Finnegan’s Irish Pub & Restaurant

Solid B. Food was a C… good, not great. Just had burgers so we’d go back to try something different. Beer list is a crazy A+ for beer geeks like myself. Several rarities on tap and in bottles. All servers are Cicerone-​trained if you need help with a selection, so that’s a nice touch. Our server, Ryan, was incredibly friendly and accommodating and the rest of the staff pitches in to run food and beverage. We brought our two young kids and felt comfortable with them there, though I wouldn’t have stayed late with them. :)
Spot is small, though outdoor area adds maybe 20 seats. One of the best places in the Chicago area to go for American craft beer. Beer geeks will definitely find Finnegan’s worth the trip.

I really like this place for their beer selection and food. they make a pretty good burger, but I love their shephard’s pie That is the gem on their menu. The beer selection is pretty much any beer you could ever want. It’s a microbrew fan’s friend. The service is good too. It lost stars because I tried to have a friend’s birthday party here, as he loves the place, but they have really awful deals for private parties. Maybe I’m spoiled by Chicago, where there are 5000 bars and they fight for your business with great party deals, but Finnegan’s was completely unreasonable. We ended up just going a little ways away to limestone instead. Still a very good bar/​grill worth checking out. I’d like to go back again. I miss the Shephard’s pie

I went to Finnegan’s for an afternoon lunch and beer drinking session.
It is located in a business district that made parking a little challenging. I was able to find a small public lot about a half block away.
Once I got inside, the first thing I noticed is that the place is tiny… and it was packed. By some miracle I was able to get the last table in the place. The bar seats were all taken as well. There were TVs, but they did not seem to dominate the cozy pub feeling of the place.
The beer menu was impressive. On tap they had selections from Goose Island, Stone, Lagunitas, Flying Dog, North Coast, Ska, Southern Tier, Three Floyds, and Two Brothers. I did not really look at the bottle selection, but it covered a few pages of the menu as well.
I had the Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, Stone Imperial Russian Stout, Ska Euphoria and Southern Tier Choklat. They were served at a nice temperature. The «premium» nature and high alcohol content of my selections resulted in 8oz pours and high prices, but that is to be expected.
The service was very good. The waiter had a true appreciation for the beer. He offered several good suggestions as I was working my way through the menu and he even gave me a few sample sips to help me decide. This was much appreciated and highly unusual for places that don’t brew their own beer.
The food was fair. I used to think that I liked Irish pub food, but it seems that everywhere I go the quality has gone down. I had the shepherd’s pie. Where do they find hamburger that tough? The bread pudding was a tasty dessert and so was the chocolate cake.
Overall, I would definitely come back to Finnegan’s if I was in the area. The service and the beer were great and if you can find a place to sit, then it is a great way to spend an afternoon.
2011-​03-​27: return visit
I was fortunate enough to be able to stop by Finnegans for a couple of beers today. I had eaten already, so I was all about the beer.
Due to the tiny space, the place seemed packed at 5PM on a Sunday. They sat us directly next to the door. We later moved to the bar when spots opened up.
I have a knack for picking beers from the menu that have run out. My first two picks where like this, but I did find a couple of tasty brews. Lagunitas Hop Stoopid is very good on tap.

I gave this place two stars because of a very bad customer service experience. Otherwise, the food was really good (I had the mac & cheese with grilled chicken… AWESOME!!)
Service-​wise, though, this was one of the worst experiences I have had in a very long time. Our waitress was pretty much non-​existent. She took our drink order, and we didn’t see her for about 15 minutes. Then she came back and took our food order, but didn’t stick around to see if we needed any refills, which we did. It took almost 20 more minutes for us to flag her down again. The night went on like this (it was a girls night out, so we were there for about 3 hours) but we really only saw her 3 – 4 times. The rest of the time she was flirting with some guy, or nowhere to be seen. We finally had to go up and ask the bartender if we could pay our bill at the bar since she was AWOL. We paid (and reflected our disapproval by leaving a very tiny tip…) and the waitress followed us out of the restaurant and asked if anything was wrong with the service. Umm… YEAH. She said her boss was going to be upset with her. I think that was the least of her problems.
Not sure if I would go back anytime soon.
**I would like to note that I normally give at least at 20% tip for good service, because when done correctly, I realize that food service is not easy and can be trying at times.

