As a student at Second City, my class and I came here nearly every week for a year. As a SC student, you get %15 off your total bill when you show your card so that's awesome. Good beer selection, good daily specials, and occasional Second-City-made-famous celebrity sightings! The place is usually packed but somehow our group of 10+ people can usually find a place to sit all together.
Review Source:it's a bar, it has bar music, bar drinks, etc. Â nothing is super special about this place except for the moscow mules (SO delicious) and how atrocious our waitress was! Â sure, we had a large party, but continuously walking right past us without asking if we needed anything, forgetting drinks for over 30 minutes, literally having to scream to get her attention.. not good. Â it's a shame because i enjoyed our time there quite a bit but our waitress totally dampened our moods.
Review Source:My husband and I popped in to the back bar around 9:30 on Saturday night. I'm 8 months pregnant. One of the bartenders made sure we got the first table that opened up so I could sit, which was great. The other bartender, Amanda, came over to check on us to see if we wanted another round. I asked her if it was possible to get a cappuccino. She said no, and that there was only coffee, which was completely fine...I figured I'd just run to Starbucks once we left to catch the late Second City show. About 5 minutes later, Amanda reappeared at our table with a cappuccino from Starbucks. She said it was the least she could do because I (obviously) can't drink. My husband and I were both really touched by her thoughtfulness and kindness.
Review Source:Small and crowded place but in the summer it has a little patio and it's oh so nice to sit in the warm sun with a breeze on your face while having a cocktail with your friend. Always longing for warm days and to get away here.
I have yet to try their food, it's nothing elaborate but need to see the quality of the kitchen so expect an update! :]
we had a private party in the back. Â We wanted a space, but low maintenance. Â This was so easy. Â Alison helped us set this up, and Martha helped it go flawlessly on the night of the party. Â It was just enough space, private bar, and we were able to control the music, and the scene. Â Martha was the best and kept us informed of things she could do for us, and how everything was going. Â Would definitely recommend for a great, easy night.
Review Source:1. Â Service was pretty good.
2. Drinks were - ok as previously mentioned by other reviewers. Â The old-fashioned was not very well made.
3. The amount of food you get for what you pay, IS A JOKE! Â I ordered Sheppards Pie. Â Cost, $15 dollars. Â I came out in a small bowl, almost like what a cup of Chili would come out in. Â The meat was all greasy, with a lump of mashed potatoes ontop of it. Â I looked at it and thought did I order a meal, or an appetizer? Â Needless to say, was still hungry after eating this. Â It wasn't even that good. Â So if you are hungry, and looking for a good meal, this is NOT the place to dine. Â My wife ordered fish and chips, and again, small portion, and nothing to write home about. Â Out of all the restaurants in the area, I don't know how this place stays open with such poor food portions and quality of food.
I was here on NYE, so I probably don't have a fair opinion of the place. But if it was like that all the time, I probably wouldn't go back. Douchey guys (I like a little bit of douchey, but one guy tried to claim he was a liquor distributor and that he's done his "fair share of sleeping around" because of it), only ONE bartender, and the smallest ladies room I've ever seen. Like, the size of a port-a-potty with two stalls. Ridic. For reference - I'm 25, blonde, and outgoing. This place was not for me. If you're in the Lincoln Park/Old Town/Wrigleyville area, go to Rockwood Place in Wrigleyville.
Review Source:I came here with some Second City classmates to have a few drinks and chat. We only ate one thing of food between the eight of us (a sausage and onions dish that came complimentary with two orders of Guiness), and it was some pretty good sausage. I definitely should have had more to eat because I was starving, but didn't feel like going through the food ordering process and waiting and all that, so I drank alcohol instead.
My typical drink order at bars that don't seem to specialize in either cocktails or beer is either a whiskey neat or gin and tonic. This time around, I had two whiskeys, as did a friend. We both noticed that the glasses our drinks were served in weren't the Old Fashioned glasses typical for such a drink, but instead were served in what seemed to be over sized glass shot glasses. I'm pretty sure we weren't served less whiskey or anything, it was just a weird glass choice.
The waitress was very attentive and prompt with bringing drinks to our table. The decor felt like a sports bar that doesn't care about sports. The draft menu was large (about two dozen different beers) if not boring. The list is pretty much the standard beers you see everywhere, which is fine because they're standards for a reason, but they also aren't beers that make you think, "Ooh, I love this."
