Dutch Inn West is a true dive bar in the best, most unpretentious sense of the word. It leans into its no-frills charm, offering a laid-back atmosphere where the focus is less on polish and more on simply enjoying the moment. The experience is straightforward but dependable -- a place to grab a drink, relax, and settle into the kind of environment that hasn't tried to change with the times. It's a solid three-star spot that delivers exactly what you expect from a neighborhood dive. If you want to run into friends that you haven't seen since high school; this is your place. read more

This is another establishment in the Elgin area that has been around for years and years and years. I have a nice outside patio. There's plenty of parking. It's in a more quiet area. Fish fry on Friday. read more

In search of a good Friday fish fry, we tried the Dutch tonight. I'd heard good things but never been. It's a local bar with great food and super reasonable pricing. Seated at the bar we immediately got fast friendly drink service. We ordered the two piece beer battered fish fry and a couple of street tacos. The food showed up in a jiffy. The fish fry was exactly what you'd hope for, hot & tasty. Same deal on the tacos. They were very good. The bar is lively enough that you'd almost call it loud. I really lied the Dutch and we will definitely be back. Five stars for this dive bar. read more

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Service was good, it has a fun little tavern feel but the fish fry (haddock) was not something I would order again.

I was surprised that I liked this place so much! Excellent burgers and beer. Bingo was fun, but now it's a bit crowded on bingo night. Still, worth checking out! Will return. read more

So me Anton and Wally stops here for colds Pbr beers and pierogis maybe on way to Deeters new years party. Beers good but no pierogis here. but, Good burgers. No dutch peoples either but nice ladies. But Mens toilet room smell so bad too nasty. Good drink, big stink. Good times in da news years! Go Bears!. read more

Hometown feel. Great looking menu, we really enjoyed our food and chatting about Elgin with the bartender and neighbors. We'll be back.

This Bar has always been the Best dive bar in Elgin, and has just gotten better and better through the years. WHAT WAS... once a popular biker bar, with a daily lingerie show, and a small menu of typical bar food, IS NOW... Still one Of the most popular bars in Elgin (and sorry to some but no more lingerie shows) However it is a Great atmosphere, Amazing food, Great Service, Friendly Staff and Owners, along with a large friendly diverse group of customers, while STILL keeping that same dive bar, homey feel to it that it's always been known for. If you have never been here, or just haven't in the past few years, Then you NEED to check this place out!! IT'S A MUST! You WILL NOT be Disappointed! They have a large food menu full of choices for everyone including, appetizers, salads, wraps, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, unique monthly burgers, amongst many other monthly specials. And the fresh cut fries and homemade chips are incredible, along with their homemade chili and soups that are super delicious. And if you have not had their FAMOUS FISH FRY, then you have got to give it a try!! It is rated the Best fish fry in the area according to hundreds of people!! They also have about 10 different beers on tap, ice cold bottled and cans of beer, along with a large array of shots and mixed cocktails from simple to more elaborate. Their cooks do a great job serving up the most delicious food, which is mostly fresh and homemade. They also always have so many different events and things to do, from their bingo which is super popular and Naughty Bingo which is their biggest event that never leaves and empty seat in the entire place, Texas Hold 'em, karaoke, DJ, Bands all summer long, and a huge beautiful Beer garden. They also have 6 gaming machines, a pool table, indoor/outdoor jukeboxes, Indoor/outdoor TV's, 2 dart boards, a shuffle board table, bags boards, quoits boards, and the ring game along with a giant connect 4. This place has been in the same family for 45 years! And was popular well known bar long before them, being one of the oldest bars in Elgin!!! Definitely check them out!! read more

