Food is very good here. Service is great. The small hole in the wall place. It looks unusual from the outside and the inside is super old school and a bit of a dive in a good way. Drinks are reasonably priced food is reasonably priced and the quality of the food is very good. Friendly atmosphere. Don't wear sunglasses you walk in as it's a bit dark. Love this place. Keep up the good work. read more

The Fogcutter - Prime rib and eggs with potato casserole. Awesomeness - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lake Villa, Illinois

See all

Really cool pub with a fun atmosphere! We had great beer, loaded tater tots piled high with bacon, and the star of the night--beer cheese mac & cheese with even more bacon. Total comfort food heaven. Perfect spot to relax, eat, and hang out. Definitely going back again! read more

See all

Been here a few times. Never disappointed. Beer is cold. Shrimp appetizer is amazing! Husband and I both ordered shrimp this time. Me: fried shrimp dinner, hubby: shrimp po'boy. Very good. Staff is fantastic! read more

I called in my food order and it's there at the time that the person tells me it will be. They are fast courteous very very neat place to eat. I thoroughly enjoy myself and sold as my family. My name is Lloyd. I'm a limo driver. This place is a perfect fit for me my job and my family. I love them. They know me by my first name that's how much I frequent the place and closing. I like to say thank you very much. You guys should drop by and take a bite out of enjoying life at the Fogcutter. read more

The Fogcutter - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lake Villa, Illinois

We were a little skeptical at first but the food was amazing. Definitely will be back when we are in the area. We were all went from the rain at Great America and they welcomed us in. It was like being in a little restaurant up North. Everyone was so nice and again the food was amazing! read more

We passed by this place for years and never stopped in. Totally our loss. It's a local place, nothing fancy inside but the staff and food are awesome. I ordered a patty melt and my husband a Swiss cheese and mushroom burger. Food was good, portions generous and plating was nicely done. I might suggest a little more seasoning on the meat. One of the line cooks brought out our plates. He was so engaging and funny. We truly enjoyed talking to him. Our waiter was attentive and so kind. We had a wonderful experience and will be going back! Thank you for a nice evening. read more

Love this place, great food, staff and atmosphere A+. Doesn't matter, pizza, burger, steak or pouting, all exceptional!

Food is excellent Good service Friendly servers and chefs Fish fries on Friday are great read more

I like one-off type bars. I like bars where the staff are busy while still being personable. I like unique food options. Ok, I like food... period! Fried mushrooms were amazing... and huge. Tuesday night special is half-off pizzas. I suspect they buy the pizza dough rolled and frozen. Then they do their own sauce and toppings. Not the greatest pizza. Sort of reminded me of Saint Louis style cracker crust but a smidge thicker. Sauce-sausage-cheese is a good combo in my book. I'll be back to wander through the menu. read more

Awesome neighborhood Bar, which high-quality bar food. The employees are really attentive and I'll seem to enjoy working there.

Fogcutters wins the award for the meanest bartender in Illinois. Good chicken tenders though.

Last night was my first time here at the Fogcutter. This is a very different place i normally go to. ITS a fairly small bar with a very friendly kick. A America bar with lighted signs on the walls. Slot machines in a corner. A bar area with high top tables. And another area with dinning tables. Checking out thier site . The owners do something fun on special dates. IE. valentines. Easter. St Patrick's day. Music bingo was on last night after the dinner rush. I dont think it's a reservation spot. But our groups name was placed on a list. Within 30 mins we were sat. Friday night fish fry. Cod. And perch.( I think.) Plus other fish items. Plus other great meal choices. I had a BLT wrap. We'll filled. My friends enjoyed their fish dinners. The prices are reasonable and service was friendly and quick. This place had its regulars in . But a little promotion for the small interpreted business can't hurt. A TRUE American bar. Oh nearly forgot. There's also a nice Breakfast menu. Plenty of parking. read more

It's a ok place with ok food some things are good some are not service at the bar is not great my family goes there a lot

After many many years of passing by this establishment we decided to pull a right turn going North on 45 and give it a try. Glad we did! We started out with some beers (Zombie Ice) and appetizers. Garlic cheese curds and beer battered mushrooms came out quickly and were a great start. Many colleagues recommended their burgers but never their pizza which we ordered with giardinera. Also ordered the southwest wrap with side of tator tots. Pizza was not bad at all but their southwest wrap was tasty and plentiful to be shared with my son. Overall a great experience with good food, service and fairly priced menu. read more

The bomb. Get in and enjoy. Food is great place is a dive but they take care of you. Do it!!

