Went here last night for drinks and as others have mentioned, it is a cozy pub with its dim lighting and close quarters. And by close, I mean, some random guy named Shawn kept talking to our girls (and guys, strangely enough) for some reason... probably the tasty liquors offered by the establishment.
Prices were reasonable, the service was good, and fun times were had by all in our group.
Didn't get food, but I am willing to give it a try. Solid four stars for selections and service.
We hosted a family party for our 14-year-old son last week. I could not have been happier with the food, service and all around ambience. Ben (manager or owner) was waiting for us when we arrived and made sure we were well taken care of. We brought a cousin from Ireland and even he was impressed with the Irish Pub's authenticity. My son Seamus  was especially happy.
Review Source:Great all around place. Â Cozy, Irish pub atmosphere with a great drink selection (lots of choices of IPA's and stouts) and a very good food menu with great Irish classics. Â I had the Irish breakfast last time and it didn't disappoint. Â
The only thing I'm not crazy about is how the front of the bar is unevenly busy with the back. Â The back is more for couples or party's while the front is where all the socializing takes place. Â I only wish it was a bit more spread out, but it's still a kick A$$ place in my opinion.
Parking is usually decent and there is a parking lot across the street for all ye stumblers to park. Â I found the wait staff to be a little too busy for my taste but this place still gets 4 stars from me all the way for all of it's upside. Â
Meet me for a pint!
I went here to meet a friend with the intention of having one drink and a nice little catch-up, but we had such a great time at the Grafton that it turned into a three (or was it four) drink trivia night! Â For this I partially credit our extremely friendly bartender. Â He talked to us periodically throughout, helped us at trivia (is that allowed?) and even bought us a free drink when one of his suggested answers led us astray.
The trivia is (I think) every first and third Wednesday of the month. Â The categories are creative and current and funny - I think the trivia hosts even brought mini cupcakes for some reason!? Â We didn't win, but loved spending a cold night in this warm bar with a great beer selection and very friendly people. Â I was charmed by it all night, and I'm already looking forward to returning!
You can pass on this one. After waiting for someone to get our order for more than 15 minutes, where no waiter was on sight, a drunk waitress told us that the kitchen was JUST closed. My wife and I are not coming back. It's really a pity since the place and the food sounded really promising. Enough said.
Review Source:Grafton,
4 years later I still dig you!
My partner in crime and I were looking to grab a bite, a drink and break in the Drink Deck that's been collecting dust at his house. We settled on Grafton for two reasons - the fireplace and the live Irish Music Jam at 5 on Sundays.
Unfortunately, a private event had the back room with the fireplace occupied, but we were able to hunker down up front in one of their cozy booths and drink in the live music. While I'm sure Grafton is a great summer bar, to me it's a perfect winter destination. The warm walls and dark wood are calling to be dusted with pine garland and white holiday lights. The coziness screams hot toddy's, hot ciders, and heavy beers.
I was bummed to hear that they were out of the hot cider, but my companion was in luck with his hot toddy. They also had around four other warm winter drinks, looking to please nearly every palette. Our server was very knowledgeable about their drink selection, guiding us toward selections she thought we'd enjoy. In addition to a nice beer selection with a number of taps devoted to local breweries with rotating selections, they also have an impressive whiskey list. For my meal, I went with the black bean burger and my date, the fish and chips. The food isn't out of this world, but it is good enough that there were no complaints from either of us.
The Grafton is gem and not an overdone, cheesy faux Irish bar with shamrocks smacking you in the face at every turn. It's good food, good people, good booze, good music and a cozy atmosphere.
I am typically wary of any pub labeling itself with Irish, as it evokes a certain clientele I tend to want to avoid.
The Grafton avoids this on many a level, with excellent service, beers, and food. On my first visit, our waitress was rather patient and endearing in her quips as my friend and I asked rather broad questions about the drink menu, narrowing down exactly what we wanted and giving us recommendations as the night progressed (based on what we'd ordered).
Thankfully the food was easy to locate and decide: a seitan sandwich that was quite succulent and magnificent. Paired with it were these amazingly seasoned fries that all washed down with our beverages of choice.
