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Categories: Bars, American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Ukrainian VillageTue-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
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This place wins on so many levels!
It's on the ever-growing Chicago Ave corridor of cool places.
The space itself is really impressive! Like patio seating? Cue a sidewalk courtyard, and another covered outdoor seating area with pillow-covered benches. Inside more your thing? Walk in the huge double wooden doors, and you're in the middle of a gargantuan room with bench seating along either end, an awesome looking bar, hanging medieval chandeliers, a fireplace, and great overall vibe. Seriously. This would be a killer place to throw a party or event.
The FOOD!!!!!!!!! Best bean burger I've ever tried. And I'm a meat eater. Weird. I'd totally just go there for bean burgers forevvveerrrrrrr. Also, the Spicy Tilapia sandwich completely slays. That remoulade really adds some kick! Add caesar salads as included side orders, and we're in business. (The caesar dressing tastes homemade. I'm usually not an anchovy fan, but it works here.)
Encyclopedic array of beers and wines. Go nuts!
Suuuper friendly waitress while we were there. She was excited about making beer, food and even neighborhood recommendations. She seemed genuinely interested in us and our orders -- not like she was just doing her job. It was refreshing.
Seriously. I am so going back there. I might even try to move in.
Old Oak Tap stand out above many other neighborhood options, which is why I take visitors here or suggest this spot when dining with friends from other hoods.
In the summer, it's ideal to sit outside on the spacious patio to enjoy the weather. In the winter, I enjoy the indoors; the dining room/bar seems like a modern take on a lodge.
Their food is well priced (most salads and sandwiches hover around $10), and several step above standard "bar" food. They also get points for presentation. Even though the menu isn't huge, I usually have difficulty deciding my order because at least 5 or 6 things sound amazing every time. Whiile I've enjoyed everything eaten here, the pork belly sandwich is my favorite.
I love Old Oak Taps beer flight. Most places with beer flights make the selections for you, but Old Oak Tap allows you to pick your three drafts. I like being able to choose my beer, and it is a good deal. But alas, Old Oak Tap is not perfect - they are repeatedly out of several of the bottle beers listed on their menu.
Real talk: If I didn't love the burgers so much here, this would be demoted to zero stars, f'reals.
This is the type of bad customer service -- consistently, mind you -- that motivates me to not do assigned work and have to shout it out loud and proud. It's not even one server. It's like, every server. It's the "repeat offender" type of bad service that makes you spend a good portion of your meal discussing how bad the service is.
Like, when you go to Wendy's, you know what you're getting and can deal with the fact that the woman who is taking your order probably goes home at night, takes a deep hit and thinks "Is this what my life has amounted to?" You can really empathize with a person like that. But when you go to a restaurant where your server was either unfortunate enough to be named after a stripper or has carefully chosen her awful pseudonym , you can expect a notch or three above in service.
That said, as I mentioned above, I love the burgers here. The beers are really good too and not terrrrrribly over priced. But it's like, when weighing how bad your experience is vs. how good your food is, it's a real pickle, you know?
Went here last night with a group of 4. The ambiance was nice, very upscale relaxed. It was however, almost too dark to read the menus or pick out the good bit from my salad while at the back corner table we where given. The salad (grilled chicken) was huge, defiantly a meal in itself. I also had a cup of soup, a turkey bisque that was great. My cohorts all had sandwiches that they said were good ( one said his turkey reuben was "amazing') but, they all said their fries were a little on the cold side, same for one guys mashed potatoes. Overall a nice place to hang and have a casual meal.
I love Old Oak; the patio is rad in the spring/ summer, and it is a great place to grab a drink and snacks. They have a great beer and wine list, and they make their own pretzels. Let me repeat that: THEY MAKE THEIR OWN PRETZELS. They are to die for. Get me to Old Oak and get me a glass of wine, pretzels and their outstanding fish tacos and i will love you forever.
You can't go wrong at the Old Oak Tap.
A casual neighborhood bar with upscale detailing that's just as cool in the summer as it is in the winter.
Summer: gorgeous patio with plenty of buzz yet there's always an open table.
Winter: cozy fireplaces, beautiful light fixtures-- the insides are all about the trim.