I know I'll be back here in the future because it's right across the street from Second City, so we'll see how things go then.
I've been here a few times with friends and I admit it's not a bad place. Food is decent and half price wine bottles on Mondays its not too shabby. The servers are friendly, helpful, and attentive. However, the patio tables are always sticky and not very clean.
Our server, Bri, was awesome; Very friendly and knowledgeable. Â The back patio was nice. However, the food was mediocre but half price Mondays made up for it.
This place is literally designed the same way as Wells on Wells. In fact, I often forget which bar I am at when I head to these two spots. But same review as Wells on Wells - really great neighborhood bar, the crowd is always a hit or miss, but if you go with the right people, it is bound to be fun. The patio is great in summer and there is a good supply of craft beer!
Review Source:1. Service was outstanding! She was attentive and very nice.
2. Drinks were--ok. I ordered an old-fashioned, and probably should have waited to order that at an actual cocktail lounge because it tasted like whisky strait up with a cherry and orange in it. Not quite the recipe but okay...
3. All shots were $5. Yes. All. There were four of us and a great amount of shots because they were cheaper than beer and cocktails.
4. Ate before hand, but ordered the spinach dip--this is one of my gripes. The dip was in a really big bowl and very good, but they only provided a hand full of chips for four people. We asked for more chips and saw that they added these chips to our bill at the end. It's not enough to warrant a sit-down with the manager, but that was a set up if I've ever seen one.
All in all cool place, I wish we would have sat in the court yard, it was heated and so cute but we may go back there for pregaming purposes.
I wandered in with pals for a weekday pub grub lunch and we all found the food and service to be perfectly fine, if not above average for this type of place. Â Perhaps I should have purchased a lottery ticket that day...or maybe having only one occupied table gave Corcoran's crew the opportunity to shine.
First up: Cheese curds. Â Lightly dusted and fried, they're really just mozzarella nuggets, but good ones with a tasty marinara sauce.
Also shared: Nachos. Â A little runny for my personal taste (not a fan of chili on finger food). But the other guys liked it and I thought the drier sections I puled out were quite good. Bonus points: I fully expected "this sort of place" to use cheese sauce, but Corcoran's uses real cheese.
Entrees: A buffalo burger was very well received from a notoriously bitchy member of our squad; a house salad was as wonderful as salads can be; and my pub burger with cheddar was perfectly prepared with a tasty, sharp cheese kick.
Our server kept all of our drinks filled and re-filled while working in a flirt or two with the locals who wandered in for their hops-based lunches. Can't fault her for that.
Speaking hypothetically, let's say I didn't quite dig the food here. (Although I haven't tried it) Let's say the service was atrocious. (Although it was great) Let's say it pretty much sucked altogether (although it didn't) Even if it did I'd be hard pressed not to give Corcoran's at least 3 stars. Why? All shots including bombs are $5 on Friday's and Saturdays.
Yeah, you heard me. This place is in Old Town right across the street from Second City and they're charging $5 for O-bombs, Irish Car Bombs, and my new favorite shot which is a Fireball dropped in Guinness (Don't think it had a name yet). I don't care where you're at that's pretty damn cheap. But especially in Old Town.
Pub fare/burger & beer joint standards are high in Chicago and Corcoran's, while nice, does not meet those standards. The menu is similar to the Mystic Celt (same ownership) but the food was not as well prepared. As mentioned in other reviews the specials are pretty good.
The outdoor patio seating is great and the heaters allow you to enjoy it well past when you think you might want to eat outdoors in Chicago. If you're not coming to meet people, for a specific game or special, I'd suggest trying somewhere else.
Okay food, decent specials, atrocious service. I wish I could be cheerier about my review of this place, but the service was bad. We literally had to get up, go up to the bar to request more drinks, hunt down the waitress to inquire when our food would arrive (20 mins for a burger and chicken wings???)...after the food did arrive I had a feeling we wouldn't be seeing the waitress again, so I requested the check right then and there. The place was all almost empty, so I'm not sure why the service was so shotty. Our waitress was polite and all, just a tad lost at the fair.
I think this is a good place to drink beer, by the bucket, meaning when you order them you receive 5 at a time, because you won't see the waitress again for a long time.
Let me explain why I've spent pretty much every Sunday afternoon here for the last few months:
a) It's across the street from Second City, and my classmates are lazy bums.
b) They offer a Second City student discount.
c) Their beer list is okay.
d) They have a nice outdoor patio (both in front and behind), the 'alley' portion of which has no through-traffic and has couches.
