Excellent fried Smelt. I really enjoy these tasty little fish. They're cooked perfectly, you can get 1/2 lb or a full 1 lb order. It's more than enough for 2 meals. Comes with Fries, or Tater Tots, Coleslaw, and of course Tartar Sauce. If you love Smelt you've gotta come try it here. read more

Possibly the worst fish fry I've ever had in my life. Poor excuse for cod, just terrible. read more

Great place! Awesome food! Great view of the lake and outside bar. Employees are all super friendly and the service is great

On 8/19, the short bartender outside by the lake, she is so rude. I come here every other weekend but after getting treated this kind of way, I will not come here anymore. The tall blonde bartender was amazing. read more

Good local bar with great salad bar, ribs and burgers. Plan on it being crowded on weekends and special events.

Pizza and perch were both great. Little attitude from bartenders, no worries, just give it right back. They can take it. Bingo was fun. Owners are nice. read more

Black and Blue Burger was to die for. I almost left my phone and the bartender chased me out with it. Cute outside area.

Shitty customer service. Guy was rude and interrupting me could barely finish my order. Horrible service

The acoustics are too loud for me Salad bar is so so Food is ok Won't go back Too noisy read more

We ordered the Saturday Night Prime Rib. I have to say, we were leery about ordering for delivery, as you never know if it's going to be cold when you get it. I got it with a baked potato, hubby ordered garlic mashed. Salads (choice of dressing) were crispy and came with croutons. The prime rib was delicious, huge portions. Also included was warm bread and extra au jus. When we received our order, everything was hot, and delivery was quick. Kudos to Kiefs Reef for another great meal! Always delicious! read more

I have only been to Keif's once (for Taco Tuesday) but decided to try their Shrimp Po' Boy sandwich instead of the taco special. The roll the sandwich was served on was a little bit on the "crusty" side, but the shrimp were abso-fricking-delicious. Easily some of the best fried shrimp I have eaten. Ever. Tuesday is $3 Jose Cuervo margarita night also- tasty! I wish they would change access to the "smoking" area outside- every time someone goes out for a smoke, there's a blast of cold air that whips through the bar. read more

We were in the area car shopping and had not eaten all day so we were famished. It was early afternoon when we happened upon this oasis and the big cuban sandwhich was a winner and my cold PBR tall boy went down easy in the hot sun as we relaxed on the beach on an absolutely beautiful Saturday. The bar keep was helpful in suggesting a drink for my lady, a rum bucket. I called my food order in from the tiki bar and then walked across the street to get it. Three seating options here, tiki bar by the water. Smoking does happen here. Deck off the restaurant. Inside the restaurant. If you want to get your gamble on, you can do so inside. Bikers love this place and not sure if there was a car show in the area but tons of sweet vintage rides. I can only imagine this place on a Friday or Saturday night. A word to the wise, the sun can be very strong so bring your sunblock. read more

Kief's Reef - Pizza Near Me - McHenry, Illinois

BOATERS BEWARE!!!!! THIS PLACE ATTRACTS SCUMBAGS!!!! Went to Kief's Reef on the lower Fox River on Friday, 6/24/22 around 8:00p.m after a long day of boating on the lakes before heading back to my dock on the lower river. Stopped for appetizers no more than a 1/2 hr before heading home. Just bought a new $400 float pad for the grandkids and had it rolled up inside the back of the boat for the first time with tether hooked on the stern rail. Finished a quick snack, got back in the boat and pulled out of the dock when I noticed the float pad was gone! There was a boat parked next to me when I pulled in, but no longer there when I left and neither was my float pad! I remember the boat and will definitely file a police report, but very disappointed that the Reef attracts that type of unsavory crowd, especially when I stopped at 4 other places on the lakes without incident. Once again, BOATERS BEWARE!!! read more

I have been to Kief's at least 10 times over the last 3 yrs. The food is always exactly the same. Hot fresh and simple. The atmosphere is always very up beat. The pizza and wings are both very good. I recommend this place for sure. Can get a little slow when they are busy but be patient they are always hustling. read more

Always a good time with great food. Today just needed a fews beers and a couple Tacos. But needed some tums first. Asked if they had any behind the bar. They did not, buy an employee Cody had a personal supply. He came back with 5 tums for me. Thanks Cody! above and beyond. FYI he was not working just there shooting darts. read more

Ate at Kief's Reef tonight and was going to stay for the Bingo. but when I got done eating my salad. the waitress brought me my check and when I paid, she said have a nice night in a way that I felt that they wanted me to leave. it was like just because I was by myself, they didn't want me to stay for the Bingo. ether it is only for the regular customers, (which I have been there several times over the past year) S I left there and probably won't go back for a while. the salad was Ok, but I have had better. the Chicken was dried out and not enough dressing. the service overall was mediocre, and they were not busy at all many empty tables. read more

