I had a very disappointing experience with this allergist. I waited about 45 minutes to be seen. During my visit, I could hear discussion about my case in the waiting room, which raised concerns about privacy. The doctor's communication style made it difficult for me to explain my concerns, as questions felt abrupt and at times dismissive. I also felt my questions were not always well received, which made the visit more stressful and less productive. During the appointment, the door remained open for much of the visit, and I overheard discussion about my case with a resident in the hallway. I also heard comments that made me feel uncomfortable and unwelcome as a patient. I asked general questions about allergies (including a question related to my husband and allergy concerns in general), but I felt this was not fully addressed in relation to my own situation. The purpose of my visit and referral did not appear to be fully reviewed or incorporated into the appointment. The testing process was not clearly explained, and I was not given clear information about what was being done or why. I also did not observe gloves being used during the procedure. The control prick test did not appear to function properly, and this was not addressed clearly. During the visit, I felt the evaluation was rushed and that my concerns were not fully explored. My original issue was not resolved, and I was not given clear next steps or alternatives. A prescription that was discussed was never sent in. There was also a discrepancy during the visit where I was initially told certain information could not be found on the computer, but when we both reviewed the record together, I was able to point it out. In addition, I observed a staff interaction near the front desk that appeared unprofessional, including a medical procedure being performed in a public-facing area, which contributed to my concerns about office practices and privacy. When I attempted to raise concerns with the front desk, the situation was not handled in a constructive way. I also overheard a telehealth appointment from the waiting area. Overall, I left without answers or a treatment plan that addressed my concerns. Based on my experience, I would not recommend this provider and I am seeking care elsewhere. I am also addressing my concerns through appropriate medical review channels read more

Dr McGrath is personable and attentive , very calming and listens to your concerns, genuinely cares about your well being and assisting you in getting there read more

Dr McGrath is very knowledgeable. He follows all the latest developments of the medical profession in his area of expertise, he is thoughful, considerate and caring. He takes very good care of his patients' medical needs. He calls back promptly when needed, answers emails and is very involved with the care of his patients. He is very highly regarded as a scientist among his colleagues. I would recommend him as a doctor without any reservations! read more

Dr. McGrath of Northwestern Memorial Hospital is the angel that gave my sister a normal food life back. After being deathly allergic to ALL fresh fruits and ALL fresh vegetables, he found a solution to alleviate her allergies without having to go in for shots. No other allergy doctor we've seen has been successful. He's funny, has flexible hours, and above all is an angel for helping my sister. We love Dr. McGrath! read more

How would you like approximately 18 months of internist-stumping, uncontrollable, random, dry coughs that interfere with sleep, make your throat close, make you gag, and make it appear to the horror of those around you that you are about to hurl? This coughing was a nice feature for me, especially since I make a fair part of my living speaking publicly in one form or another. Dr. McGrath figured out that I was allergic to my blood pressure meds, which he switched, and the coughing ceased almost immediately, and entirely in less than 10 days. I bow to Dr. McGrath. I am so grateful. read more

I sufferred a year after developing asthma and wished I had visited Dr. McGrath earlier. I had a bad experience with Dr. Maulde after finding her on yelp (sorry!). But my asthma got progressively worse so when my pharmacist warned me that I was using my rescue inhaler too much...it was time for another visit and find a decent allergist/asthma specialist. I gave yelp another chance and found Dr. McGrath. I told him about my bad experience and my hope not to take steriods. So he checked me out, said my allergies are worse than my asthma and gave me the non-steriods meds that I needed along with a new allergy med. Well, I'm back to running without any asthma wheezing and coughing! I'm happy with Dr. McGrath and his practice and trust his diagnosis...esp appreciate him considering my input too. read more

Dr. McGrath is the first allergist I've ever seen. It's hard to say that considering I've had allergies since I was 6 years old and they've gotten progressively worse. Dr. McGrath did a thorough analysis of my symptoms and did the skin tests for about 30 different allergens. The insurance bill for those skin prick tests was a pretty little penny (I think the office visit total, with skin tests came to $1300), so thank goodness for good insurance. After going through debilitating allergy symptoms for two months, I learned a lot about my body that day. I was given three prescriptions. Two of them were dirt cheap, but the eye drops I was prescribed were in a tiny bottle that cost $35 or so (I don't even think I really needed them considering I have watery eyes with no itch and these drops were for itchy, red eyes). The dirt cheap prescriptions have been most effective. I did a steroid z-pack per Dr. McGrath's advice and as much reservation as I had about steroids, I credit those things for giving me the longest stretch in a LONG time without a major allergy attack. Yes, I'm still a bit stuffy and watery, etc., but I can actually live my life again! I'll be going back soon for a follow up appointment. We'll see what the doc recommends. For now, I'm happy. The only thing that prevents a five star rating here is that the day I was seen was very busy and Dr. McGrath seemed a bit rushed. He explained that the mild winter had caused an increase in patients and that's why he was busy. I'll update you in my follow up review. read more

