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Morseland
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Music Venues Nightlife Music Venues Restaurants American (Traditional) Music Venues, American (Traditional) [Edit]
1218 W Morse Ave(between Lakewood Ave & Sheridan Rd)
Chicago, IL 60626
Neighborhood: Rogers Park
(773) 764-8900
- Nearest Transit:
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Morse (Red Line)
Loyola (Red Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 5 pm - 2 am
Sat 5 pm - 3 am
Sun 11 am - 2 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Music:
- DJ, Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
206 reviews for Morseland
Review Highlights
"The beef and cheddar is awesome (and huge."
(in 24 reviews)
"so go get yoself some sweet & hot fries."
(in 8 reviews)
"I highly recommend the Mac and Cheese squares."
(in 29 reviews)
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206 reviews in English
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Review from Erika G.
11/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place has been here in this neighborhood since I lived there. It used to be a weird sort of "someone's apartment" bar, but now it's remodeled. Great place to see a band, and the crowd is full of pretty people. Cheap drinks ($4 vodka tonic!), friendly bartenders and a fantastic ambiance.
Forget about parking - take the Red line. It's a few steps east from the Morse stop. Besides, you shouldn't be drinking and driving anyway.Listed in: Music Venues
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Review from Ann Y.
Chicago, IL
9/30/2011
I've lived in RP for several years and I kept hearing about this place. well finally I figured, what the hell. I went there for breakfast. They have some nice brunch like drinks such as a mimosa. In addition, their breakfasts are reasonably priced. I had two eggs, toast and yummy potatoes for $4. The food was good and the service from Asia our waitress was friendly and fast.
I really would love to come here at night and hear some live music. I definitely will be back!
Oh and to the people bitching about groupon, you had a year to use it, your loss honestly for waiting till the day it expired to go there. Just saying. -
Review from Andi V.
Chicago, IL
9/15/2011
Morseland is a nice, laid-back restaurant where you can get some food and listen to some music. The decor and vibe is pretty cool.
I had the beef and cheddar, and it was really, really good. Almost as good as the white sangria, which is still one of my favorite drinks that I've had in this city.
Our server was friendly and efficient.
They had a zydeco band playing when I was there, and they were good but it was WAY too loud. I actually started getting nauseous.
Overall, a good place. -
Review from Winter D.
Chicago, IL
2/5/2012
We just had the most amazing Sunday brunch! This place has great prices and high quality service and food! By far the best brunch in Rogers Park, hands down!
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Review from Khalilah W.
Chicago, IL
1/11/2012
Went here on Tuesday night...It was just O.K. we had a few drinks,watched a few people try to dance,and tried to listen to some tunes.I could have actually stayed later but I was not feeling the D.J. I'm Not a D.J but One would think that if No one was really dancing that you would change up the song selection.If I were drunk then it would have been a great cool spot,but when you are sober you need to here some good music or be entertained somehow.The drinks were over iced but flavorful..If I go back I will be half drunk and then only order shots or beer which is hard to water down..I will also try to attend on a different night to see if it gets better.
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Review from Lm W.
Chicago, IL
1/3/2012
This place used to be one of our staple hangouts in Rogers Park whether eating dinner or just grabbing some drinks. However, over the past year we watched it deteriorate. The menu got smaller, food lost it's spark and the service (which was always pretty rude) got worse.
We wanted this place to be our local bar as we live across the street but overtime we got tired of being treated like crap. The wait staff gives off this "cooler-than-you hipster vibe." They come off arrogant and rude. I have to say there are a couple of women there that are fantastic! But all of the guys are pricks!
My boyfriend and I went there on a slow night for drinks and brought along a friend of ours who happens to be a non-drinker. We sat at the bar and when our friend ordered a Sprite, the bartender snapped off and said that he can't stay here if he isn't going to drink. We tried reasoning with him, pointing out that 1. there was nobody else at the bar so he wasn't taking up a seat from a potential drinker, 2. two of us were huge drinkers and would certainly be racking up a bill and 3. we intended on ordering appetizers as well. He walked away mumbling and scoffing at us. We felt embarrassed in front of our friend and really felt like walking out right then and there. We stayed, ordered drinks, three appetizers to share, payed our nearly $100 bill and added a 20% gratuity and weren't even thanked or acknowledged on the way out.