Having never been here before, a friend recommended we go here for a night out on Good Friday. We had no expectations since none of us had been here before. I will say it was extremely busy, but we were seated relatively quickly. I think it took about 20 minutes. I have to admit, the food was really good. We had clam chowder, which I've actually never had clam chowder before and it was really good. The salad bar was tasty with really good dressing options (the blue cheese dressing was phenomenal). We all did the Friday night fish fry for Good Friday and it was crazy how big the fish fillets were. They were so big I could only eat half of one, but it was all you can eat so if you can really put it away, you definitely get your money's worth here. Parking was kind of a nightmare but again because it was good Friday and was to be expected. Definitely check it out. :-). The food was really good, the server was really fantastic, and the clientele was definitely a little on the older more conservative side. If you're someone who is younger, and you are someone who is a little more liberal, you might notice this as well. It didn't affect anything about the meal, but if you are someone who is sensitive / bothered by older or more conservative clientele, it may not be your jam. Other than that, the overall decor is very similar to like a nautical theme with wooden steering wheels for boats and stuff like that inside. It's a cute little place - like a hybrid bar / restaurant / etc. Overall, it was a nice evening :). Definitely recommend checking it out :-). read more

Great Food and friendly staff. Casual atmosphere on the Fox River. Best burgers around!

If you love summer boating and outdoor music, this is the place. Gets crowded in the summer when they have a good band, but it is never too crowded to take away from the fun. No frills. No fuss. Average pub food. Just a really fun place to stop at if your are boating on the Fox River or the Chain O' Lakes. read more

Great food and drinks. Bartenders and waitresses are experienced and attentive. Can get very busy

Food was good BUT the people who run this place are ignorant and unreasonable. I don't write reviews and this Friday night fish fry (ALL YOU CAN EAT) , made me want to never return . We ordered our first round of fish fry and my girlfriend and I both enjoyed it and we were asked if we wanted more and we said yes. Our plates were licked clean . Our waitress brought us some more and we ate half of it and we were just to full to finished the extra round . We asked for a check and some boxes and we were told NO . These clowns wouldn't let us take our touched food home because it's "all you can eat" I asked to speak to a owner and a manager came over to tell me we have been screwed on this before where people order 5 plates and leave with untouched food . Which I understood but at the same time it's the servers decision to use discretion on how much to bring a customer . that was not the case we ate half of our 2nd round! Horrible ! horrible ! staff wouldn't let us take our left overs home and to the trash it went . NEVER AGAIN . 1 out of 5 stars . read more

Large party on a Friday night without reservations and we were able to find seating on the back deck. We were advised there wouldn't be a server and we had to order at the bar. The bar was slammed and I waited quite a while before finding a server to take our take out order. She went above and beyond for us and it worked out great. Food was very good, order was accurate and it all worked out well. read more

Until recently, Kief's Reef has always been an excellent dinning experience for Friday nite fish fry. As seniors, we always split our fish dinner, an extra plate for the salad bar. This time, our fish dinner came out with one single piece of fish for $15.95; which we refused. All fish dinners in the area always include at least two pieces of fish, even Culver's. Just lost an old time customer. read more

This place has great food and is an awesome social place. They have a tiki bar off the river with a volleyball pit near by. They bake thier own bread for some of the menu items and thier pizzas. They have a drink that comes in a bucket that's really good. If you're not careful it can easily sneak up on you. The bartender Ray was great for food recommendations and drink service. I wish I remembered to take pictures of the food. Our service was just really great. I cant wait to go back the next time I'm in town. read more

I've been to Kief's twice for fish fry and I think it's really good. Nice atmosphere too.

Lets just say for descriptive purposes, you agreed to be blindfolded, placed in the back seat of a vehicle & told to expect an 6-hour trip. Then you actually spend 6 hours driving to an unknown destination (I think I have some peoples interest here). Upon arrival your told your in the North Woods of Wisconsin. Do you believe it? Hell yes and here's why. Your bloodshot eyes view a well established building with an attached rear deck, a view of a passing river with a seasonal recreational area and a neighbor to the north with a couple vintage car ornaments anchored hub cap deep in the lawn. You walk inside and view a classic bar and dining area in used condition and all the better for it! Everything about this place is North woods. The kitchen is well equipped and the staff takes food preparation seriously. The menu is actually quite extensive. 'A" grade fish fry. Cold beer & friendly bartenders make happy customers. Kief's Reef is considered "Kid Friendly" but only by Parents and Grandparents that actually bring kids here! This is an Adult Playground! "Trix are for kids"...not bars! read more

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Awesome place people , food , staff, band crowd Will return soon and often When is their next event? read more

Excellent Po' Boy sandwiches! Beer selection is very average. Crab legs are overpriced for the quality in my opinion, and they're not consistently cooked. read more

