Went back to Iron Horse yesterday for lunch. Much better experience this time around. We were seated and our server came almost immediately to take our drink order. My husband ordered a draft (drafts were working) and we received our drinks within a couple of minutes. We decided to try the Flamin' Hot brick oven pizza along with mozzarella sticks as an appetizer. Our appetizer came out within a few minutes and they were quite good. The pizza was was extremely good, very light and full of flavor. Our server Tina was very friendly and attentive. We're looking forward to coming back, next time to try the dinner menu. Glad they've appeared to work the kinks out. Iron Horse will be a great asset to the neighborhood.
(4)
A F.
Oh. My. God. This will be a 5-star restaurant when it gets its service attributes right, but that kind of blip is to be expected from a brand-spanking-new restaurant. This is no mere neighborhood effort. This is a Class A restaurant and bar. The architectural design alone gets it my admiration. Barrel vaulted ceiling, cast iron design elements throughout, industrial legacy, clean brickwork, beautiful woodworked back bar, properly spaced tables, killer wood-fired pizza oven...these are just a very few of the attention-to-detail aspects of a really well-considered space and atmosphere. Obligatory TV screens throughout. Okay, so the owners put a ton of money into the place. But does the food measure up? Yes. In spades. The litmus test in this case are two items: the pizza and the burger. The pizza is f-ing sublime; beautifully charred on the edges, chewy crust and toothsome toppings. But it's the burger that really makes this place the real deal. The bun is an ethereal platform for a perfect medium-rare hand-formed burger that I topped with tomato and grilled onions and then further topped with the sides of cole slaw and BBQ sauce. Just take me now. Incredible. The side of fries were on the soft side, which is my personal preference. Add a Lagunitas ale from the long list of draft and bottled craft beers and you've got yourself an orgasmic gastronomic experience of the highest and best kind. Damn, they should pay me for this review. This neighborhood has been suffering for so long. Years spent resentfully trudging to Edison Park. Then wishful thinking that Trip D would make the cut (nope) and the smell of death from the get-go for the ill-contrived Mo Daley's. So great has the anticipation been for Iron Horse Ale House that it seems like it's been "Opening Soon" since the late 80's. Well, it's open now and it will get the full support from a neighborhood that will soon have something new to resent...the outsiders coming from afar to experience a truly wonderful restaurant and bar experience. Yeah, I'm gushing. But a review of my reviews will allow you to judge my judgement. I look forward to Iron Horse Ale House fixing its service missteps and garnering a 5th star from me.
(4)
Debra S.
Love this new restaurant! Excellent brick oven pizzas, great beer selection, and a kids menu. Great atmosphere - Stools around the brick oven to watch your pizza being made - little lounge area in back, and outdoor seating. Can't wait to return!!
(4)
Eric W.
Update of my initial review. Iron Horse now gets 5 stars. Greatest beer selection! Chris, your responsibility to sample new beers for the menu makes me jealous. Food is awesome. Brick oven pizza yum. Service is now polished and attentive. TV's everywhere for you sports fans. Owners are great. We like this place so much, my wife and I got married there. Try them go back and support them. Iron Horse is an asset to Norwood Park.
(5)
Steven B.
I heard the pizza was great so I stopped in. The place looks nice but that is it. The pizza is nothing special and the service sucks. I only had my one drink, since they did not care to ask me for another drink I paid and left.
Outstanding... We went here for the first time last night. It was great, and the place was packed. We were there with the kids and I thought there may be a long wait for our food, because they were so busy. As it turns out, we received our food shortly after we ordered and it was awesome. I'm guessing my kids are the ones people reference in other reviews. If your bothered by kids running around stay home and be grumpy by yourself. The place is big enough to contain the families. My wife and I both ordered the pizza. She had the veggie pizza and I had the prosciutto pizza. I loved the prosciutto pizza. It was the right combination of cheese and meat to make the perfect pizza. We have been back a bunch of times. May also suggest the buffalo wrap, burgers, my son loves the fish and chips. Great place.
(5)
Valerie O.
Is this a chuck e cheese or a bar. Excellent pizza. The buffalo chicken pizza is my favorite but this place is overrun with kids. There were having a child's birthday party there last time I was there.
(4)
TJ D.
Love love love this Norwood park treasure. The owners, Chris, Joe and Kevin are the best. Pizza is terrific, service is professional and beer selection is excellent. Outdoor patio in the summer is a welcome addition.
(5)
Nikki V.
This place has got potential! We moved into the area a few months ago and were super excited to see this place opening up only a couple blocks away from us! We went last night at 8 pm.. the decor and ambiance is wonderful! The place is a lot bigger on the inside that you would have thought from the outside! It's beautiful. When we were first seated, it took a while for our server to come and take our orders.. The restaurant wasn't completely full by all means but I think everyone is still adjusting since they just opened. We ordered our beers (the drafts work!), spinach & artichoke dip and sliders. We actually got our artichoke dip before our beers which was 10-15 minutes later, kind of ridiculous. The dip is very tasty! With our dip halfway done, we ran out of pita chips (which they only give you 6 pita triangles and 2 large crostinis). Our server immediately thought that we were finished. Before she tried to take it away, I asked for additional pitas. The sliders were very plain but still good. I think the chicken slider was just missing some mayo. I ordered the cheeseburger slider with no pickles and what came was just a plain cheeseburger with a bun. It tasted great but it wasn't anything special. I think next time we'll order the flat breads and check out some of the other entrees. Another thing that kind of destroyed the ambiance were all the bus boys hanging around the corners of the restaurants. It looks like they all go to the same school or something but they used their time to hang out and occasionally clean tables. A couple kids were hanging by the women's bathroom and watching the game on tv (we were actually seated right next to them.. awkward!!). One kid actually spilled a cup of water which splashed on us a little and didn't even bother to apologize or clean it up! Our poor server ended up doing that (sorry lady!). Overall, I think (and hope) the place will get much better as the restaurant settles in. It's got a lot of potential and I hope that this becomes our favorite neighborhood bar in the future! :)
(3)
Erin P.
Place was ok. Sat at the bar with my husband and was impressed by the long beer list. Mostly IPA's and pale ales on draft which my husband loves. I'm not a big fan of them, but the bottled list covers most beers. I ended up going for Revolutions Bottom Up Wit. On the beer list it says 20oz can for $7. I got a 12oz can for $6. Asked the bartender and was told they only have the 12oz. In my opinion the drinks are overpriced and the inconsistency didn't give a great impression. We also ate while we were there. The spinach dip was really good as was the pita bread it came with, but they only gave us 6 small pieces of pita bread and a huge thing of spinach dip. Portion was pretty off. My husband ordered a pizza and said it was ok. He took most of it home and they gave him a small clam box to put it in. Pizza ended up being soggy the next day and be threw it away. I ordered the buffalo chicken wrap. It was fine, but nothing special. The bartenders were very friendly though and were on top of their service so I was impressed by that. We live in the neighbor so we will probably try it again, but for now there are a lot of other places with much better prices in my opinion.
(3)
Ruby Q.
Each time I go here, I mentally deduct 1/2 star for deterioration over time. They once had a great menu with ahi tuna salads and spaghetti n meatball, and pizzas that were out of this world. Now it is just mostly bar food and even the pizza is lacking the proper balance of ingredients. I think they lost their chef and it seems like the owners nephew is cooking. The staff seems to be turning over quickly - never a good sign- and the new guys just seem, well new and inexperienced. I really liked this place when it opened, but deteriorating menu and service now brings then into the "who cares" 3 star category. Mamma Mia!......Is this Naples or Norwood Park? The Margarita pizza was perfecto! When we traveled in Italy, I, like most American travelers, made sure I had a pizza in nearly every town. Well well my piazzano, the Iron Horse pizza pie can run with the best of them. The crust was a thin and a perfect mix of crispy on the edges and soft in the middle. The sauce and cheese were ideal - no waxy string cheese here - just a fine authentic mozzarella. This is what pizza is meant to be. The draft beer selection is phenomenal. I usually go with the Langunitas lil sumpim sumpim but like to wander about as well. After multiple visits I'd say that the service staff is efficient, well timed and friendly. The bartenders Tricia Trina and Laura, work their tails off so please tip generously. Another welcome addition to the growing restaurant strip on Northwest Highway in Norwood Park.
(3)
Paul B.
Great place for wood fired pizza, a burger or just beer! The only critiques I have of this place is the service can be hit-or-miss (never bad, just slooow at times) and the menu is rather limited to pizza, a couple sandwiches and some overpriced salads and pasta.
(4)
Jennifer H.
Good food. Unfortunately I was looking for the skee ball based on the romper room atmosphere. This place could give Chuckie Cheese a run for the money based on the amount of under 10s running around bumping into wait staff and guests' chairs. I had the idea that an establishment that chose to have alcohol in the name might be more adult.
(2)
Bill P.
I came to Iron Horse Ale House for a family birthday celebration. The place has been open several months, in space that may once have been industrial, or perhaps a car shop. It's been cleaned up nicely, and the main room is very large, with party rooms upstairs. The place is family friendly in the early evening. Patrons brought kids who mostly took in the action around the pizza oven. Kids got a lump of pizza dough & instructions on rolling & flattening it. (My youngest nephew mastered the art of beaning me in the head with his lump, & couldn't have been more pleased with himself....). Food consists of a few sandwiches, salads, & thin crust pizza. I had a blue cheese burger cooked as requested, very good. Fries were served hot and nicely seasoned. Salads got finished finished & pizzas were devoured before I could sample a slice. That & the praise told me they do pizza well here... I'm the guy at the bar knocking down Diet Cokes, but I did read the menu. There is a huge selection of beer, wine, and liquor, major & international brands plus locally brewed and seasonal choices. Staff was attentive, friendly, and worked hard. No doubt the work ethic has helped them establish their new place, and as time goes by Iron Horse will improve even more. Check them out.
(5)
Jason J.
Really glad this place in the neighborhood now. We had only been here for drinks, but finally went for food as well. The brick oven was calling out to us, so we decided on the pepperoni because we trying to be safe. It was good. The crust was crispy with right amount of chew, and the sauce and toppings were tasty. But for a brick oven pizza the center got soggy a little too fast. Still good though. The place is really nice inside, and the beer selection is awesome. When it's warm out they have a large outside seating area, and a party room upstairs. It's a great place to hang out and chat, or watch a game ( lots of tv's with sports on them!) and the prices were reasonable. I'll be back for sure.
(4)
Shaun H.
I somehow found myself back here after another place didn't work out. We shared a pizza and a pasta dish. The pasta was pretty great, so maybe this place can grow on me after all.
(3)
Ed B.
So been there a couple times but more importantly to the competition in the area as well. Its come down to us eating at other places more often and that drops a star for me. The menu hasn't really changed, last time I was there I spent about 10 minutes looking at the menu constantly flipping over looking for more. They have this great looking kitchen just wish they started to expand on that menu a bit more. I'm highly annoyed with grilled onions being a $1 add on vs free raw onions. Offer specialty burgers you know like pepper jack / avocado and spicy mayo etc.. vs making that a $2.50 upgrade to an existing burger (thats minus grilled onions of course). Technically you could add on $5 dollars of add on items to a burger, hello 5 Guys offers more for free and a better burger IMO. Beer list is small but decent, however I didn't understand why of the 4 beers I ordered (all different styles) they were all served in a tulip glass (8-10oz) vs a pint glass for the beers that fit that style, I'm not a Cicerone by any means but know a low abv session beer on draft is usually served a pint glass. Staff was still great on our last couple visits, I like this place and will keep going back but its not my first choice for the area.
(3)
Paulina S.
Love this new restaurant. The pizza is incredible. I tried the buffalo chicken pizza and I loved it. Also the fried calamari was really tastey. There is plenty of TVs to watch sports, and they have a patio! I also enjoy the many beers they have on draft, and they have a great wine selection. I will definitely be coming back.
(5)
Kevin R.
Went there today for the first time. Sat at the bar and had excellent service from Laura. Food that I had was great. Fresh ingredients and obviously house made. Sorry that I have not tried this place sooner, I will be back.
(4)
Sean W.
My wife and I have come to Iron Horse a few times and have had a great time. The pizza is GREAT! It does get busy from time to time, but what popular place doesn't? Great staff, great food, and great drink prices. We'll be coming back on a regular basis!
(5)
Mike G.
I have been here four times already and the food and beer is great. I do agree with the others that the service was not the greatest until I had an amazing waitress give me the best experience and change my mind. The first time I went there with a few buddies we had a waitress named Jeannine who was horrible. She had my order wrong and she ran around and was kind of rude. I figured the place just opened....But really?? I think the place may hire anyone off the street the way some of the people look that work there. The second time a few friends and I went we had Paulina...so sweet and nice. She got our orders right and was attentive to our table. The pizza that night was so amazing and delicious. The next time we went we had the best waitress named Bridget. She was so atttentive to our table and asked us frequently what we needed. She never let my glass get empty without asking if I needed another beer. She smiled the whole time and recommended new things to us. The arugula pizza and calamri she was fantasatic!!! Also she recommended the Allagash beer and that also was amazing. She changed my mind about the whole place and made my experience wonderful. I will only ask for her when I come in!!! Overall a great place. Too many kids and families though.
(5)
Mike L.
I'd give it a 3.5 but Yelp won't allow that on a star rating. The staff was VERY friendly and attentive - the beer was very good, the lighting could be a little more subdued - after all, it is a bar. The decor is very nice and warm with high ceilings and lots of wood and exposed brick - nice job on the remodel. The Margherita Pizza was ok - almost a 4, the cheese was high quality and the tomato sauce had a decent flavor - not sure I liked the corn meal used to brown up the crust - takes away from the authentic brick oven technique in Italy, but it was good so I am not trying to complain, just being honest. I think they will do well - there was a good crowd and the owner is certainly hands on which is a good thing. I would say it was worth it and I would go back.
(3)
Pat C.
Well I have been here a few times, first time I was here I just had a few drinks with friends. The service at the bar was very good even with how busy it was for a Bears game. This time we stopped in for dinner and some entertainment. Had the wings they were ok nothing to write home about. The pizza is brick oven so I was excited to try it. We ordered a veggie pizza which, lol whatever if I want pizza I say load it with meat but I was out voted. The pizza was tasteless and under cooked. I was surprised that it came out so fast with the salads and wings. Very little sauce and the veggies were soggy. The crust was to thick and under cooked so much so that I bit into raw pizza dough. So they have work to on the pizza. The waitress was very nice and she was quick. I can't complain about the service here because every time I have been there it has been very good. If Iron Horse fails it wll be because of the food for sure. I am not a big fan of processed food and I just for one would love to see a place like this serve real food grown locally. The quality would be so much better and we can pump local money into our local economy. But that's a rant for another time lol. Going out to eat is hard to find quality in Bar food which is what Iron Horse serves its customers. In closing enjoy the drinks the food... eh its so so. You wont get blown away.
(2)
Karena L.
It's a great addition to our area. Enjoyed their brick-oven pizza, their late night menu option was pretty decent. They have a good beer selection too. Looking forward to going back and hanging out on their patio area once it gets warm!!
(4)
Kate i.
This place is great. We ordered a pizza, a burger, a beer, a mixed drink, an iced tea, and a dessert. We wanted to try everything. The pizza was pretty good, the burger was awesome, the drinks were made to order. The iced tea was enormous. I love generous beverages. The dessert was beautiful and tasty. I couldn't believe how affordable it all was, given the beautiful decor and the big ol' portions. The waitress was sweet and one of the owners came over to see how we were doing. The staff was very accommodating with our baby and stroller. We are already planning on eating there for my birthday next week. Can't wait!
(5)
Jennifer B.
Very disappointed ! Food was awful pizza was bland and the fish and fries tasted like a freezer! The beer was expensive and totally not worth it since it took 10 minutes to get one! The service was average and the parking lot is a death trap! Way to many kids I totally get it they want to be neighborhood friendly but its a little much! Hard to enjoy dinner and drinks at a BAR with kids screaming in the background! One time was more then enough for my husband and myself! If I could give this place a negative star I would!
(1)
Robert G.
Food is great especially the pizzas and a variety of draft beer selection is amazing ... But Is it a bar or a family restaurant? They need to figure it out soon or they will lose a lot of potential business. There is no ambience to be have here especially with children running around.
(2)
Alex M.
This place is great. I tried the brick oven pizza last night and it was very good. Had a nice dinner after work with my wife.
(5)
Mark S.
This is a wonderful addition to the Norwood park and north west side. It provides an EXCEPTIONAL VALUE. By the looks of the place I'd expect the prices to be 20-30% higher. We are very lucky to have this place in our back yard and will be back once or twice a week for sure.
(5)
john k.
They have a great upstairs room for private parties. Food and service are worth the trip
(4)
Anne W.
This is a fantastic neighborhood restaurant/bar for all ages. There were many families enjoying meals, while the bar crowd simultaneously enjoyed adult beverages and watched the Bears on many conveniently located tvs. The service at Iron Horse is very friendly and attentive, and the prices are reasonable. There is an adjacent parking lot, making life easier. There is also a beautiful outdoor patio (although it's a little chilly for that now). The food is ample and delicious. I loved the chopped salad, and there is plenty for two people (even though I didn't share). And, you must try the Asiago garlic bread, which is awesome. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised when you experience this new neighborhood gem. I was.
(5)
Jen S.
While the neighborhood can definitely use this kind of establishment, the food was ok but nothing you will crave and make a special trip back for. Decent selection of beers although our first two choices were not available. Pizza is better than what get in your grocer's freezer, but it could use improvement. Prefer Piece as a beer and pizza joint, but this handy and not crowded. The biggest advantage this place has is an outdoor patio that is not on the highway and its own small parking lot.
(3)
Chuck J.
So, we finally got around to trying this place. On a Thursday nite they had a large (but by no means full) crowd at 6:30. We did not find it too noisy, and our server was excellent! The beers were interesting, but the best part is that the burgers were Outstanding! We left VERY happy that the Iron Horse has opened in our neighborhood. My only suggestion...add some Scotch to your drink menu.
(4)
Bob M.
Took the family for pizza. Our first time here. Very cold day in Chicago, but the restaurant was pleasantly warm. Service was right on, and the pizza very good. We'll be back.
(4)
Tanja Z.
I'm so happy that a new place opend in my neighborhood. I walked over last night for dinner and to watch some football. The inside of the place had a more low key section, busy middle section with TV's and bar, and a cool patio. Def a nice space. The burgers were really good and you practically get a Big Gulp sized drink which is awesome. The fries were kinda on the soft side which isnt my thing but had good flavor. The stand out was the Nutella, banana, and strawberry pizza with chocolate sauce. OMG it was heaven in my mouth!!! I plan on coming back on Sunday to try the brick oven pizzas.
(5)
Squeaky F.
Great selection of beer to go along with the tasty brick oven pizza. I recommend the margarita pizza; although next time I will ask for extra basil.
(4)
Marianne M.
Had dinner with my husband and Kids last night at Iron Horse and really enjoyed it! The wood burning oven pizzas were fantastic, kids menu was cute and offered the basics. Beer selection is fantastic!!! Service needs a little help, but they will get there. The location is perfect, Norwood Park and NW side of Chicago needs a cool place like this. Looking forward to summer when the patio is open. Will be back soon to try some more menu items.
(4)
Em P.
Stopped back in.. This time simply for drinks. We had a server who was neither friendly or unfriendly.. With an apparent lack of disinterest for her job. She had no insight or suggestion to the menu and kindof made a face when she realized we were simply there for drinks. I do enjoy their enormous selection of beers.. However I really wish they would advertise specials more. I'll be back.. Cause I really like the feel of this bar but will run the other way if I get this waitress.
(3)
Kerin B.
We have been waiting for Iron Horse to open for a while and were happy as soon as we walked in the door. It is a nice comfortable place to be. Love the decor-- they left parts of the old building (i think it was a post office) and blended the new in nicely. Very glad to find another local place that has gluten free drink and food options. They have gluten free beer (I didn't try it) and Tito's vodka. They actually have a separate gluten free menu with pizza, appetizers, sandwiches and pasta dishes. The gluten free pizza is brick oven style and it is pretty good (about as good as gluten free pizza can get). Great place to go have drinks or have dinner.
(4)
Mark R.
I've stopped in a few times. When they first opened they were busy, but lately they've slowed down quite a bit. The food is good but not great,don't bother trying their salads, they save their greens too long, I hate old lettuce in an expensive salad. the pizzas are OK though, overall I would give the place 3 stars for the food. For the bar however I can only give them 1 star, the place just doesn't feel like a bar, too many kids running around, lighting always too bright, just misses. Overall rating 2 stars, I don't think I'll be back soon.
(2)
John C.
Went in for a burger. Burger was delicious. Had two beer specials also delicious. Wait staff was a little slow. Plan on going back for the pizza.
(4)
Dawn G.
Great pizza, fantastic beer selection, comfortable environment for conversation w/attentive staff, too. Can't wait to go back.
(5)
Brian O.
Great beer selection and pizza was great. Wide open back room plenty of room.
(5)
Victoria B.
Was in recently and the food was outstanding. This place JUST opened...only weeks ago and was crowded because the neighborhood has been excited about the opening. Service was slow--but it is obvious that it is because the place is new and still figuring out stuff and making some changes. I still had a great time regardless. I heard they are helping the local area by hiring local people---which is GREAT! There's not many options for food and spirits in the area....and the community needs this place. So, give it some time to iron out the kinks...
(5)
Arnold F.
Great edition to the neighborhood !! Went in with a large party and everyone loved thier food(the 1/2 chicken dinner was something special).Service was great and the beer fantastic.Enjoy!!
(5)
Margaret P.
I was so excited about this place opening up and I heard a lot of talk about it. We waited a few weeks until they worked out the new restaurant snafus before a group of us tried it. It was worth the wait! The restaurant is beautiful! The service was terrific and very attentive! And the food was full on fantastic! We ordered a variety of pizzas after seeing their awesome wood burning pizza oven. Each pizza was super delicious! Everyone at our table gave it rave reviews. This is definitely going to be my go to dinner out place!
(5)
Lori M.
First of all, I'd like to identify myself as a 53 y/o suburbanite. After reading Yelp reviews for years, I think this is important, because frankly, I don't want to hear what a 20 something has to say about a restaurant. Too inexperienced, in just about everything. Period. Personally, I'd like to see the reviewer's age on all posts. At least then I'd have a point of reference. Thanks to the establishment for opening this breath of fresh air on the NW side. Two parking lots make it mighty convenient to choose this place as a dining destination. Great old building (old post office?) and nicely renovated. Large and airy main floor, warm colors and lighting and with the "must have" (for some) multiple, yet unobtrusive flat screens. Not too loud, but it was early. Ample selection of craft beer on tap. Plenty of bottles, but why would you? Not a huge food menu, but nice pub style choices. Had fried calamari. Crispy, light, perfectly cooked with 2 great sauces. Nice appetizer size also. Buffalo chicken pizza. Tasty with just the right amount of heat. Burgers, perfectly cooked on a soft, high, shiny egg bun. Fries-crispy on the outside, fluffy potato insides. Not too thin, or too wide. Everything came out hot. (A nod to the server, because really they're responsible for getting food out on time). Cole slaw, while fresh and crisp, had good celery seed flavor but was a little dry. Just a splash more dressing please. One more word about service: efficient, attentive, not overpowering. Thank you. I think the area for letting kids watch the pizza being made is great. Kids get to play with raw dough and everyone is happy. I remember those days. Prices are fair and it's great to see a trendy type place out here. I resent all the cool restaurants opening up in difficult to reach areas in the city. Nice that Iron Horse took a gamble on us. Will look forward to warm weather and the beer garden.
(4)
Mike B.
Great place to go for moderately priced food. They have a good variety on the menu for meat eaters and vegetarians, and a great selection of beers. I'm glad to see Norwood Park get some restaurants and this is the best of them.
(4)
Tavis B.
I visited on the second day they were open for business. I love the concept of a pub featuring only fresh, and mostly locally sourced food and craft beers. The wood-fired pizza is a very refreshing and delicious change. I wasn't sure about Buffalo chicken pizza, but it rocked. Chicken/beef/sausage sliders were a good deal at $2 each, and were not skimpy, great for just a nibble when you're 'on the drink.' Great patio /beer garden. Are there kinks to be worked out? Of course. I"ve never visited a new restauran/bart that didn't.. However, their commitment to quality fresh local food, craft beer and spirits will bring the hoardes to Norwood Park, and the I'm certain that the other pubs will benefit as well.
(5)
Sara N.
I had a great time here with a group of friends Friday night. They were really busy but the service was still friendly and fast. They have excellent pizza a great selection of beers on tap. Overall, a great experience and we will definitely be back!
(5)
Erin S.
This is a great addition to the neighborhood! The brick oven pizza is great and the burger is awesome. Nice place to bring the family - the front bar is the bar area with booths and hi-tops while regular tables are in the back so the kids can see the pizza being made etc... Very nice atmosphere.
(4)
Danielle B.
We came here on a Friday night. We started off with calamari which was really good. Our beers were great and came out very quickly. Our waiter was obviously new and very young but still did a great job. Although he was a little annoying, but he still tried his best. We ordered the smokin pizza which was great. It was very fresh and really great tasting. Another thing, It is also quite obvious that they are trying to be a family restaurant. If you call yourself an ale house, that's what people will take it as. Kids were all over the place and watching the pizza-making take place. As they could easily wipe their snot and sneeze all over your pizza. Anyways, as the place started getting busier we noticed that the owners were walking around trying to find more tables. There were 3 open tables around us and we thought they were trying to seat a bigger party. Trying to be nice, we asked one of the owners if they would like us to move to a different table to make room for another party. Rudely, the owner replied, "moving to another table won't help." To us that meant get out we, need your table. We were offering to be nice and we got a rude response. Next, my friend got up to go to the restroom. He overheard the owner saying to the hostess, "if we can just get rid of that table"...while look at our table. After that we were disgusted and decided to take our beer drinking to Mo Daileys down the street. Overall, good food but bad service. Don't be rude to customers who are trying to be nice and spending their money at your establishment. Also, the smell of smoke is strong you will walk out smelling like a bonfire.
(3)
Ezra E.
Always a pleasure - the food is good and they have a rotating IBW on tap which is a current favorite. Food is normally between decent and pretty good. They have a counter in the back where kids can play with pizza dough and the guys making pizzas will make the dough for them. this I think is the best bread they have. The giardinara is another hidden gem- it's fantasic. They never give you enough veggies though so you end up with a cup of oil. I mixed my oil with the green goddess dressing in my side salad which made that even better. The sandwiches so far have been pretty good. I still need to try the entrees and the pizza.
(4)
C. B.
Iron Horse is a GREAT addition to the area! The ambiance and decor is spectacular!! I love the rustic/historic feel that it has while still having tons of natural light! They've got a pretty good beer selection. The food is alright... I certainly wouldn't seek this place out for the food, but for all of the other things it has going for it...I'll take the subpar food. Some critiques for this place - your waitstaff can be kinda sour at times. invest more in your food ingredients - a lot of them seem to be bland. And lastly - turn the sound on during major sporting events! You have oodles of TV's, but when music is blaring instead of the game, it's a bummer.