Since then, we haven't been back. Lately we just make the trip down to Andersonville or up to Evanston to go out because the Rogers Park restaurant/bar scene for the most part suffers from terrible service. -
Review from Sebastian A.
Chicago, IL
12/15/2011
The food here is OK but the drinks are terrible. Try the "Morseland margarita" and you'll know what I mean. It tastes like dirty water!
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Review from Rock Star R.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 11/8/2011
YAY! The ban has been lifted. The Morseland is back with it's GREAT menu! Lots of Veggie options. Great beer/wine selections. Friendly. Affordable and ROCKING the RP.
Thanks Morseland!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/15/2011
I must start this review by saying, I've been going to The Morseland since 1999 and am very sad to… Read more »
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Review from Samara S.
Chicago, IL
1/26/2012
The food sucks! I would only recommend this restaurant for their entertainment/live shows and pool table. The food literally sucks! We ordered two Ribeye steaks, which were pricy, but we wanted to treat ourselves. They serve steak without steak sauce as if they have perfected the art of steak-making or preperation. I ate some of my steak and undercooked red potatoes and overcooked asparagus, but my guy took one bite of his steak and left the entire plate untouched. The waitress asked why we did not like the food and we stated that the steak was not seasoned, overcooked and burnt tasting, and dry. The fact that they do not offer steak sauce did not help. She returned and said that she was sorry and the chef was upset and they still charged us full price for a meal that we did not eat or enjoy. I would not recommend this restaurant for eating at all.
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Review from Dona K.
Chicago, IL
7/1/2011
If I could rate this place with ZERO stars then I would. Simply awful. I called earlier this week to ask about making a reservation for 2. They said they were booked solid (I assumed it was because of the expiring Groupon) but that I could come and wait for a table outside, or order and take-out.
I live too far away for delivery, so I drove 45 minutes up there on Thursday the 30th prepared to get take-out. I made sure to arrive at 5:00, when they open, in order to beat the crowds.
Well, they were closed with a simple sign on the door saying that they would re-open on Friday. No explanation, and no reference to the Groupon customers who were facing the expiration of their purchase.
After I arrived and read the sign I sat down for a while on the sidewalk to rest before my long drive home. In the course of 15 minutes I met at least a dozen other customers who were equally disgruntled after finding the place closed. Some of them had driven from the other side of town and were quite pissed.
Morseland, you have made a lot of people angry with you this last week and I suspect that your business will suffer for it, as it should. -
Review from Laura V.
Oak Park, IL
6/30/2011
Ridiculousness ensued at Morseland last night. It was the night before the expiration date for their very popular Groupon and somebody there had the brilliant idea to allow the entire restaurant to be rented out for a private event. Are we actually supposed to think that they thought that the outside seating would be enough to satisfy the needs of regular and Groupon customers? Please. I'm pretty sure they did it on purpose. Based on other reviews, it sounds like Morseland is unhappy with their Groupon experience and decided to take it out on those customers. Either way it felt like a giant "F-You, Groupon".
There were maybe 10 tables outside, all being used. Since I was already there, I decided to wait for a table despite being told it would be at least 45 minutes. I figured I could grab a few drinks in the bar and transfer the tab to my table. WRONG. I was told I couldn't use my Groupon at the bar that evening - only outside. WTF?
We got seated a half an hour later and by then things were really getting sour. There was an army of Groupon ready customers who had showed up and were undeniably pissed off by the situation. Now that the private event started and the bar was full, they all lined up outside, glaring.
The waitress was a sweetheart but it didn't help the fact that our hummus appetizer arrived 45 minutes after ordering it, and with our food. Everything with one exception was sub par. The hummus was sad, flavorless and scant, the portobella burgers were juicy but also flavorless - no flavoring at all from what I could tell. (I just took a look at one of the yelp reviewer's picture of THEIR hummus plate and surprise, surprise, it looked NOTHING like what I got. LOL.) The shining star was the sweet hot fries which even sans the cheese bordered on brilliance. Overall, my friends and I managed to see humor in all the ridiculousness and had an OK night. No thanks to Morseland!