We just went in for pizza lunch on Tuesday happened to be 1/2 price as well. Food was good , crust was crispy, plenty of tasty toppings. Service was excellent, well informed, friendly, and anticipated you needs. Owner came out and said hi. Will need to go back and try something else. read more

How this this place have such a high rating? I myself was sucked in by the high rating and have been wanting to try this place for years. Ordered the Cod Dinner with Coleslaw and Clam Chowder. The Chowder is plain and 75% potatoes. The Coleslaw was uneatable, as was the tarter sauce that came with the fish. The fish was on par with fishsticks. A little too dry and fishy. read more

Great bar food with large portions! If u are a fan of tater tots u will get your fill here!

I remember years ago fogcutters was a great dive bar with good food! Went last night for prime rib. It's still a dive bar nothing has changed your feet stick to the floor. But when did they become so proud of themselves and start charging gourmet pricing? 5 bucks for a beer and the prime rib was fair. Much better back in the day. read more

We almost left when we pulled in. Has a bit of a dive bar feel. I'm glad the family was feeling adventurous because the food was great! Service was pretty good as well! read more

Always good. Yummy for the family. I have a picky eater and she good here. Good environment.

I usually absolutely love everything about Fogcutter. I only have one complaint. The last time I was there, I ordered the Biscuits and Gravy, and they changed the gravy. I'm just on here to say please change the gravy back to the original recipe. It was so much better. read more

Food has not failed me yet. Burgers and fish fry, solid nights to eat. The shrimp app is very tasty!

Great food and good environment. The staff and owners are great! Always a good visit!

We have gone there at least twice a month for over 4 years. The food, service, and atmosphere can't be beat. When we arrive, they just ask if we want 'the usual'. (They already know exactly what we want - drinks, salad dressings, etc.) This place is hard to beat. read more

We recently moved to the area, and I've seen their sign outside advertising trivia night, birthday wishes and other things. It definitely piqued my curiosity. We visited the night before Thanksgiving around 7:30 for dinner and a couple drinks. This place does not disappoint. It was quite crowded and there was a good vibe. The two servers were so friendly and attentive. We shared the beer battered mushrooms, fried pickles and the D&D burger. The mushrooms and pickles are made in-house as opposed to being some frozen stuff. The server had the kitchen split our burger and fries on 2 separate plates without us even asking! The burger was cooked to a very nice medium rare and the brioche bun was so soft and a perfect pillow of carbs. The burger was pink, juicy, and had the nice spring in the meat that indicates the burger wasn't overcooked or undercooked. Hands down, those pickles were our favorite. They had the right ratio of pickle to batter. They use long, thin slices instead of coins or spears. My only minor quibble that doesn't require star removal and is here for others' awareness: The mushroom batter could've used more salt. While I sprinkled salt at the table, it can be a bit overpowering. It's better tasting when the batter is aggressively seasoned to combat the water that leaches out of the mushrooms as they cook in the hot oil. We'll definitely be back for bingo and karaoke nights! I'm hoping their karaoke night is meant for those of us who sing off key. They're in for a treat when I get up to sing. read more

The Fogcutter - D&D & D Burger cooked perfectly to medium rare. French Fries are not made in-house, but they're still good. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lake Villa, Illinois

See all

Outstanding we stopped Sunday for breakfast and the food was so plentiful and absolutely delicious We are from out of town but my daughter lives down the street from here and we have always talked about stopped so sorry we didn't! Can't wait until our next visit for sure will try lunch or dinner Inside rustic but so cozy we loved it read more