Lost opportunity... We used to live in Elgin and went to the Dutch when it was REALLY a dive. It is greatly improved, the outside has a really nice patio and they also made a lot of improvements inside. We decided to check it out on a beautiful Saturday night. Not enough people working. One guy and one girl. We had to go inside to order a drink and it was a struggle to get service. The girl completely ignored us and wouldn't make eye contact. We were hungry, no menus. We had to look it up on the internet and flagged the guy down to place our order. He was hustling. It took a long time to get our food. No fault of the kitchen as it arrived cold. No way would we be able to send it back (not that anyone checked on us), so we ate it and it was very tasty. It would have been great had it been hot or even warm. Burger cooked right and quality ingredients on the Cuban. All night the service was the same. The band playing drew a great crowd and people had to go in and order. There were only a handful of people inside, so this 'system' was a failure and I watched employees and mostly customers go in and outside that door a thousand times (how about prop it open?). Had a server been outside full time they would have easily doubled their sales. People were having a great time and were thirsty and had to fetch drinks. We will be back based on the food. Maybe it was an off night, so I will give it another chance. Hopefully they get more staff. read more

Only been here a few times but so much fun. Great food and great atmosphere, so much fun and this young energetic girl Shelly brings a good vibe and so happy everytime I've been there..cheers to her for all she deals with..such a joy to be around. The owners I've met once what a pleasure so nice ..We will definitely be making this our new place to be in Thank you for making us feel at home read more

Great food , great service Called for a reservation to come and see our favorite band playing " Acoustiholics". Katie was nice and polite and said she would talk to manager and save us a table of 5. Shelley was there when we got there. She may be the manager /owner. Super nice she was very helpful. We had a great time read more

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It's the "Dutch". Food, especially the Friday night fish fry was out of this world. Truly enjoyed it it. Had the fried Haddock, wife ordered the Haddock with a rub. Fantastic. Stop in when in the area. Drinks are cheap, nice selection of beers on tap too read more

Great fish fry. Great half-price burgers on Tuesday. The bartenders are great. Fast service. Great food. A

Stopped in to the Dutch Inn West They have a great selection of fall cocktails and IPA's Shelli was awesome as always! Chef Peter has us try their Burger of the month it was awesome I also had to order his homemade onion rings they are the best around! read more

Dutch Inn West Inc - Hell or High Watermelon - Dive Bars Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

I went on a Friday night, I was craving a good fish fry. I got the fried haddock. Big pieces of fish, yummy seasoned fresh cut fries and tasty coleslaw. They have food and drink specials all of the time. The prices are very reasonable. Yea it is kinda a dive bar but it is big and clean. We had great service. An eclectic crowd with a good vibe and music. I'll be back! read more

Food, service, ambiance were all terrific! A bar where everyone knows you by your name. Great staff and friends. The food is awesome and love the free bingo and other games available. The menu has been updated with nachos and steak sandwiches- which I love. Awesome place to watch the Bears game with fun free raffles. I recommend this bar to anyone looking for a great place to hang out for a good time. Cheers! Bri read more

A time & a half. Good fish!!!! Atmosphere nice, seems cool after first visit, nothing negative & decent food/drink/etc.

We have never eaten at the place, but have ordered food for pickup multiple times. Our whole family loves their burgers and they are always cooked to perfection. The people have always been incredibly kind and welcoming as well. We have talked about going there at some point to eat and have a drink, especially now that there is a great outdoor area. Hopefully we will go soon! read more

Yelp has the Dutch listed as I dive bar. I totally agree. You never know what you'll encounter at the Dutch, but I can guarantee you that your bartender will be awesome. They have great service and an upbeat atmosphere. The patio is huge and there is often live music out there. If you have never gone, give it a try! read more

If you like dive bars this is the place. All of the bartenders are fantastic. The food is great, but bar service is even better. If you haven't been here you are missing out. Especially the not your grandmas bingo.... So much fun. read more

Food is really good and not very expensive! People there are fun and friendly. Definitely and dive bar, but totally worth going.