(4)
Renderking M.
We'll be back. Nice ambiance. We were sold on everything but the service. It wasn't terrible, but slightly unwelcoming. Reminded me of a Boston bar where the servers are cold and unemotional. Beer selection was slightly pricey, but comparable to other high-end/suburban bars. If they had more weekday specials, we'd add it to our list of regular spots.
(4)
Ed A.
I like it. I like it a lot. Industrial chic invades Edison Park. The food is good and sometimes great. The beer selection is pretty wide, although the wine menu is lacking. Great for groups and a departure from the darker closed in bars one normally finds. Open space at its finest. I came on an overcast day and can only imagine how this place looks in the sunlight and moonlight as well. They have a bar set aside to the east side of the place. Great to catch a quick drink and appetizers. Plenty of TVs as well. I kept wondering what kind of factory/industrial building this was. One day I'll ask. One downfall of this place is that it has a terrible sound system. Music sounds like that heard when listening from under the water. They got to fix that shit
(4)
Angela K.
My husband and I were looking for a brewery, but also wanted some good pizza. So glad we found this place on Yelp! We went there yesterday evening for dinner around 6:30. There weren't many other patrons there when we first arrived. We were seated right away in a table against the wall with a bench seat. We ordered a couple of draft porters from Revolution which were very tasty! The beer list was extensive, as was the bourbon/whiskey list, and list of other cocktails and wine. There was a lot from which to choose! We tried the pulled pork and cheddar fritters to start. They were not what we were expecting, they came out in the shape of a ball (like a hushpuppy), but the flavor was pretty good. We then decided to try a couple of different 12" pizzas. We ordered the Arugala and the Italian. The crust was thin, crispy around the edges and had great flavor! The italian sausage on the one pizza had wonderful flavor that added to the overall taste of the pizza without being overwhleming. The Arugala pizza was a much milder flavor profile but was enhanced nicely with some grated parma and oregano. I would have liked to have seen a little more proscuitto on it though. They went a little skimpy with that ingredient and very heavy on the arugala. All in all this was a great experience in an awesome atmosphere. They did a nice job on the interior of this place. It was very clean, good for groups and kids, and had tons of TVs that the waitresses seemed ok with changing to accommodate folks sitting in close proximity. By the time we left here around 8:30, the place was packed!
(4)
Racer S.
The food was very good - My wife had the pizza with arugula, etc., and it was tasty, nicely done, good crust (although just a little thick for neapolitan style pizza - e.g. Da Nella or Spacca Napoli - but then again, Iron Horse isn't trying to be them...). I had the Smokin' Piggy burger - delicious, served medium-rare like I asked. Different bun... seemed kind of like pizza dough baked as a bun - nice, chewy, much better than the typical burger bun. Decent selection of craft beers on tap - could be a little more diverse, but I found a couple I liked (IPA fan...). Lots more beers by bottle. Service was great. Nice to have this place close to home - too bad it took us so long to discover it. We'll be back!
Amazing food, great service! The only annoying thing is the little kids running around, but hey the poor parents need to go out too...so I get it. It can get very busy on the week ends, but that's a good sign.
(5)
Rachel A.
Patio & overall ambiance - 4.5 stars Food - 3.5 stars Service - 2.5 stars Management - 1.5 stars I was so excited when I walked in; the place looked cute and the patio was a delightful oasis on a warm summer's evening. The server seemed pleasant enough. We ordered a Moscow Mule that was essentially an $8 ginger beer. I realize vodka doesn't have a powerful flavor, but there was zero evidence of its presence (both in terms of flavor and buzz-factor). The waitress seemed rather annoyed that my friend and I intended to socialize a bit before ordering food. It was 8PM on a Wednesday, so it's not like we were camping during peak time. She kept pressuring us to order food, but once the food had been delivered, there was very minimal follow-up. I overheard an exchange with the apparent manager where a table inquired as to how long the patio could stay open. He advised that legally they could stay open until midnight, but obviously, they'd only stay open if it was worth their while (which I guess means if they determine that they're making enough money). I definitely understand, but at that point, there were still about 20 people on the patio at it was 9:30PM (the posted hours indicate a 2AM closing). My friend and I decided to relocate inside to have one drink before heading out. The place had definitely thinned out but there were a few other people at the bar. We sat and sat and sat with empty glasses in front of us while the sour-pussed bartender kept cleaning the bar and ignoring us. After a solid 5-10 minutes, I asked if they were still open and if we could order 1 more round. She utterly refused to smile, even though we were smiling from ear to ear anytime we made a request. The manager started lingering close to us at the end of the bar. We mentioned that we liked the place overall, but had been a bit disappointed with our service. A well-trained professional manager probably would have apologized, asked what they could have done differently, or could have offered to buy our beers. Instead, he explained that he keeps an eye on how long it takes for a customer to order another round and we had been sitting for about 45 minutes without buying product. Um, pardon me? First of all, your bartender was not providing service. Secondly, if you're hanging out at a bar for several hours, you probably shouldn't be ordering drinks every 20 minutes. Lastly, there were 2 of us and we had already spent over $120 in the place. Bottom line: If you want to go and spend your money in a place that treats their customers like walking ATMs, go to the Iron Horse. For me, I'd prefer to spend my time (and money) supporting businesses whose goal is to provide their customers with an enjoyable, hospitable experience.
(2)
Michael T.
My wife and I have frequented Iron Horse Ale House since it opened, and have never been disappointed. The food, service, and ambiance have always been great, and we seem to always talk about our next visit. The outdoor patio is perfect on a warm summer night. They have a decent draught beer selection, a pretty good pizza, and... what else does one need??? It's also a nice place to catch a game. Overall, a very nice experience!
(5)
Heather J.
Went here last Saturday for dinner around 6:30pm. Finding parking wasn't easy with the snowstorm we recently had, and the parking lot they have is so small it only fits about 10 cars. The good news is that there was no wait at all to be seated, the staff was very nice, and the restaurant was very spacious. I liked the ambiance, minus the screaming children at the table next to ours. That, of course, isn't the restaurant's fault. There were a lot of families here with kids, which is understandable since it's one of the only modern restaurants in Norwood Park. I kind of expected it to be more like the Garage or a bar in Edison Park that was geared a little more towards the 20's crowd, though - a bar that just happened to serve good food - so that caught me a little off guard. The music was a little weird for a bar, too, they were playing oldies but goodies from Jason Mraz and the Fray. May have just been for the dinner hours? The bar menu was pretty decent, they have 20 or so beers on tap. $6 for a 16oz. craft beer... Didn't seem too much more expensive than Bar Louie or Park Tavern. My husband ordered a beer flight for $8 which was cheaper than most places we've been to. For food, we ordered the Spinach & Artichoke Dip appetizer, which was delicious. The pita bread was melt-in-your-mouth amazing. You can tell it didn't just come out of a box. For dinner, I ordered the Blackened Tilapia Tacos. The tilapia was seasoned and cooked perfectly! I would absolutely order again. My husband really enjoyed his Buffalo Chicken Wrap, too. Overall, we had a great experience here, and our check was at least $10 cheaper than it is when we visit the restaurants in Rosemont, for food that is 100x better than those restaurants. It'll likely become our go-to!
(4)
Marie M.
I really want to like this place, but they just make it so hard! Went for dinner tonight - a very warm summer evening and they had their big floor to ceiling window/doors wide open. If the heat didn't get to you, the bugs landing on your food did - flies, mosquito's, gnat's! I thought the little old man at the table next to us was going to pass out from the heat! We diplomatically and politely mentioned it to the gentleman that appeared to be the manager, and he did shut the doors and turn on the air, but he never came to check on us or apologize! Our waitress was fantastic and the food we were able to eat (without bugs landing on it) was very good! Typically it's the service that is the issue with this place, but tonight it was a poor management decision!
(1)
CKay D.
I like that this is the only place in the area that reminds you that you're still in the city of Chicago and also helps you forget you're in a weird incestuous bubble of a neighborhood where everyone knows each other, is related to each other, and/or has one of three careers. Great cocktails & good menu
(4)
Michaela O.
Great beer list. I had the tilapia tacos which were amazing. The patio was beautiful, we were here last weekend. Its very clean, family friendly, and the pizza oven is defiantly something to see! I will be back!
(4)
K J.
The first time I went here my family really enjoyed it. The pizzas were tasty, the patio was comfortable, and they had a nice children's menu. My one complaint was that the waitress had no idea about the beer on tap. We asked what they had on one of their rotating handles and she simply said "I dont know." but she didnt go and ask.... we asked her about another kind of beer and again... it was an "I dont know." Strange. But we liked the atmosphere and food enough to come back a week later. This time we had a terrible experience. We went in on a Tuesday at 5pm with 2 kids. It took 15 minutes to get our first beer. The waitress completely forgot the kids drinks until after the food arrived. When the pizza arrived after 40 minutes, she had put in the wrong kind of pizza. We ordered another beer and that took another 20 minutes to get. Everyone was getting really cranky and annoyed and we just wanted to get out of there. We ate quickly and asked for the bill which took another 20 minutes to get. This is unacceptable. The waitress also had no idea about items on the menu. I was going to ask a soup of the day and asked what was in it, and she didnt know and didnt find out. She also had no idea about the beer list. Frustrated that this place has potential but needs to really work on their game and wait staff.
(2)
Ashley C.
Iron Horse seemed like the perfect place to celebrate with some friends a few weeks ago. We sat on their large patio which was wonderful and one of the best things they have going. It is bar food with extremely slow and poor service. They've got the drinks down good. They had a nice selection and several price points too. The food was your typical bar food. The chicken wings were okay. They were crispy enough but didn't have as much flavor as I would expect. We also ordered two pizzas: pepperoni and the buffalo chicken. I personally didn't care for the buffalo chicken and thought there was too much sauce which through the ratio off. However, the pepperoni pizza was pretty good pizza especially for a bar and not a pizza place. The food alone gets a solid 3 stars. My biggest complaint would be the service which is really what knocks it down. It was slow and just not good. For instance, when we ordered the chicken wings as an appetizer, we asked them to be extra crispy. Our server responded that they really aren't that crispy and she can make a note but the kitchen won't follow it. I can appreciate honesty but it left a weird first impression of indifference that continued throughout our service. Our server was not friendly but rather appeared annoyed. We probably would have ordered more drinks but we weren't checked on frequently. I get that there may be some kinks since it is a newer place, so I would be willing to give them another chance.
(2)
SuzyintheCity S.
Nice ambiance. Good food. POOR service and mixed drinks WITHOUT alcohol in them (not what I wished for). When server (Julie F) was informed the drink was either absent alcohol or was watered down, she responded by saying it wasn't up to her, it was up to the bar tender and did nothing to follow up or correct the problem. So for me...one and DONE.
(1)
Vanessa A.
We came to Iron Horse Ale House as an alternative to a similar Edison Park eatery. Our party of five was seated promptly on a Friday night. We ordered 3 different sandwiches/ burgers a hot dog for our toddler and our older son had the pizza. Everything we had was great!!! I ordered a cheeseburger medium and that's exactly the way it was received. The pizza was amazing. All of our food was served fresh and hot. Prices are reasonable and our server was outstanding. She was attentive, personable and friendly. We'll definitely be back and this time my kids will try the make your own pizza. They did a good job putting the menu together it had a very good variety without being overwhelming. The IPA selection was good as well.
(5)
Joy T.
Great pizza and salads and beer selections. The staff are friendly and I've never had a bad experience here. Plenty of tv's to watch if you're looking for a spot to watch the game.
(5)
David M.
Ate here for the first time this week. My friends ordered pizza but I wanted to try the burger. Their pizza was fine, but my burger, ordered medium, was raw on the inside. Not pink- it was cold and completely uncooked. So I had it taken back. It later reappeared- not a new burger but the same burger, grilled a little longer. Another few bites to discover that it was still undercooked! Cold ground beef. The waitress said that "this is our medium," which I'm sure it was not (at least I hope not!), and it totally wasn't her fault. She was gracious and took it off the ticket without me even having to bring it up, but I won't be eating here again.
(1)
Mary M.
This is a suburban bar -- way more spacious and barn-like than most bars in the city, and good for groups. Not intimate, not dark, and quite loud on a weekend evening. The service was good, not amazing, and the food was above average. The drinks were a bit on the weak side but there was a decent selection of beer. All in all, if I were meeting friends here, I'd be ok with it, but I wouldn't suggest it myself. I prefer a less anonymous bar.
(3)
Alex K.
Craft beer is something you don't really find in Norwood park. That's why I was excited when Iron Horse opened up. I've been here a few times since and haven't been disappointed. There are a bunch of great options on tap for those that want a little something more than Miller lite. The food has been great too. I've tried a few different pizzas and all have been solid. The decor has a pretty cool look to it as well, everything inside feels pretty open and you can tell a lot of work went into it before it opened. If you're in Norwood park this is the bar to be at for drinks and food.
(4)
K S.
This place may very well turn into my regular neighborhood pizza spot. Im not a fan of calamari but the bf ordered it and said it was decent and it was a nice size portion. Great service and I like how they have an area for the kids to play with pizza dough! WIll be back again to try other items on the menu!
(4)
Elizabeth S.
Great food and beer but not impressed with the service! Their beer selection was awesome and we loved the pizza. Our issue was with our server(s) who were missing at times and overbearing at others. The real issue is that after messing up our pizza order, we ended up with a second pizza but it seemed our server wanted to be compensated. When the bill came, we left a 13% tip based on the spotty service and she actually came back and said "well, I didn't include the tip", essentially asking for more money. I have never had that happen...and was shocked that after a mistake and subpar service, she would ask for more money. We added to the tip and felt it would be best to just warn other yelpers of this issue. Overall, great food and beer just not thrilled with the servers.
(2)
David K.
Chucky Cheese? Too many kids. Drinks were good. Ffsh and chips and salads not good. Service was good. No need for me to go back.
(1)
Justin B.
Food was good but there were about 25 children running around unattended. This was at night during March madness. Not a child environment. I am all about family friendly but this was not appropriate. If you want a nice bar to have a drink with a friend, try another place. This is a family place, not a bar. Of that's what you are looking for, go for it.
(1)
Tricia K.
The beer selection here is great! A balanced selection of different types of craft beers. The wood burning oven makes yummy pizzas (try the arugula)! They also have a nice patio on the side of the building (no street noise). Service is always great and would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone! Kids welcome :)
(5)
Kent T.
Excellent service, outdoor patio, great music, and we all thought our meals were delicious. Great atmosphere!
(4)
Michael N.
Went the other night and was told "no specials during the summer." That was odd, especially when most places are looking for increased business mid-week. But the other thing was the wings were not cooked completely through--not raw, but a bit too chewy. Lastly, did not get pizza this time and we were disappointed. The pizza is really, really good, but the other items on the menu need a little work. All in all, we will give another shot, maybe when football season rolls around.
(3)
C B.
We haven't been here since the place opened over a year ago. So glad we decided to give it a try again. The menu's changed for the better. The food and ambiance were good. But it's a little too much with that guy walking around trying to clean up tables. I know he's helping out the servers but he's cleaning up while your still eating or finishing up. A little overbearing. Almost like you're being rushed to turn the table over.
(4)
Holly S.
Great outdoor patio! Yummy pizza and it wasn't too crowded or noisy on a Saturday afternoon in perfect weather. This was a great find. We had the Cobb salad and a small vodka pizza. The pizza was very good. My male friend was however a little disappointed in the draft selection but he is a beer snob.
(4)
Russell S.
Great place for drinks and dinner, with a couple looking for a lively atmosphere, to groups. Our group tonight had four friends, and subsequent groups of 10, 12, and 20 came in on a Tuesday night. Even though the waitstaff wasn't expecting the place to fill up on a Tuesday night, they handled it like pros. While there are plenty of craft beers to be found here, I was here just under a year ago and the craft beer list was largely unchanged, so I would prefer to see a little more variety/rotation. Our food was amazing. From our appetizers of calamari as large as small/med onion rings, to the pulled pork and cheddar fritters -- yes, pulled pork in a ball mixed with cheddar cheese and deep fried with bbq dipping sauce. Highly recommend either or both. For entrees our party had 1/2 lb Bacon Cheeseburger (solid), Steak Salad (amazing), Pulled Pork/Burger on a flatbread (amazing), and a Pulled Pork Sandwich (excellent). Celebratory chocolate/hazelnut cake with raspberry sauce, candied walnuts, and whipped cream. Yum! In addition to the good food and drinks, we prolonged our celebration night for four hours. Julie, our server was as attentive as she was charming, and a good sport to the antics of 40-something year old juveniles. While this was my return trip (brick oven pizza also highly recommended), the other three were first-timers and all said they would return. One even took a Pulled Pork/Burger and fries to go!
(4)
Kevin F.
Exceptional Pizza and Burgers! Great Beer List! Nice Wine list, Beautiful outdoor patio! What else do you need?
(5)
Kevin R.
This place rocks!!! The service is wonderful the waitstaff is so friendly and attentive. Had a Bloody Mary and was really good and had bacon in it. They simplified the menu and the hand made pizza is great. They let kids play with dough and make stuff. This place use to be a old post office and the atmosphere is wonderful. If your ever in the hood you must stop by. Oh yeah they have a large selection of beers.
(5)
Eric Y.
Just took the family for the first time and it was great. Food was incredible. Atmosphere was awesome with tons of tvs. Giving the kids the option to "make" pizzas is genius. We will definitely be back.
(5)
Alexandra P.
The food was great and so was the atmosphere, I will definitely be back!
(4)
Jimmy B.
Stopped in to try out a new place while in the neighborhood, and I'm so glad we did. Tried a little of a lot! The pizzas are outstanding, the beer selection is good, the burgers were great too, but I think the pizza was better. I love the atmosphere and the staff too. Overall, this was a great find for us, and I envy those who live closer to it!
(5)
B K.
This is a great neighborhood place to bring kids or hang out with friends. Solid food with a nice beer selection. I'll be back.
(4)
Kate L.
I live right across the street from here and have probably been here 30 times. I have been in here multiple times during the week and often not a single other soul was in there. It is so sad seeing a restaurant totally empty. Especially one so nice with good food! My family has been in the restaurant business for years - you simply HAVE to offer specials. Anyone and everyone are looking for a good deal and to save a buck in anyway possible. You are up against some serious competition only a mile away in Edison Park. Here are just some specials that my girlfriends and I go to all the time - especially in the summer! This is a list I know off the top of my head too so I'm sure there are more than I'm missing. Nono Pino's- Mondays- Friday: Happy hour at Nono Pinos from 5-7. $2-$3 appetizers with the purchase of 1 beverage. We get so much food for so little money that we tend to spend nearly $30 a person on drinks. Cafe Touche: This food is to die for!!! $5 apps Sunday nights. $10 bottomless mimosas or bloody mary on Saturday and Sunday during brunch (10-2 i think?). 1/2 priced bottles of wine on Wednesdays. $5 martinis on Tuesdays. Moretti's: They always have food and drink deals going on but a really good one is 1/2 price pizzas on Tuesdays - even gluten free pizza is 1/2 off! They also have some of the best delivery service around with a ton of great coupons on their site! Zia's: I think every night they have $5 wine glasses or $20 bottles. Wednesday they have $5 apps! amazzzziiiinnnnggg food! Firewater: Drink specials every day of the week Carragh: Drink specials every day of the week- big fan of the 1/2 priced bottles of wine on Tuesdays and $5 Martinis on Wednesdays. You also have Houlihan's in downtown Park Ridge with a great happy hour deal as well. Iron Horse has such a great potential but I wouldn't be surprised at all if it went under. You have all of those people that walk from the train station that could easily pick up food (IF YOU EVEN OFFERED CARRY-OUT!!) or meet their families there. Offer things like 1/2 off pizzas, $3 beers, $5 glasses of wine, happy hour every monday-friday 5-7. With the winter approaching I am just imagining right now an even emptier restaurant. Really a shame that myself and all of my neighbors included head on over to EP before going to our local restaurant. Would hate to see it go under but it just isn't worth the money when you can spend a fraction less a mile away.
(2)
Matthew R.
I have to say they put a lot into this place, and the enviroment is awesome, but the reason for the 4 stars is lack of service, and NO PICKUP OR DELIVERY option. I get that the place is a "bar", but if you're the only pizza place in the area, or anywhere that comes close, why wouldn't this be implemented. I'd have to say all their food is delicious, their pizzas have a lot of variety, and there is a large selection of other dishes, like their burgers, steaks, etc. Check it out, if you need a casual spot to eat, and have a drink.
(4)
Bea M.
Had our holiday party at #IronHorseChgo Ale House and have to say we had exceptional service & the pizza and salad were awesome! Try the arugula pizza-yum, bbque and meat lovers pizza also got great reviews.
(5)
David M.
My wife and I tried it over the weekend and were pleased. Open, airy atmosphere, decent beer selection and good food. Nice to have another go to restaurant in the area. Will be back.
(4)
Maurice H.
New ale house in town. Very busy on a Friday night, but instead of fighting the traffic from O'Hare into town, we decided to try this spot. Open about a year, it has good ambience in a building that was once a fire house. The ceiling was especially interesting in design and construction, as was the pizza oven that had a turntable built in! Long bar with many beer selections. Interesting variety of tables - high, low, long and short. Service was hectic, but server was great. BBQ wings were flavorable, juicy and cooked perfectly. Salad with chicken was standard faire, Margarita pizza -tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, parmesan, pecorino, evoo, and basil came to table cold, was sent back for a replacement. Four cheese - Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, asiago, provolone, fontina, evoo was not hot either, but consumed anyway. The "Smokin' Piggy" Burger - Grilled 1/2 pound burger with smoked mozzarella piggy-backed with house made bbq pulled pork and tabasco fried onions, served on brick oven bun was delicious. Four stars would be deserved if the food was hot when served. Manager came to the table and asked so was told, and offered to discount the food and was apologetic. I think this will be a very successful place, and a good stop even if the traffic is not troublesome.
(3)
Caroline S.
Great place! Impressive selection of excellent beers on tap. Delicious food - burgers are outstanding, and spot on service. Look forward to going back!
(5)
Andi C.
Not a four star from me because the waitress was slow getting our drinks to us- we went on a really snowy Saturday afternoon- you could hear a pin drop in the place. So I am not sure why she was so "busy" Pros: 1. Good draft and bottle beer selections.- Angry Orchard on tap. 2. Pizza is good brick oven- taste very fresh and they will add or subtract what ever you like. 3. Nice open atmosphere in the back- big booths with bolster pillows that you really just sort of shove to the side. 4. We have been here three times and have never waited for a table. Cons: 1. Parking is not so good- small lot- unless you can find street parking 2. The pizza guys are a little weird.- you can sit there and watch them make the pizzas and put them into the brick oven- but they are not particularly talkative or friendly. 3.As my friend was deciding on what beer to get next- the server took his" thinking" to mean he wanted the same beer he already had...and brought it out for him.. Overall- enjoyable, quiet, cozy- not too "bar-ee" and the food was good.
(4)
Amber K.
Have had drinks at this bar and they've been decent... Good... But appetizers with late night drinks are seriously lacking... Ordered two different ones and was sorely disappointed.
(3)
Andre L.
Went on a Sunday afternoon just before the dinner rush (almost empty when we arrived). My 2 children and I had to wait over 45min! The server was pleasant but not attentive enough nor apologetic enough-they didn't even take something off the bill. The ambiance is nice. The server gave the excuse that they got swamped- but that was after we had ordered. Food was ok. Kid's portions small. I had the Iron skillet burger which was ok- served on flat bread/tortilla -eh. Beer selection is fairly large if not too adventurous. Won't be back.
(2)
Mike O.
I live in the area, and always try to give my business to local establishments. I went with a group of 5 people and we had a reservation. We finally got seated and for over 40 minutes sat at the table. No water, no menus no waitress and we had to keep going to the bar for drinks. At one point I even asked the hostess if we had a waitress and ten minutes later still nothing. Thankfully the bartender (Laura) was great. She actually came from behind the bar and took care of our food order. She apologized as she was not really a waitress and would attempt to take care of us. She had no reason to apologize as her service was great. A manager came over to apologize saying they had gotten slammed and the wait staff was overwhelmed. I looked around and the place was at about 10% capacity. I would really hate to see the service when they are really busy. The food was average bar food. If you only want drinks, go to the bar and ask for Laura. She was the only bright light to the evening. I will not be going back
(1)
Liz J.
Great beer. Huge selection of craft beers on tap. Awesome pizza and salads. Not your average bar pizza, delicious, creative pies. Fun atmosphere and friendly staff. This is just what we needed in Norwood Park
(5)
Oliver Y.
Great Pizza, went with the 12" meat lovers, 12" Italian, and Buffalo wings (6 pieces) for app all good selections....Beer, bottle or draft everything from A to Z. Great place to host your next event, has a 2nd floor and 2 parking lots!
(4)
Mike K.
Went here a few times when they first opened and it was just "meh", though the beer menu was stellar the food and service was sub par. Probably 4-5 months have passed and I tried this place again last week. They must have gotten a new cook because the food is fantastic. Killer fish tacos. Pizza's are also better than they were. I've been back twice since that visit. Beer menu still rocks. Only 4 stars because the service still seems to be hit or miss. More than once they forgot to bring drinks and I had to seek them out to ask for it again. Big kudos to the kitchen staff, huge improvement!
(4)
Michelle D.
I was there on Saturday evening with a large group of 19 adults/kids. One adult and one child we were with have celiac disease and need to be extremely careful with how the food is prepared. The manager could not have been more helpful, offering for the chef to come out if they had any questions. Our server was fantastic and gave my friend's son plastic gloves, so that he could play with the pizza dough along with his friends. My friends were so happy and impressed they have a restaurant they can go to and not worry!! Awesome evening and food was delish!!
(5)
Lauren A.
I have been here several times since writing my initial review and I can definitely say the service has improved greatly. They really seem to have their act together now. While this is a good thing and I seriously do love the pizza, I will never understand why there are always SO MANY children here. Also, when we walked in this past Saturday, I asked the hostess to seat us away from the pizza making area where all the little kids hang out. She said fine and then asked me if there would be any children in our party. Huh??? Anyway, as I said in my first review, as long as you stay away from that back corner, this place rules.
(4)
Karena L.
It's a great addition to our area. Enjoyed their brick-oven pizza, their late night menu option was pretty decent. They have a good beer selection too. Looking forward to going back and hanging out on their patio area once it gets warm!!
(4)
Kate i.
This place is great. We ordered a pizza, a burger, a beer, a mixed drink, an iced tea, and a dessert. We wanted to try everything. The pizza was pretty good, the burger was awesome, the drinks were made to order. The iced tea was enormous. I love generous beverages. The dessert was beautiful and tasty. I couldn't believe how affordable it all was, given the beautiful decor and the big ol' portions. The waitress was sweet and one of the owners came over to see how we were doing. The staff was very accommodating with our baby and stroller. We are already planning on eating there for my birthday next week. Can't wait!