Did I mention wifi? Asking the waitress, my friend and I were able to easily and quickly chat while also doing some work, downing a beer or three, and finishing our meal. Definitely something I'd recommend again.
The Grafton is an awesome bar & grill with a great atmosphere and excellent customer service.
I went here with my family and my girlfriend ordered a turkey burger while the rest of us ordered burgers. Â
They accidentally brought out a burger for her. Immediately, the waitress realized the mistake and had the cook rush out a turkey burger. The waitress packaged the original burger in a to-go box and gave it to the table. She then comped both sandwiches! Good stuff!
Having worked in many restaurants, I totally understand how an order can get mixed up, especially when the restaurant is busy and the table has a lot of people.
These things happen everywhere to every server now and again. How the situation is handled truly shows how far the restaurant will go to please the customer.
We go back all the time, hoping we'll get another couple of comped sandwiches.
If you've never been, make sure you try the Beckett Burger. It's insanely good.
Typically this wouldn't be my type of place because I'm not a fan of Irish pubs or pubs in general, but The Grafton had a nice warm, cozy feeling. Â You feel welcome there.
My friend's brother had a birthday party here this past weekend and they rented the back area for the occasion. Â The Grafton did a great job of cordoning off this section. Â I didn't know many folks so my bf and I hung out near the bar for a while. Â People seemed really chill. Â We both noticed that on the way there, there weren't too many other bars in the neighborhood that were as lively as the Grafton. Â
They have a good selection of beers. Â I ordered a couple of extra dirty martinis that got me sufficiently drunk enough to leave my phone in the bathroom. Â I'm gonna give big ups to the folks at the bar because thankfully someone turned it in and the bar held it for me. Â Good ending to the night as it turned out there was a thief at The Grafton and two people had been robbed around 10 PM of their wallets hanging in coats or purses on the back of chairs. Â Be vigilant around the holidays!!
Here's the thing - if you run a pub on a Friday night, in Chicago, you might expect that folks are going to want to drink a beer at your establishment. Sadly, they seemed completely unable to meet this expectation.
A group of four or five of us meet at the Grafton, and hang out in the back waiting for a table. I head to the bar to grab a couple drinks. And am ignored by the bar tenders. I mean, I cannot get their attention to save my life. And it's not like they're slammed; one guy in a green sweatshirt is just leaning up against the register deliberately not making eye contact with the clients.
After at least ten minutes, and rather frustrated, I head back to my group. At the same time I had went to the bar, another friend had tried to flag down a waiter. About five minutes after I get back to the group, the waiter tells us he'll be right with us. Another five minutes, he begrudginly takes our order. And we wait again. One of us is about to go back to the bar again when he finally comes back, forgetting only one of our drinks.
Anyway, we get a table, and the waitress is ok - a little frazzled but gets the food out in a reasonable window. But the food is mediocre at best and the fries are downright anemic.
There are plenty of great places to get a drink or food in Lincoln Square and we just know better than to come here again.
Unfortunately I have to give this place 1 star. I've been here in the past quiet a few times and have always enjoyed it. Knowing that I decided to reserve the back room area for a birthday party for this past Saturday at 8pm. Based on what their website said (7 or more call the manager for a reservation) I called on Tuesday (10/9) and spoke to a manager named Ben. I had requested to be seated by the couches and fireplace in the back room. He stated he would call me back after he confirmed there was availability. He called me back later that same day and said everything was confirmed for this Saturday (10/13) at 8pm.
I called Saturday afternoon just to see if there would be enough room by the couches if people wanted to order food. Let me remind you that I was told by Ben in his voicemail that everything was taken care of and I could show up at 8pm. So you can imagine my surprise when I called the afternoon of the party to find out another person contacted them on Wednesday (10/10) of that week to book the back room as well. They not only booked it, but put money down on it. I was never informed by Ben that this could happen nor was it given to me as an option. Now when I talked to a different manager today (also named Ben) he said it was definitely a mistake on their part, but got defensive with me when I mentioned that I should of been contacted or given the opportunity to put money down to help keep my spot.
