This is my favorite place to visit in the winter when I want a fine beer and comfort food. Their fireplace room just oozes charm, and is a great place to catch up with a friend or that special someone. They normally have a great selection of beer, featuring a local craft brewery every month (this month, Two Brothers). Their daily food and drink specials - yes, that includes weekends - are a real bonus. Service can be a bit spotty, depending completely on the person. So yes, onto the food. My favorite appetizer is by far the Emerald Artichoke Dip, which is served in a sourdough bread bowl with a heaping pile of lavash. For you sillies who are watching your carbs, yes, you can substitute veggies. As far as entrees, I'm partial to the fish 'n' chips, which are crispy and not at all heavy, and the cheddar bacon burger. I've tried neither the desserts nor the weekend brunch menu, but trust me, it'll happen. The food is too good to not sample it all. read more

Galway Arms is one of the few "Irish Bars" in the city that actually feels Irish, and not like a "TGIrish Fridays," or a Johnny O'Tooligans Drinking Emporium. By the time you actually get to the seating area, you're set quite a ways back from the hustle of Clark Street, and the fireplace, draped curtains and wood tables and chairs make for a good atmosphere. I've been here with the girlfriend for a cheap, chill, but still nice dinner, and with friends to enjoy an low-key evening over a couple pints (though not too many because when the "special" is $4.50 Great Lakes bottles...the same ones offered for cheaper on special at Duke's up the street, you can't really break the bank. Thursdays they have $5 burgers which are decent and they give you a full meal with some fries as well. Service is prompt, which is more than appreciated. Supposedly there's trivia on Wednesdays and live Irish music on Sundays, but I have not been here to check them out yet. Might have to come back soon, especially once the patio opens up. read more

I've walked past this place a million times but finally went last night - and I was actually pretty impressed! The inside is really cool - I've never been to Ireland, but it was done up in typical USA-Irish bar style - wood paneling, etc. This was a bit classier than others with separate rooms and dark floors, very nice. Then we headed to the patio outside, which seems to be the big draw in the summer. The area was pleasant, and they serve IMPERIAL PINTS - slightly larger than a normal US "Pint" glass, for $5. Not a bad deal. Prices on food were a little on the high side (for bar food), but not ridiculous. Server was kind of slow, but we weren't in a hurry. Overall, a pleasant bar! read more

I attended a Paint Nite event here this past weekend with my fiance. The place was pretty quiet around 2 p.m. on Saturday, just a few customers at the bar and one or two tables. Real fireplace gives a cozy feel by the bar. Standard pub fare - appetizers, burgers, salads, etc. We split the curry fries and the artichoke spinach dip. The curry fries were more flavorful than spicy, topped with peas, but was almost like a poutine with less sauce; it could have used more, but they weren't bad. The dip arrived in a bread bowl garnished with pita chips and was actually a rather unattractive looking solid bright green, but tasted surprisingly delicious. The space could have been arranged a little bit better and had an additional dedicated server for the event; I feel like attendees were crammed too tightly together for comfortable reach in painting and drinking without being obtrusive to one another, and there was definitely no room to accommodate people eating at the same time. I also had to go downstairs to the bar for food & drinks, as the only waitress for the entire event never even made it to our side of the room with the ONE menu that was available. This was my 4th Paint Nite event, and definitely the least favorite for the space and service issues discussed above. That said, I might return if I were in the area for a spiked hot chocolate or cider to sit by the fireplace, but probably not for an event or a regular hangout. read more

My boyfriend and I stopped in here for a drink to kill some time. We weren't sure what to expect but it looked like the best option around. The atmosphere inside was like a quaint Irish pub. It was dark and cozy. We found a nice quite out-cove area to sit and enjoy our drinks. At first i was concerned that they only severed beer and wine, but was happy to find out they have a full liquor bar. After seeing and smelling the yummy food people were being served. We decided to order an appetizer. We got the sausage rolls, which were delicious and very filling. The food was so good, I want to go back one night for dinner. read more