Dr. McGrath has an interesting bedside manner. As another poster wrote, he's both friendly and gruff. He's clearly very knowledgeable. I went in for a sudden intolerance to eggs. He gave me skin tests and reviewed my history with other allergies and allergists. At a previous doctor, I'd had a severe reaction to the skin tests. Dr. McGrath sat with me the entire time to make sure nothing happened. He would ask me, "You feeling alright?" it was nice. and he's kind of funny. And he helped me to understand why I feel like I have a lump in my throat after eating carrots. And he was able to recommend nasal allergy medication that was safe to take while nursing - again, nice that he knew this. BUT But but but....I never received a bill for this visit. I was waiting for an astronomical bill per other posters on Yelp but the bill never came. Then...we started getting these mysterious calls from a collection agency. (!) Keep in mine I have a credit score of almost 800. Seriously. It turns out they'd made an error in my mailing address and we never received a bill. So rather than CALL, then sent it to collection!! What an offensive stunner! How distrustful or lazy of this office. And to add - the final bill was almost $400 - plus, I never did get any help with the egg thing. I have no clue why I am egg sensitive, what I am supposed to do etc. So, $400 in the whole for naught. Because of this billing thing, I would NOT recommend. read more

Dr. McGrath has eradicated my allergies and diagnosed & treated unrelated health issues as well. He really is a very brilliant physician who patiently listens to every detail and puts together a plan for treatment using the least invasive measures possible. I feel fortunate to have Dr. McGrath on my team of physicians, and am very comfortable recommending him to family and friends. read more

I started going to Dr. McGrath back in 2008, to try to solve my immense discomfort with seasonal allergies. He conducted the standard onslaught of allergy testing and we began the long treatment of allergy shots. I put my trust, time and money into Dr. McGrath's hands though he never saw me after the initial consultation and follow-up a week after. After being charged nearly $600 for the follow-up consultation, I was hoping this would all be worth it (and yes, I have insurance...that was the price I paid out of pocket...for a follow-up consultation!) In any case, I had already started the process, so I continued to see Dr. McGrath, or shall I say his nurse/receptionist (I don't actually know if she is a nurse, but she was definately a receiptionist who gave shots)...I was seeing them up until recently, and realized this spring, that my allergies are as bad as they have ever been! After 2 years of constant, dilligent allergy shots, going once or sometimes twice a week, and now once a month, I have nothing to show for all that time and money. Dr. McGrath never once reviewed my progress, or suggested a consultation or re-assessment of my allergies....I mentioned to the receptionist who had been administering my shots all this time, why this gross oversight had happened, and she told me I was supposed to recommend a consultation to Dr. McGrath. I'm sorry but that is ridiculous....I am the patient, he's the doctor. Maybe he should actually CARE about his patients and recommend an actual course of treatement and timeline. After going to this office countless times over the past TWO YEARS, I'm completely stunned by the complete LACK OF CARE I received here. Thanks so much for nothing. read more

I will withhold a star until my follow up, but for now I must thank a fellow yelper for this referral. About 3 weeks ago I wound up in the ER at midnight b/c I could not breathe. The ER at first tried to tell me it was in my head, then that it must have been an asthma attack. And didn't really have much else to recommend to me except follow up with my dr and a pulmonologist. The pulmonologist could not see me until Dec 15, which wasn't going to help much. Especially because I was having continual breathing problems daily, which in turn was causing me panic attacks (and I have actually been having shortness of breath problems since June). So I called Dr McG. He took a history, asked me some questions which no one else (not even the pulmonologist) had asked, did breathing tests and scratch tests, and came back with the results that if I had asthma, it was mild, and was not what had caused the problems. It was likely allergies and allergic rhinitus (sp?), and possibly some gastroesophageal stuff. He changed some of my allergy meds, and was also the first doctor out of several to bother to tell me that it could take 3-4 months for the gastro meds and the asthma inhaler to work. So I was able to relax, knowing I just had to have patience, that it didn't mean they were not working. And after one day of the changes in the allergy meds, my breathing has gotten a bit smoother and easier. He made some other suggestions for things to ease the allergies which I have yet to put in effect, but I have faith they will work as well. For the first night in 3 weeks last night, I could breathe much easier and I had a peaceful night. I am very thankful to Dr. McG, and I am looking forward to everything getting even better over the next few months. read more

