I love this little place! The food is always delicious and the waitresses are delightful! I wish they stayed open later though. read more

See all

It seems every time I go there, I look around and something doesn't seem right. I ventured into the Men's room and for some reason I noticed this time that I failed to notice last time was the completely rusted out baseboard heating unit running under the window. It was crumbling just one good kick and the whole unit would end up being a pile of rusty scrapes! Great customer visuals! On yet another time, I visited I was informed by the female bartender that the decided to go home early. Therefore, the kitchen was closed as we drove out for nothing, wasting our time and gas. Oh well! Not even a I'm sorry! The best time to come here is about 3pm when the city of Chicago workers will assure your safety and a good time eating and drinking. Nobody wants to eat good food in a questionable place. I wish this place would clean up their act. read more

In my opinion, this is a hidden gem. It's important to note & consider they don't serve any food on the weekends, . But during the week their food is really good. The photo shows the large amount of meat that is on my hamburger and I enjoyed every single bit of it. The french fries were hot and the coleslaw just had a hint of sweetness which added to the meal. read more

Food and service is great!. Just your typical 60's tavern/restaurant. The place is dated...but that is part of the charm

Comfortable Pub. The food is really good! Chicken is the talk of the town, however I lean into the hand padded hamburgers.

Food and service were great. Highly recommend the perch dinner. Lots of great food. Very nice and hospitable. Came from Nevada for our perch fix! read more

This is a neighborhood place that caters to the same clientele who have been eating their fried food for 40-50 years. It's a family business who counts on "regulars" who don't like to venture out of the neighborhood for good food. Not always clean. Doesn't usually smell good. The mens room is a disaster. Don't. Really. I'm not kidding. So, if you live in Hegewisch, don't feel like going far, realize what you're getting, this place might be for you. SOME parking. read more

Stopped in here recently for the chicken dinner to go. Reasonably priced. Help was very kind .A togo order netted me the bartender who headed immediately to the back to check on the order. Townie place but got a good vibe from customers who nodded & smiled at me , though I hadnt been there before. Standard bar area, back dining room. Bartender said a few minutes and engaged in a bit of small talk. A waitress came up to check on my order. Think she was an owner. Should be right up, hon! I thanked her and shortly a smiling 14-15 yr old boy appeared calling my name and thanking me for stopping by. They really are a family business. Chicken was moist and tender, not too greasy and delicious! They seem to cook Mon , Wed and Fri & Sat. Gr8 place. Worth ur stop! Even the customers are friendly read more

On October 20th 2023 at 5pm, my friends and I (9 of us in total) went to Club 81 Too hoping to have a nice dinner. Unfortunately, our evening was ruined by the abhorrent treatment and service we experienced. As soon as we walked in we felt an air of unfriendliness by the owner and server. We were immediately seated near the drafty door. When we asked if we could be moved to somewhere less chilly, both the owner and the server shouted "No!" At us, and explained that there were no other available tables. I looked around and saw there were only 2 small tables taken, each by couples. There definitely was room for us to be seated somewhere else. There was no reason for them to not accommodate this reasonable request. When it was time for us to order, we asked for 8 orders of fried mushrooms. The waitress came back with only 4 orders of mushrooms, only then explaining to us there were "no more mushrooms." Why weren't we told there weren't enough beforehand to give us a chance to order something else? So I politely asked the waitress if we could have a discount on the mushrooms seeing as we had to share 4 orders among the 8 of us who wanted them. She sternly said "no" and "we don't do that." When the rest of our food came, we were in utter shock at its subpar quality. The chicken was over cooked, dark brown and very dry. The skin of the fish was visible through the skimpy layer of breading. Nothing tasted like it had any seasoning, spices or even salt. Our sodas and cocktails were mixed up, and I was reprimanded like a child for sharing my soda - which I was paying for! The owners of this place nor any of the staff ever came by to apologize for all of the inconveniences and blatant rudeness and disrespect we experienced, unlike how kindly they treated the other 2 couples who came in after us. Worst of all, as we were leaving and the owner got her money she screamed at the top of her lungs to demand we get out of her establishment and never come back. Why? We caused no trouble. We are just a group of senior citizen lady friends who enjoy going out to eat and happen to be of different races and colors. We can only conclude that the abusive treatment we experienced was because most of us are Black or brown. So here's a word of warning to all non-white persons if you ever consider going there: DON'T. Unless you want to face an abundance of hate, discrimination, awful service, and food from the bottom of the barrel. And a word to the belligerent owner: money will always be green no matter who gives it. By screaming at us to leave, all you did was make a big fool of yourself in front of the few customers besides us who were in your restaurant. You could have saved your breathe because halfway through that awful "dinner" we had decided it wasn't worth ever coming back anyway. Finally, a word to the bimbo waitress: had you and that cruel owner been nicer you could have gotten a huge tip instead of the leftover change from our overpriced bill. Enjoy the 53¢ when you could have received the $50+ we initially intended to leave for you. Let this be a lesson to you that how you treat people has consequences. read more