I didn't really know what to expect when going into Galway Arms, but as soon as I walked in, I got the vibe of a smallish, warm, cozy bar. I went there early on a Friday night and while there were some people there, it wasn't packed. It was pretty laid back and quiet for the most part. I went with one of my friends for a quick drink, but this is definitely the type of place that I would consider a date night go-to spot. The dim lighting and homey vibe can add to a romantic date night. The servers are friendly and quick and the prices are reasonable, so no complaints there. The bathrooms are located downstairs and are very clean, so I was grateful for that! There is also an outdoor patio for when the weather gets warmer. I cannot wait to come here in the summertime. Pretty nice spot! read more

This place is everyone's favorite! They've got great food, great drink specials and great ambiance! Its got something for everyone here, good to watch sports and also good to hang out! read more

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Went for dinner w/ a few of my friends. It was my choice because I was craving curry fries and shepherd's pie. The other girls all got the fish & chips. Everyone was pretty happy with their food. My shepherd's pie was quite tasty, although I've had better, and the same goes for the curry fries. The service, however, was among the worse I've had at a restaurant. Our waitress took *FOREVER* to take our order and give us the bill. She never showed up to check on us... and this was on a rainy, non-busy week night. The food was good enough to warrant a return trip, but I was SO disappointed with the service that I'm not sure I'll go back. Maybe I'll give it one more try as any place can have an off night, service-wise, but it was particularly bad service. 10/22/07 Stopped in again last night to give Galway Arms a second chance. Had beers and curry chips. Again, the curry chips did not disappoint! We greatly enjoyed the warm night on the awesome patio. AND, I'm happy to report our service was very good this time! read more

Nice patio area.......but...that's about it. Note to self. Don't go to an Irish bar and order non-irish food. Hell, even if it's simple bar food that anyone could make. The fish was nasty...tasted very fishy. AND WTF makes bad quesadillas? This place. Never ever will I eat here again. I might stop in for a few drinks......but that's about it. read more

I am so let down by my experience at Galway arms. I had Irish family in town who run their own Irish bar and heard about the live music and brought them on a Tuesday to enjoy a couple pints. The minute we walked in we were given dirty looks by the waitress and she disregarded us when we tried to order drinks at the bar. We had to resort to sitting 2 rooms away from the live music and no one ever checked on us to see if we need another drink. So disappointed and honestly mad. read more

Came here last night and was a bit disappointed by the experience. I had come a couple of years ago and hadn't been back in awhile but since it was so nice outside, decided to enjoy the outdoor patio with some friends. I think our waitress was over-worked, it took about 15 minutes from when we put in the initial drink order to when we finally received our drinks. I ordered the moscow mule (probably my mistake.. should have gotten a beer at a pub) and it was too gingery. The food was also a bit disappointing, I got the mozzarella sticks as an appetizer and they were lukewarm. My friend also had the burger which she said was a bit overcooked. All in all, it was a nice night and the patio was an enjoying place to be but other than that the experience could have been a lot better from the wait time and the quality of food & drink. read more

Galways Arms is my favorite bar. It's right around the corner, has great food and good beer, and is not full of obnoxious trixie scensters like some of the other local bars. The patio is lovely in the summertime and the booth next to the fireplace is cozy in the winter. With all the little rooms and nooks, I feel like I'm in a real Irish bar. I love the steak salad here- it is fabulous and what I almost always order. When we come with friends, we always order the sausage rolls which are pretty darn close to the what I'd get when I lived in Ireland- very good. They always have a beer special and on weeknights they have different menu items on special too. If you like Irish pub food, you can't go wrong here. This past November my fiance threw me a surprise party here and worked with one of the bar managers, Deirdre. She was very helpful and it was a great party, everything ran smoothly. They have very good drink packages for parties. I think it was $35 for 3 hours- and that included anything you wanted. read more

Wow. This is a great bar! And restaurant. Recently spent some time her with a friend. Both of us had dinner and then beers for about 3 hours. Bill was $80. Sold. Beyond the great value the staff was amazing. Dee was so friendly and helpful. The interior is very comfortable and private too. They have a nice outdoor patio. Can't wait to go back here. Beer selection is solid. read more

We chose Galway Arms as the meeting place to celebrate the husb's birthday. We had only been here once before and sat on the patio. At first we were worried because it looked like more people were there to eat dinner than have beers. (I like to get the husb good and drunk on his b-day) But as the night wore on, and the Guiness Girls gave us more free pints, the place got a little rowdier. (Please note that I am old and rowdy is not what it used to be!) We had a great time and I am excited about going back to try the food. read more

