.
Stella behind the bar keepin' the drinks coming.
Went here on a Thursday to meet a bunch of Yelpers out in the beer garden. This was an excellent selection of locations as I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
The service here was great! You couldn't ask for more attentive, friendly service. They went out of their way to accommodate our large group. They also provided us with some complimentary appetizers.
They have a good size menu. I was contemplating ordering some Shepard's pie but after my first few Killian's I completely didn't even think about food! I would like to come back here to try something off of their menu!
We went there for lunch today and it was OK. The spinach dip was bland and boring. When I asked, "how medium rare is your medium rare?" the server said, "Oh it all depends on who's cooking it. It's different every time." Not very encouraging and it turned out to be not very medium rare either! The fries looked great but had obviously been under a heat lamp.
On to the good-the mashed potatoes were great and my companions loved their grilled cheese and turkey wrap. The burger was pretty tasty for $7.75.
I asked if the outdoor seating was dog friendly and they said yes, but dogs had to stay outside of the gate. I never feel that this is very safe so while we might try this place again I don't think we will be bringing Lilo.
On a random Thursday night a bunch of Yelpers gathered at McNamara's for some beer garden fun. I must admit that I don't really venture out this way very often. If not for Yelp, I would have never known about McNamara's.
Here are four things that I love about McNamara's:
1. They serve my favorite beer!! Miller Genuine Draft Light. Hallelujah!
2. Fantastic potato skins and mozzarella sticks (you all know how I love my fried cheese!)
3. One of the waitress/bartenders is one of our very own Yelpers and she took great care of us. :)
4. They have a patio. I ~heart~ patios.
One star for each of the four things that love about McNamara's. I'll be back! Oh yes I will!
Good traditional irish bar with good food. The outdoor patio is nice when the weather cooperates. The breakfasts are hearty. The staff friendly. The prices reasonable. I used to live close by so it was a more frequent destination but I'd go back now that I live further away if I were in the area.
If only they would do something about the service, this place would be awesome. The food is great, but the waitresses and waiters act like they are doing you a huge favor. I've been here dozens of times (because of the food) but I really have only had decent service maybe 3 times.
The younger waitresses sit at a nearby table and count their tips, STARING at you. Meanwhile, your glass is empty, you still haven't gotten that side of dressing you asked for, and you are being ignored while simultaneously stared down. It's bizarre. The older waitress wanders around, ordering busboys while pacing about. You almost don't notice that your table is being ignored because she is buzzing about her other tables so much, especially the larger parties. But she really pays no attention to you, unless you have 4 or more at your table.
Man, if it wasn't for the food, I'd never go back.
McNamara's is within stumbling distance of my apartment, and I fondly think of it as the O'Donovan's of Old Irving. I've been here twice now, and I left happy both times. The first time, my roommate and I went for dinner on their wine special night. I think $10 got us a nice bottle of pinot grigio, the same kind other places sell for $30 or so. I had a buffalo chicken sandwich, which was good but could have been spicier.
The next time, I went with a friend and hung out of the patio. The waitress was cool with the fact that we just wanted to drink beer and not have food. We relocated to the bar once the patio closed for more beer. And then there was more beer, and then... hey, we just stumbled home in 5 minutes! Beer prices are reasonable, and they have a pretty good selection. Anywhere that has Hacker Pschorr is cool in my book. Everyone I talked to that worked there was nice. The bathrooms were clean but could use a little decoration!
Sad to see I missed a Yelp meetup here :-( So close, yet so far. Next time!
Love the skillet's they have for breakfast - you get some eggs, some potatoes, and your choice of a few other ingredients to make it just how you like it. I like Bacon, Japeleno, and Onion.
Very reasonably priced, and always delicious.
Stumbling distance from my front door, this place is much better than it has to be. Outstanding beer battered onion rings, good burgers cooked to order, and yes - the bestest mashed potatoes not made in your own kitchen.
Good strong drinks and english hard cider on tap.
We also love to bring the dog and sit outside, weather permitting.
Not bad. It's a pretty average irish type bar. Pretty much I only come here when one of my bands plays a particular shite-hole down the street just to get the hell out of there for awhile before we play. This does the trick nicely, particularly when it's good weather and you can sit outside. I've found the servers to be pretty amiable and on top of things, though frankly I found the food a bit pricey for the not-so-great quality of it. I had a burger there that was decent, but I also had a steak sandwich that brought the bile to the tip of my tongue.
I don't find it to be a "destination", more of a "lets stop in here, this'll do" kinda place.
Too bad this is not my neighborhood as this would certainly be my neighborhood bar!
McNamara's has just what you want when you go to a place like this- good food, good selection of beers and a great group of people!
I went with the other Yelpers the other night- and although Mother Nature did not cooperate with warm weather ( was I the only one who visualized us sitting outside in shorts and summer tops, versus jeans, sweaters and heavy coats?) we enjoyed the beer garden and the place as a whole.
We had some great appetizers- the potato skins were huge! - so big, in fact, that after a couple of those- the thought of dinner went right out of my head. The nachos plate was also good complete with refried beans and lots of toppings. Couple that with the several Magner's I had (Irish cider for those of you wondering) and I was a "happy camper " indeed!
The menu is large and varied and they have daily specials posted on a chalkboard inside. If you like sports, there is always something on the many TV's. Ladies take note- if you are looking for a place with good odds, there were certainly a lot more men than women evident in this place.