It can be hard to describe the joys of a place like Club 81 Too. It's about the spirit of a place like Hegewisch and the honesty of working your whole damn life because that's what you do: you work. Like many places I love, you either get it or you don't. It's unpretentious and at its best will resonate deep in your bones. You'll adopt the Dombrowski family as your own just as soon as they adopt you, because the whole clan acts like the outgoing, joking relatives you grew up with. Lunch is M-F 11a to 2p. They serve dinner on Wednesday and Friday night until 8p. You can go in any night for a beer and a shot of "Wolf Lake Elixir" at $2... $1.50 on a Sunday. Cash only, but there is an ATM. You walk in to a worn-in bar, taken from the original location at 81st and Exchange. A dining room is to the right with several tables. Families are welcome and always present. Nothing fancy, the home cooking is the star here. Out back there are picnic tables, bocci ball courts, and a sliver of Wolf Lake to enjoy. The dinner menu is heavy on fish and seafood: whitefish, perch, shrimp, frog legs, snapper, walleye, lobster, orange roughy, catfish, mahi mahi, crabcakes, fried clams, and basa. They filet all of it themselves. They also serve chicken, steaks, ribs, pork chops, sandwiches, and apps. I had the walleye and fried chicken. The walleye was lightly battered, the flavor of the fish coming through, and brushed with butter for some of the tastiest fried fish around. I haven't had fried chicken in years, but went back for seconds and thirds, it was great. Everything has a from-scratch feel to it. Rye bread from a local bakery is always available. The food is done simple and with care. Filled with regulars, don't be worried... they'll know if you're not from the neighborhood and take extra care to make you feel welcome. Club 81 has been in the family for over 60 years. We went with a huge group and was treated generously. Refer 4 people and get a free steak dinner... you bet I'll be going back! read more

Club 81 Too - a sign on the side of a building - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Went last Friday to this strictly Polish restaurant looking for fish and seafood for Lent. Neat old dive bar as you walk in the door. Smallish old bar with a couple of TVs around the room and a couple of bar-height tables scattered about. Won't hold a ton of people but makes for a nice and familiar watering hole to enjoy a few drinks or wait for a table in the attached dining area right off the bar. The menu in the dining room was filled with fish and seafood choices...with some chicken, hamburgers, and ribs offered. They seem to really specialize in fried foods...whether chicken or potatoes or breaded green beans. We went for the fried perch dinner and the crab cakes. The fried perch was the hit of the evening...nicely done little filets with a light breading...the dinner included little quarter cups of cottage cheese, cole slaw, and tartar sauce...two pieces of marbled rye, and a handful of fries. The guy who ordered the crab cakes - me - should have known better, i.e. you really don't go into a Polish emporium and order crab cakes. But be that as it may ... out came three crab cakes deep fried...and the chef put a dollop of butter on top of each cake after they were fried...this proceeded to melt down and accomplish two things: 1...the cake was very greasy and you got slippery lips and 2...the extra butter ran down to the bottom of the plate and sat there for the French fries to swim in. Not good - but half my fault for ordering it in the first place. Service was mixed up...all the people are very nice with a heart of gold but Waitress A didn't know which tables Waitress B was serving and vice versa. We waited for a long time in this narrow little room before anyone thought to ask us if we had been served. Oh well...topped off the night. Everyone gets a small bowl of pickled beets even before you order dinner. They offer no desserts. They only serve dinner on Wednesdays and Fridays. The bar area is open every day. May give it another try. read more

Frank is the best! Gr8t food and even better people ! Great place for a fish fry on Fridays too!

