As soon as I heard that they opened up a location closer to me I knew I had to go. Pretty massive restaurant with a peaceful outdoor patio in between the adjacent building. I ended up ordering the Elvis's Last Supper again but with sweet potato fries this time. This time the burger was well seasoned which improved the taste a lot. The bacon (something I wouldn't get again solely based on my preferences) was crispy while the semi-crispy plantains added another layer of texture. The best part yet again was the peanut butter. This is arguably the best peanut butter I've ever had and it's homemade! Some may argue there is too much, but as a pb lover there's no such thing. Lastly, the sweet potato fries weren't anything special but that's good enough for me. They had a nice crisp but could have used a tad more salt. Was very tempted to get the mile high ice cream pie, but opted to get it in the future. If you want American food, but want something different, this is the place to go. So many crazy burger options as well as a good variety of appetizers. I'm so glad this place opened up so that whenever I crave a unique burger, I have a place to go. read more

The Bad Apple - Elvis's Last Supper w/ Sweet Potato Fries - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great spot with a ton of different beer options. Food was incredible, the poutine is a must try!

Great staff and good food. beautiful space it would be great for a trivia night and it is definitely great to watch sports at. staff always is kind and it's a dog friendly patio with good brunch deals. read more

Had the Harvest Salad .... Delicious . I'll def order that again next time I'm in town. Service was great. Reasonable prices. Great venue. read more

This place has the best poutine I have ever had in Chicago! The burgers are incredible, too....

Finally something went into the old Barleycorn's space! Unfortunately it was this. We went on a slow Tuesday night with a group and the waitress was clearly over her skiis. Orders were missed, charged and not delivered. I understand being overwhelmed, but there was an added attitude that was very offensive to a large group of neighborhood customers. The food is not bad, but there needs to be a management change. The ambiance is not warm. Feels like an Applebee's without the competent servers. Sorry! read more

Kasha at the bar was a lot of fun. It's a beautiful space and the patio is huge. Would definitely recommend coming for Happy Hour. The burgers were huge and delicious. read more

The Bad Apple - Patio - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had been looking forward to this place for a long time and was excited to finally be able to check it out. Having walked past it a bunch, it was clear how nice and spacious the patio was, but what struck me upon entering for the first time was the beautiful art work/murals on the while. Really cool vibe and theme. The burger I had (Figs Is In FTW) was every bit as good as the ones I'm accustomed to at the original Bad Apple. Cheese curds and bone marrow apps both extremely tasty. Dessert was the real showstopper. The brownie with layers of vanilla + salted caramel ice cream was ENORMOUS and despite the best efforts of the four of us at my table, we couldn't even finish it. Service was friendly and speedy. Excited to go back. read more

The Bad Apple - Dessert was legitimately more than enough for four. Excellent value. - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Walked in on a slow weekday hoping to be wowed by a great burger and to check out the new space. The space itself is a bit odd. It's massive for a burger place and one would expect it to be fairly full after 4:30, but there were only 2 customers in the place along with the 3 of us. It just felt strange. The food itself was nothing special. Kind of like a Small Cheval burger with a fancy topping or two. We plan to try it again in hopes that it was an off day for them. read more

Good Food , Good Service , a bit disappointed that I was charged an additional 5% service charge . I wish I would have questioned that . I think it's sad that restaurants do that and make customer very uncomfortable. You guys can do better and 5% is much higher than 3% most places charge . Stop nickel and dime customers read more

Came here for the IU football playoff series. Great food, they have good, creative burgers. Great service. Good vibes. Really enjoy their Bloody Mary with the pickle vodka. read more

I've been here for three college football games and we were taken care of by the manager, Kevin, and our servers so well. Great atmosphere and great service. Would definitely recommend! The appetizers were also great read more

Great wings. Amazing service. One hell of a burger. A family owned spot with unbeatable hospitality but big restaurant standards. Cannot speak more highly of this joint read more

Great service. Staff was incredibly accommodating. I would recommend this place to any and all that are in the area

INCREDIBLE service. Sweetest staff. Great food, fun bar. Amazing ambiance! Come to Bad Apple

This place is so good, we come here all the time. Great vibes. Ask for Nick, he gives the best service and conversation! The burgers are to die for and this ice cream cake was enough to feed a family of 6 and for only $12. Soooo good read more

