Unimpressed.
The service left a lot to be desired. Â The appetizers came out at the same time as our entrees -- I don't mean a minute before -- the exact same time. Â
Our server came over and asked if that's what happened. Â When we replied yes it had, he kind of rolled his eyes and walked away with out a word.
The pretzel and beer cheese was delicious. Â I got Bangers and Mash. Â The bangers were so hot I couldn't eat them right away, while the mash was so cold I didn't want to eat them at all.
The bread pudding wasn't very good, although I can't quite remember what it was I didn't like about it.
Will not return for dinner, but would go back for drinks and apps.
Overall, McGonigal's was an okay experience. Â I would return, but I would hang out at the bar instead of coming for dinner and sitting at a table. Â The atmosphere was great! Â I've never been to Ireland, but I definitely didn't feel like I was sitting in Barrington, IL.
I ordered a reuben with no sauerkraut (just wasn't in the mood) and I was happy when our food was brought out and my sauerkraut-less reuben hadn't been mixed up with dad's which had the kraut on it. Â Everyone's order was correct with all the correct condiments and garnishes, a big plus in my book. Â The food was okay, about what you would expect.
The one minor drawback was that the service seemed to be slow. Â We were in fairly early on a Wednesday evening (got there around 5:30) so there weren't a ton of patrons. Â Most were by the bar. Â The service felt slow for the day/time and our very polite waitress took a long time to grab our bill back and run our card. Â One thing I really enjoyed about our waitress was her honesty. Â My mom asked about the chicken pot pie, and she told her it was the only thing on the menu she wouldn't recommend. Â I was happy to hear her honesty instead of my mom ending up with something she didn't like just to get a sale.
Check it out and stay for the drinks.
My husband and I took our two kids for and early dinner on a Saturday night. (around 5 p.m.) The atmosphere was fun and fairly loud...just what we wanted. And, it truly resembled an Irish pub. The soft pretzel with beer cheese was awesome! My husband loved the shepherd's pie, and I enjoyed the reuben. Our 7 year old gave the fish and chips two thumbs up. Service was super friendly and the food was out in a reasonable amount of time. We didn't have to wait for a table, but by the time we were leaving about an hour later, the crowd was definitely beefing up.
Review Source:I frequently visit McGonigal's as I own a business nearby and live near by. I tried to reserve a table for my birthday (we were bringing at least 10 guests, probably more to show up) I wanted to reserve the table for 10- we were planning on listening to the band playing and having drinks. Since we weren't "eating dinner" there (although, I am sure we will end up ordering appetizers), they wouldn't reserve a table for us. The manager said they don't typically do that.... which is a lie, since I frequent the pub, and have seen "Reserved" signs on tables before.
I don't really write reviews often, but I felt I had to. If we weren't going out to see that specific band for my birthday, I would definitely be going elsewhere. I would be going to a place that I could rest assured that we would get a table big enough for my party - as any of you have been here before know that many of the tables are quite small (holding 4 at a max) and the place is fairly small, so it gets packed quick.
Food is always perfect! Never had any issues with service. We go here regularly and when they see us walk in the door our drinks are poured before we have our coats off.
Amazing staff, very friendly and the locals are friendly too. Highly recommend. Â One night I went to the Annex with some friends and the staff from McGonigals ran over there with my favorite beer because they knew it wasn't offered there.
Good place to go for music & drinks. Â Not a good place for watching sports as the TVs are too small and hard to see. Â The food is good, but can be inconsistent. Â For some reason, my main problem is a heating issue. Â More times than not I get something that should be hot, but is luke warm. Â The other day it was luke-warm chili that would have been really good had it been hot. Â I have also gotten the pub pretzels with cheese and the cheese came out with a frozen block in the middle once. Â This problem seems to be a kitchen one, since I have had this happen at both McGonigals, and the WIne Bar and now the Annex. Â Just heat up the food properly, please!!!!
Review Source:We will never go here again. The potato soup was gross. The shepherd's pie was worse. When we asked if they could play some music (this is an Irish pub after all) the owner said no because he wanted to watch the football game (American college) on TV. We asked our waiter for the WiFi password and he didn't know it and wouldn't find out. A huge waste of time and money (wife insisted we pay for our slop). So disappointed especially since there were some good Yelp reviews of this place.