I think Morseland made a bunch of enemies last night with their shoddy treatment of their groupon customers and I definitely won't be back!
Side notes: There is a large parking lot but most of the spots were empty and reserved. LAME!Listed in: Dead to Me.
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Review from Jasmine M.
Chicago, IL
7/6/2011
I had been to Morseland a couple of times before as it's only a block from my apartment, and I recently purchased their Groupon deal from Dealsgoround 2 weeks before it was to expire. Me and a friend had planned to go on 30th, the last day to use it. However, that day there was a new message on their website that they would be closed that day "due to unforeseen circumstances". I thought fine, I'll just call them later and redeem the Groupon another day. Here is how that conversation went:
Me: Hi, I was there on the 30th to redeem my Groupon, but you guys were closed.
long silence...
Me: Well, can I come in some other time to redeem my Groupon since you were closed that day?
Guy: No, you've missed your window of opportunity.
Me: What do you mean, I wanted to redeem it on the last day, and you closed during what is your usual business hours.
Guy: (uh duh) It was our policy to give 365 days to redeem your Groupon.
Me: Well, you didn't give 365 days, you gave 364.
Guy: You missed your window of opportunity.
Me: Well I'm sure Groupon is not as ridiculous as you are so at least I'm sure I can get my money back from them.
Guy: (laughs) Give it a shot (I'm a jerk and that fact simply doesn't bother me).
I should note that all of the above was spoken with an attitude of rude indifference from the first moment.
Stupid people make me so SAD.
You close your own doors due to your own emergency, and yet it makes perfect sense to you that we are the ones to be screwed over? AMAZING.
Whatever happened between them and Groupon, or them and other Groupon customers is a separate issue. That is no excuse for a total lack of decency and intelligence.
I can get over imperfect food, or service, or anything else, but outright stupid rudeness is one thing I won't put up with. I certainly won't ever go back here no matter anything else good there (might) be to say about it. -
Review from Nessie V.
7/1/2011
They have so much wrong, and not much right.
First of all, I am a Groupon whore, and here is one of the few places that not only regretted doing the deal but decided to take it out on customers. It was a Groupon ghetto, to turn a phrase. We were looked down on and treated as second-class citizens.
Sure I went on a night when there was an event. I can sit outside on a nice day. But then there is all this renegging on the deal. Ok, I can walk this new maze. Fine.
But then the food is super slow. Like 20 minutes for a hummus plate app. And it was just a thin smear on a plate, not like the picture at all, and not much different from store-bought either. The portabella sandwich was really bland. No marinade or seasoning on the mushroom at all. I could barely finish it.
Another weird thing: In the bathroom stall there was a pinup in the form of an ad for some beer. But it basically called women "things." Sure, I like scantily clad women, but that's just a little on the nose with the objectification.
Anyhow, service was jacked, but our server did her best with the hand she was dealt, but crap rolls downhill. The little she could do wasn't enough, especially with that food. Even if they wanted me as a customer I wouldn't come back.Listed in: Dead to Me
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Review from jay h.
Chicago, IL
6/18/2011
This is the restaurant where appetites go to die. It's a slow death due to the terrible service.
It was all downhill after the free parking. We ordered a bottle of wine from the selection of $5-6 (retail) bottles being sold for $22 to $26. 15 minutes later, wine arrives with apology. Apparently someone called in sick.
Food was equally slow, taking 45 minutes. It was not worth the wait -- or any wait, really. The special was a crab roll. Crab was flavorless, and the toasty bread was the highlight. The hostess did not give us the special card, and the server never mentioned the special. Wish I had not checked on-line. We also got the Froasted chicken. Ugh. The kitchen staff had entombed this poor bird in salt, the result was an overcooked and inedible mess. Potatoes were good, asparagus spears were undercooked.
I had been here before and had a decent meal. This was much worse. Never again. -
Review from Eduardo M.
Chicago, IL
6/27/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I have friends that live near Morseland, so there are get-togethers planned around dinner/brunch here. It's a great little place, and has both a cool vibe and great food.