(5)
Bill P.
I came to Iron Horse Ale House for a family birthday celebration. The place has been open several months, in space that may once have been industrial, or perhaps a car shop. It's been cleaned up nicely, and the main room is very large, with party rooms upstairs. The place is family friendly in the early evening. Patrons brought kids who mostly took in the action around the pizza oven. Kids got a lump of pizza dough & instructions on rolling & flattening it. (My youngest nephew mastered the art of beaning me in the head with his lump, & couldn't have been more pleased with himself....). Food consists of a few sandwiches, salads, & thin crust pizza. I had a blue cheese burger cooked as requested, very good. Fries were served hot and nicely seasoned. Salads got finished finished & pizzas were devoured before I could sample a slice. That & the praise told me they do pizza well here... I'm the guy at the bar knocking down Diet Cokes, but I did read the menu. There is a huge selection of beer, wine, and liquor, major & international brands plus locally brewed and seasonal choices. Staff was attentive, friendly, and worked hard. No doubt the work ethic has helped them establish their new place, and as time goes by Iron Horse will improve even more. Check them out.
(5)
TJ D.
Love love love this Norwood park treasure. The owners, Chris, Joe and Kevin are the best. Pizza is terrific, service is professional and beer selection is excellent. Outdoor patio in the summer is a welcome addition.
(5)
Jason J.
Really glad this place in the neighborhood now. We had only been here for drinks, but finally went for food as well. The brick oven was calling out to us, so we decided on the pepperoni because we trying to be safe. It was good. The crust was crispy with right amount of chew, and the sauce and toppings were tasty. But for a brick oven pizza the center got soggy a little too fast. Still good though. The place is really nice inside, and the beer selection is awesome. When it's warm out they have a large outside seating area, and a party room upstairs. It's a great place to hang out and chat, or watch a game ( lots of tv's with sports on them!) and the prices were reasonable. I'll be back for sure.
(4)
Shaun H.
I somehow found myself back here after another place didn't work out. We shared a pizza and a pasta dish. The pasta was pretty great, so maybe this place can grow on me after all.
(3)
Ed B.
So been there a couple times but more importantly to the competition in the area as well. Its come down to us eating at other places more often and that drops a star for me. The menu hasn't really changed, last time I was there I spent about 10 minutes looking at the menu constantly flipping over looking for more. They have this great looking kitchen just wish they started to expand on that menu a bit more. I'm highly annoyed with grilled onions being a $1 add on vs free raw onions. Offer specialty burgers you know like pepper jack / avocado and spicy mayo etc.. vs making that a $2.50 upgrade to an existing burger (thats minus grilled onions of course). Technically you could add on $5 dollars of add on items to a burger, hello 5 Guys offers more for free and a better burger IMO. Beer list is small but decent, however I didn't understand why of the 4 beers I ordered (all different styles) they were all served in a tulip glass (8-10oz) vs a pint glass for the beers that fit that style, I'm not a Cicerone by any means but know a low abv session beer on draft is usually served a pint glass. Staff was still great on our last couple visits, I like this place and will keep going back but its not my first choice for the area.
(3)
Paulina S.
Love this new restaurant. The pizza is incredible. I tried the buffalo chicken pizza and I loved it. Also the fried calamari was really tastey. There is plenty of TVs to watch sports, and they have a patio! I also enjoy the many beers they have on draft, and they have a great wine selection. I will definitely be coming back.
(5)
Kevin R.
Went there today for the first time. Sat at the bar and had excellent service from Laura. Food that I had was great. Fresh ingredients and obviously house made. Sorry that I have not tried this place sooner, I will be back.
(4)
Sean W.
My wife and I have come to Iron Horse a few times and have had a great time. The pizza is GREAT! It does get busy from time to time, but what popular place doesn't? Great staff, great food, and great drink prices. We'll be coming back on a regular basis!
(5)
Mike G.
I have been here four times already and the food and beer is great. I do agree with the others that the service was not the greatest until I had an amazing waitress give me the best experience and change my mind. The first time I went there with a few buddies we had a waitress named Jeannine who was horrible. She had my order wrong and she ran around and was kind of rude. I figured the place just opened....But really?? I think the place may hire anyone off the street the way some of the people look that work there. The second time a few friends and I went we had Paulina...so sweet and nice. She got our orders right and was attentive to our table. The pizza that night was so amazing and delicious. The next time we went we had the best waitress named Bridget. She was so atttentive to our table and asked us frequently what we needed. She never let my glass get empty without asking if I needed another beer. She smiled the whole time and recommended new things to us. The arugula pizza and calamri she was fantasatic!!! Also she recommended the Allagash beer and that also was amazing. She changed my mind about the whole place and made my experience wonderful. I will only ask for her when I come in!!! Overall a great place. Too many kids and families though.
(5)
Mike L.
I'd give it a 3.5 but Yelp won't allow that on a star rating. The staff was VERY friendly and attentive - the beer was very good, the lighting could be a little more subdued - after all, it is a bar. The decor is very nice and warm with high ceilings and lots of wood and exposed brick - nice job on the remodel. The Margherita Pizza was ok - almost a 4, the cheese was high quality and the tomato sauce had a decent flavor - not sure I liked the corn meal used to brown up the crust - takes away from the authentic brick oven technique in Italy, but it was good so I am not trying to complain, just being honest. I think they will do well - there was a good crowd and the owner is certainly hands on which is a good thing. I would say it was worth it and I would go back.
(3)
Pat C.
Well I have been here a few times, first time I was here I just had a few drinks with friends. The service at the bar was very good even with how busy it was for a Bears game. This time we stopped in for dinner and some entertainment. Had the wings they were ok nothing to write home about. The pizza is brick oven so I was excited to try it. We ordered a veggie pizza which, lol whatever if I want pizza I say load it with meat but I was out voted. The pizza was tasteless and under cooked. I was surprised that it came out so fast with the salads and wings. Very little sauce and the veggies were soggy. The crust was to thick and under cooked so much so that I bit into raw pizza dough. So they have work to on the pizza. The waitress was very nice and she was quick. I can't complain about the service here because every time I have been there it has been very good. If Iron Horse fails it wll be because of the food for sure. I am not a big fan of processed food and I just for one would love to see a place like this serve real food grown locally. The quality would be so much better and we can pump local money into our local economy. But that's a rant for another time lol. Going out to eat is hard to find quality in Bar food which is what Iron Horse serves its customers. In closing enjoy the drinks the food... eh its so so. You wont get blown away.
(2)
Jennifer B.
Very disappointed ! Food was awful pizza was bland and the fish and fries tasted like a freezer! The beer was expensive and totally not worth it since it took 10 minutes to get one! The service was average and the parking lot is a death trap! Way to many kids I totally get it they want to be neighborhood friendly but its a little much! Hard to enjoy dinner and drinks at a BAR with kids screaming in the background! One time was more then enough for my husband and myself! If I could give this place a negative star I would!
(1)
Robert G.
Food is great especially the pizzas and a variety of draft beer selection is amazing ... But Is it a bar or a family restaurant? They need to figure it out soon or they will lose a lot of potential business. There is no ambience to be have here especially with children running around.
(2)
Alex M.
This place is great. I tried the brick oven pizza last night and it was very good. Had a nice dinner after work with my wife.
(5)
Mark S.
This is a wonderful addition to the Norwood park and north west side. It provides an EXCEPTIONAL VALUE. By the looks of the place I'd expect the prices to be 20-30% higher. We are very lucky to have this place in our back yard and will be back once or twice a week for sure.
(5)
john k.
They have a great upstairs room for private parties. Food and service are worth the trip
(4)
Jen S.
While the neighborhood can definitely use this kind of establishment, the food was ok but nothing you will crave and make a special trip back for. Decent selection of beers although our first two choices were not available. Pizza is better than what get in your grocer's freezer, but it could use improvement. Prefer Piece as a beer and pizza joint, but this handy and not crowded. The biggest advantage this place has is an outdoor patio that is not on the highway and its own small parking lot.
(3)
Anne W.
This is a fantastic neighborhood restaurant/bar for all ages. There were many families enjoying meals, while the bar crowd simultaneously enjoyed adult beverages and watched the Bears on many conveniently located tvs. The service at Iron Horse is very friendly and attentive, and the prices are reasonable. There is an adjacent parking lot, making life easier. There is also a beautiful outdoor patio (although it's a little chilly for that now). The food is ample and delicious. I loved the chopped salad, and there is plenty for two people (even though I didn't share). And, you must try the Asiago garlic bread, which is awesome. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised when you experience this new neighborhood gem. I was.
(5)
Chuck J.
So, we finally got around to trying this place. On a Thursday nite they had a large (but by no means full) crowd at 6:30. We did not find it too noisy, and our server was excellent! The beers were interesting, but the best part is that the burgers were Outstanding! We left VERY happy that the Iron Horse has opened in our neighborhood. My only suggestion...add some Scotch to your drink menu.
(4)
Bob M.
Took the family for pizza. Our first time here. Very cold day in Chicago, but the restaurant was pleasantly warm. Service was right on, and the pizza very good. We'll be back.
(4)
Tanja Z.
I'm so happy that a new place opend in my neighborhood. I walked over last night for dinner and to watch some football. The inside of the place had a more low key section, busy middle section with TV's and bar, and a cool patio. Def a nice space. The burgers were really good and you practically get a Big Gulp sized drink which is awesome. The fries were kinda on the soft side which isnt my thing but had good flavor. The stand out was the Nutella, banana, and strawberry pizza with chocolate sauce. OMG it was heaven in my mouth!!! I plan on coming back on Sunday to try the brick oven pizzas.
(5)
Squeaky F.
Great selection of beer to go along with the tasty brick oven pizza. I recommend the margarita pizza; although next time I will ask for extra basil.
(4)
Marianne M.
Had dinner with my husband and Kids last night at Iron Horse and really enjoyed it! The wood burning oven pizzas were fantastic, kids menu was cute and offered the basics. Beer selection is fantastic!!! Service needs a little help, but they will get there. The location is perfect, Norwood Park and NW side of Chicago needs a cool place like this. Looking forward to summer when the patio is open. Will be back soon to try some more menu items.
(4)
Em P.
Stopped back in.. This time simply for drinks. We had a server who was neither friendly or unfriendly.. With an apparent lack of disinterest for her job. She had no insight or suggestion to the menu and kindof made a face when she realized we were simply there for drinks. I do enjoy their enormous selection of beers.. However I really wish they would advertise specials more. I'll be back.. Cause I really like the feel of this bar but will run the other way if I get this waitress.
(3)
Kerin B.
We have been waiting for Iron Horse to open for a while and were happy as soon as we walked in the door. It is a nice comfortable place to be. Love the decor-- they left parts of the old building (i think it was a post office) and blended the new in nicely. Very glad to find another local place that has gluten free drink and food options. They have gluten free beer (I didn't try it) and Tito's vodka. They actually have a separate gluten free menu with pizza, appetizers, sandwiches and pasta dishes. The gluten free pizza is brick oven style and it is pretty good (about as good as gluten free pizza can get). Great place to go have drinks or have dinner.
(4)
Mark R.
I've stopped in a few times. When they first opened they were busy, but lately they've slowed down quite a bit. The food is good but not great,don't bother trying their salads, they save their greens too long, I hate old lettuce in an expensive salad. the pizzas are OK though, overall I would give the place 3 stars for the food. For the bar however I can only give them 1 star, the place just doesn't feel like a bar, too many kids running around, lighting always too bright, just misses. Overall rating 2 stars, I don't think I'll be back soon.
(2)
Dawn G.
Great pizza, fantastic beer selection, comfortable environment for conversation w/attentive staff, too. Can't wait to go back.
(5)
John C.
Went in for a burger. Burger was delicious. Had two beer specials also delicious. Wait staff was a little slow. Plan on going back for the pizza.
(4)
Brian O.
Great beer selection and pizza was great. Wide open back room plenty of room.
(5)
Victoria B.
Was in recently and the food was outstanding. This place JUST opened...only weeks ago and was crowded because the neighborhood has been excited about the opening. Service was slow--but it is obvious that it is because the place is new and still figuring out stuff and making some changes. I still had a great time regardless. I heard they are helping the local area by hiring local people---which is GREAT! There's not many options for food and spirits in the area....and the community needs this place. So, give it some time to iron out the kinks...
(5)
Arnold F.
Great edition to the neighborhood !! Went in with a large party and everyone loved thier food(the 1/2 chicken dinner was something special).Service was great and the beer fantastic.Enjoy!!
(5)
Lori M.
First of all, I'd like to identify myself as a 53 y/o suburbanite. After reading Yelp reviews for years, I think this is important, because frankly, I don't want to hear what a 20 something has to say about a restaurant. Too inexperienced, in just about everything. Period. Personally, I'd like to see the reviewer's age on all posts. At least then I'd have a point of reference. Thanks to the establishment for opening this breath of fresh air on the NW side. Two parking lots make it mighty convenient to choose this place as a dining destination. Great old building (old post office?) and nicely renovated. Large and airy main floor, warm colors and lighting and with the "must have" (for some) multiple, yet unobtrusive flat screens. Not too loud, but it was early. Ample selection of craft beer on tap. Plenty of bottles, but why would you? Not a huge food menu, but nice pub style choices. Had fried calamari. Crispy, light, perfectly cooked with 2 great sauces. Nice appetizer size also. Buffalo chicken pizza. Tasty with just the right amount of heat. Burgers, perfectly cooked on a soft, high, shiny egg bun. Fries-crispy on the outside, fluffy potato insides. Not too thin, or too wide. Everything came out hot. (A nod to the server, because really they're responsible for getting food out on time). Cole slaw, while fresh and crisp, had good celery seed flavor but was a little dry. Just a splash more dressing please. One more word about service: efficient, attentive, not overpowering. Thank you. I think the area for letting kids watch the pizza being made is great. Kids get to play with raw dough and everyone is happy. I remember those days. Prices are fair and it's great to see a trendy type place out here. I resent all the cool restaurants opening up in difficult to reach areas in the city. Nice that Iron Horse took a gamble on us. Will look forward to warm weather and the beer garden.
(4)
Tavis B.
I visited on the second day they were open for business. I love the concept of a pub featuring only fresh, and mostly locally sourced food and craft beers. The wood-fired pizza is a very refreshing and delicious change. I wasn't sure about Buffalo chicken pizza, but it rocked. Chicken/beef/sausage sliders were a good deal at $2 each, and were not skimpy, great for just a nibble when you're 'on the drink.' Great patio /beer garden. Are there kinks to be worked out? Of course. I"ve never visited a new restauran/bart that didn't.. However, their commitment to quality fresh local food, craft beer and spirits will bring the hoardes to Norwood Park, and the I'm certain that the other pubs will benefit as well.
(5)
Mike B.
Great place to go for moderately priced food. They have a good variety on the menu for meat eaters and vegetarians, and a great selection of beers. I'm glad to see Norwood Park get some restaurants and this is the best of them.
(4)
Sara N.
I had a great time here with a group of friends Friday night. They were really busy but the service was still friendly and fast. They have excellent pizza a great selection of beers on tap. Overall, a great experience and we will definitely be back!
(5)
Margaret P.
I was so excited about this place opening up and I heard a lot of talk about it. We waited a few weeks until they worked out the new restaurant snafus before a group of us tried it. It was worth the wait! The restaurant is beautiful! The service was terrific and very attentive! And the food was full on fantastic! We ordered a variety of pizzas after seeing their awesome wood burning pizza oven. Each pizza was super delicious! Everyone at our table gave it rave reviews. This is definitely going to be my go to dinner out place!
(5)
Erin S.
This is a great addition to the neighborhood! The brick oven pizza is great and the burger is awesome. Nice place to bring the family - the front bar is the bar area with booths and hi-tops while regular tables are in the back so the kids can see the pizza being made etc... Very nice atmosphere.
(4)
Danielle B.
We came here on a Friday night. We started off with calamari which was really good. Our beers were great and came out very quickly. Our waiter was obviously new and very young but still did a great job. Although he was a little annoying, but he still tried his best. We ordered the smokin pizza which was great. It was very fresh and really great tasting. Another thing, It is also quite obvious that they are trying to be a family restaurant. If you call yourself an ale house, that's what people will take it as. Kids were all over the place and watching the pizza-making take place. As they could easily wipe their snot and sneeze all over your pizza. Anyways, as the place started getting busier we noticed that the owners were walking around trying to find more tables. There were 3 open tables around us and we thought they were trying to seat a bigger party. Trying to be nice, we asked one of the owners if they would like us to move to a different table to make room for another party. Rudely, the owner replied, "moving to another table won't help." To us that meant get out we, need your table. We were offering to be nice and we got a rude response. Next, my friend got up to go to the restroom. He overheard the owner saying to the hostess, "if we can just get rid of that table"...while look at our table. After that we were disgusted and decided to take our beer drinking to Mo Daileys down the street. Overall, good food but bad service. Don't be rude to customers who are trying to be nice and spending their money at your establishment. Also, the smell of smoke is strong you will walk out smelling like a bonfire.
(3)
Michaela O.
Great beer list. I had the tilapia tacos which were amazing. The patio was beautiful, we were here last weekend. Its very clean, family friendly, and the pizza oven is defiantly something to see! I will be back!
(4)
Ed A.
I like it. I like it a lot. Industrial chic invades Edison Park. The food is good and sometimes great. The beer selection is pretty wide, although the wine menu is lacking. Great for groups and a departure from the darker closed in bars one normally finds. Open space at its finest. I came on an overcast day and can only imagine how this place looks in the sunlight and moonlight as well. They have a bar set aside to the east side of the place. Great to catch a quick drink and appetizers. Plenty of TVs as well. I kept wondering what kind of factory/industrial building this was. One day I'll ask. One downfall of this place is that it has a terrible sound system. Music sounds like that heard when listening from under the water. They got to fix that shit
(4)
Ezra E.
Always a pleasure - the food is good and they have a rotating IBW on tap which is a current favorite. Food is normally between decent and pretty good. They have a counter in the back where kids can play with pizza dough and the guys making pizzas will make the dough for them. this I think is the best bread they have. The giardinara is another hidden gem- it's fantasic. They never give you enough veggies though so you end up with a cup of oil. I mixed my oil with the green goddess dressing in my side salad which made that even better. The sandwiches so far have been pretty good. I still need to try the entrees and the pizza.
(4)
Racer S.
The food was very good - My wife had the pizza with arugula, etc., and it was tasty, nicely done, good crust (although just a little thick for neapolitan style pizza - e.g. Da Nella or Spacca Napoli - but then again, Iron Horse isn't trying to be them...). I had the Smokin' Piggy burger - delicious, served medium-rare like I asked. Different bun... seemed kind of like pizza dough baked as a bun - nice, chewy, much better than the typical burger bun. Decent selection of craft beers on tap - could be a little more diverse, but I found a couple I liked (IPA fan...). Lots more beers by bottle. Service was great. Nice to have this place close to home - too bad it took us so long to discover it. We'll be back!
Patio & overall ambiance - 4.5 stars Food - 3.5 stars Service - 2.5 stars Management - 1.5 stars I was so excited when I walked in; the place looked cute and the patio was a delightful oasis on a warm summer's evening. The server seemed pleasant enough. We ordered a Moscow Mule that was essentially an $8 ginger beer. I realize vodka doesn't have a powerful flavor, but there was zero evidence of its presence (both in terms of flavor and buzz-factor). The waitress seemed rather annoyed that my friend and I intended to socialize a bit before ordering food. It was 8PM on a Wednesday, so it's not like we were camping during peak time. She kept pressuring us to order food, but once the food had been delivered, there was very minimal follow-up. I overheard an exchange with the apparent manager where a table inquired as to how long the patio could stay open. He advised that legally they could stay open until midnight, but obviously, they'd only stay open if it was worth their while (which I guess means if they determine that they're making enough money). I definitely understand, but at that point, there were still about 20 people on the patio at it was 9:30PM (the posted hours indicate a 2AM closing). My friend and I decided to relocate inside to have one drink before heading out. The place had definitely thinned out but there were a few other people at the bar. We sat and sat and sat with empty glasses in front of us while the sour-pussed bartender kept cleaning the bar and ignoring us. After a solid 5-10 minutes, I asked if they were still open and if we could order 1 more round. She utterly refused to smile, even though we were smiling from ear to ear anytime we made a request. The manager started lingering close to us at the end of the bar. We mentioned that we liked the place overall, but had been a bit disappointed with our service. A well-trained professional manager probably would have apologized, asked what they could have done differently, or could have offered to buy our beers. Instead, he explained that he keeps an eye on how long it takes for a customer to order another round and we had been sitting for about 45 minutes without buying product. Um, pardon me? First of all, your bartender was not providing service. Secondly, if you're hanging out at a bar for several hours, you probably shouldn't be ordering drinks every 20 minutes. Lastly, there were 2 of us and we had already spent over $120 in the place. Bottom line: If you want to go and spend your money in a place that treats their customers like walking ATMs, go to the Iron Horse. For me, I'd prefer to spend my time (and money) supporting businesses whose goal is to provide their customers with an enjoyable, hospitable experience.
(2)
Alex K.
Craft beer is something you don't really find in Norwood park. That's why I was excited when Iron Horse opened up. I've been here a few times since and haven't been disappointed. There are a bunch of great options on tap for those that want a little something more than Miller lite. The food has been great too. I've tried a few different pizzas and all have been solid. The decor has a pretty cool look to it as well, everything inside feels pretty open and you can tell a lot of work went into it before it opened. If you're in Norwood park this is the bar to be at for drinks and food.
(4)
K S.
This place may very well turn into my regular neighborhood pizza spot. Im not a fan of calamari but the bf ordered it and said it was decent and it was a nice size portion. Great service and I like how they have an area for the kids to play with pizza dough! WIll be back again to try other items on the menu!
(4)
Heather J.
Went here last Saturday for dinner around 6:30pm. Finding parking wasn't easy with the snowstorm we recently had, and the parking lot they have is so small it only fits about 10 cars. The good news is that there was no wait at all to be seated, the staff was very nice, and the restaurant was very spacious. I liked the ambiance, minus the screaming children at the table next to ours. That, of course, isn't the restaurant's fault. There were a lot of families here with kids, which is understandable since it's one of the only modern restaurants in Norwood Park. I kind of expected it to be more like the Garage or a bar in Edison Park that was geared a little more towards the 20's crowd, though - a bar that just happened to serve good food - so that caught me a little off guard. The music was a little weird for a bar, too, they were playing oldies but goodies from Jason Mraz and the Fray. May have just been for the dinner hours? The bar menu was pretty decent, they have 20 or so beers on tap. $6 for a 16oz. craft beer... Didn't seem too much more expensive than Bar Louie or Park Tavern. My husband ordered a beer flight for $8 which was cheaper than most places we've been to. For food, we ordered the Spinach & Artichoke Dip appetizer, which was delicious. The pita bread was melt-in-your-mouth amazing. You can tell it didn't just come out of a box. For dinner, I ordered the Blackened Tilapia Tacos. The tilapia was seasoned and cooked perfectly! I would absolutely order again. My husband really enjoyed his Buffalo Chicken Wrap, too. Overall, we had a great experience here, and our check was at least $10 cheaper than it is when we visit the restaurants in Rosemont, for food that is 100x better than those restaurants. It'll likely become our go-to!
(4)
Angela K.
My husband and I were looking for a brewery, but also wanted some good pizza. So glad we found this place on Yelp! We went there yesterday evening for dinner around 6:30. There weren't many other patrons there when we first arrived. We were seated right away in a table against the wall with a bench seat. We ordered a couple of draft porters from Revolution which were very tasty! The beer list was extensive, as was the bourbon/whiskey list, and list of other cocktails and wine. There was a lot from which to choose! We tried the pulled pork and cheddar fritters to start. They were not what we were expecting, they came out in the shape of a ball (like a hushpuppy), but the flavor was pretty good. We then decided to try a couple of different 12" pizzas. We ordered the Arugala and the Italian. The crust was thin, crispy around the edges and had great flavor! The italian sausage on the one pizza had wonderful flavor that added to the overall taste of the pizza without being overwhleming. The Arugala pizza was a much milder flavor profile but was enhanced nicely with some grated parma and oregano. I would have liked to have seen a little more proscuitto on it though. They went a little skimpy with that ingredient and very heavy on the arugala. All in all this was a great experience in an awesome atmosphere. They did a nice job on the interior of this place. It was very clean, good for groups and kids, and had tons of TVs that the waitresses seemed ok with changing to accommodate folks sitting in close proximity. By the time we left here around 8:30, the place was packed!
(4)
Hilda B.
Amazing food, great service! The only annoying thing is the little kids running around, but hey the poor parents need to go out too...so I get it. It can get very busy on the week ends, but that's a good sign.
(5)
Marie M.
I really want to like this place, but they just make it so hard! Went for dinner tonight - a very warm summer evening and they had their big floor to ceiling window/doors wide open. If the heat didn't get to you, the bugs landing on your food did - flies, mosquito's, gnat's! I thought the little old man at the table next to us was going to pass out from the heat! We diplomatically and politely mentioned it to the gentleman that appeared to be the manager, and he did shut the doors and turn on the air, but he never came to check on us or apologize! Our waitress was fantastic and the food we were able to eat (without bugs landing on it) was very good! Typically it's the service that is the issue with this place, but tonight it was a poor management decision!
(1)
Ashley C.
Iron Horse seemed like the perfect place to celebrate with some friends a few weeks ago. We sat on their large patio which was wonderful and one of the best things they have going. It is bar food with extremely slow and poor service. They've got the drinks down good. They had a nice selection and several price points too. The food was your typical bar food. The chicken wings were okay. They were crispy enough but didn't have as much flavor as I would expect. We also ordered two pizzas: pepperoni and the buffalo chicken. I personally didn't care for the buffalo chicken and thought there was too much sauce which through the ratio off. However, the pepperoni pizza was pretty good pizza especially for a bar and not a pizza place. The food alone gets a solid 3 stars. My biggest complaint would be the service which is really what knocks it down. It was slow and just not good. For instance, when we ordered the chicken wings as an appetizer, we asked them to be extra crispy. Our server responded that they really aren't that crispy and she can make a note but the kitchen won't follow it. I can appreciate honesty but it left a weird first impression of indifference that continued throughout our service. Our server was not friendly but rather appeared annoyed. We probably would have ordered more drinks but we weren't checked on frequently. I get that there may be some kinks since it is a newer place, so I would be willing to give them another chance.
(2)
SuzyintheCity S.
Nice ambiance. Good food. POOR service and mixed drinks WITHOUT alcohol in them (not what I wished for). When server (Julie F) was informed the drink was either absent alcohol or was watered down, she responded by saying it wasn't up to her, it was up to the bar tender and did nothing to follow up or correct the problem. So for me...one and DONE.
(1)
Renderking M.