It’s ok. Typical new bar in a downtown that trys to be an old Irish Pub. I think they are a bit pricey. I’m a web site critic I guess because I expect places to keep their sites updated and informative. Especially when food and drink specials and music are concerned. Their Events page is dismal. The food is fine, the drinks are ok. I’ll stop there whenever it is the closest place to me, but I won’t make a special trip to go there.

Excellent beer selection. The chef is AMAZING…
I have met several of the employees on their personal ventures to the place that I work at…(NO NAME DROPPING) And on a personal level outside of a work environment they are really down to earth and love food and beer… so its nice that they have a passion for what they sell outside of working. The chef is a lot like the chef that I work for… bald…talented…hilarious…3 ingredients to form BOSS food. I do not EVER eat vegan stuff… with the exception of just tasting it out of curiosity… but finny’s vegan enchiladas were exquisite… with the exception of the easy cheese like topping.
Carnitas were deeeeeeeelish… ruben bites were also good, not sure if those are actually on the menu or just for private event… oh yeah, they have 30+ beers to wash it all down with.
Can’t wait to go back

I was very excited about Finnegan’s opening. All the ingredients were there: Real Irish food (boxty’s and such), a HUGE beer list, and a cute swanky bar in Plainfield.
Here’s the problems: the food not so great, food alone would net them a three star rating. The boxty’s which are traditional Irish fare have 2 regular selections and whole bunch of bastardizations like the Mexican boxty or the Buffalo Chicken Boxty. That HUGE beer list includes any beer that they’ve even thought about purchasing, not what is actually available. Our waitress checked 4 different beers before she found one that was actually in stock. It got so bad we were giving her 3 selections at a time (just in case). To top it all off they are ridiculously slow. It is impossible to get in and out of here for lunch in an hour (even if it’s dead).
Finnegan’s please clean up your act, I’ll be back (I always am).

My friends moved out to Plainfield and all I could think was «oh great, we will have to drive super far and there won’t be any places to go out to eat and drink» Well, I was wrong. Plainfield has a very cute downtown. We have been twice to Finnegan’s. Their beer list is huge, almost daunting to me, but every time I have gone I’ve tried something new. Mephistopheles is super super dark and (I think) their most expensive and highest alcohol content.
I had the fish and chips, which were more than decent. Crisp breading, not dried out not fishy tasting. Two friends had the sherpherd’s pie. Another one tried the bangers and mash, which I might get next time. The fish sandwich is a cheaper alternative to the fish and chips (just one less fish and no coleslaw). I am not sure what a Boxty is, but I think I will try it next.
The upstairs is a great spot. I like the dark wood décor. I think that they were holding a party upstairs the second time we were there, but we grabbed a table right by the door. Despite the odd location it didn’t disrupt the experience.
Also my friends have a new baby, and it is great that we can bring him along. Finnegan’s sort of reminds me of Palmer’s in LaGrange where it is a mix of all ages dining out.