The only solution (before he got defensive) was shoving me to the other side of the room away from the fireplace and sharing it with another large party of guests who clearly took priority over my party even though I reserved first.
While asking for more clarity on the screw up Ben the manager got real defensive and thought I was looking for them to change their policies. No, what I was looking for from Ben the manager was to take care of me (a couple free drinks, maybe my dinner on the house, etc) due to the major inconvenience their screw up was causing me. So what Ben ended up doing instead was saying he wasn't going to seat me at all and proceeded to hang up on me.
Needless to say I have plenty of friends who go here as do I and based on this manager's utter lack of customer service and just proper manners I am no longer going here. I am sure the place will survive without my friends and I visiting, but I am not going to waste my money at a place that handles customers this poorly.
WOW!!! Â 5 stars!!! Very rare, especially since we had the kids with us. Â Great time had by all. Â Service was great. Â Food was great. Â Atmosphere was great. Â Kids.....well 3 out of 4 ain't bad. Â No, just kidding the kids were great too. Â Here is the scoop.
This is a really neat joint. Â Dark wood, great bar, neat booths, super service. Â We had to wait about 30 minutes for a table, but it didn't seem too long. Â The service all around was outstanding. Â The host, the bartenders, and especially the waitress. Â She rocked.
Seemed like a nice selection of craft beers. Â The onion rings were superb. Â Kids menu was great. Â Very nice selection. Â One kid ordered the Mac n'cheese and didn't like it, so we ordered another chicken tenders. Â One built a burger and it looked really tasty. Â Wife had the turkey burger and loved it. Â I ordered the fish n'chips....the best. Â Here is my new #1 fish n'chips place. Â We actually ordered desert. Â It was a brownie / banana / ice cream sundae. Â The waitress suggested we split it and it was big enough for the kids, but I would have liked some too. Â It was big, but the kids destroyed it.
Bottom line, it was a fantastic dinner.
I typically don't review places unless they are exceptionally good or extraordinarily bad. Â The Grafton was AMAZING. Â My wife and I live off the Brown line and we love the Lincoln square are so its really convenient just to take the train to the Western stop and walk down. Â While walking around the area we happened to stumble upon the restaurant and decided to check it out. Â They had a great staff who were very friendly and attentive, and the menu/beer list are excellent. Â
If you are looking for a very laid back, friendly bar with the added incentives of great beer and an sweet menu full of well made food check out the Grafton.
Full disclosure: I'm really not a big Irish pub fan. That said, my friends wanted to meet up here over the weekend. The beer list is quite exemplary- I tried a Point Nude Beach, which, while served in a can, was very tasty. I wanted another but unfortunately, I got the last one. They apologized but it was a bit of a bummer. We also had food, which was basically your average bar food. My husband's grilled cheese and mashed potatoes were both stone cold. My veggie quesadilla was decent, but short on vegetables- it was mostly stuffed with corn. The service was really good, particularly for a busy bar. I don't know how they divide the tips because we had at least three people come to the table but I'm adding a star just for the fact that everyone was so nice and attentive. I'm just not sure why we have to be subjected to the Olympics on every bar TV this summer. What about local baseball?!
Review Source:Stopped here after a long day of biking.
Fish and chips was top notch. Real beer batter. On the small side, but the flavor was there.
Attentive and friendly staff. Our waters were refilled promptly and we were asked about our drinks and food. Check-ins with the customer are really nice.
The front room is the bar. I opted to sit toward the back. Apparently they have live music because shortly after I arrived, the band arrived as well and sat next to me.
Bathrooms are clean.
Bike Parking out front.
I've wanted to try The Grafton for a while - finally did, and really liked it. Â
My date and I arrived dinner time on a Friday - I was afraid it was going to be packed, but thankfully, there were a decent number of available tables. Â We were seated way in the back, past the front bar and narrow table with bar stools lining the middle wall. Â The back opens up to larger tables, good for big groups and those wanting less of a bar atmosphere.
We started with a couple beer flights ($7) then went for one of their beer specials for the month ($4). Â Good beer, good prices, good server who knew a lot about good beer. Â
I ordered the fish and chips, which renewed my faith in a quality plate of fish and chips. Â (Not everyone can pull off this dish, even though it's on so many menus). Â THIS was really tasty - homemade tartar sauce and coleslaw, lemon + cucumber garnish. Â Date ordered the Guinness beef stew with mashed potatoes. Â No complaints there!