Review Source:I think Yelp should have more categories for stars. Â The food was 5 stars. Â I had the.......anyone? anyone? Â The burger! Â What a f'ing surprise.
However, the service was....absent? Â Ashley and I found McGonigal's Pub on Yelp and decided to head out to DT Barrington for a couple beers and a sandwich. Â We were seated quickly and waited for our server....and waited...and waited.
Now, I've never been a server before. Â But I have had a job where I have been really busy. Â And when you make a table wait around 15 minutes before you come by and ask if we are ready to order, that's just not how you do it.
I want your name, some waters, a "Would you like to start with some drinks?", maybe even a "sorry we are swamped right now, let me know when you're ready and I'll be right over." Â Cmon give me sumthin!! Â
The waiting sucked, but my burger was out of this world good. Â Ashley had a reuben and it was large and in charge. Â And by large and in charge I mean it made her its B because she couldn't finish it. Â
I'd like to go back, honestly I would, buuuuuuuut.....
Saturday night, someplace new...we chose this little Irish bar. Â The atmosphere was great, the food was fantastic, but the service was sub-par. Â So it's not a very large place inside and there was a Michigan vs. Notre Dame game on, so the bar area was busy, but there were open tables in the place. Â We got seated right away and sat at the table for almost 30 minutes before we even got our beers. Â The waitress was not very personable, she never even introduced herself. Â I have worked in the service industry and find it really irritating when someone doesn't even give you their name. Â When she saw that we were done eating she asked if we were would like dessert, or any other drinks and my boyfriend replied "no, thank you, I think we're all done." Â She removed the plates and left the table. Â She came back with a dessert menu and told us to take a look.....ummm we said no, thank you. Â Then when she returned she asked if we had decided on dessert, we told her yet again that we were through. Â She left, and returned once more finally with our bill. Â MY GOD! Â We paid and skidaddled. Â Seriously probably some of the worst service I've ever experienced. Â I mean I can understand if you're extremely busy, but tell us that up front and make sure you don't put one table before another, it's just crappy service! Â I really liked the place, had a great feel, but honestly I don't know if I'll return due to the lack of personality/skill of the staff they have. Â Real bummer considering the food was really good :( wah wah wahhhhhhh
Review Source:Not happy for the 3rd time.  You'd think after 2 1/2 years they could get it right.  We went tonight, family of 4.  My wife's salad was good, "she said", the burgers for my sons, dry! And the Shepherds pie lacking in many ways.  What?, no cheese? I felt like I was eating  big bowl of mashed potatoes.  "Where's the beef?"  Really!  Hardly any beef, hardly any veggies and no cheese - really?  Certainly not the best shepherds pie I've ever had.
Review Source:This is about the third time I have come here for lunch. My comments below:
Pros:
- Food quality is pretty high. Fish and chips were my favorite. Fries were seasoned and tasted really good. Fish was not bad. A little over breaded and overcooked, but does the job.
- Overall the restaurant and bar area looks very clean.
- Location near the train in Barrington is a huge plus.
- TVs are generally showing something sports related and they play the sound from the TV rather than some annoying music that I don't want to be blaring over my conversation.
Cons:
- Service during lunchtime can be a bit slow. I have had different waitresses on each occasion and found that the last waitress was an improvement. Expect to be eating there for at least an hour for a table of two.
- The chairs in the bar area are incredibly uncomfortable to sit in, especially if you sit for an extended period waiting for food. Try to get actual seats over stools.
- Food is a bit pricey. For Fish and Chips and two iced teas plus tip, it is over $20. Its good, but not that good.
Be warned! This review is not for any item on the menu, except the burger. When you go to McGonigals, you order the burger. It's as simple as that. Other dishes on the menu, yes they are perfectly fine, but to be honest...don't bother.
They are seasoned perfectly and probably the best in the area. The patty is so amazingly juicy, and are cooked exactly to your specification. Never have I ordered medium and gotten medium-well or well done. I don't know what kind of meat they use, or what seasoning, but it is just perfect. Last time I went, I tried something else...and I wished I'd ordered the burger. I kicked myself until the next time we went, and so the saying was created "when you go to McGonigals, you get the burger".
