Even though we've had zoo memberships for years, this was the first time we hopped across the street to have lunch at R.J. Grunts. It had very good reviews, especially for children, so we decided to give it a try. I'm glad we got there a little bit before noon because the place did fill up pretty quickly. There is an assortment of tables and booths, and we got a booth right by the front door. Service was pretty quick and cheerful, and our food arrived extremely fast after ordering. We shared the chili and buffalo chicken wrap, and the kids had the grilled cheese and chicken fingers. Our food was excellent, very tasty and hot. The kids meals were just okay: the grilled cheese was a bit overdone (and you know how kids can be very picky) and the chicken fingers were quite tough. They did enjoy the fries and animal crackers, plus the juice and milk were good additions, especially in the reusable cups with straw lids. Prices were reasonable -- I'm not a fan of the chips being the standard side with an upcharge for fries, but it's not uncommon. The place is cozy and dark, but cheerful, with lots of memorabilia adorning the walls. The bathrooms were clean and remarkably spacious, although a bit hard to use with small kids with the high basins. Overall it was a good lunch experience. We will certainly come back, if nothing else than to try the much-touted digital salad bar.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Parking space
Somewhat difficult to find parking
Parking options
Free street parking, Paid street parking
Parking
Street parking is available, some are paid spaces, some are free.
Kid-friendliness
Reasonable assortment of kids did and drink options. They offer an activity booklet and crayons. The environment is fun, but not something that would keep kids interested in looking around for long.

I’d always walked past this place since I work nearby and it looked really cool. The vibe inside is nice, but my one star review is because of the careless, slow service. We were three people seated at a center table, no one was there as a host so the bartender sat us. I don’t mind this at all and I’m really understanding, however we were ready to order for around 15~20mins and were never asked anything by any of the servers. I would still even tolerate this had I not seen two other tables that came well AFTER us were being attended to :/. I kindly asked the host once I saw her if my table could be served since we’d been waiting there for a while and they’d already served two other parties. She told the waitress but she just eyed me-the only one facing that direction- and walked to towards the bathrooms together with another waitress. I work in customer service too and can understand you don’t always want to be there on a slow day but it’s inconsiderate nevertheless. This place looked awesome and I was really excited to try it but we left instead after that considering we were really hungry. I’m sure the food is great but I wouldn’t/ won’t know‍♀️bummer.
Service: 1

A Solid, but Slightly Over-priced, Dive for Decent Food. Right after a day at the zoo, there's a dive that should be a crowd-pleaser for all. They have a salad bar with a lot of good, fresh options and a full bar with craft beer, wine, and cocktails. The salad bar is $16.50 for all you can eat; $7.75 with an entree and $9.75 with an appetizer. We started off with a pitch of beer and I ordered the Yowza Burger ($15), a peppercorn burger, with spicy ketchup, pepperjack cheese, smoked bacon, lettuce, and tomato, served with fries. It was a solid burger, cooked well, with good flavors, but nothing to write home about... just a review. My date ordered the Buffalo Wrap ($14), similar to their crispy buffalo sandwich, minus the sandwich and add a colossal tortilla. She normally comments on the food, but this time... nothing. Which leads me to believe it was just OK. The kids ordered the Works Burger ($14), a patty with cheese lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles, served with chips. And they enjoyed it. Overall, this is an OK place for decent pub food. Right after the zoo, it's very convenient and in walking distance.

We’re from Milwaukee and went down to Chicago for the weekend. On Sunday before heading home we stopped at R.J. Grunts for a bite to eat after having skipped lunch. A friend had recommended RJG and said they had the best burgers. I really liked the place. From outside it’s pretty unassuming. Inside it’s dark and a bit funky. My wife said it has a supper club feel. The music is loud enough that you can enjoy but it doesn’t make it difficult to converse. It’s a nice mix of 70’s/80’s pop/rock. The menu is full of great choices and comfort food and not just burgers. There is a great salad and soup bar as well. The burgers are made to order and 1/2 pounders. I had a cheeseburger, my daughter had a Works burger and my wife had the soup and salad bar. All of us were pleased with our choices and enjoyed the food. The burgers were substantial and delicious. Burgers come by default with Cottage Fries which are just homemade potato chips but you can upgrade to French Fries for $1. Really enjoyed the food and the vibe and will be back in the future.