First time visitor today. Staff was very accommodating and helpful. Very friendly and outgoing. Food reasonably priced, selections are great, generous portions and delicious. No problem with accommodation of tastes/changes to the order. I highly recommend trying them. read more

The Fogcutter may appear unassuming on the outside but it's the inside that counts, right? Had a good evening at The Fogcutter. Opted to sit at the bar and greeted with friendly and quick service! In addition to some tasty drinks (which are great value for the money), the crew and I tried the following: Cheese Curds - 5/5 I dream about these all the time. Generous portion. D&D Burger - 6/5 wowza! Delicious from start to finish. The huge onion ring just took this burger to the next level. One of my favorites when I'm back in the hood. Just try this, very very satisfying entree alongside the extra generous portion of tater tots. Can't wait to be back in the gold 'ol Lake Country and chill at The Fogcutter. read more

See all

Don't Judge a Book By It's Cover! Newer to the area...We have been driving by FogCutters for several years and never stopped in because we were concerned about the appearance of the exterior being in disrepair. Turns out that's on the landlord. Nonetheless due to all the good reviews, we stopped in last weekend and what a difference inside! It's an awesome atmosphere, excellent food, fun environment. The owner, Andy, is very pleasant and engaging, and we really enjoyed our experience and the food. Husband ordered the meatloaf and it was a huge portion which he loved. You can tell it was homemade as was the mashed potatoes, (not instant ). My patty melt was delicious! Looking forward to coming back and trying some of their specials, especially the prime rib! read more

I've seen it in passing, not near by but was near by so I thought I'd give it a try. Pretty good menu, nice young couple. They have gigantic portions . Want to come back and try a few more items. read more

See all

Don't let the the plain exterior fool ya! Fogs is a favorite of the locals, with a creative spin on pub food. Our crew tonight had our two faves - an Italian Beef sandwich (with mozz!) and a garbage pizza! We are all SO full! After dinner, we tried our luck at some video gaming. But the food and service are definitely the stars of the show! read more

The Fogcutter - Oops, someone ate all our pizza! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Lake Villa, Illinois

From the outside, The Fogcutter looks like a ramshackle, run-down saloon which probably serves Budweiser in a can and the liquor list ends at Jack Daniels. However, it's quite different. Well, kinda. The Fogcutter definitely has the saloon feel. And it doesn't have a huge selection of beer and liquor like a Lincoln Park Bar would have, but that's the point. You're definitely not in the city , and there's no pretension whatsoever. This is a place to come and hang out, receive great service, have some drinks, listen to whatever the bartender puts on the playlist, and have outstanding bar food. And prices are very modest. I've always been able to catch a baseball or football game on TV at the bar. I've always had friendly, attentive service from the bartenders and servers at the tables. I've always been really happy with the food. Here's an idea of what I've had: * the world's biggest chicken tenders. They're massive strips of breast meat hand-breaded in the kitchen and fried perfectly and never served greasy. It's an appetizer but absolutely a full meal. * massive, perfectly breaded, never greasy onion rings. * Meaty buffalo wings, thoroughly cooked and dry enough yet with enough sauce (thankfully NOT Frank's Red Hot), and definitely filling. * half pound hamburgers cooked to order on a nice, fresh bun. Recently I had the Southwest Burger and it was fantastic. Burgers come with a choice of sides, and the homemade potato chips are a must! The Fogcutter is taking coronavirus very seriously and they've got complete set of protocol that staff sticks to firmly , so much so that they should be the poster child for Gov. Pritzker or the local mayor when it comes to restaurants. There is no dining in, and instead the bar has a large tent out in the back with tables very well spaced out, heat inside, a big screen TV, and every table has hand sanitizer and more or less a how to guide for Coronavirus policies here. I really, really appreciate that very much! With that being said, the restaurant says their carryout has really picked up this year. The Fogcutter has ample parking. read more