Awesome pub. Went there for the first time last Friday for bottomless fish and chips which were pretty damn good, especially for only $12. You always knows it's a good sign when they bring them out with malt vinegar for the authentic experience. Bathrooms were a little small, but that's really my only negative, and not really a deal breaker for me. The pints of Guinness were cold and delicious, so you'll catch me back here again. Hopefully in the summer when their front patio opens back up. read more

I used to work next door and on occasion would drop in before/after shifts. Having lived in Ireland for a few months, I have an affinity for all things Irish, and this pub satisfies all my Irish cravings. Fireplace in the center of the room. Irish bartenders. Perfectly poured Guinness. Traditional Irish Sessions every Sunday night. The food I have only had on occasion, so this goes for the drinking experiences I've had here, and they've always been fun. If you're walking by, stop in for a drink and pretend you're in Ireland for an hour or two! read more

Do not dine here. The food is incredibly mediocre. Apps were subpar and cold. The Cobb salad had half the lettuce you would expect for a dinner salad and inferior toppings. The shepherds pie was a bowl of meat slop of questionable origin with a dollop of mashed potatoes on top and plasticy shavings of what I suppose was Parmesan. My particular visit featured lackluster service to boot. The atmosphere is fine, and they know how to open a beer bottle. If you are drinking and want food they do seem to know how to cook a French fry. read more

I ate here for the first time yesterday & really enjoyed myself. We were able to sit on the enclosed patio and enjoy the outdoors & people watching in spite of the rain! I also enjoyed my meal quite a lot. I had the tomatoe & fresh mozzarella salad over asparagus with a balsamic syrup, and it was great. My fiance had the tuna salad wrap & like that quite a lot as well. The service was both prompt & friendly. I would definitely go back! That had some nice vegetarian options on the menu that I'd really like to work my way through! read more

Worst dining experience. 35-minute wait for patio seating only to end up at the table we saw EMPTY when we walked in. Hostess knocked into me, didn't apologize or even acknowledge. Salad: a bag of lettuce dumped on a plate with 4 slices of really worn-out tomato. Way too much use of plastic! This is a real restaurant and should use real glasswear. So wasteful and bad for the environment. No one every refilled our water. Tho we tried to catch the waitress 3x. The ladies room smelled as if a horde of cats had been let loose. Utterly nauseating. Waited 15 minutes for the check. Asked for a box to wrap my leftover sad salad but didn't get one. I give the single star because my two dining companions were happy enough with their dinners. read more

After missing the office hours, I followed the other yelpers here for drinks and food. Well, food for me because I had a long work day and was starving. A few of us sat at the bar, which is usually my favorite spot at bars (most of the time). The service was great, and our bartender was awesome. Drinks: I'm more a fruity mcfruit drink type girl so I stuck with my usual -an amaretto stone sour. The attentive bartender made it just right the first time around, and of course, I had 4 more (I think). Food: I ordered the crab cake appetizer, which was quite yummy. I scarfed down that bad boy in no time. Overall, the bar itself wasn't bad at all, and I would definitely come back for drinks. If it wasn't as hot as it was that day, I think we would've sat outside. It was pretty crowded out on the patio that day, and customers waited inside for a spot outside. Wow - more power to them for sitting outside in that heat. (I'm a wimp and couldn't take the humidity that day!) read more

Great place to gather a group or to just a cozy, cute date night where you don't have to completely dress up and wear heals. The Irish culture brings you in with a huge beer list and tasty dishes. Packed and crowded for a Saturday night but we got a seat in the closed in dining hall after a large party left. We unfortunately got a waitress who didn't want to serve us 6 girls. She acted like we were snooty, even though we were super friendly and ready to have a good time. I saw that it said "Tables of 6 and more have 18% gratuity and please ask server for separate checks before ordering" in really tiny font on the bottom of the menu. I asked for it after we all went around getting beers. She was upset by it and didn't say anything and walked off. It took her forever to get our drinks and even seconds on them and she hardly came around asking how we were doing. Food was delicious and served in large portions. Between burgers and sandwiches, everyone enjoyed their meals! A nice spot on Clark in the Lincoln Park area and I will come back again. Just hoping I don't get stuck with a bitter waitress. There is a difference between a server having a hard day or being quiet, or a server who seems to be purposely annoyed with us. Will go back though sometime. read more