The service was unfortunately terrible. We waited for over forty minutes for our waiter to even put our drink order in. During this time, our waiter completely disappeared and left other customers waiting for a check for that entire time. The ambiance was not great because many customers were upset that there was no waiter present and we had to wait so long. The manager finally came out and then shushed a table nearby and was angry with our table for asking for our drinks. It took over an hour for our food to come out, and over an hour and 20 minutes for one salad to come. We would have guessed they were growing their own vegetables! I would not return and would not recommend going to RJ grunts. Misogynistic manager gaslighting women. No explanations from staff about the terrible service. In fact, they were unkind in their future interactions with us. Save your money and time!!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–50
Food: 1
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 1

I love the pictures on the wall of past and present waitress's. Give a very unique vibe to the restaurant. I ordered the California wrap with their in-house made potatoes chips. Personally, I hated the chips but ABSOLUTELY LOVED the California wrap . 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'s! I'm from Minnesota and was visiting Chicago for the very first time and when we had dinner there I always had the suggestion to go back every night for dinner so that I could have that meal again. Now that I'm back home thinking about how I'm going to replicate that meal. I went with friends so I picked on some of their food the sweet potato fries were delicious as well as the fajitas. This restaurant is not in Minnesota so that will be a pain in my heart but will be a restaurant in the forefront of my mind for when I come back to Chicago!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
California Wrap

Small place with a lot choices. We are from the burbs and we were visiting the zoo so we did some searching on Google and saw this listed so we figured we would give it a try. Not too bad at all. I was impressed their veggie burger patty was homemade and dang tasty. However I would highly recommend the restaurant to change the bread choice that comes with it. It was dry and a bit hard. They should Go with a soft and fresh bread... And you might have one of the best veggie burgers around. I try these all over the place and this one was right up there. They gave me a huge pile of fries. My son got their hot dog and my wife picked their weekend salad/brunch buffet and they were happy with their choices. Tower of onion rings wasn't bad at all either... Beer choices on draft weren't bad at all either... 3 Floyd's on tap... Sign me up. A bit cramped in there but it was fine.

The Grunt Burger is one of my favorite burgers in the city! Always consistently done medium and full of flavor. I went here with my boyfriend who has celiac disease and they were very accommodating (as is the case with most Lettuce Entertain You restaurants). Our server was knowledgeable about the gluten free options, and we had a great experience! I love this place’s kooky, laid back vibe (and the menu art)!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Cottage Fries, Burger
Dietary restrictions
Gluten-free (celiac): Nothing from the fryers is safe due to cross contact. They do have gluten free bread that we were told is toasted separately from the gluteny bread!

Came here after spending the morning at the zoo. I made a reservation, but it didn't appear we needed one when we arrived. There was only one other table occupied when we arrived. That changed quickly by the time we were gone! Food was above average, but not life changing. We had the fried pickles as an appetizer, my son had the kids grilled cheese, and I had the fajitas. Overall, great lunch option with some historic vibe to the environment. Worth a visit if you are in the area.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Kid-friendliness
They have a dedicated kid's menu and offer a detailed picture to color with puzzles and other activities for them to do with crayons.

My family and I were tired and hungry after the zoo however Rj’s service was super speedy. The waitress hosts and even the busser was very helpful. The portions of food were huge (besides the small kids meal portion). Overall we had a great experience here. Our only suggestion is more menu options. We had the nachos, bacon cheese burger and kids chicken tenders.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Fries, Burger
Kid-friendliness
We felt comfortable having our young son at the table with us. The other customers seemed friendly as well. We requested a table in the back corner and they had no problem with our request.