We'll be back. Nice ambiance. We were sold on everything but the service. It wasn't terrible, but slightly unwelcoming. Reminded me of a Boston bar where the servers are cold and unemotional. Beer selection was slightly pricey, but comparable to other high-end/suburban bars. If they had more weekday specials, we'd add it to our list of regular spots.
(4)
CKay D.
I like that this is the only place in the area that reminds you that you're still in the city of Chicago and also helps you forget you're in a weird incestuous bubble of a neighborhood where everyone knows each other, is related to each other, and/or has one of three careers. Great cocktails & good menu
(4)
K J.
The first time I went here my family really enjoyed it. The pizzas were tasty, the patio was comfortable, and they had a nice children's menu. My one complaint was that the waitress had no idea about the beer on tap. We asked what they had on one of their rotating handles and she simply said "I dont know." but she didnt go and ask.... we asked her about another kind of beer and again... it was an "I dont know." Strange. But we liked the atmosphere and food enough to come back a week later. This time we had a terrible experience. We went in on a Tuesday at 5pm with 2 kids. It took 15 minutes to get our first beer. The waitress completely forgot the kids drinks until after the food arrived. When the pizza arrived after 40 minutes, she had put in the wrong kind of pizza. We ordered another beer and that took another 20 minutes to get. Everyone was getting really cranky and annoyed and we just wanted to get out of there. We ate quickly and asked for the bill which took another 20 minutes to get. This is unacceptable. The waitress also had no idea about items on the menu. I was going to ask a soup of the day and asked what was in it, and she didnt know and didnt find out. She also had no idea about the beer list. Frustrated that this place has potential but needs to really work on their game and wait staff.
(2)
Vanessa A.
We came to Iron Horse Ale House as an alternative to a similar Edison Park eatery. Our party of five was seated promptly on a Friday night. We ordered 3 different sandwiches/ burgers a hot dog for our toddler and our older son had the pizza. Everything we had was great!!! I ordered a cheeseburger medium and that's exactly the way it was received. The pizza was amazing. All of our food was served fresh and hot. Prices are reasonable and our server was outstanding. She was attentive, personable and friendly. We'll definitely be back and this time my kids will try the make your own pizza. They did a good job putting the menu together it had a very good variety without being overwhelming. The IPA selection was good as well.
(5)
Joy T.
Great pizza and salads and beer selections. The staff are friendly and I've never had a bad experience here. Plenty of tv's to watch if you're looking for a spot to watch the game.
(5)
David M.
Ate here for the first time this week. My friends ordered pizza but I wanted to try the burger. Their pizza was fine, but my burger, ordered medium, was raw on the inside. Not pink- it was cold and completely uncooked. So I had it taken back. It later reappeared- not a new burger but the same burger, grilled a little longer. Another few bites to discover that it was still undercooked! Cold ground beef. The waitress said that "this is our medium," which I'm sure it was not (at least I hope not!), and it totally wasn't her fault. She was gracious and took it off the ticket without me even having to bring it up, but I won't be eating here again.
(1)
Mary M.
This is a suburban bar -- way more spacious and barn-like than most bars in the city, and good for groups. Not intimate, not dark, and quite loud on a weekend evening. The service was good, not amazing, and the food was above average. The drinks were a bit on the weak side but there was a decent selection of beer. All in all, if I were meeting friends here, I'd be ok with it, but I wouldn't suggest it myself. I prefer a less anonymous bar.
(3)
Elizabeth S.
Great food and beer but not impressed with the service! Their beer selection was awesome and we loved the pizza. Our issue was with our server(s) who were missing at times and overbearing at others. The real issue is that after messing up our pizza order, we ended up with a second pizza but it seemed our server wanted to be compensated. When the bill came, we left a 13% tip based on the spotty service and she actually came back and said "well, I didn't include the tip", essentially asking for more money. I have never had that happen...and was shocked that after a mistake and subpar service, she would ask for more money. We added to the tip and felt it would be best to just warn other yelpers of this issue. Overall, great food and beer just not thrilled with the servers.
(2)
Michael T.
My wife and I have frequented Iron Horse Ale House since it opened, and have never been disappointed. The food, service, and ambiance have always been great, and we seem to always talk about our next visit. The outdoor patio is perfect on a warm summer night. They have a decent draught beer selection, a pretty good pizza, and... what else does one need??? It's also a nice place to catch a game. Overall, a very nice experience!
(5)
David K.
Chucky Cheese? Too many kids. Drinks were good. Ffsh and chips and salads not good. Service was good. No need for me to go back.
(1)
Justin B.
Food was good but there were about 25 children running around unattended. This was at night during March madness. Not a child environment. I am all about family friendly but this was not appropriate. If you want a nice bar to have a drink with a friend, try another place. This is a family place, not a bar. Of that's what you are looking for, go for it.
(1)
Tricia K.
The beer selection here is great! A balanced selection of different types of craft beers. The wood burning oven makes yummy pizzas (try the arugula)! They also have a nice patio on the side of the building (no street noise). Service is always great and would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone! Kids welcome :)
(5)
Kent T.
Excellent service, outdoor patio, great music, and we all thought our meals were delicious. Great atmosphere!
(4)
Michael N.
Went the other night and was told "no specials during the summer." That was odd, especially when most places are looking for increased business mid-week. But the other thing was the wings were not cooked completely through--not raw, but a bit too chewy. Lastly, did not get pizza this time and we were disappointed. The pizza is really, really good, but the other items on the menu need a little work. All in all, we will give another shot, maybe when football season rolls around.
(3)
Russell S.
Great place for drinks and dinner, with a couple looking for a lively atmosphere, to groups. Our group tonight had four friends, and subsequent groups of 10, 12, and 20 came in on a Tuesday night. Even though the waitstaff wasn't expecting the place to fill up on a Tuesday night, they handled it like pros. While there are plenty of craft beers to be found here, I was here just under a year ago and the craft beer list was largely unchanged, so I would prefer to see a little more variety/rotation. Our food was amazing. From our appetizers of calamari as large as small/med onion rings, to the pulled pork and cheddar fritters -- yes, pulled pork in a ball mixed with cheddar cheese and deep fried with bbq dipping sauce. Highly recommend either or both. For entrees our party had 1/2 lb Bacon Cheeseburger (solid), Steak Salad (amazing), Pulled Pork/Burger on a flatbread (amazing), and a Pulled Pork Sandwich (excellent). Celebratory chocolate/hazelnut cake with raspberry sauce, candied walnuts, and whipped cream. Yum! In addition to the good food and drinks, we prolonged our celebration night for four hours. Julie, our server was as attentive as she was charming, and a good sport to the antics of 40-something year old juveniles. While this was my return trip (brick oven pizza also highly recommended), the other three were first-timers and all said they would return. One even took a Pulled Pork/Burger and fries to go!
(4)
Kevin R.
This place rocks!!! The service is wonderful the waitstaff is so friendly and attentive. Had a Bloody Mary and was really good and had bacon in it. They simplified the menu and the hand made pizza is great. They let kids play with dough and make stuff. This place use to be a old post office and the atmosphere is wonderful. If your ever in the hood you must stop by. Oh yeah they have a large selection of beers.
(5)
Kevin F.
Exceptional Pizza and Burgers! Great Beer List! Nice Wine list, Beautiful outdoor patio! What else do you need?
(5)
Eric Y.
Just took the family for the first time and it was great. Food was incredible. Atmosphere was awesome with tons of tvs. Giving the kids the option to "make" pizzas is genius. We will definitely be back.
(5)
Alexandra P.
The food was great and so was the atmosphere, I will definitely be back!
(4)
C. B.
Iron Horse is a GREAT addition to the area! The ambiance and decor is spectacular!! I love the rustic/historic feel that it has while still having tons of natural light! They've got a pretty good beer selection. The food is alright... I certainly wouldn't seek this place out for the food, but for all of the other things it has going for it...I'll take the subpar food. Some critiques for this place - your waitstaff can be kinda sour at times. invest more in your food ingredients - a lot of them seem to be bland. And lastly - turn the sound on during major sporting events! You have oodles of TV's, but when music is blaring instead of the game, it's a bummer.
(4)
Kate L.
I live right across the street from here and have probably been here 30 times. I have been in here multiple times during the week and often not a single other soul was in there. It is so sad seeing a restaurant totally empty. Especially one so nice with good food! My family has been in the restaurant business for years - you simply HAVE to offer specials. Anyone and everyone are looking for a good deal and to save a buck in anyway possible. You are up against some serious competition only a mile away in Edison Park. Here are just some specials that my girlfriends and I go to all the time - especially in the summer! This is a list I know off the top of my head too so I'm sure there are more than I'm missing. Nono Pino's- Mondays- Friday: Happy hour at Nono Pinos from 5-7. $2-$3 appetizers with the purchase of 1 beverage. We get so much food for so little money that we tend to spend nearly $30 a person on drinks. Cafe Touche: This food is to die for!!! $5 apps Sunday nights. $10 bottomless mimosas or bloody mary on Saturday and Sunday during brunch (10-2 i think?). 1/2 priced bottles of wine on Wednesdays. $5 martinis on Tuesdays. Moretti's: They always have food and drink deals going on but a really good one is 1/2 price pizzas on Tuesdays - even gluten free pizza is 1/2 off! They also have some of the best delivery service around with a ton of great coupons on their site! Zia's: I think every night they have $5 wine glasses or $20 bottles. Wednesday they have $5 apps! amazzzziiiinnnnggg food! Firewater: Drink specials every day of the week Carragh: Drink specials every day of the week- big fan of the 1/2 priced bottles of wine on Tuesdays and $5 Martinis on Wednesdays. You also have Houlihan's in downtown Park Ridge with a great happy hour deal as well. Iron Horse has such a great potential but I wouldn't be surprised at all if it went under. You have all of those people that walk from the train station that could easily pick up food (IF YOU EVEN OFFERED CARRY-OUT!!) or meet their families there. Offer things like 1/2 off pizzas, $3 beers, $5 glasses of wine, happy hour every monday-friday 5-7. With the winter approaching I am just imagining right now an even emptier restaurant. Really a shame that myself and all of my neighbors included head on over to EP before going to our local restaurant. Would hate to see it go under but it just isn't worth the money when you can spend a fraction less a mile away.
(2)
Matthew R.
I have to say they put a lot into this place, and the enviroment is awesome, but the reason for the 4 stars is lack of service, and NO PICKUP OR DELIVERY option. I get that the place is a "bar", but if you're the only pizza place in the area, or anywhere that comes close, why wouldn't this be implemented. I'd have to say all their food is delicious, their pizzas have a lot of variety, and there is a large selection of other dishes, like their burgers, steaks, etc. Check it out, if you need a casual spot to eat, and have a drink.
(4)
Bea M.
Had our holiday party at #IronHorseChgo Ale House and have to say we had exceptional service & the pizza and salad were awesome! Try the arugula pizza-yum, bbque and meat lovers pizza also got great reviews.
(5)
David M.
My wife and I tried it over the weekend and were pleased. Open, airy atmosphere, decent beer selection and good food. Nice to have another go to restaurant in the area. Will be back.
(4)
Maurice H.
New ale house in town. Very busy on a Friday night, but instead of fighting the traffic from O'Hare into town, we decided to try this spot. Open about a year, it has good ambience in a building that was once a fire house. The ceiling was especially interesting in design and construction, as was the pizza oven that had a turntable built in! Long bar with many beer selections. Interesting variety of tables - high, low, long and short. Service was hectic, but server was great. BBQ wings were flavorable, juicy and cooked perfectly. Salad with chicken was standard faire, Margarita pizza -tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, parmesan, pecorino, evoo, and basil came to table cold, was sent back for a replacement. Four cheese - Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, asiago, provolone, fontina, evoo was not hot either, but consumed anyway. The "Smokin' Piggy" Burger - Grilled 1/2 pound burger with smoked mozzarella piggy-backed with house made bbq pulled pork and tabasco fried onions, served on brick oven bun was delicious. Four stars would be deserved if the food was hot when served. Manager came to the table and asked so was told, and offered to discount the food and was apologetic. I think this will be a very successful place, and a good stop even if the traffic is not troublesome.
(3)
Caroline S.
Great place! Impressive selection of excellent beers on tap. Delicious food - burgers are outstanding, and spot on service. Look forward to going back!
(5)
Andi C.
Not a four star from me because the waitress was slow getting our drinks to us- we went on a really snowy Saturday afternoon- you could hear a pin drop in the place. So I am not sure why she was so "busy" Pros: 1. Good draft and bottle beer selections.- Angry Orchard on tap. 2. Pizza is good brick oven- taste very fresh and they will add or subtract what ever you like. 3. Nice open atmosphere in the back- big booths with bolster pillows that you really just sort of shove to the side. 4. We have been here three times and have never waited for a table. Cons: 1. Parking is not so good- small lot- unless you can find street parking 2. The pizza guys are a little weird.- you can sit there and watch them make the pizzas and put them into the brick oven- but they are not particularly talkative or friendly. 3.As my friend was deciding on what beer to get next- the server took his" thinking" to mean he wanted the same beer he already had...and brought it out for him.. Overall- enjoyable, quiet, cozy- not too "bar-ee" and the food was good.
(4)
Amber K.
Have had drinks at this bar and they've been decent... Good... But appetizers with late night drinks are seriously lacking... Ordered two different ones and was sorely disappointed.
(3)
Andre L.
Went on a Sunday afternoon just before the dinner rush (almost empty when we arrived). My 2 children and I had to wait over 45min! The server was pleasant but not attentive enough nor apologetic enough-they didn't even take something off the bill. The ambiance is nice. The server gave the excuse that they got swamped- but that was after we had ordered. Food was ok. Kid's portions small. I had the Iron skillet burger which was ok- served on flat bread/tortilla -eh. Beer selection is fairly large if not too adventurous. Won't be back.
(2)
Mike O.
I live in the area, and always try to give my business to local establishments. I went with a group of 5 people and we had a reservation. We finally got seated and for over 40 minutes sat at the table. No water, no menus no waitress and we had to keep going to the bar for drinks. At one point I even asked the hostess if we had a waitress and ten minutes later still nothing. Thankfully the bartender (Laura) was great. She actually came from behind the bar and took care of our food order. She apologized as she was not really a waitress and would attempt to take care of us. She had no reason to apologize as her service was great. A manager came over to apologize saying they had gotten slammed and the wait staff was overwhelmed. I looked around and the place was at about 10% capacity. I would really hate to see the service when they are really busy. The food was average bar food. If you only want drinks, go to the bar and ask for Laura. She was the only bright light to the evening. I will not be going back
(1)
Liz J.
Great beer. Huge selection of craft beers on tap. Awesome pizza and salads. Not your average bar pizza, delicious, creative pies. Fun atmosphere and friendly staff. This is just what we needed in Norwood Park
(5)
Oliver Y.
Great Pizza, went with the 12" meat lovers, 12" Italian, and Buffalo wings (6 pieces) for app all good selections....Beer, bottle or draft everything from A to Z. Great place to host your next event, has a 2nd floor and 2 parking lots!
(4)
Mike K.
Went here a few times when they first opened and it was just "meh", though the beer menu was stellar the food and service was sub par. Probably 4-5 months have passed and I tried this place again last week. They must have gotten a new cook because the food is fantastic. Killer fish tacos. Pizza's are also better than they were. I've been back twice since that visit. Beer menu still rocks. Only 4 stars because the service still seems to be hit or miss. More than once they forgot to bring drinks and I had to seek them out to ask for it again. Big kudos to the kitchen staff, huge improvement!
(4)
Michelle D.
I was there on Saturday evening with a large group of 19 adults/kids. One adult and one child we were with have celiac disease and need to be extremely careful with how the food is prepared. The manager could not have been more helpful, offering for the chef to come out if they had any questions. Our server was fantastic and gave my friend's son plastic gloves, so that he could play with the pizza dough along with his friends. My friends were so happy and impressed they have a restaurant they can go to and not worry!! Awesome evening and food was delish!!
(5)
Lauren A.
I have been here several times since writing my initial review and I can definitely say the service has improved greatly. They really seem to have their act together now. While this is a good thing and I seriously do love the pizza, I will never understand why there are always SO MANY children here. Also, when we walked in this past Saturday, I asked the hostess to seat us away from the pizza making area where all the little kids hang out. She said fine and then asked me if there would be any children in our party. Huh??? Anyway, as I said in my first review, as long as you stay away from that back corner, this place rules.
(4)
Jimmy B.
Stopped in to try out a new place while in the neighborhood, and I'm so glad we did. Tried a little of a lot! The pizzas are outstanding, the beer selection is good, the burgers were great too, but I think the pizza was better. I love the atmosphere and the staff too. Overall, this was a great find for us, and I envy those who live closer to it!
(5)
B K.
This is a great neighborhood place to bring kids or hang out with friends. Solid food with a nice beer selection. I'll be back.
(4)
C B.
We haven't been here since the place opened over a year ago. So glad we decided to give it a try again. The menu's changed for the better. The food and ambiance were good. But it's a little too much with that guy walking around trying to clean up tables. I know he's helping out the servers but he's cleaning up while your still eating or finishing up. A little overbearing. Almost like you're being rushed to turn the table over.
(4)
Holly S.
Great outdoor patio! Yummy pizza and it wasn't too crowded or noisy on a Saturday afternoon in perfect weather. This was a great find. We had the Cobb salad and a small vodka pizza. The pizza was very good. My male friend was however a little disappointed in the draft selection but he is a beer snob.
(4)
Demetra L.
Went back to Iron Horse yesterday for lunch. Much better experience this time around. We were seated and our server came almost immediately to take our drink order. My husband ordered a draft (drafts were working) and we received our drinks within a couple of minutes. We decided to try the Flamin' Hot brick oven pizza along with mozzarella sticks as an appetizer. Our appetizer came out within a few minutes and they were quite good. The pizza was was extremely good, very light and full of flavor. Our server Tina was very friendly and attentive. We're looking forward to coming back, next time to try the dinner menu. Glad they've appeared to work the kinks out. Iron Horse will be a great asset to the neighborhood.
(4)
A F.
Oh. My. God. This will be a 5-star restaurant when it gets its service attributes right, but that kind of blip is to be expected from a brand-spanking-new restaurant. This is no mere neighborhood effort. This is a Class A restaurant and bar. The architectural design alone gets it my admiration. Barrel vaulted ceiling, cast iron design elements throughout, industrial legacy, clean brickwork, beautiful woodworked back bar, properly spaced tables, killer wood-fired pizza oven...these are just a very few of the attention-to-detail aspects of a really well-considered space and atmosphere. Obligatory TV screens throughout. Okay, so the owners put a ton of money into the place. But does the food measure up? Yes. In spades. The litmus test in this case are two items: the pizza and the burger. The pizza is f-ing sublime; beautifully charred on the edges, chewy crust and toothsome toppings. But it's the burger that really makes this place the real deal. The bun is an ethereal platform for a perfect medium-rare hand-formed burger that I topped with tomato and grilled onions and then further topped with the sides of cole slaw and BBQ sauce. Just take me now. Incredible. The side of fries were on the soft side, which is my personal preference. Add a Lagunitas ale from the long list of draft and bottled craft beers and you've got yourself an orgasmic gastronomic experience of the highest and best kind. Damn, they should pay me for this review. This neighborhood has been suffering for so long. Years spent resentfully trudging to Edison Park. Then wishful thinking that Trip D would make the cut (nope) and the smell of death from the get-go for the ill-contrived Mo Daley's. So great has the anticipation been for Iron Horse Ale House that it seems like it's been "Opening Soon" since the late 80's. Well, it's open now and it will get the full support from a neighborhood that will soon have something new to resent...the outsiders coming from afar to experience a truly wonderful restaurant and bar experience. Yeah, I'm gushing. But a review of my reviews will allow you to judge my judgement. I look forward to Iron Horse Ale House fixing its service missteps and garnering a 5th star from me.
(4)
Debra S.
Love this new restaurant! Excellent brick oven pizzas, great beer selection, and a kids menu. Great atmosphere - Stools around the brick oven to watch your pizza being made - little lounge area in back, and outdoor seating. Can't wait to return!!
(4)
Eric W.
Update of my initial review. Iron Horse now gets 5 stars. Greatest beer selection! Chris, your responsibility to sample new beers for the menu makes me jealous. Food is awesome. Brick oven pizza yum. Service is now polished and attentive. TV's everywhere for you sports fans. Owners are great. We like this place so much, my wife and I got married there. Try them go back and support them. Iron Horse is an asset to Norwood Park.
I heard the pizza was great so I stopped in. The place looks nice but that is it. The pizza is nothing special and the service sucks. I only had my one drink, since they did not care to ask me for another drink I paid and left.
(2)
Brendan B.
Outstanding... We went here for the first time last night. It was great, and the place was packed. We were there with the kids and I thought there may be a long wait for our food, because they were so busy. As it turns out, we received our food shortly after we ordered and it was awesome. I'm guessing my kids are the ones people reference in other reviews. If your bothered by kids running around stay home and be grumpy by yourself. The place is big enough to contain the families. My wife and I both ordered the pizza. She had the veggie pizza and I had the prosciutto pizza. I loved the prosciutto pizza. It was the right combination of cheese and meat to make the perfect pizza. We have been back a bunch of times. May also suggest the buffalo wrap, burgers, my son loves the fish and chips. Great place.
(5)
Nikki V.
This place has got potential! We moved into the area a few months ago and were super excited to see this place opening up only a couple blocks away from us! We went last night at 8 pm.. the decor and ambiance is wonderful! The place is a lot bigger on the inside that you would have thought from the outside! It's beautiful. When we were first seated, it took a while for our server to come and take our orders.. The restaurant wasn't completely full by all means but I think everyone is still adjusting since they just opened. We ordered our beers (the drafts work!), spinach & artichoke dip and sliders. We actually got our artichoke dip before our beers which was 10-15 minutes later, kind of ridiculous. The dip is very tasty! With our dip halfway done, we ran out of pita chips (which they only give you 6 pita triangles and 2 large crostinis). Our server immediately thought that we were finished. Before she tried to take it away, I asked for additional pitas. The sliders were very plain but still good. I think the chicken slider was just missing some mayo. I ordered the cheeseburger slider with no pickles and what came was just a plain cheeseburger with a bun. It tasted great but it wasn't anything special. I think next time we'll order the flat breads and check out some of the other entrees. Another thing that kind of destroyed the ambiance were all the bus boys hanging around the corners of the restaurants. It looks like they all go to the same school or something but they used their time to hang out and occasionally clean tables. A couple kids were hanging by the women's bathroom and watching the game on tv (we were actually seated right next to them.. awkward!!). One kid actually spilled a cup of water which splashed on us a little and didn't even bother to apologize or clean it up! Our poor server ended up doing that (sorry lady!). Overall, I think (and hope) the place will get much better as the restaurant settles in. It's got a lot of potential and I hope that this becomes our favorite neighborhood bar in the future! :)
(3)
Valerie O.
Is this a chuck e cheese or a bar. Excellent pizza. The buffalo chicken pizza is my favorite but this place is overrun with kids. There were having a child's birthday party there last time I was there.
(4)
Ruby Q.
Each time I go here, I mentally deduct 1/2 star for deterioration over time. They once had a great menu with ahi tuna salads and spaghetti n meatball, and pizzas that were out of this world. Now it is just mostly bar food and even the pizza is lacking the proper balance of ingredients. I think they lost their chef and it seems like the owners nephew is cooking. The staff seems to be turning over quickly - never a good sign- and the new guys just seem, well new and inexperienced. I really liked this place when it opened, but deteriorating menu and service now brings then into the "who cares" 3 star category. Mamma Mia!......Is this Naples or Norwood Park? The Margarita pizza was perfecto! When we traveled in Italy, I, like most American travelers, made sure I had a pizza in nearly every town. Well well my piazzano, the Iron Horse pizza pie can run with the best of them. The crust was a thin and a perfect mix of crispy on the edges and soft in the middle. The sauce and cheese were ideal - no waxy string cheese here - just a fine authentic mozzarella. This is what pizza is meant to be. The draft beer selection is phenomenal. I usually go with the Langunitas lil sumpim sumpim but like to wander about as well. After multiple visits I'd say that the service staff is efficient, well timed and friendly. The bartenders Tricia Trina and Laura, work their tails off so please tip generously. Another welcome addition to the growing restaurant strip on Northwest Highway in Norwood Park.
(3)
Erin P.
Place was ok. Sat at the bar with my husband and was impressed by the long beer list. Mostly IPA's and pale ales on draft which my husband loves. I'm not a big fan of them, but the bottled list covers most beers. I ended up going for Revolutions Bottom Up Wit. On the beer list it says 20oz can for $7. I got a 12oz can for $6. Asked the bartender and was told they only have the 12oz. In my opinion the drinks are overpriced and the inconsistency didn't give a great impression. We also ate while we were there. The spinach dip was really good as was the pita bread it came with, but they only gave us 6 small pieces of pita bread and a huge thing of spinach dip. Portion was pretty off. My husband ordered a pizza and said it was ok. He took most of it home and they gave him a small clam box to put it in. Pizza ended up being soggy the next day and be threw it away. I ordered the buffalo chicken wrap. It was fine, but nothing special. The bartenders were very friendly though and were on top of their service so I was impressed by that. We live in the neighbor so we will probably try it again, but for now there are a lot of other places with much better prices in my opinion.
(3)
Paul B.
Great place for wood fired pizza, a burger or just beer! The only critiques I have of this place is the service can be hit-or-miss (never bad, just slooow at times) and the menu is rather limited to pizza, a couple sandwiches and some overpriced salads and pasta.
(4)
Jennifer H.
Good food. Unfortunately I was looking for the skee ball based on the romper room atmosphere. This place could give Chuckie Cheese a run for the money based on the amount of under 10s running around bumping into wait staff and guests' chairs. I had the idea that an establishment that chose to have alcohol in the name might be more adult.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
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Demetra L.
Went back to Iron Horse yesterday for lunch. Much better experience this time around. We were seated and our server came almost immediately to take our drink order. My husband ordered a draft (drafts were working) and we received our drinks within a couple of minutes. We decided to try the Flamin' Hot brick oven pizza along with mozzarella sticks as an appetizer. Our appetizer came out within a few minutes and they were quite good. The pizza was was extremely good, very light and full of flavor. Our server Tina was very friendly and attentive. We're looking forward to coming back, next time to try the dinner menu. Glad they've appeared to work the kinks out. Iron Horse will be a great asset to the neighborhood.
(4)A F.
