The Harp And Fiddle — Restaurant in Maine Township

Great food derailed by poor service.

We walked up to the hostess stand and stood there for about a few seconds staring contest with them before they said hello or asked how many in our party (keep in mind the place has a couple patrons and we are the only ones to walk in at the moment. Ok, not too bad maybe they were new, right?).

We are then seated and greeted by our waitress (I would say her name, but she never said it). She got us drinks and put in our appetizer order (pretty good so far). A few mins later we got our drinks and appetizer and were now ready to place on entree order. Only problem is that our waitress didn't deliver the appetizer and we don't see her around (ok, maybe she's tending to another customer, right?) Wrong, only after getting up to go to the restroom did I spot her in a different part of the restaurant chatting and kicking it back with another waitress. Five minutes after I spotted her, she comes by for our order (ok, maybe she's new to this gig).

Our food comes out and it was soooooo good. I really loved the balance of the flavor of my Paddy Melt. A bit of saltiness from the fries, the tender ground beef patty mixed with the gooey cheese and a little sweetness from the grilled onions all on buttery toast. Really loved it.

After finishing our food our waitress came to give us to-go containers, but after that she was nowhere to be found again. An elderly couple near us had the same waitress and the gentleman put up has hand to flag down a hostess for another beer for him and his wide because the waitress was nowhere to be found. Only because the waitress came over to help them did she come by our table and were able to ask her for the check.

We got the check, look it over to double check we got what we ordered and put in cash. We see our waitress standing by the bar chatting with the same other waitress from earlier and then they leave into a different room of the restaurant (we checked this room before we left which had no customers in it). We waited about 15 minutes before we decide to walk the check up to one of hostess. Only then did our waitress come running out of the other room asking for the check. We hand it to her and she immediately opens it and then asks about her tip. We explain to her why we were disappointed tonight and that her tip was the four dollars change between the cash we put in and our bill.

Once again really good food detracted by poor service from our waitress (that we still don't know her name...

Harp & Fiddle has become a staple for me. They are fairly consistent and offer a good variety of food and drink. They're menu is relevant without being the cliche "Irish Pub."

Burgers are my go to; and in my opinion are the benchmark for rating any bar. I've never gotten a burger any less than medium well despite ordering mid rare but despite that small gripe they are well made and tasty. Salads and Irish Entrees are also delicious. Brunch is another favorite of mine especially bottomless mimosas.

Drink selection is pretty good and variety is broad. They rotate often enough to keep you interested and coming back. The atmosphere is my favorite. Thursday nights they have live Irish Folk music which sounds corny but it's executed very well and adds a nice touch when you're in the mood for it.

Overall the atmosphere and drinks are exactly what I'm looking for. The menu has enough variety that I can order something different each time and not get bored. The food is good and execution is fairly consistent. Food always tastes the same but whether it comes out hot or lukewarm is a coin toss. In my opinion not worth knocking off more than a star for and not enough to keep me away.

H&F is easily the best bar/restaurant in this up and coming area of Park Ridge.

UPDATE JUNE 2023

Unfortunately, I've removed a star from my rating of the The Harp & Fiddle. This business is wildly successful. On weekends, it's 1+ hour waits for a table and every table is filled.

Sadly, it seems the business may be growing faster than they can manage. I've had multiple delivery/carry-out orders canceled by the restaurant recently. On weekends, I believe they shut off their delivery/carry-out systems entirely (personally confirmed this for 3 weekends). Lastly, food quality is starting to slip. Soggy french fries, overdone burgers, missing components, etc.

Growing a business should never come at the expense of food quality and canceling orders. This erodes customer trust. H&F has gone from a consistent restaurant with great beverages and a casual atmosphere, to hit or miss plates with (still) great beverages and so many people, I can't hear my friends talk.

This used to be the go-to spot. Now I find myself avoiding it unless there's no other choice. 3.5-4 stars.

Sincerely, A...

The service here was second to none, from the hostess at the front, to the waitress and other staff that brought out food, drinks and small plates to share. There is outdoor seating out front since they have the street partially blocked off, and I didn't know there is a back patio as well. When it started raining during out meal, we thought we'd huddle under the umbrella, but since they had to close the patio (possible lightning) they moved us inside seamlessly at a nice table near the front of the restaurant. There was a 50th birthday party in the rear of the restaurant, but the place is big enough to accommodate all. There is even a side dining room where the Irish musicians that were on the back patio moved to after the rain started. Now, the food and drinks: They have a great wine list with plenty of by-the-glass options as well as bottles. There's a full page of cocktails and two full pages of beers ranging from macros like Heineken and Blue Moon to craft breweries like Scorched Earth, Half Acre, Maplewood, etc. The steak tacos (3) were superb, with sour cream and guac on the side, as well as some very spicy salsa. The fig, arugula and goat cheese flatbread was drizzled with a balsamic reduction that was sweet and savory, and turned out to be a good sharing dish, although the arugula slipped off a bit so beware if you are trying to look like a neat-and-tidy eater while on a date :) But honestly, this place will tempt you to kick back, relax and enjoy yourself...