50 Best Bars near Wilmette

“First time at Valley Lodge Tavern and it was an outstanding experience. Cozy atmosphere, great service, top notch management, impressive menu and food. Thank you!“

“Arrived at 8PM on a busy Friday night. We were seated immediately and service was quick to our table. Our appetizer was served quickly, but it took a little while for our entrees to arrive. The food was delicious - fried cheese curds, sliders, and a burger with fries. Restaurant was noisy, but not so loud that we couldn't have a conversation. One patron was loudly complaining that he was seated between two large parties and was unable to enjoy his meal due to the noise. We were happy with our visit, however.“

“10/10 Lobster Rolls! Great environment! Great menu options! Loved“

“We hosted a post wedding event at Delilah’s in their upstairs room. Not only was it affordable, the staff was so incredible. They ensured our guests had a great time and even helped us set food up. We were allowed to play our own music and even had a pool game going. I would 100% recommend anyone looking for a private event space to book with Delilah’s, they’re the best!“

“chill, cozy neighborhood bar with high vibes, always. the djs set the mood and keep the atmosphere bumping and easygoing. love the round booths, mood lighting, and cool people that bring the place to life. in the summer, the garage windows open and the smell of fresh rain wafts through. my gf and i have come here in sweats and in heels—it really just feels like home 🥃❤️‍🔥✨“

“THE cocktail bar to go to in the neighborhood, especially if you're going to a show at Aragon or The Riv. Doesn't have a kitchen but you can BYO or have something delivered, and they also have a partnership with the deli down the street so you can order some truly delicious sammies at the bar and they'll deliver. Really great cocktail program from Luke who runs the bar, and really great staff that'll help you figure out what'll really wet your whistle. Also has a huge patio open in the summer, and lots of cozy couches and seating in the lobby.“

“Totally love Guthries Tavern! 🏠 Grabbed a Half Acre Daisy Cutter and a Vander Mill cider, plus shared pretzels and mozzarella sticks with friends. Cozy, laid‑back spot with a wall of board games (classic and quirky), friendly bartenders, and zero pretense. Perfect after a Wrigley game or just to chill on a Tuesday night. Neighborhood gem!“

“Highly recommended for first dates, or just going with a group of friends. Been here twice, and everyone there is super friendly, definitely a place to have a lot of laughs and make great memories. 10/10 🙌🏼“

“This place is a real gem not to be missed. It’s unpretentious, with approachable knowledgeable staff. The prices are unbeatable and they always have some fun or funky wines to try. I love the monthly deep read nights, the atmosphere and music is always well curated. I just hope to get into one of their classes, but they sell out quick!“

“Friendly staff, great place to be and the chips and salsa are so good!!!!“

“This is a perfect neighborhood cocktail bar. It's definitely nicer and more polished than your average bar, yet still approachable and my favorite spot to meet up with friends. A huge shout out to the staff- consistently kind, and happy to make recommendations. To top it off, the food here is amazing, not just your regular bar-fare. I legit come here for a full dinner as well as a drink. If I had to eat only one food for the rest of my life I would choose their cheesy potatoes in a heartbeat. Highly recommend!“

“It’s the orbit room with “hipster”. Still a great jaunt. Anyone who makes a whiskey sour with egg white is good in my book.“

“My first time here (new to Chicago) saw High on Fire and Negative Approach. Sounded great! Great staff, great room for music, hope to return many many more times!“

“The perfect bar, I fear. I can’t believe I have ANY pictures in this place because I’m always just talking to someone or playing pool or queueing up songs on the jukebox. There’s something about this place that you can’t really take a picture of: the people are always friendly and chill, you can tell it has a low staff turnover rate, the food is ALWAYS good. This is the kind of bar which would be the ultimate muse for a poet from the 1800s. My one drink photo is an espresso martini that was made with love, but know that they put just as much love into every beer they pour. It just isn’t as instagrammable.“

“This bar is so cool, and the lighting really adds to the ambiance. They offer a variety of seating options, including bar seating, booths, and a back lounge area. There are also items for sale inside the bar, which is a nice touch. Overall, it's a cozy spot that’s perfect for a romantic night out.“

“Wonderful place and wonderful. Staff!! Wowwa the beer menu is ahhh Mazing!!“

“Such a great place! Had so much fun. Highly recommend.“

“I LOVE WANGS. The yuzu wings are THE BEST wings I’ve ever had. The atmosphere, vibe, music, drinks, most importantly, the staff. Tung, Sheila, and Linda are the nicest and most amazing bartenders ever. I will be coming back religiously and telling all my friends. I won’t gate keep cause everyone needs to know about wangs.“

“My husband and I are visiting from Arizona and were meeting some friends in The Glen. We planned on going to The Yardhouse, but thought it was too noisy. Saw the reviews for The Oak and we were so glad we did. The burger I had was the best burger I have ever had, our friend felt the same. My husband and our other friend had the rueben, they loved them also. We left the restaurant and we were going to take individual pics, then this really nice guy offered to take a picture of all of us. He was so very nice. Guess what, he was the owner. We will definitely be back on our next visit here and our friends will be back sooner. Great food!!!!“