Oh. My. God. This will be a 5-star restaurant when it gets its service attributes right, but that kind of blip is to be expected from a brand-spanking-new restaurant. This is no mere neighborhood effort. This is a Class A restaurant and bar. The architectural design alone gets it my admiration. Barrel vaulted ceiling, cast iron design elements throughout, industrial legacy, clean brickwork, beautiful woodworked back bar, properly spaced tables, killer wood-fired pizza oven...these are just a very few of the attention-to-detail aspects of a really well-considered space and atmosphere. Obligatory TV screens throughout. Okay, so the owners put a ton of money into the place. But does the food measure up? Yes. In spades. The litmus test in this case are two items: the pizza and the burger. The pizza is f-ing sublime; beautifully charred on the edges, chewy crust and toothsome toppings. But it's the burger that really makes this place the real deal. The bun is an ethereal platform for a perfect medium-rare hand-formed burger that I topped with tomato and grilled onions and then further topped with the sides of cole slaw and BBQ sauce. Just take me now. Incredible. The side of fries were on the soft side, which is my personal preference. Add a Lagunitas ale from the long list of draft and bottled craft beers and you've got yourself an orgasmic gastronomic experience of the highest and best kind. Damn, they should pay me for this review. This neighborhood has been suffering for so long. Years spent resentfully trudging to Edison Park. Then wishful thinking that Trip D would make the cut (nope) and the smell of death from the get-go for the ill-contrived Mo Daley's. So great has the anticipation been for Iron Horse Ale House that it seems like it's been "Opening Soon" since the late 80's. Well, it's open now and it will get the full support from a neighborhood that will soon have something new to resent...the outsiders coming from afar to experience a truly wonderful restaurant and bar experience. Yeah, I'm gushing. But a review of my reviews will allow you to judge my judgement. I look forward to Iron Horse Ale House fixing its service missteps and garnering a 5th star from me.
(4)Debra S.
Love this new restaurant! Excellent brick oven pizzas, great beer selection, and a kids menu. Great atmosphere - Stools around the brick oven to watch your pizza being made - little lounge area in back, and outdoor seating. Can't wait to return!!
(4)Eric W.
Update of my initial review. Iron Horse now gets 5 stars. Greatest beer selection! Chris, your responsibility to sample new beers for the menu makes me jealous. Food is awesome. Brick oven pizza yum. Service is now polished and attentive. TV's everywhere for you sports fans. Owners are great. We like this place so much, my wife and I got married there. Try them go back and support them. Iron Horse is an asset to Norwood Park.
(5)Steven B.
I heard the pizza was great so I stopped in. The place looks nice but that is it. The pizza is nothing special and the service sucks. I only had my one drink, since they did not care to ask me for another drink I paid and left.
(2)Alejandro P.
I had been waiting for this place to open for months and when it finally opened I was beyond impressed. Iron Horse sets out to be not just another pizza and beer cliché but a cut above the rest. The pizza is phenomenal. They have plenty of options for the classic pizza lovers to more adventurous rustic recipes. There doesn't get much better than a great variety of craft beer from around the country. The waitresses and managers are extremely kind and willing to make your visit as enjoyable as possible. They have a vast knowledge of the food menu and drink menu. Feel free to ask for their opinion because every single thing they recommended was fantastic. Try the fried calamari. It puts any other calamari i've ever had to shame, and no I am not exaggerating. Good pizza, good beer, good ambience. I will be a regular here for sure!
(5)Brendan B.
Outstanding... We went here for the first time last night. It was great, and the place was packed. We were there with the kids and I thought there may be a long wait for our food, because they were so busy. As it turns out, we received our food shortly after we ordered and it was awesome. I'm guessing my kids are the ones people reference in other reviews. If your bothered by kids running around stay home and be grumpy by yourself. The place is big enough to contain the families. My wife and I both ordered the pizza. She had the veggie pizza and I had the prosciutto pizza. I loved the prosciutto pizza. It was the right combination of cheese and meat to make the perfect pizza. We have been back a bunch of times. May also suggest the buffalo wrap, burgers, my son loves the fish and chips. Great place.
(5)Valerie O.
Is this a chuck e cheese or a bar. Excellent pizza. The buffalo chicken pizza is my favorite but this place is overrun with kids. There were having a child's birthday party there last time I was there.
(4)TJ D.
Love love love this Norwood park treasure. The owners, Chris, Joe and Kevin are the best. Pizza is terrific, service is professional and beer selection is excellent. Outdoor patio in the summer is a welcome addition.
(5)Nikki V.
This place has got potential! We moved into the area a few months ago and were super excited to see this place opening up only a couple blocks away from us! We went last night at 8 pm.. the decor and ambiance is wonderful! The place is a lot bigger on the inside that you would have thought from the outside! It's beautiful. When we were first seated, it took a while for our server to come and take our orders.. The restaurant wasn't completely full by all means but I think everyone is still adjusting since they just opened. We ordered our beers (the drafts work!), spinach & artichoke dip and sliders. We actually got our artichoke dip before our beers which was 10-15 minutes later, kind of ridiculous. The dip is very tasty! With our dip halfway done, we ran out of pita chips (which they only give you 6 pita triangles and 2 large crostinis). Our server immediately thought that we were finished. Before she tried to take it away, I asked for additional pitas. The sliders were very plain but still good. I think the chicken slider was just missing some mayo. I ordered the cheeseburger slider with no pickles and what came was just a plain cheeseburger with a bun. It tasted great but it wasn't anything special. I think next time we'll order the flat breads and check out some of the other entrees. Another thing that kind of destroyed the ambiance were all the bus boys hanging around the corners of the restaurants. It looks like they all go to the same school or something but they used their time to hang out and occasionally clean tables. A couple kids were hanging by the women's bathroom and watching the game on tv (we were actually seated right next to them.. awkward!!). One kid actually spilled a cup of water which splashed on us a little and didn't even bother to apologize or clean it up! Our poor server ended up doing that (sorry lady!). Overall, I think (and hope) the place will get much better as the restaurant settles in. It's got a lot of potential and I hope that this becomes our favorite neighborhood bar in the future! :)
(3)Erin P.
Place was ok. Sat at the bar with my husband and was impressed by the long beer list. Mostly IPA's and pale ales on draft which my husband loves. I'm not a big fan of them, but the bottled list covers most beers. I ended up going for Revolutions Bottom Up Wit. On the beer list it says 20oz can for $7. I got a 12oz can for $6. Asked the bartender and was told they only have the 12oz. In my opinion the drinks are overpriced and the inconsistency didn't give a great impression. We also ate while we were there. The spinach dip was really good as was the pita bread it came with, but they only gave us 6 small pieces of pita bread and a huge thing of spinach dip. Portion was pretty off. My husband ordered a pizza and said it was ok. He took most of it home and they gave him a small clam box to put it in. Pizza ended up being soggy the next day and be threw it away. I ordered the buffalo chicken wrap. It was fine, but nothing special. The bartenders were very friendly though and were on top of their service so I was impressed by that. We live in the neighbor so we will probably try it again, but for now there are a lot of other places with much better prices in my opinion.
(3)Ruby Q.
Each time I go here, I mentally deduct 1/2 star for deterioration over time. They once had a great menu with ahi tuna salads and spaghetti n meatball, and pizzas that were out of this world. Now it is just mostly bar food and even the pizza is lacking the proper balance of ingredients. I think they lost their chef and it seems like the owners nephew is cooking. The staff seems to be turning over quickly - never a good sign- and the new guys just seem, well new and inexperienced. I really liked this place when it opened, but deteriorating menu and service now brings then into the "who cares" 3 star category. Mamma Mia!......Is this Naples or Norwood Park? The Margarita pizza was perfecto! When we traveled in Italy, I, like most American travelers, made sure I had a pizza in nearly every town. Well well my piazzano, the Iron Horse pizza pie can run with the best of them. The crust was a thin and a perfect mix of crispy on the edges and soft in the middle. The sauce and cheese were ideal - no waxy string cheese here - just a fine authentic mozzarella. This is what pizza is meant to be. The draft beer selection is phenomenal. I usually go with the Langunitas lil sumpim sumpim but like to wander about as well. After multiple visits I'd say that the service staff is efficient, well timed and friendly. The bartenders Tricia Trina and Laura, work their tails off so please tip generously. Another welcome addition to the growing restaurant strip on Northwest Highway in Norwood Park.
(3)Paul B.
Great place for wood fired pizza, a burger or just beer! The only critiques I have of this place is the service can be hit-or-miss (never bad, just slooow at times) and the menu is rather limited to pizza, a couple sandwiches and some overpriced salads and pasta.
(4)Jennifer H.
Good food. Unfortunately I was looking for the skee ball based on the romper room atmosphere. This place could give Chuckie Cheese a run for the money based on the amount of under 10s running around bumping into wait staff and guests' chairs. I had the idea that an establishment that chose to have alcohol in the name might be more adult.
(2)Bill P.
I came to Iron Horse Ale House for a family birthday celebration. The place has been open several months, in space that may once have been industrial, or perhaps a car shop. It's been cleaned up nicely, and the main room is very large, with party rooms upstairs. The place is family friendly in the early evening. Patrons brought kids who mostly took in the action around the pizza oven. Kids got a lump of pizza dough & instructions on rolling & flattening it. (My youngest nephew mastered the art of beaning me in the head with his lump, & couldn't have been more pleased with himself....). Food consists of a few sandwiches, salads, & thin crust pizza. I had a blue cheese burger cooked as requested, very good. Fries were served hot and nicely seasoned. Salads got finished finished & pizzas were devoured before I could sample a slice. That & the praise told me they do pizza well here... I'm the guy at the bar knocking down Diet Cokes, but I did read the menu. There is a huge selection of beer, wine, and liquor, major & international brands plus locally brewed and seasonal choices. Staff was attentive, friendly, and worked hard. No doubt the work ethic has helped them establish their new place, and as time goes by Iron Horse will improve even more. Check them out.
(5)Jason J.
Really glad this place in the neighborhood now. We had only been here for drinks, but finally went for food as well. The brick oven was calling out to us, so we decided on the pepperoni because we trying to be safe. It was good. The crust was crispy with right amount of chew, and the sauce and toppings were tasty. But for a brick oven pizza the center got soggy a little too fast. Still good though. The place is really nice inside, and the beer selection is awesome. When it's warm out they have a large outside seating area, and a party room upstairs. It's a great place to hang out and chat, or watch a game ( lots of tv's with sports on them!) and the prices were reasonable. I'll be back for sure.
(4)Shaun H.
I somehow found myself back here after another place didn't work out. We shared a pizza and a pasta dish. The pasta was pretty great, so maybe this place can grow on me after all.
(3)Ed B.
So been there a couple times but more importantly to the competition in the area as well. Its come down to us eating at other places more often and that drops a star for me. The menu hasn't really changed, last time I was there I spent about 10 minutes looking at the menu constantly flipping over looking for more. They have this great looking kitchen just wish they started to expand on that menu a bit more. I'm highly annoyed with grilled onions being a $1 add on vs free raw onions. Offer specialty burgers you know like pepper jack / avocado and spicy mayo etc.. vs making that a $2.50 upgrade to an existing burger (thats minus grilled onions of course). Technically you could add on $5 dollars of add on items to a burger, hello 5 Guys offers more for free and a better burger IMO. Beer list is small but decent, however I didn't understand why of the 4 beers I ordered (all different styles) they were all served in a tulip glass (8-10oz) vs a pint glass for the beers that fit that style, I'm not a Cicerone by any means but know a low abv session beer on draft is usually served a pint glass. Staff was still great on our last couple visits, I like this place and will keep going back but its not my first choice for the area.
(3)Paulina S.
Love this new restaurant. The pizza is incredible. I tried the buffalo chicken pizza and I loved it. Also the fried calamari was really tastey. There is plenty of TVs to watch sports, and they have a patio! I also enjoy the many beers they have on draft, and they have a great wine selection. I will definitely be coming back.
(5)Kevin R.
Went there today for the first time. Sat at the bar and had excellent service from Laura. Food that I had was great. Fresh ingredients and obviously house made. Sorry that I have not tried this place sooner, I will be back.
(4)Sean W.
My wife and I have come to Iron Horse a few times and have had a great time. The pizza is GREAT! It does get busy from time to time, but what popular place doesn't? Great staff, great food, and great drink prices. We'll be coming back on a regular basis!
(5)Mike G.
I have been here four times already and the food and beer is great. I do agree with the others that the service was not the greatest until I had an amazing waitress give me the best experience and change my mind. The first time I went there with a few buddies we had a waitress named Jeannine who was horrible. She had my order wrong and she ran around and was kind of rude. I figured the place just opened....But really?? I think the place may hire anyone off the street the way some of the people look that work there. The second time a few friends and I went we had Paulina...so sweet and nice. She got our orders right and was attentive to our table. The pizza that night was so amazing and delicious. The next time we went we had the best waitress named Bridget. She was so atttentive to our table and asked us frequently what we needed. She never let my glass get empty without asking if I needed another beer. She smiled the whole time and recommended new things to us. The arugula pizza and calamri she was fantasatic!!! Also she recommended the Allagash beer and that also was amazing. She changed my mind about the whole place and made my experience wonderful. I will only ask for her when I come in!!! Overall a great place. Too many kids and families though.
(5)Mike L.
I'd give it a 3.5 but Yelp won't allow that on a star rating. The staff was VERY friendly and attentive - the beer was very good, the lighting could be a little more subdued - after all, it is a bar. The decor is very nice and warm with high ceilings and lots of wood and exposed brick - nice job on the remodel. The Margherita Pizza was ok - almost a 4, the cheese was high quality and the tomato sauce had a decent flavor - not sure I liked the corn meal used to brown up the crust - takes away from the authentic brick oven technique in Italy, but it was good so I am not trying to complain, just being honest. I think they will do well - there was a good crowd and the owner is certainly hands on which is a good thing. I would say it was worth it and I would go back.
(3)Pat C.
Well I have been here a few times, first time I was here I just had a few drinks with friends. The service at the bar was very good even with how busy it was for a Bears game. This time we stopped in for dinner and some entertainment. Had the wings they were ok nothing to write home about. The pizza is brick oven so I was excited to try it. We ordered a veggie pizza which, lol whatever if I want pizza I say load it with meat but I was out voted. The pizza was tasteless and under cooked. I was surprised that it came out so fast with the salads and wings. Very little sauce and the veggies were soggy. The crust was to thick and under cooked so much so that I bit into raw pizza dough. So they have work to on the pizza. The waitress was very nice and she was quick. I can't complain about the service here because every time I have been there it has been very good. If Iron Horse fails it wll be because of the food for sure. I am not a big fan of processed food and I just for one would love to see a place like this serve real food grown locally. The quality would be so much better and we can pump local money into our local economy. But that's a rant for another time lol. Going out to eat is hard to find quality in Bar food which is what Iron Horse serves its customers. In closing enjoy the drinks the food... eh its so so. You wont get blown away.
(2)Karena L.
It's a great addition to our area. Enjoyed their brick-oven pizza, their late night menu option was pretty decent. They have a good beer selection too. Looking forward to going back and hanging out on their patio area once it gets warm!!
(4)Kate i.
This place is great. We ordered a pizza, a burger, a beer, a mixed drink, an iced tea, and a dessert. We wanted to try everything. The pizza was pretty good, the burger was awesome, the drinks were made to order. The iced tea was enormous. I love generous beverages. The dessert was beautiful and tasty. I couldn't believe how affordable it all was, given the beautiful decor and the big ol' portions. The waitress was sweet and one of the owners came over to see how we were doing. The staff was very accommodating with our baby and stroller. We are already planning on eating there for my birthday next week. Can't wait!
(5)Jennifer B.
Very disappointed ! Food was awful pizza was bland and the fish and fries tasted like a freezer! The beer was expensive and totally not worth it since it took 10 minutes to get one! The service was average and the parking lot is a death trap! Way to many kids I totally get it they want to be neighborhood friendly but its a little much! Hard to enjoy dinner and drinks at a BAR with kids screaming in the background! One time was more then enough for my husband and myself! If I could give this place a negative star I would!
(1)Robert G.
Food is great especially the pizzas and a variety of draft beer selection is amazing ... But Is it a bar or a family restaurant? They need to figure it out soon or they will lose a lot of potential business. There is no ambience to be have here especially with children running around.
(2)Alex M.
This place is great. I tried the brick oven pizza last night and it was very good. Had a nice dinner after work with my wife.
(5)Mark S.
This is a wonderful addition to the Norwood park and north west side. It provides an EXCEPTIONAL VALUE. By the looks of the place I'd expect the prices to be 20-30% higher. We are very lucky to have this place in our back yard and will be back once or twice a week for sure.
(5)john k.
They have a great upstairs room for private parties. Food and service are worth the trip
(4)Anne W.
This is a fantastic neighborhood restaurant/bar for all ages. There were many families enjoying meals, while the bar crowd simultaneously enjoyed adult beverages and watched the Bears on many conveniently located tvs. The service at Iron Horse is very friendly and attentive, and the prices are reasonable. There is an adjacent parking lot, making life easier. There is also a beautiful outdoor patio (although it's a little chilly for that now). The food is ample and delicious. I loved the chopped salad, and there is plenty for two people (even though I didn't share). And, you must try the Asiago garlic bread, which is awesome. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised when you experience this new neighborhood gem. I was.
(5)Jen S.
While the neighborhood can definitely use this kind of establishment, the food was ok but nothing you will crave and make a special trip back for. Decent selection of beers although our first two choices were not available. Pizza is better than what get in your grocer's freezer, but it could use improvement. Prefer Piece as a beer and pizza joint, but this handy and not crowded. The biggest advantage this place has is an outdoor patio that is not on the highway and its own small parking lot.
(3)Chuck J.
So, we finally got around to trying this place. On a Thursday nite they had a large (but by no means full) crowd at 6:30. We did not find it too noisy, and our server was excellent! The beers were interesting, but the best part is that the burgers were Outstanding! We left VERY happy that the Iron Horse has opened in our neighborhood. My only suggestion...add some Scotch to your drink menu.
(4)Bob M.
Took the family for pizza. Our first time here. Very cold day in Chicago, but the restaurant was pleasantly warm. Service was right on, and the pizza very good. We'll be back.
(4)Tanja Z.
I'm so happy that a new place opend in my neighborhood. I walked over last night for dinner and to watch some football. The inside of the place had a more low key section, busy middle section with TV's and bar, and a cool patio. Def a nice space. The burgers were really good and you practically get a Big Gulp sized drink which is awesome. The fries were kinda on the soft side which isnt my thing but had good flavor. The stand out was the Nutella, banana, and strawberry pizza with chocolate sauce. OMG it was heaven in my mouth!!! I plan on coming back on Sunday to try the brick oven pizzas.
(5)Squeaky F.
Great selection of beer to go along with the tasty brick oven pizza. I recommend the margarita pizza; although next time I will ask for extra basil.
(4)Marianne M.
Had dinner with my husband and Kids last night at Iron Horse and really enjoyed it! The wood burning oven pizzas were fantastic, kids menu was cute and offered the basics. Beer selection is fantastic!!! Service needs a little help, but they will get there. The location is perfect, Norwood Park and NW side of Chicago needs a cool place like this. Looking forward to summer when the patio is open. Will be back soon to try some more menu items.
(4)Em P.
Stopped back in.. This time simply for drinks. We had a server who was neither friendly or unfriendly.. With an apparent lack of disinterest for her job. She had no insight or suggestion to the menu and kindof made a face when she realized we were simply there for drinks. I do enjoy their enormous selection of beers.. However I really wish they would advertise specials more. I'll be back.. Cause I really like the feel of this bar but will run the other way if I get this waitress.
(3)Kerin B.
We have been waiting for Iron Horse to open for a while and were happy as soon as we walked in the door. It is a nice comfortable place to be. Love the decor-- they left parts of the old building (i think it was a post office) and blended the new in nicely. Very glad to find another local place that has gluten free drink and food options. They have gluten free beer (I didn't try it) and Tito's vodka. They actually have a separate gluten free menu with pizza, appetizers, sandwiches and pasta dishes. The gluten free pizza is brick oven style and it is pretty good (about as good as gluten free pizza can get). Great place to go have drinks or have dinner.
(4)Mark R.
I've stopped in a few times. When they first opened they were busy, but lately they've slowed down quite a bit. The food is good but not great,don't bother trying their salads, they save their greens too long, I hate old lettuce in an expensive salad. the pizzas are OK though, overall I would give the place 3 stars for the food. For the bar however I can only give them 1 star, the place just doesn't feel like a bar, too many kids running around, lighting always too bright, just misses. Overall rating 2 stars, I don't think I'll be back soon.
(2)John C.
Went in for a burger. Burger was delicious. Had two beer specials also delicious. Wait staff was a little slow. Plan on going back for the pizza.
(4)Dawn G.
Great pizza, fantastic beer selection, comfortable environment for conversation w/attentive staff, too. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Brian O.
Great beer selection and pizza was great. Wide open back room plenty of room.
(5)Victoria B.
Was in recently and the food was outstanding. This place JUST opened...only weeks ago and was crowded because the neighborhood has been excited about the opening. Service was slow--but it is obvious that it is because the place is new and still figuring out stuff and making some changes. I still had a great time regardless. I heard they are helping the local area by hiring local people---which is GREAT! There's not many options for food and spirits in the area....and the community needs this place. So, give it some time to iron out the kinks...
(5)Arnold F.
Great edition to the neighborhood !! Went in with a large party and everyone loved thier food(the 1/2 chicken dinner was something special).Service was great and the beer fantastic.Enjoy!!
(5)Margaret P.
I was so excited about this place opening up and I heard a lot of talk about it. We waited a few weeks until they worked out the new restaurant snafus before a group of us tried it. It was worth the wait! The restaurant is beautiful! The service was terrific and very attentive! And the food was full on fantastic! We ordered a variety of pizzas after seeing their awesome wood burning pizza oven. Each pizza was super delicious! Everyone at our table gave it rave reviews. This is definitely going to be my go to dinner out place!
(5)Lori M.
First of all, I'd like to identify myself as a 53 y/o suburbanite. After reading Yelp reviews for years, I think this is important, because frankly, I don't want to hear what a 20 something has to say about a restaurant. Too inexperienced, in just about everything. Period. Personally, I'd like to see the reviewer's age on all posts. At least then I'd have a point of reference. Thanks to the establishment for opening this breath of fresh air on the NW side. Two parking lots make it mighty convenient to choose this place as a dining destination. Great old building (old post office?) and nicely renovated. Large and airy main floor, warm colors and lighting and with the "must have" (for some) multiple, yet unobtrusive flat screens. Not too loud, but it was early. Ample selection of craft beer on tap. Plenty of bottles, but why would you? Not a huge food menu, but nice pub style choices. Had fried calamari. Crispy, light, perfectly cooked with 2 great sauces. Nice appetizer size also. Buffalo chicken pizza. Tasty with just the right amount of heat. Burgers, perfectly cooked on a soft, high, shiny egg bun. Fries-crispy on the outside, fluffy potato insides. Not too thin, or too wide. Everything came out hot. (A nod to the server, because really they're responsible for getting food out on time). Cole slaw, while fresh and crisp, had good celery seed flavor but was a little dry. Just a splash more dressing please. One more word about service: efficient, attentive, not overpowering. Thank you. I think the area for letting kids watch the pizza being made is great. Kids get to play with raw dough and everyone is happy. I remember those days. Prices are fair and it's great to see a trendy type place out here. I resent all the cool restaurants opening up in difficult to reach areas in the city. Nice that Iron Horse took a gamble on us. Will look forward to warm weather and the beer garden.
(4)Mike B.
Great place to go for moderately priced food. They have a good variety on the menu for meat eaters and vegetarians, and a great selection of beers. I'm glad to see Norwood Park get some restaurants and this is the best of them.
(4)Tavis B.
I visited on the second day they were open for business. I love the concept of a pub featuring only fresh, and mostly locally sourced food and craft beers. The wood-fired pizza is a very refreshing and delicious change. I wasn't sure about Buffalo chicken pizza, but it rocked. Chicken/beef/sausage sliders were a good deal at $2 each, and were not skimpy, great for just a nibble when you're 'on the drink.' Great patio /beer garden. Are there kinks to be worked out? Of course. I"ve never visited a new restauran/bart that didn't.. However, their commitment to quality fresh local food, craft beer and spirits will bring the hoardes to Norwood Park, and the I'm certain that the other pubs will benefit as well.
(5)Sara N.
I had a great time here with a group of friends Friday night. They were really busy but the service was still friendly and fast. They have excellent pizza a great selection of beers on tap. Overall, a great experience and we will definitely be back!
(5)Erin S.
This is a great addition to the neighborhood! The brick oven pizza is great and the burger is awesome. Nice place to bring the family - the front bar is the bar area with booths and hi-tops while regular tables are in the back so the kids can see the pizza being made etc... Very nice atmosphere.
(4)Danielle B.
We came here on a Friday night. We started off with calamari which was really good. Our beers were great and came out very quickly. Our waiter was obviously new and very young but still did a great job. Although he was a little annoying, but he still tried his best. We ordered the smokin pizza which was great. It was very fresh and really great tasting. Another thing, It is also quite obvious that they are trying to be a family restaurant. If you call yourself an ale house, that's what people will take it as. Kids were all over the place and watching the pizza-making take place. As they could easily wipe their snot and sneeze all over your pizza. Anyways, as the place started getting busier we noticed that the owners were walking around trying to find more tables. There were 3 open tables around us and we thought they were trying to seat a bigger party. Trying to be nice, we asked one of the owners if they would like us to move to a different table to make room for another party. Rudely, the owner replied, "moving to another table won't help." To us that meant get out we, need your table. We were offering to be nice and we got a rude response. Next, my friend got up to go to the restroom. He overheard the owner saying to the hostess, "if we can just get rid of that table"...while look at our table. After that we were disgusted and decided to take our beer drinking to Mo Daileys down the street. Overall, good food but bad service. Don't be rude to customers who are trying to be nice and spending their money at your establishment. Also, the smell of smoke is strong you will walk out smelling like a bonfire.
(3)Ezra E.
Always a pleasure - the food is good and they have a rotating IBW on tap which is a current favorite. Food is normally between decent and pretty good. They have a counter in the back where kids can play with pizza dough and the guys making pizzas will make the dough for them. this I think is the best bread they have. The giardinara is another hidden gem- it's fantasic. They never give you enough veggies though so you end up with a cup of oil. I mixed my oil with the green goddess dressing in my side salad which made that even better. The sandwiches so far have been pretty good. I still need to try the entrees and the pizza.
(4)C. B.
Iron Horse is a GREAT addition to the area! The ambiance and decor is spectacular!! I love the rustic/historic feel that it has while still having tons of natural light! They've got a pretty good beer selection. The food is alright... I certainly wouldn't seek this place out for the food, but for all of the other things it has going for it...I'll take the subpar food. Some critiques for this place - your waitstaff can be kinda sour at times. invest more in your food ingredients - a lot of them seem to be bland. And lastly - turn the sound on during major sporting events! You have oodles of TV's, but when music is blaring instead of the game, it's a bummer.
(4)Renderking M.
We'll be back. Nice ambiance. We were sold on everything but the service. It wasn't terrible, but slightly unwelcoming. Reminded me of a Boston bar where the servers are cold and unemotional. Beer selection was slightly pricey, but comparable to other high-end/suburban bars. If they had more weekday specials, we'd add it to our list of regular spots.
(4)Ed A.