Loving me some McGonigals. Â Visited recently with my wife and absolutely loved it. Â The beer selection is good - very cold on tap!! Â Pretzel nuggets for an appetizer how can you go wrong!! Â Fish and Chips were excellent so was the pot roast. Â Service was excellent!! Â Did I mention the beer cheese?? Â I asked if I could get a bowl of it for my soup choice!! Â AWESOME experience. Â We will be back.
Review Source:Nice Irish pub restaurant type place. Plenty of tables and a bar to sit out. They had this adorable looking upstairs area with a couple tables that looked really inviting. There were several big screens, but they weren't distracting from the overall atmosphere. The bartenders were friendly and the drinks were reasonably prices. My salad was lousy, but that wouldn't stop me from going back.
Review Source:I am SO glad we found this place! Â
PROs: Â The food is absolutely delicious and fresh. Â As simple as it is, the Boxty is fantastic, the spinach dip is unreal, the fresh pretzels with cheese-beer dip.... yummmmm. Â We've never had a bad meal here. Â Everything tastes so fresh and homemade. Â I also love the atmosphere inside (it's an old historical building from the turn of the century).
CONs: Â The hostesses dress a tad on the 'unprofessional' side and look 16 (this could be a CON for a guy I suppose!). Â They go out for many cigarette breaks and drag it back inside with them. Â Also, the noise level in there is insane. Â You'll have a sore throat by the end of the night. Â We also generally have to wait since the space is so small. Â And parking can be a bit of a burden.
Pros totally outweigh the cons. Â I'm not Irish...but McGonigals makes me want to be!
A great addition to downtown Barrington, though a little pricey for twentysomethings (not their target demographic I know). I recommend taking advantage of drink specials. The place is very nicely done, quailty craftsmanship, upscale Irish decor, this is no dive! I've had the Fish n Chips and turkey club, both good, but I will definitely be back for the Fish n Chips. I've been here for St Paddy's as well as their open bar NYE party upstairs. Always attracts a good crowd of your typical Barrington patrons. The owners are great, and really put in the effort to grow their customer base with live Irish music, events, an updated Facebook and newsletter. Â Of course as a "newer" restaurant, enthusiastic owners should not be surprising, but it really is nice to see the passion they have for their business come through.
Review Source:I really can't find anything that I didn't like about this place.
First of all, the atmosphere is unbeatable. It's an old bank in downtown Barrington, and the mixture of old-school pub and modern sports bar was a lot of fun.
As for the food, I really loved the Shepherd's pie. One of the few places I've been to that uses lamb. I had a couple of different craft beers that were on tap (Delirium Tremens and Breckenridge 471 IPA), and I can't say that I know many places that keep beers like that on tap.
Overall, I really loved this place, and plan to be back.
This place is FABULOUS!!!!  We've never ever had a bad meal here!  The drinks are great too! Great atmosphere. A little too bright maybe but that's my personal preference. I love the Irish Magners apple and pear cider they have. The bartenders and servers ROCK!  In love with the Irish pot roast. Sorry mom, but I've never had better then here...now if I could only figure out the recipe! Love the pretzel bread and cheese too but thisis what knocks it down a star....$11  for THREE breadsticks? Maybe it's the cheese,  which they give us way more then we ever use, who knows. Either up it to 4 or drop the price and I'll give  them their star back.
Go here and experience it for yourself!!!
McGonigals...this is a nice "irish" pub...the type of place Barrington has needed for decades!!! The interior is warm and inviting...maybe a bit more "themed" than actually "authentic" but a decent environment. I know a few of the staff members (they used to work at the Curragh in Schaumburg before it closed) and they are GREAT additions to this place!
I don't like their 16 ounce pint glasses...but, I realize they are acceptable and market standard (the only true pint glass in my opinion are the 20 ounce tulip glasses, but I am getting snobby, so will stop)...The aforementioned staff will ensure the pour is proper! While I am a professional bar hopper, I have never had a drinking session in this place (I don't drive when I drink, and this is a bit out of taxi range for me), but I know they have some good musical acts like Morgan Fingleton and Fast Eddie MacAteer...awesome!
I have had a couple of dishes there - Chicken sandwich...awesome! I have had it three times and it has never ever been overcooked (and is there anything worse than a rubber shoe of a chicken breast?)...I know it is just a sandwich, but it is possible to screw up and McGonigals really delivers a quality product!