A-​OK, that’s about it. Unfortunately I can’t give it a higher rating. I’d like to, because I want this place to do well. It has so much potential.
Today was probably our 5^th or 6^th visit. We’ve sat outside in the summer, inside downstairs, at the bar and today inside upstairs. The place was decorated very nice for the Holiday Season. I just can’t figure out what this place wants to be… they had College Football on all the TV’s, but had loud ‘Christmax Piano Music’ blaring from the ceiling.
On each of our visits, we’ve had some great food, and some not so great food. Today our ‘Irish Potato Skins’ were served barely warm, like they had been sitting in the kitchen for a long time, and they probably had because it took over 40 minutes to get our appetizer, and then we had to remind our server that we ordered soups, so the soups came next and were also cold. Soup should be HOT. I’ve had the Patty Melt a few times, and it’s always pretty good.
Here is the main reason I can’t give more than 3 stars, and why we don’t come here in a regular basis… the service is SLOW. Not just today, but every time we’ve been here. Our server was overwhelmed, and a few times 10+ minutes would go by and we didn’t even see her. Management needs to get a clue, and can’t have the servers mixing their own drinks, bussing their own tables and running their own food — it makes for very poor service. It shouldn’t take 75 minutes to eat lunch, and we shouldn’t have to walk up to the bar and ask for refills on soda and water, and have to find another server for appetizer plates, etc. Every time we’ve been told «the kitchen is very busy right now»…well, when it happens ⁵⁄₅ times, then there is a kitchen issue that needs to be addressed.
Overall, this is a very generous 3 Stars and we hope that things get better, because Plainfield really does need a place like Finnegans.

I love the live music on Thursdays, I love the upstairs library, I love the fireplace, I love the beer list, I love the soup, I love the friendly staff.
They could however, stand to bring the prices on the drink menu down just a smidge. This is downtown Plainfield, not downtown Chicago.

Love this place. I have been here about a handful of times with different groups of people, and never been disappointed. I consider myself lucky when I can find a properly poured Guinness in a town as small as ours.
Their beer menu is HUGE, I love the food, and even the live music that they sometimes offer.
As I said, I have been there with my Mom, Sisters, and friends whom are also locals, and everyone has been pleased with the service, décor, food and beverage menus.
I love the outdoor seating, which is great on a nice Summer night (great for people watching too). With Fall and Winter fast approaching, the fireplace is sure to be roaring with a Bears game going on the many TV’s.

In the Southwestern burbs there are very few «Irish Themed» places to eat. Ever seen the Galway Tribes in Frankfort went under, and the new place is inhabited by a bunch of well to yuppies who let their larvae run wild in the place.
My son who is a 20 something suggested we try Finnegan’s. It was a very warm Saturday evening and we got there around 7pm. Not too crowded but the A/​C was on the fritz, but since it was 90 and very humid eating outside was not an option since the mosquitoes were coming out. The food was good and reasonably priced. As were the beers. I would go there again, but it did seem somewhat small and probably very crowded in the cooler weather. And at a 22 mile drive one way, I would not be going here regularly, but I would stop if I was in the area. I would recommend this place to anyone.

Finnegan’s has a respectable menu. They also have a lunch special beer (except for Fridays) at a great price. They have boxty wraps with quite a variety. I really like the Mexican Boxty. You have to try the onion rings with your lunch. They are hot and genuine rings. Another favorite is their fish and chips. Awesome fried fish. The fish sandwich uses the same fish and is equally tasty.
If you’re in the mood for a vast selection of beer, they also have one of the better beer selections in the area (with its own menu).