I wouldn't bother with the food.
Everything here just just okay. Not bad. Not great. Just okay.
They have specials. It's in a good location. It's big. Has a big patio (not the nicest of patio furniture).
The food is okay. The service is okay.
Not somewhere I'd go all the time, but good for stopping in for happy hour or one or two drinks and an app.
I've been to this bar quite a few times and I can't remember a single time I had good service. It's not just slow responses or messed up orders, but honest distain for the customer. That type of feeling you get from someone that you just being there is ruining their day. I don't know if it's just because I'm a student at Second City and they just have a problem with us or if it's just a general problem with most people. Considering this bar gets a ton of business just by being across from Second City you wouldn't think that would be the case.
One example of bad service happened recently. I just finished my second Sam Adams Summer Ale and requested a third from my server. She returned with my drink, but it wasn't a Summer Ale. It was very bitter and lighter and I even let one of my friends try it (he was also drinking Summer Ale) to make sure I wasn't crazy. He tried it and agreed with me that it wasn't a Summer Ale. This isn't a big deal. Mistakes happen with drinks and it only takes a second to fix. I wasn't upset about this at all and when my server returned I said, "I'm sorry, but think this is the wrong drink." Our server rolled her eyes at me, didn't say a word, and walked away. She returned, dropped my drink in front of me, and walked away in a huff again saying nothing. I've never felt such anger and haughtiness over a simple request. I'm sorry I ruined your day. You don't have to worry about me coming back.
Cute Irish pub/grill. We got there fairly early on a Saturday and were able to grab a table. Our waitress was adorable and very attentive. Great drink selections. Try the fried pickles. They accommodated my husband by turning on his team for the College World Series, despite the fact that other local games were on.
Review Source:This is a place where I've never failed to have a great time. The staff is extremely friendly and efficient, and very STABLE. I have been going to this place for more years than I care to admit and the same people remember me and treat me great -- even if I disappear for awhile.
The food is great, but the beer selection is even better. They have an insane amount of beers and most of them great. Yeah, you can get a Miller Lite if you have to, but their craft and import beer selection can't be beaten.
The patio is beautiful, the back bar is a very cool respite when the front bar is crowded, and with Second City across the street in this great neighborhood, there always is something going on.
This bar is just typical, not too bad but not great.
I love their Monday half-off appetizers, but overall service seems to be a hit or miss. Lisa is nice, and there are some friendly people who hang out and work here but the overall general feeling of this place is a little on the snobbish end, as are some of the bartenders. Â
This is still an overall nice place to visit for nothing special or specific. Â Good for when you are seeking a bar around Old Town with warm, classic interior and decent food.
We grabbed a couple drinks here before seeing a show at The Second City, which is directly across the street. The service wasn't great - our waitress forgot drink orders several times, and got other things wrong - but it was friendly and comfortable.
They have a small outside patio, and the people watching was fantastic! I can't get over how many hot guys there are in Chicago... you ladies are lucky!
If you're planning a night at The Second City, this is your best bet. You can watch the line to see if things really start to get crazy, and sit back and relax with a good beer until it's time to head over.
This is the "let's go to the bar" bar. It has everything you need for a good time. Good drinks, nice beer selection, ok food, and decent service. It gets pretty crowded on the weekends but never too bad.
When you get there, keep walking back. They have a back patio and a whole other bar back even farther than the patio.
Expect a good time, if you have time. Service isn't that fast. Food isn't that good. But everything is good enough. Definitely a go-to place for after a class or show at The Second CIty.
The front of the bar is pretty small and gets congested, but the best part and (hidden?) gem is the coach house in the back. It's separated so not so loud and pretty secluded. I was here for a birthday party a few weeks ago and it was great. They rented out the entire coach house and had a $30 drink package from 9-12am I believe. Bartenders were nice and it was quick to get drinks. I would highly recommend this place for a party.
I came back this past weekend. Other places we tried were packed... 90 minute wait at Old Town Pour House? Yea right. No tables at Benchmark so we ventured over to Corcoran's. Always a solid bet. It was during the NCAA basketball tournament and a Friday night so it was understandable that most places were packed but we were happy to see that Corcoran's had tables available in the Coach house out back. These tables were small and kind of tucked away in the corner, but there was still a great view of the TV's for the game. Not too bad for going out at 8pm on a friday.