Year-round awesomeness: fantastic beer selection (Ayinger Brau-Weisse on tap!), really solid food ('Fat Boy Pie', corn fritters, a pork sampler) and the relaxed atmosphere of a Vermont ski lodge meets Nantucket.
Note: had my birthday party here last year in the upstairs room looking over the bar. The staff is very accommodating and worked out a reasonably-priced drink package including a bevy of liquor and premium beer selections. Score! Only faux-pas of the evening: I was having so much fun I forgot to prompt the staff to bring out my huge birthday cake! Hope they enjoyed it ;)
Something about the Ikea decor, baby strollers, and River North crowd made me very wary about this place. However, I knew my sister, a true suburbanite, would love it... so I took the plunge and we ate here for lunch. "Damnit," I told her after lunch, "I like this place."
The food is good. Granted, one time my turkey bacon romaine sandwich was missing the bacon ::gasp:: I alerted the waitress and had that fixed... ok, but now I'm remembering that I couldn't find my waitress until everyone else was done eating, even though there were only two other tables. I'm tempted to remove a star, but I won't. She was cute.
Basically, it is a really well decorated hipstery lunch/drinks type place (sandwiches are about $9). Avoid the strollers, sit outside, and get a beer you've never had (their list is great) and you won't be sorry you came here.
This place is great! I came here last week with a couple of friends, enjoyed an Old Rasputen and Duck Sliders. The cherry sauce on the duck was a great sweet addition to the savory duck. My only complaint is that the bun was a bit too white castle for the duck... I understand sliders are sliders, but if the roll was a bit nicer it would perfect the dish. Spicy Fries were greats.
This is the place to go if you want to go out for a drink and have bar food... but you want your bar food to be unique, tastey and slightly high end.
I dig!
Really cool, airy space. Easy to get in, easy to get a table. Music is just audible. Had appetizers and beer. Good app's. Definitely will go back.
Changed their black bean burger recipe.
Went here yesterday and they set down a way smaller burger..i opened the bun and saw a previously frozen Morningstar patty. I asked the waitress why they changed the recipe and she said they ALWAYS used frozen patties...which is totally a lie.
My boyfriend and I came here 3 times in one week because of this big crispy amazing spicy home made black bean burger. We have been vegetarians for a long time and we know a morningstar or boca when it's in front of us.
Totally bogus...why is it when spending cuts happen, the vegetarians are the first to get knicked.
Kuma's did away with their portobella to put boca patties down for veggies. Now Old Oak Tap is throwing morningstars down as if its worth 8 bucks.
Not coming back, sorry you lost me and my boyfriend and everyone I bring there!
Yes! Its a little pricey but this is the BEST black bean burger I've ever had!
It's awesome to sit…
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I didn't expect to like this place. It's a little too yuppy, a little too aggressively hip for me. But they're a block from my house, and they have outdoor seating, and I was intrigued to see shrimp and grits on their menu when I surreptitiously scoped it out.
And the shrimp and grits were wicked good. They put Wishbone to shame. And then the fish tacos were good. And the roasted beet salad. Oh, and the brunch cocktails. (Those were TOO good).
In the end, everything I or my friends have ever had here has been delicious: well cooked, well seasoned, and fresh. It's enough to make a girl forgive the uber-trendy decor. They may be a bit obsessed with style, but they've got the kitchen-skills to back it up.
Beautiful restaurant with a spacious (and not jammed against the street or sidewalk) patio.
I went on a Saturday and they serve brunch up until 3:30 which was disappointing because I wanted to get something that would represent how how their menu is. (a little hard to do with an omelet) But the meal ended up making up for it. I had the prime rib (rare) with a fried egg and house salad and it was delicious. I dined with 3 other people and between them they had the salmon, burger and po' boy. All of which they loved and scarfed down. Everyone's favorites were the hash browns and spicy fries (which they give a ton of).
I was hoping for a bigger menu selection but they have definitely peaked my interest to try them again! (oh..and a good beer selection too!)
