Friendly Tap

The Friendly Tap is another average bar that I like primarily for its averageness. Nothing pretentious about this place. The staff, customers, and performers are all regular people — something I appreciate more as I get older.
GOOD:
— Approachable atmosphere. It doesn’t take long to feel welcome.
— Bartenders are friendly and attentive.
— Free live music at least a couple nights a week. Why pay $ 20 entry at Wire down the street when you can see a band play at Friendly Tap for free? (The answer to this question depends on whether you have $ 20 to spare, which I currently do not.)
MAYBE:
— Friendly doubles as a coffee shop in the mornings, and I’ve heard good things about it. But the hours are so limited, I’ve never had a chance to make it over there to try.
— There’s a second room adjacent to the bar, where bigger acts sometimes play. It’s a nice room to see a show, but a bit sad to drink in otherwise. No one generally sits in there unless there is something going on.
BAD:
— I can’t quite put my finger on it – there is something about Friendly Tap that is just a bit… sad. I normally appreciate old bars that stick to their original décor, but there is something about Friendly Tap’s interior that feels really tired. Could be the wood paneling, worn down bar, or the fading paint job. I wish this bar could remain true to its history and still freshen up a bit.

Good coffee, came here early one morning and also picked up some amazing muffins! The lady behind the counter was very nice and knowledgeable about a lot of activities in the area. Great neighborhood place!

Before Chicagoland’s «bars» started to give the interior design industry a boost with reclaimed paneling and bare light bulb trees, most liquor-​serving establishments looked like Friendly Tap.
Yes, it has a record player with actual records.
It sponsors baseball teams.
And yes, there are people under 40 in there (at least now, anyway. When I’d go past this place years ago waiting in line at Gina’s, it was a different story).
It’s on the best stretch of Roosevelt Rd. that is a secret which shouldn’t be kept much longer.
Stop going to fake «taverns» that are owned by a business group. The real deal is here at Friendly Tap.

What do you do when you live in the sleepy town of Oak Park and there isn’t a bar in sight? You cross over into the neighboring town with more relaxed liquor laws! I really really like this place! It’s just your typical dive bar with cheap booze and a relaxed atmosphere. I really wish I lived closer so I could walk here and be a regular. Even though Google maps says it’s only a twelve minute walk, I want to only be a block away so I can stumble home safely. That’s eleven minutes too long to be out wandering in the colder temps.
I came here with a friend on a weeknight to hang out and have some drinks. It wasn’t busy but it wasn’t empty either so that was nice. We were able to have a conversation without being constantly interrupted but still had a bartender that was attentive enough to keep the drinks flowing. The name fits because the people here were actually friendly :)

Been here a couple of times now. It’s your typical corner bar with all of the awesome bells and whistles. Poker machines, live music, coffee, and a hell of a loungey atmosphere. The bartenders I have dealt with were Bob or Daniel and both were great and patient. I broke glasses both times I went there. Sorry Daniel, I swear it won’t happen again! :) I can’t wait to go back!

I’m writing to plug the recently re-​made Friendly Lounge, the daytime coffee shop in the east half of the Friendly Tap. It’s awesome. They’ve done a great job of creating a space that transitions smoothly from day to night, and the coffee is well made and reasonably priced. My longtime gripe about this neighborhood was its lack of cool coffee shops, and the Friendly has unexpectedly remedied that. Please go there often and buy lots of coffee so that it sticks around!
(the bar’s cool too)

I live near here. I like it a lot. The only complaint I have is, when I ordered my vodka n tonic, the bartender said they had no fresh fruit. Have to have my twist.

It’s only «friendly» until about 9pm before all the unhinged degenerates with bad neck tattoos come rolling in.
This is a cool little dive that I almost loved until the late 20’s — early 40 year olds, who still think blasting «Slayer» on the Jukebox is cool, showed up. We also witnessed some shadiness, as we saw some (presumably regulars) go downstairs. We inquired to the bartender about what’s down there, in hopes of it being something totally cool, and she replied in an unpleasant tone «the ice machine». Yeah okay.
If I were to come back again, which I probably won’t, it would definitely be earlier on in the day or evening.