We drank and had good times. We also ate and I got the Corned Beef Sandwich with a side of Mac and Cheese. It was pretty good and filled me up perfectly. The mac and cheese was a little bland, needed salt. Could have done without the mac and cheese for an extra $2+ but who can resist mac and cheese when they are drinking?
I'd definitely come back here, it's a smaller and quieter option to the other bars in the area. Probably wouldn't come here purely based on the food though.
Oh and our waitress seemed pissed to be working, she started out pretty good but quickly fell off. She didn't write down any of our food orders, which annoys me but nothing was messed up. Why not just write it down? She was slow to come around for drinks, you might be better off ordering from the bar which is right next to you.
We just moved into the neighborhood and I am really happy to have a cozy pub with a great beer selection so close to home. Â The staff is really friendly as well.
Food-wise, I've only tried the chicken noodle soup and steak quesadillas. Â The noodle soup was so-so with the broth tasting like something that came from a powder. Â The quesadillas were really excellent, though. Â It didn't look real appetizing on the plate and they were really greasy on the bottom but it had nice sized pieces of steak throughout and were really yummy!
Corcoran's gives Second City students discounts, so guess where they go after class? Corcoran's also offers great daily specials like $3.75 Blue Moon pints and $6 Pub Burger and Fries on Tuesdays when our class is usually there. Aside from cheap and convenient though, Corcoran's doesn't try to be something it's not. It's a warm and inviting pub, nothing more, nothing less.
It's become our spot, where we rehash our comedic victories and failures and laugh about well, everything. All while being served by the kind waitstaff who attentively plies us with copious amounts of alcohol. Some of our best ideas have been born here and for this I thank you Corcoran's.
I dined here on December 16th with work for a holiday party. Â I had the mac and cheese with ham and bacon. The portion was huge and the cheese was good but too rich for my taste. It was served with buttered toast which was just average.
The Smashed Bourbon which I had with vodka was tasty and I enjoyed the mix of the strawberries and cranberry juice. Surprisingly, it was not too sweet.
The place seems small and I could see it getting packed at peak hours. It's conveniently located across from Second City so it's a decent enough place to stop by before or after a show.
Some friends and I met up at Corcorans before going to Second City. Â The coach house in the back is a gem. Â So cute. Â I am definitely keeping it in mind for future parties.
We were in a rush and our food arrived quickly. Â We were there on a Thursday, which meant 3 sliders for $5. Â I had the grilled chicken sandwich, pretty basic but it hit the spot.
The previous time I went to Corcorans it was a bit warmer and we sat outside on the patio between the coach house and the main building. Â It is a great setup with tvs playing baseball. Â What more could you ask for?
Huge fan of Vaughn's pubs but my service tonight was beyond repair! Guy waiter/server to be PC was awful.. Cool looking bartender chic with funky headband was awesome..
Being in the industry it sucks giving bad reviews.. But this guy, never got his name looked at me like I had lost my mind when I ordered an entree of mac n cheese.. Like I couldn't handle it. Fine, I like leftovers deal with it. Had to literally find him to order drinks and get the bill.
It was my friends birthday and her being also a loyal Vaughn's supporter, had a free app email on her phone, she showed him at the beginning, then he forgot when we got bill bc she had to leave to go to her show across the street.. Â
Other than him 4 stars, but it literally pained me to tip my minimum of 20% for bad service...
If you get a dude server.. Ask for a different server!!
What a hidden gem! From the outside, it looks like a plain ol' Irish pub in Old Town. You go in and realize they have utilized one of the alleys and turned it into a real nice Parisian street feel with lights hanging everywhere and nice comfy couches put out throughout. The service is slow and self-service is a better option, but their draft selection is quite decent.
There is a front patio as well and the outdoor seating closes at midnight, although the pub remains open until 2am. I wasn't as much a fan of the inside - it was loud and warm. A nice place in the summer only for their outside offerings..
Corcoran's. Â It's too young, too dark, too small and too crowded.
Toodle-oo. Â
I can't speak to the food, as I've only gone to Corcoran's for drinks. Â And I've only gone because I've been dragged. Â Hey, they don't have such a bad beer list, although most people who go to Corcoran's likely drink Bud or Miller Lite. Â Yawn.
The better drinking options on Wells are on the south side of North Avenue.