Fair prices, lots of good beer options, attentive/knowledgeable service - Yay Grafton!
Review 38
4 Stars
Visits : 4
Food : 4 (3.5, 4, 4, 4.5)
Service : 3.5 (3.5, 4, 4, 3.5)
Ambiance : 4 (4,4,4,4)
Value : 4 (4,4,4,4)
Summary
The Grafton is a very cozy Irish pub: dark, wooden and with a fireplace that sits somewhat quietly on Lincoln. And for an Irish pub, the food is noticeably good and is some of the best pub food around we have found on the north-side. It's hard not to notice the extra effort they make both in prep and ingredients - things like quality Irish bacon and avocado just being right. We've had a delicious lamb stew along with a very nicely marinated steak sandwich and these are the perfect dishes on a rainy day. To complement, they have a good range of drafts - most of the usual suspects. Spatially, it's layout is a little discombobulated, which can lead to the servers not always seeing if you need things, but on the flip side its part of the charm and its a great place to go overall.
Recommended.
The Grafton has the potential to become one of my favorite pubs in the city. The food is good, the draught selection is extensive AND affordable, and the menu is unique without being overwhelmingly weird.
Two of my friends and I went on Saturday night at 7:30. We expected to wait for a table and were quoted a 10-15 minute wait. We were seated within 5 minutes! Given the fact that we were ALL starving, this was amazing.
Our server was very helpful when it came to giving suggestions for our food order. We all had questions and she was more than happy to help us out.
The food itself was good. I had the (surprisingly delicious and flavorful) turkey burger. Â With the addition of bacon, Dubliner white cheddar and grilled onions, it may have been the best one I've ever had. One friend had the monthly special burger and the other had the salmon club. Both were satisfied with their entrees.
The sides weren't as delicious. Salmon club and I had the mashed potatoes. She is a pescatarian and opted to have her potatoes without the beef-based gravy. I have to admit, if I hadn't been able to combine the gravy with the mashed potatoes, I would've been sorely disappointed. They were a bit dry and under-seasoned. She ended up taking hers home in a to-go container and, after trying unsuccessfully to season them, tossed them out. Mine were delicious, but again, this was largely due to the delicious  beefy gravy. Monthly special burger had the seasoned fries and wasn't under or over-whelmed.
The atmosphere is lovely for a night out with friends. The temperature was great, the lights were dim (in a romantic and charming way) and everyone around seemed to be in a great mood. The only problem here was the volume of the music. We were seated directly under a set of speakers and we were literally yelling at one another in order to be heard. I remember this being a problem when we'd eaten there before, but it was nowhere near as bad as it was during our most recent visit. I truly don't mind loud places, but this wasn't some bar in Wrigley where you'd HAVE to play loud music in order to drown out the drunken crowd. The patrons were all seated and having intimate conversations with friends. The whole experience would've been much more enjoyable if we'd been able to hear each other better.
All in all, The Grafton is an awesome place and will remain on our neighborhood go-to list.
The grafton is located next door to the olde town school,of,folk music. Â We dropped in for a drink after seeing a show on a Friday night. Â
Very inviting vibe to this place. Â I would describe it as old English pub. Â The kinda place you could see yourself hanging out in on a cold winters night. Â We sat at the bar. Â Service was friendly and they seemed to have an extensive draft beer option. Â I of course ordered...or as I do in Chicago most times, attempted to order a coors light.. Â Success! Â So 5 stars for the grafton on that note.
If your not in the neighborhood, I wouldn't think  this place would be a destination pub, but if you are or seeing a show at olde town, i would recommend dropping in before or afterwards.
The Grafton is a great place and my first introduction to Lincoln Square. Super easy to get to off the brown line (Western stop). The first time I went I had the Shepherd's Pie and it was ok, it's not what you'll get in Ireland or more Irish-like places. The burgers were great, my first pretzel roll ever! The apps are pretty reliable too, I had the loaded potatos and the quesadillas. The beer list is pretty solid, they also have PBR in case you were wondering.
