old school is a great neighborhood bar and grill. Some of the menu items are not what you would find at other neighborhood bars. The bbq ribs I have this weekend were exceptional! read more

Old School Tavern & Grill - Rack of ribs! - Sports Bars Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Way better than average bar food. Daily specials are like eating n a gourmet restaurant! Great burgers, pork chop sandwiches and crab cakes to name a few! read more

I always enjoy coming here for a beer and snack after a hard work day, the staff is extremely friendly, the space is quiet enough sometimes I can do a little work but the patrons and staff are always engaging. I like that the menu changes I didn't get to grab her name but the lady with the cool accent and Nicole were really attentive and kind :) read more

Old School Tavern and Grill seems at first blush to be another dive bar. But that really couldn't be further from the truth. Yeah this is a bar but it's also a really good restaurant and sports bar as well. The food is really good. We had the prime burger, the Mac and cheese and the pork chop sandwich, along with a few other things. The burger was great, with grilled onions and cheddar. Next time I'll get bacon too. The Mac and cheese was solid. It could be a bit bit more creamy and gooey, but it was good. The pork chop was a bit dry and needed sauce. Let's work on that. The drinks are great - the beers are awesome and their martinis are great. No complaints. The staff is the best. Super helpful and friendly. The space is also great with lots of TVs showing all the games. This is a seriously good neighborhood bar and restaurant, kid friendly and with unique and good food. Get here! read more

Old School Tavern & Grill - Menu as of 5/17/22 - Sports Bars Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

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Such great food! What a great atmosphere! They are very simple and they let you customize what you like. I got a burger and some fries and it was delicious, cooked perfectly. I got a root beer in a bottle and that was good too. I'll definitely be coming back. read more

Old School Tavern & Grill - What was left of the burger and fries. - Sports Bars Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

This is a great place to come for dinner when 1) you're just too tired, frazzled, or preoccupied to cook, 2) you forgot to take something out of the freezer early enough, or 3) you want to return to the womb. There are so many items on the menu that I love: the bbq shrimp appetizer (perfect for when you don't want a lot to eat), the Cajun shrimp pasta entree, the burger, the mac and cheese, the meat loaf, and more. The service is unobtrusive, the noise level is tolerable, and the beer list is great (try the Founders Breakfast Stout if you like dark beer). Can't wait for summer and the opportunity to bike over here. read more

I had dinner there with a friend. Loved it. Good service, great food. We both got burgers. The cole slaw was amazing. I would definately go back! read more

Great neighborhood spot! Food made from scratch and fresh red and white sangria hit the spot. Owner served us and answered our questions. I had the BLT which had heirloom tomatoes and smoked bacon, my partner had the Tuesday Nashville chicken sandwich. We were told the potato salad was "pickle-y" which it was, and Y U M M Y!!! Local school pennants were on the walls, and resident locals were at the bar. Street parking on side was accessible on a Tuesday afternoon. Cool neighborhood spot! read more

A hidden gem of culinary expertise accompanied by neighborly friendliness second to none. Mike the bartender will thrill you with pithy jokes while owner Ted's dry humor will make you snicker. Occasional musical guests are icing on the cake! read more

Wanted to go in but it was closed even though it said it was open. Saturday afternoon. Was looking forward to the vegetarian choices.

Solid place to watch a game with friendly staff and a lot of house made food.

The owner, TED, takes a lot of pride, and what he puts on his menu. The food is consistently great. The service is outstanding. Mike is a wonderful bartender, and all around good guy. In fact, all the staff are really fabulous. This is a local joint that appreciates its patrons, people are encouraged to talk and share stories. The regulars are friendly and open. The place is a great place to catch a Bears game or Blackhawks or Bulls. They pour a proper Guinness reasonably priced drinks and beers is also always appreciated. read more

Ted, Mike, and the crew took great care of my party of about 35 adults and kiddos. I called up Old School with a date in mind for a party and a budget. They took care of the rest. Everyone had a great time. The food, atmosphere, and staff are great. Great business, great people. Thanks, Old School! read more

