My wife rented the coffee/art room side for my surprise 40th birthday party. It was an excellent space, and we felt supported in planning at all times. The organization is admittedly a little more laid-back than at other similar spots, but everyone we worked with was kind and supportive. Thank you, Friendly's Tap! read more

Great vibe they live up to their name from a fellow Californian thank you. Bar staff n the live band playing on 4/3 was fantastic. read more

Great coffee and treats! My favorite treat is a blueberry muffin. Their coffee drinks, both hot and cold, are fresh and delicious. I love the iced turmeric latte, as well as the "regular"/unflavored hot latte. If you're avoiding caffeine, they have a selection of smoothies (peach and honey really hits the spot). All of these are prepared and served by very kind and capable baristas who have great senses of humor. I love that this place is truly dog friendly; it's a great place to bring my dog so I can have a coffee treat and he gets lots of treats from the staff and patrons. The overall atmosphere is very cool, casual and welcoming. Lots of seats and tables for you and your friends to sit and relax. It's a great place to have in the neighborhood. read more

Friendly Tap - Jasper enjoying Friendly's - Bars Near Me - Berwyn, Illinois

We had some time to kill and decided to stop in here for a drink and to just check it out. What an impression this place made. First time I ever remember a bar tender introducing themselves to us and fully engaging with us. We also met a friendly regular who filled us in on the community space and all of the events they host! If we lived in the area, pretty sure I would be a regular. Hoping to stop in again when in town visiting the grandkids! This place has live music, community events, space for you to hang out and work or maybe even have your next bookclub here. This is a neighborhood bar through and through! read more

I just took a class recently in song writing from Kevin Rush. It was excellent. Friendly Tap has great music, wonderful service and easy parking. I highly recommend it for a fun evening out. read more

What a great find! We were on our way to Fitzgeralds in Berwyn, went next door for Italian Ices on the way and saw the sign "add to your ices next door at Friendly!" DON'T MIND IF WE DO! Two friendly women behind the bar gave our ices that extra ooomph. Great little joint! It's more like a community center than a bar - you can get coffee in the morning, then come back in the evening for music and a beer. It's got that welcoming neighborhood feel that is super appealing, just a great bar. read more

Went to watch a friend`s band perform there on a weekend. We brought a nice crowd to support the band. The place was so crowded that is was very difficult to get a drink from the only bartender they had on staff. Found out that my friend`s band did not get anything for playing there except the tip jar. Get this ,the band gets half price drinks. Wow !!! BIG DEAL !!! The bar should be called Cheapo Tap. read more

I was at Friendly Tap when the lights went out. The owner broke out a guitar and lit some candles and gave everyone a free drink. If you're looking for a great place to see music and have a drink this place is rock 'n' roll read more

Very literally the friendliest place I know. We love coming here for storytime with the little ones or popping in anytime for smoothies, coffee, or grown up drinks. Prices are great and the staff truly engages the Berwyn and surrounding community in a huge selection of events, shows, classes and more. read more

Cool little neighborhood bar that's apparently also a music school and a coffee bar. On the night we were there they had live music. Nice little place that was not overpriced or overly crowded. If you're hungry, they have pizzas at a reasonable price. Many beers on tap. Atmosphere is great. Tin ceilings. Old school bar. I would come back here in a heartbeat. Nice place. Nice people. read more

Friendly Tap - Band playing that night. The Rented Mules. - Bars Near Me - Berwyn, Illinois

Grew up down the block, never been here. Came back to visit my mom and stopped here Kim was busy doing her thing making coffee and still acknowledged me, she was very sweet and accommodating which made me feel comfortable. This is an awesome place definitely coming back. Thank you Kim read more

Charming local spot to grab a coffee or tea, or something a little stronger. Great place to do some work, play some checkers, or tap your foot along with the folk musicians that come through. True to its name, everyone here is kind and welcoming. One of my favorite places in Berwyn and throughout the Chicago area. read more

I have lived in Oak Park for three years, I'm sorry it took me this long to find this place. It's close by, tons of street parking, and is a huge venue. Friendly's has a coffee bar which I enjoyed. They also have a full service regular bar with TVs and sports playing. They have snacks - no food. This is fine, there are plenty of places to get food in the area. The owner is incredibly friendly. Friendly's also offers live music most days of the week. In the coffee bar they have a lot of seating and a shelf full of board games. Although the bar is active, the coffee bar is quiet enough to work in. The bartender Midge is also super nice, definitely adds to the lively conversation in the bar. They also have a jukebox with lots of great music. Upstairs is a music school owned by the same people. It's a really fun place. read more