Service was great both times. The back room generally has music as I think the bar supports the music school next door- nothing too exciting. The bar lacks some personality and I probably wouldn't go unless I was in the neighborhood. Don't expect to run into Gerry Adams in here.
I was so "on the fence" regarding 4 or 5 stars. Â The only thing that would make this "as good as it gets" is if the crowd was a little leaner and if they added about 20 more taps. Â Let me explain my thoughts.......
It seems like I am noticing new stuff in this neighborhood constantly and thinking, how have I never seen this place?! Â Upon arrival to the Grafton, we were a bit confused if there was a host or if we were to seat ourselves. Â It seems the dress code for workers at this establishment is to look like a dude that doesn't work here. Â We walked past the bar and the host (dude with a cap on) was able to put up on the table list. Â Quoted 30 min on a Saturday at exactly 8 p.m. Â We were given a beer list to grab a drink during our wait.
DRINKS: Â The beer menu at this place is intriguing. Â A great list of great beers from places far and wide, but all of the beers on tap are rarities for the area. Â All of the breweries I have heard of, but never seen locally on tap. Â I had a red ale brewed in Palatine, Il.
FOOD: Â We were seated in about 10 min rather than the 30 we were quoted. Â This is amazing. Â Our table was by the restrooms where there is a quaint fireplace and gathering place. Â Our waiter (Irish dude in flannel) took our orders and we were served in a timely fashion. Â I had ordered the Guiness stew with a side of mashed potatoes. Â This stew was so damn good that my mouth is watering as I am typing this. Â The sirloin chunks fell apart and I actually would dip potato chunks into the mashed. Â My wife had a salmon club sandwich which I had a bite and it was smoky and tasty.
ATMOSPHERE: Â The place was really loud from chatter and the music was barely audible due to the crowd. Â The size of the joint holds a ton of people so that can get noisy, but the dim lighting and fireplace made for a warm cozy dining experience. Â FYI guys, the bathroom has a porcelain trough. Â
To land this review, I will close with one statement. Â I immediately sent a text to my friend after leaving prompting him to visit this place.
I have been here a few times now with friends from work. Â We like to come here and have a few drinks at the bar. Â The bartender is very helpful, polite, and knows his beers. Â They have a wide variety of beers on tap. Â They also have a great selection of bottled beers as well. Â I went here last night and met up with some friends. Â We sat all the way in the back. Â To my surprise there is a fireplace in the back with some couches surrounding it, which I thought was pretty cool.. Â It made the place more cozy. Â I Â ordered the baked chili n mac cheese with the beef. Â It was DELICIOUS. Â They also have a vegetarian one as well. Â
They are also known for their burgers here which I have yet to try but will soon.
Nice atmosphere, friendly bartenders and great food. Â I will definitely keep coming here.
I have been here many times and always have a great time. I had an amazing transatlantic love affair a few years back and she loved to come here when she was in Chicago and sit by the fireplace because we often hung out in bars that looked just like this in Munich, Innsbruck, and other places in the EU. Everywhere in the world there are pubs that have the same menu and beer list. Irish pubs have become the upscale McDonald's of the world for English-speakers.
Good food, good beer, good times, and good memories. All you need in an Irish pub. And, that fireplace makes it even better!
As a Chicago native, there are definitely bars/pubs that feel more like home than others in this city. The Grafton is a name you almost have to whisper because it's so special, as my bff puts it. Â It's a secret almost too good to talk about, because you don't want someone who would appreciate this place less to take your seat! I kid, I kid (kind of......).
There are two things you MUST try at The Grafton. 1. the chilimac. This stuff will blow your mind. The mac and cheese is creamy and  the chili is tender and flavorful. They also have a veggie chili option if you're not into meat. 2.BAILEY'S MILKSHAKE. You read that right. Trust me, would I really let you down? It's rich enough to share with a friend or two.
The Grafton also has delicious fish 'n' chips and burgers. Really, go give it a try!
So I gave in to my masculine side last night and headed over to an Irish Pub...
