McGaffer’s Saloon

Can’t beat $ 1.00 taco on Wednesday. Cheap Mexican beer completes the deal. Friendly efficient staff makes it a weekly must. Only issue is the loud guy with his BMW hat turned backwards and a chip on his shoulder who seems to live at the bar. Everything and everyone else is cool.

I just moved to oak park area 5 months ago and this guy Lou suggested I go to this bar. he was right this is by far one of the better bar in this area… great bar food and great bartenders too.

Love this place! Stopped in on Saturday around 3 on 12÷13÷14. Was busy with a party on patio but still great service with a great bartender and atmosphere.

Very decent pub food and very good drinks. I’f you come during the summer time go out on the patio and enjoy!

Can’t ask for more from a neighborhood bar. Always excellent service, good food, great prices, and good company. It’s small, but cozy. Don’t know what else to say, but drop in and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere and chat up the local regulars.

A great place to hang out with friends and drink cheap beer. The people here are friendly and there is free popcorn. The food is decent and reasonably priced. They have a nice, private patio and convenient parking. I love that they serve Schlitz for only $ 2.50 and you’ve got to try the Glutton Basket! I highly recommend this bar if you’re looking for a casual hangout spot.

Restaurant Review
This is a classic hole in the wall bar. Loyola Fellows and Residents often use this as a gathering point at the beginning of the year for the first day of unwinding. I was surprised how dark the inside of the bar was, but the outside patio is significantly better. The food prices are very reasonable and they have drink specials as well. Servers are friendly and not too over bearing either. This is a great neighborhood blue collar bar if that is your scene.
Pro– cheap neighborhood bar, daily drink specials
Con– dive bar
Hidden deal–
Drink and food specials

I’ll admit, I usually only go here during the school-​year (aka winter) and sit inside because who wants to sit on a patio that is up against Roosevelt road? This girl! I sat at their patio the other night and forgot that I was on a major road. The greenery is quite nice in the summer and makes for the perfect environment to unwind with friends.

This place has good beer and nice service. It is small but there is a beer garden and the place seems like a close tight knit place where everyone knows one another. The food was kinda crappy and not that different one would get from the cafetaria accross the street at the Wal Mart. Nothing really special here and if you have driven by it without ever noticing on Roosevelt Road then you are not really missing anything.

Love this neighborhood bar. They have a great menu with full take out and delivery as well. Lots of regulars, many TVs playing the local games. The bartenders are friendly and attentive. There is an outdoor patio area that is really nice, except most of the smokers just hang out there so it can get a little smokey even for outdoors. We love their chicken and steak tacos. Pizza is terrific too.

I feel like I shouldn’t be writing this review. Maybe I shouldn’t…keep it all to myself. I’ll be brief then so hopefully this will fly under the radar.
This place is so darn super cool, I can barely stand it. It’s an old man bar, almost a dive but not, nice in a lot of good ways. Inside is relatively small with some dark wood paneling, an old wood backbar with drawers… just cool. I felt a million miles from home. Menu of inexpensive bar food that makes your tummy grumble — we had the nachos and chicken fingers which were fine. Apparently we have to go back to try the pizza and I’m sure we will. And we overheard something about a potluck dinner on Sundays… very interesting! The ladies room has a big bowl of Starlight mints — heh, that was cool.
I’m sad this place is so far from home (hence the missing last star) but it’s probably a good thing otherwise we might set up cots in the garage.

I can’t believe I risked a gluten attack for this.
The pizza is OK at best and at the suggestion of everyone on here, I got an order of beer nuggets. What comes to mind when you think of «nugget», something small, round… I was envisioning something with a bit of crunch to it — yea, no. They are little pieces of what looks (and tastes) like old Crazy Bread from Little Caesars The taste was bland, they were limp and really not all that it was cracked up to be.
Pros: Price. It’s literally right around the corner from me. And finally, I have some more pot to struggle through this meal.

I’ve never actually been here, but have been ordering for delivery for at least 10 years now. McGaffer’s used to be called Smilin’ Joe’s. I don’t know if it changed owners, but the menu is still the same. It will always be called «Smilin’ Joe’s» to me! I keep meaning to stop in, but just haven’t because when I eat Smilin’ Joe’s food, I want lots of beer, and since I would have to drive here, that might not be so wise. So, I’ll order for delivery and get my drink on while I wait for what Joe’s does best:
Wings, Grinders, Calzones, Pizza, Cheesy Waffle Fries, and yes… BEER NUGGETS !!! I heard that the owners went to NIU. Now, if you went to or have ever visited Northern Illinois University, you know what Beer Nuggets are, i.e., deep-​fried nuggets of dough that you dip in pizza sauce. They are cheap, filling, and quite bad for you. Everything I’ve had delivered from Joe has been awesome.
Joe’s serves up great average and consistent bar food. Hell, they even deliver DOG FOOD for your dog !!! Dog Food on their menu is merely a loaf of bread dipped in the gravy from Italian beef. I’ve had the Dog Food from Joe’s, and I don’t own a dog!

beer garden. beer garden. beer garden. it makes you forget you’re on roosevelt road across from a wal-​mart. good greasy food with good cheap beer. try the beer nuggets! pizza is great too.

Great little neighborhood bar with some great sandwiches — grinders YUM. Excellent pizza — especially the days that Tim is in the kitchen; he used to work at Round Up Pizza (torn down when George Ryan decided to move the Hillside Strangler a little farther east) so you can get the crust really thin if you like with the sausage crumbled over the top. Delicious. The beer nuggets that Mike P. talks about do not have parmigna cheese on them. They are fried dough slathered with garlic butter and then you can dip them in marinara sauce.
The owner and the bartenders are all a great bunch of people — Pat, Chubbs, Kevin, Terry, Tiffany, Denise.
I’m so glad it’s in my neighborhood and not on Madison Street.

Ah, McGaffer’s. They pretty much sponser all of Forest Park 16-​inch softball. As repayment, you go drink at their bar after games and dine on good pizza and beer nuggets (little pieces of bread w/​parmaigne cheese).
It’s a good blue-​collar dive with an excellent little beer garden. If you’re in FP, it might be worth a stop.
If it was located on Madison Street, it would be crowded all the time. Fun place.