Amazing local restaurant with great prices and amazing food! Wonderful service as well as a homey atmosphere! You can't go wrong stopping here! read more

Chicago's Best rated their fried chicken #1 in Chicago. Everything on the menu is delicious, plentiful and all reasonably priced. On a recent visit I decided to give the full rack of ribs a try. The ribs are smoked on the premises. Boy were they delicious, with a perfect amount of bbq sauce they were falling off the bones tender and accompanied by my favorite crinkle cut french fries cooked to a crispy perfection, creamy cottage cheese, house made coleslaw and a roll with butter. My husband was impressed by the huge hand packed freshly ground hamburger on a kaiser roll served with all his favorite toppings - lettuce, tomato, pickle, onions - coleslaw and those amazing french fries. I look forward to trying something else from their extensive seafood menu on my next visit. It is a terrific family owned neighborhood find. If you are in the area be sure to give it a try. read more

Okay its true this place does not have the greatest ambiance. But, what they do have is the best fried chicken and fried fish in the Chicagoland area. Yes, I know this is a bold statement, but, its true. The very thin crisp breading crust is not greasy, yet, the succulent meat inside is perfectly cooked and not dried out. In my experience over the years, everything is consistently fresh and made to order. Also, I should mention that they are a little skimpy with their delicious fries. But their meals also include rye bread with butter, cottage cheese, cole slaw and sometimes pickles. It is overall, a very deliciously rounded meal. Venture out of your neighborhood to try this neighborhood's local spot for great food and maybe a beer. read more

I was brought here by my friend for lunch. He guaranteed me that the fried chicken was the best here. I ordered the 2 piece chicken with fries. It was only $3.75 for lunch it also comes with side of coleslaw and slice of bread. We did wait a bit for our food but that's because they made it fresh. When my food came out the chicken looked crispy and a golden brown color. Let me just say that this is the best fried chicken I have ever had. It was nice and crispy great flavor and the meat was so soft. Meat was so soft it pulled right off the bone. The 2 piece chicken was a drumstick and a chicken breast. Really delicious and Not greasy. The place has a bar in the front and a small dinning room in the back. Waitress was really friendly. read more

Club 81 Too - Delicious 2 piece fried chicken - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love this place. great fish options for lent and all year. i am usually not a fried chicken fan but this chicken is so amazing especially the BBQ chicken.... a must try for sure! i like going to the bar after having dinner too. the bar staff and restaurant staff are very friendly! its a great friday night place for a good dinner and some drinks with friends or family. read more

I love dive bars and this one qualifies. When you walk in you see the usual gang of old guys doing shot and a beer at the dimly lit bar. The back room is BRIGHT! There are about a dozen oil cloth covered tables that seat 4 to 8 people. If you hate fried food, stay away. There are about 20 items on the menu, mostly fish. Mom had the perch and said it was great. I had the fried chicken and it was incredible! The cole slaw is served in a tiny plastic container and was nothing special. The frys are thin and crisp. Drinks are cheap. Dinner and 3-4 drinks came to $36. This is obviously a neighborhood place and most everyone seemed to know each other. They served lunch Monday-Friday and dinner on Wednesday and Friday. I loved the atmosphere and the chicken and will be back soon. read more

Great food, strange hours. My family is new to Club 81 Too but we are definitely fans. They are masters of fried foods. The chicken dinners are huge, honestly enough for 2 people. I'm not sure if it is the best fried chicken in the city like they claim, but it has to be up there! The fried catfish was delicious, tons of yummy meat on the big fish. Don't miss out on the fried green beans as well, these are definitely the best in the city. I wish I could give the place 5 stars but I also wish they were open for dinner more than 2 days out of the week. read more