Very cool joint. We went on a Saturday night and there was a live blues band. The place has a great vibe -- fun dive bar, very casual, cheap beer, wood paneling, you know the place. There were two sides to the place, one a bar and the other a coffee bar with comfy seats. Also had games like scrabble. I gotta tell ya, the pizza was delicious! I'm sure it was a frozen pizza, but damn it was solid. And $8! All in all, a nice friendly dive bar with live music. A perfect 5/7. read more

It's true, this bar is pretty friendly. They recently bought the space next door and opened the bar up a little for live music. The original Friendly Tap is a giant bar, curving around the entire room with a little bit of extra space around it, a couple video games in back and a decent jukebox. The new room has a stage area and a few tables. There is some lovely wood paneling and vintage neon beer guitar signs. I especially appreciate the picture with the owner and Svengoolie on the wall, since it is Berwyn after all. It's right across the street from Oak Park, so anyone suffering from the dry village blues should cross the street and check it out. It's not as scary as you might think. In fact, it was pretty nice. read more

Friendly Tap - Bars Near Me - Berwyn, Illinois

This place is so cool. Dive bar, coffee bar, music school, live music venue, they have it all! AND YOUR DOG IS WELCOME, doesn't get much better than that. I've been here for a couple of shows in the evening, so I haven't had a chance to experience the coffee bar. The show experience is pretty ideal, though. It's a small space, so every seat is a good seat. People are, in fact, very friendly here, and it feels like everyone is there to have a good time together. The coffee bar side is open during the shows, and it's the perfect place to duck into if you're not feeling the music or need a break from people or a comfy place to sit for a while (this introvert's dream). The shows are FREE (they pass the hat usually for performers), which makes it an inviting space for all to hear some great live music. Parking is plentiful and easy to find (another plus in my book, especially in the winter). Support this wonderful place! read more

Went here a few times to work and study. Great for both. Friendly staff and cool atmosphere. There's music playing (I think same music on both sides - the bar and cafe) but it's not overwhelming which is nice. read more

Great coffee! Just stopped by here for my second time ever for their morning coffee and it was great. Very strong and nice and hot. Cool cafe attached to a bar. Would recommend! read more

Great coffee in the morning and great beer and cocktails at night. Really like this local owned bar. Live music on the weekend. Their attached cafe reminds me alot of the central perk cafe from friends the tv show. If you are ever walking by I would highly recommend you pop your head in for a drink read more

Small town feel in the burbs of Chicago. Friendly Tap is quite an interesting concept and it works. Coffeeshop by day, bar by night. A crucial part of the Veltway - a live music hub on Roosevelt Road between the northern terminus of Berwyn and southern terminus of Oak Park. Within walking distance to my home, I frequent Friendly Coffee almost daily - whether dropping in for coffee to go, or to sit and stay awhile. The music they play in the coffee lounge is second to none - one day they were playing a Fleetwood Mac Spotify playlist, and the next they were playing old school jazz. You'll want to stay a while at Friendly Coffee lounge - they've got these big yellow leather couches that make you feel right at home and are a kind of centerpiece in and of themselves. The bar area is cozy. Live music almost every night of the week. We stopped in for Open Mic one evening and were impressed with the crowd even on a weeknight. On the topic of quality, not only is the atmosphere pleasant, Friendly really knows what it's doing when it comes to fine beverages. They don't make ambitious claims. It's the best kept secret. It's not fancy. It's cheaper than Starbucks. And absolutely tasty. Fresh. Crafted with love. Their baristas are tenured - one of them worked over 10 years in the business and makes the best latte I've had in my life. So I keep coming back for it. They say you're a stranger but once at Friendly's. It's imperatively true. The place has got what my husband and I call "lore". You're part of the story when you go to Friendly. You walk into a community that you instantly long to be a part of. And suddenly, you are. read more

See all

There was a great live band when we stopped in, patrons were awesome, and there was a dog! Drinks were in the weak side and for the windows being open and the night temp reaching 61 that evening, the bar was sweltering and we had to spend the entire time outside on the sidewalk. read more