If you find yourself driving here, they have a parking lot, and if you're taking the el, the red line is just a couple of blocks away. So either way, you have no excuse to check this place out. -
Review from Sarah Z.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 7/2/2011
Oh, Morseland. I used to love you but now I feel betrayed. I'm not sure what happened with the Groupon, but even before that debacle, you weren't what you used to be.
The menu is half what it was a year ago, and the prices are higher. All my favorites are now gone from the menu, and what's left is overpriced. I could overlook the slow service when I liked the delicious food, but I now refuse to wait 25 minutes for french fries with a little melted cheese and red pepper flakes. Morseland was always our go-to for delivery, but now the menu doesn't even appeal to us and the prices are so much higher than they once were that we haven't ordered in a long time. You've lost a once loyal customer.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/1/2010
Excellent, fast delivery and great in-restaurant service. Good beer selection. Employees are all… Read more »
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Review from Amanda D.
Highland Park, IL
4/9/2011
I came to Morseland this evening, for the first time, to see a friend's band play. The flyer (which you can see here: http://morseland.com/i...) stated very clearly that there would be no cover charge before 10 p.m. Arriving at 9:35, I expected that I would not have to pay. Still, upon arrival, the doorman was collecting cover from me and two women who had also just arrived. They said they had seen the same flyer I had, and the doorman asked the owner for verification. The owner went into the back, supposedly to check the website, and returned only to report that there was no such information. We all paid the $8 cover and went inside.
Confused by this, I decided to look at the site on my phone. I did and again saw the previously linked flyer. I showed this to the doorman who directed me to speak with the owner. The following conversation ensued:
Me: Hi. I'm not trying to be rude, but I just wanted to show you that your website said there would be no cover tonight prior to 10.
Owner: Yeah, I don't know why that's on there.
Me: Well, since you are the owner, and this is *your* website, isn't it your responsibility to make sure the information is accurate?
Owner: Yes, but we always charge for shows.
Me: Ok... but wouldn't you say this is a bit misleading?
Owner. Yes. I'm still charging.
Since he was clearly not going to listen to reason, I decided to save my battle for yelp. I didn't care about the $8, but I'd really rather not be lured to a business under false pretenses. Needless to say, I have no interest in patronizing a venue that misleads its customers and doesn't apologize. I certainly won't be returning. -
Review from Jacob J.
Updated - 7/15/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Gosh how I dislike their brunch. Nothing to brag about and service is pretty bad. Not sure if it is limited to my few mid afternoon experiences, but see other reviews. The last experience was dreadful and for items which take maybe a few minutes of preparing we sat and waited over an hour on a less than busy Sunday afternoon. My party resented the experience. Forgetful, forgetful, forgetful. Every last detail breakfast entailed was forgotten by our less than stellar waitress.
Who knows, for an occasional mid week hang for music, maybe a long island ice tea and a beef n'cheddar, maybe I'd risk it.. if I forget. We'll see. I teeter on the rating though. The beef and cheddar sandwich is a winner, but.. when service blows.. it's hard to give a good rating.
2.5 stars.
This location is a vortex for horrible cell signal if you have AT&T. Free Wi-Fi would be awesome.. FYI management.Listed in: Eggs Benedict - Some good…
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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12/3/2009
So Rob B. from Rogers Park or "RoPo" and why is it RoPo and not RoPa is what I'm wondering. Rob's… Read more »
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Review from K T.
Chicago, IL
I think it's time for a quick update. I have eaten here so many times its almost shameful. The staff know me by name and can probably predict the days I'll show up.
I always enjoy myself here but last summer the restaurant really hit a rough patch, as I mentioned in my first review, too many new waitresses, horrible waits for food (an hour for a salad???) & always out of the food you wanted ... maybe thats the nature of this being the only good bar in Rogers Park & everyone wanting to go out during the summer months ..... but Morseland has definitely improved since the summer of 2010.
They recently scaled down their menu a lot, and while they took off some of the items I thoroughly enjoyed, I think they are focusing on the items they are offering and making them much BETTER than they use to. Their Beef and Cheddar is way better, the quality of meat they use is noticeably better, more tender & more delicious. Their Catfish Po-Boy is spot on, tangy sweet coleslaw, perfect bite of pickle, some unnameable, delicious sauce and salty catfish, yes please!