I've been here before and it's been better. Tonight didn't seem busier then normal but nothing seemed to go right. We got drinks for kids and got all the wrong drinks for them. When the food came out one of the orders was wrong. I ordered the bacon cheddar burger and my wife got the fish and chips. The food was extremely bland it's a good thing we had salt and ketchup to add some flavor to the meal. The atmosphere is always cool it's pretty cramped space in there but that's to be expected in Chicago. I'm really hoping this was just an off night because last time the food was delicious but this experience was extremely different then the first time.
Food: 3
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 4

Definitely reserve; when we dined at 6PM Monday the host was quoting a two hour wait for walk-ins! Established in 1977 and 'keeps the faith' in decor, music, and very lively vibe. The 'celebrity' photos covering the walls are of past/current employees! Focus is on burgers/potatoes/salad/shakes, with a few entrees and decent veggie options. Parking is tight in the area.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–50
Kid-friendliness
We dined during "Zoo Lights" nearby, so the place was overrun with them...in a fun way, as it's usually a noisy place. I don't know if they have a 'kiddy' menu, but featuring burgers/fries/cheese/chicken/shakes, who cares? :-)

Life is like a sandwich. Fill it with the things you love & take a BIG bite out of it. R.J. Grunts is simply nostalgia. Your memories merged with the "now" is so fantastic and truly a blessing. The best food, cocktails and more importantly the staff; shoutout to Amy, she's fantastic ask for her Molly sent you. Can't go wrong with taking a trip down memory lane and enjoying a meal while you're at it. A lovely gem in the city.
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Small Salad, Soup, Fries, Burger
Parking space
Somewhat difficult to find parking
Parking options
Paid street parking

Honestly I’m gonna make this review very short and sweet. I don’t understand that this weird standard you guys hold this restaurant too. I think the burgers were dry and tasteless. I think the atmosphere was OK. Do you guys do the solid job in the atmosphere however, the food is lacking. My buddy got the nachos and Tim way way way too much hot sauce on those bad boys. Would really help me get down. My burger was the alcoholic cider I was drinking. I think it would’ve been a lot more difficult if I was not drinking that. don’t even get me started on the fries. Too late you already got me started. I think the phrase were not only dry but also tasteless as well as the burger.

Food was great but portions were kind of small, like the fried pickles were more like a side item, definitely not an appetizer to share. Chicken wrap was great. Patty melt was good, chicken tenders were really good and fries would have been good if they werent cold. Side salad was delicious and french onion soup was good and piping hot. Atmosphere was cool but the music was way too loud. Our waitress and all staff were extremely friendly.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
French Onion Soup, Patty Melt

Food was pretty good, was not blown away though. The wings I got were probably my favorite, very crispy and fresh. The buffalo sauce didn’t seem very “traditional” but it was still pretty good. The nirvana nachos were also pretty decent. I really liked that it comes with ranch, guac and salsa on the side! They really stacked it with toppings. The club sandwich wasn’t my favorite. The bread felt a little too charred. The fries also didn’t feel very fresh when they came out. The service was really great, our waitress was super attentive and kept coming around constantly. All in all enjoyed our time here though.

This is a classic American restaurant with a very eclectic vibe. Food is usually consistently good along with good service. I recommend the onion rings, California wrap, and the patty melt. Only two single stall bathrooms, so plan accordingly when drinking and eating greasy food.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Digital Salad Bar, French Onion Soup, Bacon Cheddarburger, Patty Melt, Soup, Triple Decker Turkey Club, Onion Rings, Fries, California Wrap, Buffalo Wings Platter, Burger

The food was really good, and it's a lovely place; the menu has something for everybody and it's presented in such a funny way that's so inviting. The staff is friendly as well, though sometimes we wondered if they kinda forgot about us and our order because we had long wait times. The food is totally worth it, just be prepared to wait because they certainly took their time to come and get our order, and then we also waited longer than usual for the food to arrive.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5

