You want an authentic Guinness pour or an authentic Irish barkeep? This is the place. It's right off the Metra Harlem stop and free parking. The owner is amazingly humble and treats everyone like it's their personal bar. He knows how to keep track of tabs and makes sure you have full glasses of ICE COLD BEER. James Joyce is a landmark and I'm proud to have been a customer for a few years now. Christiana is also a sweetheart and bubbly bartender. She's has great recommendations and personal with every customer. Thank you everyone for making us feel important and cheers to many more beers! read more

The James Joyce is one of my favorite spots in Berwyn! The owners are so welcoming and make you feel like part of the family. It's the perfect place to grab a pint, whether you're local or just hopping off the Metra. They always have fun events going on and the atmosphere is unbeatable. read more

Fun atmosphere and lively crowd with great brew and comfort food. We will definitely return here.

The James Joyce is a beautiful Irish Pub! They serve the best pint of Guinness I've yet to have in Chicagoland.

The atmosphere is great here and you feel like you're in Dublin. Good Guiness. James Joyce is lively.

Very cool Irish pub located in Berwyn right by the train tracks for the metra station. Modeled to look like your traditional Irish pub, it has a nice craft beer list, and a good amount of space. The owner/bartenders are from Ireland so that adds to the charm. My friends who live near the place love it and go all time, and after going there I could see why. It has a nice charm and vibe about it. They have several TVs for watching sports games and it looked like they have several events held there as well. If I find myself in the area again I would definitely go back. read more

Great Irish pub vibe with proper Guinness pours and friendly staff. Helped me get a table on a crowded Friday night. Wish I lived closer.

Such a fun place with great whiskey and beer options. I was here for St Patrick's this year which was fun despite the restrictions. read more

I went on St. Paddy's Day so it was packed but luckily we were able to find two seats towards the back. Bartenders and customers were welcoming. I will definitely go back on a "regular" day to check it out. read more

Came here with my friend this last St. Patty's day. Loved that the guy at the bar was authentic Irish (I'm a sucker for a great accent.) Super friendly service. They don't serve food but they had a partnership with nearby Connie's restaurant to deliver a corned beef meal - which was fantastic. Great crowd, great vibe. We had a really fun time! read more

This is my Sunday Sanctuary - I come here for Bloody Sundays! If you are a fan of Bloody Marys then you must come here and make sure to have The Best Bloody Mary (atleast the best Ive ever had)! The place is a decent size and the people (from workers/patrons) are all friendly. read more

The James Joyce Irish Pub - a glass of beer - Irish Pub Near Me - Berwyn, Illinois

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Ah James Joyce, JJ's, Double J's....have been frequenting this watering hole for many a moon now. "Hey, it's so and so's birthday this Friday. Cool. I see you at J's around 10." Its tiny, it's a tad loud, but totally rad. Great neighborhood bar with friendly bar maids that are quick and know their ish. See you on Friday! read more

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Stopped into James Joyce tonight with a friend. Bartender ignored me over and over while I was standing with money out, waiting for a drink for 15 mins . She was standing talking to a group asked her if I could get me a couple drinks, acted as if I was bothering her. She came over, I specifically asked for Tito's and Cranberry cause my friend is gluten free... watched her pour Bacardi and cranberry afterwards asked her if it was Tito's she said yes. Left 20% tip. Maybe 14 people in the place. No reason I should wait 15 mins to order and if I ask for a specific liquor there's a reason. read more

I used to live in Berwyn and frequented this bar regularly. I moved away years ago and hadn't been here in years, but was recently in the neighborhood and stopped by for a couple pints. It was as cozy and charming as I remembered, with friendly staff and clientele. If you live nearby, make this your local. You won't regret it. And there's a great Chinese place next door when you need some egg rolls or fried rice to top off your evening. read more

My second favorite bar in Berwyn. The service is always quick with a Smithwick's (or Smittik's as I was corrected only once). The bar was built to be as authentic to Ireland as it's owners and it shows. I always feel comfortable there whether I'm having a pint by myself or with friends. Just check the parking restrictions... I ended up buying the most expensive round of my life thanks to a mandatory gratuity to the Berwyn Police Department. read more

What a great way to feel like I am back in Dublin!! James Joyce has rich wood and tiny nooks and crannies. There is fresh Guiness, Bass, and Harp on tap. Not to mention, several Irish whiskeys to choose from. The Irish bartenders add to the ambiance and are always up for some conversation. What do I love the best about knocking back several pints of Irish beer? The prices. I cannot pass up $5 pints! Thank goodness this little gem is less than 10 minutes from my job and a great place to swing by after work every now and again! read more

