Cheers recreated in Des Plaines! Always fun! Friendly people, cheap beer and good food. Great burgers and they come with fries for 5.99. Ribs are great too!
(4)
D W.
Good neighborhood bar. The new owner is a great guy and has done alot to fix the place up. This is not a night club just a quite place for a cheap cold beer and some good food. D
(5)
John G.
No ferns. No polished brass fixtures. No menu board full of expensive craft beers. No Hipsters. Just friendly people, good hearty bar food, affordable domestic beers and good prices on daily specials. Rand Roadhouse is a nice, working class neighborhood bar, and that's my kind of bar. I try to stop in whenever I'm in the area.
(4)
Courtney W.
This place isn't charming, it isn't cutesy or quaint but it is the perfect neighborhood dive to blow off some steam with friends while keeping the tab cheap. I haven't eaten there, but both the pizza and the wings look solid. They have decent specials on pitchers and bottles. This place has no frills, except for plenty of parking (a plus if you live in the city and are used to circling the block quite a few times). The service is snappy and efficient. That bathrooms, well stay out of the bathrooms if you can. The popcorn to munch on while you drink is a huge plus. It's not movie theater quality but it'll do.
(4)
Elizabeth W.
Unlike the Beacon, I have only been here once. This is because it was crazy crowded, parking was more complicated than medieval court etiquette, and I like the beer selection at the Beacon better. Rand Road House does have a bigger menu, however. It really is a road house, if you were wondering if they just picked the name because it sounds catchy. It's your classic dive bar with drink specials and bar food, but with a little extra to eat. There's outdoor seating in the summer as well, but it's along a road that gets bad traffic during rush hour, so you may want to avoid the patio at certain times. Service was okay, food was okay, and the bathrooms were not totally disgusting. Again, it's your classic dive bar. It isn't two stars because it's necessarily a bad place, but because sometimes the "two stars" experience is what you you're looking for, and at those times, this is where to find it.
(2)
Ryan H.
Gross! Gross regulars, gross bathrooms.. all around just disgusting.. Went there once and that was enough for two lifetimes!
(1)
Devin B.
Pretty bad, I love a good dive bar but I don't want to get colera... (see attached photo of the bucket under the urinal) the music (bad juke box selection of bad euro style pop tunes) was overly loud for a relatively empty bar.
(2)
Jacob J.
If you scan the Internet for reviews you'll find one site with a 1 star rating and another with 5 stars. Metromix details them as a "great beer garden with live music in the summer" This is a road house, think shanty, dark colored building with box lettering that reads the name of the bar. Look for an old style sign hanging out front and you're there. Parking is a cluster-fuck of fun that awaits, more so in rain and wet snow. I was told that they did some remodeling inside. From the looks of it, one cannot tell what exactly was remodeled. Weekends can get somewhat crowded and is composed of a mix of very young to older with whitened hair. The bar is made up of a living room divided by the length of the bar leaving little space for drinkers and llamas to move around. To the far end of the road house is seating for those that want to eat and drink, with food served till closing. Per comments from regulars, burgers and ribs are pretty good. Internet jukebox is available as well as Ms Pac-Man and Golden Tee. Rumors of a Big Buck hunter Pro or Safari machine are false. One bartender tends at a time with minimal help from additional staff which seems to kill a beer drinker's spirit; since the minimum wait is around fifteen to twenty minutes. Beers list is barren; you're stuck with the typical domestics, Schlitz and Guinness dark. The bartender is clearly overworked and if you have a tab it's highly likely that you should go over the charges on your bill. One thing that the bar screams to you is the feeling of not enough. Take the Men's room for example, enough space for ONLY one to use at a time though there's the facilities for two. The toilet is between the wall and a free standing wall with a TP dispenser thrown into the mix. Hardly enough space for one of their usual's to use, maybe an anorexic hipster. Beer garden? There's an attached area outside which is fenced, which could be a beer garden? unclear, looks more like a pigs' pen at best. Best when you're dressed in your favorite sportswear or jammies.