The Bad Apple - Ice cream cake - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First time customer this weekend and honestly...? Iimpressed! A group of us decided to check this place outand will definitely recommend the patio! The restaurant itself is large and the outside patio is such a vibe. Our group started outside and moved in due to cold but the drinks and food were delicious! I had the blackberry basil mule which was awesome, and the burgers were huge. Our server Jamie was attentive and sweet. Recommended and will be back! read more

Looking for beer and a burger. Landed here. Beer selection is top notch. Had old Rasputin on draft and delirium tremens as well. Never see these on tap. Wagyu smash burger was fantastic. My new beer spot. Can't wait for patio weather. Huge outdoor beer garden. read more

This used to be John Barleycorn, remember that? This is the second location here. The original is in Ravenswood and I haven't been to that because I don't get out that way much. I had their fries. The staff and service is wonderful. read more

See all

Customer service was awful. Our waitress was not listening to us and assumed we didn't want food and we had to ask to order. We had some simple questions to ask her but she was not able to answer. We got hugo spritzes and there were bugs in them from the mint leaves they clearly did not wash. The food was fine but nothing special. read more

Nothing beats the care and quality of food which is homemade. Nothing. Time, skill and sheer passion are needed to make meals and their components from scratch, but it is definitely always worth the immense effort. The Bad Apple gets the Olympic gold medal for creating a menu completely homemade right down to the tartar sauce and ketchup while amping up the flavor, elegance and richness not often seen in casual restaurants these days. My dining companion and I went to The Bad Apple on a Thursday early afternoon and were immediately greeted by our host Michelle. Her radiant smile and warm, inviting countenance made us feel immediately welcome as she proceeded to take us to our table. At that moment, she was Master of the House tending bar, taking food orders and serving. Although it wasn't busy at that time since they were open for only about an hour previous to our arrival, she handled everything with a smooth, friendly graciousness, elegant flair and professionalism which was just spectacular. She's definitely a diamond in the Bad Apple crown. The interior of the restaurant packs a punch in Old World charm with warm woods and beautiful stained glass windows yet balances this with modern art that is captivating, exquisitely original and well thought out. The menu itself is a taste explosion of glorious poutines, vibrant salads, brilliantly creative sandwiches, robust dishes and inventive signature burgers that are, by far, the best to be found in the Chicagoland area. Again, everything homemade. We tried the fried cheese curd appetizer. Holy cow! Warmed at just the right level to bring out the sumptuous tart flavor, delicately battered and accompanied by the best homemade buttermilk Ranch I ever tasted, this was a joy to revel in on all levels. My friend had the magnificent Chili Palmer Burger which was just unbelievable. Cooked perfectly with a side of amazing sweet potato fries, the end result made my dining companion close her eyes quite a few times as if she was in an epicurean rapture. Crispy peppered onions, three peppered gouda, chili aioli, lime and arugula made this an instant classic. I had the jaw-dropping, tantalizing fish and chips which was a sight to behold. Practically covering the entire plate, the haddock was beyond exception: breaded, fried and seasoned masterfully, the fish was given its red carpet, center stage moment and deserved the Oscar for its outstanding performance. Perfect in every way. Kevin, the terrific, charming owner who I had the pleasure of meeting, has an absolute gem with The Bad Apple on Lincoln Avenue. He knows exactly what to do to make a restaurant a dining revelation. Their other location is in Lincoln Park where the former John Barleycorn used to reside. Please make The Bad Apple a regular dining spot as I will do from now on. It's unforgettable. read more

Ordered the bad Apple Burger. Finally waitress comes out walking around in circles. I said it's got to be mine yep of course. Why don't you number your tables? Then she brought it back into the kitchen. It was another 5 minutes before they came out with it. $22 for a cold burger and cold fries. Chicago is all hype. and I leave Dissatisfied almost everywhere I go. There is this cool thing called mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup and maybe some table salt. I was also forced to listen to classic rock. read more

We went to Bad Apple for Happy Hour. The outdoor patio had a great vibe. We ordered 2 of the strawberry cocktails and they were delicious. We tried the cheese curds and pulled pork poutine because they were $10 during HH and they were delicious. read more

If one bad apple can spoil a bunch, can a good one do the opposite? I had the pleasure of finding out last night at Bad Apple in Lincoln Park. Busy nights and packed restaurants can sometimes bring out the worst in people...in Leah it did the opposite. From the Sullivan node to have another round, to the little encouragement my friend needed to finish the Thunderdome, to the patience helping our indecisive friend on the menu, there was one common theme, Leah was there to help. She made our night an enjoyable experience, and we will be coming back for sure. Cheers to the honey crisp of the service industry! read more

The Bad Apple - Thunderdome!! - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We loved Bad Apple! The bartender was very attentive. Cool laidback space, great for watching a game. The food was delicious.