I have had 3 allergists over my life and Dr. McGrath is certainly the most knowledgable and serious of all of them. For the other two, each spring and fall I'd come in dying of allergy and asthma symptoms, and each time the allergist would just go, "yep, seasonal allegies, lets get you on some steroids and up your dosages". Dr. McGrath has taken a more holistic approach to maintaining the symptoms year round without being effectively crippled each allergy season. He is a very smart and committed doctor, I know that besides his own practice he also has a position at Northwestern University Medical School, and I know from discussions that he keeps up with new developments in the medical journals for his field. Since his office has such a great location, I was for the first time in my life able to start an allergy shot regimen. Every year since childhood I have had terrible fall and spring seasonal allergies that cause my eyes and nose to run and exacerbate my asthma, even while taking daily allergy pills. Since being on the allergy shots, my symptoms have become MUCH less severe. Most of the year I feel great without taking allergy pills at all, and during the height of the allergy seasons I feel fine just taking normal over the counter allergy pills whereas before they would have done nothing for me. People here have been complaining about his "gruff" manner, and its true that he won't win any Mr. Congeniality awards, but who cares, I just want a competent, direct, straight-to-the-point doctor who knows what he's talking about. And just because he doesn't have the smoothest social skills doesn't mean he doesn't care. I have had a couple random other medical problems or questions since I started my allergy shot regimen, and since I'm in there at least once a month for the shots I've asked if he'd help, and he gladly diagnosed, prescribed, and referred me to other doctors for those issues. I thought that was very nice of him. If you have allergies or asthma that you are having trouble controlling, I recommend scheduling an appointment with Dr. McGrath. He is the most competent allergist of the three I've had. And his location is especially convenient for anyone who works in the loop or River North, which is important if you want to start an allergy shot regimen and will have to visit a lot. PS: While I was going there he repainted his office from beige to teal. Personally, I hate it, but don't say anything to him about it, it was his wife's choice :) read more

I was diagnosed with allergies a few years ago and have been on a steady diet of Allegra-D and Zyrtec pretty much year round. Dr. McGrath is very knowledgeable and his diagnosis was extremely helpful to me. However, I recently tried to have a prescription refilled as my allergies are typically worse in the spring and his administrative assistant, or whatever she is, was extremely rude and snide to me suggesting I make another appointment in order to have this simple prescription refilled. Illinois state laws will only provide a limited amount of these OTC without a prescription thanks to the meth-heads who have figured out a way to engineer this into some kind of narcotic. As a result, I can only obtain a limited amount and have to go without them for a while before a sinus infection kicks in coupled with mind numbing headaches. Good times! read more

Ran a bunch of tests to tell me things I already knew. The next time I came back he didn't even remember me. Turns out he had barely written anything down, nor informed my primary care doctor of anything. Finally, he prescribed me 6 months worth of over the counter medication but couldn't tell me in English why I needed it. If I had to guess, he is sponsored by these drug companies to push their product, seeing as to how a lot of the other reviewers here are getting the same treatment. He has a serious communication problem, and I felt like I was talking to myself. I left feeling the place confused and hustled. Not to mention the ridiculous bill. People like him are the reason that the system for American healthcare is broken and ridden with inefficiencies. read more

Although Kris McGrath knows his trade and is very knowledgeable about allergens, one major thing will prevent me from ever going back, the cost. I was billed over $1200 for the initial visit which included $459 for a 'new patient office exam' . What a joke, this consisted of a nurse checking my blood pressure and asking me routine medical history questions. The prick tests were another $486, and 2 other tests that totaled another $280. I think if you're gonna charge that much for ANY procedure that simple, you need to be up front with the patient about the cost. After submitting to my insurance, I still owe $538 which is still way way way out of line as far as I am concerned. This is another example of health care costs out of control and if you decide to visit Dr. McGrath you might want to consider the cost first, I know I don't want to be the one putting his kids through college. read more