Their Biscuits & Gravy during Sunday Brunch are so good I would request them as my last meal. Their Eggs Benedict are equally sinful and delicious.
I love this bar. It's not dirt cheap by any means, you can wrack up a bill fast here (so order 3$ Pabst instead) but I love the staff here, they treat my BF and I very well. Their food is even better than before and it's a chill, friendly environment. I always feel welcome.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/19/2010
The boyfriend and I have been here countless times.
They have great beer here on tap and are a… Read more »
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Review from Emily T.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 6/24/2011
UPDATE:
So, I successfully used my second Groupon. This experience was definitely better than the first, hence the added star, but they still have some things to work on.
1) It was approx. 10 on a Saturday night, and my bf and I wanted to eat, have a couple of beers, and go home (we were both exhausted from a long day) Imagine, then, being immediately asked for $10 EACH cover at the door for the DJ playing. Ugh. Sorry Morseland, downtown club you are NOT. And how was I supposed to know that you, neighborhood hangout, were going to have entertainment, and want to charge this crazy cover? How do I know this DJ is even WORTH it? (He wasn't) Boo. The bf paid $10 for both of us, and we bellied up to the bar.
(Now, this is very important):
2) I ordered the beef and cheese sandwich upon the recommendation of the bartender. This sandwich is literally 2 1/2 stars of this 3 star review. DELICIOUS. Holy crap. So, so good. I will go back, just for this gd sandwich. its served on a half onion roll, and it is amazing.
A few beers, a few shots, and we were ready to go. Here was the other snafu of the night: The bartender overcharged me because he forgot about the Groupon I'd told him earlier that I had. Ok, that happens. Except, rather than just give me the bill, he went ahead and charged my credit card! NEVER ASSUME, bartender! Ok, so that had to be voided. New charge: $4. Better! But what does he do? Yeah- charge my debit card again! What? I had a gd $20 in my wallet dude, but whatever. Always ask how your customers would like to pay, guys.
So, this place is definitely hit and miss. Decent beer selection, excellent sandwich, but everything else needs work.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/5/2010
I really want to love The Morseland. And I think its possible. I'm HOPING its possible. But if… Read more »
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Review from John W.
Chicago, IL
10/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Beef and Cheddar! That's all you need to know!
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Review from Andrew D.
Updated - 6/14/2011
I have loved Morseland since my fake ID days of the early 1990s.
I know it's changed hands since then, but it is still super cool today. The bartenders are great, and the service is excellent.
And the food is pretty much perfect pub food. They have great wings, the "sweet and hot" fries are awesome ... great burgers.
Also, this part of Rogers Park will surprise you with how cool it is. Last time I was there we did a pub crawl of like three different places.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/14/2010
The neighborhood bar/restaurant/everything you always wanted.
Bar food that exceeds expectations.
… Read more »
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Review from Heather C.
Chicago, IL
1/1/2012
The best buffalo wings EVER! Highly recommend!
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Review from Lawrence Y.
Chicago, IL
6/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
I don't know why I didn't check this place out sooner!
We stopped on in for a late dinner one weeknight and it's a pretty dive-y place to eat at. Our server (Asia) was very personable and attentive. Are wings considered comfort food?! Because I had their 10 piece buffalo wings, and they were very good and tender (downed with an AA Palmer). I devoured it like a fat kid loves cake.
Speaking of desserts! If you are here, you MUST must must get the FRENCH SILK PIE! This was like heaven landing in my mouth... forever. PROMISE ME YOU'LL TRY IT! -
Review from Dave D.
Chicago, IL
7/1/2011
I've enjoyed Morseland from time to time for years. The food is always tasty and they always have an array of great beers. The bartenders, servers, and everyone else who works there are always super friendly and fun. There is often a great band playing or dj's. It's never a bad time.
Try the pasta entree and the mixed drinks too! If you love it half as much as I do you'll be in for a great night! -
Review from Megan G.
1/26/2011
I think I expected more from Morseland (see what I did there?) That being said, if this were in my neighborhood I could see coming here often, given that it's not, I likely won't make the trek back.