See all

Don't be fooled by the "dive-y" exterior. Yes - the place really needs a solid paint job and the parking lot could be smoother. But - if you want a simple/popular bar with solid pub-grub, FC is the place. Friendly service, fine drink offerings - but the food is the star of the show. They serve the best BLTs in Lake County - while most places barely even "try". When I go to new places - I seek to figure out what the "natives" eat and order that. I have been there many times when pretty much every table had pizza and most of the guys at the bar had the burgers. A server at another restaurant shared their prime rib is very strong. read more

This is my first review since the Pandemic started. It feels good. I feel like a bear waking from hibernation. What better way to mark my return than to review The Fogcutter! My wife and I have driven by a few times and noticed the "patio" they've established in the parking lot. This past Sunday (June 7th) we decided to stop in for breakfast. I'm so glad we did. Let me start with some helpful information regarding dining during the Pandemic. The staff is taking all the necessary precautions to ensure your safety. You must call ahead and make a reservation. They have seating for 22 and all the tables are spaced appropriately. The staff all wore masks. All utensils and menus are disposable. Each table is wiped down between seatings and each table had a bottle of hand sanitizer (a nice touch). On to the food! My wife had a ham, swiss, and egg sandwich on rye, and for her side, she upgraded to the potato casserole. Her sandwich and side were both delicious! The potato casserole usually comes in a little personal crock, but today it did not (I'm guessing due to the Pandemic). I've always liked the little personal crock, but think I prefer them without the crock because they were a little more well-done this way. I ordered the apple-dumplings which were on special. They were amazing!! We shared both our dishes. The apple dumplings were so good we brought home an order for our kids. The specials change daily and you can always catch them on Facebook. The Fogcutter never disappoints and today was no exception. I can't wait for the Pandemic to be over, but in the meantime, it's nice to know I can dine-out in a safe environment and still get a great meal with friendly service. read more

Yes, you need to visit here. The food is great, the drinks are great, and the place is always busy! Make sure you get there early! You will not be disappointed with the portions of the food, the bartenders are experienced so you aren't really waiting for a drink either. The only minor negative about this place is it's not bigger. If the place was bigger they could make more money easy! read more

This place still amazes me, parking lot is always full on a regular basis with not much room to move inside, but the food is unbelievable good all the time. We normally just get takeout to alleviate the small inside of this establishment. read more

Went for Sunday Breakfast and I had the half order of French toast. Thank goodness because I think a full order would have been too much lol. Prices are reasonable and the portions are big. I haven't been there for lunch/dinner yet but I've heard that it's good. read more

Great food every time so consistent with the food and everything is delicious especially with take out. Prime rib sandwich and the chicken fingers has an amazing breading read more

I found the last open hightop at the end of the bar and sat my haggard butt down. Damn if I'm gonna let a somber night ruin my gloomy mood, I thought. Two high-rolling wannabees snaked their fingers around the adult gaming devices like old-school oilmen drilling for their Lady Luck lakes of carbonized gold. I kept to myself. That's cause I was by myself. I saw the exit only door at one o'clock in case trouble hit. You never know these days when a crazed disgruntled competitive dart player starts flinging his mini javelins in every direction. Just my luck a flying perfectly spiraled missile sticks my carotid artery as I crane my neck to see what all the commotion's about! Glad that didn't happen. By this time I had focused long enough on the menu to decide what I wanted. The bacon jalapeño burger "medium rare," I blurted, so she knew I knew what kind of place this was. Not your stereotypical greasy spoon bar. But your typical greasy spoon bar that knows how to serve a burger medium rare. You would be right to think that unseen cook delivered. The burger oozed with juicy blood and grease and fresh venous ketchup smothered my plate of tots (tatered, not tattered) like heaps of red sauce pooling on bodies after a Wyatt Earp bar fight. Yep. I didn't need a knife to cut through that Fogcutter burger. But you might need one to slice your way out of this swash-buckling review I done put down here. read more