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    Rowdy's

    3.6 (92 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 1:00 AM (Next day)

    Order Rowdy's Takeout or Delivery

    Rowdy's Photos

    ROWDY'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Juke Box
    Divey
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Rowdy's

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    Reviews With Photos

    Bears v Saints Game
    Lara S.

    Service was good! Food was great! Only complaint is when you order smothered tots! I did expect them to actually be smothered they weren't cheesy enough for sure! The beer is cold the company is good! Great bar!

    Van Helsing burger with cheese curds. There were way more curds before this pic was taken, so they give large portions.
    Kendall P.

    Tonight seemed like a good night for a burger. I looked for highly rated local burger places that allowed take-out orders EVEN on weekends (looking at you Crusade.) I've lived in Yorkville for over 3 years and never have stopped in Rowdy's before. So it was an interesting bar experience. I wasn't sure which way to get into the pub. Spoiler alert: it's the back entrance, LOL. I walked in and thought I was in the bar's kitchen which was weird, but whatever, I just wanted to grab my food and go. As I walked further in, they had a game room, and some digital slot machines along the wall next to the bar. The atmosphere in the main bar/seating area is a small town bar vibe with a generous sprinkle of modern hip vibe. My food was hot and fresh. When I got home, I dived in. The cheese curds were a good texture, but the flavor was different than what I'm familiar with. They were very garlicky. And they were VERY greasy. I like garlic, but I didn't love it for the curds. Then I ordered the Van Helsing burger. Here's where I both really enjoyed the burger, but also thought it was way too rich. The flavor was very garlic-parmesany which was very nice actually. And the parmesan chip was fantastic! (this really speaks volumes because this is like greasy college bar food that's perfect after a night of moderate to heavy drinking. It was unusual, tasty, and had a great texture.) But on top of having the parmesan chip, they also had a melted thick slice of mozzarella and garlic parmesan sauce which I personally thought was what made this burger extra rich. The meat of the burger tasted pretty descent to be honest. But when I bit through this burger, there was an excessive amount of grease. Grease also added to the richness, but in an overwhelming I-hope-this-doesn't-give-me-a-heart-attack-tomorrow sort of way, but it is typical bar food. Also, the whole meal left my mouth feeling very salty and coated with a thick layer of grease. I would definitely get friends and grab a drink here and maybe an appetizer as long as it's not deep fried. But I probably won't be getting burgers from here regularly. I couldn't finish it or the curds. It sits heavy.

    Chicken sandwhich

    I gave 4 stars because I asked for a grilled chicken and got breaded chicken. The food was really good and everything was hot and fresh when I picked it up. The chicken sandwhich was huge and they're not stingy with the fries. I love that they have the hand cut fries. I definitely recommend this restaurant and will be trying them again.

    PBR burger
    Matt Y.

    First time but won't be the last time. Great place for a quick but delicious burger for lunch. The burgers were cooked fresh to order. Worth the regular price and can't wait to comeback on Monday for the burger special.

    Terri J.

    Rowdy's is a cool little dive bar in downtown Yorkville - one of only a few bar/food spots left in the downtown area. It's a great place to meet friends for a drink and catch a game; Blackhawks, Cubs, Bears, Bulls & that other Chicago baseball team if you're a fan. ;) Route 47 expansion devoured the street parking, so park in the back - that's actually the main entrance now. Seems weird, but that's just the way it is. I met some friends here a while ago to watch a Hawks playoff game. There are many TVs in here, so you can get a decent view from just about anywhere. Our server kept us happy; no complaints. Hawks lost that night, but it wasn't Rowdy's fault. Fast forward a year. I heard that this place has 2 dozen different burgers on their menu. I had never thought about this place for food, but that's only because I had no clue they served food here; anything beyond typical boring bar food, anyway. I was wrong - they have a pretty extensive menu. I don't eat burgers, so I can't comment on those, but if I did, the selection looks quite interesting. The fries are fresh cut. Yummy. I ordered the Ultimate Gilled Cheese minus the tomato. OMG...seriously the best grilled cheese I've had; even better than mine - and that's saying a lot bc I make a killer grilled cheese. The bacon was perfectly crispy - and I do mean perfection, just how I like it. Thanks for listening. Delicious! My friends like to come here to watch games, so I'm sure I'll be back again when I visit Yorkville. It's still home, after all.