The chicken boxty - always a fan of a decent boxty! I was not disappointed!!!! I did have to use table salt though (which I NEVER use), but once that was added, I was very happy.
The pretzel nuggets with melted cheese...this stuff is Seven Eleven comfort food at its best...I mean that too...pretzels and cheese...whats not to love? Again, not exactly an old Donegal recipe...but whatever!
My only bad experience here....the mussels. I went once with about 4 people and I was the only one at the table that didn't like them. For me, it was the broth....there was something about it that was just terrible in my opinion...but I think it was more a matter of my personal taste, rather than poor execution...
We had a long break between a wedding ceremony in Inverness and a reception in Lake Barrington. Already hungry, m'lady and I decided to stop here for a quick bite to eat and a drink or two. It fit the bill perfectly.
The service was really quick, and although it wasn't overly friendly, it was efficient. My Guinness was poured perfectly and was delicious. My girlfriend had a Stella and a Blue Moon and both...well, they tasted like they should! That may sound funny to novices, but many of us frequent beer drinkers can tell when something is off, such as in the lines...these all tasted quite good.
OK, so the food - we had an order of the Trinity Sliders off the app menus. These were basically corned beef on mini pretzel rolls with a delicious spicy mustard. Really tasty...we both enjoyed them greatly.
Four beers (2x Guinnes, 1x Stella, 1x Blue Moon) + App for $29 with tax (but not tip). Maybe slightly high, but not terrible for the area.
Thank you again to McGonigal's for some more amazing experiences.
Not wanting to admit exactly how often I go here, I have been here about 5 times since my last review. Â I have gone for dinner, lunch, and another bar crawl since then, and every experience I have had has been nothing short of awesome.
My favorite things there are the strong mixed drinks, the fries, and the chicken sandwich. Â The chicken is seriously so juicy and not dried out, and it comes on a delicious pretzel roll--you can't go wrong with that amazingness!!
On the pub crawl the other day, my friends and I were a HUGE group of 15 people, and our waitress kept up with us like it was nothing. Â She even got us a plate of pickles. Â I wish I could remember her name and the girl who served us before that, because they were awesome. Â I think I will have to go back JUST to inquire about this. Â Their boss needs to know how great they are!
The place is clean, fun, and a great time all around! Â
Oh, and my friend wants me to say that she was disappointed that there was no foamy soap, BUT she really, really liked the paper towels in the bathroom :)
I've wanted to check McGonigal's out for a while and finally made it over there the other night -- one of the (finally) nice warm evenings here this spring.
Although McGonigal's said they would have outdoor seating by Memorial Day, there was none when we got there, so we went inside. Â Upon walking in we were assaulted by extremely loud music blasting from the sound system. Â To make matters worse, the "music" was some kind of trash that was totally out of character for a place that's trying to position itself as an Irish pub. Â :-(
We were looking over the list of draft beers (which seemed much more abbreviated than the list they have on their website) when the next song came on and it was even more obnoxious than the song that was on when we walked in. Â
That was enough for us. Â We got up and walked out.
The man and I went here for lunch today.
They have a good beer selection ( I can't partake in it right now, but the man was happy with it), I dig the decor, and our waitress was really sweet.
For appetizers we ordered the Bryan and Guinness wings, and our waitress warned us that the Bryan wings were really hot and she couldn't take them back if we didn't like them. We usually order wings the first time we go to a place, and they're rarely as hot as they're made out to be, so we were curious to try these.
The wings are big, and have a nice char on them. The Bryan wings were hot, but not so hot that they didn't have any flavor, they were really good! They are definitely hotter than your standard hot wing you can get at other places, which was good for us. :) If you love hot wings you need to try them. The Guinness wings were also good, but we were hooked on the Bryan wings.
The french onion soup was ok. The broth was sweet instead of savory, and is the only reason i'm giving this place 4 stars because everything else was excellent.
The man was going back and forth between the shepherd's pie and the pot roast so he asked the waitress, and she said that her favorite thing is the pot roast. He went with that, and it was absolutely delicious. One of the best pot roasts either of us have ever had. ( He said that mine is better, but he's a damn liar. A sweet damn liar.)