Corcoran's really doesn't do a whole lot to separate itself from the ten thousand other Irish Pubs in Chicago. However, it does feature a large patio area and back bar that can be quite enjoyable on warm summer day.
  There is an adequate beer selection and the food (while nothing to write home about) hits the spot after a long day at the beach (well Lake Michigan with a bunch of sand). Overall, there's no need to make a special trip to Corcoran's, but if your in the area and just need your standard bar basics, it will do the job.
Corcoran's brought a beautiful ending to such an amazing weekend! After visiting the Well's Street fest two days in a row, I decided to get an early evening drink at Corcoran's because I won a gift certificate there a few months back.
I was with my roommate, just having innocent girl time, when a little boy came up to us and starting "giving us the eyes" as I say. He was flirting with us and kept showing off his pez dispenser!! With his big, gorgeous brown eyes, he adamantly demanded we eat pez after pez. I think I got a tummy ache from eating so many (I forgot how sweet they were).
We must have been flirting with him for an hour before the waitress came up to us and said that the little boy's dad was giving us our next round of drinks on the house! As it turns out, the little boy's dad is the owner of this bar and tons of other bars in Chicago! He has the cutest son in the entire world. The boy then asked me to escort him to the bathroom, but I declined the invitation! And then he showed us all of his dance moves and I think he will be on Dancing With the Stars some day! We even danced with him and got really low....but he got lower than me and my roomie! He is a true dance rival!
Then, when my roomie and I were getting ready to leave the bar for dinner, we wanted to get a picture with him. But he refused to have a picture taken with us because he was mad that we were not bringing him home for a sleepover!! I don't think I've ever enjoyed flirting with a boy as much as I did with this 4-year old. And then his dad said he would sponsor our volleyball team and then gave us his business card and a coupon for free lunch and drinks at any of his restaurants. I'm pretty sure that my Chicago Sunday could not have been any better!
I ordered the "Weed and Lemonade" drink here and it was amazing. I got pretty tipsy off of just one and I am glad I only had two because otherwise, I would have kidnapped the 4-year old cutie patootie!
I think I have now chosen Corcoran's as my summer Sunday bar! Don't miss out on this Old Town treasure!
Dear God:
Please save me from any more trips to places like this, here in this culinary paradise where my money shan't be wasted or frittered away on bad food and poor service. Let me have the strength to assert my point of view and insist on going elsewhere, when I know (thanks to other Yelpers) that this is not the best choice in Old Town. Save me from places which seem appropriate for those just out of college or the frat house, those who like skimpy, fatty corned beef sandwiches (sin in an Irish Pub), under-done limp fries, and a waiter who can't even seem to clean off our sticky table, much less bring stuff. If you grant me this strength, Lord, I promise not to be nasty or deceitful, nor to use my remote control whoopee cushion in public. (Though it might be quite a propos here.)
When Mary T. suggested that we stop here and have dinner before heading over to Second City to see Rush Limbaugh, the musical! Â I thought why not?
It's nothing fancy but the lure of a $5 all meat patty cooked meduim well, served up on a bun, with lettuce, tomato, and onions was too  much to resist.  That paired up with some pretty decent fries and a well poured Guinness was just what I needed on such a yucky snow ladden night.  Also, good girl talk and catching up went a long way in making this place fun for me.
Our server was very nice and she left us alone for the most part which was fine, but when it came time to give us the bill she was kind of slow with it, so I just decided to get my change for the $20 bill I had on me from the bar tender, who was super cool about it.
All in all, this is a great place to stop in at if you're in the area looking to warm up or have a funny night planned at Second City with good friends. Â I Â would also be interested in coming back when the weather is warmer to check out their outdoor beer garden with the sun beating down on my face.
Tuesdays might be my new favorite night! $5.00 for a burger & fries? $3.50 blue moons? Count me in!
Before heading out to a comedy show my friend & I stopped here for a delicious & filling burger. Little did I know that the turkey & veggie burger were also included in this deal. SCORE! I asked the waitress which was better & got a "oh the veggie burger for sure. It's so delicious". Sold.
Our burgers arrived pretty quickly & boy was my mouth watering. The veggie burger was out of this world. It had a grilled flavor & a great texture, which is sometimes hard to do with veggie burgers. I ate the entire thing up in about..oh, you know..5 minutes. I just couldn't stop! The fries were pretty standard, nothing special but I ate all of them.
For two burgers, fries, and two blue moons our total was around $20.00. Not too bad & totally recession friendly :)
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