Great fish fry And very friendly staff. This is your go to place for fried haddock on a Friday night

??? Jury is out. Too much drinking on the other side of the bar. So many great careing people come to this bar. I truly love the management that turned this local tavern into a place to come. Stop have a cold one after work. Or bring the wife and the kids for a great Burger, Char Grilled Chicken Sammy and a great bowl of Ho-Made fresh Soup. From Shrimp Bisque to Chicken Noodle. Cook Stevo is a wonderful man. read more

The Dutch has been closed during COVID and finally reopened. The owners have worked on the place and it's improved in some nice areas...new floor, new window near entrance. Pool table moved. The personality of the bar has changed. The place is now lit up, and I don't know if that's a good thing. They also have placed a servers area on the most popular corner of the bar. Bad decision. That is the area that keeps people in the place. Also, they put a pool table in the way of the kitchen staff delivering. Not sure if what the logic was behind that decision. This is a place where all walks of life gather....And it was a very likeable crowd before the shutdown. Maybe the management wants to seek a different clientele. I have had many weekend days of fun there and the changes will be interesting to see if the foot traffic grows or weakens. The new bartenders seem nice, but no comparison to Mary and Tania. read more

Fair Prices, good service, good atmosphere. Would of easily spent thousands and have more positive to say. But Beware , your possessions might end up gone, if your not careful and staff wont be very helpful. my second time there August 27th , Saturday at closing time. 2am Sunday morning when I was leaving the establishment my phone disappeared while walking just ten feet to my car. I tried using another patrons phone to find it and had my phone at closing but somehow lost it walking ten feet to my car. I checked the parking lot and looked inside. I called the next morning to check if anyone might of turned in. Followed up for days but everyday I asked it was like noone from previous day staff even mentioned to the next day staff about a missing phone. My phone was a oneplus as shown in photo, if you see someone take selfie and the camera opens up on top of camera they probably stole my phone or know who did. So if you "lose" something here , dont be surprised and don't expect to get it back. read more

OK, so we have never been Dive Bar fans, sorry. And though we have lived in the Fox Valley for decades and have driven by Dutch Inn West a zillion times, we never felt compelled to check it out. During COVID-19, however, it was clear that they were freshening up with a new paint job and adapting by way of a new patio and beer garden. Wanting to support this effort my wife and I finally took the dive and we are SOOOOOO glad we did. It was the perfect, October blue sky, two Modelo, lunch in their garden!!! The house-made Southwestern Egg Rolls couldn't have been better, though the Missus and I disagreed on the sauce. She went for the hotter Chili and I enjoyed the cool Cilantro Ranch. My Shrimp Po-boy, in a crusty on the outside/soft on the inside French Roll, was fantastic. But her 7 oz. hand-packed Cheeseburger - ooooh boy! Wunderbar. Both sides, my hand-cut Fries and her Onion Rings, were hot and crispy. The Rings had a super-light (Panko?) crust that I called out specifically to Liz, our server. They were flawless. She was pretty great too. Even the bit of Cole Slaw that was basically a garnish for the Egg Rolls was great. Dutch Inn West is our new lunch place for sure. And we'll be back for the Haddock Fish on Fridays. If nothing else, for more Slaw! read more

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Tried this place after seeing good reviews. The band was awesome but the food was awful service was worse than that! Stay away!!

No more smoked anything! Sadly the cook with the smoker is gone so there's just limited basic bar food. The bartenders are polite and the ambiance is your typical dive with some niche draft. Ok for a quick beer read more

I was physically assaulted by a customer here so I called the police to file a report. The bar manager, Jack quickly banned me from the bar because I called the police. I was told a week prior to this incident how much of a valued customer I was by that same manager. So, moral of the story.....don't plan on being able to protect yourself and still be welcome to this place! No one should be physically assaulted and bullied ever and not be able to start a paper trail in the case the assaulter strikes again. read more

Went to Dutch Inn West to watch the Clemson Georgia Football game. Our bartender turned the game on the TV that was right by us. 20 minutes later, the manager came over and put the country music station on all the Tv's in the bar. We asked our bartender if she could turn the game back on and when she tried the manager told her that she needed to leave the TV on the country music station. Bartender told manager that we were watching the game and she told her to put the game on a TV that was at the other end of the bar. There were a total of 5 people in the bar at this time...our party of 3 and 2 girls that had just walked in. We asked our bartender for our bill so we could go watch the game somewhere else...bartender told manager that we were leaving and she still refused to change the channel. read more