    Crunchy pickle fries

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    4 months ago

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    25 days ago

    Went with friends last night. Not a terrible time but it's local only. Too bad had high hopes

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    9 months ago

    Rowdy's has the best burger in Yorkville. Don't waste your time going across the street. You will not be let down here.

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    2 years ago

    Local favorite! Burgers are good and the beer is always cold! Stop in and try it, locals know how good it is!

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    11 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Burgers were great. Bartender on her game. Great prices. Great dive type townie bar. Will be back.

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    Ask the Community - Rowdy's

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    Southbank Original Barbecue - Pork Belly Burnt Ends

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    2.8(118 reviews)
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    I'll be back for more!…read more The service was friendly and fast, the food was tasty and reasonably priced. The atmosphere was so festive, someone spent a lot of time placing all those fun Christmas decorations. The cherry on top was a $8 ten ounce pour of my favorite beer Bourbon County. I was lucky enough to catch this Wednesdays pop up. They were serving ramen with homemade made broth and smoked pork. It was delightful. I actually ordered seconds on the pork fried rice and the egg rolls. I hope they add those egg rolls to the menu, I would indulge in them regularly. Then I played a little joker poker on the machines. What a fun evening.

    We use to visit Southbank all the time. And then the food went down hill…read more It probably been about 2 years since we visited. Today we decided we would try it again. It was great to sit outside and listened to the band. We were served drink quickly and we order food with drinks knowing it might be getting busy. But it really didn't till we left. We ordered wings, fries and rib tips. It took longer than usual and it really wasn't that busy when we ordered. We understand that a trainee was working. We waited long for a couple things we asked for. Like napkins and a box to go. One of ours orders took 25 mins to come out after the first order was given to us. And it wasn't correct. The food- it was good but for a smoked food restaurant, it wasn't very smoked. Side note- there was a Makers Market set up next door and it wasn't that greatest either. I guess the pro crafters were busy for the holiday. Memorial Day.

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    Southbank Original Barbecue - Pulled Pork sandwich with cheesy potatoes, cup sides of mac & cheese and cucumber & onion salad.

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    Southbank Original Barbecue - RUSTIC DINING AREA

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    RUSTIC DINING AREA

    DeKing's Tavern - True Dive Bar

    DeKing's Tavern

    3.9(7 reviews)
    11.7 mi
    $

    Nice cold beer fast service place is always clean bathroom is always great with soap Joliet paper…read moreand garbage is always emptied the owner PJ always will take time to tell you lot's of memories of this neighborhood gem. I believe this is the only neighborhood bar left in Aurora area I would go regularly

    An old school place that feels like someone's old house you crash at after a big ass bash. DeKing's…read morecertainly looks more like a house than a bar so it makes sense. It looks small from the outside, and it's not any bigger on the inside, so it's tight. Cheap ass booze and pool. These often combine with each other. Bar goers used to those newer places may want to hold their breath. It certainly has that old bar smell that defines a classic. The combination of cigarette smoke, stale beer, and a little piss. Only a few beers are on tap, and they're crap. The better stuff is in bottles and cans, including Old Style. Correct, that's what's considered a good beer. It's $2.25 for a big can. There's a pool table in the middle of the bar and patrons often get in the way. Simply no room to move around here. The good thing is this always feels crowded because of this. Have a good time but it's not a good idea bringing too many people because they can't fit. It also seems they finally got rid of the rotating hand towel in the bathrooms so they're getting modern. They have lots of good specials going on and it's pretty much any night of the week.

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    Rowdy's - divebars - Updated May 2026

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