Finally after a living in the area for almost two years I had brunch here! I ordered the omelette of the day and to sum it up I will use the word "meh". If I remember it was a turkey and spinach omelette and it really didn't have much flavor. Perhaps it was because I going back and forth between getting the omelette and the breakfast sandwich and when I saw the person next to me get the sandwich I wished I had ordered that. The potatoes that came with the omelette though were very good! My brunch date kept picking at my plate stealing them. I ordered a bellini and that was pretty good, nice and strong. But for $7 a piece I was only able to have one, that's just too much for me to spend.
We sat outside because it was such a beautiful day but then a party of 8 1/2 were sat next to us and I hate to say it but they kinda ruined it for us. The 1/2 is a baby that would. not. stop. crying. This wasn't just crying, it was screaming. I understand that there isnt too much one can do about it but at least walk away with your baby until it calms down. Sorry if this makes me sound like such a bitch...
Disclaimer: Okay so there might be an update to this review in the future. I went here on a Friday… Read more »
Surprisingly swank for this part of town... I'd expect a place like this in Wicker Park, or across the street from a studio in LA, not my little Ukrainian Village. But I'm not complaining in the least... the patio here on a comfortable summer night is a great thing to experience. The crowd on the Saturday night we were there was young and attractive, the staff looked like they stepped out of an Urban Outfitters catalog shoot (the waitresses are distractingly and tragically cute), and the food might not be the stuff of culinary dreams but it's executed well enough to not snap you out of your hipster reverie.
The burger was outstanding -- unctuous, full-on beef flavor, cooked perfectly. The seasoned fries were good, but I didn't detect anything beyond salt and pepper on them to properly earn them the moniker of 'seasoned'. The apple-brie chicken sandwich was a recommendation from the waitress. Looking back, I should have gone with my first instinct and ordered the 5-spice pork belly instead. The chicken and the roll together were a bit too dry for the brie and apple to stand up to. The side Caesar was actually very good and didn't taste like the dressing came from a bottle. The beers were delicious and served promptly.
Service was very attentive and perfectly friendly -- but the most surprising part of the night was how reasonable everything was priced. Wicker Park attitude with Ukrainian Village prices -- I can totally dig that. We'll be back for sure before the cold settles in!
Walked in and walked right out. the hostess was such a nasty bit$h that we turned around instantly. Um, last I checked a hostess is supposed to WELCOME you, not push you away with her attitude.
My husband and I stopped in for dinner Monday night. The outside was 1/2 filled, which since the place is huge - meant a decent crowd. BTW, the "patio" as they call is is gorgeous with outside "loungy" seating. Pleanty of street parking on a Monday night, too.
Our server was eager to get drinks going for us - I'm pregnant so will save the beer experience there for later, however I was impressed by their beer menu!
My husband and I opted to skip apps - good thing b/c our 2 sandwiches left us stuffed and I thought were delivered very quickly! GET THE BLACK BEAN BURGER! It was a mention of our servers and she was right! Everything is perfect about it, the condiment, toppings, choice of cheese, and "burger" patty itself. We also got the BLT with chorizo and I was a little let down by this. I'm a vegetarian on "hiatus" and want my bacon! The sausage overpowered everthing and I ended up taking it out to find a sad peice of bacon waiting for me...
2 (very filling) sandwiches and one adult bevvy = $24.00
Can't wait to go back and enjoy the salads!
My boyfriend and I have been here a couple times. We showed up last night (Friday) and were seated right away. The hostess wasn't overly friendly - which is kind of half her job, so she might wanna smile at least once. Our waitress was nice and checked up on us throughout dinner, even though it was busy because of it being Friday night.
I got the Yellowfin Tuna Salad which was great. The tuna was fresh tasting and it came with green beans, potatoes, olives, and cherry tomatoes. My partner got a BLT that came with spicy sausage and avocado on really tasty bread with a side of mashed potatoes. He loved it. We also split the beet salad that had feta and walnuts. It was so good.
I will say that busboys are the Rodney Dangerfields of the restaurant biz, and the busboys at this place are great! They filled up our waters three times without us ever running out. They were polite and attentive and brought my partner a new napkin within seconds of him dropping his on the floor. The waitstaff can't always be at your side and I think that having good busboys is important... just sayin'.