(3)
David D.
I Love Gary's Ribs and the Patty Melt!
(5)
Karl M.
Local dive bar with a decent kitchen and regular old commercial beers. I've been driving by this place for years. One day I decided to give them a try... As you walk in, it looks just like a dive bar. Dark, dank and nothing really outstanding. A bunch of local old dudes line the bar as if they had assigned seats. As I take my seat I ask for a menu and what beers are available. The bartender says, "What do you want? Because I have a TON of beers to choose from..." So I start my run down... "Do you have any craft beers?" I say. She returns with, "Kraft beers?? Let me check." she comes back and says, "I don't think Kraft makes beer." LOL I can see the dark clouds rolling in and I am half-tempted to up and leave at this point... I ask her to just tell me what she has and she, once again, asserts that there are too many to name... nearly 15 beers. Finally we settle on a Samuel Adams. Fine. Then the owner comes out to introduce himself and find out what's for lunch. He boasts about his ribs... I am a tough critic. I ask what kind of sauce he uses... with a little hesitation he finally admits to using Sweet Baby Ray's... I kept my highly judgmental comments to myself. I am not a high fructose fan. I'm not a bottled sauce fan for that matter. I ask him if he at least smokes the ribs himself and he admits that they aren't smoked either... So I settle for the pork chops. Two thin but well seasoned (salt and black pepper) chops that comes on a bed of white toast on a side of... I forget. They were delicious. As I get ready to leave he thanks me for coming in and boasts about his pizza... I ask if he makes his own crust and he admits that his pizza's are frozen- though made fresh at a local restaurant. Ugh. The best part about my experience was that after my tasty meal and two Sam Adams, my bill was less than $15!!!! A totally shockingly refreshing bill if I've ever seen one. At that price, this place is GREAT! They just need to get a few sixers of some LAGUNITA'S in the fridge and I'd be back ASAP!
(3)
Joanne D.
Had dinner here with a group if friends. They brought me here for the food. The roadhouse is full of locals and has a special ambiance. Food is great and the wait staff if super friendly. Parking is okay. Lots to choose from to eat and drink. The friendly atmosphere makes it all worth it. If you want a casual meal and drinks with friends this is a good place to go.
(5)
R L R.
What to say about The Shack (as my friends and I fondly call it). It's a neighborhood bar full of townies, but the wait staff and manager are awesome! My cousin and I stumbled upon this bar by accident during karaoke night on a Wednesday and had an amazing time. The locals are very friendly and made us feel at home and we've become regulars ourselves, although we both live quite a ways away. Although the acoustics aren't the greatest for karaoke, they have a decent selection of songs and the clientele are always diverse, fun and supportive. Oh, and Gary makes a mean Patty Melt!
(5)
Ken And Laura M.
The day we were there someone threw-up in the women's bathroom and the outdoor patio was rocking. Hey, it is a Road-House!
(3)
Mike J.
Awesome ribs and chicken wings. Friendly owners and friendly people. Great place to hang with friends to eat and drink.
(5)
Amanda O.
Visited Rand Road House which I think about 20 people showed up in honor of the birthday boy. I have to completely agree with Jacob when he says the bar leaves you with the feeling of "not enough". It was worse than my neighborhood hole-in-the-wall bar and that says enough. They had mini-pitchers on sale for $4.00 which poured about 2 1/2 pints. I had 2. Jacob gave you a run down of the men's restroom so I guess I can give you the scoop on the ladies' restroom. Quite spacious with a shin-level shelf that came in handy from keeping your purse from sitting in piss-tainted mop water. But very difficult to access. It was in a narrow "hallway" behind the mens which was constantly clogged by the people trying to get a beer from the stressed bartender. Anyhow, I prefer my hole-in-the-wall bar that's a 5 minute walk and even if I can't get mini pitchers I at least have a bathtub covered with plywood to set my purse on in the bathroom there. LOL.... no I'm not making that up.