I like it. I like it a lot. Industrial chic invades Edison Park. The food is good and sometimes great. The beer selection is pretty wide, although the wine menu is lacking. Great for groups and a departure from the darker closed in bars one normally finds. Open space at its finest. I came on an overcast day and can only imagine how this place looks in the sunlight and moonlight as well. They have a bar set aside to the east side of the place. Great to catch a quick drink and appetizers. Plenty of TVs as well. I kept wondering what kind of factory/industrial building this was. One day I'll ask. One downfall of this place is that it has a terrible sound system. Music sounds like that heard when listening from under the water. They got to fix that shit
(4)Angela K.
My husband and I were looking for a brewery, but also wanted some good pizza. So glad we found this place on Yelp! We went there yesterday evening for dinner around 6:30. There weren't many other patrons there when we first arrived. We were seated right away in a table against the wall with a bench seat. We ordered a couple of draft porters from Revolution which were very tasty! The beer list was extensive, as was the bourbon/whiskey list, and list of other cocktails and wine. There was a lot from which to choose! We tried the pulled pork and cheddar fritters to start. They were not what we were expecting, they came out in the shape of a ball (like a hushpuppy), but the flavor was pretty good. We then decided to try a couple of different 12" pizzas. We ordered the Arugala and the Italian. The crust was thin, crispy around the edges and had great flavor! The italian sausage on the one pizza had wonderful flavor that added to the overall taste of the pizza without being overwhleming. The Arugala pizza was a much milder flavor profile but was enhanced nicely with some grated parma and oregano. I would have liked to have seen a little more proscuitto on it though. They went a little skimpy with that ingredient and very heavy on the arugala. All in all this was a great experience in an awesome atmosphere. They did a nice job on the interior of this place. It was very clean, good for groups and kids, and had tons of TVs that the waitresses seemed ok with changing to accommodate folks sitting in close proximity. By the time we left here around 8:30, the place was packed!
(4)Racer S.
The food was very good - My wife had the pizza with arugula, etc., and it was tasty, nicely done, good crust (although just a little thick for neapolitan style pizza - e.g. Da Nella or Spacca Napoli - but then again, Iron Horse isn't trying to be them...). I had the Smokin' Piggy burger - delicious, served medium-rare like I asked. Different bun... seemed kind of like pizza dough baked as a bun - nice, chewy, much better than the typical burger bun. Decent selection of craft beers on tap - could be a little more diverse, but I found a couple I liked (IPA fan...). Lots more beers by bottle. Service was great. Nice to have this place close to home - too bad it took us so long to discover it. We'll be back!
(4)Valerie W.
We came to Iron Horse last Friday after trying to find a place that would accommodate all appetites and dietary restrictions. That, and it's been on my list of places to try for about six months. We were seated right away with no wait at 7pm. The restaurant was busy, but not packed. The décor is a bit eclectic, country bar on a few booths, a 70's disco club corner, kids pizza area... an interesting hodge-podge. Our server was friendly, awesome, and on-point. I'm really sad I don't remember his name. Younger guy, glasses, hawks shirt. He was attentive but not overbearing, made great suggestions, and kept our drinks full. I ordered the fish and chips, seeing that they were semolina crusted walleye and not the standard beer battered cod. It was really delicious, and I'm really happy with the choice I made. Looking around the restaurant, the burgers and pizzas also looked delicious. I will be sure to come back again to try a pizza from the wood-burning oven!
(4)Hilda B.
Amazing food, great service! The only annoying thing is the little kids running around, but hey the poor parents need to go out too...so I get it. It can get very busy on the week ends, but that's a good sign.
(5)Rachel A.
Patio & overall ambiance - 4.5 stars Food - 3.5 stars Service - 2.5 stars Management - 1.5 stars I was so excited when I walked in; the place looked cute and the patio was a delightful oasis on a warm summer's evening. The server seemed pleasant enough. We ordered a Moscow Mule that was essentially an $8 ginger beer. I realize vodka doesn't have a powerful flavor, but there was zero evidence of its presence (both in terms of flavor and buzz-factor). The waitress seemed rather annoyed that my friend and I intended to socialize a bit before ordering food. It was 8PM on a Wednesday, so it's not like we were camping during peak time. She kept pressuring us to order food, but once the food had been delivered, there was very minimal follow-up. I overheard an exchange with the apparent manager where a table inquired as to how long the patio could stay open. He advised that legally they could stay open until midnight, but obviously, they'd only stay open if it was worth their while (which I guess means if they determine that they're making enough money). I definitely understand, but at that point, there were still about 20 people on the patio at it was 9:30PM (the posted hours indicate a 2AM closing). My friend and I decided to relocate inside to have one drink before heading out. The place had definitely thinned out but there were a few other people at the bar. We sat and sat and sat with empty glasses in front of us while the sour-pussed bartender kept cleaning the bar and ignoring us. After a solid 5-10 minutes, I asked if they were still open and if we could order 1 more round. She utterly refused to smile, even though we were smiling from ear to ear anytime we made a request. The manager started lingering close to us at the end of the bar. We mentioned that we liked the place overall, but had been a bit disappointed with our service. A well-trained professional manager probably would have apologized, asked what they could have done differently, or could have offered to buy our beers. Instead, he explained that he keeps an eye on how long it takes for a customer to order another round and we had been sitting for about 45 minutes without buying product. Um, pardon me? First of all, your bartender was not providing service. Secondly, if you're hanging out at a bar for several hours, you probably shouldn't be ordering drinks every 20 minutes. Lastly, there were 2 of us and we had already spent over $120 in the place. Bottom line: If you want to go and spend your money in a place that treats their customers like walking ATMs, go to the Iron Horse. For me, I'd prefer to spend my time (and money) supporting businesses whose goal is to provide their customers with an enjoyable, hospitable experience.
(2)Michael T.
My wife and I have frequented Iron Horse Ale House since it opened, and have never been disappointed. The food, service, and ambiance have always been great, and we seem to always talk about our next visit. The outdoor patio is perfect on a warm summer night. They have a decent draught beer selection, a pretty good pizza, and... what else does one need??? It's also a nice place to catch a game. Overall, a very nice experience!
(5)Heather J.
Went here last Saturday for dinner around 6:30pm. Finding parking wasn't easy with the snowstorm we recently had, and the parking lot they have is so small it only fits about 10 cars. The good news is that there was no wait at all to be seated, the staff was very nice, and the restaurant was very spacious. I liked the ambiance, minus the screaming children at the table next to ours. That, of course, isn't the restaurant's fault. There were a lot of families here with kids, which is understandable since it's one of the only modern restaurants in Norwood Park. I kind of expected it to be more like the Garage or a bar in Edison Park that was geared a little more towards the 20's crowd, though - a bar that just happened to serve good food - so that caught me a little off guard. The music was a little weird for a bar, too, they were playing oldies but goodies from Jason Mraz and the Fray. May have just been for the dinner hours? The bar menu was pretty decent, they have 20 or so beers on tap. $6 for a 16oz. craft beer... Didn't seem too much more expensive than Bar Louie or Park Tavern. My husband ordered a beer flight for $8 which was cheaper than most places we've been to. For food, we ordered the Spinach & Artichoke Dip appetizer, which was delicious. The pita bread was melt-in-your-mouth amazing. You can tell it didn't just come out of a box. For dinner, I ordered the Blackened Tilapia Tacos. The tilapia was seasoned and cooked perfectly! I would absolutely order again. My husband really enjoyed his Buffalo Chicken Wrap, too. Overall, we had a great experience here, and our check was at least $10 cheaper than it is when we visit the restaurants in Rosemont, for food that is 100x better than those restaurants. It'll likely become our go-to!
(4)Marie M.
I really want to like this place, but they just make it so hard! Went for dinner tonight - a very warm summer evening and they had their big floor to ceiling window/doors wide open. If the heat didn't get to you, the bugs landing on your food did - flies, mosquito's, gnat's! I thought the little old man at the table next to us was going to pass out from the heat! We diplomatically and politely mentioned it to the gentleman that appeared to be the manager, and he did shut the doors and turn on the air, but he never came to check on us or apologize! Our waitress was fantastic and the food we were able to eat (without bugs landing on it) was very good! Typically it's the service that is the issue with this place, but tonight it was a poor management decision!
(1)CKay D.
I like that this is the only place in the area that reminds you that you're still in the city of Chicago and also helps you forget you're in a weird incestuous bubble of a neighborhood where everyone knows each other, is related to each other, and/or has one of three careers. Great cocktails & good menu
(4)Michaela O.
Great beer list. I had the tilapia tacos which were amazing. The patio was beautiful, we were here last weekend. Its very clean, family friendly, and the pizza oven is defiantly something to see! I will be back!
(4)K J.
The first time I went here my family really enjoyed it. The pizzas were tasty, the patio was comfortable, and they had a nice children's menu. My one complaint was that the waitress had no idea about the beer on tap. We asked what they had on one of their rotating handles and she simply said "I dont know." but she didnt go and ask.... we asked her about another kind of beer and again... it was an "I dont know." Strange. But we liked the atmosphere and food enough to come back a week later. This time we had a terrible experience. We went in on a Tuesday at 5pm with 2 kids. It took 15 minutes to get our first beer. The waitress completely forgot the kids drinks until after the food arrived. When the pizza arrived after 40 minutes, she had put in the wrong kind of pizza. We ordered another beer and that took another 20 minutes to get. Everyone was getting really cranky and annoyed and we just wanted to get out of there. We ate quickly and asked for the bill which took another 20 minutes to get. This is unacceptable. The waitress also had no idea about items on the menu. I was going to ask a soup of the day and asked what was in it, and she didnt know and didnt find out. She also had no idea about the beer list. Frustrated that this place has potential but needs to really work on their game and wait staff.
(2)Ashley C.
Iron Horse seemed like the perfect place to celebrate with some friends a few weeks ago. We sat on their large patio which was wonderful and one of the best things they have going. It is bar food with extremely slow and poor service. They've got the drinks down good. They had a nice selection and several price points too. The food was your typical bar food. The chicken wings were okay. They were crispy enough but didn't have as much flavor as I would expect. We also ordered two pizzas: pepperoni and the buffalo chicken. I personally didn't care for the buffalo chicken and thought there was too much sauce which through the ratio off. However, the pepperoni pizza was pretty good pizza especially for a bar and not a pizza place. The food alone gets a solid 3 stars. My biggest complaint would be the service which is really what knocks it down. It was slow and just not good. For instance, when we ordered the chicken wings as an appetizer, we asked them to be extra crispy. Our server responded that they really aren't that crispy and she can make a note but the kitchen won't follow it. I can appreciate honesty but it left a weird first impression of indifference that continued throughout our service. Our server was not friendly but rather appeared annoyed. We probably would have ordered more drinks but we weren't checked on frequently. I get that there may be some kinks since it is a newer place, so I would be willing to give them another chance.
(2)SuzyintheCity S.
Nice ambiance. Good food. POOR service and mixed drinks WITHOUT alcohol in them (not what I wished for). When server (Julie F) was informed the drink was either absent alcohol or was watered down, she responded by saying it wasn't up to her, it was up to the bar tender and did nothing to follow up or correct the problem. So for me...one and DONE.
(1)Vanessa A.
We came to Iron Horse Ale House as an alternative to a similar Edison Park eatery. Our party of five was seated promptly on a Friday night. We ordered 3 different sandwiches/ burgers a hot dog for our toddler and our older son had the pizza. Everything we had was great!!! I ordered a cheeseburger medium and that's exactly the way it was received. The pizza was amazing. All of our food was served fresh and hot. Prices are reasonable and our server was outstanding. She was attentive, personable and friendly. We'll definitely be back and this time my kids will try the make your own pizza. They did a good job putting the menu together it had a very good variety without being overwhelming. The IPA selection was good as well.
(5)Joy T.
Great pizza and salads and beer selections. The staff are friendly and I've never had a bad experience here. Plenty of tv's to watch if you're looking for a spot to watch the game.
(5)David M.
Ate here for the first time this week. My friends ordered pizza but I wanted to try the burger. Their pizza was fine, but my burger, ordered medium, was raw on the inside. Not pink- it was cold and completely uncooked. So I had it taken back. It later reappeared- not a new burger but the same burger, grilled a little longer. Another few bites to discover that it was still undercooked! Cold ground beef. The waitress said that "this is our medium," which I'm sure it was not (at least I hope not!), and it totally wasn't her fault. She was gracious and took it off the ticket without me even having to bring it up, but I won't be eating here again.
(1)Mary M.
This is a suburban bar -- way more spacious and barn-like than most bars in the city, and good for groups. Not intimate, not dark, and quite loud on a weekend evening. The service was good, not amazing, and the food was above average. The drinks were a bit on the weak side but there was a decent selection of beer. All in all, if I were meeting friends here, I'd be ok with it, but I wouldn't suggest it myself. I prefer a less anonymous bar.
(3)Alex K.
Craft beer is something you don't really find in Norwood park. That's why I was excited when Iron Horse opened up. I've been here a few times since and haven't been disappointed. There are a bunch of great options on tap for those that want a little something more than Miller lite. The food has been great too. I've tried a few different pizzas and all have been solid. The decor has a pretty cool look to it as well, everything inside feels pretty open and you can tell a lot of work went into it before it opened. If you're in Norwood park this is the bar to be at for drinks and food.
(4)K S.
This place may very well turn into my regular neighborhood pizza spot. Im not a fan of calamari but the bf ordered it and said it was decent and it was a nice size portion. Great service and I like how they have an area for the kids to play with pizza dough! WIll be back again to try other items on the menu!
(4)Elizabeth S.
Great food and beer but not impressed with the service! Their beer selection was awesome and we loved the pizza. Our issue was with our server(s) who were missing at times and overbearing at others. The real issue is that after messing up our pizza order, we ended up with a second pizza but it seemed our server wanted to be compensated. When the bill came, we left a 13% tip based on the spotty service and she actually came back and said "well, I didn't include the tip", essentially asking for more money. I have never had that happen...and was shocked that after a mistake and subpar service, she would ask for more money. We added to the tip and felt it would be best to just warn other yelpers of this issue. Overall, great food and beer just not thrilled with the servers.
(2)David K.
Chucky Cheese? Too many kids. Drinks were good. Ffsh and chips and salads not good. Service was good. No need for me to go back.
(1)Justin B.
Food was good but there were about 25 children running around unattended. This was at night during March madness. Not a child environment. I am all about family friendly but this was not appropriate. If you want a nice bar to have a drink with a friend, try another place. This is a family place, not a bar. Of that's what you are looking for, go for it.
(1)Tricia K.
The beer selection here is great! A balanced selection of different types of craft beers. The wood burning oven makes yummy pizzas (try the arugula)! They also have a nice patio on the side of the building (no street noise). Service is always great and would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone! Kids welcome :)
(5)Kent T.
Excellent service, outdoor patio, great music, and we all thought our meals were delicious. Great atmosphere!
(4)Michael N.
Went the other night and was told "no specials during the summer." That was odd, especially when most places are looking for increased business mid-week. But the other thing was the wings were not cooked completely through--not raw, but a bit too chewy. Lastly, did not get pizza this time and we were disappointed. The pizza is really, really good, but the other items on the menu need a little work. All in all, we will give another shot, maybe when football season rolls around.
(3)C B.
We haven't been here since the place opened over a year ago. So glad we decided to give it a try again. The menu's changed for the better. The food and ambiance were good. But it's a little too much with that guy walking around trying to clean up tables. I know he's helping out the servers but he's cleaning up while your still eating or finishing up. A little overbearing. Almost like you're being rushed to turn the table over.
(4)Holly S.
Great outdoor patio! Yummy pizza and it wasn't too crowded or noisy on a Saturday afternoon in perfect weather. This was a great find. We had the Cobb salad and a small vodka pizza. The pizza was very good. My male friend was however a little disappointed in the draft selection but he is a beer snob.
(4)Russell S.
Great place for drinks and dinner, with a couple looking for a lively atmosphere, to groups. Our group tonight had four friends, and subsequent groups of 10, 12, and 20 came in on a Tuesday night. Even though the waitstaff wasn't expecting the place to fill up on a Tuesday night, they handled it like pros. While there are plenty of craft beers to be found here, I was here just under a year ago and the craft beer list was largely unchanged, so I would prefer to see a little more variety/rotation. Our food was amazing. From our appetizers of calamari as large as small/med onion rings, to the pulled pork and cheddar fritters -- yes, pulled pork in a ball mixed with cheddar cheese and deep fried with bbq dipping sauce. Highly recommend either or both. For entrees our party had 1/2 lb Bacon Cheeseburger (solid), Steak Salad (amazing), Pulled Pork/Burger on a flatbread (amazing), and a Pulled Pork Sandwich (excellent). Celebratory chocolate/hazelnut cake with raspberry sauce, candied walnuts, and whipped cream. Yum! In addition to the good food and drinks, we prolonged our celebration night for four hours. Julie, our server was as attentive as she was charming, and a good sport to the antics of 40-something year old juveniles. While this was my return trip (brick oven pizza also highly recommended), the other three were first-timers and all said they would return. One even took a Pulled Pork/Burger and fries to go!
(4)Kevin F.
Exceptional Pizza and Burgers! Great Beer List! Nice Wine list, Beautiful outdoor patio! What else do you need?
(5)Kevin R.
This place rocks!!! The service is wonderful the waitstaff is so friendly and attentive. Had a Bloody Mary and was really good and had bacon in it. They simplified the menu and the hand made pizza is great. They let kids play with dough and make stuff. This place use to be a old post office and the atmosphere is wonderful. If your ever in the hood you must stop by. Oh yeah they have a large selection of beers.
(5)Eric Y.
Just took the family for the first time and it was great. Food was incredible. Atmosphere was awesome with tons of tvs. Giving the kids the option to "make" pizzas is genius. We will definitely be back.
(5)Alexandra P.
The food was great and so was the atmosphere, I will definitely be back!
(4)Jimmy B.
Stopped in to try out a new place while in the neighborhood, and I'm so glad we did. Tried a little of a lot! The pizzas are outstanding, the beer selection is good, the burgers were great too, but I think the pizza was better. I love the atmosphere and the staff too. Overall, this was a great find for us, and I envy those who live closer to it!
(5)B K.
This is a great neighborhood place to bring kids or hang out with friends. Solid food with a nice beer selection. I'll be back.
(4)Kate L.
I live right across the street from here and have probably been here 30 times. I have been in here multiple times during the week and often not a single other soul was in there. It is so sad seeing a restaurant totally empty. Especially one so nice with good food! My family has been in the restaurant business for years - you simply HAVE to offer specials. Anyone and everyone are looking for a good deal and to save a buck in anyway possible. You are up against some serious competition only a mile away in Edison Park. Here are just some specials that my girlfriends and I go to all the time - especially in the summer! This is a list I know off the top of my head too so I'm sure there are more than I'm missing. Nono Pino's- Mondays- Friday: Happy hour at Nono Pinos from 5-7. $2-$3 appetizers with the purchase of 1 beverage. We get so much food for so little money that we tend to spend nearly $30 a person on drinks. Cafe Touche: This food is to die for!!! $5 apps Sunday nights. $10 bottomless mimosas or bloody mary on Saturday and Sunday during brunch (10-2 i think?). 1/2 priced bottles of wine on Wednesdays. $5 martinis on Tuesdays. Moretti's: They always have food and drink deals going on but a really good one is 1/2 price pizzas on Tuesdays - even gluten free pizza is 1/2 off! They also have some of the best delivery service around with a ton of great coupons on their site! Zia's: I think every night they have $5 wine glasses or $20 bottles. Wednesday they have $5 apps! amazzzziiiinnnnggg food! Firewater: Drink specials every day of the week Carragh: Drink specials every day of the week- big fan of the 1/2 priced bottles of wine on Tuesdays and $5 Martinis on Wednesdays. You also have Houlihan's in downtown Park Ridge with a great happy hour deal as well. Iron Horse has such a great potential but I wouldn't be surprised at all if it went under. You have all of those people that walk from the train station that could easily pick up food (IF YOU EVEN OFFERED CARRY-OUT!!) or meet their families there. Offer things like 1/2 off pizzas, $3 beers, $5 glasses of wine, happy hour every monday-friday 5-7. With the winter approaching I am just imagining right now an even emptier restaurant. Really a shame that myself and all of my neighbors included head on over to EP before going to our local restaurant. Would hate to see it go under but it just isn't worth the money when you can spend a fraction less a mile away.
(2)Matthew R.
I have to say they put a lot into this place, and the enviroment is awesome, but the reason for the 4 stars is lack of service, and NO PICKUP OR DELIVERY option. I get that the place is a "bar", but if you're the only pizza place in the area, or anywhere that comes close, why wouldn't this be implemented. I'd have to say all their food is delicious, their pizzas have a lot of variety, and there is a large selection of other dishes, like their burgers, steaks, etc. Check it out, if you need a casual spot to eat, and have a drink.
(4)Bea M.
Had our holiday party at #IronHorseChgo Ale House and have to say we had exceptional service & the pizza and salad were awesome! Try the arugula pizza-yum, bbque and meat lovers pizza also got great reviews.
(5)David M.
My wife and I tried it over the weekend and were pleased. Open, airy atmosphere, decent beer selection and good food. Nice to have another go to restaurant in the area. Will be back.
(4)Maurice H.
New ale house in town. Very busy on a Friday night, but instead of fighting the traffic from O'Hare into town, we decided to try this spot. Open about a year, it has good ambience in a building that was once a fire house. The ceiling was especially interesting in design and construction, as was the pizza oven that had a turntable built in! Long bar with many beer selections. Interesting variety of tables - high, low, long and short. Service was hectic, but server was great. BBQ wings were flavorable, juicy and cooked perfectly. Salad with chicken was standard faire, Margarita pizza -tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, parmesan, pecorino, evoo, and basil came to table cold, was sent back for a replacement. Four cheese - Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, asiago, provolone, fontina, evoo was not hot either, but consumed anyway. The "Smokin' Piggy" Burger - Grilled 1/2 pound burger with smoked mozzarella piggy-backed with house made bbq pulled pork and tabasco fried onions, served on brick oven bun was delicious. Four stars would be deserved if the food was hot when served. Manager came to the table and asked so was told, and offered to discount the food and was apologetic. I think this will be a very successful place, and a good stop even if the traffic is not troublesome.
(3)Caroline S.
Great place! Impressive selection of excellent beers on tap. Delicious food - burgers are outstanding, and spot on service. Look forward to going back!
(5)Andi C.
Not a four star from me because the waitress was slow getting our drinks to us- we went on a really snowy Saturday afternoon- you could hear a pin drop in the place. So I am not sure why she was so "busy" Pros: 1. Good draft and bottle beer selections.- Angry Orchard on tap. 2. Pizza is good brick oven- taste very fresh and they will add or subtract what ever you like. 3. Nice open atmosphere in the back- big booths with bolster pillows that you really just sort of shove to the side. 4. We have been here three times and have never waited for a table. Cons: 1. Parking is not so good- small lot- unless you can find street parking 2. The pizza guys are a little weird.- you can sit there and watch them make the pizzas and put them into the brick oven- but they are not particularly talkative or friendly. 3.As my friend was deciding on what beer to get next- the server took his" thinking" to mean he wanted the same beer he already had...and brought it out for him.. Overall- enjoyable, quiet, cozy- not too "bar-ee" and the food was good.
(4)Amber K.
Have had drinks at this bar and they've been decent... Good... But appetizers with late night drinks are seriously lacking... Ordered two different ones and was sorely disappointed.
(3)Andre L.
Went on a Sunday afternoon just before the dinner rush (almost empty when we arrived). My 2 children and I had to wait over 45min! The server was pleasant but not attentive enough nor apologetic enough-they didn't even take something off the bill. The ambiance is nice. The server gave the excuse that they got swamped- but that was after we had ordered. Food was ok. Kid's portions small. I had the Iron skillet burger which was ok- served on flat bread/tortilla -eh. Beer selection is fairly large if not too adventurous. Won't be back.
(2)Mike O.
I live in the area, and always try to give my business to local establishments. I went with a group of 5 people and we had a reservation. We finally got seated and for over 40 minutes sat at the table. No water, no menus no waitress and we had to keep going to the bar for drinks. At one point I even asked the hostess if we had a waitress and ten minutes later still nothing. Thankfully the bartender (Laura) was great. She actually came from behind the bar and took care of our food order. She apologized as she was not really a waitress and would attempt to take care of us. She had no reason to apologize as her service was great. A manager came over to apologize saying they had gotten slammed and the wait staff was overwhelmed. I looked around and the place was at about 10% capacity. I would really hate to see the service when they are really busy. The food was average bar food. If you only want drinks, go to the bar and ask for Laura. She was the only bright light to the evening. I will not be going back
(1)Liz J.
Great beer. Huge selection of craft beers on tap. Awesome pizza and salads. Not your average bar pizza, delicious, creative pies. Fun atmosphere and friendly staff. This is just what we needed in Norwood Park
(5)Oliver Y.
Great Pizza, went with the 12" meat lovers, 12" Italian, and Buffalo wings (6 pieces) for app all good selections....Beer, bottle or draft everything from A to Z. Great place to host your next event, has a 2nd floor and 2 parking lots!
(4)Mike K.
Went here a few times when they first opened and it was just "meh", though the beer menu was stellar the food and service was sub par. Probably 4-5 months have passed and I tried this place again last week. They must have gotten a new cook because the food is fantastic. Killer fish tacos. Pizza's are also better than they were. I've been back twice since that visit. Beer menu still rocks. Only 4 stars because the service still seems to be hit or miss. More than once they forgot to bring drinks and I had to seek them out to ask for it again. Big kudos to the kitchen staff, huge improvement!
(4)Michelle D.
I was there on Saturday evening with a large group of 19 adults/kids. One adult and one child we were with have celiac disease and need to be extremely careful with how the food is prepared. The manager could not have been more helpful, offering for the chef to come out if they had any questions. Our server was fantastic and gave my friend's son plastic gloves, so that he could play with the pizza dough along with his friends. My friends were so happy and impressed they have a restaurant they can go to and not worry!! Awesome evening and food was delish!!
(5)Lauren A.
I have been here several times since writing my initial review and I can definitely say the service has improved greatly. They really seem to have their act together now. While this is a good thing and I seriously do love the pizza, I will never understand why there are always SO MANY children here. Also, when we walked in this past Saturday, I asked the hostess to seat us away from the pizza making area where all the little kids hang out. She said fine and then asked me if there would be any children in our party. Huh??? Anyway, as I said in my first review, as long as you stay away from that back corner, this place rules.
(4)Karena L.
It's a great addition to our area. Enjoyed their brick-oven pizza, their late night menu option was pretty decent. They have a good beer selection too. Looking forward to going back and hanging out on their patio area once it gets warm!!
(4)Kate i.
This place is great. We ordered a pizza, a burger, a beer, a mixed drink, an iced tea, and a dessert. We wanted to try everything. The pizza was pretty good, the burger was awesome, the drinks were made to order. The iced tea was enormous. I love generous beverages. The dessert was beautiful and tasty. I couldn't believe how affordable it all was, given the beautiful decor and the big ol' portions. The waitress was sweet and one of the owners came over to see how we were doing. The staff was very accommodating with our baby and stroller. We are already planning on eating there for my birthday next week. Can't wait!