Heard on WGN that this place is supposedly known for their fried chicken... either this place is over hyped or I went on an off night because I wasn't too impressed. It wasn't bad mind you, but the chicken just didn't seem any different from your average place. It had a tasty crispy skin but, the meat wasn't all that moist and juicy. I'll save you some gas money, don't make the long trek if you're coming here just for the chicken, there I said it! read more

This place is one of those typical dive bars that only the surrounding area goes to. Let's drown our sorrows. Has a musty smell, they sell food from a bathroom type kitchen. The only good thing about this place are the drinks are really cheap. Other then that, stay clear. Also it seemed to me many of the people that go here are still living in the past!!! Alright people grow up already and stop thinking your professional ball players. read more

The setting in this sit in restaurant is one of the more interesting ones I've visited, the restaurant is attached to a bar and it is remodeled from a house living room. This makes for a different setting than your usual restaurant, which adds to the atmosphere of this place. The service here was good, I was never waiting for a drink or waiting for someone to come and bring out some complimentary beats. The service as well as being good will get personal with you and strike up conversation if you let them and talk back with them, which is good if you like that sort of thing, but if you don't then don't talk back to them. The price of the food was not bad for what I got. I got the barbecue chicken all white meat. This came with two chicken breasts, two chicken wings, french fries, cottage cheese cup, coleslaw cup, and green onion. This was not your usual white meat, this meat was juicy and not dry or too dry. This place was a sanitary establishment, I could not see any problems with the sanitation. The bathrooms in the establishment were small, but not too dirty, a little graffiti, but that happens anywhere. All in all this establishment was a very good place to visit and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. read more

Just had my husband's 80th birthday party this weekend. The guests ranged in age from 16 months to nearly 90 and everyone loved it. We had about 50 people and there was enough room for us to mingle, though it's not tremendously spacious. The back room was a great place for the kids to hang out. We had chicken, beef and mostaccioli, mashed potatoes, cole slaw and salad. Everything was served hot and fresh. Several people told me they were planning to return at some time for dinner (Wednesday and Friday only; lunch every week day 11-2). Service was friendly and helpful. The most relaxed and enjoyable event I've ever organized. It's not fancy, but more like eating in Grandma's kitchen. Six-year-old grandson wanted to return the next day . . . sounds good to me! read more

Just found a new favorite place for lunch near my workplace on the south side. Heard about it accidentally through a co-worker, who was trying to keep it a secret. It is a true local bar dive. The front area is dark and seems to have the regulars sitting at the bar, but the back area is well lit and full of policemen on the day i went. There was a regular flow of workers coming in to pick up orders. I had a turkey sandwich..huge, fresh, and tasty. I believe they are known for their fried fish, particularly the lake perch, but i was trying to be good. i will def try it next time though. read more

They just remodeled and it looks super nice! For all of you that said that the bar was dark, it is no more. Nice paint on the walls and bright can lights line the ceiling.. Looks great :) read more

AMAZING SERVICE, AMAZING WORKERS, always a great time! I recommend every single item on the menu. Very good food! I disagree with all bad reviews, they are very good all of the time. read more

RAW ribs! Worst ever! Disgusting. My husband got sick. Not only were they raw but pricey too. THESE RIBS WERE GARBAGE. They were take-out. When we called to complain they said come back for full refund including mushrooms, but when we went back they only refunded the ribs. WTF! Stay away! Bad ribs, bad management. read more

When you walk in here you feel like you entered a tavern with a couple of tables in the back, love it. There is no ambience, the staff is warm, and you feel like you are at home on a Saturday. Spectacular breaded perch sandwich and an even better steak sandwich. Was really impressed and will try to get back there. It appears to be a real neighborhood place and is family ran from what I gathered. Awesome. read more

Just went for my birthday for family dinner, it was great! Go-to for the fish, chicken, and ribs! The newly remodeled dining room was bright, beautiful, and fresh. Very family friendly. Very welcoming. The staff was excellent as always. Bar was great too! Clean and friendly :) read more