(2)
Andrea N.
I'm very biased here. This is my all time favorite bar. My friends are split. I'm always wanting to come here. Some of my friends refuse to come. Most others need to be in the mood and/or coerced.... I come here on Wednesdays mostly. Why? Karaoke of course! I love me some karaoke. And so do the patrons. Be prepared to wait your turn. Us regulars love to take the spotlight ;) And Jeff and Cindy are more than happy to accommodate! Love them! (PS they also do karaoke on Sunday nights at the little villa in des plaines!) This is a tiny dive bar. It's a small main room. A tight hallway, and a tiny dining area. But it's worth it! Yes there are only 2 bathrooms. They are typical dive bar quality. You're not in a swanky place. One should expect this. The outdoor patio is reached either through the front in the warmer months, or straight through the kitchen and out the door! It's large back there. Lots of seating, TVs, and a bar (granted I've never seen that bar open lol) No matter! They come take your orders! My drink is pretty much made as soon as I walk through the door. Service is wonderful! It can be slow when busy, but they work their tails off! As for the patrons, it depends on the day. On Wednesdays I'm there with my dad. The crowd is older, but they're all friendly and welcoming! Occasionally some youngsters will walk in. The party picks up! The weekends are more or less the same. It's a mix of old and young. I've seen a handful of hipsters. Either way, fun! As for the food, um yum! I adore their burgers! They are second only to Monks in Wisconsin Dells. For a while, I assumed they were only good at 3am when I was schlitzed and starving. Nope! They're just as amazing sober! I also recommend the ribs! And don't even get me started on the annual cornfest! Hello Midwest corn heaven!!! Plus they've got a popcorn machine for munching!! If you've actually read through this "I freaking love the roadhouse" novel, props! Now get on over there! We'll share a drink, a bowl of popcorn and the mic on a Wednesday night! 5 stars!
(5)
James A.
I love this place. Great bar to hang out at on a nice day
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Late Night Parking : Private Lot Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Music : Juke Box Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Peggy M.
Cheers recreated in Des Plaines! Always fun! Friendly people, cheap beer and good food. Great burgers and they come with fries for 5.99. Ribs are great too!
(4)D W.
Good neighborhood bar. The new owner is a great guy and has done alot to fix the place up. This is not a night club just a quite place for a cheap cold beer and some good food. D
(5)John G.
No ferns. No polished brass fixtures. No menu board full of expensive craft beers. No Hipsters. Just friendly people, good hearty bar food, affordable domestic beers and good prices on daily specials. Rand Roadhouse is a nice, working class neighborhood bar, and that's my kind of bar. I try to stop in whenever I'm in the area.
(4)Courtney W.
This place isn't charming, it isn't cutesy or quaint but it is the perfect neighborhood dive to blow off some steam with friends while keeping the tab cheap. I haven't eaten there, but both the pizza and the wings look solid. They have decent specials on pitchers and bottles. This place has no frills, except for plenty of parking (a plus if you live in the city and are used to circling the block quite a few times). The service is snappy and efficient. That bathrooms, well stay out of the bathrooms if you can. The popcorn to munch on while you drink is a huge plus. It's not movie theater quality but it'll do.
(4)Elizabeth W.
Unlike the Beacon, I have only been here once. This is because it was crazy crowded, parking was more complicated than medieval court etiquette, and I like the beer selection at the Beacon better. Rand Road House does have a bigger menu, however. It really is a road house, if you were wondering if they just picked the name because it sounds catchy. It's your classic dive bar with drink specials and bar food, but with a little extra to eat. There's outdoor seating in the summer as well, but it's along a road that gets bad traffic during rush hour, so you may want to avoid the patio at certain times. Service was okay, food was okay, and the bathrooms were not totally disgusting. Again, it's your classic dive bar. It isn't two stars because it's necessarily a bad place, but because sometimes the "two stars" experience is what you you're looking for, and at those times, this is where to find it.
