42 Best Bars near Cedar Lake

“The history of this tavern is one of the best in Lake County Indiana. Positioned in what used to be an old Indiana town where the stagecoach used to stop here to give its passengers a rest, eats and drink. What a wonderful building . a building that even holds in the basement stories of the prohibition . A place that one day progress will destroy. Enjoy it while it’s still here..“

“I have seen this place there since I was young. we were out with some friends and decided to swing in. It is a quaint, little old homey bar. we loved it!!! The building looks like it is original to the town. (I love old vintage buildings, etc). We bought a round of drinks, hung out for a while, shot a game of pool. The customers and the bartender were very friendly!! Be aware they are a cash only bar (they do have an ATM inside) and it is a smoking bar so if you are sensitive to smoke. We will be back!! The one thing I noticed they changed the sign in the parking lot they had for years. I loved how it had a picture of the parking lot and had some cars, but also had a snowmobile and motorcycle parked together. Odd combination....but humorous!! 🤣 We will be back to support this local business!!“

“I've been coming here for about 6 months. I appreciate the prices and the awesome food! Thursdays are 5 dollar half pound burgers! Monday has half off food specials! The burgers being hand-pat patties make it all the more worth coming for! Mistakes happen and this place is the best mistake to stroll into. Seriously, try it out! You will not be disappointed!!!!“

“Restaurant is nice. Food is overpriced. Filets were tough and the yellow sauce on the steaks was nasty. Last time for me.“

“My family and me love everything about the sandbar. Excellent food and service plus the view of the cedar lake is killer.“

“We have been to Bugaboo’s three times now! Love the food, the staff, the atmosphere and will be making this our go to place! The only bad thing I would say is don’t choose the blue cheese dressing (bottled) just ask for more crumbles!“

“To be honest we drove out to this tiny out of the way bar for the beef. Which was beyond amazing. I think they use garlic bread. It's so good. I was super excited when I saw Chili on the menu. Three different beans, a very light onion and tomato which is right up my alley. It had a good amount of beef, and I would put the spice level at a 4. But more than that it was way the spice comes in on the back end of every bite. Just fantastic. Needless to say, I was and am still impressed. As a bonus I was able to meet the mastermind behind this fantastic Chili. 8/10.“

“One of the coziest spots I’ve seen in the area! The handcrafted cocktails and relaxing ambiance make this place stand out. Love the vibe, the concept, and the passion behind what they’re building. You can tell they care about giving people a great experience. Keep shining!“

“Great place to grab a nice cocktail with friends or a date“

“I was looking for a close spot to have a cold beer and grab a bite to eat in-between my daughters volleyball games and stumbled upon the gem called R Place. This spot is great! I was told that they have been in business 42 years! WOW, and I can see why. They are very friendly and treat you well. The food is fantastic and the locals are very laid back and make you feel welcome as well. If I was local to the area, this bar would be my base! A throwback feel to the better times, in my opinion. 5 ✨'s! I hope to get a chance to visit again.“

“Hands down, best dive bar around! 💯🍻“

“the bartender had no idea what she was in for but high five to her. Sorry I didn't catch your name“

“feels like a neighborhood pub should. all are welcome and all enjoy each other's company. no judgement here.“

“Great food! Had a craving for a burger and they came through at late night hours .“

“Great little hole in the wall bar. They don't serve food, but there's a pizza place downstairs who will bring food up to you, and the bartender tells you they allow you to have food delivered. The pool table is decent. Drinks are reasonably priced with a friendly staff. We'll definitely be back again.“

“Great owners. Crystal was a great host and bartender. Smart too recognized bisches“

“The best in fine dining. Bottle service available upon request. The bartenders will double as tax accountants for a fee. Dance floor is better than anything you find in Vegas. Just kidding. None that goes on but you will have fun!“

“Junction by DW truly feels like a community. There are people of all ages: young adults, teens, and kids. It's hard to open up when you're new to line dancing and an outsider, but many of the women there will help newbies which accentuates that sense of community. I want to start coming here at least twice a month!“

“Bennett’s in Lowell was fantastic. They took great care of my family from start to finish. The service was awesome, friendly, attentive, and welcoming, and the food was excellent. You can tell they really care about their customers. We’ll definitely be back.“

“We stopped in for our first time tonight and will definitely be back. They have a full menu or you can visit on Sunday for the buffet. If you're not familiar with Filipino cuisine do go for the buffet, you'll get to try so many delicious dishes!“