The beer and wine selection is nice, too. I am beginning to be more picky about the kinds of wine I drink and my boyfriend is a bit of a beer snob, so it's nice to have a place with great food, service, and drinks. I knocked off a star for the hostess not knowing how to smile and the waitress we had the first time we dined there not knowing how to be friendly. Other than that, I loved it!
I like this place but I am starting to get paranoid about ordering there.
I've eaten here enough to know they have really good french fries and so I was excited to see that the special duck confit sliders I ordered (delicious btw) came with fries.
Well, once again someone got slap happy with the spices. The fries were covered in some sort of seasoning that made me not want to eat them. And I never turn down fried potatoes. What perplexes me is that when I had lunch here the fries I had with my steak sandwich were perfect. I already have to stay clear of the fish tacos--now I can't have the fries? Oh well, they make a good Caesar. Seriously though, I guess I'm going to have to go all high maintenance on my next visit and request "spice free" everything.
Also, I didn't update this before, but OOP serves a relaxing, reasonably-priced brunch. Great yogurt dish and french toast! Also, chilaquiles. I realize I am throwing this in at the end, but definitely consider this if you're fearful of the long brunch lines on Damen...
We'd been wanting to try this place for a few months but just never got around to it. I finally bit… Read more »
I had wanted to come and check out this restaurant/bar since I live right down the street. The decor was open, natural and loved the huge patio area (it was a bit chilly last night so sat inside).
I was a little surprised by the limited menu (most bars do have entrees but not here). You will find an array of Apps, Salads and Sandwiches. Our waitress made a good recommendation on wine, I tried the Spicy Tilapia Sandwich with spicy fries and it was good - nothing mouth watering but solid 3 stars. A nice place to stop before heading home for a quick low key bite and cocktail or hanging out during the day on their lovely patio!!!
I have nothing new to say about Old Oak Tap that hasn't been said already. They sell amazing food and the decor is fun and appealing. So rather than tell you what you can read from all of the other reviews I'll give you some quotes from my friends from Ohio that came here with me this weekend.
Meghan said
"These corn fritters are like deep fried heaven."
"What is the name of this place? I'm making a mental not to never forget it."
"I'm either drunk or sleep walking because this can't be happening right now."
Erika said
"What kind of person doesn't like goat cheese?"
"Where are we again? When I move to Chicago I'm going to be a regular here."
There is something to be said about this place. Cute waitresses, nice ambiance, good indie-bro like music (shins, new order, death cab, etc), outdoor seating option, and fries like NONE OTHER.
My sandwich was fine enough but the fries were the memories I took away from the place. And coincidentally, will be the real reason I come back again.
Monday night fish & chips. Guess where I will be?
After a long weekend of smiling and doing the ring dance for my friends, I needed a break. I needed to go somewhere, drink beer, and feel like a normal person again. (Don't get me wrong - being engaged is awesome, but a woman's got her limit of how long she can smile while people try to pull her ring finger out of her left hand.)
Enter Old Oak Tap. It's just down the street and we've been meaning to go. So away we went. A beautiful patio, a warm Sunday evening, and some yummy food and drink? Sign me up.
The beer list is good, and the sampler is a great way to try the beers you've been wanting to.
The pretzel appetizer was delicious - I couldn't decide if I liked the cheese or mustard dipping sauces better! And our sandwiches were really good - my BLT with avocado was delicious. The side caesar salad that came with it fell a little flat, but the fiance's loaded mashed potatoes were scrumptious!
Service was friendly and unobtrusive. Overall, lots to like about this joint - I'm sure it'll be on the rotation as a regular joint now!
Went back here last night and I continued to enjoy this place.
Definitely notable for it's beer flights - three 6 oz beers for $8! Great deal, and when you have 3 different types of beer in front of you, you can go through each one that much faster because you want to try the next one.
Didn't eat a meal, but I got the Loaded Mashed Potatoes as a side - excellent! Exactly what you want after 2 beer flights.
What it boils down to is this: This place is cool.
It's got good friendly service, a great beer…
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Great casual dinner.
Me and the boys went out for a late dinner and I think we may have ordered the entire left side of the menu.