It was ok, the digital chopped salad idea they have is interesting. But they make you pay 3 or 4 extra for a meat. Seriously, shouldn't it come with one? The house chips were cold, and gray so they were kind of gross. They really didn't seem to care when I said that. Good onion rings, burger was ok. But they literally put 4 little pieces (not even 1 slice) of bacon on their bacon burger. Just ok and a bit overpriced.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$50–100
Food: 3
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
French Onion Soup

The question everyone seems to ask is: Are the burgers worth the $18 price tag? Given the location of the restaurant, the friendliness of the service and the quality of the burger, I would say that it is. I had the bacon cheddar burger and it is easily one of the best burgers I have ever had. The patty tasted fresh, the bacon was cooked just right (not too crispy, not too chewy) and the cheese had the perfect undertone of sharpness. Put it on an artisan bun and it's easily a $20 burger. So, I see $18 as a bargain.
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–30

This was my first time here. The entire crew was awesome! Friendly, attentive and fun. The Baked French onion soup as well as the Chili were delicious. The boneless chicken wings were the best I've ever had! They had a light, tempura batter. A plentiful serving over homemade chips. The cocktails were great too! I'll definitely be back when I'm in the area again.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
French Onion Soup, Chicken Tenders, Soup

Visiting son who didn't recommend this place. Decided to go because timing worked out and it was really good. My son changed his opinion. We had the ribs and french dip and both were outstanding. The chips are a nice change and were really tasty. Restaurant is interesting and I'm sure there were stories about the decor. Service was great. Best of all, the portions were so big the two dishes were shared by three people.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

The burgers were juicy and delicious. Aside from burgers, we ordered wings, fish and chips, fried pickles and tried both fries and chips. All delicious. What was equally impressive was the service. Two of us ordered one shared burger and they brought it out cut in half on two plates. No one does that without being given explicit instructions. I loved that they had photos of all their wait staff since they opened. What a lovely way to acknowledge your employees! Loved the whole experience!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Great little bar and grill vibe restaurant in the heart of the park in Lincoln Park. Burger was delicious. The sweet potato fries and chips are on point. The smell of the grill outside will make you stop what your doing to come in and get some. Parking is streetside meter parking. A 5 minute walk away from the entrance of the Lincoln Park Zoo. If you want to visit the zoo first.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Fries

I would recommend this spot for a quick bite after going around the Lincoln Park Zoo or just around the area. I don’t think I would go out of my way to eat here. Their Buffalo wings were juicy but the sauce wasn’t a very Buffalo flavor, it seemed like a mix of bbq sauce abs Buffalo sauce. I would give it a 3/5. Their turkey club was tasty and didn’t slack on the turkey deli meat! Nachos were “eh”, with there were more chips and a pico de Gallo to trickle on top.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30

The food was amazing! I have been here a few times and would highly recommend it after going to the Lincoln Park zoo. However, don't expect to get your food right away. When it gets crowded, the service can be slow, but it is worth the wait! The servers were extremely kind and accommodating, especially with littles.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Chicken Tenders, Patty Melt, California Wrap, Cheeseburger, Burger

The restaurant was bustling. We had a group of 6, none of us had been there before. Service was reasonably good based upon how busy they were. The food arrived for 3 of us, but three others had to wait another 5 minutes for their dishes. Burgers were bland, fries were cold and we had to ask again for side dishes that were ordered but not delivered. I would recommend trying other eateries in the area.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 2
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 3

Have dined here many times over the years and still enjoy it a lot. Recently came in just for dessert after Zoo Lights, the warm cookie with ice cream is great! Staff always warm and friendly. Cozy and retro vibe. Comforting and fun. They even figured out a way to keep the salad bar post covid (you can fill out a sheet with all the things and they bring it to you). The buffalo chicken is my fave item, can't go wrong.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Other
Price per person
$10–20

Ordered cheese burgers and fries. Fries were lukewarm and hard. You could tell they were reheated. Ice tea and diet soda no flavor. Waitress said I’ll bring back sprite from the can, she came back with a glass of ice with about 2 ounces of sprite from the fountain. Guess what we knew it was not from the can. She responded with I’ll let the manager know.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–50
Food: 2
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 2