What do you do when you live in the sleepy town of Oak Park and there isn't a bar in sight? You cross over into the neighboring town with more relaxed liquor laws!! I really really like this place!! It's just your typical dive bar with cheap booze and a relaxed atmosphere. I really wish I lived closer so I could walk here and be a regular. Even though Google maps says it's only a twelve minute walk, I want to only be a block away so I can stumble home safely. That's eleven minutes too long to be out wandering in the colder temps. I came here with a friend on a weeknight to hang out and have some drinks. It wasn't busy but it wasn't empty either so that was nice. We were able to have a conversation without being constantly interrupted but still had a bartender that was attentive enough to keep the drinks flowing. The name fits because the people here were actually friendly :) read more

Ahhh, now this is my kind of place! This is the kind of tavern that you found all over Chicago in the 70's and 80's until Mayor Ritchie started his onslaught on the neighborhood corner tavern. Yes, there still are taverns like this around and they are as comfortable as a pair of old shoes. There's no food here other than snacks but you can order pizza or Mexican chow from down the street and they will deliver. Just a handful of beers on tap but they DO have Guinness, Smithwick's and Blue Moon on tap and the prices are very reasonable. Their motto is "You are a stranger here but once" and they really do mean it. When I was walking to the door, there was a gent outside having a smoke. After a few minutes he came inside and went behind the bar and I realized he was one of the bartenders. After I had rapidly wet my whistle with my favorite Irish "mother's milk", he came over and poured me another. As he set it down, he asked my name and chuckled that he could see that I was giving him the once over as I entered the bar. He said his name was Red and we had a nice chat. Nothing fancy here - just good booze and fine company. My kind of place... read more

It's only "friendly" until about 9pm before all the unhinged degenerates with bad neck tattoos come rolling in. This is a cool little dive that I almost loved until the late 20's - early 40 year olds, who still think blasting "Slayer" on the Jukebox is cool, showed up. We also witnessed some shadiness, as we saw some (presumably regulars) go downstairs. We inquired to the bartender about what's down there, in hopes of it being something totally cool, and she replied in an unpleasant tone "the ice machine". Yeah okay. If I were to come back again, which I probably won't, it would definitely be earlier on in the day or evening. read more

The Friendly coffee house, tap, and music school is an all-encompassing emporium that lives up to its name, hands down... It's a great place to pop into, have coffee, have a conversation with Rob and/or the other partons. It has a unique, neighborhood vibe, coupled with an artsy atmosphere. The coffee is amazing, great quality every time, fresh, and bold. The night scene is a bar, like "Cheers" no food, just great booze, and conversations. Wednesday night "open mic" draws in great talent, true musicians 7ish to 10 PM. Rob is a class act person, musician, and one of the hardest working, true business owners, a rare gem, a guy that represents old fashioned, American business. He puts his life into it on a daily basis. If we only had more business owner/operators like him... Bring America back, support small businesses like the friendly Tap, it's what our country was built upon, and pay cash, cash-is-king! read more

I'm writing to plug the recently re-made Friendly Lounge, the daytime coffee shop in the east half of the Friendly Tap. It's awesome. They've done a great job of creating a space that transitions smoothly from day to night, and the coffee is well made and reasonably priced. My longtime gripe about this neighborhood was its lack of cool coffee shops, and the Friendly has unexpectedly remedied that. Please go there often and buy lots of coffee so that it sticks around! (the bar's cool too) read more

The Friendly Tap is another average bar that I like primarily for its averageness. Nothing pretentious about this place. The staff, customers, and performers are all regular people -- something I appreciate more as I get older. GOOD: - Approachable atmosphere. It doesn't take long to feel welcome. - Bartenders are friendly and attentive. - Free live music at least a couple nights a week. Why pay $20 entry at Wire down the street when you can see a band play at Friendly Tap for free? (The answer to this question depends on whether you have $20 to spare, which I currently do not.) MAYBE: - Friendly doubles as a coffee shop in the mornings, and I've heard good things about it. But the hours are so limited, I've never had a chance to make it over there to try. - There's a second room adjacent to the bar, where bigger acts sometimes play. It's a nice room to see a show, but a bit sad to drink in otherwise. No one generally sits in there unless there is something going on. BAD: - I can't quite put my finger on it -- there is something about Friendly Tap that is just a bit.... sad. I normally appreciate old bars that stick to their original decor, but there is something about Friendly Tap's interior that feels really tired. Could be the wood paneling, worn down bar, or the fading paint job. I wish this bar could remain true to its history and still freshen up a bit. read more

Good coffee, came here early one morning and also picked up some amazing muffins! The lady behind the counter was very nice and knowledgeable about a lot of activities in the area. Great neighborhood place! read more