I don’t know what’s going on here but the last time I came in I was not as excited about being here. It was weird, people were going to the basement and hanging out for an hour+ and when I asked the bartender what was downstairs she said, ‘Oh, the ice machine is down there’. 5 people don’t need to be going downstairs for an hour for ice and come back empty handed. Not that I expected to be told what exactly was taking place but if something shady is happening, and this is just my guess, don’t let everyone see it and then give a BS answer.

Extremely nice place, owner is trying to send this establishment in the correct direction plus he is a nice guy. Hard to rate places like these as I grew up were dive bars.
Yuppies or what ever there called say there dive barsm I would call them Neighborhood Taps.
Suggestions, few more beers on tap. German or Czek, Craft beers I do not consider anything but a passing fad. The other, not new bar stools but how about some duct tape!

Ahhh, now this is my kind of place! This is the kind of tavern that you found all over Chicago in the 70’s and 80’s until Mayor Ritchie started his onslaught on the neighborhood corner tavern. Yes, there still are taverns like this around and they are as comfortable as a pair of old shoes. There’s no food here other than snacks but you can order pizza or Mexican chow from down the street and they will deliver. Just a handful of beers on tap but they DO have Guinness, Smithwick’s and Blue Moon on tap and the prices are very reasonable.
Their motto is «You are a stranger here but once» and they really do mean it. When I was walking to the door, there was a gent outside having a smoke. After a few minutes he came inside and went behind the bar and I realized he was one of the bartenders. After I had rapidly wet my whistle with my favorite Irish «mother’s milk», he came over and poured me another. As he set it down, he asked my name and chuckled that he could see that I was giving him the once over as I entered the bar. He said his name was Red and we had a nice chat.
Nothing fancy here — just good booze and fine company. My kind of place…

I went to this place last week to see a friend perform in the adjoining room. Gotta say this place is pretty cool. it really is friendly! It is old school and ya walk away feeling like you just went back in time and hung out in an old chicago bar for a night. booze is reasonably priced and the music is good. the adjoing room has good accoustics for the live music.

killer joint all around. I had so much fun here!

Every aspect of this tavern lived up to the name «Frendly». The bartender was responsive and attentive, and took the time to be certain of my irregular drink order. The folks at the bar were enjoying the football game, but they were «fun rowdy» not the «oh sh! t» it’s gonna get ugly rowdy. They cheered and cussed but gave you room to the bar and to the bathroom and, dammit, that’s all I ask. None of that «Who’re you ‘n’ what’re ya doin’ here?» vibe that is so common in «neighborhood taverns.»
The bands playing that night — Dollar Store & the Mediums — were terrific and the sound was good. The Yellowhammers play on the first Tuesday nights and they are a damn fine band as well.
If I live closer I’d be a regular. As it is, I intend to be a semi-​regular.
– MrJM

I’ve always had a good time going to «Friendlies». The main «original» bar has retained it’s neighborhood tap feel, but they also have another room that’s a bit more open with some couches, a juke box, ping pong table, darts and lifesize Jenga which is a hulluva lot of fun to play there! The décor displays local artwork and sometimes they also have live music. In the summertime the game room opens up to the street which really makes it a comfortable place to hang out and socialize with friends.
Staff is friendly and the service has been great!

I’m a bit biased here, so I’ll probably end up being filtered! My husband plays in The Yellowhammers, with the owner, Rob Pierce. They have a standing practice at FT, the First Thursday of every month.
Bias aside, Friendly Tap lives by it’s motto, «You are a stranger here, but once». Absolutely, the nicest crowd of regulars and characters in any bar I’ve been too (And I’ve been in A LOT!). Rob is really working to bring in good quality music to add to the growing music scene on the West Side. They’ve got a great jukebox and selection of vinyl when the live music is over!

It’s true, this bar is pretty friendly. They recently bought the space next door and opened the bar up a little for live music.
The original Friendly Tap is a giant bar, curving around the entire room with a little bit of extra space around it, a couple video games in back and a decent jukebox. The new room has a stage area and a few tables. There is some lovely wood paneling and vintage neon beer guitar signs. I especially appreciate the picture with the owner and Svengoolie on the wall, since it is Berwyn after all.
It’s right across the street from Oak Park, so anyone suffering from the dry village blues should cross the street and check it out. It’s not as scary as you might think. In fact, it was pretty nice.