I have my reservations about trying fish tacos at new places.. I love them, but unfortunately I usually end up disappointed...
But OLD OAK for the Fish taco win. They were VERY lightly breaded and delish.
Ok now on to our other picks.
Tempura Green beans
Yummy I love tempura green beans you really can't get them wrong. Try them with siracha.
Baked goat cheese
Pretty standard a little messy... I could have done with or with out it
Civiche
I, being allergic to shrimp, did not partake but I was told it was just so- so..
I ate out side and Loved the atmosphere it was the perfect night for an al fresco meal.
Service was good but we all commented on the waitress who kinda just seemed bored with us. ... oh well can't have it all..
I most def. will be back :)
I like the ambience and front patio at this place. So fun in the summer! The wings are fantastic. Fish tacos are also very good.
This is a great place to bring out of town guests or when you can't decide where to go. It's atmosphere is casual and upscale enough to satisfy most without feeling too trendy or pretentious. The beer and wine selection is broad enough to satisfy the PBR, Rogue, and Coppola types. The food itself is gourmet comfort food, with a solid brunch menu as well.
I love this place, absolutely love it. From the rustic, lodgey decor to the large outdoor patio with cute strings of white lights. Our waitress, Asia, was fabulous. She came over & was super kind even though we were having some issues deciding which beers to choose for our flight. Flight, you say? Yes, a beer flight...my favorite. For $8.00 you get (3) 6 ounces beers of your choice. The beer selection is very nice as well. What's not to love about it?
We just got some appetizers & were quite pleased for the most part. I ordered the baked goat cheese, tomato, and garlic appetizer with crostini's & it was just kind of "meh". The crostini's were very greasy & so were the tomatoes. I wasn't a fan. We also had the shrimp & scallop appetizer, which was delicious! 3 of each on a skewer that has been grilled & then topped with a sweet sauce. It was spicy, but so so flavorful. I could have eaten 3 more, but decided to leave room for more beer!
I will definitely be back to this place since it's a) awesome and b) the patio is stellar!
Corn fritters and fried pickles awesomeness. Need I say more? Yes, yes I do. The Aussie server is probably the sexiest chick on this continent. Kudos.
The outdoor beer garden is just great for a summer's night. The menu is very good and affordable. Friendly staff makes you feel like a regular, although I'll admit that I went there with a local who they know.
Even their burger had a sweet twist to it. Seasoned fries good, drink varieties very nice, and the comfort of just walking over for a fish taco over beers is too excellent not to do regularly.
Mark Braun
Food Industry News
I just returned to Old Oak Tap for my third time and it continues to get better and better!
This visit I tried the Black Bean Burger(totally veggie) and it was amazing! They add a little kick to it so it's definitely for someone who likes a little spice.
The prices are very reasonable compared to other places in the area and the decor inside is gorgeous & very unique. The mirror with the wine cork frame is one of my favorite pieces hanging.
Love their patio on a cool fall night. Perfect when cuddling up to you favorite hot beverage and… Read more »
So, I tried this place again...
When being seated, to my horror, the hostess placed our menus down between awkward, loud first date where all the talking was done by an annoying guy - his name is Bill, he's interviewing at Sears and I could tell you just about everything about him and Sears - and a table of toddlers. I asked her to sit at another table and she told me she has to follow a rotation. HUH? The next people who came in were lucky enough to get the table I wanted. I'd love to contrast their Yelp review with mine.
That said, Bill (who has been de-friended by multiple people on facebook and is mad his gym won't put a clause in his contract that he can get out if he loses his job), romper room and hostess who is better suited for a NYC hotspot with her rudeness may have annoyed me, but the waitress was very nice and the food was pretty good.
But, I didn't LOVE the food so I probably won't be back. My fave things on the menu are fried and there's only so much fried food I can eat in one meal. Also, the service was a bit slow and some of our order was forgotten.
Bright, airy, lots of outdoor seating is what awaits you at Old Oak Tap. I loved the atmosphere,… Read more »
So, yeah, the server... just... didn't like me or something. We had an awkward start. I'd sat down (I'm an early bird when meeting groups - always there alone for a couple minutes before people trickle in), and he walks up.