Went here with a group of friends. Service and environment was very good, and so were the drinks. The food was a little overpriced, and the burgers were a tad undercooked. I would go back to try some other food! read more

I'm always happy when I leave this place. It's very cozy in the winter (yay fireplace!) and relaxing in the summer on their patio. But I think it's better to come here during the cooler months because they have great warm drinks. I'm not big into dips, but their spinach artichoke dip is AMAZING. It's served in a BREAD BOWL(!!!) and comes with these awesome pita chips. Sometimes I go there just for that. I've always had great service here too. If you tell them before you order they're really cool about separate checks. A friend and I did separate checks and they were able to split the appetizer we shared so that's a big win in my book. Our waitress was really friendly as well. Definitely recommend this place if you're looking to get together with friends and are in the area. Very accessible on Clark St. read more

I'm divided on this restaurant. On some items, they were rather good. The salmon salad was quite good, as was the corned beef. And the beer list is impressive. But there were too many things that went wrong. The veggie burger was awful. The steak fries were just plain dull. Service was slow because only a single waitress had responsibility for the entire porch. But the biggest faux-pas was that the multi-grain bread used for the corned beef sandwich was moldy. Unfortunately it wasn't noticed until most of the sandwich had been eaten. The manager did not charge for the sandwich, which should have been done. But I worry about any restaurant, and any chef, that allows moldy bread to be served. read more

This bar was voted "Best Irish Pub" in 2010, and since 2007 when I moved to Chicago, I still consider it the best of any genre in the city. When I moved to Lincoln Park, it was the first place I stopped in. I knew next to no one in the city, it had an amazing patio, was cozy inside, had lots of sports on, great Guinness, but more importantly it had good conversation. The staff there made it, for me, a home away from home. Needless to say, I soon found myself at Galway daily, and on a few occasions even think I had breakfast, lunch and dinner there (wow those were long days)! I haven't lived up in the old neighborhood for a couple years now, but I do try to visit them often. The last few times I was there it was very busy, but they were just as accommodating as the first time I strolled in. Dee, Barry and the rest of the staff truly are great people, who really do try to do everything they can for you. read more

From the inside out I love this bar! It's the real deal. It's one of the few bars in the city that truly feels like an Irish Pub. It's not your regular dive bar with a few Guiness mirrors thrown up on the wall and a Chi-rish flag flying outside, with some douchey guy serving up pints of Guiness, it is 100% Authentic Celtic. Barry, the bartender/owner, is incredibly friendly and makes you feel at home while serving up pints. They serve everything from Guiness to Magner's to Smithwicks on tap and a few local brews. On the last Sunday night of the month you can enjoy live Irish Music by Paddy and his gang, It's a lot of fun! The entire bar from walls to table is made from rich wood panels, Irish clans on the wall, a fewbrand lager mirrors, a warm fireplace, stainglass windows, and a great patio. It's just plain cozy, especially with most of the waitstaff having an authentic Irish accent that makes it truly feel like home. And mark my words, they serve the best Shepherd's Pie and Sausage Rolls in the city! Everything is reasonably priced. read more

This is a hidden gem in Lincoln Park. The atmosphere is great anytime of the year. The patio is so fun at night during the summer when the weather is nice. The inside is so warm and cozy in the winter. Once it gets cold, they have many fireplaces going which added to the ambience. Many days a week at night they have live Irish music. The best day to go for music is Sunday night. Paddy is always there with a crew to play and sing traditional Irish music. We love to grab a pint of Guinness and relax. *The Irish sausage rolls are delicious for any time of day too! read more

Galway Arms was the perfect choice for our son's rehearsal dinner this past Friday, October 4th. The private room upstairs was just what we had hoped for for this celebratory occasion. It is spacious with totally authentic Irish ambiance. We had a full bar and restrooms for our own use. Deirdre helped me plan this for about a year and everything was just amazing and the whole experience exceeded our expectations. Chef James's food was beautifully set out in a buffet - delicious and plentiful! Neve and Steve took great care of us throughout our time with them, they were friendly and efficient. I highly recommend Galway Arms and its private room for your next group celebration - you will not be disappointed! read more

