Although fairly overpriced, the service and atmosphere (especially on the rooftop) is great. My favorite there is the spinach and artichoke fondue and the turkey burgers! Julie is a great server...... More

Although fairly overpriced, the service and atmosphere (especially on the rooftop) is great. My favorite there is the spinach and artichoke fondue and the turkey burgers! Julie is a great server... Also breakfast has some amazing food try the chocolate and carmel crepes , yummy :)
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Unfortunately, the Avenue Ale House (just north of Interstate 290 on Oak Park Avenue in Oak Park) is one of those places where bad service and bland food torpedoed what looked to be a pretty nice... More

Unfortunately, the Avenue Ale House (just north of Interstate 290 on Oak Park Avenue in Oak Park) is one of those places where bad service and bland food torpedoed what looked to be a pretty nice neighborhood bar and restaurant. The last time I was there (with a date), we waited 20 minutes for a table—right at the height of the dinner rush—which was to be expected. We eventually got seated in a cramped corner booth and waited another 15 minutes to see a waitress—this was a bit unexpected. We ordered burgers from the slightly pricy menu (which basically contained the standard pub fare—burgers, sandwiches, beers, etc.) and waited another 40 minutes for the food. Now all this waiting may not have bothered me if the food was worth the wait, but the burgers and fries were definitely on the bland side. It was a major letdown after the long wait, and to make matters worse, our waitress literally disappeared like a ghost after we got our food, so we sat even longer waiting for the bill. Now I know our experience may not be the norm (maybe they were short-staffed that night, maybe they have newer management)—but it was enough to institute a self-imposed exile from the place, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. Instead, I’d stick to a place like Poor Phil’s in Oak Park for beer and burgers (see my Poor Phil’s review for details).
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When you hear bar food, you think about burnt burgers and stale fries or chips. That's certainly not the case at The Avenue Ale House in Oak Park. The setup is extremely casual and set around a... More

When you hear bar food, you think about burnt burgers and stale fries or chips. That's certainly not the case at The Avenue Ale House in Oak Park. The setup is extremely casual and set around a center bar area. You can either sit in the bar area or in a seperate dining room area. Also, in the summertime they offer a beautiful roof top terrace to dine in. They not only offer delicious burgers, appetizers, salada and sandwiches. They also offer premium dinners such as Steaks, Chicken, Lamb, Pork and Fish. The dinners are prepared fresh throughout the day and they also offer different specials everyday. Try the chili! It's fantastic. Comes with onions, jalapenos, cheese and extra hot sauce! One of their specials is half price appetizers during the week at specific times. Also, their martini's are worth a look as well! They offer great drink specials as well. They are a bit pricey though.
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