This is friendly and unpretentious neighborhood joint down the street from Fitzgerald's. I had the good fortune of being introduced to this smaller, lesser known Berwyn venue to check out a rare reunion show of Whiskey Tit. Loved the vibe. Good selection of beers on hand. read more

The Scottish-Mexican bartender was super chill and bey attentive. The pizza was surprisingly super delicious with crushed red pepper flakes and pairs deliciously with their coffee and a shot of Grand Marnier. They have live music almost every night and cute tiny decorative liquor all around bottles. Really good music and clean bathrooms a plus, come! c: read more

Friendly Tap - Bars Near Me - Berwyn, Illinois

Extremely nice place, owner is trying to send this establishment in the correct direction plus he is a nice guy. Hard to rate places like these as I grew up were dive bars. Yuppies or what ever there called say there dive barsm I would call them Neighborhood Taps. Suggestions, few more beers on tap. German or Czek, Craft beers I do not consider anything but a passing fad. The other, not new bar stools but how about some duct tape! read more

Before Chicagoland's "bars" started to give the interior design industry a boost with reclaimed paneling and bare light bulb trees, most liquor-serving establishments looked like Friendly Tap. Yes, it has a record player with actual records. It sponsors baseball teams. And yes, there are people under 40 in there (at least now, anyway. When I'd go past this place years ago waiting in line at Gina's, it was a different story). It's on the best stretch of Roosevelt Rd. that is a secret which shouldn't be kept much longer. Stop going to fake "taverns" that are owned by a business group. The real deal is here at Friendly Tap. read more

A great place to gather weather you want to see live music, play your favorite tunes on the jukebox, or have intimate conversation in one of the quiet spots. On a typical evening you can enjoy any of the above between the 2 rooms. You may even find a couch next to an open window and feel free to grab a guitar off the walls and strum away while a band is playing in the adjoining room! Oh, and with the separate room. It's a great venue to host a private party! read more

This place was very cozy and friendly for sure. They had some really interesting band going on on a Thursday night. The place is kind of small but interesting. Planning on coming here soon read more

I've always had a good time going to "Friendlies" . The main "original" bar has retained it's neighborhood tap feel, but they also have another room that's a bit more open with some couches, a juke box, ping pong table, darts and lifesize Jenga which is a hulluva lot of fun to play there! The decor displays local artwork and sometimes they also have live music. In the summertime the game room opens up to the street which really makes it a comfortable place to hang out and socialize with friends. Staff is friendly and the service has been great! read more

I may be old, but I still love live music! Great place to gather and see some great local talent. Open mic night is a blast! I don't play or sing myself, for various reasons, but it is always fun watching others get up there and give it all they got! read more

We've lived 1 block away from this place for 2 years and JUST recently visited for the first time. I regret not visiting sooner, because this place is amazing - it has a hybrid vegas/nashville feel and seems like a great place to gather with friends for drinks (regardless of whether the drinks are java or booze - because this place is a coffeehouse AND bar). Music is always playing, and really pulls you in! I personally visited in the morning so I got a latte, and I was very impressed with the care the worker took in preparing and creating my beverage (ex: hand pressed and measured espresso grinds). We will be back again for coffee AND for the nightlife. So glad we discovered this place - what a great find!! read more

The place lives up to it's name...super friendly staff and patrons, cheap drinks, great music, great location at basically corner of Roosevelt & Oak Park Ave...directly across from CVS..parking on Roosevelt can be a hassle, but there's a lot on Oak Park across from Buona Beef you can use safely. It's also walking distance from Fitzgerald's and Wire, so you can bar hop to other music venues read more

Every aspect of this tavern lived up to the name "Frendly". The bartender was responsive and attentive, and took the time to be certain of my irregular drink order. The folks at the bar were enjoying the football game, but they were "fun rowdy" not the "oh sh!t" it's gonna get ugly rowdy. They cheered and cussed but gave you room to the bar and to the bathroom and, dammit, that's all I ask. None of that "Who're you 'n' what're ya doin' here?" vibe that is so common in "neighborhood taverns." The bands playing that night -- Dollar Store & the Mediums -- were terrific and the sound was good. The Yellowhammers play on the first Tuesday nights and they are a damn fine band as well. If I live closer I'd be a regular. As it is, I intend to be a semi-regular. -- MrJM read more

Awesome neighborhood bar. Great selection of beer, good vibes, great bar tenders. There's always cool performances by local and touring musicians. There's a comedy night, and the best open mic in the city on Wednesdays. A great place to wander in, or bring a group of friends. A perfect bar. read more