Kief's Reef - Pizza Near Me - McHenry, Illinois

Today my wife and I went out to enjoy a nice lunch. This was my first time eating here so I was not sure what to expect from this new experience. There were customers who looked as if they had been inside the establishment for multiple hours but I won't spend too much time on them. My wife and I were greeted by a woman who was an employee. She told us we could sit anywhere so I chose the floor but my wife got very upset and told me that we had to sit in a chair at a table. So we moved to a table away from the other customers. There were children running around the establishment. That was annoying. Children do not belong in bars. Those children's parents need to do better at not being degenerates. When our employee waitress came to our table she asked what food we wanted. I asked for a fish sandwich and my wife ordered a chicken sandwich. When the food arrived we ate it. The fish was nice with the melted cheese. My wife found her sandwich to be delightful. We ate and ate and ate and after that we finished eating. Shortly after our sandwiches were finished we paid for our meals. Then we walked across the restaurant to exit the building. There were a lot of people putting their money into slot machines. read more

Small wings, server somewhat rude, price is over for the amount of food given but good drinks

Horrible management. Went to dinner with 12 people last night. An annual dinner we have been doing for over 18 years. Everyone was served dinner and had FINISHED eating when my rare steak was brought to the table. The waitress said that another server had taken my meal and given it to another table. My steak came without vegetables potato on the plate. I was then charged for the steak. When I asked the manager about it.... she said " Well at least you ordered it rare! So you can reheat it tomorrow " I will never be back. read more

If you are looking for a waterfront vibe, you found it! If you are looking for a place has has cheap beer, you found it! If you are looking for a relaxing indoor vibe, you found it! Lastly, if you are looking for great food, go here! I was there last Saturday and got the special. This sandwich is worth the drive for me, as I don't live close. Go in on Saturday and ask for the special, you won't be disappointed. read more

My first time for the Friday fish fry was a pleasant experience. Being the first Friday of lent I expected the place to be packed but it wasn't too bad. We were told it would be a 45 min wait. We entertained ourselves by just people watching. The place was buzzing with very active and very attentive staff. After being seated our sever (Phyllis) came by to check on our drinks to see if we needed more, and would be back to take our food order. We both did the "all you can eat" fish. The first stop was at the salad bar. Yes, a good old fashioned salad bar. It included picked beets! One of my favorites!!!! I had the potato pancakes as my potato choice, the were OK. Looked like smashed tater tots. My wife had the sweet potato fries. The deep fried cod pieces were large, and the batter was crispy and delicious. I defiantly would go back again. The only con I would have is that some of the staff members had habits of using bare hands restocking the salad bar handling the fresh vegetables. Another would run their hand through their hair as they were placing the clean eating utensils for the next patron. read more

Very good food for being a bar. Their fish fry is by far the best around but sometimes you can caught them just like any others on an off night and get some bad fish. Priced reasonably for food and drinks. It can get very loud in here sometimes even during dining hours which gets annoying but it is a bar and parking isn't great but once you sit down and eat the good food it makes it worth it. Owners are fantastic people and take care of their customers. read more

Had the fish fry March 6, 2020. At the bottom of the salad dish was a long dark hair. The fish batter was crunchy on the outside, once you cut into the fish the batter was not fully cooked. read more

Kief's Reef - Not fully cooked fish batter - Pizza Near Me - McHenry, Illinois

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Food was actually really good considering I was surprising that normal bar food. Music was great to sit out and listen to. People were nice. It was a nice environment. Definitely plan on returning. read more

Nice bar and grill with indoor dining and an outdoor dining deck overlooking Fox river. Also large tiki bar volleyball area on river bank across the street from pub. Boat parking. Friendly wait staff following covid rules. Pretzel appetizers really not that good Shining stars were the crispy pork and crispy chicken sandwiches. Very tasty tender and large portion soft brioche bun home made chips or tater tots both good choices. Tasty crunchy batter fried perfectly. They have a drink special called the rum bucket definitely could be shared. Waitress said it was large and she was not kidding. read more

We came for Friday night fish fry, crowd was light. Server Gina was very polite. While waiting for our meals to arrive, the busser, Alex, was very obnoxious and disrespectful to us and other guests with another busser. They were whistling, belching, dancing around, and taking pictures of themselves and just being boisterous while kind of doing their jobs. I finally had enough and approached Alex and respectfully ask him to stop this stupid behavior, as it was very disruptive to our experience. He mostly denied everything and eventually disappeared into the kitchen. Only a few minutes later he returned to take down the rest of the salad bar, and continued with his obnoxious whistling, despite what I JUST spoke to him about. My husband finally had enough of his garbage behavior and in so many words, told him to knock it off. He denied it again, and laughed like a little brat. Our server Gina saw everything and apologized for his behavior, tried to make it right. Bottom line, I know good help is hard to find right now, but to whoever is in charge of this place, you can do much better than these clowns. read more

Great fish fry and sea food and always a friendly professional staff, Killer outside bar and you can get to it by boat....!!!

I thought this would be a nice place to grab some drinks with friends but due to the rude wait staff, one woman in particular, I will not be returning. My group felt very attacked by this woman's actions and over all bad vibes from the establishment. I myself am a bartender and understand the affects from the pandemic, under staffed over worked employees, but her blatant disrespect to us was something I had never witnessed as a guest anywhere. Horrible experience. read more