This review has been saved (but not posted) here on Yelp for almost a year now, because I wanted to make sure to say just the right things to convey how awesome this place is, and why I love it. But try as I might, I can't really articulate it what it is, exactly, that makes this place so welcoming. So here's my best shot. The James Joyce is just a great pub. The bartenders and the proprietor are friendly, and they have a nice selection of beer and liquor. The atmosphere is friendly and welcoming, with lively conversation. It just has a cozy feeling, overall, and I felt like I was a regular the fist time I stopped in a few years back. They pour the best pint of Guinness I've ever had. And last, but certainly not least, they host a super fun pub quiz every other Tuesday night that brings me out to Berwyn all the way from Hyde Park, rain or shine. Stop by this pub. I bet you'll be glad you did. read more

I live in the city, which is rife with Irish pubs from Beverly to Rogers Park. So why the hell would I make a pilgrimage every other Tuesday to the James Joyce, you ask? First and foremost, the awesome pub quiz. Entry is $5 per person, and the winning team takes home all of the cash. The competition is fierce, as many teams have been coming for years. The host, Chalky, delivers plenty of sass to keep egos in check. Get there early- most tables are gone long before the action starts! Beyond that, the pints of Guinness are poured with tender loving care, which is really the only way to drink Guinness. Good luck staying for only one round.. you won't want to leave. read more

Pretty cool pub. I wanted to familiarize myself with it a little more before I wrote a review. I've been here before but the clientele seemed older and I wasn't sure what kind of vibe I was getting from it yet. After a handful of visits I noticed that there is a mix of young and old, and they party together! That's awesome. The music was drink worthy and it's definitely a fun spot. Looking forward to my next visit. read more

The best kept secret as far as Irish pubs go in the Suburbs! I discovered the James Joyce a couple of years after moving to Berwyn and I love it. Very small, great atmosphere, OK price wise, but very authentic. If you think Irish Times in Brookfield is the be-all-end-all of Irish Pubs in the Western Burbs check out the James Joyce. read more

How did I just find out about this place? It's so cute! You could easily drive right by it if you don't know it's there. The service was really friendly. Which is saying something because usually these neighborhood places aren't friendly to unfamiliar faces. The beer list is decent with good prices and the bloody mary is to die for! If you like spice order the spicy bloody mary. Trust me. It's a very small place, but we grabbed seats with no problems. The regulars seemed like a friendly bunch as well. They also do all kinds of events (check the website). Everything from beer tastings to dinners and trivia nights. They had lots of things that sounded really fun. I may become a regular here myself. read more

Its run by a couple of dudes fresh off the boat from Ireland, what's more authentic than that! Love this place. read more

Still lovely. And never saw a cleaner bar in my life (everywhere! tables, bar, bathroom! spotless!) All dressed up for Halloween as well. Friendly staff who know what they're doing and reasonable prices. The only thing I would change is the volume of the music. It does not need to be deafening. I really would like to maintain my hearing for the long run. I should not have to scream/bellow/holler into my companion's ear (2 inches away) to be heard over Safety Dance, or Footloose (sigh, and that's another story, to be sure) especially after we've asked the bartender ever so politely to turn it down just a bit. Other than that? Love it. So much like bars I saw in Dublin--same warm feel. read more

If you don't love this place, I probably don't like you! Great neighborhood place, order food from the place next door, NJoy.

Great beer, great atmosphere, great location! Really, I totally dig this place. But it showed up in yelp in a restaurant. Make no mistake, there's no food. This place has pub in the name, but it's a bar. Come for the beer and atmosphere, eat elsewhere. I'll certainly be back! read more

I love this place. I have been going here for over 5 years now and consider it whenever I am in berwyn to be the place where i go to drink. No food but you can bring in or have anything delivered they don't mind. The staff is great and knows how to pour a drink. Guinness on tap and a wide variety of bottled beers now. Only problem I have is limited seating for when you have a large group but thats due to the small statue of this place. I totaly recommend you come on a weekday due to that it gets really busy there on weekends. St. Patricks day Stay don't even bother cause like most irish bars, way over crowded read more

I can not think of any reason to dislike this place. There aren't many bars that have the owners walking around half of the time entertaining and welcoming their customers. The bartenders are some the best and entertaining as well. The variety of people that go here is what makes this bar interesting. No matter when you go you can always learn something new or meet someone new. read more

A nice local establishment for a Guinness on a cold day. Bartenders and the locals are friendly. Get off the BNSF train at the Harlem stop and you're right there! St. Patrick's Day and NYE are best spent here. Grab a little nook and spend hours here with friends. read more