I've been a patient since the mid '90s. Dr. McGrath quickly diagnosed me and pinpointed allergies that I was not aware of, then prescribed meds (no shots) that controlled my allergies. He has always been mindful of prescribing meds that were within my insurance company's formulary so that my costs are as low as possible. He also doesn't "over prescribe", which I appreciate. His bedside manner as mentioned is a combination of humor and care with a bit of gruffness...however I'd never describe him as rude, and his behavior has never been off-putting to me. When I've needed extra time, he has always patiently provided it even when he's double-booked. I know insurance companies squeeze the crap out of him and all doctors, and some of the recently enacted regulations are taking a toll on him and most other medical professionals, so I understand why he needs to move quickly and can't spend 45 minutes exchanging small talk with each patient. In fact I appreciate his direct approach. It means that I rarely wait more than a few minutes to see him--and once that was even without an appointment, which is typically required. (I was pretty ill.) In short, Dr. McGrath is easy to see and always makes me feel better. I recommend him without hesitation. read more

I have Dr. McGrath to thank for making my life normal amidst my long list of allergies, mainly food allergies! All allergists in my area couldn't help me. McGrath gave me a lasting solution in 1 visit!! He's also helping me with a bad skin irritation which dermatologists in my area couldn't help me with. Barely able to move my hands without cracking and bleeding, I felt 95% better in a week with his treatment! I think I started seeing him 10 years ago. He has been sent from heaven!!! read more

Beware!! I was overcharged and when we agreed to the correct dollar amount and I paid it, they sent me to a collection agency for $25.00 - really?? In the end I will not return or recommend anyone else to this office. He's really just a pill pusher anyway read more

I went to Dr. McGrath to help solve my, what I thought to be, extreme allergy issues. Dr. McGrath was not only had such a sense of humor, but totally put me at ease when it came to my allergies. I was in denial that my cat was causing the problems but after doing the million prick test (I think realistically it was more around 30) it came down to that.... my Meelo was the one who was causing my nose to stop working ;). Just starting my meds now but I would recommend him to anyone and definitely can't wait for the weeks ahead when I am allergy free! Or at least can breathe better. read more

As a quick background I ran on the University of Loyola's cross country and track team from 2005-2009. Halfway through my Sophomore year I began to have a multitude of breathing and allergy issues. I was treated by Loyola's team staff and referred to at least ten internist's,pulmonologist, and an array of other "experts" over a 18 month period. None of them proved effective long-term.Eventually, I was referred to Dr.McGrath by a running friend who struggled with asthma and claimed McGrath worked miracles. As described by others he has a fascinating way of interacting by being distant yet friendly and FUNNY. Most importantly he asked approximately a dozen questions about areas that no one else bothered to address. He gave his analysis and provided a unique treatment that I had not received from others. He also highlighted it would take at least 2 months before results became evident. After two weeks my breathing improved tremendously,within a month I was given a green light to resume light work outs with my team, and I was able to return the track as a senior. Simply put for allergies or Asthma HE IS THE BEST. You will deal with a slightly higher price than some,a different bedside manner , and he does have a tendency to at times rush through an appointment. However, the doctor knows his stuff and it is worth it. read more

I would never recommend this doctor. I came in with serious sinus pressure, headaches, and swollen glands in my throat which seemed to indicate an infection. I told him the things that I'm allergic to as I had a test performed at an immediate care facility earlier in the year. I've been having trouble for awhile. He decided that he needed to retest me anyway and there were marks on my arms for six weeks from those tests. He took about an hour of my time asking me all kinds of questions and really did absolutely nothing for me. I'm not even sure he gave what ever information he collected to my primary care doctor. I had a really bad sinus infection and he didn't prescribe anything. I had to see another doctor to get medicine to feel better. He also charged blue cross blue shield over $1000 to basically do nothing and tell me I was allergic to things that I already knew about. If you are wondering why insurance is so expensive, you have part of the answer right here. After blue cross paid their portion there was an additional 75 owed for services that I got one letter about right after the service. I tried to call his office a few times and couldn't get through and couldn't leave a message because he doesn't even have voice mail set up. Since I didn't get another letter I forgot about it. This week I got a letter that I've been taken to collections for 75 dollars. No one from his office even bothered to call me about this before being sent to collections. I don't really feel that he deserves the money but I would have paid in order to stay out of collections. read more