Employees more worried about when they were getting breaks than working, actually ignoring customers to talk about breaks- they finally closed the restaurant after I waited in line for 20 minutes to get food. They were all on phones trying to locate a manager- this was in the airport where lots of people waiting for food
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 4
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 1
Recommended dishes
Burger

The service was amazing- they have a kind and fast welcoming and waiters are great! Also food comes really quick. Fish and chips were really disappointing. Fish had no taste and fries were really soft so I couldn’t eat it and I ordered the salad. The salad was amazing though. Also my mum was really happy with her soup- it was really tasty.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$50–100
Features
Dine in: Yes

Been going here every year for years. Service and food this time were not very good. The chicken in my wrap was cold as were all the fries for all four meals. 2 burgers were cooked ok. Chicken fingers were good. Margarita was a cheap mix and not good. Service was very slow. Took 10 minutes just to get water and over 20 minutes for my daughters milk shake. We were there at 6 pm Saturday just before they got busy as they do for zoo lights.

Always love this place! Great spot for really good food and drinks! Especially if your looking for a perfect easy going date night! I usually only go during the Christmas season but this place is awesome year round! Extra special during Christmas
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–50
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
French Onion Soup, Fries, Burger

Maybe it was a bad day, but service was non existent and the burgers were not good. We ordered two medium burgers and one was medium the other was close to well done, based on the fact there was no pink. But both extremely bland. With all the amazing burger places in the Chicago I doubt I’ll go back to spend $50 on bad burgers and bad service at RJ Grunts.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–100

my server was kevin and he was absolutely wonderful!! he provided us with the best service and i will definitely be coming back!!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Digital Salad Bar, Buffalo Nachos
Parking space
Plenty of parking
Parking options
Paid street parking

Dissapointing that a simple change of a side dish (fries instead of chips) requires an additional charge. No other Lettuce restaurant does that. Also, needs a bit of sprucing up (looks dingy). Just saying...
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
Potato Fries, Cheeseburger, Burger

Ordered cheese burger and tomatoes were green. If tomatoes look that bad don't serve them. French fries were barely warm and a little soggy. Now the chocolate shake was like chocolate milk. Not a good experience. I was really excited to come here and it was a bummer.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$50–100
Food: 2
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 5

This restaurant is indeed overrated. The quality of the food was awful (the fries were cold and tasteless, the quality of the meat was super low). In terms of the place, the bathroom was super dirty. I strongly recommend you not to take any food from this restaurant
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–100
Food: 1
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 1

Didn't know I was in for such a surprise when I decided to check this place out thought I'd keep it simple with the French onion soup and definitely top three of all that I've ever had and it's been a lot of French onion soup... Lol The tuna melt was made fantastically and the bread toasted to perfection service was awesome and the ambiance super cool excited to go back and try more on the menu.

Saturday afternoon visit. Seated and ordered drinks and food quickly. Ordered a regular burger medium with the works. Burger was fairly pink for was medium, works were not brought out. Burger was adequate. Fries were hot. Ordered a breakfast sandwich from the brunch menu, everything except the eggs were cold. Had a new plate made, hash browns were still cold. Bloody Mary was pretty good.

Sorry RJ. Covid really hurt you. No salad bar anymore. My BBQ ribs were so so and the chili was lukewarm when served. Very disappointed and will not return. Even though the music was fun and atmosphere similar to 1979. I’ll go to Bub City for my ribs.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 2
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4

The food was really delicious. Even on a busy Saturday night, we only had to wait about 15 minutes for a table of three. Our server was efficient and friendly. The food was great. The drinks were a little pricey, but normal for the area.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Sat at the bar, but still had full service. Drinks were very good and bartender was super friendly. Loved the menu for the choices and well, just for the menu itself - you'll see.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
California Wrap, Burger