I stopped over to James Joyce the other night to check it out. It is just a couple blocks from home and it's always nice to have a good bar within walking distance. This place seemed nice enough. I went in on a Sunday night, it wasn't too busy. I got my drink in a timely manner, the bartender was courteous and the customers seemed to be having a good time. I don't really have anything bad to say! I will probably check it out again sometime. I checked the James Joyce out again the other night and had a very good time. The bartender was especially nice. The drinks are kinda pricey though. Both times I have been there was on a Sunday, so I do not know what kind of place it is on the weekends. I will go back for sure. read more

It's always a good time at James Joyce. The bartenders are always quick and attentive and have never had one that was anything but kind. They have a lot of specials and rotating menus depending on the season. The environment inside is casual and comfortable. Always bring guests to James Joyce and they are never disappointed. read more

Can I give non stars? Ok yeah I really like the place or I used to, just two minutes ago I was there and for the very first time living in the USA I felt discriminated by a bartender. She requested my ID (as usual) but apparently the policy for this business has change and now they only take either STATE ISSUED IDs. According to her ('cause she couldn't even explain herself and considering that my friend has a California iD) she's not allow to serve alcohol to anyone with a Mexican ID ... funny fact I didn't want to argue considering I posses a BASSET and my friend just said we should get out of that kind of place. Wrong wrong wrong... read more

Best Bar in Berwyn! Always a Good time, Owners are Great, Bartenders are Great!!!! It's my go to place to unwind and forget about life for awhile!!!! Highly recommend it!!! read more

My friend and I ventured to this spot for the first time last night (May 13th 2011) and we had a great time. You definitely do get the Irish feel, being that the bartender had a bit of an Irish accent as well, but more than that you get a very homely feel from this place. I particularly enjoyed the bars layout and the stained glass dividers with Celtic symbols on them. The clientele were pleasant and everyone seemed to be having a relaxing yet enjoyable time. Music is certainly a key factor in my decision about a bar from the get go but also gives you an idea of what kind of music the patrons enjoy which ranged from classic rock to pop and some new wave in between which was more than alright by me. We definitely plan on returning and hopefully next time we'll be bringing a group of friends with as well. read more

I have to give it a low rating. i don't knbow why everyone seems to be a fan of this place. It is small and crowded most of the time. There is nothing special about it and there must be a hundred of irish bars just like this one around. The trains coming around so often are disruptive and the beer tastes flat most of the time. read more

Notable for being Berwyn's only true douchebag bar. Looking for frat boys drinking Jameson? This is the only establishment in the area that caters to those seeking the fake Irish pub experience. I will rate a full two stars, because the joint is always clean and the bar staff is friendly (though ditzy). read more

I just had the worst bar experience of my life! The extremely slow bartender poured me a beer and then, as usual, walked away. Since I was running a tab I thought it would be okay to grab it since I was sitting in front of the tap and, like I said, was running a tab. Suddenly, the owner Brendan, comes over and accuses me of being a thief! I calmly tried to explain but he became increasingly hostile and started calling me a cunt! It's a decent Irish pub and everything but I'm so pissed off at being treated this way I had to come home and warn people about the foul-mouthed jackass who owns this place! read more

They have a good variety of beer..I enjoyed the seasonal beers but the music was way too loud and the obnoxious drunks were a turn off..when I went, a group of ppl were making a scene n two of them fell on some chairs, stood up and kept dancing around like idiots and none of the employees seemed to mind..since I couldn't hear myself talk, my husband and I left..maybe I will give it a try during the day...on a weekday..maybe... read more

This cozy little bar was a stop on our NYE train crawl. They have a warm atmosphere and a good beer selection. We spent a couple hours here and will definitely be back. The owner stopped by our table, which was a nice touch. read more

I not a major drinker, but this is my "goto" spot. The friendliest bar I've ever been to. Listen, if you come here thinking "I want to drink in a place that makes me feel like I'm in Ireland", slap yourself first. Although JJ's does have some nice Irish decor, remember, IT'S A BAR IN BERWYN! There's only so much Dropkick Murphys you can listen to before you remember that. But I digress, I love this place because they treat you like family. I've attended Super Bowl parties here, had fantasy football and fantasy basketball drafts here, had Way-Too-Much-To-Drink birthday gatherings here and so on. But you know the one constant? I've had a blast either way. CHEERS! read more

Would be a lot better if they served food. No matter when you go there will be enough seating for you although the place is pretty small. The staff is pretty fast with taking our drink orders. read more