I went with the Kilkenny burger with pepperjack, avocado, bacon, and sauteed onions. I was a little worried about ordering it. I'm currently pregnant and can only eat well done burgers. I've gone to a couple of places and ordered a burger well done, and it ALWAYS ends up being medium rare, and then I can't eat it and have to bring it home. It's always aggravating because burgers never reheat as well, and I hate sending food back. I had a perfectly well done burger, with a nice char taste on the outside, and the toppings were plentiful and tasted good together. I was really, really happy with my burger, and glad and relieved that they actually cooked it how I wanted it. so THANK YOU!
The only thing keeping this from a 5 star review is the french onion soup, everything else was excellent, including the service. I make homemade french onion soup, so that does make me more critical, but if they fixed the broth and made it savory, I would be completely won over.
Overall it was a great dining experience and we will definitely be back.
We need more Irish pubs like this in the city. Â Not "Irish" pubs with an Irish name that trot out the glossy cardboard shamrock decorations around St Patrick's Day, but otherwise work assiduously to grow the revenue numbers of the Miller Brewing Company and cater to ballcap-wearing twenty-somethings who "need" a place to watch sports and shout at each other over music that was on the radio when they were zygotes.
This one gets it right, not in the look so much (though that is a strength) but in the note-perfect vibe of low-pressure conviviality. Â It's a great mix of folks of all ages, many of whom seem to know each other--and the staff.
This building was a bank, an honest-to-goodness, small-town, tall, standalone bank building with columns in front. Â Inside, it looks like County Kerry, with a huge handsome bar and numerous tables in charming, architecturally eccentric nooks. Â The music performance area is a small mezzanine overlooking the main floor.
You like beer? Â So do they. Â There is ONE Miller Lite tap. Â They have Guinness, Harp, and Smithwick's, as you would expect. Â They have some standard but solid favorites such as Blue Moon, Stella Artois, Hoeegarden, and 312. Â Great Lakes, Breckenridge Brewery, and Leinenkugel's are represented, and they have some other excellent choices such as Murphy's Stout (God bless it) and Murphy's Red, not to mention Delirium Tremens, Pilsner Urquell, and Bell's Brown. Â So, basically, a beer for every preference, occasion, mood, hour of the day, you name it.
Live music every weekend, friendly bartenders, a warm suburban crowd, and a food menu. Â Sure, there are TVs but you can ignore them if you like. Â This would be the best local pub in almost any neighborhood in Chicago, but you would probably ruin it by putting it in almost any neighborhood in Chicago.
Went here last night for a Green Drinks gathering. Â We arrived early so we sat and had a beer and appetizer in the main bar/diningroom while we waited. Â The ambiance of this place freakin' rocks. Â It's three floors. Â All dark wood. Â Cozy booths with large windows to sit by. Â even though some of the tables are close together you still feel like you have privacy. Subdued lighting. Â A cheery skull sitting on a shelf behind the bar made this Gravestomper feel at home.
Our waitress, Joy, was just that...a joy. Â She was bright and funny and attentive. Â The bartender was smiling, friendly and enjoying himself.
We had the best spinach artichoke dip we've ever had. Â A steaming cast iron crock surrounded by a mountain of fried pita wedges. Â It was a meal in itself.
When we made it up to the third floor for the Green Drinks gathering we discovered another bar up there. Â Patrick our upstairs bartender was just as friendly and attentive as the staff in the main lobby. And he had a great sense of humor. Â I say that because at another green drinks meeting we've attended at another restaurant we've always received crap service from the bartenders. Â The manager's excuse to us? 'You should come here for regular service, not just a green drinks meeting.' Â I know--that sounds insane right? Â Like we weren't real customers because we met with fifty other people there.
McGonigals, however, Â proved that every time a restaurant has customers come in--for whatever reason: whether it's a banquet, business lunch, or intimate dining--is a chance to dazzle them with yours service and quality. Â Great job guys! Â We're already telling our friends about you!!!
My sophomore year chemistry teacher was perched at a two-top in the corner. Â Two dudes whom were in love with my little sister in HS (and might still be) were chatting at the bar. Â My mom's local political friend was hobnobbing at the table next to us. Â I suppose that now that I don't live in B-town anymore that it's nice to go to one spot and see people you really haven't seen and/or care to see again. Â
I did enjoy the 10 beer bucket special and the bite of my friend's reuben sandwich that she begrudgingly let me try. Â And after a few buckets (don't worry, we had a DD), I almost had the chutzpah to go over to said chemistry teacher and berate him for the only "D" I ever received in my entire academic career. Â Seriously, ever.