I ordered a regular cheese burger and they gave me a specialty burger. After asking for what I ordered, I received my burger three minutes later (scientifically not enough time to cook a new burger). They then charged me for a specialty burger. After I called it out on the receipt, they returned a receipt with the same total price. Rather than giving a discount for the inconvenience, they charged me more and couldn't even correct their mistake the first time I asked. This place is a mess with mediocre food and I do not recommend. read more

They do not take reservations and when we gave the number for they to call us back they told us to wait longer. Over 1 hr and 20 minutes until we got an appetizer and it was the wrong food!! And when we got our mains our food was cold. Took 3 times to ask for water refill and 2 times for a side of mayo. Don't ask to be on the patio for mid food and long waits not worth it. ( they can not split checks here) OMG THE WROST THING IS THEY ADD MORE AND THE WRONG THINGS ON THE RECEIPT and they didn't let us see it until after we paid! Be careful they will scam you read more

See all

The food was delicious. Our waitress was amazing & quick! I wil be coming back again!

We ate on patio with our dog. Staff were all friendly and came by to pet our dog. We ordered wings for me and a burger for my daughter. Wings were a good value 10 wings for $16. My daughter enjoyed her burger. I didn't appreciate the way the server presented the bill. She gave a total amount verbally without showing the electronic copy of bill. When I asked to see the bill, she handed device over and when I asked what the 3% service charge was for she indicated it was a tax. I didn't see an indication in the menu of this service fee either. read more

Uhhhh not really sure why the waitress was rolling her eyes at us for everything we said? The worst attitude our group has ever received from anyone, ever, let alone a server. Please don't come here. I don't know who you are reading this, but I care for you way too much to potentially let you be treated the way we were tonight. She's the "BAD APPLE" at BAD APPLE. read more

I'm a lifelong Bad Apple fan....have consistently said they have the best burger in the city. I've now been twice and SADLY the burgers at this location are not anywhere close to as flavorful as the location in Lincoln Square. The burgers don't have the same taste that makes Bad Apple....the Bad Apple. The burger was dry, the bun was firm (not in a good way) - both times it was really underwhelming which was sad as I love the location and ambiance of the new restaurant. I'm going to have to go back to the Lincoln Square location...and I really hope they taste like they always have!! I am hopeful this location will adapt and adopt the same cooking methods that made this restaurant the best burger in the city (and ai'd argue the best in the US) read more

Not a great first impression by the bad apple. The bone marrow was charred to hell and the burgers are trying too hard to be something out of Mad Max. Service was slow and when my friend asked for two drinks to make it worth ordering more, the server essentially cut him off and pushed us out. The place was empty. Strange vibe all around. read more

I've been to the Lincoln Ave one 2-3 times and to the Lincoln Park one once. I have a buddy who loves this place, but each time I have been underwhelmed. The menu is overwrought with trying to be creative instead of making the simple burger sing. The flavors are either muted, as in the Slow Burn, or muddled, especially in the East Meets West. The LP location patio is fantastic and the service at both locations is always super nice. read more