The salad and tuna melt are everything. Lots of Çhicago history and the original Lettuce Entertain You so what’s not to love. Plus Lincoln Park Zoo is across the street.
Service
Take out
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Digital Salad Bar, Patty Melt

Cool spot right near Lincoln Park. Delicious burger and French onion soup. Got both and split them. Only disappointment was the homemade fries - not crispy at all. Overall, would recommend.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Burger

If you’re black you’re not welcomed so please don’t waste your time or money! My husband & I stood at the door for 10 mins without being greeted only for the host to the tell us this have no availability when we clearly saw 4 or more open tables! Gaslighting at its finest!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100+

Perfect spot to come for the munchies, the portions are huuuge. I love the inside, lots of gorgeous women decorating the walls. The menu is simple and the food is great. The strawberry daiquiri is so yummy!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Features
Dine in: Yes
Outdoor seating: No
Takeout: Yes

Food tasted like it had been sitting out for 2 hours. Chicken and beef were dry. Food was room temperature. The Mac and cheese we ordered for my kid tasted like bar soap. Fast food is better and 1/3 the price.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 1
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 3

It was a lovely day so it was understandably busy and packed so the server's had to move quickly. The music was fun and set the atmosphere of fun. So glad they had gluten free options, the food was delicious.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 5

Another "not my first time here, but first Google Review" for this place! Always enjoy sitting at the bar. Can't go wrong with anything here. French Onion Soup is always a good choice! Definitely miss RJ's salad buffet.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Features
Dine in: Yes
Takeout: Yes

Really enjoyed the atmosphere here especially at christmas time. Food was just okay- we ordered the southwest wrap, burgers, and the salad bar. The chips and fries were not that great- kind of cold and soggy, but the wrap and burger was good! Don’t know if I would return here as there are a ton of other great restaurants in the area.

The food looked good but my fries was cold. The ingredients quality are low. My sparkling water had no sparkling The bathroom is very dirty and the kitchen looked dirty as well. Won't be coming back.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 1
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 1

The food was amazing! Our waitress was wonderful and the 70's atmosphere was so fun! We got the wings and french onion soup!!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Chicken Wings, Fries, Onion Soup

Really horrible! I got a burger from here for delivery to my job. It was disgusting it was so soggy that the ketchup went through the bun. They didn't even toast the bun! Also the fries were so stale as if they were reheated! Got so disgusted I couldn't take a second bite on my food. Had to wait and eat when I got home.

Great food and atmosphere but very under staffed. Although the staff was working very hard to make sure everyone was getting taken care of.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–50
Food: 5
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
French Dip, Burger

The French onion soup was DELICIOUS. Service was excellent. Though a busy Saturday night during the holidays we walked right in and ordered.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Soup, Burger

One of the Best classic burgers in Chicago. But they took away their salad bar, which lessens the experience greatly for me. They need to bring back their salad bar and restore their restaurant to its original glory. Just not the same Rich Melman. You have the power to bring back the salad and soup bar! Do it!

One of our go to's for a zoo day.. f Good food and fun atmosphere. The bar is a hidden gem too for people who enjoy that area.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Brunch
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Patty Melt

Had a grunt burger was everything I thought it would be . Came in with 12 of my co workers and we had such a great time with our waitress Mattie that I had to put in this review. No need for much request because Mattie was already on it, if you wanna have a great beer and burger ask for Mattie.

Had a reservation for 3:30, was seated close to an hour later. Have enjoyed this place for the last 20+ years, but managing how to be during peak hours is a must.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 4
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 3

Ok place...table was in a weird spot - right by the door and behind hostess stand - no atmosphere and tight. Food took forever. It was a little burnt and definitely sat under a heat lamp. Tasted Ok though. Salad was a little....damp.
Food: 3
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 2

Very friendly service. Place is pretty small. Tried a week ago to go but wait time was over two hours on weekend maybe because it is close to the zoo. Nice to go once but not one of my top favorites. The waiter is what made the experience so great. Old school food old schoolplace...lol

One of the best burgers I’ve ever eaten!! Great service, the dishes looks beautiful. The vibe in the place is like the 60’-70’. You can see original tickects to woodstock! Also the burger it’s has a special tops, and the bans are delicious. Have to have if you’re in Chicago.