We absolutely loved bringing our dog to this patio. Great vibes. Pretzel is to die for. This pretzel is way better than their neighbor, gaslight. Brunch crowd is busy on the patio which makes sense. Clearly a great spot to go. Only complaint is my friend ordered a burger medium well and it was medium rare. Why ask how you want your burger if you're not going to adhere to this? Little disappointed by this but would definitely recommend going here. read more

Got the fish and chips and it was very good. They have live entertainment some nights but tonight wasn't one of them. Beer was a bit pricey. It was a bit warm inside but ServiceDesk very was very good. I would come back. read more

I remember really liking this place when it first opened up, so I hope it hasn't changed much. I wouldn't necessarily consider it an Irish pub like most of those in Lincoln Park. It's a bit more upscale with a focus on food. And the food is good, but not typical pub grub. The layout I think is kinda cool and cozy with nooks and corners to fall into, and an upstairs with party rooms that I always liked. The outdoor patio is pretty big and inviting, and more adult oriented than Mickey's next door. You could bring your family here. read more

We came here because there was no room at Mickey's during the Ohio game around 7:30 on a Saturday night. No biggie, we just wanted to eat on a patio. The server first put us in the smallest booth for six people, which could only fit probably 4 people comfortably. And four of the people in my group were guys. Not gonna work. So we asked for a table on the patio and she told my friend, it's gonna be 10 minutes or it can be 30. Thanks for the heads-up. So we waited maybe 15 minutes and got a table outside. When we ordered drinks my friend asked for a Killians and without looking at him just said "No." Awkward silence crept in. He said "MGD". Again she just said "No" while staring at her notepad. REALLY? An Irish bar doesn't have Killians, let alone a basic beer? She then looked at us and said, "You need more time?" and handed us the drink menu and walked away. SOOOO not even a suggestion for the beers you don't have? Come on. I ordered the Arms Chicken sandwich and so did my sister's boyfriend. We both hated it. It tasted weird and smelled weird, I can't even describe it. I can't believe they made a plain chicken breast taste so awful. My sister ordered a chicken BBQ sandwich and she said she didn't like hers either. Maybe it was the chicken sandwiches that are just plain bad, because my bf ordered the fish and chips, which he liked, and another one of my friends got a corned beef sandwich. I'm not a picky eater, but I've never really gotten food I hated either. Never again. Server was not helpful. The only thing I liked was the fact we had patio seating, but never again. P.S. I was corrected by Dee C and found out Killians is brewed by Coors...even still, waitress did not help in suggesting a similar beer! Thanks Dee. read more

Who in the right mind would ever say this place has good food? The food is 1 star worthy if it wasn't for the attentive waitress we had for a group of 13. Had the veggie buger with cold fries. Asked the waitress for fresh ones n came out right away with them, but these have to be the most boring non seasoned thick fries known to man. Which it doesn't help that they skimp on ketchup n don't serve bottles to tables but a Lil mini cup which was barely enough for my burger! Which was highly recommended from the waitress. It was dry, almost tasteless, just as much as the red pepper spread they gave. On to the bun it was too thick that it was taking away the flavor/taste of everything! Tried my friends meat burger, lamb shank, n the mozz sticks a well. Everything came up flat. Irish are not known for their cuisine n this place obviously shows that. Stick to the booze here the Irish can't screw that up! :-) read more

One of my favorite Chicago spots. Vibe is cool, solid outdoor section for the summer/fall. Been here several times and the service has always been good. Feels pretty authentic, too; few years ago two other people and I went here after an Ireland/New Zealand rugby game at Soldier Field. The Cubs had just won the World Series, but you would have thought you were in Dublin, and not Chicago, here. Full of Irish people and fans. Good for medium-large groups too! read more

This is what a pub should be! We sat by the fireplace in the front room on a cold day. There was live music being played in the next room, so we asked the waitress if the radio could be turned down, which it was, and then we were able to enjoy a fiddle band while we ate. The service was good and so was the food. The music coupled with the simple holiday decor and real fire made it a cozy spot to sit for a couple of hours. My wife remarked that it felt like she was back in Ireland, something she hasn't felt in the states outside of a few places in Boston. read more

