The Reveler — Restaurant in Lake View Township

I have never left a bad review at any bar/restaurant I’ve ever been to, and as someone who is a former service worker myself, I understand the stress of the job. But holy cow did we have a truly disappointing experience at The Reveler.

When I heard that The Reveler was an Eagles bar, I was very excited to check it out as I am a Philadelphia transplant that lives in Chicago. My girlfriend and I knew that the Phillies were playing on Friday on Apple TV, and wanted to find a bar that may be showing it, so we called The Reveler ahead of time to see if they would have it the day before. The employee on the other end of the line ensured us that they would have it on. We even specifically asked if they had Apple TV and they said yes. Perfect! So we commuted there from River North on Friday before the game.

When we arrived, they did not have the game on. No problem, we asked the bartender if he could turn it on. He said “give me a second to see if we have Apple TV”, took our drink order, and went to the TV. The tv in front of us was then changed to the hockey game which was on. That bartender then did not acknowledge us the rest of our visit. So we asked the other bartender if she could put on the Phillies game, or if they had Apple TV. She said she would have to check, and upon asking what looked like a manger, the request went unacknowledged. I completely understand that a bar wouldn’t have streaming platforms available, it’s not a big deal at all, but a simple “hey, we don’t have this unfortunately” the day before, OR WITH US SITTING IN FRONT OF THEM would’ve been not only accepted but appreciated.

After deducing that they weren’t going to play the Phillies game, I then noticed an Eagles/Chicago v-neck displayed at the bar and thought this would be a great gift for my father. This time I asked the bartender if they had the shirt in a crew neck cut as opposed to a v-neck. I was then told again “I’ll have to check”. I then watched as the bartender never checked or even asked anyone a question. Again, a question went without response when a simple “no” would more than have sufficed. Instead they refused to make eye contact with us and served others around us. My girlfriend and I, after our one drink apiece, promptly asked for our check. The bartender then presented us a check incorrectly for $160 before disappearing again. We were finally presented with the correct tab and left immediately.

I am in no way upset that our asks were denied, but I am still befuddled by the lack of simple answers to our questions. It was a truly bizarre experienced that honestly felt like a fever dream.

But I did see that kids eat free, so feel free to bring the little ones along if you do decide to patronize...

We've been to the Reveler many times because a periodic event we enjoy is hosted there. Service has always been mediocre at best, and their beer menu is problematic (more on that below), but our recent experience was bad enough to justify a review. This would be one star but I reserve that for places that are gross, either in food or cleanliness, and while the Reveler is a disappointment it's always clean and the food has never gotten me sick.

The Reveler is a beer bar that doesn't want to sell you beer. They used to do their menu through Untapped and link it on their website, but they've recently switched to a downloadable PDF (awful) that you can only get to from a QR code on the table (worse) and that is ALWAYS out of date (the actual worst). I kid you not when I say that I have never, not once in about a dozen visits at this point, found my first choice on their menu to actually be available. Usually my second choice is also out. This is a very minor management activity, and when they were using Untapped it's actually trivial to do, so it says a lot about how little they care that it's never done.

The service at Reveler is mediocre to bad. They can't seem to keep people, and the staff doesn't seem to know the menu very well. Usually it's hard to get a server's attention, but at our most recent visit our server was so distracted she took orders from 2 people at our 4 top and then wandered away. We had to call her back to take the rest of the orders, which she got wrong. The first two orders came and those diners had finished their meals before the second two orders came out, even though this event happens consistently once a month and you'd think the kitchen would be prepped to take orders at dinner time. When those orders came out, one had the cheese on it that had been asked to be left off, but not the ranch dressing that was ordered, and the medium burger was so rare it was bleeding. They also got about a dozen tater tots and fries a piece, which is not the norm.

Usually the food at the Reveler is fine. Nothing to write home about, but consistent and decent if uninspiring. Obviously the food at the recent visit was bad enough it has us questioning if it's worth going for the event again. I honestly don't know what's up with this place, but I'd recommend skipping it even if you live in the neighborhood. There's a better place literally across the street, so unless they can get it together you'd be better off going...

You guys: we LOVE The Reveler. We’ve been coming here for years, watching as this place has evolved in décor and menu. We eat here most Tuesdays or Thursdays after baseball. Our kid is obsessed with the beef and button burger. Service is always great. They have fun events. There’s a lot I could say about what a great local establishment The Reveler is. But this review isn’t about that. This review is about what gave The Reveler a permanent spot in our hearts and made it our always-go-to bar going forward.

Tonight, The Reveler hosted us as a group of 14: ten 8 and 9 year olds and 4 adults. We were a LOUD and… energetic bunch. And everything was amazing. It started when I emailed The Reveler to see if they would even accommodate a table of 10 kids on a Saturday night. I emailed back and forth with Steve, who was always so responsive and helpful. When we showed up (a little bit late, I might add), the table was set and ready to go which was great because our kids were hungry. Our server was patient with each kid as they ordered their meal, even when each kid asked the same questions (c’mon, weren’t any of you listening?!) or when they were being picky and choosy. The food came out quickly and completely correct. Steve, the server, and other restaurant staff kept coming by to check on us and to make sure we had everything we need. They also let us bring in an outside ice cream cake AND they cut it and plated it for us, which a lot of restaurants won’t do. They made our son feel so special because they specifically cut it so that he got the part with his name on it (and his piece was bigger than everyone else’s). At a different point in the night, another server (manager?) came over with Halloween candy for the kids. And at different times, when Steve checked on us, he also checked on the kids table and really treated them like the adults they were trying to be. This was big for us – he really made them feel special!

Overall, we had such a good night that I had to come right home and right this review. I am a firm believer in the saying “you go for the food, you come back for the service” and while The Reveler was always our favorite spot, tonight just solidified what an amazing establishment they are. Thank you, Reveler team – we...