Lots to like. ESPECIALLY THE FOOD. Limited kitchen hours with some kick ass BBQ. Fish fry is darned good. Highly recommended. Local locals bar. Been cleaned up. Looks nice. Still has a divey vibe. They got land. Great place for some bocce, horseshoe, a few tables, a firepit. This place can be really fun. Been here for ages. Recent management change. read more

Dutch Inn West Inc - Dive Bars Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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The Dutch Inn West is the place to be if you're looking for cheap, strong drinks. Make sure you have a cab on standby because these drinks pack a punch. The best bartender in this place is a fellow named Ardie. Ardie is an old school bartender who will take good care of you. He simultaneously serves as bartender and bouncer. If you come to this place you better not partake in any shenanigans or the long arm of the Ardie will come down upon you. The place is dated, but who goes to the bar to admire the decor anyway? The place has popcorn ceilings, smoke fans, circa 1982 tile flooring and a shuffleboard table. This place used to have a reputation of a rough biker bar with regular fights, shootings, and stabbings. Now, this is not a biker bar but a bar filled with average joes of all walks of life..... Farmers, mechanics, executives, students, cops, criminals, the unemployed, the infirmed, singles, married couples, swingers, etc. all who assemble in a run down dingy place seeking a good time with lots of alcohol. A refuge for the hard core drinkers during the day, a beloved dive bar at night... You can't go wrong. read more

We are regulars for the friday fish fry. The portions are big and the prices are low. Not exactly fancy inside, but has that friendly/shabby vibe you get at a good neighborhood bar. Get there early on fridays though, the parking lot fills up early and the wait time for your food increases. read more

I have been reluctant to post this to avoid letting out the secret. This place has great food and great prices. The food and bar are actually separate establishments but it's not a hassle. Draft beer $2- where else can you find that? Saturday is ribs night - $12 for half, $20 for full slab. And they are huge!!!! And meaty. And the cole slaw is to die for! It's a typical dive bar environment and the music is loud but for food makes it well worth it to go. read more

Dutch Inn West Inc - Dive Bars Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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Good God... the smoked corned beef is incredible and the cole slaw is fantastic. What a surprise to find this quality in a little local bar. read more

Dutch Inn West Inc - Dive Bars Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

I was very excited to go to the Dutch during covid as we heard they were remodeling to adapt to the changes that needed to be made so that the locals had a dive bar to hang out and not feel nervous. The place had a make over and feels very clean and sanitized inside. They built a new deck on the back with ample seating and a touch-tunes unit just for the outside crowd. The food is amazing!! Great portions and not over/under cooked. The drinks are your normal as you would see at a local bar. They will make you any type of specialty cocktail upon request or keep your beer cold! The staff is great - very attentive and following the cdc rules about having masks on and cleaning the bar area. They also make sure that when possible, customers maintain the 6 ft rule and do not gather in big crowds. They have the golden tee game and shuffle board along with dart boards. They have the bags set outside. Can't wait to make this my new local bar! read more

Bartenders don't know how to bartend you walk away to use the restroom they throw out your drinks! Bouncers need to know how to talk to patrons!!! read more

Pulled pork sandwich from Hopp Stop was amazing! Bread was nice and soft, the pork was tender and smokey. Although the ambience is a little...intimidating of the bar but the staff was very friendly. You'll find the bbq ordering at the back of the bar when you come in the front. Pricing was reasonable, it was $16 for two sandwiches. read more

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There is a suggestion box on the side door going out please put a response in good or bad Check out the fish fry on Fridays it's fabulous best ribs in town Saturday only first come first serve read more

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This is just about exactly what I think of when I think of a dive bar- maybe a bit nicer than a dive bar. We stopped in for some live music, and found the bar to be enjoyable. The bartenders were excellent- fun, speedy, and efficient at making a variety of drinks. The beer was cheap, so our friends were pleased, and there was a significant crowd on this night- probably due to the live music. The parking lot is gravel, but has many spaces, so there weren't many troubles with parking despite the crowd. There was a small stage for the live music, and they brought in a tech guy to do all of the sound. There were also several different games to pass the time. Overall, I will likely not be back- not really my type of place- but if my friend's band were back- I would happily go back. read more