I don't drink beer.... Â
Not a fan of pubs/bars....
Definitely don't care for obnoxious drunks.... Â
Thankfully, The Grafton hit home. Â The interior is warm and comfortable with a fireplace, dark wood and plenty of booths.
Jenny the waitress/bartender was awesome and served me up some her own Early Grey iced tea for my non-beer fan self. Â They could totally add her tea to the menu! Â I was addicted.
To me, it seems like they have the BEST FISH & CHIPS in the city. Â Seriously, I've been to the Atlantic, New England Seafood Company, Fish Bar and other top-rated joints, but The Grafton hit the spot. Â Their Grass-fed Beef Burger is delicious and you can taste the deference. Â I plan to come back for their meatloaf in the near future.
I'm in love with the curry burger. I can definitely say that it is the best burger I've had in Chicago. There are others that are pretty close, but this was so awesome. I ordered it medium, and it was so juicy and tender. The fries were pretty good, too.
Other than the delicious burger, it was cozy inside, with great service. I can't wait to go back and eat another curry burger.
Dark woods, booths, a fire place and seating area in back- this place is great for drinks. Lively enough, with live music (courtesy of the excellent guitarists from nearby OTSFM), but intimate enough for a meetup and a one on one chat.
Good beer list and suggestions from our server, service was good for a while, then she went AWOL. I see what others here are saying about poor service. Ours was hot and cold.
Still, the Grafton is a great place in Lincoln Square, and reminds me that I should come to the neighborhood more often.
The Grafton serves the best burger in the entire city.
Believe me on this on folks..you shall not be disappointed. Â I have had a burger and fries at every pub I visit. Â Why? Â Because if they can do a burger to perfection, they can do anything. Â I have not had anything else here...just and amazingly delisey-o-so beer list and a mind blowing piece of ground chuck on a...w
I strongly, STRONGLY encourage you to spend your money at a place far more deserving of it. Â
I'm not speaking of their food or of their beer, but something far more important- How they treat, care for, respect and protect their patrons. Especially the Ladyfolk.
Many months ago, I ran into a regular there whom I mistakenly dated. That evening I opted out of the hug he offered me.  A hour later, after my friends had left,  while sitting at the bar, I got screamed at by this  large, drunk, raving, crazy man and no one did or said anything to me about it.  Not the Bouncer/Door guy who I was right next to.  Not the Bartender.  No one. Not one word was said during or after. Â
When I went in to complain to the management about it, the response was: Well, noone's told me about it, and this bar is concerned with how women are treated here. Â ...but no mention of concern toward me, no apology, no offer of following up or of taking care of it. Â Just a stock, dismissive answer. Â This is while my friend who went in with me was being verbally harassed "Hey, sugar tits" by a guy sitting next to her. Â In full view and hearing of this management (apparently a friend of management). That is enough said. Â
But wait, there's more. Â I decided to stop spending my money there, despite many years of being a regular (I even threw my 30th birthday party there). I even opted out of writing a review on yelp because I just wanted it over. Â But, one night months and months later, I stopped in the door one night on my way to Latitudes because I saw a long lost friend in the window. Â In the midst of hugs and hellos and introductions, the same bartender who remained silent called me over. Â To tell me that he was told Not To Serve Me. Â I was so shocked he had to repeat it twice. Â My reaction was, "Wait. Â I get harrassed by someone in this bar, I complain that nothing was done, and *I* am kicked out?" Â Apparently, Yes. Â
When you go to a pub you expect a safe, comfy place to eat and drink and meet with your friends. On occasion, you expect to run into some person who's been over served and even more rarely, someone who becomes emotional and then threatening. Â In those moments, you expect the bar to step up and in and do something. Â What you don't expect it is for them to abandon you (and therefore potentially any and every girl in there) Â to a potentially harmful situation and you most certainly don't expect to be denied service because you stood up for yourself about it. Â
So, give your money to a place that deserves it. Â Trust me, there are tons of incredible bars in Chicago that would love to have it.