Beef Brisket SandwichBeet and Goat Cheese SaladCheeseburgerHeritage Tomato BLTSignature Burger Never had bad meal here. Nice regular neighborhood place. Mike is very friendly & quick to react when you arrive. Pretty surprising menu item for neighborhood place. Not fancy but good good & quick service. Best fries & brisket sandwich. Prices realistic but quality of food high. Appreciate not raising their prices like most restaurant during these inflationary times. Never disappoints. read more

I really want to like this place as it is walking distance from my house and the food is excellent. But about half of the last dozen or so times I stepped in there I felt the service was subpar. It often times takes five minutes before even being acknowledged while the bartender is chatting with some buddies, questions about the beer menu are answered with annoyance and the general vibe when you walk in is "what are you doing in here?". Gave it another shot, tried to have dinner with my kids last night. All tables were taken, which can happen, but the way they communicated with us, told us to stay in entry way and then ignored us for 15 mins made it clear they did not really want us there. We left and took our business elsewhere. read more

I would give it five stars but it is a small place, no frills, nothing fancy. I just would not want people to think it is fancy in any way. It is a bar with terrific food. We had the cheeseburger and home cooked fries, brussel sprouts, andouille sausage sandwich with homemade coleslaw. They were all delicious. The menu is not large but it offers a variety of items, some of which are not just bar food. I will go back. read more

This place is a SHOCKINGLY great deal................ Their sandwiches are larger then one person can easily down. Their beer selection is good enough to impress my beer aficionado friends and did I mention it's pretty cheap. Easy parking, friendly staff that remembers my preference for extra pickles on the side. Great potato salad too. I've been 58/10 times and I'm working through their menu but the specials sometimes sidetrack that intention read more

Upgrading by a star- we came here last night to have an outdoor patio dinner and were worried it'd be swamped, but for some reason it was totally empty! The entire time we sat on their lovely outdoor patio not one patron came to join us. I was worried that this would detract from service, but it did not in the slightest! Patty, our server was stellar at keeping our drinks full and making recommendations that were genuine when we wanted to hop around the beer and cocktail menu. I ordered a burger and added provolone and bacon to it. There was no skimping on the bacon or cheese, which was amazing. Their fries were super salty, but good and plentiful. I was a lot happier with this food choice today! Apparently their pork and brisket is popular, and they were all out of it when we went, which is a little unfortunate, but otherwise a super stellar visit! We had such a blast! read more

Old School Tavern & Grill - Bacon cheese burger and fries. Really good - Sports Bars Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

This place is amazing!! Love their appetizers and drink prices are pretty reasonable. I went with my girlfriends and we all loved it! I will recommend anyone to go here! Their chicken zinger burger is the best read more

Was here this Saturday and asked for a shot of Malort and a corona. What I was poured said Malort with a blue bottle which anyone who drinks Malort would know that is something called not Malort. Tried it and asked for something else. Even showed the bartender a google image of what real Malort looked like and he just was amazed. asked for a shot of Jager instead of this. And he pulled some bottle out that looked like jager and it has some other name on it. I just passed and got a shot of jack and called it a day. I probably won't come back. For a Saturday night it was dead also. Kinda odd. The bartender was very cool though. Hopefully he didn't think I was rude or anything. Chill guy. read more

I found Old School Tavern via the internet. I called in an order hoping for the best. I went to pick up my order and was greeted by a very friendly guy. We had a simple order that many don't do well, burgers and fries. Old School Tavern made large flavorful perfectly medium burgers for us. Each was garnished as requested, my son's order gets messed up at other places half the time. The fries were done perfectly and well seasoned. My first visit was excellent, won't be the last! read more

We stopped in for a quick drink. Our bartender was helpful enough, given it was a slow night and they were talking with someone at the other end of the bar most of the time. Their drink selection, specifically beer, was good enough that we'll be back for at least drinks! read more

A hidden gem in Forrest Park. It's a bar with brilliant food. We had their Brussel sprouts and poutin fries to start. Both were awesome. The fried chicken is a special but when they have it you must try it. It was even better as a leftover. It always takes a little time to get your food but it is worth it. read more