“The upstairs bartender, Aaron C. does the work of 2 bartenders. I sat at the bar...he served me my lunch. He was very friendly and fast. The upstairs was loaded with like 50 guests from a baseball team? So he was VERY busy. But that didn't stop him from speed, accuracy and friendliness! Best bartender ! He deserves a raise!“

“The short rib, wings, and side salad was delicious. Great presentation, flavorful, and my waitress Dawn was very professional and extremely nice.“

“My whole family loves this place. The food is always amazing and customer service is friendly and helpful“

“The bar tenders sierra Ashlyn Erica autumn and Juanita are the best they go above and beyond for all customers to provide amazing service the prices are some of the best around for bars in the region it’s really hard to beat the quality and the service“

“I absolutely love the food, the people and service is excellent. i order 4 grande Burritos every Friday for my guys at work, and even specify 4 red and 4 green sauce in the order, yet every time we get shorted sauce and someone has to eat a dry burrito. why is it so dam hard to supply the correct amount of sauce?“

“Love love love the food. Their buttermilk chicken sandwich is to die for. Midwest steak sandwich is delicious. Their sauces/dressings are freshly made there and they are amazing. Z is the best bartender/server. Compliments to the chef.“

“Definitely a very homey place. Love the people on both sides of the bar!!!“

“We love this place! The food is always hit and delicious and the servers are always friendly!“

“Our first time at 'La Carreta' was great! Our host, Benito, was very kind to us and gave the kids some candy. I loved that they had margaritas in different flavors and sizes—some glasses were even bigger than they looked in the photos! Our waiter was very attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. The food was good for the price, and they let us swap ingredients in our dishes without any issues. Even though we stayed a bit past closing time, the owner never rushed us out; they were so nice to let us stay a little longer.“

“Tacos were delicious. Did carryout and was quick! Will be back!“

“the bartenders are AMAZING!! 😉🥰“

“Food was great! Service was good! We will be back“

“Spanky’s is a solid spot overall and definitely worth a visit. I’d give it a strong 4 out of 5.
The drinks were the highlight—well made, consistent, and exactly what you want when you’re out for a good time. The atmosphere also stood out in a good way. It had a lively, comfortable vibe that made it easy to relax and enjoy the evening without feeling too crowded or overwhelming.
Service was another positive. Attentive without being overbearing, and everything came out in a timely manner. You could tell they were on top of things, which always makes a difference.
Food was a bit more middle-of-the-road. We tried the jalapeño poppers, and while they were decent, they didn’t quite stand out compared to everything else. Not bad by any means, just not the star of the show.
All in all, Spanky’s delivers where it counts—great drinks, good service, and a fun atmosphere. If you go in expecting a bar-first experience with solid food on the side, you’ll leave happy.“

“Great experience at the club and nice staff .“

“We come here from a western Chicago suburb because the food has always, always been great. My husband loves the frog legs and I love the perch, the best perch I’ve ever eaten, truly. We came here on Thursday evening, a real spur-of-the-moment thing and weren’t disappointed. This time I ordered the walleye pike & found it delicious. Two big filets of it which I enjoyed thoroughly. My husband got the frog legs as usual; neither of us went away hungry & loved everything. It’s dismaying to hear that others have had bad service or less than excellent food; we have never had that experience in the last 15 years that we’ve come here. A terrific night out! Thanks, Teibelsj“

“Let...me...tell...you......🙌🙌🙌 I've been here a few times....and the last time they ran out of these...because they're SOOOO good! Tonight my mom in law and I split a slab! 🔥🔥 I'm a "tester" of ribs...and believe me when I say....I will ALWAYS be going for these EVERY time! NO sauce needed!! (And besides....I'll be supporting my son while he works there 😍). We met the owner, he asked how we enjoyed our time. Of course we mentioned Austin is ours, he had nothing but great things to say about him! He said we have a good one! JC is an amazzzzzing server!! 💖 If you haven’t been there....go! You will not be disappointed! 😘“

“We had a large party and a great experience tonight l! Food was delicious and waitress was amazing! Definitely coming again!!!“

“Food, drink, and customer service can't be beat!“

“A diverse social setting, very welcoming, and a very nice environment just to sit and have dinner. Great local musicians help to round out an evening.“

“Very good service and delicious food 🍲“

“So good! We came in just after open I had the 3 For Me Big QP burger and it was cooked perfectly. Even the bun was toasted really well and a slight, buttery burn on the bottom that gave it a nice flavor. Good amount of fries too, and a big plate of chips. Also the server was really nice and attentive even though our orders were kind of confusing, but the receipt didn't have their name. The downside was that the music was a little too loud but not bad. Will definitely be back!“