Re: Ben's comment below...methinks he has me confused with another person. Â Repeatedly asked to leave? Â As in, I kept coming in and they kept saying "we've asked you not to come here." Never. Â I wasn't even asked to leave on the night I was informed I couldn't be served. Â That, for what it was, was very civil. Â But, I guess considering their less than stellar handling of the situation, their next step is an attempt to lie and discredit what I have to say. Â Shrug. Believe me or not. Â I just think this kind of behavior from a business is the sort of thing that other people deserve to hear about.
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Yet another entry into the annals of Big City, Small World...
So, after at least two abortive attempts to go to The Grafton with pretty little girl, we finally were able to find parking and visit this fine establishment for burgers and beer. Â Parking is an absolute nightmare on this stretch of Lincoln, probably thanks to Old Town. Â It's usually pretty hard to find anything close on the street or in the pay lot across the street. Â We finally got lucky. Â
This visit was my fifth visit to The Grafton. Â I was a History major in college and thus remember pretty much everything, as well as the dates, down to every detail, so let me recount them in this entry of Big City, Small World:
Visit One. Â 2003. Â Drinks in the back on the couch with Jennifer, who formerly lived on Roscoe.
Visit Two. Â 2004. Â Dinner in a booth with Donovan, who I met at Retro on Roscoe that year.
Visit Three. Â 2005. Â Dinner in a booth with Catherine, who is always at Retro on Roscoe. Â As we're leaving, we run into Donovan dining there al fresco. Â Unbelievable.
Visit Four. Â 2008. Â Drinks at the bar with some nutty French teacher on a meet and greet. Â Like most meet and greets, it was a one and out. Â You know exactly what I'm talking about.
Visit Five. Â 2011. Â Dinner with pretty little girl. Â No ex sightings. Â It's a miracle. Â There are no flags on the field. Â (However, the following day, we took a cab to Retro on Roscoe. Â We passed directly by Jennifer's old house and then later crossed paths with Catherine at Retro. Â I can't make it up. Â Big City, Small World.).
_______________
Anyway, The Grafton has great burgers. Â They're better than Jury's and The Bad Apple's, in my opinion. Â They also have a nice, reasonably priced beer list that includes my darling Two Brothers French Country Ale. Â
Good burgers and good beer? Â That's five stars.
Great ambiance, fantastic whiskey list and they even had two different varieties of pear cider (!).
That having been said, holy crap. Their burgers! I ordered the Beckett, which comes on a pretzel roll (fantastic in and of itself) with cheddar, a fried onion and curry mayo. It was initially an odd sounding combination, but now I'm thinking I may have to add curry mayo to every burger I eat for the rest of my life. I ordered it with the grass fed beef and it was worth it. The burger was possibly the best tasting piece of meat I've had in ages; it was cooked to perfection and annoyingly juicy.
The side salad was bleh-- the veggies and lettuce were nice, but the dressing was just some bland vinaigrette that i could have done without. But, in all honesty, I didn't really care. I was so full from that massive, delicious burger that I hardly had room to eat it. Â
We also had fantastic service, and the waitress even filled our water bottles so that we could smuggle them into the movie theater! Definitely worth a trip back.
Fantastic unique burgers. I had a turkey burger with Mango chutney on a pretzel bun, there's a name for this burger which I forgot. My fiance had the Beckett, a grass-fed, beef patty, curried mayo, dubliner cheese and he added a fried egg. He stated the egg was "the best decision [he] ever made." I guess my marriage loses to the Grafton.
Great service and great seating.
Screw Kuma's, don't need their crap, their lines, or their "unique" food when I get even better here at the Grafton.
I've been wanting to try this place for some time but never had a good reason to go all the way to Lincoln Square but opportunity knocked this past Tuesday when I met up with an old friend. Â
The place has a nice bar and big booths against the wall. Â Dark wood everywhere. Â I immediately liked the place. Â The service was good, it wasn't too busy and our server was super attentive. Â I ordered the bowl of cream of mushroom soup served with pieces of french bread, yum! But as I was still hungry, I got the bread pudding as dessert, it was good. Â So why the meh rating? Â I've had that type of food before elsewhere and it wasnt spectacular here. Â I'll be back to try the beer, I was feeling in the mood for wine this night and overlooked the beer and whisky! Â Next time!
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