“They super Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!“

“Dance vibes and good food.. recommend the fish tacos“

“la mejor comida mexicana y hondureña.“

“A fun, energetic, atmosphere, and wonderful staff! Always a party!“

“Amy was so sweet :) Good vibes here.“

“Came into town just to watch Euros at this bar. Brian and the crew were outstanding bartenders!“

“The penultimate neighborhood bar with plenty of characters, shenanigans, and fun! It's our "Just One More" place. Bikers, Rock Stars, and Divas will feel right at home. Live music most weekends, outdoors in the summer in a large parking lot. Everybody who knows, goes there. John & Sparklyn are good people!“

“We just moved the neighborhood and we have many choices for fun and food. Port And Park is Incredible the food is delicious. The service is genuinely extraordinary.. Then the ambience is warm and welcoming. Port And Park is our go to place!“

“Paddy's truly offers the best bar food around, and the atmosphere is second to none. A big shoutout to Jen, Amy, and Amy Lynn, whose friendly service always makes you feel right at home and appreciated!“

“So much fun, love replay“

“Great place. Very friendly staff.“

“We hosted my husband’s 50th birthday last weekend there and I can’t say enough good things!!! From start to finish an incredible experience and so much fun! I plan events for a living and working with Ma O’Briens was the easiest, most helpful and amazing experience.“

“Love the decor and the people are so nice and of course there’s Harry 😊“

“At Jefferson Inn the lights are low,
A cozy dive where locals go.
The bar is small, the stories deep,
A place where laughter doesn’t sleep.

The jukebox hums, the neon glows,
A friendly face in every row.
No need for frills, no need to prep,
It feels like home—cheers, Imhotep.“

“Looking forward to visiting again 😊😊“

“Craft beer, Great Atmosphere & Location, staff is awesome and Kyle just makes you feel like you have been going there for years. A must before any Cubs Game!“

“A pleasant neighborhood brewery, bar, and restaurant. We generally order burgers or fish and chips, and enjoy a local beer with our meal. We ordered soft pretzels for our ap, which came with two amazingly good dpping sauces - yum!
Great casual spot.“

“Olive Black is a great casual neighborhood cocktail lounge. Not pretentious but serves up a menu featuring six (+?) pages of martinis and speciality cocktails, alongside a good local beer selection. They also have tvs (for sports games), a jukebox, board games and food, but the best part is the staff! The owners are super friendly and accommodating.“

“Best ever neighborhood bar.“

“the wings were so good absolutely delicious food and nice staff , good for hangouts and good beer“

“First visit there tonight and it was a lot of fun. Everybody there was really chill, was having a good time, and the bartenders were absolutely amazing. Can't believe I didn't come here sooner but I'll definitely be here more often!“

“[BAR IS CASH ONLY] We came by for a bachelorette party’s main event at the request of the bride. She’d been to Big Joe’s for turtle racing nearly 7 years ago and was desperate to bring us all. It was a wacky and hilarious night out that we’ll all cherish. Great clientele, great service, great MC for the races. Cheap beer and many laughs. The loser of each race gets a free drink!“

“We’ve always had a blast there. murray is the best. However the new sat night Karaoke host is absolutely wretched. She was rude, snotty and acted like everyone was annoying her. We were afraid to request songs. Big bummer because that has always been our go to spot. Missing Clyde for sure!!!“

“Chicago’s Best, hands down one of a kind experience. Sports fans or not, you will be entertained and you will fall in love with close community. Staff delivers personal, attentive service with a twist of character. Last weekend, during @ChicagoBears COME BACK game against Green Bay, the place was shacking from the cheering fans. This was the mini Super Bowl for sure. Everyone delivered -Bears, bartenders, kitchen, and loyal patrons. Go check it out for yourself, you will become a part of Finley’s Family.
#bestChicagobar #ultimatefun“

“My go to place every week! I love the selections, and the prices are amazing! Farraguts is a community spot I enjoy going to, love the staff, love the people, and love the environment! It's honestly the best bar where I feel like I can be myself, I love my trans folks. <3“

“I just walked out of the door and am so glad that God sent us there. We tried 3 places prior to walking in CheSa’s doors which was a definite blessing. We had the catfish skillet, bourbon peach cobbler franchise toast, chicken sausage and scrabbles eggs w/cheese washed down with a breakfast martini. Absolutely delicious and with the owner/chef being very warm w/great hospitality. We’re definitely going back.“

“This has been my friend's and my go to Karaoke spot near the city for years.
The rooms are nice, clean, and well decorated.
The music selection is great and I love that they give you the option of using either the traditional Korean Karaoke machine or just using YouTube.
While the drinks at the bar are pricey, they do allow outside food which is definitely a plus.
The staff there has always been kind and attentive. Never had any problems.
Even though the parking lot is quite small, I've personally never struggled with parking.
Overall great karaoke spot and will continue to come back.“

“Best bar in the city. Friendly. Good beer.“

“Made a delivery and the owners had been notified by my employer that it was my birthday. They put together a margarita to go for me and I can honestly say I’ve never had a better one. And the owners were extremely kind even though I was running late.“

“Great Food and Friendly Service“

“Wow. I had the soup/stew. It was great. Don't miss the garden. Koi pond. Lester the owner has stories. This is where waiters and waitresses go.“