(2)Ryan H.
Gross! Gross regulars, gross bathrooms.. all around just disgusting.. Went there once and that was enough for two lifetimes!
(1)Devin B.
Pretty bad, I love a good dive bar but I don't want to get colera... (see attached photo of the bucket under the urinal) the music (bad juke box selection of bad euro style pop tunes) was overly loud for a relatively empty bar.
(2)Jacob J.
If you scan the Internet for reviews you'll find one site with a 1 star rating and another with 5 stars. Metromix details them as a "great beer garden with live music in the summer" This is a road house, think shanty, dark colored building with box lettering that reads the name of the bar. Look for an old style sign hanging out front and you're there. Parking is a cluster-fuck of fun that awaits, more so in rain and wet snow. I was told that they did some remodeling inside. From the looks of it, one cannot tell what exactly was remodeled. Weekends can get somewhat crowded and is composed of a mix of very young to older with whitened hair. The bar is made up of a living room divided by the length of the bar leaving little space for drinkers and llamas to move around. To the far end of the road house is seating for those that want to eat and drink, with food served till closing. Per comments from regulars, burgers and ribs are pretty good. Internet jukebox is available as well as Ms Pac-Man and Golden Tee. Rumors of a Big Buck hunter Pro or Safari machine are false. One bartender tends at a time with minimal help from additional staff which seems to kill a beer drinker's spirit; since the minimum wait is around fifteen to twenty minutes. Beers list is barren; you're stuck with the typical domestics, Schlitz and Guinness dark. The bartender is clearly overworked and if you have a tab it's highly likely that you should go over the charges on your bill. One thing that the bar screams to you is the feeling of not enough. Take the Men's room for example, enough space for ONLY one to use at a time though there's the facilities for two. The toilet is between the wall and a free standing wall with a TP dispenser thrown into the mix. Hardly enough space for one of their usual's to use, maybe an anorexic hipster. Beer garden? There's an attached area outside which is fenced, which could be a beer garden? unclear, looks more like a pigs' pen at best. Best when you're dressed in your favorite sportswear or jammies.
(3)David D.
I Love Gary's Ribs and the Patty Melt!
(5)Karl M.
Local dive bar with a decent kitchen and regular old commercial beers. I've been driving by this place for years. One day I decided to give them a try... As you walk in, it looks just like a dive bar. Dark, dank and nothing really outstanding. A bunch of local old dudes line the bar as if they had assigned seats. As I take my seat I ask for a menu and what beers are available. The bartender says, "What do you want? Because I have a TON of beers to choose from..." So I start my run down... "Do you have any craft beers?" I say. She returns with, "Kraft beers?? Let me check." she comes back and says, "I don't think Kraft makes beer." LOL I can see the dark clouds rolling in and I am half-tempted to up and leave at this point... I ask her to just tell me what she has and she, once again, asserts that there are too many to name... nearly 15 beers. Finally we settle on a Samuel Adams. Fine. Then the owner comes out to introduce himself and find out what's for lunch. He boasts about his ribs... I am a tough critic. I ask what kind of sauce he uses... with a little hesitation he finally admits to using Sweet Baby Ray's... I kept my highly judgmental comments to myself. I am not a high fructose fan. I'm not a bottled sauce fan for that matter. I ask him if he at least smokes the ribs himself and he admits that they aren't smoked either... So I settle for the pork chops. Two thin but well seasoned (salt and black pepper) chops that comes on a bed of white toast on a side of... I forget. They were delicious. As I get ready to leave he thanks me for coming in and boasts about his pizza... I ask if he makes his own crust and he admits that his pizza's are frozen- though made fresh at a local restaurant. Ugh. The best part about my experience was that after my tasty meal and two Sam Adams, my bill was less than $15!!!! A totally shockingly refreshing bill if I've ever seen one. At that price, this place is GREAT! They just need to get a few sixers of some LAGUNITA'S in the fridge and I'd be back ASAP!