"Heeeyy...?" He emits.
[Long-ish, awkward pause during which I'm searching through my mental Filofax to see if I somehow know this guy from somewhere and can't place him. Crap, crap! I'm so bad with names! WHO ARE YOU?!!?]
"...Want something to drink...?"
OH, you are the SERVER! Sheesh. Water for now.
As I await my date (I'm a serial first-dater, for those of you who've noticed) I look around. The patio is straight out of South Beach (too bad our weather is straight out of Fargo). Inside is cool, green walls and sleek, black tables.
My date arrives and we order dinner. I go with the Black Bean Burger (yum) and the spicy fries (holy holy GOD - SO SPICY). The fries have me nearly in tears.... but I... can't. stop. eating. them. Their pain-inducing spice is oddly addictive. Finally, I learn that ketchup is their kryptonite and I conquer them (my date gave up on his, so I win. Or lose, if he likes dainty girls. Ah, well).
Beer selection is top notch (and reasonably priced - Unibroues for $6!) Date is a beer neophyte, so I get to play beer-master and introduce him to the world of Hennepin and Bosteels. Too bad the server wasn't as susceptible to my charms, he was elusive most of the evening and seemed irritated when tracked down. Alas.
3.5 stars. Nice, semi-covered front outdoor area (set far back from busy Chicago Ave.); comfy padded and pillowed bench seating. The lighting is nice indoors and out. Service was pretty good, attentive. I was disappointed that my gin martini was shaken and slightly watered down. No olive, cocktail onion or twist in sight. I know, it's only garnish. I ordered fish tacos (now I know "baja" is SoCal speak for deep fried) - really messy. My friends ordered a sort of pork sampler, something called a "fat boy" (which reminded me of a Patton Oswalt standup routine, "failure pile in a sadness bowl") and soft pretzels with mustard and cheese sauces. Everything tasted good, just extremely HEAVY food. Maybe we ordered the big gutbombs on the menu. Slightly pricey meal for bar food, but we didn't walk away hungry.
Patio season has ARRIVED, and Old Oak Tap has got the goooooooods.
Ice cold Ayinger x 4. ($6 a pop)
Fabulous company. (hi, Paulette!)
A warm, summery breeze.
Efficient service, and she had hot pink nails. I like.
Fast bussing.
A pork sampler.
A Fat Boy Pie. (omg. a must...the name doesn't do it justice).
Fish tacos (aye carumba, HOT!)
Tucked away far enough from the street to enjoy...
People, people everywhere...but never crowded.
Twinkling lights.
Dusk.
Love.
After a harrowing experience on Delta Airlines, followed by gridlock traffic on the "double nickels + LSD" for 1.5 hours...I was in some serious need, and this was the RX. For certain.
mmmmm. Summer. 5-stars for the patio...
Oooooo, are we on the verge of patio season!? methinks YES!
Good thing, because OOT (we are on an…
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great space.
good food.
beautiful patio.
awful service.
at least our server aja wasnt rockin it that night.
saw her only a few times while we were there.
she forgot to order our appetizer.
took her ages to get us out drinks.
some how our veggie friend got bacon on her order. (could have been a kitchen mistake.)
hoping she was just having a bad night because other than the slow service i liked the place.
THE GASTROPUB, DEFINED
Finally, a bar with truly excellent food! I have to say that I have been thoroughly impressed with Old Oak Tap right from the start. I'm normally not a bar food kind of guy, but once I saw Old Oak's menu I knew I was in for a treat.
HIGHLIGHTS:
-Crispy Fried Shrimp: A generous portion of crisp, lightly battered shrimp, tossed in a fiery chipotle aioli.
-Tempura Green Beans: Tempura is very easy to fu*k up, but they've got it down. Light, airy, crisp, and not greasy.
-Lump Crab meat Club: Bacon+avocado+ a TON of lump crab meat. A truly amazing sandwich.
-Spiced Fries: Crisp, complex, spicy, habit forming, and guaranteed to swiftly disappear from your plate.
To top it all off, they have a good beer selection, ample street parking, and a huge patio perfect for hosting parties.