Hidden gem??!! May it continue to stay hidden! Came here on a Sunday and no one was here. I'm sorry, maybe 3 tables were taken. The waitress was absolutely terrible. Because I'm a nice guy, I'll only say her first name start with an "N" or at least that's what the receipt said. We had to ask the busboy for 3 drinks because she was busy talking to a friend of hers at the bar and when that wasn't happening, she was on her phone. FYI, I was ready to "party" and tip but she wasn't having any of that. Please note- I NEVER complain. But this was ridiculous. Maybe today was a bad day for everyone except the busboy but I'm still not coming back. The food was meh. I'm giving the 2nd star because the bathroom was immaculate and they have nice smelling soap. Peace! read more

Nice place. Even though they had a sign out for cyclists to come in after an organized ride they did not have enough help behind the bar. Food was good though and they seemed to have plenty of people in the kitchen. But the guy behind the bar seemed annoyed the place got busy. read more

Old School Tavern & Grill - Sports Bars Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

I'm embarrased to say this, but as a "veteran" of the strip in FP, I've only just discoved this place recently... and I love it! Discovered this place last Fall when one of my co-workers who lives in OP wanted to meet up and watch the Bears play on Monday night. Years ago I was at the previous establishment at this location and was not impressed. So I guess I just wrote it off. He suggested this place so I thought I'd give it a shot. The place is right across the street from Submarine Tender (yum!) and has a pretty cool vibe to it. Old School reminds me of some of the bars in Bucktown: Unassuming but with a hint of hipster. It's pretty laid back with an outstanding beer selection (try the Old Chub in the can, trust me), decent specials and plenty of TVs to watch the game. The food is pretty good as well (good sandwhiches and apps). Nothing is going to blow you away, but it's a notch up from some of the bars on the strip. The staff is really nice and knowledgable about the beers they have which is always a plus when you don't know what you want. Been back a couple times since and it's just a cool place to hang out. Yeah it's a bit off the beaten path, especially if you are going out for a night on the strip. But IMO it's worth checking if you want to keep it low key for the night with some good beer and food. BTW this place has WIFI and is set up for Belly rewards so make sure you scan your card or with your smartphone. read more

Been there four times and have fallen more in love each time. I'll admit, the first time I went there it was because they offer miles through United airlines frequent flier program if you are registered through that program. I honestly didn't think I could like a place at this location after experiencing the previous occupant (the creepy bar). But, I could not have been more wrong. I had their steak salad and LOVED it. Actually, I loved it so much I took my God-mother there for dinner the next week! While my husband complained about going to the same place twice in such a short amount of time... where did he end up the very next week on a bike ride? Their cute little side patio proved too irresistible for him. Then when I asked my God-mom out for dinner the next month, she wanted to return to this place! Last time I was there, I had the cold lamb sandwich while sitting on the patio drinking a Matilda - perfection! The warm night, cold sandwich combo was just what I needed. Plus the sandwich had a good amount of the sauce to add flavor but not overpower the lamb or yummy rosemary bread. I can't wait to return for a 5th visit! read more

My burger was fantastic! Be sure to get the sautéed mushrooms... I could have eaten a plate of those. The fries were hand-cut and yummy. AND, my 8-year-old loved the homemade mac & cheese (and she's the toughest critic in the family!). Portions were generous and the prices were very fair. Definitely check this place out! read more

Delicious food, good selection of beer, and friendly waitstaff. I've been coming here about once a month for over a year and I love it. The food is awesome! Especially the balsamic brussels sprouts with bacon, the scallops over leeks, the beef brisket, hot doughnuts, and on and on. I once got some potato leek soup that was meh, but otherwise have had nothing but amazing experiences with the food. There are tons of options for vegetarians and meat eaters alike including pizza/flatbread. The beer list is great. It includes a nice variety of craft beers (drafts, bottles, and cans) as well as some inexpensive options like PBR on draft. There are also some good daily drink and meal specials. read more