I came to Morseland for dinner because I had a Groupon. Far from the inattentive service complained of by some Grouponers, our service was over attentive. As in, back at our table every two minutes until we placed our food at drink orders. The drink list was a little smaller than I'd have expected for this venue, but the options were good enough. I decided on a Guinness (practicing for my upcoming trip to Ireland) and the catfish po' boy. My friend ordered some other beer and the blue mountain barbecued catfish. We opted to start with the mac and cheese fritters.
Everything was just...fine. It wasn't good, it wasn't bad, it was just sort of there. My friend did comment that his mashed sweet potato side was really good.
I can see Morseland being a solid choice if you happen to be out with a bunch of un-adventurous eaters. For me though, there are way better options closer to home. -
Review from Maria C.
Chicago, IL
5/9/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This place is mediocre. I like their macaroni and cheese and they have great chicken.
The staff has always been super friendly and they always recommend different dishes which I like. I have been here for brunch as well as dinner and I do admit, this place is jumping when there is live music. -
Review from Monica L.
Chicago, IL
1/15/2011
I expected a lot more from you, Morseland.
Especially after hearing my friends rave about you right before we picked up the phone to make an order for delivery. I thought I had it all figured out. A Morseland Po'Boys Sandwich ($8) with a side of Baked Mac & Cheese ($2) . A taste bud party, if you will.
The delivery boy ruined the entire experience for me. Who knew that was even possible. He was EXTREMELY RUDE for no apparent reason and had the nerve to scoff at me after I gave him a lousy tip. HE SCOFFED and just stood there. First of all, it's optional. Secondly, you deserved it. Third of all, well, WHO DO YOU THINK ARE?! I should've busted out my Yelp button. You do NOT want to mess with me.
I was disappointed because I didn't get to enjoy my sandwich as much as I would have without that rude encounter. Yes, it makes a difference. It was a good sandwich, but it had potential to be phenomenal. But instead it was just good and I was a left with a bitter taste in my mouth.
I'm not at all surprised at the bad service all the other Yelpers encountered while dining IN the restaurant. Probably the same guy with the nerve. Good eats, good beats, bad service. -
Review from R C.
Chicago, IL
6/5/2011
One of the best Beef'n'Cheddar sandwiches in Chicago! Try it with the Mac'n'cheese on the side and you will thank me.
They have a good beer selection on tap, although they were out of Wittekerke when I was there.
For appetizers, I would hold off on the wings as they are average at best.
A good place to eat outside or have a beer! -
Review from Kiri K.
Chicago, IL
6/30/2011
You've forever LOST A CUSTOMER MORSELAND.
I'm soooo done with this place now. Details on my experience follow, but if you're looking for a good meal in the neighborhood where you can actually converse with your friends, skip the Morseland and go a block west to the Act 1 Pub - similar prices, better service, and MUCH better food.
Details:
I've lived in the neighborhood for almost a decade now, and I used to go to the Morseland for dinner quite a bit ... and I used to enjoy it. However I've gone less and less often over the years because the food's gotten increasingly mediocre and they have this annoying habit of booking acts and charging a cover, even if you've just come for dinner. Why would you book anything over the prime dinner hour? Starting at 9p I could understand ... but at 6? WTF? Don't call yourself a restaurant then - just call yourself a bar and serve frozen pizzas - I'd be more likely to come back if that were the case.
Then there was last night - we stood in the doorway for about 5 minutes before anyone came to talk to us. Then found the place was booked out for an event over the dinner hour - and on the night before their Groupon expired. So not only was the dining room full - and with a spoken word sort of event, so even if you could get in you wouldn't be able to talk to your companions - but also, the were not taking patio seating, or delivery because the wait was over 2.5 hours. TERRIBLE TIMING. Was it on purpose? Trying to make it so all the Groupon people can't actually use their certificates?
So we happened to wander down the street to try Act 1 for the first time. It was awesome - mac & cheese puts the Morseland's to shame. And we were greeted immediately given no whiny run around by the staff.
I have a feeling there are no good times ahead for this establishment - seems they have upset a lot of people lately.
Goodbye Morseland. Don't let the door hit you in the a** on the way out, since that seems to be your message to dinner patrons. -
Review from Kristina H.