It's a cool spot that Borrington desperately needed.
Went to McGonigal's the other night for the first time with a friend for dinner and drinks. Â I was very pleasantly surprised as I grew up in Barrington and there was NEVER anywhere good to go besides Wool Street, which I find to be just OK. Â McGonigal's is very tastefully decorated and actually resembles an Irish pub. Â Their booths have beautiful upholstery and the stools are cushioned and comfortable. Â The bar in the center allows you to get a good view of everyone who is showing up for the BHS reunion at night. Â I do like the crowd better here and find it to be less obnoxious than at Wool Street.
The menu is well-priced with a variety of traditional Irish food. Â I had the Reuben which was one of the best ones I've had. Â It wasn't too soggy and came with a great side salad that wasn't one of those wimpy iceberg ones. Â My friend had a chicken sandwich which was just OK. Â She should have ordered something more authentic in my opinion anyway.
I noticed that for football games they have 32 oz. of Miller Lite for $5. I am planning to go back this week and will recommend this over Wool Street.
Nicely decorated pretty cool space. Decent menu with Irish fare to burgers and such Bartender was semi friendly looks like she had a late night Not very happy
So I started with the Cobb salad which consisted of a small amount of romaine 2 cherry tomatoes sliced in half 1 piece of blue cheese ? And some eggs crumble. The blue cheese dressing I think was mayo with a piece if blue cheese in it. All this for $8.50? A Wendy's side salad is bigger! Oh and it was accompanied by 2 pieced of the driest Irish soda bread I've ever had. So still being hungry from my 10
Dollar salad I ordered the French onion soup. The soup was very very sweet and it had a very very small amount of cheese melted over the top Clearly not enough. Oh and yeas another pieces of the Irish soda bread . Ugh, well I guess this is more of a drinking bar Skip the food
Look at you, B-town! You've come a long way 'ol chap, haven't ya?
Only wish we would have had a place like McGonigal's back in my younger days while living in Barrington (aka Borington) where the only nearby fun to be had was on the humdrum Schaumburg strip.
A legit pub meets dining establishment, meets live music venue, meets event locale, is exactly what this Northwestern 'burb needed. There's a bit of everything to be found here and fortunately, they do it all pretty well. From what I saw, the bar was jumpin' with the younger set consuming Guinness while the 'older folk' sat conversing at long, gleaming wood tables over tasties like yummy Reuben's, Irish Boxty, Shepherd's Pie and Fish 'n Chips.
A great spot to throw back some wings, watch the game and let loose or even take advantage of this building's historic past as Barrington's oldest bank and secure the cozy private dining room that used to be a safe - and still boasts all the combo locks and vault features!
Impressive space and an enormous upgrade to Borington's, er, Barrington's social spectrum. Welcome to your new watering hole, Suburbanites, it's a keeper!
Went for dinner with husband on a Friday at 7-ish, Â It was hoppin' and we had a short wait. Â Would like to have ordered a beer while waiting but couldn't get to the bar as it was deep with bodies. Â Both of us had the fish and chips - excellent! Â It came with a delicious coleslaw, we don't usually like coleslaw-this was different had a bit of a tangy bite to it.
Beer lovers will be pleased with the excellent choices. Â Service was just fine. Â The interior is really attractive, unique and interesting, prices great, quite loud but fun atmosphere. Â Looking forward to going back!
Fabulous beer selections and good prices. Â I recommend the Rueben and the fries! Â They were amazing. Â My husband ordered the fish and chips and the fish was good, but I think he would have preferred my Rueben. Â
The hostesses were a bit distance and rude they ignore you when you walk in even though you are standing in front of the host stand. Â After about 2 mins they acknowledged and sat us, but were running short on menus and had to bring them to us later. Â
Overall the atmosphere is great and they have a great beer selection! Â I would not recommend for groups or families over 4 people because they have 2 & 4 person tables with the exception of one family table tucked around back that can probably seat eight people. Â
I think this is a great addition to barrington.
This is a wonderful little gem out here in the wilderness!
I jest, Â went here for dinner to check out this new place. Â
(Congrats! Â They make an excellent black and tan) Â I had the shepards pie. Â Great food, great beer, good prices!
Definately a come back to. Â Especially, since I now work out here!