Well it's funny - after our first transcendent visit, we have been back twice and both times rather underwhelmed as we tried more menu items. It seems like there is not clear communication in the kitchen about ingredients.... We ordered a roasted beet salad that turned out mighty strange, and the bartender made a telling comment about how someone in the kitchen wasn't sure what was supposed to be on the plate. Yeah. Another time, I ordered a steak salad medium rare and a friend ordered the steak sandwich medium. They both came very medium and were very hard to cut/chew. I know, it's a bar, not fine dining - I am not sure how much it's fair to criticize a cheap steak for being a cheap steak. Hmmm. The beer selection at this place is really good, and it's a pleasant place to hang out. I'm going back - but I am going to order my food more carefully. read more

Was pleasantly surprised when a restaurant in this location has succeeded. After visiting the 1st time, it was obvious, they have great "pub food", extensive draft beer selection and a friendly atmosphere. We have been back several times. Every time I have been there, I have seen people I know. That speaks volumes about how locals view this, family oriented tavern. Great value! read more

Nice and clean , looks to be a good crowd in there. Only minor complaint is there beer selection . They as many other bars in the area are really into the IPA beers. I have noticed when you order anything German in Forest Park or Oak Park the bartender looks at you like your from outer space. My faves are Spaten, Becks, Steigl and beers along that line. I must admit that the bartender did have Steigl but it was the flavored one not the regular beer (Steigl Weiss or Golden quite tasty). After having a few Guiness beers and talking with the bartender he did remember he did have Spaten Oktoberfest (another of my favs). Too late for me though as I ready to leave. I will be back, just wish that they would have some German beers on Tap! read more

I have been here 3 times, and had hopes it would become our default too-tired-to-cook destination because the atmosphere was wonderfully family-friendly and warm on our first visit. On that visit, my wife had the poutine and I had a burger. Both were ok but nothing special. ------------ I am updating this review. I have been back several more times and the service and food have been excellent. I would now recommend Old School for a casual meal --and the steak isn't bad either! read more

You are going to get to the intersection in Forest park at Des Plaines & Washington and think this: Double wide in the middle of a neighborhood. OK, fair enough from the outside. Inside you are going to find a warm atmosphere, friendly staff, solid ambiance and great food. I've had the ox tail. I've had the jambalaya. I've had the brisket. It's all good. You will really like it. This is a great little neighborhood place that is populated by fun locals, but welcoming to all. The owner/chef feels like he is cooking for his friends, so just come and enjoy and you'll be a friend, whether you are local or not. Great assortment of beers on tap and an acceptable selection of whisky. Enjoy. read more

First time eating there this week with and group. Ordered the blackened grill chicken and two beers. Food was great. Got the bill thinking it was going to be high, was reasonable. Will be returning and recommending to others. read more

Solid local grub and beer place. Went with kids. Ate inside and watched a few college games. French Dip w/lamb was decent--side potato salad is a must. Kids meals were meh? My spouse like the brisket, but not the best ever. We'd go back to drink beers and watch a hockey game with friends. Good crowd and vibe. read more

Old School Tavern & Grill - Go State! - Sports Bars Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

So good! Love the service the burgers, the chili!!! And the Moscow mules !! And the Brussels with bacon are a Must!!!

Have had a few nice afternoon, eves here and enjoyed the bar and the food as well, nice local spot!

Went on a Friday night and it was surprisingly packed. There was a wait but the management did everything they could to accommodate us and get us seated ASAP. They seemed to really be hustling and attentive to the room, which was great. Good beer and cocktail list, including a sour ale on draft which was appreciated. Forest Park has many bars but very few that go beyond the barest minimum of Miller-Bud-Guinness. Hope to see them continue to keep the beer list up and evolving. I was less impressed with the food. Burger and fries were ordered as was pulled pork. The meat from all of the above was not to my liking, and the burger seemed like it was seasoned somehow or included an additive (perhaps for moisture) that made it meatloaf-y. The bun was good! Fries were way overcooked and dried out, which was a shame as they are fresh-cut. That could be a function of how busy they were, though. We'll go back to try other menu items as well as more beer. Just glad there's another place trying to serve craft beer in FP! read more

Found this place by accident when looking for lunch. What a great find. Fresh ground beef for the burgers and the cajun chicken sandwich was excellent. The fries were a bit overdone, but the potato salad was fresh and flavorful. I'll definitely be back read more