(5)Bill P.
I came to Iron Horse Ale House for a family birthday celebration. The place has been open several months, in space that may once have been industrial, or perhaps a car shop. It's been cleaned up nicely, and the main room is very large, with party rooms upstairs. The place is family friendly in the early evening. Patrons brought kids who mostly took in the action around the pizza oven. Kids got a lump of pizza dough & instructions on rolling & flattening it. (My youngest nephew mastered the art of beaning me in the head with his lump, & couldn't have been more pleased with himself....). Food consists of a few sandwiches, salads, & thin crust pizza. I had a blue cheese burger cooked as requested, very good. Fries were served hot and nicely seasoned. Salads got finished finished & pizzas were devoured before I could sample a slice. That & the praise told me they do pizza well here... I'm the guy at the bar knocking down Diet Cokes, but I did read the menu. There is a huge selection of beer, wine, and liquor, major & international brands plus locally brewed and seasonal choices. Staff was attentive, friendly, and worked hard. No doubt the work ethic has helped them establish their new place, and as time goes by Iron Horse will improve even more. Check them out.
(5)TJ D.
Love love love this Norwood park treasure. The owners, Chris, Joe and Kevin are the best. Pizza is terrific, service is professional and beer selection is excellent. Outdoor patio in the summer is a welcome addition.
(5)Jason J.
Really glad this place in the neighborhood now. We had only been here for drinks, but finally went for food as well. The brick oven was calling out to us, so we decided on the pepperoni because we trying to be safe. It was good. The crust was crispy with right amount of chew, and the sauce and toppings were tasty. But for a brick oven pizza the center got soggy a little too fast. Still good though. The place is really nice inside, and the beer selection is awesome. When it's warm out they have a large outside seating area, and a party room upstairs. It's a great place to hang out and chat, or watch a game ( lots of tv's with sports on them!) and the prices were reasonable. I'll be back for sure.
(4)Shaun H.
I somehow found myself back here after another place didn't work out. We shared a pizza and a pasta dish. The pasta was pretty great, so maybe this place can grow on me after all.
(3)Ed B.
So been there a couple times but more importantly to the competition in the area as well. Its come down to us eating at other places more often and that drops a star for me. The menu hasn't really changed, last time I was there I spent about 10 minutes looking at the menu constantly flipping over looking for more. They have this great looking kitchen just wish they started to expand on that menu a bit more. I'm highly annoyed with grilled onions being a $1 add on vs free raw onions. Offer specialty burgers you know like pepper jack / avocado and spicy mayo etc.. vs making that a $2.50 upgrade to an existing burger (thats minus grilled onions of course). Technically you could add on $5 dollars of add on items to a burger, hello 5 Guys offers more for free and a better burger IMO. Beer list is small but decent, however I didn't understand why of the 4 beers I ordered (all different styles) they were all served in a tulip glass (8-10oz) vs a pint glass for the beers that fit that style, I'm not a Cicerone by any means but know a low abv session beer on draft is usually served a pint glass. Staff was still great on our last couple visits, I like this place and will keep going back but its not my first choice for the area.
(3)Paulina S.
Love this new restaurant. The pizza is incredible. I tried the buffalo chicken pizza and I loved it. Also the fried calamari was really tastey. There is plenty of TVs to watch sports, and they have a patio! I also enjoy the many beers they have on draft, and they have a great wine selection. I will definitely be coming back.
(5)Kevin R.
Went there today for the first time. Sat at the bar and had excellent service from Laura. Food that I had was great. Fresh ingredients and obviously house made. Sorry that I have not tried this place sooner, I will be back.
(4)Sean W.
My wife and I have come to Iron Horse a few times and have had a great time. The pizza is GREAT! It does get busy from time to time, but what popular place doesn't? Great staff, great food, and great drink prices. We'll be coming back on a regular basis!
(5)Mike G.
I have been here four times already and the food and beer is great. I do agree with the others that the service was not the greatest until I had an amazing waitress give me the best experience and change my mind. The first time I went there with a few buddies we had a waitress named Jeannine who was horrible. She had my order wrong and she ran around and was kind of rude. I figured the place just opened....But really?? I think the place may hire anyone off the street the way some of the people look that work there. The second time a few friends and I went we had Paulina...so sweet and nice. She got our orders right and was attentive to our table. The pizza that night was so amazing and delicious. The next time we went we had the best waitress named Bridget. She was so atttentive to our table and asked us frequently what we needed. She never let my glass get empty without asking if I needed another beer. She smiled the whole time and recommended new things to us. The arugula pizza and calamri she was fantasatic!!! Also she recommended the Allagash beer and that also was amazing. She changed my mind about the whole place and made my experience wonderful. I will only ask for her when I come in!!! Overall a great place. Too many kids and families though.
(5)Mike L.
I'd give it a 3.5 but Yelp won't allow that on a star rating. The staff was VERY friendly and attentive - the beer was very good, the lighting could be a little more subdued - after all, it is a bar. The decor is very nice and warm with high ceilings and lots of wood and exposed brick - nice job on the remodel. The Margherita Pizza was ok - almost a 4, the cheese was high quality and the tomato sauce had a decent flavor - not sure I liked the corn meal used to brown up the crust - takes away from the authentic brick oven technique in Italy, but it was good so I am not trying to complain, just being honest. I think they will do well - there was a good crowd and the owner is certainly hands on which is a good thing. I would say it was worth it and I would go back.
(3)Pat C.
Well I have been here a few times, first time I was here I just had a few drinks with friends. The service at the bar was very good even with how busy it was for a Bears game. This time we stopped in for dinner and some entertainment. Had the wings they were ok nothing to write home about. The pizza is brick oven so I was excited to try it. We ordered a veggie pizza which, lol whatever if I want pizza I say load it with meat but I was out voted. The pizza was tasteless and under cooked. I was surprised that it came out so fast with the salads and wings. Very little sauce and the veggies were soggy. The crust was to thick and under cooked so much so that I bit into raw pizza dough. So they have work to on the pizza. The waitress was very nice and she was quick. I can't complain about the service here because every time I have been there it has been very good. If Iron Horse fails it wll be because of the food for sure. I am not a big fan of processed food and I just for one would love to see a place like this serve real food grown locally. The quality would be so much better and we can pump local money into our local economy. But that's a rant for another time lol. Going out to eat is hard to find quality in Bar food which is what Iron Horse serves its customers. In closing enjoy the drinks the food... eh its so so. You wont get blown away.
(2)Jennifer B.
Very disappointed ! Food was awful pizza was bland and the fish and fries tasted like a freezer! The beer was expensive and totally not worth it since it took 10 minutes to get one! The service was average and the parking lot is a death trap! Way to many kids I totally get it they want to be neighborhood friendly but its a little much! Hard to enjoy dinner and drinks at a BAR with kids screaming in the background! One time was more then enough for my husband and myself! If I could give this place a negative star I would!
(1)Robert G.
Food is great especially the pizzas and a variety of draft beer selection is amazing ... But Is it a bar or a family restaurant? They need to figure it out soon or they will lose a lot of potential business. There is no ambience to be have here especially with children running around.
(2)Alex M.
This place is great. I tried the brick oven pizza last night and it was very good. Had a nice dinner after work with my wife.
(5)Mark S.
This is a wonderful addition to the Norwood park and north west side. It provides an EXCEPTIONAL VALUE. By the looks of the place I'd expect the prices to be 20-30% higher. We are very lucky to have this place in our back yard and will be back once or twice a week for sure.
(5)john k.
They have a great upstairs room for private parties. Food and service are worth the trip
(4)Jen S.
While the neighborhood can definitely use this kind of establishment, the food was ok but nothing you will crave and make a special trip back for. Decent selection of beers although our first two choices were not available. Pizza is better than what get in your grocer's freezer, but it could use improvement. Prefer Piece as a beer and pizza joint, but this handy and not crowded. The biggest advantage this place has is an outdoor patio that is not on the highway and its own small parking lot.
(3)Anne W.
This is a fantastic neighborhood restaurant/bar for all ages. There were many families enjoying meals, while the bar crowd simultaneously enjoyed adult beverages and watched the Bears on many conveniently located tvs. The service at Iron Horse is very friendly and attentive, and the prices are reasonable. There is an adjacent parking lot, making life easier. There is also a beautiful outdoor patio (although it's a little chilly for that now). The food is ample and delicious. I loved the chopped salad, and there is plenty for two people (even though I didn't share). And, you must try the Asiago garlic bread, which is awesome. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised when you experience this new neighborhood gem. I was.
(5)Chuck J.
So, we finally got around to trying this place. On a Thursday nite they had a large (but by no means full) crowd at 6:30. We did not find it too noisy, and our server was excellent! The beers were interesting, but the best part is that the burgers were Outstanding! We left VERY happy that the Iron Horse has opened in our neighborhood. My only suggestion...add some Scotch to your drink menu.
(4)Bob M.
Took the family for pizza. Our first time here. Very cold day in Chicago, but the restaurant was pleasantly warm. Service was right on, and the pizza very good. We'll be back.
(4)Tanja Z.
I'm so happy that a new place opend in my neighborhood. I walked over last night for dinner and to watch some football. The inside of the place had a more low key section, busy middle section with TV's and bar, and a cool patio. Def a nice space. The burgers were really good and you practically get a Big Gulp sized drink which is awesome. The fries were kinda on the soft side which isnt my thing but had good flavor. The stand out was the Nutella, banana, and strawberry pizza with chocolate sauce. OMG it was heaven in my mouth!!! I plan on coming back on Sunday to try the brick oven pizzas.
(5)Squeaky F.
Great selection of beer to go along with the tasty brick oven pizza. I recommend the margarita pizza; although next time I will ask for extra basil.
(4)Marianne M.
Had dinner with my husband and Kids last night at Iron Horse and really enjoyed it! The wood burning oven pizzas were fantastic, kids menu was cute and offered the basics. Beer selection is fantastic!!! Service needs a little help, but they will get there. The location is perfect, Norwood Park and NW side of Chicago needs a cool place like this. Looking forward to summer when the patio is open. Will be back soon to try some more menu items.
(4)Em P.
Stopped back in.. This time simply for drinks. We had a server who was neither friendly or unfriendly.. With an apparent lack of disinterest for her job. She had no insight or suggestion to the menu and kindof made a face when she realized we were simply there for drinks. I do enjoy their enormous selection of beers.. However I really wish they would advertise specials more. I'll be back.. Cause I really like the feel of this bar but will run the other way if I get this waitress.
(3)Kerin B.
We have been waiting for Iron Horse to open for a while and were happy as soon as we walked in the door. It is a nice comfortable place to be. Love the decor-- they left parts of the old building (i think it was a post office) and blended the new in nicely. Very glad to find another local place that has gluten free drink and food options. They have gluten free beer (I didn't try it) and Tito's vodka. They actually have a separate gluten free menu with pizza, appetizers, sandwiches and pasta dishes. The gluten free pizza is brick oven style and it is pretty good (about as good as gluten free pizza can get). Great place to go have drinks or have dinner.
(4)Mark R.
I've stopped in a few times. When they first opened they were busy, but lately they've slowed down quite a bit. The food is good but not great,don't bother trying their salads, they save their greens too long, I hate old lettuce in an expensive salad. the pizzas are OK though, overall I would give the place 3 stars for the food. For the bar however I can only give them 1 star, the place just doesn't feel like a bar, too many kids running around, lighting always too bright, just misses. Overall rating 2 stars, I don't think I'll be back soon.
(2)Dawn G.
Great pizza, fantastic beer selection, comfortable environment for conversation w/attentive staff, too. Can't wait to go back.
(5)John C.
Went in for a burger. Burger was delicious. Had two beer specials also delicious. Wait staff was a little slow. Plan on going back for the pizza.
(4)Brian O.
Great beer selection and pizza was great. Wide open back room plenty of room.
(5)Victoria B.
Was in recently and the food was outstanding. This place JUST opened...only weeks ago and was crowded because the neighborhood has been excited about the opening. Service was slow--but it is obvious that it is because the place is new and still figuring out stuff and making some changes. I still had a great time regardless. I heard they are helping the local area by hiring local people---which is GREAT! There's not many options for food and spirits in the area....and the community needs this place. So, give it some time to iron out the kinks...
(5)Arnold F.
Great edition to the neighborhood !! Went in with a large party and everyone loved thier food(the 1/2 chicken dinner was something special).Service was great and the beer fantastic.Enjoy!!
(5)Lori M.
First of all, I'd like to identify myself as a 53 y/o suburbanite. After reading Yelp reviews for years, I think this is important, because frankly, I don't want to hear what a 20 something has to say about a restaurant. Too inexperienced, in just about everything. Period. Personally, I'd like to see the reviewer's age on all posts. At least then I'd have a point of reference. Thanks to the establishment for opening this breath of fresh air on the NW side. Two parking lots make it mighty convenient to choose this place as a dining destination. Great old building (old post office?) and nicely renovated. Large and airy main floor, warm colors and lighting and with the "must have" (for some) multiple, yet unobtrusive flat screens. Not too loud, but it was early. Ample selection of craft beer on tap. Plenty of bottles, but why would you? Not a huge food menu, but nice pub style choices. Had fried calamari. Crispy, light, perfectly cooked with 2 great sauces. Nice appetizer size also. Buffalo chicken pizza. Tasty with just the right amount of heat. Burgers, perfectly cooked on a soft, high, shiny egg bun. Fries-crispy on the outside, fluffy potato insides. Not too thin, or too wide. Everything came out hot. (A nod to the server, because really they're responsible for getting food out on time). Cole slaw, while fresh and crisp, had good celery seed flavor but was a little dry. Just a splash more dressing please. One more word about service: efficient, attentive, not overpowering. Thank you. I think the area for letting kids watch the pizza being made is great. Kids get to play with raw dough and everyone is happy. I remember those days. Prices are fair and it's great to see a trendy type place out here. I resent all the cool restaurants opening up in difficult to reach areas in the city. Nice that Iron Horse took a gamble on us. Will look forward to warm weather and the beer garden.
(4)Tavis B.
I visited on the second day they were open for business. I love the concept of a pub featuring only fresh, and mostly locally sourced food and craft beers. The wood-fired pizza is a very refreshing and delicious change. I wasn't sure about Buffalo chicken pizza, but it rocked. Chicken/beef/sausage sliders were a good deal at $2 each, and were not skimpy, great for just a nibble when you're 'on the drink.' Great patio /beer garden. Are there kinks to be worked out? Of course. I"ve never visited a new restauran/bart that didn't.. However, their commitment to quality fresh local food, craft beer and spirits will bring the hoardes to Norwood Park, and the I'm certain that the other pubs will benefit as well.
(5)Mike B.
Great place to go for moderately priced food. They have a good variety on the menu for meat eaters and vegetarians, and a great selection of beers. I'm glad to see Norwood Park get some restaurants and this is the best of them.
(4)Sara N.
I had a great time here with a group of friends Friday night. They were really busy but the service was still friendly and fast. They have excellent pizza a great selection of beers on tap. Overall, a great experience and we will definitely be back!
(5)Margaret P.
I was so excited about this place opening up and I heard a lot of talk about it. We waited a few weeks until they worked out the new restaurant snafus before a group of us tried it. It was worth the wait! The restaurant is beautiful! The service was terrific and very attentive! And the food was full on fantastic! We ordered a variety of pizzas after seeing their awesome wood burning pizza oven. Each pizza was super delicious! Everyone at our table gave it rave reviews. This is definitely going to be my go to dinner out place!
(5)Erin S.
This is a great addition to the neighborhood! The brick oven pizza is great and the burger is awesome. Nice place to bring the family - the front bar is the bar area with booths and hi-tops while regular tables are in the back so the kids can see the pizza being made etc... Very nice atmosphere.
(4)Danielle B.
We came here on a Friday night. We started off with calamari which was really good. Our beers were great and came out very quickly. Our waiter was obviously new and very young but still did a great job. Although he was a little annoying, but he still tried his best. We ordered the smokin pizza which was great. It was very fresh and really great tasting. Another thing, It is also quite obvious that they are trying to be a family restaurant. If you call yourself an ale house, that's what people will take it as. Kids were all over the place and watching the pizza-making take place. As they could easily wipe their snot and sneeze all over your pizza. Anyways, as the place started getting busier we noticed that the owners were walking around trying to find more tables. There were 3 open tables around us and we thought they were trying to seat a bigger party. Trying to be nice, we asked one of the owners if they would like us to move to a different table to make room for another party. Rudely, the owner replied, "moving to another table won't help." To us that meant get out we, need your table. We were offering to be nice and we got a rude response. Next, my friend got up to go to the restroom. He overheard the owner saying to the hostess, "if we can just get rid of that table"...while look at our table. After that we were disgusted and decided to take our beer drinking to Mo Daileys down the street. Overall, good food but bad service. Don't be rude to customers who are trying to be nice and spending their money at your establishment. Also, the smell of smoke is strong you will walk out smelling like a bonfire.
(3)Michaela O.
Great beer list. I had the tilapia tacos which were amazing. The patio was beautiful, we were here last weekend. Its very clean, family friendly, and the pizza oven is defiantly something to see! I will be back!
(4)Ed A.
I like it. I like it a lot. Industrial chic invades Edison Park. The food is good and sometimes great. The beer selection is pretty wide, although the wine menu is lacking. Great for groups and a departure from the darker closed in bars one normally finds. Open space at its finest. I came on an overcast day and can only imagine how this place looks in the sunlight and moonlight as well. They have a bar set aside to the east side of the place. Great to catch a quick drink and appetizers. Plenty of TVs as well. I kept wondering what kind of factory/industrial building this was. One day I'll ask. One downfall of this place is that it has a terrible sound system. Music sounds like that heard when listening from under the water. They got to fix that shit
(4)Ezra E.
Always a pleasure - the food is good and they have a rotating IBW on tap which is a current favorite. Food is normally between decent and pretty good. They have a counter in the back where kids can play with pizza dough and the guys making pizzas will make the dough for them. this I think is the best bread they have. The giardinara is another hidden gem- it's fantasic. They never give you enough veggies though so you end up with a cup of oil. I mixed my oil with the green goddess dressing in my side salad which made that even better. The sandwiches so far have been pretty good. I still need to try the entrees and the pizza.
(4)Racer S.
The food was very good - My wife had the pizza with arugula, etc., and it was tasty, nicely done, good crust (although just a little thick for neapolitan style pizza - e.g. Da Nella or Spacca Napoli - but then again, Iron Horse isn't trying to be them...). I had the Smokin' Piggy burger - delicious, served medium-rare like I asked. Different bun... seemed kind of like pizza dough baked as a bun - nice, chewy, much better than the typical burger bun. Decent selection of craft beers on tap - could be a little more diverse, but I found a couple I liked (IPA fan...). Lots more beers by bottle. Service was great. Nice to have this place close to home - too bad it took us so long to discover it. We'll be back!
(4)Valerie W.
We came to Iron Horse last Friday after trying to find a place that would accommodate all appetites and dietary restrictions. That, and it's been on my list of places to try for about six months. We were seated right away with no wait at 7pm. The restaurant was busy, but not packed. The décor is a bit eclectic, country bar on a few booths, a 70's disco club corner, kids pizza area... an interesting hodge-podge. Our server was friendly, awesome, and on-point. I'm really sad I don't remember his name. Younger guy, glasses, hawks shirt. He was attentive but not overbearing, made great suggestions, and kept our drinks full. I ordered the fish and chips, seeing that they were semolina crusted walleye and not the standard beer battered cod. It was really delicious, and I'm really happy with the choice I made. Looking around the restaurant, the burgers and pizzas also looked delicious. I will be sure to come back again to try a pizza from the wood-burning oven!
(4)Rachel A.
Patio & overall ambiance - 4.5 stars Food - 3.5 stars Service - 2.5 stars Management - 1.5 stars I was so excited when I walked in; the place looked cute and the patio was a delightful oasis on a warm summer's evening. The server seemed pleasant enough. We ordered a Moscow Mule that was essentially an $8 ginger beer. I realize vodka doesn't have a powerful flavor, but there was zero evidence of its presence (both in terms of flavor and buzz-factor). The waitress seemed rather annoyed that my friend and I intended to socialize a bit before ordering food. It was 8PM on a Wednesday, so it's not like we were camping during peak time. She kept pressuring us to order food, but once the food had been delivered, there was very minimal follow-up. I overheard an exchange with the apparent manager where a table inquired as to how long the patio could stay open. He advised that legally they could stay open until midnight, but obviously, they'd only stay open if it was worth their while (which I guess means if they determine that they're making enough money). I definitely understand, but at that point, there were still about 20 people on the patio at it was 9:30PM (the posted hours indicate a 2AM closing). My friend and I decided to relocate inside to have one drink before heading out. The place had definitely thinned out but there were a few other people at the bar. We sat and sat and sat with empty glasses in front of us while the sour-pussed bartender kept cleaning the bar and ignoring us. After a solid 5-10 minutes, I asked if they were still open and if we could order 1 more round. She utterly refused to smile, even though we were smiling from ear to ear anytime we made a request. The manager started lingering close to us at the end of the bar. We mentioned that we liked the place overall, but had been a bit disappointed with our service. A well-trained professional manager probably would have apologized, asked what they could have done differently, or could have offered to buy our beers. Instead, he explained that he keeps an eye on how long it takes for a customer to order another round and we had been sitting for about 45 minutes without buying product. Um, pardon me? First of all, your bartender was not providing service. Secondly, if you're hanging out at a bar for several hours, you probably shouldn't be ordering drinks every 20 minutes. Lastly, there were 2 of us and we had already spent over $120 in the place. Bottom line: If you want to go and spend your money in a place that treats their customers like walking ATMs, go to the Iron Horse. For me, I'd prefer to spend my time (and money) supporting businesses whose goal is to provide their customers with an enjoyable, hospitable experience.
(2)Alex K.
Craft beer is something you don't really find in Norwood park. That's why I was excited when Iron Horse opened up. I've been here a few times since and haven't been disappointed. There are a bunch of great options on tap for those that want a little something more than Miller lite. The food has been great too. I've tried a few different pizzas and all have been solid. The decor has a pretty cool look to it as well, everything inside feels pretty open and you can tell a lot of work went into it before it opened. If you're in Norwood park this is the bar to be at for drinks and food.
(4)K S.
This place may very well turn into my regular neighborhood pizza spot. Im not a fan of calamari but the bf ordered it and said it was decent and it was a nice size portion. Great service and I like how they have an area for the kids to play with pizza dough! WIll be back again to try other items on the menu!
(4)Heather J.
Went here last Saturday for dinner around 6:30pm. Finding parking wasn't easy with the snowstorm we recently had, and the parking lot they have is so small it only fits about 10 cars. The good news is that there was no wait at all to be seated, the staff was very nice, and the restaurant was very spacious. I liked the ambiance, minus the screaming children at the table next to ours. That, of course, isn't the restaurant's fault. There were a lot of families here with kids, which is understandable since it's one of the only modern restaurants in Norwood Park. I kind of expected it to be more like the Garage or a bar in Edison Park that was geared a little more towards the 20's crowd, though - a bar that just happened to serve good food - so that caught me a little off guard. The music was a little weird for a bar, too, they were playing oldies but goodies from Jason Mraz and the Fray. May have just been for the dinner hours? The bar menu was pretty decent, they have 20 or so beers on tap. $6 for a 16oz. craft beer... Didn't seem too much more expensive than Bar Louie or Park Tavern. My husband ordered a beer flight for $8 which was cheaper than most places we've been to. For food, we ordered the Spinach & Artichoke Dip appetizer, which was delicious. The pita bread was melt-in-your-mouth amazing. You can tell it didn't just come out of a box. For dinner, I ordered the Blackened Tilapia Tacos. The tilapia was seasoned and cooked perfectly! I would absolutely order again. My husband really enjoyed his Buffalo Chicken Wrap, too. Overall, we had a great experience here, and our check was at least $10 cheaper than it is when we visit the restaurants in Rosemont, for food that is 100x better than those restaurants. It'll likely become our go-to!
(4)Angela K.
My husband and I were looking for a brewery, but also wanted some good pizza. So glad we found this place on Yelp! We went there yesterday evening for dinner around 6:30. There weren't many other patrons there when we first arrived. We were seated right away in a table against the wall with a bench seat. We ordered a couple of draft porters from Revolution which were very tasty! The beer list was extensive, as was the bourbon/whiskey list, and list of other cocktails and wine. There was a lot from which to choose! We tried the pulled pork and cheddar fritters to start. They were not what we were expecting, they came out in the shape of a ball (like a hushpuppy), but the flavor was pretty good. We then decided to try a couple of different 12" pizzas. We ordered the Arugala and the Italian. The crust was thin, crispy around the edges and had great flavor! The italian sausage on the one pizza had wonderful flavor that added to the overall taste of the pizza without being overwhleming. The Arugala pizza was a much milder flavor profile but was enhanced nicely with some grated parma and oregano. I would have liked to have seen a little more proscuitto on it though. They went a little skimpy with that ingredient and very heavy on the arugala. All in all this was a great experience in an awesome atmosphere. They did a nice job on the interior of this place. It was very clean, good for groups and kids, and had tons of TVs that the waitresses seemed ok with changing to accommodate folks sitting in close proximity. By the time we left here around 8:30, the place was packed!
(4)Hilda B.
Amazing food, great service! The only annoying thing is the little kids running around, but hey the poor parents need to go out too...so I get it. It can get very busy on the week ends, but that's a good sign.
(5)Marie M.
I really want to like this place, but they just make it so hard! Went for dinner tonight - a very warm summer evening and they had their big floor to ceiling window/doors wide open. If the heat didn't get to you, the bugs landing on your food did - flies, mosquito's, gnat's! I thought the little old man at the table next to us was going to pass out from the heat! We diplomatically and politely mentioned it to the gentleman that appeared to be the manager, and he did shut the doors and turn on the air, but he never came to check on us or apologize! Our waitress was fantastic and the food we were able to eat (without bugs landing on it) was very good! Typically it's the service that is the issue with this place, but tonight it was a poor management decision!
(1)Ashley C.
Iron Horse seemed like the perfect place to celebrate with some friends a few weeks ago. We sat on their large patio which was wonderful and one of the best things they have going. It is bar food with extremely slow and poor service. They've got the drinks down good. They had a nice selection and several price points too. The food was your typical bar food. The chicken wings were okay. They were crispy enough but didn't have as much flavor as I would expect. We also ordered two pizzas: pepperoni and the buffalo chicken. I personally didn't care for the buffalo chicken and thought there was too much sauce which through the ratio off. However, the pepperoni pizza was pretty good pizza especially for a bar and not a pizza place. The food alone gets a solid 3 stars. My biggest complaint would be the service which is really what knocks it down. It was slow and just not good. For instance, when we ordered the chicken wings as an appetizer, we asked them to be extra crispy. Our server responded that they really aren't that crispy and she can make a note but the kitchen won't follow it. I can appreciate honesty but it left a weird first impression of indifference that continued throughout our service. Our server was not friendly but rather appeared annoyed. We probably would have ordered more drinks but we weren't checked on frequently. I get that there may be some kinks since it is a newer place, so I would be willing to give them another chance.