Chicago, IL
7/1/2011
My husband and I bought 2 groupons to this establishment. We went a few weeks ago and had a mediocre experience (the food was tasty but the service was extremely slow, and it wasn't busy at all). I would have rated my experience at this point at three stars.
However, when we tried to use our expiring groupon yesterday evening, Morseland was closed.
When I called today to inquire about how they intended on honoring the expired groupon (which states at the bottom that they are required to honor at least the purchase price after the expiration date), I was rudely informed that they had closed because they ran out of food and would be not be honoring the groupon in any way. Thankfully, groupon takes care of it's customers and issued me a refund; however, Morseland, you have lost a customer for life. -
Review from Philly G.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 9/12/2011
Had the jerk chicken sandwich. It was okay not spectacular and it cost $9 but the container of Mac n cheese that I added for only $1 more was amazing. I would have paid the $9 just for that. Definitely get the baked Mac n cheese if you go here.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/24/2011
Went here on a Friday night. Not enough seating and a bit crowded. Drink wasn't made well. All of… Read more »
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Review from monica t.
Chicago, IL
4/19/2011
Went here last night with a group of friends for my boyfriend's birthday. Called in advance to let them know a group was coming, and had no problems once we got there. Service was decent, prices were about the same, although I wish they had a bigger menu selection. As the night went on, our waiter was less attentive, and it took us about a half hour to get our check. However, kudos to the waiter for trying his hardest to accommodate my vegan friend by substituting sauces on the portabella mushroom burger. They were really cool about splitting the bill up (two folks had cards and everyone else had cash) so that was good because I know a lot of places get really bent out of shape for that.
I'm giving them three stars out of five because towards the end, a man from the bar got on their little stage and was being a jokester on the mic for a second and the bartender got mad and went on stage and pushed him off. We were enjoying the jokester and thought it was entertaining and apparently the bartender told him he was being an asshole, closed their tab and kicked his whole party out. I thought that was a little excessive and unnecessary. We were all enjoying it and it was way better than their "jazz" show they had before (the performers didn't say one word the entire time and i thought they were still warming up when they were actually playing their set).
Overall, the place was cute, I might come back, but the employees really need to lighten up and be a little nicer to their patrons. -
Review from steve l.
Evanston, IL
7/5/2011
The Morseland closed their doors for just one night: the night many people came to redeem a GroupOn. Should we be angry they are that cheap, impressed that they are doing well enough not to care, or feel sorry that they we're naive when they signed up for it a year ago? Who cares....
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Review from Dennis R.
Chicago, IL
9/21/2011
The food is ok. Some of it can be a bit heavy or greasy and they've been a bit heavy on the salt from time to time. Decent bar food, though. Not a bad beer selection. The service is ok. It is a neighborhood joint and good for the neighborhood. I've never been at night but they seem to have some fun bands. There is sidewalk dining in the summer.
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Review from Stephanie S.
Chicago, IL
7/21/2010
Save your money. My fiance and I went here when we first moved into the neighborhood about a year ago, and loved the carribean pork sandwich. We craved it. Since then, we have gone back four times, tonight being our last visit.
First, we were seated and our drink order was taken by the manager because our waitress was busy (even though the restaurant was dead). The manager brought back our drinks, took our appetizer order and entree order...but informed us they were out of the pork sandwich. My fiance asked for a little more time. Then, fifteen minutes later, our waitress came back, retook my entree order, and when my fiance asked for the beef and cheddar, was informed that they were also out of that. Now, you need to understand that the menu is limited to begin with, so this is pretty unacceptable. He finally settled on a burger.
When the appetizer came, the crabcake, presentation was terrible. In addition, it was luke warm. More disappointment. My fiance ordered his burger medium, and it came well-done. I ordered the pesto pasta, which was laden with canned peas (though the menu indicated baby green beans) and had about five really long noodles. It was swimming in a pool of pasta water.
The icing on the cake is that this meal, on a Tuesday night at 8:00pm, took an hour and a half.
Needless to say, we won't be returning. Too bad. If you are looking for something in the area, stay away. -
Review from Katie K.