(3)Joanne D.
Had dinner here with a group if friends. They brought me here for the food. The roadhouse is full of locals and has a special ambiance. Food is great and the wait staff if super friendly. Parking is okay. Lots to choose from to eat and drink. The friendly atmosphere makes it all worth it. If you want a casual meal and drinks with friends this is a good place to go.
(5)R L R.
What to say about The Shack (as my friends and I fondly call it). It's a neighborhood bar full of townies, but the wait staff and manager are awesome! My cousin and I stumbled upon this bar by accident during karaoke night on a Wednesday and had an amazing time. The locals are very friendly and made us feel at home and we've become regulars ourselves, although we both live quite a ways away. Although the acoustics aren't the greatest for karaoke, they have a decent selection of songs and the clientele are always diverse, fun and supportive. Oh, and Gary makes a mean Patty Melt!
(5)Ken And Laura M.
The day we were there someone threw-up in the women's bathroom and the outdoor patio was rocking. Hey, it is a Road-House!
(3)Mike J.
Awesome ribs and chicken wings. Friendly owners and friendly people. Great place to hang with friends to eat and drink.
(5)Amanda O.
Visited Rand Road House which I think about 20 people showed up in honor of the birthday boy. I have to completely agree with Jacob when he says the bar leaves you with the feeling of "not enough". It was worse than my neighborhood hole-in-the-wall bar and that says enough. They had mini-pitchers on sale for $4.00 which poured about 2 1/2 pints. I had 2. Jacob gave you a run down of the men's restroom so I guess I can give you the scoop on the ladies' restroom. Quite spacious with a shin-level shelf that came in handy from keeping your purse from sitting in piss-tainted mop water. But very difficult to access. It was in a narrow "hallway" behind the mens which was constantly clogged by the people trying to get a beer from the stressed bartender. Anyhow, I prefer my hole-in-the-wall bar that's a 5 minute walk and even if I can't get mini pitchers I at least have a bathtub covered with plywood to set my purse on in the bathroom there. LOL.... no I'm not making that up.
(2)Andrea N.
I'm very biased here. This is my all time favorite bar. My friends are split. I'm always wanting to come here. Some of my friends refuse to come. Most others need to be in the mood and/or coerced.... I come here on Wednesdays mostly. Why? Karaoke of course! I love me some karaoke. And so do the patrons. Be prepared to wait your turn. Us regulars love to take the spotlight ;) And Jeff and Cindy are more than happy to accommodate! Love them! (PS they also do karaoke on Sunday nights at the little villa in des plaines!) This is a tiny dive bar. It's a small main room. A tight hallway, and a tiny dining area. But it's worth it! Yes there are only 2 bathrooms. They are typical dive bar quality. You're not in a swanky place. One should expect this. The outdoor patio is reached either through the front in the warmer months, or straight through the kitchen and out the door! It's large back there. Lots of seating, TVs, and a bar (granted I've never seen that bar open lol) No matter! They come take your orders! My drink is pretty much made as soon as I walk through the door. Service is wonderful! It can be slow when busy, but they work their tails off! As for the patrons, it depends on the day. On Wednesdays I'm there with my dad. The crowd is older, but they're all friendly and welcoming! Occasionally some youngsters will walk in. The party picks up! The weekends are more or less the same. It's a mix of old and young. I've seen a handful of hipsters. Either way, fun! As for the food, um yum! I adore their burgers! They are second only to Monks in Wisconsin Dells. For a while, I assumed they were only good at 3am when I was schlitzed and starving. Nope! They're just as amazing sober! I also recommend the ribs! And don't even get me started on the annual cornfest! Hello Midwest corn heaven!!! Plus they've got a popcorn machine for munching!! If you've actually read through this "I freaking love the roadhouse" novel, props! Now get on over there! We'll share a drink, a bowl of popcorn and the mic on a Wednesday night! 5 stars!
(5)James A.
I love this place. Great bar to hang out at on a nice day
(5)