Had my first appointment with Dr. McGrath today after getting referred to him by a friend and he was AMAZING. I just moved to Chicago and was having a persistent cough. I initially thought it was my way of getting used to the new city air and maybe an allergy flair up. But it kept happening and I started to feel a bit short of breath. I shared all this with Dr. McGrath and he ran multiple tests in his office and also checked to see if I had other issues that may be causing the trouble. He was very knowledgable and has a relaxed style with his patients. He's also very efficient in doing tests, while still asking you many questions to get to the bottom of what's happening to you. Overall, he set up a multi-step plan including things to avoid/watch for, home item changes, and treatments. He is the best allergist I've ever been too and I've lived in many big cities! I'd also like to add his office staff Maribelle is the most pleasant person to set up appointments with...she is so friendly and overall this was the most productive Dr's appointment I've had in Chicago. I would recommend him to anyone that needs an allergist in the Chicago area. read more

I did receive what I believe to be an accurate diagnosis from Dr. McGrath, for which I am very grateful. The allergic condition I suffer from is a bit fringe and I appreciate that he had actually heard of it and recognized it as a real thing. However, his bedside manner is non-existent: at one point, I got a little stressed out (read: started to cry) at the prospect of having to use a steroid inhaler for the rest of my life, and he very gruffly said, "It's not like you have cancer or have to get rid of your dog. Save your tears for that." Um, nice. It's not like I need to be coddled, but I found him to be very rude and seemingly in quite a hurry and only listening to part of what I was saying. This was verified when he attempted to prescribe medication to me that I had clearly indicated I was allergic to at the beginning of the appointment. Additionally, he openly scoffed at my suggestion that there might be an alternative homeopathic approach to treating my symptoms and dismissively said that it was up to me if I "wanted to be my own doctor". Honestly, I don't think I'm that big of a freak for not wanting to use prescription drugs unless absolutely necessary, and I didn't appreciate being treated like one. In fact, with minimal research, I did uncover some naturopathic options to manage my symptoms and they are actually working quite well. I won't be back. read more

Terrible service on the administrative end - they refuse to use credit cards(which is useful If you use a HSA account) I asked the receptionist if they'd wait until they get their system setup, and she then threatened with sending the bill to a collection"s agency. She said she was just doing her job, well either do your job or tell your employer to do his. Until then, enjoy the repercussions of your terrible service. read more

if i could give 0 stars, i would, and i'm pretty hard to upset. i have had constant, severe itching all over my body for six months now, with no rash and no discernible reason as to why. i have seen dr. mcgrath twice now and he has done absolutely nothing. at both appointments, i had to wait over an hour to even see him (some doctors doing their residency would come in and spend about 15 minutes examining me), and when he finally came in to see me, he spent no more than 3 minutes in the room. i was not given any tests, and when his initial prescription of allegra in the morning and zyrtec at night didn't work, all he did was tell me to double the dosage. i should also mention that he came off as rude and completely unconcerned with my condition. at my last appointment, he said to me that if what he had prescribed didn't work, i should just go to a dermatologist, because he had "no idea what it could be"- that would be all well and good if he had even tried to treat or diagnose me. my itching has since gotten worse, and it is making me lose my mind. i will not be going back to dr. mcgrath again. read more

Dr. McGrath has been treating my family for more than 20 years: two girls who had asthma and are now fine, and a husband with a couple of strange allergic attacks that came out of nowhere, but put him in the emergency room. Dr. McGrath solved my everyone's problems, knows his stuff, has a funny, offbeat sense of humor that I find to be refreshing, and, now that I got hay fever for the first time in my life, I'm headed to his office to handle it. Wouldn't go anywhere else. read more

I visited Dr. McGrath for the fist tome today. He has a great personality and seemed extremely knowledgeable. He took time examining me as well as finding out about my medical history. He's a good guy that I highly recommend. read more

Dr. McGrath has been great. He has been a big help with my asthma and allergies. He fixed a lot of issues my prior internist and pulmonologist didn't. He's friendly but not overbearing. He's extraordinarily knowledgeable and thorough. There are cheaper and quicker options out there (and I've probably been to them) but I keep coming back to Dr. McGrath. read more

I think Dr. McGrath is pretty impressed with himself. He asks questions that come from a standardized sheet but really doesn't want to know what you are feeling. Weird. He is both rude and nice. He seems very concerned with getting you in and out so he can get to the next. It appears to be about $$$ read more

I was setting up an appointment to be tested for a suspected drug allergy based on my parents history. I was surprised to get a call from the Doctor himself to discuss the reason for the appointment. He assured me that my father's history did not have a real impact in my personal situation. Just a simple answer to what I thought was going to require a complicated test. I have never experienced anything like it! read more

I have been Dr McGrath's patient for quite a while, for my sensitive and itching skin. Now he is helping me with allergy, bronchiectasis and my asthma. Great diagnostician and able to recognize abnormalities. I feel very privileged to be under his care read more