Friendly service, bar food that is good and a wide selection of drinks? Sounds like a winner to me.
McNamara's is a great, low key neighborhood bar full of locals. The bartender is super friendly and fun. Even though my friend and I were some of the few customers under 50 years old on Saturday night, we still had fun. Strong drinks, good food (according to my grandparents). I've been here a few times and have enjoyed myself every time. Bonus: outdoor patio!
This place is totally awesome. I've only been there twice now, but I might end up there at least once a week. The food is excellent and the prices are very good. Everything that my boyfriend and I have tried so far (filet mignon, corned beef & cabbage, McNamara's burger, appetizer sampler) has tasted great.
We haven't hung out at the bar yet, only been to the dining side. But I look forward to bringing my out of town friends here for drinks!
Was hoping to find a reliable place for pub grub (that also serves Magner's--woo hoo!) here and was sorely disappointed.
Hubby & I went for a pretty generic bar & grill meal of potato skins, fish & chips and a burger. Potato skins were the highlight. Seems they crisp the bacon before putting it on the potato--which has included quite a bit of flesh along w/the skin. For me, crisp bacon is key. Cheddar cheese was generously applied, and the dish was accompanied with an ample amount of sour cream--all this and it was easy for me to ignore a few burnt edges.
As for the entrees, my fish and chips was "frightening altogether" as my Irishman would say. Though it did appear to be hand-battered, the fish presented an interesting paradox: the meat inside was tough, as though it had been overcooked; yet the batter layer, instead of being dry and crisp--as you might expect with too-cooked, deep-fried delights--was so soaked with grease that it quickly wilted into a soft mush that slid off the fish as soon as I attempted to slice into it. To top it off, one of my three pieces of fish tasted off-puttingly fishy.
Moving on, the chips tasted like fish. They REALLY tasted like fish, as if perhaps the oil they'd been cooked in had been ready for retirement long ago. They were also GREASY. Hubby literally squeezed the liquid fat out of an unwitting fry with moderate pressure between his thumb and forefinger. And moderate pressure is all you'd need, since they were so mushy, it was a miracle they were able to hold their shape.
According to the husband, the burger had an odd taste to it. Can't comment more on this since I didn't give it a try, but, even starving, he was only able to stomach about a third of it.
Why two stars? I did enjoy their outdoor area, which seemed private despite its position right off (or on, depending which side you are seated in) a busy street. I think the overflowing planters atop the fences surrounding them did the trick. They looked nice, too.
Service was quite good up until the end, when it took more than 10 minutes for the waitress to bring us change for our payment.
I wouldn't go back for a meal. Maybe for a pint or two outside in the summer.
When I used to visit my boyfriend in Chicago my diet consisted of everything, but veggies. For those who know me, this is a big mistake. I get so cranky when I don't get all my food groups in and luckily before I went rector we went to McNamara's where I had chicken with fresh vegetables and a side salad. If I didn't come here I don't think I would have lasted the last two weeks of my trip.
Everything looks and tastes good here, definitely looking forward to being back in Chicago next week!
Came here with some friends after work one Friday.
I would definitely say the food is above average. I had the turkey cheddar wrap. Yum! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Instead of fries I got a double baked potato. It was excellent too. Surprisingly I even had dessert (I was obviously in rare form that day). It was good. I had the caramel apple cheesecake. Beware it has nuts which was not stated on the menu. Very yummy though!
My drinks were good but a little on the weak side and the waitress was nice but a little slow. I also thought it was a little pricey for regular bar food. However, I definitely plan on going back. The place was really cute and had nice holiday decorations.
I am not a big fan of Irish cuisine but I love the beer and whiskey. The service is always slow but it is friendly.
Being a neighborhood place, I do fall there more than I'd like, but hey - it's decent.
Plus they have Al Fresco...isn't that Irish speak for outside?
Love the Soda Bread, but get there early.
Ronnie?
my friend and i first hit up this spot about a year ago after being prompted by our parents...all i can say is thank u mom(s) :)
u walk into mcnameras (restaurant) through their bar into this totally unexpected clean odor free well set up dining room...i was shocked to say the least
great sit down restaurant...casual atmosphere to have a chill nite but can totally double for a date nite
waiters/waitresses/busboys are jonny on the spot---great service for an amazing price...i would say theres enough food for leftovers but well...its so good i never seem to have any
***luv the fresh out of the oven bread and im hooked on the chili/salad combo
When I go to McNamara's I feel like I am in a pancake house. Wait, I thought it was a pancake house. Anyway. McNamara's is a great place and I go there every once in a while with my mom's mom and dad. I loooove the food. I usually get pancakes and sausage when I go there, but sometimes bacon, as long as it's soft. I love soft bacon. And last time I was there, there was a decoration of Santa Claus hanging from the chimney, and he got stuck so we could see his legs. The waitresses were really aaahsome!
amy h. is wise. wise beyond her years. and in her infinate wisdom, she decided to plan a yelp event at mcnamara's.
and it was so so so fun!!
the drinks are reasonable and the service is great (hi stella) and they also took great care of our borderline huge group.
christiana is right. the potato skins are really REALLY good!
it's a bit out of the way for me, but i liked it and will try and go back!
Food Specials
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
$4 x $4 Every Day
Neighborhood: Logan Square
Neighborhood: Albany Park
Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: Irving Park
Category: Irish
Neighborhood: Irving Park
Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: Portage Park
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Albany Park
Category: Bars
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