I have a standing date for a late lunch with a friend, so finding a place open in the afternoon is a gift. This location has been open 2-3 weeks. It is good, and we will come back, but it is still finding its feet. The weather was gorgeous, and the patio was perfect. The food is tasty and well presented. I had the Beyond the Thunderdome burger, which is a hamburger topped with cheese and then pulled pork and with big onion rings on top. The pulled pork competes with the burger. I would prefer a bit less. The onion rings are really, really good especially lightly drizzled with the (mild) horseradish sauce. They are presented as a tower on top of the pulled pork on top of the cheese on top of the burger (If I told you it could be called The Napping House burger, that would be a compliment-okay, I have been reading kid books lately). There were a lot of children there between hours 2-4. The patio is also dog friendly. I needed a side plate for the rings, which was provided. Cue: bring that side plate regularly going forward. Easy fix. Fries are well cooked and tasty. I liked the sweet potato fries, but with a tad less salt, please. My friend had the Bad Apple burger and was giving a good imitation of Augie Doggie. Mmmmm... floats up into the air, sinks blissfully back to table height...to take another bite. A table nearby ordered the Mile High Ice cream cake. I can't comment on the taste (it would have been really impolite to go over and ask for a smidgen however much I wanted to) but it did look like they had an engineering consultation from Gibson's pastry chef who makes carrot cake like that. Prices are reasonable, especially for the location. They do not add the dreaded service fee. In days of yore I had gone to John Barleycorn. Bad Apple is in that location. The inside looks like it will be noisy and cavernous. Hard to tell, but that may need some sound dampening. They were not expecting to be as busy as they were. To cover for front of house staffing, the chef was delivering some of the plates to the tables. Good cooperation between BOH and FOH, but even more impressive that the guy who made the food is proud enough to present it. Request-can there be some cider and some non-alcoholic drinks and mocktails, please? Again, easy fix. Like I said, it needs some tweaking, but they are new and good-natured about feedback. We will be back. read more

Oh my, do not go to this new location (yet?). They have no business being open yet. I figured they'd have their act down with a well established original location. But not at all. Started with the hostess quoting "probably an hour wait" without looking at anything, so we sat inside regrettably. I peaked outside to the huge patio. Plenty of open spots and there were 2 big long tables open. Figured they had a big reservation, or were waiting for a big crowd. (20 minutes later they had them broken down with 2 and 4 tops seated to others). Fine if you don't have a kids menu. But they do. You have to ask for it and it has to be read to you. Nothing printed. Definitely got a vibe that they did not want kids there, even at an early hour. Also being sat in the far back always has me suspicious of their intentions. We soon realized we were in a bad situation. No one within eyesight had food on their tables. The wait for the food to be brought to the table was well over an hour (no exaggeration). And the incorrect order was ultimately delivered to us. They doubled down that it was the correct order (but upon pressing ultimately comped one dish). The table next to us just had to negotiate what they were to pay for as they had to leave after waiting much longer than us. It was a sad situation. Aside from being the wrong order and super late, it was actually decent food, with a good beer menu. But I guess I've finally resigned myself to the fact that we're in the age of $17 burger minimum. Ugh. Sour tastes in our mouths after leaving the bad apple. It will be awhile before I can convince the wife and kids to give it another shot. read more

This has become one of my favorite restaurants in the city. The staff is personable and the food is outstanding. Their patio is one of the coolest ways to experience Lincoln Park. As someone who likes a regular cheeseburger, they get fancy with it in all the right ways. I hope others cherish this gem as much as I do!!! read more

See all

We left a 15% tip (on a 1k bill) due to multiple delays and reminders to the waiting staff that we were missing drinks, and when we paid, the waitress says "I work too f**king hard to not be getting 20%". One of the most inappropriate comments I've ever heard at a restaurant. Will not be going back. read more

Excellent dining experience at the newest Bad Apple! Many interesting menu choices and selected entrees were delicious and plentiful - must be hungry when you go! Charming outdoor patio with trees, beautiful mural, stained glass and enchanting lights. Also a very interesting indoor mural about the building and the owner's family history with prohibition. Will definitely return frequently! read more

The Bad Apple - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

The newest Bad Apple restaurant was a delightful experience. The beer selection is huge. For starters, the fried cheese curds were the best we ever had - Lightly battered and melt in your mouth with a homemade buttermilk dip. Choosing a burger was a difficult decision in that each offering sounded better than the last as you read down the list. The ambiance brings you back to a time in history (tin ceilings, brick walls) but with modern murals painted throughout. A outdoor patio allows for seating to enjoy on a summer day. One visit will have you returning again and again. read more

Great place to watch a game, truly. Foods great and the taps are clean. I went to Depaul so its nice to have a sportsbar for adults in this neighborhood, if you know what I mean. Nick makes great martinis and knows his stuff when it comes to getting you a bear for your taste. I come here twice a week minimum.. get any burger and the honey garlic wings. read more