Do you remember the first ThunderCats episode where the ThunderCats’ home planet, Thundera, explodes and they have to find a new home? Of course you do, you’re awesome and that leads me to the perfect segue into talking about Finnegan’s Irish Pub because A. it is also awesome and B. if my home planet of Naperville exploded, Finnegans in Plainfield would be a perfect replacement planet for this beer chugging Cheetara and Co.
Now, before today I was in what you might consider a review writing slump. I don’t know, Man. I just haven’t been in the mood. Something about the rainy start to the month, my two ailing Grandfathers, and being just a few credit card charges away from having MasterCard hire some cronies to lop off my pinky with a cigar cutter might have something to do with it though. Thankfully, Finnegans and their fantastical events have officially gotten me out of my rut.
Tonight I went for their once a month movie (Snatch was this month) with a 6 course Two Brothers Beer and popcorn pairing. Naturally, the beer was phenom with a few special pours and at the end we all got a little surprise and were each bought a snifter of the cult fave, Two Brothers double IPA Hop Juice. The popcorn was the very best popcorn you could ever imagine, but it’s so good that unless you’ve been to Heaven, you won’t even be able to imagine the delectableness of these mighty dishes. Some of my faves were the Gorgonzola and Onion, the Garlic and Parmesan with a dash of Cilantro (which tasted very similar to those heavenly biscuits you get at Bob Chinn’s… drool), and the (hands down) best popcorn, nay, best food ever, the Bananas Foster popcorn. How the f*ck did they do that?! If they offered the popcorn/​beer pairing for more than just this special event I’d be up in this piece every night of the week.
In addition to the event, I indulged in few other American Craft Brew goodies… of which they have a mighty impressive inventory. I will ask one thing of you should you venture into this heavenly territory. Please, please, PLEASE do not order some foofy mixed drink or a $ 2 Guinness. I know most people think Guinness is all fancy and stuff but it isn’t, in fact, today drinking a Guinness is basically the equivalent of drinking a Coors but thanks to the modern marvels of marketing many people are led astray. And I know most people think Guinness and Irish pubs go hand in hand but stouts are actually one of the least popular types of beer in Ireland. What’s the most popular you ask? Lagers. So STFU, get yourself a quality American craft brew here, and be thankful you live in America, a place where you aren’t forced to drink sh*tty beer that’s made with ingredients of such high quality (sarcasm font) that it’s able to be sold for $ 2. End rant.
Anyway, I lucked out with the beer selection here tonight… though this place is so great I think I’d be lucking out any day I found myself here. On this occasion, in addition to my Two Bros tasting and the fabulous Hop Juice, I imbibed on some Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat which tastes how my hair feels (like sunshine and smiles) and some Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree IPA which has 13.6% ABV and is the reason I’m writing this at 5:47 in the morning and not when I actually got home because my review would’ve been even less coherent… if you can even imagine that.
Much like the Terminator, I’ll be Bock.

Awful, awful, awful — and I didn’t even eat here!
We arrived, and there was a sign that said «please wait to be seated.» We waited… there was no hostess to be seen. Then all of a sudden a little server popped up and told us to sit where we pleased.
We sat a 4 top, high top. Half of it was a booth the other half was two chairs.
First of all let me start off by saying the décor is nice, it’s fun, Irish, pub like, they have a nice long, large bar and nice clean tables.
The menus are good — a little overpriced but they have a great variety of specialty beers. My male dining partner ordered a Guinness (they were $ 2 that day), I ordered a espresso like martini (I know it’s is a pub), my other dining partner ordered a margarita (I know, I know, it is a pub). My drink and my dining partner’s drinks came out first. Mine was good — just as I expected, it better be for $ 9. My beer drinking friend downed his beer and waiting for the server to come back with my other friend’s drink, well that took way too long so he went to the bar and ordered the beer. Around that time our server came back with the margartia, we placed our food orders and my friend requested his beer for a second time.
I forgot to mention — I am from Florida originally. When the server asked for my ID she looked at it for a while, handed it back THEN came back and said «next time we can’t accept that ID, it has to be horizontal.» Now I’m 23 and my ID doesn’t expire until ²⁄₁₃ — why would I waste $ 40 to get a new ID when this one works just find everywhere else I go? I told the server I was well over 21, she said she knows but it’s their «policy.» So not only I was insulted I clearly was not welcomed back to this pub again. That’s fine with me I wouldn’t want to go back again.
As we were waiting for the beer we couldn’t help but notice two little rugrats and their obnoxious parents. The kids were literally running around from the front to the back of the Restaurant, touching tables, moving things and being loud. The parents were drinking and not doing anything about this.
Between the awful service and the toddlers in a BAR we had enough. We canceled our orders and asked for our drink bill (BTW we still hadn’t gotten that 2^nd beer.) My beer drinking friend paid and they walked out. I went up to the bartender who just so happened to be a manager and told him why we were leaving. His response was «we encourage families to come here.» YOU ARE A BAR! WHY WOULD YOU WANT THAT? I would have kept ordering my $ 9 drinks and our bill would have been well over $ 100.
No one offered and apology /​or a welcome back… nothing.
This place has truly horrendous service. If I were a manager in a Restaurant and there were unruly children I would inform the family they need to get it under control or they will be asked to leave.
That is GOOD customer service.