They only negative is that the service can be hit or miss when they're busy. They have some truly stellar servers and some who need to go. That said, the positives of this place greatly outweigh the negatives.
Fun place, friendly servers, good variety of menu choices and interesting wine/beer/cocktail list. Hip atmosphere. Good for all budgets. Wonderful patio.
Everything my group ate was good, but the chicken on my salad was vile. Prepackaged? Canned? Please research a fresher and moister option! Regardless, we chicks will be back because this place is chilled and delish and light on the wallet.
PS - Oaxacan chocolate banana-twinkie! Eat this!
Between the fat boy pie and my meal, I ate my weight in spicy fries! The fat boy pie appetizer is delicious and ridiculous all at once. Pulled pork, cheese, olives, french fries, mashed potatoes in a huge pile of goodness. The homemade pretzels were delicious, though the cheese sauce served with it was just alright. My tuna sandwich was realllllly good though; a thick tuna steak on top of seaweed salad and wasabi sauce. Yummmmm. The menu is mainly appetizers, salads and interesting sandwiches. They don't really serve "entrees," but everything I tried was really tasty (and almost everything else looked great!)
The outdoor patio is huge, and the beer list rocks! Matilda for only $6?! The music was fun - old school R&B (i.e. Aretha) and some old pop. This is the perfect place to meet friends for a drink after work on a nice summer day.
Only downside.... our waiter was an odd one. He'd ask if we needed anything else and when we'd say no, he would linger/stare for another 30 seconds and then walk away... weirdo.
Service here is great, beer list is great, atmosphere is amazing and the beer garden is beautiful (although don't make the mistake we did and come here when it's not real warm out, as the beer garden faces north and is therefore in the shade). My coworker who lives in Beverly called this the "yuppiest bar he's ever been to", which is probably pretty correct actually, but that's okay I don't mind. It's like a vacation as we don't have such places on the southside. Mixin' it up.
I had a metropolitan dynamo copper lager (delish and about as local as it gets since it's brewed in Ravenswood), along with corn fritters (with apricot BBQ sauce) and order of the fries and...oh my god...the PORK platter. I love all things from the pig, and this did not disappoint. Fat back bacon, pulled pork shoulder, and sausages with assorted mustards. I was in heaven. The prices weren't out of control either.
My favorite part was that the walls in here were the EXACT same color as the walls in the hallways of my condo building Added a touch of comfort.
BEWARE OF THE "DRINK SPECIALS."
went there last night to sit outside. our waitress informed us that there were "two drink specials tonight." a triple p (peach, pear and something else) and a dark and stormy. we ordered one of each. the triple p was not that great but the dark and stormy was pretty good. so, we ordered a few more. an hour or so later, after the waitress somewhat condescendingly shepherded us inside, she dropped off the check. at that point, we discovered that the drinks were $7 each.
now, $7 is not a "drink special" price in ukrainian village, so we asked about it. our waitress more than unapologetically let us know that $7 was in fact the correct price and that the drinks were not on "special," rather, they were old oak tap's "specialty cocktails" of the evening. after staring at me incredulously for a few seconds, she quite astoundingly said "don't you remember, you asked me what the price was and i told you." i had not asked the price, nor did she tell me what it was.
a few thoughts:
(1) OOT is not a "specialty cocktail" type of place. it has good beer and a full bar, but it's no whistler.
(2) consequently, describing a $7 "specialty cocktail" as a "drink special" there is misleading.
(3) being totally unapologetic about the confusion = bad service.
(4) making up a conversation wherein i was informed about the price = CRAZYTOWN.
i'll just end by saying that sometimes the service here can be really good, that particular server is not. just like sometimes the food and drinks can be really good, and sometimes they are not.
if you don't mind eating in what looks like an oversized loft space , this may be the place for you!… Read more »
American Table Menu
Neighborhood: West Loop
Weekend Brunch
Neighborhood: The Loop
Neighborhood: Ukrainian Village
Category: Dive Bars
Neighborhood: Ukrainian Village
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: Ukrainian Village
Category: Lounges
Neighborhood: Ukrainian Village
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Ukrainian Village
Category: Middle Eastern
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