Long wait, great food, great service. Was our 2nd time will be back.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Patty Melt, Soup, California Wrap, Burger

Food was Ah-mazing!!!! Their dessert had us coming back a second time in a week. Seriously it was that good!!! The tables were a little claustrophobic and on top of each other but put that cookie ice cream concoction in front of me and I couldn't care less!!!

Highly recommend the Bacon Cheddar Burger and Santa Fe wrap! Loved the entire dining experience at this wonderful restaurant!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Brunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4

Great food as always and amazing milkshakes. Milkshakes are extremely filling and well prepared. Then offer a veggie patty substitution for their burgers which allows vegetarians to enjoy most of their burgers! Not my first visit and surely not my last

Food was bland. Chips were soggy and soft. Our server was great. Good music. Went for lunch and we had a chicken wrap.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 2
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4

The location of this restaurant is amazing - mins away (walking distance) from the Lincoln zoo, nearby park, and riverfront view. Food was great - We tried California wrap, and Tuna Melt sandwich. Their milkshake was good too ! Kid friendly as well.

Awesome spot for lunch. Perfect location, great foot, and our server, was phenomenal! We went as a family and it was perfect for a family of four with kids aged 2 & 5. Thanks for a great lunch!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Sandwich was ok at best. Cold bun and the staff doesn’t hide the fact that it’s a cheap one that looks like it was bought from a discount super market. Extremely poor attitude of the staff.
Food: 4
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 1

A typical quick food place in Chicago. Took us a while to get our server and order. Food was ok but not great.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 3
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 3

Couldn’t tell you about the food. Service never brought it. 20 min for hostess to come seat you 40 min to not get food. Had to catch a flight. Figured they knew people were at the airport to catch a flight.
Service: 1

Not sure why this place so many positive reviews. Food was very subpar. Waited like, 30 minutes for two entrees. There’s better food around the area, fortunately.
Food: 2
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 3

The burger was good, I ordered the one that was peppered with cheese bacon lettuce and tomato. On a Friday night expect a wait, it's right across from the zoo which it tends to be busy from all the zoo traffic.

Patio seating is better than inside for me because it’s a bit too cozy & dim. Bartenders were nice. Food is just above mediocre. Will most likely return.
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4

Really good place to eat and have a drink. It is very popular, so it gets very crowded. Tables are a little bit close to one another. Food is tasty. Mostly burgers, fish & chips, wraps and that kind of food.

great food service and selection
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
French Onion Soup

I have been coming here since Rick Mellman open it in 1971. It was previously a old drug store. It still has the original revolving door. Delicious !
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Casual bar with pretty stand bar food and drinks. Nothing amazing but nothing bad at all. Just an overall solid place to grab some food and drinks.
Food: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4

I only had an appetizer and we had drinks, but it was great service, nice outdoor seating, and the potato skins and my martini was fabulous!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Warm, friendly service. Food was good, and the soundtrack playing overhead meshes perfectly with the 1971 Origins of the place. Check it out after you visit the zoo or conservatory nearby.

Great food and ambience. Cozy and serene. Great music from the 80s. Great customer service and prices too!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30

The Nachos and cookie with ice cream were amazing!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Their wings were amazing. Burgers were average. Good service. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–30

It was okay. The food wasn't anything special, and the wait was long. The menu is well-written though.
Food: 3
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 3

Only my first time and I was delighted with hamburgers as were of the 3 others in our party.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Good Americana comfort food, burger and salad and stuff like that and great vegetarian burger hmmm large portions and friendly staff …

That was the best dish of Salmon I ever had (maple glazed with asparagus and sweet potato), and the cottage fries were excellent

Excellent food, fast and very friendly service.
Service
Dine in
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5