I loved this place when I went. It was a Sunday night in November and it was pretty cold outside. The hike from the Fullerton Red Line seemed like an epic journey through the Arctic. Evidently they have music live on Sundays, which was what greeted us as we walked into the place. I got a Guinness, obviously, and a fish and chips. Let me just say, my fish and chips were amazing.Crisp and juicy on the inside, man they were good! Guinness draft is always amazing and that filled me up I could barely move. Note to self, order very light the next time you drink Guinness. This would be 5 stars but we were seated far away from the live music and couldn't see any of it. Kind of a drag, but I really liked the place and I'm definitely going back. Sláinte! read more

I admit, any Irish bar where employees are actually Irish will win some extra stars from me. I feel like every time I've been in here, our hostess, server or the bartender all had Irish accents. Also, there always seems to be a football game on at least one tv. (By football, I mean soccer, not American football.) Anyways, I always get a Smithwicks (or 2 or 3 or 4) and their traditional sausage roll appetizer. It's Irish sausage wrapped in puff pastry, with an awesome dipping sauce. I'm 50% Irish so I feel the need to keep it Irish when I come here, no Miller Lite for me thanks! It's a really laid-back atmosphere, which I like, and we are always able to get a table (inside or out), which I love. My great Irish neighborhood go-to spot! read more

Galway Arms is a favorite place of mine in the winter -- a nice cozy house with lots of tucked-away rooms to hang out and gossip in with some good food and drinks. They're just started having a brunch menu on the weekends, and I'm afraid it was not up to their usual decent standards at all. After last Sunday, I'm not really in a hurry to go back. My friend and I sat at a table on the patio, where we waited for quite a while before our waiter turned up with menus. Drink orders were pretty prompt, and we ordered food when the drinks arrived, since it was fairly busy and we didn't want to dilly-dally all morning just to order brunch. Here's where the trouble started. I ordered the B.E.L.T. sandwich, which the menu said had eggs over medium. I asked the waiter if I could possibly get my eggs over hard, and he assured me it was no problem. After a while, someone turned up with 3 plates (it was just the two of us) and asked who had the tuna melt -- that would be my friend. He then delivered the other two plates to another table. After about five minutes of me telling my friend to please eat before it got cold, our waiter turned up and said that he had "hit the wrong button" and put our orders in separately, so mine would be out shortly. I was confused. Surely there was some way to have fixed this mistake, either cancelling the first order or telling the kitchen or asking his manager or something...right? Anyway, my food eventually turned up. The potatoes were delicious, but the sandwich, not so much. What was described as "Irish bacon" was rather rubbery and weird-looking -- kind of like raw bacon, honestly, which confused the heck out of me. The eggs, which I had requested over hard because I don't like runny yolk, were over medium. At this point, our waiter basically disappeared, and I wasn't about to go find him to send my food back, since I'd already waited long enough. Getting the check took forever, as did my friend's multiple requests for another soda (which was $3 and in a plastic cup, btw). I realize that brunch is new at Galway Arms, but I was very disappointed with both the food and the service, which have previously been quite good, and I will think twice before going back. The food isn't super pricey, but it's not cheap either, and I can think of better places to spend my money and my time. read more

Awesome food, decent drinks. But to be specific, Irish food is fairly authentic and service is pretty good. My only complaint is their ridiculous prices. Though i suppose Lincoln Park is a hot spot for dining. Recommend Corned beef with cabbage (ew cabbage, but this is actually pretty solid). Treat yourself to a unique ireland beer as well. Overall a decent staple in the LP community. read more

Cozy pub was the perfect setting for us on a cold snowy January eve. $4.50 draft beer was worth it alone, added to that we ordered some thick cut fries for a snack. The setting is comfortable, very authentic and the noise level is quiet enough so you dont leave with a raspy voice from having to be heard. Our first server, a lady from Romania, was charming and very attentive. Unfortunately we caught her at the end of her shift so she was replaced by another server who seemed to forget us. Even so, this is our new go to spot for some brews and good grub! read more