Chicago, IL
7/2/2010
While this place is fine most of the time, something happened the other day that will keep us out of the Morseland for a long, long while, and enjoying the Act One Cafe down the street instead from now on.
They issued a great Groupon the other day for the Morseland, which close to 3,000 people purchased. You would think the Morseland would have monitored the amount purchased, and would have known they would have had a full house immediately following the Groupon day. (which they did) On top of the Groupon, they had a cool Storytelling event going on, so it was really very crowded.
Guess how many servers they had for the entire place (including the patio)? TWO. 2. DEUX. DOS. For tons of families and couples and friends eating dinner and having drinks. We waited 45 minutes for a plate of hummus and veggies after waiting 20 minutes to even be acknowledged and given a menu and glasses of water. The manager was a complete IDIOT. We asked for a table for 2. I asked if there was room on the patio, and he said "I really have no idea". Well go look you idiot! Then we saw the manager picking up cheerios from a baby off the floor with his bare hands, not wash his hands, then serve people some food and drinks. We witnessed him walking in circles on several occasions. He is incompetent to the highest degree. My husband has been in the service industry for years and was APPALLED.
After over an hour, we received our 2nd appetizer for our table. Then my husband finally got his Diet Coke, also. The table next to us (with two children) waited an hour and a half for a plate of kids chicken nuggets. Their meal came even longer after that. After our second appetizer came, we said screw this, left cash on the table, and got out of there. It was SO stressful. We could have eaten down the street and been home enjoying a beer on the terrace.
Our waitress seemed to be the only person who knew what was going on- she was great. The manager and the kitchen staff- not so much. -
Review from Char Y.
Chicago, IL
7/24/2010
Just so you know, parking is a B***** here! They do have a parking lot, but it's easily filled when busy, and the neighborhood is just over crowded. However, the food was good, atmosphere fun & lively, and our service prompt & friendly. We ordered
mac & cheese fritters - really yummy
chicken club salad - fresh & loaded with stuff
best beef & cheddar - i honest didn't know what to expect, but it was good
pork diablo sandwich - REALLY good
baked mac & cheese - good
On a side note, their normal fries are yummy too. Maybe I was really hungry, but the food did not disappoint. -
Review from Dorotka K.
Franklin Park, IL
7/23/2010
I went there with a couple of friends on a blistery December evening. It seemed like the perfect stop for a couple of drinks after dinner.
The place was a bit busy, but we were able to get a couple of tables in the nook by the door. We had to flag down the waitress a couple of times before we were able to order our drinks.
After we got our drinks and hung out for about 15-20 minutes, it got super crowded. The waitress came up to us and said that they will have live music soon, so we either have to pay cover or leave. Uhh... we thought that was very weird, downed the rest of our drinks and just left. -
Review from Katie N.
Chicago, IL
2/20/2011
Went here with a small group of friends to use up a Groupon, and it was okayish at first. Waited nearly 20 minutes for them to put a couple tables together for us in a restaurant/bar that was half empty. I couldn't really figure that one out. Bartender asked us 15 minutes in if we wanted anything to drink while we waited. So, needless to say, service was a little questionable. Then when we finally got seated, our server was MIA for awhile. It was just confusing. Good thing we weren't all that interested in having several drinks while we were there! Oh and prices were pretty good, which is always nice. I think it was like 4 bucks for a Heineken. Can't complain about that.
Food was meh. Couple of us got make-your-own quesadillas and there was nothing special about them. Another friend order a different app and said it was pretty good. Kitchen is open until 1am, so if you're looking for some decently priced late-night beers and bar apps, I suppose its a fairly good choice to stop in at.
We happened to pick a night that a south side DJ was coming in to spin some house/disco music. (That's how they advertised it) They were going to charge us a $10 cover even though we were there 2 hours before the DJ started. That's kinda bogus. Said he was gonna kick off the party at 10...we left at 11 and still no house music. Unless the background music they were playing counted. Dunno. Anyway, it got REAL boughetto in there REAL quickly, so we bounced without having to pay the cover.
I'd say this place is okay if you're looking for a cheap neighborhood drink and appetizer or burger in a fairly quiet ambience in the earlier hours of the evening.
