Fado Irish Pub — Restaurant in Chicago

Fadó’s: A Chicago Classic That Still Delivers

So there I was, strolling into Fadó’s to pick up my dinner. It’s been a solid 15 years since I last set foot in this iconic River North spot—15 years since I swapped the Windy City for the ATL. But here I was, back in Chicago during December, when this town becomes the definition of festive magic.

Cue a minor hiccup: for some reason, the online pickup orders weren’t showing up. No food waiting for me. Big deal? Nah. It’s a Wednesday night, and I’m standing in one of the best places this city has to offer. And the General Manager (a bald guy, whose name I wish I caught) was already on it. With a smooth, professional ease, he offered me an ale on the house to soften the wait.

And honestly? Waiting at Fadó’s isn’t exactly a hardship. If you’ve never been here—or to River North, for that matter—add it to your bucket list. Fadó’s isn’t just a bar; it’s a rite of passage. Belly up to their stunning Irish bar, soak in the warm, welcoming vibe, and you’ll understand why it’s been a cornerstone of Chicago nightlife for decades.

Before I knew it, my food was ready. Less than ten minutes, and oh, was it worth it. Listen, I’d completely forgotten how special their fish and chips are. Two massive pieces of golden-battered cod, crisp on the outside, melt-in-your-mouth tender on the inside. Pair that with thick-cut, perfectly seasoned chips and a criminally fresh coleslaw that ties the whole dish together with just a sprinkle of salt. Hats off to the chef—this meal was perfection.

And then the memories hit me. Fadó’s was my go-to back in the day. After work, when I was single, chasing dreams (and maybe some dates) in the infamous Viagra Triangle—a term only true Chicagoans understand. But walking into Fadó’s again reminded me why Chicago will always be the best city in the world, especially during Christmas. The lights, the energy, the hospitality—it’s unmatched.

Speaking of hospitality, let me circle back to the GM. This guy embodied what makes Chicago special. Friendly, genuine, and eager to make things right—not because he had to, but because he wanted to. It’s a lost art in many cities, where the bottom line trumps everything else. But here? It felt like stepping back into a time when hospitality was king.

So, to the GM and the chef: cheers to you. You’ve not only kept this place alive—you’ve made it better. To anyone visiting Chicago: do yourself a favor and stop by Fadó’s. Try the fish and chips, or their incredible shepherd’s pie. Belly up to that beautiful bar and soak in the magic.

Chicago gets a bad rap, but trust me—it’s the greatest city in the world, especially during the holidays. And Fadó’s? It’s the heart of it all. I’ll be back again, and next time, it won’t take me 15 years. Cheers!

Apologies about the grainy picture. I must have thumb printed my lens before I took the pic. It doesn’t do it justice, come see for yourself and...

#FadoChicago is a beautiful, two-story Mega-Irish Pub in downtown Chicago's River North neighborhood with tons of great selections on tap, Irish whiskeys and classic bar fare. I love that our bartender had an Irish accent to really make things feel authentic.

I was slightly bummed that being here on #BlackWednesday didn't attract more of a draw, but neither did many of the other major nightlife players in #RiverNorthChicago so its nothing to hold against them.

Fado holds an especially nostalgic place in my heart. My first time here was when I transferred to DePaul from Cleveland and my girlfriend at the time bought all-inclusive, New Year's Eve tickets. I had just turned 21 the month prior on Thanksgiving. This place hosted me on my first legal night on the town to turn over a new year. It was epic. Champagne and beer flowed faster than my tolerance at the time could take. Everybody seemed like family and we were all hugging, kissing and dancing with complete strangers at the strike of midnight. Everybody instantly became good friends because of the playful, Irish atmosphere that Fado effortlessly continues to recreates each night a nice size crowd assembles. No trouble making friends here as the type of regulars whom are drawn to patronize Fado are hardwired to be friendly and approachable in the same way as the bartenders and waitresses.

All in all, hospitable & warm service, vast food & beverage selections, excellent specials and clean surroundings in a well-designed Irish pub capable of hosting the masses of our Windy City's River North neighborhood with it's state of the art venue. Worth visiting if you're a local looking to celebrate a milestone after work with colleagues or if you're in town with associates to entertain clients and looking for a guaranteed good time at a pub that can offer way more than any quaint neighborhood pub. Not that there's anything wrong with smaller scale Irish pubs in neighborhoods like Lincoln Park or the South Loop, but Fado"s Irish Pub in Chicago is just on a completely different level because of it's scale, location and variety of menu offerings that are likely to have something to accomodate differing tastes within large groups. Go with your wingman and make friends or plan your next group outing. Either way, you'll get your share of "the luck of the Irish!" Cheers!

For the love of food, wine, service & hospitality,

Antonio Quintana Owner & Senior Managing Partner Ignite Hospitality Chicago

#FadoChicago #IrishPub #IgniteHospitalityChicago #HospitalityMinded #AntonioQ312 #LocalGuides #GoogleContributor #YelpChicago #RiverNorthChicago...

We just took a group of 52 seniors to Fados and were treated so badly by the manager there. We told them we were coming there for lunch following a city tour. His assistant guided us on her food recommendations for the lunch. The lunch consisted of appetizers on a 6 foot buffet table, no silverware. They ran out of food with 15 more people to eat. From the moment we arrived, the manager was rude and gave no direction to us and blamed us for running out of food that consisted of appetizers and our seniors were given a small dessert plate at $25 per person plus a 20% tip to feed themselves for lunch! They had 1 waitress taking drink orders for 52 people. He was a bully and yelled at the leaders in front of all of our participants. He made one of our leaders cry. It was an awful experience. We do this for a living taking senior groups on trips and have worked with many restaurants. I have never been treated this way! Usually restaurants bend over backwards for us as we are bringing a lot of business to their restaurant. One of my seniors flipped off the manager as she was so mad how he was treating them, his staff and us! I am a part of a large network of trip leaders and I have shared my experience with them. Some of them replied that they had a poor experience there as well. There are many other great restaurants to choose from in Chicago and I would recommend you go elsewhere as the manager is terrible with customer service! The only reason I am giving them even 1 star is because the...