(2)SuzyintheCity S.
Nice ambiance. Good food. POOR service and mixed drinks WITHOUT alcohol in them (not what I wished for). When server (Julie F) was informed the drink was either absent alcohol or was watered down, she responded by saying it wasn't up to her, it was up to the bar tender and did nothing to follow up or correct the problem. So for me...one and DONE.
(1)Renderking M.
We'll be back. Nice ambiance. We were sold on everything but the service. It wasn't terrible, but slightly unwelcoming. Reminded me of a Boston bar where the servers are cold and unemotional. Beer selection was slightly pricey, but comparable to other high-end/suburban bars. If they had more weekday specials, we'd add it to our list of regular spots.
(4)CKay D.
I like that this is the only place in the area that reminds you that you're still in the city of Chicago and also helps you forget you're in a weird incestuous bubble of a neighborhood where everyone knows each other, is related to each other, and/or has one of three careers. Great cocktails & good menu
(4)K J.
The first time I went here my family really enjoyed it. The pizzas were tasty, the patio was comfortable, and they had a nice children's menu. My one complaint was that the waitress had no idea about the beer on tap. We asked what they had on one of their rotating handles and she simply said "I dont know." but she didnt go and ask.... we asked her about another kind of beer and again... it was an "I dont know." Strange. But we liked the atmosphere and food enough to come back a week later. This time we had a terrible experience. We went in on a Tuesday at 5pm with 2 kids. It took 15 minutes to get our first beer. The waitress completely forgot the kids drinks until after the food arrived. When the pizza arrived after 40 minutes, she had put in the wrong kind of pizza. We ordered another beer and that took another 20 minutes to get. Everyone was getting really cranky and annoyed and we just wanted to get out of there. We ate quickly and asked for the bill which took another 20 minutes to get. This is unacceptable. The waitress also had no idea about items on the menu. I was going to ask a soup of the day and asked what was in it, and she didnt know and didnt find out. She also had no idea about the beer list. Frustrated that this place has potential but needs to really work on their game and wait staff.
(2)Vanessa A.
We came to Iron Horse Ale House as an alternative to a similar Edison Park eatery. Our party of five was seated promptly on a Friday night. We ordered 3 different sandwiches/ burgers a hot dog for our toddler and our older son had the pizza. Everything we had was great!!! I ordered a cheeseburger medium and that's exactly the way it was received. The pizza was amazing. All of our food was served fresh and hot. Prices are reasonable and our server was outstanding. She was attentive, personable and friendly. We'll definitely be back and this time my kids will try the make your own pizza. They did a good job putting the menu together it had a very good variety without being overwhelming. The IPA selection was good as well.
(5)Joy T.
Great pizza and salads and beer selections. The staff are friendly and I've never had a bad experience here. Plenty of tv's to watch if you're looking for a spot to watch the game.
(5)David M.
Ate here for the first time this week. My friends ordered pizza but I wanted to try the burger. Their pizza was fine, but my burger, ordered medium, was raw on the inside. Not pink- it was cold and completely uncooked. So I had it taken back. It later reappeared- not a new burger but the same burger, grilled a little longer. Another few bites to discover that it was still undercooked! Cold ground beef. The waitress said that "this is our medium," which I'm sure it was not (at least I hope not!), and it totally wasn't her fault. She was gracious and took it off the ticket without me even having to bring it up, but I won't be eating here again.
(1)Mary M.
This is a suburban bar -- way more spacious and barn-like than most bars in the city, and good for groups. Not intimate, not dark, and quite loud on a weekend evening. The service was good, not amazing, and the food was above average. The drinks were a bit on the weak side but there was a decent selection of beer. All in all, if I were meeting friends here, I'd be ok with it, but I wouldn't suggest it myself. I prefer a less anonymous bar.
(3)Elizabeth S.
Great food and beer but not impressed with the service! Their beer selection was awesome and we loved the pizza. Our issue was with our server(s) who were missing at times and overbearing at others. The real issue is that after messing up our pizza order, we ended up with a second pizza but it seemed our server wanted to be compensated. When the bill came, we left a 13% tip based on the spotty service and she actually came back and said "well, I didn't include the tip", essentially asking for more money. I have never had that happen...and was shocked that after a mistake and subpar service, she would ask for more money. We added to the tip and felt it would be best to just warn other yelpers of this issue. Overall, great food and beer just not thrilled with the servers.
(2)Michael T.
My wife and I have frequented Iron Horse Ale House since it opened, and have never been disappointed. The food, service, and ambiance have always been great, and we seem to always talk about our next visit. The outdoor patio is perfect on a warm summer night. They have a decent draught beer selection, a pretty good pizza, and... what else does one need??? It's also a nice place to catch a game. Overall, a very nice experience!
(5)David K.
Chucky Cheese? Too many kids. Drinks were good. Ffsh and chips and salads not good. Service was good. No need for me to go back.
(1)Justin B.
Food was good but there were about 25 children running around unattended. This was at night during March madness. Not a child environment. I am all about family friendly but this was not appropriate. If you want a nice bar to have a drink with a friend, try another place. This is a family place, not a bar. Of that's what you are looking for, go for it.
(1)Tricia K.
The beer selection here is great! A balanced selection of different types of craft beers. The wood burning oven makes yummy pizzas (try the arugula)! They also have a nice patio on the side of the building (no street noise). Service is always great and would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone! Kids welcome :)
(5)Kent T.
Excellent service, outdoor patio, great music, and we all thought our meals were delicious. Great atmosphere!
(4)Michael N.
Went the other night and was told "no specials during the summer." That was odd, especially when most places are looking for increased business mid-week. But the other thing was the wings were not cooked completely through--not raw, but a bit too chewy. Lastly, did not get pizza this time and we were disappointed. The pizza is really, really good, but the other items on the menu need a little work. All in all, we will give another shot, maybe when football season rolls around.
(3)Russell S.
Great place for drinks and dinner, with a couple looking for a lively atmosphere, to groups. Our group tonight had four friends, and subsequent groups of 10, 12, and 20 came in on a Tuesday night. Even though the waitstaff wasn't expecting the place to fill up on a Tuesday night, they handled it like pros. While there are plenty of craft beers to be found here, I was here just under a year ago and the craft beer list was largely unchanged, so I would prefer to see a little more variety/rotation. Our food was amazing. From our appetizers of calamari as large as small/med onion rings, to the pulled pork and cheddar fritters -- yes, pulled pork in a ball mixed with cheddar cheese and deep fried with bbq dipping sauce. Highly recommend either or both. For entrees our party had 1/2 lb Bacon Cheeseburger (solid), Steak Salad (amazing), Pulled Pork/Burger on a flatbread (amazing), and a Pulled Pork Sandwich (excellent). Celebratory chocolate/hazelnut cake with raspberry sauce, candied walnuts, and whipped cream. Yum! In addition to the good food and drinks, we prolonged our celebration night for four hours. Julie, our server was as attentive as she was charming, and a good sport to the antics of 40-something year old juveniles. While this was my return trip (brick oven pizza also highly recommended), the other three were first-timers and all said they would return. One even took a Pulled Pork/Burger and fries to go!
(4)Kevin R.
This place rocks!!! The service is wonderful the waitstaff is so friendly and attentive. Had a Bloody Mary and was really good and had bacon in it. They simplified the menu and the hand made pizza is great. They let kids play with dough and make stuff. This place use to be a old post office and the atmosphere is wonderful. If your ever in the hood you must stop by. Oh yeah they have a large selection of beers.
(5)Kevin F.
Exceptional Pizza and Burgers! Great Beer List! Nice Wine list, Beautiful outdoor patio! What else do you need?
(5)Eric Y.
Just took the family for the first time and it was great. Food was incredible. Atmosphere was awesome with tons of tvs. Giving the kids the option to "make" pizzas is genius. We will definitely be back.
(5)Alexandra P.
The food was great and so was the atmosphere, I will definitely be back!
(4)C. B.
Iron Horse is a GREAT addition to the area! The ambiance and decor is spectacular!! I love the rustic/historic feel that it has while still having tons of natural light! They've got a pretty good beer selection. The food is alright... I certainly wouldn't seek this place out for the food, but for all of the other things it has going for it...I'll take the subpar food. Some critiques for this place - your waitstaff can be kinda sour at times. invest more in your food ingredients - a lot of them seem to be bland. And lastly - turn the sound on during major sporting events! You have oodles of TV's, but when music is blaring instead of the game, it's a bummer.
(4)Kate L.
I live right across the street from here and have probably been here 30 times. I have been in here multiple times during the week and often not a single other soul was in there. It is so sad seeing a restaurant totally empty. Especially one so nice with good food! My family has been in the restaurant business for years - you simply HAVE to offer specials. Anyone and everyone are looking for a good deal and to save a buck in anyway possible. You are up against some serious competition only a mile away in Edison Park. Here are just some specials that my girlfriends and I go to all the time - especially in the summer! This is a list I know off the top of my head too so I'm sure there are more than I'm missing. Nono Pino's- Mondays- Friday: Happy hour at Nono Pinos from 5-7. $2-$3 appetizers with the purchase of 1 beverage. We get so much food for so little money that we tend to spend nearly $30 a person on drinks. Cafe Touche: This food is to die for!!! $5 apps Sunday nights. $10 bottomless mimosas or bloody mary on Saturday and Sunday during brunch (10-2 i think?). 1/2 priced bottles of wine on Wednesdays. $5 martinis on Tuesdays. Moretti's: They always have food and drink deals going on but a really good one is 1/2 price pizzas on Tuesdays - even gluten free pizza is 1/2 off! They also have some of the best delivery service around with a ton of great coupons on their site! Zia's: I think every night they have $5 wine glasses or $20 bottles. Wednesday they have $5 apps! amazzzziiiinnnnggg food! Firewater: Drink specials every day of the week Carragh: Drink specials every day of the week- big fan of the 1/2 priced bottles of wine on Tuesdays and $5 Martinis on Wednesdays. You also have Houlihan's in downtown Park Ridge with a great happy hour deal as well. Iron Horse has such a great potential but I wouldn't be surprised at all if it went under. You have all of those people that walk from the train station that could easily pick up food (IF YOU EVEN OFFERED CARRY-OUT!!) or meet their families there. Offer things like 1/2 off pizzas, $3 beers, $5 glasses of wine, happy hour every monday-friday 5-7. With the winter approaching I am just imagining right now an even emptier restaurant. Really a shame that myself and all of my neighbors included head on over to EP before going to our local restaurant. Would hate to see it go under but it just isn't worth the money when you can spend a fraction less a mile away.
(2)Matthew R.
I have to say they put a lot into this place, and the enviroment is awesome, but the reason for the 4 stars is lack of service, and NO PICKUP OR DELIVERY option. I get that the place is a "bar", but if you're the only pizza place in the area, or anywhere that comes close, why wouldn't this be implemented. I'd have to say all their food is delicious, their pizzas have a lot of variety, and there is a large selection of other dishes, like their burgers, steaks, etc. Check it out, if you need a casual spot to eat, and have a drink.
(4)Bea M.
Had our holiday party at #IronHorseChgo Ale House and have to say we had exceptional service & the pizza and salad were awesome! Try the arugula pizza-yum, bbque and meat lovers pizza also got great reviews.
(5)David M.
My wife and I tried it over the weekend and were pleased. Open, airy atmosphere, decent beer selection and good food. Nice to have another go to restaurant in the area. Will be back.
(4)Maurice H.
New ale house in town. Very busy on a Friday night, but instead of fighting the traffic from O'Hare into town, we decided to try this spot. Open about a year, it has good ambience in a building that was once a fire house. The ceiling was especially interesting in design and construction, as was the pizza oven that had a turntable built in! Long bar with many beer selections. Interesting variety of tables - high, low, long and short. Service was hectic, but server was great. BBQ wings were flavorable, juicy and cooked perfectly. Salad with chicken was standard faire, Margarita pizza -tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, parmesan, pecorino, evoo, and basil came to table cold, was sent back for a replacement. Four cheese - Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, asiago, provolone, fontina, evoo was not hot either, but consumed anyway. The "Smokin' Piggy" Burger - Grilled 1/2 pound burger with smoked mozzarella piggy-backed with house made bbq pulled pork and tabasco fried onions, served on brick oven bun was delicious. Four stars would be deserved if the food was hot when served. Manager came to the table and asked so was told, and offered to discount the food and was apologetic. I think this will be a very successful place, and a good stop even if the traffic is not troublesome.
(3)Caroline S.
Great place! Impressive selection of excellent beers on tap. Delicious food - burgers are outstanding, and spot on service. Look forward to going back!
(5)Andi C.
Not a four star from me because the waitress was slow getting our drinks to us- we went on a really snowy Saturday afternoon- you could hear a pin drop in the place. So I am not sure why she was so "busy" Pros: 1. Good draft and bottle beer selections.- Angry Orchard on tap. 2. Pizza is good brick oven- taste very fresh and they will add or subtract what ever you like. 3. Nice open atmosphere in the back- big booths with bolster pillows that you really just sort of shove to the side. 4. We have been here three times and have never waited for a table. Cons: 1. Parking is not so good- small lot- unless you can find street parking 2. The pizza guys are a little weird.- you can sit there and watch them make the pizzas and put them into the brick oven- but they are not particularly talkative or friendly. 3.As my friend was deciding on what beer to get next- the server took his" thinking" to mean he wanted the same beer he already had...and brought it out for him.. Overall- enjoyable, quiet, cozy- not too "bar-ee" and the food was good.
(4)Amber K.
Have had drinks at this bar and they've been decent... Good... But appetizers with late night drinks are seriously lacking... Ordered two different ones and was sorely disappointed.
(3)Andre L.
Went on a Sunday afternoon just before the dinner rush (almost empty when we arrived). My 2 children and I had to wait over 45min! The server was pleasant but not attentive enough nor apologetic enough-they didn't even take something off the bill. The ambiance is nice. The server gave the excuse that they got swamped- but that was after we had ordered. Food was ok. Kid's portions small. I had the Iron skillet burger which was ok- served on flat bread/tortilla -eh. Beer selection is fairly large if not too adventurous. Won't be back.
(2)Mike O.
I live in the area, and always try to give my business to local establishments. I went with a group of 5 people and we had a reservation. We finally got seated and for over 40 minutes sat at the table. No water, no menus no waitress and we had to keep going to the bar for drinks. At one point I even asked the hostess if we had a waitress and ten minutes later still nothing. Thankfully the bartender (Laura) was great. She actually came from behind the bar and took care of our food order. She apologized as she was not really a waitress and would attempt to take care of us. She had no reason to apologize as her service was great. A manager came over to apologize saying they had gotten slammed and the wait staff was overwhelmed. I looked around and the place was at about 10% capacity. I would really hate to see the service when they are really busy. The food was average bar food. If you only want drinks, go to the bar and ask for Laura. She was the only bright light to the evening. I will not be going back
(1)Liz J.
Great beer. Huge selection of craft beers on tap. Awesome pizza and salads. Not your average bar pizza, delicious, creative pies. Fun atmosphere and friendly staff. This is just what we needed in Norwood Park
(5)Oliver Y.
Great Pizza, went with the 12" meat lovers, 12" Italian, and Buffalo wings (6 pieces) for app all good selections....Beer, bottle or draft everything from A to Z. Great place to host your next event, has a 2nd floor and 2 parking lots!
(4)Mike K.
Went here a few times when they first opened and it was just "meh", though the beer menu was stellar the food and service was sub par. Probably 4-5 months have passed and I tried this place again last week. They must have gotten a new cook because the food is fantastic. Killer fish tacos. Pizza's are also better than they were. I've been back twice since that visit. Beer menu still rocks. Only 4 stars because the service still seems to be hit or miss. More than once they forgot to bring drinks and I had to seek them out to ask for it again. Big kudos to the kitchen staff, huge improvement!
(4)Michelle D.
I was there on Saturday evening with a large group of 19 adults/kids. One adult and one child we were with have celiac disease and need to be extremely careful with how the food is prepared. The manager could not have been more helpful, offering for the chef to come out if they had any questions. Our server was fantastic and gave my friend's son plastic gloves, so that he could play with the pizza dough along with his friends. My friends were so happy and impressed they have a restaurant they can go to and not worry!! Awesome evening and food was delish!!
(5)Lauren A.
I have been here several times since writing my initial review and I can definitely say the service has improved greatly. They really seem to have their act together now. While this is a good thing and I seriously do love the pizza, I will never understand why there are always SO MANY children here. Also, when we walked in this past Saturday, I asked the hostess to seat us away from the pizza making area where all the little kids hang out. She said fine and then asked me if there would be any children in our party. Huh??? Anyway, as I said in my first review, as long as you stay away from that back corner, this place rules.
(4)Jimmy B.
Stopped in to try out a new place while in the neighborhood, and I'm so glad we did. Tried a little of a lot! The pizzas are outstanding, the beer selection is good, the burgers were great too, but I think the pizza was better. I love the atmosphere and the staff too. Overall, this was a great find for us, and I envy those who live closer to it!
(5)B K.
This is a great neighborhood place to bring kids or hang out with friends. Solid food with a nice beer selection. I'll be back.
(4)C B.
We haven't been here since the place opened over a year ago. So glad we decided to give it a try again. The menu's changed for the better. The food and ambiance were good. But it's a little too much with that guy walking around trying to clean up tables. I know he's helping out the servers but he's cleaning up while your still eating or finishing up. A little overbearing. Almost like you're being rushed to turn the table over.
(4)Holly S.
Great outdoor patio! Yummy pizza and it wasn't too crowded or noisy on a Saturday afternoon in perfect weather. This was a great find. We had the Cobb salad and a small vodka pizza. The pizza was very good. My male friend was however a little disappointed in the draft selection but he is a beer snob.
(4)Demetra L.
Went back to Iron Horse yesterday for lunch. Much better experience this time around. We were seated and our server came almost immediately to take our drink order. My husband ordered a draft (drafts were working) and we received our drinks within a couple of minutes. We decided to try the Flamin' Hot brick oven pizza along with mozzarella sticks as an appetizer. Our appetizer came out within a few minutes and they were quite good. The pizza was was extremely good, very light and full of flavor. Our server Tina was very friendly and attentive. We're looking forward to coming back, next time to try the dinner menu. Glad they've appeared to work the kinks out. Iron Horse will be a great asset to the neighborhood.
(4)A F.
Oh. My. God. This will be a 5-star restaurant when it gets its service attributes right, but that kind of blip is to be expected from a brand-spanking-new restaurant. This is no mere neighborhood effort. This is a Class A restaurant and bar. The architectural design alone gets it my admiration. Barrel vaulted ceiling, cast iron design elements throughout, industrial legacy, clean brickwork, beautiful woodworked back bar, properly spaced tables, killer wood-fired pizza oven...these are just a very few of the attention-to-detail aspects of a really well-considered space and atmosphere. Obligatory TV screens throughout. Okay, so the owners put a ton of money into the place. But does the food measure up? Yes. In spades. The litmus test in this case are two items: the pizza and the burger. The pizza is f-ing sublime; beautifully charred on the edges, chewy crust and toothsome toppings. But it's the burger that really makes this place the real deal. The bun is an ethereal platform for a perfect medium-rare hand-formed burger that I topped with tomato and grilled onions and then further topped with the sides of cole slaw and BBQ sauce. Just take me now. Incredible. The side of fries were on the soft side, which is my personal preference. Add a Lagunitas ale from the long list of draft and bottled craft beers and you've got yourself an orgasmic gastronomic experience of the highest and best kind. Damn, they should pay me for this review. This neighborhood has been suffering for so long. Years spent resentfully trudging to Edison Park. Then wishful thinking that Trip D would make the cut (nope) and the smell of death from the get-go for the ill-contrived Mo Daley's. So great has the anticipation been for Iron Horse Ale House that it seems like it's been "Opening Soon" since the late 80's. Well, it's open now and it will get the full support from a neighborhood that will soon have something new to resent...the outsiders coming from afar to experience a truly wonderful restaurant and bar experience. Yeah, I'm gushing. But a review of my reviews will allow you to judge my judgement. I look forward to Iron Horse Ale House fixing its service missteps and garnering a 5th star from me.
(4)Debra S.
Love this new restaurant! Excellent brick oven pizzas, great beer selection, and a kids menu. Great atmosphere - Stools around the brick oven to watch your pizza being made - little lounge area in back, and outdoor seating. Can't wait to return!!
(4)Eric W.
Update of my initial review. Iron Horse now gets 5 stars. Greatest beer selection! Chris, your responsibility to sample new beers for the menu makes me jealous. Food is awesome. Brick oven pizza yum. Service is now polished and attentive. TV's everywhere for you sports fans. Owners are great. We like this place so much, my wife and I got married there. Try them go back and support them. Iron Horse is an asset to Norwood Park.
(5)Alejandro P.
I had been waiting for this place to open for months and when it finally opened I was beyond impressed. Iron Horse sets out to be not just another pizza and beer cliché but a cut above the rest. The pizza is phenomenal. They have plenty of options for the classic pizza lovers to more adventurous rustic recipes. There doesn't get much better than a great variety of craft beer from around the country. The waitresses and managers are extremely kind and willing to make your visit as enjoyable as possible. They have a vast knowledge of the food menu and drink menu. Feel free to ask for their opinion because every single thing they recommended was fantastic. Try the fried calamari. It puts any other calamari i've ever had to shame, and no I am not exaggerating. Good pizza, good beer, good ambience. I will be a regular here for sure!
(5)Steven B.
I heard the pizza was great so I stopped in. The place looks nice but that is it. The pizza is nothing special and the service sucks. I only had my one drink, since they did not care to ask me for another drink I paid and left.
(2)Brendan B.
Outstanding... We went here for the first time last night. It was great, and the place was packed. We were there with the kids and I thought there may be a long wait for our food, because they were so busy. As it turns out, we received our food shortly after we ordered and it was awesome. I'm guessing my kids are the ones people reference in other reviews. If your bothered by kids running around stay home and be grumpy by yourself. The place is big enough to contain the families. My wife and I both ordered the pizza. She had the veggie pizza and I had the prosciutto pizza. I loved the prosciutto pizza. It was the right combination of cheese and meat to make the perfect pizza. We have been back a bunch of times. May also suggest the buffalo wrap, burgers, my son loves the fish and chips. Great place.
(5)Nikki V.
This place has got potential! We moved into the area a few months ago and were super excited to see this place opening up only a couple blocks away from us! We went last night at 8 pm.. the decor and ambiance is wonderful! The place is a lot bigger on the inside that you would have thought from the outside! It's beautiful. When we were first seated, it took a while for our server to come and take our orders.. The restaurant wasn't completely full by all means but I think everyone is still adjusting since they just opened. We ordered our beers (the drafts work!), spinach & artichoke dip and sliders. We actually got our artichoke dip before our beers which was 10-15 minutes later, kind of ridiculous. The dip is very tasty! With our dip halfway done, we ran out of pita chips (which they only give you 6 pita triangles and 2 large crostinis). Our server immediately thought that we were finished. Before she tried to take it away, I asked for additional pitas. The sliders were very plain but still good. I think the chicken slider was just missing some mayo. I ordered the cheeseburger slider with no pickles and what came was just a plain cheeseburger with a bun. It tasted great but it wasn't anything special. I think next time we'll order the flat breads and check out some of the other entrees. Another thing that kind of destroyed the ambiance were all the bus boys hanging around the corners of the restaurants. It looks like they all go to the same school or something but they used their time to hang out and occasionally clean tables. A couple kids were hanging by the women's bathroom and watching the game on tv (we were actually seated right next to them.. awkward!!). One kid actually spilled a cup of water which splashed on us a little and didn't even bother to apologize or clean it up! Our poor server ended up doing that (sorry lady!). Overall, I think (and hope) the place will get much better as the restaurant settles in. It's got a lot of potential and I hope that this becomes our favorite neighborhood bar in the future! :)
(3)Valerie O.
Is this a chuck e cheese or a bar. Excellent pizza. The buffalo chicken pizza is my favorite but this place is overrun with kids. There were having a child's birthday party there last time I was there.
(4)Ruby Q.
Each time I go here, I mentally deduct 1/2 star for deterioration over time. They once had a great menu with ahi tuna salads and spaghetti n meatball, and pizzas that were out of this world. Now it is just mostly bar food and even the pizza is lacking the proper balance of ingredients. I think they lost their chef and it seems like the owners nephew is cooking. The staff seems to be turning over quickly - never a good sign- and the new guys just seem, well new and inexperienced. I really liked this place when it opened, but deteriorating menu and service now brings then into the "who cares" 3 star category. Mamma Mia!......Is this Naples or Norwood Park? The Margarita pizza was perfecto! When we traveled in Italy, I, like most American travelers, made sure I had a pizza in nearly every town. Well well my piazzano, the Iron Horse pizza pie can run with the best of them. The crust was a thin and a perfect mix of crispy on the edges and soft in the middle. The sauce and cheese were ideal - no waxy string cheese here - just a fine authentic mozzarella. This is what pizza is meant to be. The draft beer selection is phenomenal. I usually go with the Langunitas lil sumpim sumpim but like to wander about as well. After multiple visits I'd say that the service staff is efficient, well timed and friendly. The bartenders Tricia Trina and Laura, work their tails off so please tip generously. Another welcome addition to the growing restaurant strip on Northwest Highway in Norwood Park.
(3)Erin P.
Place was ok. Sat at the bar with my husband and was impressed by the long beer list. Mostly IPA's and pale ales on draft which my husband loves. I'm not a big fan of them, but the bottled list covers most beers. I ended up going for Revolutions Bottom Up Wit. On the beer list it says 20oz can for $7. I got a 12oz can for $6. Asked the bartender and was told they only have the 12oz. In my opinion the drinks are overpriced and the inconsistency didn't give a great impression. We also ate while we were there. The spinach dip was really good as was the pita bread it came with, but they only gave us 6 small pieces of pita bread and a huge thing of spinach dip. Portion was pretty off. My husband ordered a pizza and said it was ok. He took most of it home and they gave him a small clam box to put it in. Pizza ended up being soggy the next day and be threw it away. I ordered the buffalo chicken wrap. It was fine, but nothing special. The bartenders were very friendly though and were on top of their service so I was impressed by that. We live in the neighbor so we will probably try it again, but for now there are a lot of other places with much better prices in my opinion.
(3)Paul B.
Great place for wood fired pizza, a burger or just beer! The only critiques I have of this place is the service can be hit-or-miss (never bad, just slooow at times) and the menu is rather limited to pizza, a couple sandwiches and some overpriced salads and pasta.
(4)Jennifer H.
Good food. Unfortunately I was looking for the skee ball based on the romper room atmosphere. This place could give Chuckie Cheese a run for the money based on the amount of under 10s running around bumping into wait staff and guests' chairs. I had the idea that an establishment that chose to have alcohol in the name might be more adult.
(2)