I really like this place a lot! It’s one of the few places in Will County that serves microbrews and craft brews on tap — New Holland, Three Floyds, Dogfish Head, Founders, Two Brothers, to name a few.
I typically go to Finnegan’s for their beer. Angie is usually the bartender, and she really knows her stuff. She not only knows the beers they carry and can articulate a beer’s flavor profile, but she can also make a great recommendation for you based on your own beer preferences. Not only that, she’s very attentive and takes good care of her customers at the bar.
They have an excellent ruben sandwich that I’d order again, and I’ve had a couple appetizers in the past — Irish nachos and the spicy shrimp dish — and thought both were pretty good too.
What really knocked my socks off was last night. I had the opportunity to attend a beer dinner with the New Holland Brewing Co. Not only were the beers great but the food was phenomenal — seared Ahi tuna, stuffed pork loin, petite filet, rack (or leg) of lamb and a desert paired with Dragon’s Milk (to die for!) The service was friendly and great too!
Yeah, I’m a fan and would recommend Finnegan’s to anyone.

I retract my first statement. I have been here several times and a lot has improved. Staff rules, Beer selection is HUGE and food is 3.5÷5 stars.
The only thing I would change was the enormous amount of grease sitting in the bottom of my Shepard’s Pie. Don’t get me wrong, the dish was really tasty, I just couldn’t keep looking at the lake of beef grease that was never drained at the bottom of my dish.
Overall, totally worth the trip.
Oh and if you have a large party of like 8 or more, ask to reserve the library upstairs. holy shit is that place cozy and also super private if needed.

I’ve been to Finnegan’s twice and have not experienced the rude wait staff as others have indicated in their reviews. For the most part, I found them to be friendly and attentive.
The beer selection is great and the staff was great in helping my wife to navigate and make her selection. She was even brought a couple of samples to make sure she liked what she ordered.
During my last visit I ordered the pot roast and to be honest there was a bit too much fat for my liking. The vegetables were lukewarm but ok. On my 1^st visit I just ordered appetizers and drink. No complaints with that visit.
I am right down the middle on this one. I will be back, but most likely for the ambiance, drinks and appetizers only.

I went to Finnegan’s on a Sunday night, so please keep that in mind.
Finnegan’s has a great décor… It’s your standard Irish Pub, the font for the sign actually looks exactly like that of Ballydoyle’s in Downers Grove.
Smaller bar, which made it nice for a Sunday night. I could see it getting extremely crowded in there on a Friday or Saturday night.
We got in about about 10:00, and there was still a hostess working. She sat us, set us up with food and drinks menus, etc… Then, 10 minutes later when I tried to order food, they said that the kitchen was closed. I was a little perturbed, but not that hungry, so it didn’t make a huge difference to me.
The beer list is fantastic, and huge. Our server was had «serviceable» knowledge about the beer — not very helpful, but she did make a few good recommendations.
I don’t make it out to downtown Plainfield that often, but I’d stop back in here for a drink if I were around.

I have mixed feelings about Finnegans. I have a great time every time I go, but there is something off about the staff (I don’t want to go into detail. They have a couple fabulous servers, but I’ve had 2 rude /​incompetent ones). The inside is really well done, cozy and beautiful. I absolutely LOVE their beer selection, it’s marvelous. They have tons of craft beers to choose from. Some of the beers are overpriced, but you can find a great deal if you take time to look. I got a Flying dog double dog pale ale for $ 5, that’s pretty decent considering it has 11.5% alc and is extremely delicious. They always have great bands playing, and after a couple double dogs I’m ready for the dance floor.
The food is pretty darn good. I usually order the Corned Beef wedges as an appetizer b/​c they are standard and delicious. I sampled the Reuben Boxty and fell in love. A boxty is a large delicious potato pancake, and it was filled with all the fixings of a reuben. So lovely.
Plainfield is too far out of my way to make regular trips, but the bands and beer selection keep me crawling back.